DocBauer

Seattle is a good team, and hot recently. You can't and don't win them all. I don't always agree with moves that Rocco makes, think he generally makes good ones, and over the past few weeks he's made a lot of good and right calls. But i did feel he made some poor choices in this game. 1] I just don't understand PH that early in the game to remove a couple of your best bats. What was it, the 5th? You still have a lot of game to play. 2] Ober was at 85 pitches through 5. In a close game, MAYBE it was time to pull him rather than try to squeeze another inning out of him. But as good as Sands has been this season, he's the ONE GUY in the pen who's "built" for more than 1 inning based on being a SP pretty recently. He should have at least started the 7th in hopes he'd have similar success as he did in the 6th. Alcala has shown time and time again that he has the ability to be good/very good for 1 inning. But they keep INSISTING he should throw 2 at a time! Why? The history of results show his production and final results are clear. 3] I don't understand running Farmer from 2B with 1 out and Jeffers at the plate. Was it a bad hit and run attempt? Being aggressive is one thing. Running yourself out of an inning is a big mistake. 4] Jackson is not a bad arm if he's your 8th or 9th option. STINKS that as soon as we get Duran back we lose Stewart for a week or two. Can Topa help offset his loss? I sure hope so. I don't like the idea of tossing away depth in the pen...and St Paul doesn't have a lot to offer...but when I look at a healthy Twins pen, I've got Duran, Jax, Stewart, Thielbar, Topa, Okert, Duran, Funderburk, and Sands. That's 9 before Staumont hopefully getting right, Winder hopefully getting right, and a couple veteran fliers like Blewett and previously very good Diego Castillo doing solid work. I know guys have bad days, and guys will have IL stints. And Jackson isn't exactly terrible, but he's not exactly good either. Would the FO dare to cut him when Topa is ready? Again, he's probably the 9th or 10th guy when everyone is healthy. How far do they take the "veteran depth" debate? KUDOS to Martin for his hustle! He BLEW that gimme triple, which happens for rookies, indicating he's still got stuff to learn. And that one play might have been the difference in tonight's game, along with mis-using Sands and Duran. But I'd still stick with him over Margot when Buxton is back. Other than a semi-decent bat, with no power, and a single RBI against a RHP a couple games ago, Margot just looks like someone who fell off a cliff. Time to get ready for game 3! Go Twins!

Like everyone else, I'm a huge fan of Arraez and always will be. He's an absolute unicorn: a generational hitter with a good OB% and clutch hitting, but limited power, little speed, and not much defensively. Boy oh boy is he nice to see at the top of your order in one of the top two spots. (Though he does seem to usually fall off some in the second half of seasons. Worn out perhaps?) But with what the Twins had, had coming up, and need in the rotation, it was the right move af the time to trade for Lopez, and it remains the right move today. I don't think any "winner" needs to be decided in the trade. Both teams benefited initially, but we have Lopez. And that's all I need to know. It's a long rabbit hole to go down if we wait and see what becomes of the prospects Miami received from the Padres. And that's a path I care not to follow.. On a side note, when Miami moved on from Kim Ng, I think it was obvious they were probably going to begin a rebuild, though with some years of control left, I didn't see them moving on from Arraez so soon. I really thought the Marlins still needed some young bats, and thought the Twins might offer up a collection of solid prospects...beyond the first 5 or 6 in the system... for Edward Cabrera, talented, controllable, but somewhat enigmatic. I thought it made a ton of sense for both clubs. Looks like no deal there was the best outcome for the Twins. Best of luck to Luis, except of course when he faces us.

Living in Nebraska...as stated in a previous post or two...I'm not affected by this situation. But that doesn't mean it doesn't concern or frustrate me as well. I'm literally watching my life long ML team destroy it's brand and reputation! What's so damn frustrating to me is how ownership has largely seemed to do "right" before this fiasco. In the community, from what I read, they've been very active over the years with various charities and organizations. When the pandemic shut so many things down, they were amongst the first 2 or 3 teams to announce they would not only avoid any layoffs within the Twins FO, but would also pay all milb players and staffers. They've invested in scouting and development and complexes in Florida and Latin America. They've consistently made upgrades to the "Target Field" experience for fans. Current and former players and coaches have raved how they and their families have been treated by the FO and ownership. I don't recall the comments made by Joe Pohlad concerning future expansion of the payroll, but I do know they hadn't cut payroll until this season, and in fact had raised it yearly for the past several seasons. So what on earth has happened, virtually overnight, to create this HUGE mess? We've heard grumblings for some time about Bally and the agreement the Twins had with them that restricted any further growth of revenue through streaming and the such. They KNEW when their contract was up! They had TIME to look for and examine all avenues for 2024 and future growth! Even if you suspected you MIGHT have to lower payroll, you wait until the warm, fuzzy, glowing feelings of reaching the playoffs and actually WINNING have faded a bit. It's almost akin to Christmas and receiving a present you wanted only to be told moments later your goldfish died. Not only was it the wrong time to make said announcement, but if there was any CHANCE of re-upping with Bally, then they should have not only said nothing at the time, but should have maybe hedged their bets a little and mad the decision to either not cut payroll for 2024...coming off a great season...or expect a smaller cut in their minds to hedge their bets on the unknown. What's even MORE frustrating is they SOMEHOW didn't know that the entire deal was still CONTINGENT on an agreement between Bally/Diamond and Comcast??? WTH? Alienate the fans. Mislead the fans. And then eliminate the fans that you have. That's the 3 things that ownership has accomplished this offseason. Just exactly who is running what up in those offices? By all accounts DSP is a salt of the earth guy who's done a lot for the Twins over the years. But lack of growth in earning opportunities and some very bad public statements makes me wonder if it's time to just move on for someone more in touch with today's fans and market place who can be creative and inventive going forward. Ultimately, does the TV/streaming fiasco lie at Joe's feet, or did the "family" intervene and override forward thinking for the future of the organization for one last payday? 6 months. That's all it took to virtually destroy all good will of a franchise and fan base riding high and looking forward to 2024 and the future. SOMEONE upstairs had better take a really good, long, hard, and honest look in the mirror when this season is done, realize and admit mistakes, and then take steps to rectify the situation going forward. And if it's not all on Joe's plate, then he needs to step forward as the man in charge and take control. It may take 2-3 years to undo what's been done in the past 6 months, but that journey begins by reflection, admittance, and then forward thinking to undo the damage.

SWR has been an enigma since acquired and I've been very torn on him to this point. I kept hearing how great a HS prospect he was, how much potential he had, how he was traded twice for a reason, but he was pretty bad when the Twins got him in 2021. But I pointed out how young he was, was rushed to AA, and how his whole season was a massive cluster with preparing for the Olympic team, going oversees, and then having to re-acclimate once back. He then went out and had a really nice 2022 and seemed to re-establish himself again. His first half of 2023 was horrible. Even his better second half wasn't exactly great when you looked at his peripherals. And I kept reading articles about "stuff plus" and we shouldn't give up on him. So I had some hope. And then I read about adjusting his mechanics, and new found velocity, and I had a little more hope. He's looked really good, for the most part, here in 2024. Being a rookie is hard enough, but facing the same team twice in 10 days...even the Dirty Sox...is pretty hard to do. I still expect rookie growing pains and bumps in the road. (witness Varland as a recent example). So I'm not going to proclaim him as a fixture at this point. But the command and control are largely there and consistent. And yes, his "stuff" I kept reading about looks genuinely nasty at times. Varland looking much better recently for St Paul, Festa starting to get stretched out now, Headrick hopefully back at some point in the near future, I'm feeling a little better about our depth. I'll feel even better as Raya keeps adding pitches/innings, Matthews looks good at Wichita, Ohl starts warming up, and Lewis makes it back. (I'm not including Canterino at this point).

So there actually ARE some decent relievers in the minors this year. LOL Blewett looks interesting. Another late bloomer project that's been uncovered perhaps? But he's obviously got to keep it going, but even then, he's a ways down the pecking order for promotion. Any recent reports on Diego Castillo's velocity? I thought he was a smart flier signing to see if he could get back to his previous form, which was good even in 2023. But I want to say he's been throwing in the low 90's last I heard? Blewett and Castillo are nice adds to St Paul, and possible depth options down the road. But behind Alcala, Funderburk, and possibly Staumont if he can make it at least 90% back, they've got a fairly long road ahead of them. Thanks for the report!

BRILLIANT! And deserved! a

Martin is probably the right call. He didn't look out of place in his first appearance, had athleticism and potential, and is on the 40 man. However, Keirsey is off to a great start at St Paul this year...following a pair of good back to back milb seasons...and is an excellent CF. Does it matter if he bats LH? Not to me. He's got to be considered an option at some point, especially in a long term situation.

SURELY you must be a Monty Python connoisseur? **golf clap. Or is that coconut banging?**

This means 2 things: 1] They have already decided Funderburk was going down in favor of Topa. 2] Boushley gives them a fresher arm for today's/Wednesday's game against the Sox. It's May 1st. Nobody is getting cut at this point, and nobody deserves to be cut. "I'm not talking about a temporary fill in like Bowman). Jackson might be the last man in the pen, but he's also done well. SOMEONE has to go down to make room for Topa and it was going to be Funderburk or Sands. Alcala didnt deseve to be sent down, and neither does Funderburk. Great depth forces decisions at times, so it's a good problem to have. The problem is, Topa doesn't need to be brought up yet, and shouldn't be until he proves something with the Saints. And one more game before a day off Thursday really shouldn't have required a need for Boushley anyway.

I live in Nebraska so I'm not in a blackout area, other than Royals games where I'm forced to the radio, or the Bally channel on cable that carries said games. So I'm lucky in that regard. But I do feel pain for those that are in the mess of blackout area and now Bally/Comcast FUBAR situation. I also work for a telecommunications company. Cable is dying quickly. For perspective reasons, I'd like to cover a few things. Why do cable companies "force" you to car4y so many channels? Part of it is federal regulations that require a certain number of "slots" for educational and local channels dependent on how many total channels said cable company offers. In other words, the more channels offered means even more channels must be offered. Additionally, there's about 5 HUGE parent companies that own all of the various channels available to us all on a trickle down affect. Example: Disney doesn't just own Disney, they own ABC and ESPN. Those parent companies want/need their channels to have viewers so they are sold to cable companies in packages very often. Cable TV costs more, overall, than a streaming service. That's the primary reason it's dying. Every couple of years, by law/regulation, a cable company must renegotiate deals/contracts with providers. Additionally, streaming services...while providing the SAME CONTENT...are regulated and taxed differently than cable companies and are not subject to certain restrictions as to blackouts or regional content. Further, when a streaming service carries local channels, they do so with an "umbrella" deal from the PARENT corporation that sets a standard fee for the COUNTRY and individual local stations are forced to accept these fees rather than negotiate directly with the local cable companies, usually for more money. Often times, when you look at a cable TV package of channels and compare it to a streaming service, the actual cost of channel per dollar is less, or equivalent, on cable to said streaming service. Not always, but ofter. Cable TV, previously, offered a more stable floor of known subscribers for someone like Diamond/Bally to make $M offers to sports teams based on subscribers and varying sports fees and rates. BUT, many people now want a different option with fewer channels and a lower monthly rate because it fits their viewing needs and habits better. Nothing wrong with that! I watch far less than half of the channels my company provides me, though it's nice to have them available. Streaming IS where ALL CONTENT is going. Many smaller companies across the country are already dropping TV service because it's expensive to provide with a very small profit margin. (Really, cable companies don't make near what you think they do by TV). Some larger companies are begining to offer smaller, less expensive packages for customers to stream, but without sports as they are the most expensive channels/content to supply. The Twins ARE going to be streaming, and probably next year. Some teams are already, and many more will be very soon as well. But it's going to get worse before it gets better gang. $19.99 a month to watch the Twins would need tens of thousands of households before they could come close to meeting the $45M plus mark of incoming cash flow they've had previously. And since there are teams, Yankees for example, that control their $/TV destiny, with a larger population base as well, the payroll instability in MLB is only going to get worse before it gets better. In the long run, more options for the consumer...though streaming services continue to raise rates as well...and a larger footprint to grow a fan base is good, and better for everyone. In the short term, it's going to be a mess. While not directly affected by these events, on the one hand, I can see the Twins Ownership accepting the $ for the one year deal presented to them at the 11th hour. But on the other hand, since payroll was already being reduced, I wish the owners of my favorite ML team had been forward thinking enough to begin embracing the future, and opportunities to grow their fan base and seek out new forms of revenue growth instead of a 1yr cash grab. It's a big cluster of a mess that might take a few years of instability across the sport until the floor stabilizes. The only good news, at the moment, would be that streaming is probably coming next year for everyone.

Since the Twins acquired him they've said he's a NATURAL OF. They've also stated the reason they kept him at SS as long as they did was because he was already doing so, and because as much time as could be spent "in the dirt" would only assist in his development as a possible INF option. We have to remember that Martin was drafted not only as a HITTER, but also as an INF. The Jays did him no favors, after missing an entire year due to covid, and putting him not only at SS, but also AA. And the Twins followed along. I blame the Jay's for trying to FORCE him to jump to AA AND playing his probably worst position after NOT playing for a year. I blame the Twins NOT for adjusting his hitting approach, but for keeping him at SS for some reason. Martin CAN probably play SS or 3B in an "emergency" situation. But he is OBVIOUSLY an OF. What's wrong with that? His development has been delayed because he's only now being allowed who he's supposed to be, along with injuries that have delayed him. He MIGHT be a starting player, or a role player, but the "who he might be" is starting now.

Actually, the 17 UDFA is about right. You need not only camp bodies to get the roster to the 89-90 limit...though a couple guys will be dropped after tryout camps and a possible NFL FA signing or two yet to come...but you're also searching for the diamonds in the rough that may turn out, like Pace last year, and others before him. I was surprised...maybe a little disappointed...that the Vikings didn't target a UDFA RB as I thought there were a couple pretty decent ones available and I'm not sold on veteran Gaskin, 2nd year McBride, and KR specialist Nwangu as depth options. I think they might have missed the boat here on opportunity. BUT, they nabbed a handful of UDFA that might turn out to be pretty good: 1] Gabriel Murphy-EDGE-UCLA: HIGHLY productive and athletic and "ALL EVERYTHING" here and there. He's athletic, fast, and productive. Draft grades had 3rd round plus, but lack of great size pushed him out of the draft. Sound familiar? 2] Dallas Gant-LB-Toledo: A tackling, downhill machine with solid speed and athleticism who is a very comparable player to the aforementioned Pace. 3] Doug Nester-OL-West Virginia: He's an OT who has barely allowed any pressures or sacks in his career. Good length and solid size with decent feet. I'm a little surprised he wasn't drafted by somebody as a G, which is probably where he fits best...if not too tall...and he could be a nice PS player. 4] Dwight McGlotheren-CB-Arkansas: He played at LSU for his first 2 yrs and was solid. He was 2nd team all SEC in 2022, and had a nice 2023 but missed a few games due to injury. He was projected to be a mid to late round draft choice. While slightly shorter and just a couple pounds lighter than Khyree Jackson, their draft profiles are almost exactly the same: Need to add strength, need to work on footwork for man coverage instead of zone first. POSSIBLE SURPRISES: 1] Bo Richter-EDGE-Air Force: WHO? His draft profile says muscles on top of muscles at 6' 1" and 248lbs and he had a 6-7th round draft grade. 19.5 tackles for loss in 2023 and 10 sacks. But his lack of length makes him dubious as an EDGE player. I'm betting the Vikings move him inside and place him on the PS for next year. You'd have to believe he's got the smarts to play in the middle, right? 2] Matthew Cindric- C-Califnoria: This one is a HUGE reach! He's older as he COULD have had a 7th college season in 2024 due to covid and injuries. He started 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019. He was a starter in the covid shortened 2020 year. And then he started 11 games in 2021. He then started 6 games in 2022 before a torn biceps ruined his season. He tore the OTHER arm biceps at the beginning of 2023 and lost that season. Why on earth would I possibly even consider this kid as a surprise? Because he's obviously pretty smart with his degree from Cal in 2022, and SOMEONE in the Vikings FO knows this kid and the potential he showed before a pair of unfortunate injuries. SOMEONE thinks he's worth bringing in as a potential PS player. Like every group of UDFA there's an additional group of fodder and potential surprises. Different year, same song and dance. A couple will be gone in a few weeks when an "invite" looks good. And the Vikes will probably still sign a veteran or two and need to release someone to make room. BTW, if I understand the FA vs future comp rules, signing Risner AFTER April, he DOESN’T count against the 2025 comp pick situation. Just saying. Someone might surprise, but that's just a general breakdown of some of the more promenade UDFA to keep an eye on.

I do think sending Martin down was the right call. I liked what I saw of him so far, and he had that look of "I belong". But he's also got the least amount of experience and could probably use a little more polish. I thought he looked OK in CF, though I did see a couple extra steps here and there. While Keirsey is having a fine season at St Paul, I'd like to see Martin get plenty of time there for his development. I like the approach Martin showed at the plate. He flashed XB power, patience, and contact, as well as some of his speed. But again, some additional experience and polish can only help him. He still has only about a half season of AAA under his belt. Margot has been a surprising disappointment, IMO, as a decent, solid veteran. Hopefully he gets untracked soon and performs to his career norms. Martin WILL be up again. IDEALLY, when that happens, he will replace Margot as a similar, but younger player with potential. But it's too early to just bail on a 30yo veteran 30 games in to the season. How good can Martin be? It's up in the air, but he's got a skil set to help "balance" the power/OB approach of this lineup. I want him to get more experience in CF because I think he's got the ability to be pretty good there as a backup option. He can be a nice bottom of the order contributor to flip the lineup, OR, continue to grow and improve and maybe be a #1 sparkplug with Julien sliding to the #2 spot. It was a solid debut. I'm actually expecting more from him the next time we see him.

Sorry, but busy and taking a couple days to rest from an ailment, I wasn't able to join the discussion until things concluded. My overview, FWIW: 1] I've been TORN who I like better than Williams...whom I'm not 100% on...between Daniels, Maye, and McCarthy. I'm just a fan, not a FO expert. I don't particularly like Harbaugh as I think he's a bit of a jerk, but I respect the hell out of his career as a coach at both levels. When he stated he believed McCarthy was the best QB in the draft, I listened. When I look at his HS and college career, I pay attention. When I look at his stats I pay attention. As a BIG 10 fan who's watched him do some really great things...despite being in a run first offense...I pay attention. He's a good athlete with a good arm and well coached and HUGELY successful, I think we got a POSSIBLE franchise kid who O'Connell and the FO believe in. I HATED trading up ONE SPOT and the cost, but I DO THINK the Broncos and others were about ready to pounce. 2] I HATED giving up even more draft choices to move up for Turner, but he was a consensus top 10-12 player. 3] I again HATED sitting still through rounds 2 and 3, but I understood this draft was about the top 2 picks, FA already signed, a few more that might happen, and still keeping the 1st round pick in 2025, along with GREAT payroll flexibility to sign JJ and other additions. 4] The Jackson pick looks really smart. He's long, fast, athletic, and hasn't probably topped out yet considering his career experience so far. If he can improve his feet and "hip turn" just a little more, he could be a real steal. 5] I DIDN'T see the Rouse pick, even though there might be a need at OT IF Brandel is the favorite for LG. I really like Brandel a lot, but I still see him as a 4 spot fill in who's practiced at Center to be an emergency offering there if needed. Since there is debate about adding a 3rd 3rd round pick in 2025 if Risner signs for $X elsewhere, I'm still expecting him as a re-sign, and letting Brandel be the 6th man on the line. Rouse makes sense as a big, smart, experienced potential swing tackle who gets a year to adapt and develop. 6] I honestly expected the Vikings to draft a kicker. My IMAGINATION said we could sign one of the top ones in UDFA, but I think we all understand how the game has changed. Hard to argue with Reichard and his career as a draft option. Here's hoping he's the RIGHT GUY for 8-10 years! (I'm old enough to remember when the Vikings actually had great kickers for YEARS) 7] Michael Juegens wasn't on MY list for G/C. But, unsurprisingly, with limited draft choices, he seems at least "interesting" as a choice. The bi*ch of lost draft choices meant a lot of G/C options I was hoping for were gone. But the kid has toughness and experience. And he has opportunity. Not a bad pick. 8] Levi Drake Rodriguez! I don't care if it's the 7th round of the draft! Who is this guy? Well, he's about 6' 4" and 290 lbs and raw as meat from your favorite butcher. He started out at NAIA and moved to the FCS level. He reportedly has a 100MPH motor and some quickness and speed and strength and has produced pressure and TFL and some sacks without good technique. Is this a steal from the scouting department? Everything I'm seeing is he's a PRIORITY FA and wondering if we didn't miss another decent draft option instead? UDFA: I LOVE Murphy from UCLA! Dallas Gant from Toledo MIGHT be another Pace. CB Dwight McGlothern might surprise. A potential PS possibility at least. Nester and Flax from WV and Kentucky might be transitional G options if given time. Not a bad haul for UDFA. Bo Richter from AF is really interesting if he can convert to an OFF THE BALL LB since he's tough as nails but small for an OLB.

I can't explain Raya specifically, but I read an interview/article on a different website where Festa stated he had just thrown his last, or was about to throw his last, game where he would be held at 70 pitches or less. Obviously 44 pitches is quite a bit less than 44. But how a guy looks, and if he throws 30 pitches or close to in a single inning sometimes also factors in to how long he's allowed to go. The point being that while different arms might be treated on a different schedule, they are using the first month of the season as part of a ramp up with the idea of going additional innings and pitches allowed per game. So based on what Festa stated, we should start seeing some extensions in May and beyond.

I get where you're coming from, Roger. I'd just pump the brakes a little bit at this point. He had a solid ST and the Twins seemed to like what they saw. He's had a nice SSS at St Paul and with the Twins so far, but I'd have to say Alcala and the "yet to appear" Topa probably rate a little higher on the pen totem pole. While his ERA is a little high, again SSS, Jay Jackson's K's per, AVG, and WHIP have been pretty solid as well. ONLY my opinion, but I think the Twins have been so impressed by what they've seen from Sands, I think Bowman was brought up as a substitute innings eater option. But yes, Bowman has looked good so far.

In sales, you never apologize for a laydown because it makes up for the ones you worked doubly hard to get, or lost at the last minute. In baseball, you never apologize for a successful bloop or "seeing eye" single because it makes up for the 3 hard smashes the day before that someone snagged. And you never apologize for winning games you should win, it makes up for games you lost but should have won, or blew. In the end, these things tend to gravitate to a final mean where they should be. DESPITE key injuries to starters...some key backups made unavailable to fill in...key pen injuries, and some cold/awful starts to the year by many players, had the Twins not blown that final game against Detroit about a week ago, they would have gone to Baltimore only a game under .500 with some momentum. And if even the results there had been the same, the April hole that was dug early wouldn't have been so deep. (Still amazing how you lose to a series to the Orioles, play about .500 ball against the Tigers only because you gave some games away, and take 1 of 3 from the powerful Dogers even though you could have easily taken 2. CRAZY GAME) We're 11-13 now and showing some life and getting a little bit healthier. The next 6 are on the road against the Angels and Sox. We have to at least split to begin May ready to flip fortunes. 4 and 2 and we basically begin May back at .500. Some random thoughts about today's game and in general: 1] SWR wasn't close to perfect, and had to battle a couple of innings, but he looked comfortable on the mound and kept the Twins in the game. He lost command a few times, but some of his stuff was just nasty. I'm starting to appreciate the reports of STUFF + that indicate he's got a chance to be pretty good. 2] I was a little surprised Sands didn't get a second inning today after only 13 pitches. Keeping fresh for Friday maybe? I didn't think Okert looked bad until the long delay to review the double play. Somehow, he just lost composure in that delay. It hurt having to use Jax to finish things off. 3] While they haven't been facing TOP teams of late, the bats are starting to show life. FINALLY! I mean, you still have to produce, whoever you face, and they haven't always done that so far. 4] Larnach has impressed me so far in the games I've been able to catch as of late. He's made much better contact against non fastballs, and even laced a solid hit today against a LHP. Kepler has looked good, glad he had a rehab FINALLY before coming back. Buxton is beginning to heat up. Kirilloff and Jeffers continue to produce. Is Casrto out of his amazing funk? Vazquez is NOT a great hitter by any means, but some of his early "hard hit" data is showing his recent better results may not be a complete illusion. While I'm just not a believer, Santana just "looked better" at the plate in this series. I'm still not expecting much. But anything approaching ML average at this point would be welcome.

1] Jeffers recent slump is only 10 AB. That's just a few games. Vazquez has been good behind the plate, but not good AT the plate save the first couple of games. But if I'm not mistaken, I've heard he's actually been barreling up on the ball pretty decently. Are the hits going to start coming to at least an acceptable level? 2] Then pen has been pretty damn good considering all the injuries. I'm sure not giving up on Thielbar after a couple appearances, and one where the defense really let hum down. Okert has been solid, but maybe stretched a little. Duarte looked like he might be a keeper, so his injury stinks for the Twins, and for himself. What in the H*LL are the Twins doing with Alcala? Despite some injury issues, he's been really good, sometimes dominate, when he throws 1 inning. But they INSIST throwing him multiple innings. A week ago he was going to be asked to throw a THIRD inning before he begged out with some soreness. Then a couple days later they threw him back to back and 2 innings again. At AAA, he threw 2 innings! I'll be ecstatic when Duran is back! But Alcala should be with the Twins throwing ONE inning at a time as a valuable set up arm! Sands has looked downright GOOD. Can he continue? 3] Miranda hasn't looked great, but he's looked like he belongs and MIGHT be ready to settle in. Kirilloff has been really good, as I expected/hoped he would be. Martin isn't THERE just yet, but he looks like he belongs and should be playing daily. Santana is just looking like toast. Despite how horrendous the offense has been, I don't like to have knee jerk reactions this early in the season. But something wasn't right in Wallner's head. Some DISGUSTING umpire calls probably had something to do with that. When a big part of your game is working the count and the umps screw with your approach, it has to exasperate the struggles you're going through. His demotion for a reset makes sense. Can Larnach take advantage? Nice to have Kepler healthy, back, and looking solid in his rehab. Farmer and Castro, and the aforementioned Vazquez are just NOT THIS BAD. The worm WILL turn, but how soon? Lee will need some AAA rehab time, but shouldn't he be close to actually taking the field again? Buxton? COME ON! You're healthy and playing great defense and feeling good again! You've always been streaky, but this is ridiculous! Is he applying too much pressure on himself? Is he fighting bad habits left over from 2023? He needs to GET RIGHT. 4] Varland's STUFF is good. He's just never been this bad at ANY level, including ML. I've heard he's not even throwing the 2 seamer he brought in to the season to help against RH batters who seemed to be his bane. What's in his head right now? Paddack is coming back from TJ and reminds me a bit of Maeda last year. Maeda got a reset, and then looked really good the rest of the 2023 season. I believe Varland has had 4 starts and Paddack 3 until he throws Monday. That's a SSSS to send either of them down for a reset at this point. FURTHER, despite some real hope for SWR and his ONE really good start in the Detroit double header, he's ONE arm you might promote to send one of Varland or Paddack down for said reset to work on some things. With Headrick out at the moment, the AAA cupboard is pretty bare. AGAIN, it's way too early to panic, but at least one of these guys might need a reset soon. 5] INJURIES BE DAMNED, and they are NUMEROUS, at the ML level and at AAA...even the Saints have had to make moves to add guys due to injury...the Twins just shouldn't be this bad! If they didn't GOOF the last game against the Tigers a week ago they would have been .500, or a game under, forgive my memory. Even being swept by the Orioles would have STILL had them a coming home close to .500. But they booted that game away, got swept by the Orioles. Now back at home, they blow the 1st game against the Tigers and bottom out in game 3. But they were good enough to go 1-3 against the Dodgers and probably should have been 2-1? Just NOT booting the ball, just a COUPLE key hits, despite injuries and uneven/bad performances from the back end if the rotation, the 2024 Twins coulda/shoulda be about .500 right now. And they should be about ready to get some guys back, have a favorable schedule, and be about ready to climb above that .500 mark. INSTEAD, we have this MESS that really makes ZERO sense! I really wish there was some easy answer. I am a lifelong, super dedicated fan. But so far...and I understand we're only about a month in to the season...this is, so far, one of the most disappointing seasons I can remember. Is this poor luck? Are the approaches from the pitching side wrong? Well the top 3 SP seem just fine. Is our offensive approach wrong? Well, despite a bad start to 2023, the Twins still scored runs enough to rank in the top third despite inconsistent production. And they only trailed Houston in the 2nd half of 2023 in run production with our outstanding rookie class, with Buxton a non factor and a very limited Correa. MY APOLOGIES! I'm ranting because I need to! You can blame ownership as much as you want to. But the TRUTH is, there is enough talent on this roster to be a good team. Much better than they've been so far, despite injuries. Rocco and his coaches can only do so much. When arms don't work, is it on the coaches or the players? I mean, we have 3 really good SP. The pen has been solid, for the most part, despite the injuries. The lineup, despite injuries, isn't completely devoid of talent. So do we blame the approach, the "report card" handed out to batters, or their inability to proceed? Or is this some weird cosmic Loki baseball god who enjoys messing with the Twins? My ramble is done! This team is not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than we've seen so far.

I'll admit, I had real questions about his draft selection. I mean, what do I KNOW about scouting and drafting for MLB as a couch GM? But he seemed a virtual clone of Tanner Schobel the year before, and almost the exact same spot. At the time, I thought Schobel was an early slot pick so save $. But then he signed for slot. So why pick the same ballplayer, seemingly so, the next year? Shows how much I actually know. Schobel is looking really solid as a prospect, and Keaschall might be even better. Keaschall seems to have better overall speed, SB ability, and power than Schobel. There are similarities between them, but I want to stop there and just focus on Luke. It appears he has HIT potential and OB%, something needed to mitigate the more power centric players on the Twins, and in the system. He's got the speed to run the bases and steal bases. That could be important. Defensively, he's spent time at SS in college but not in the Twins system. I'm guessing we can't view him as a ML SS even on an occasional basis. That's fine. But I've heard hints he might be an OF/CF option. And he's done a little bit of that in college and pro ball, but just a little bit. Why do I even care about potential OF ability? Because I think this kid is going to be a fast riser. And barring unexpected trades or HOPEFULLY NOT continued injury situations in the future, a STARTING JOB in the INF might be difficult. There is just SOMETHING about him that reminds me of Spencer Steer, which @rogeralluded to. I see him as a faster, more athletic version that might not be able to play SS, but could be a somewhat similar prospect who is big enough, powerful enough, to cover 3 INF spots and MAYBE play some OF as well. SO FAR, the kid seems to have the HIT tool, makes solid contact, can BB and not K to a high %, has decent and budding power, and can run the bases and steal some. Is he what we kinda hoped Martin might be? Is he a young Marwin Gonzalez without the SS ability? Or again, is he Steer part 2 but an even faster and better defender? I 'd be surprised if he's at A+ very long. It just seems this kid has the "IT" factor that reminds me a bit of Royce. AA soon, and maybe AAA before the season is done.

I think I jumped the gun in another recent OP when I was questioning why he wasn't behind the plate instead of Vazquez, allowing him a chance to show what he can do while he's up here, and let Christian sit and take a day off to collect himself. What I hadn't realized is that despite some really bad numbers past the few couple of games this season, Vazquez is actually barreling up on the balls he's been making contact with. The results haven't been there as of yet. Of course, he's a really good catch and throw guy. I'm rather excited about Camargo's potential though. He's got a strong arm, and has generally thrown runners out decently, as noted above. The power seems legitimate. I've heard really good things about him as a teammate, for what that's worth. He's got to be at least solid behind the plate. I don't know how good he is there, but I haven't heard anything negative to this point. And as pointed out, the K % has to be at least "acceptable" for him to be an asset with the bat at the ML level. With solid catch and throw ability, and good power, would somewhere between 25-30% be acceptable? Batting anywhere between .235-.250 with an OB% just over .300 with power could make him a viable partner with Jeffers on a 60-40 split, yes? I was a little surprised he began 2023 at AAA considering his limited time at AA the previous season. But he sure responded after a slow initial start at St Paul. And I find it interesting that before his recent call up, he was usually hitting in the #4 spot this season for the Saints. Is he the Twins top catching prospect? Or is he just the closest to the ML level? I don't mean that as a negative, but rather, a discussion concerning Winkel, Cardenas, Cosetti and Baez as recently drafted catchers that all seem to offer some defense and offensive potential, though all 4 appear at least a year away. But Camargo is not old. He's got some things working in his favor both offensively and defensively. Ideally, he's not really needed much this year by the Twins so he can tweak his defense and game calling, and get his contact/BB/SO numbers all a little more favorable for 2024 and beyond.

Like @nicksaviking, I had hope that one of Winder or Sands would make the transition to a solid, quality pen option who could be that 8th man who wasn't just an innings eater who could "take one for the team", but a valuable 1-3 IP pen arm who could really contribute vs sitting on the bench for 10 days at a time...like last season. But like ALL THINGS, with less than a month in to the season, let's pump the brakes a little on his potential greatness in the pen. The BAPIP is absolutely going to come back to earth, but that doesn't mean some of his other peripherals have to come down as well, or not appreciably. His curveball has always been a really good looking pitch previously. So I'm really surprised he's used it so little at this point. Surely he and the Twins don't suddenly not trust it. Does he just know it's there if he needs it? Is he just concentrating on his splitter and cutter since they are working and he wants to continue being more "familiar" and comfortable with them? Still only 26yo, I can see the idea of him moving back to a rotation option at some point, especially if the curveball is still there. It's a very "Tampa" kind of move, similar to journeyman and former Twin Zack Littell, who bounces around, changes his mix, and becomes a decent #5 SP option. IF the sweeper and splitter continue to PERFORM, and the curveball is STILL THERE, I can see a reasonable chance that Sands COULD get another rotation shot. But keep in mind that his FB is higher now in the pen and would probably drop a MPH or two back in the rotation. How does that affect his cutter and splitter? Sands is not OLD. He's just not a 30yo journeyman who's overcome injuries and reinvented himself as a pen arm. But sometimes, a guy just ISN'T a ML SP. And I'm not dismissing the idea that a return doesn't have some merit. But his FB is playing much better in the pen. He's got a pair of new pitches that, so far, look really good. We often talk about dialing down a pitchers repertoire to be more effective in the pen. And it's usually true. But what's wrong with a guy who can throw 94 consistently for 1-3 innings with 3 solid secondary pitchers...who can't maintain velocity more than that...who could be an IDEAL 8th man in the pen? Every 2 or 3 days he's available for 2-3 IP to bridge a gap on a good day, or a bad day. If Sands turns in to that, as he's looked so far in SSSS, it's a huge win.

I'm hoping Keirsey is a solid, late bloomer. He's really found his game the last year or so, and is off to a good start this season at AAA. But he's not on the 40 man. So you have to DFA someone or move yet another someone to the 60 day IL to add and promote him.

I think we've clearly established the "why" he's there. Other than Emma...and you're not starting his clock a this point by promoting him from AA...you've got Severino and Camargo. Every single other position player you might promote would need to be added to the 40 man. So now you've got to release someone, or, put yet another player on the 60 day IL. So Camargo gives you catching insurance. OK. Understood. Probably the best of the remaining options available. But considering Camargo is on the 40 man, considering he spent all but a day or two with the Twins in ST, considering he played in 9 games in ST, you'd THINK he has some ability behind the plate. We've seen he's got some bat ability. So the only reason he's not getting a chance to play over the veteran but POORLY performing Vazquez is stubborness. If the kid is good enough to be on your 40 man, and good enough to get a promotion, then he's good enough to get a chance to play, get introduced to the ML level, and see what he can do. What's he going to do at this point, produce worse than Vazquez? Camargo might only be here as that last man on the bench for a week until being sent down again. So MAYBE the thinking is, just no sense to play the new guy when he's going to be gone right away. But that's incredibly short sighted no matter what angle you take to examine the situation.

Um going to expand on something @Riverbriancommented on. That is, the veteran depth approach by the FO. I think the way 2022 ended really affected the approach of the FO. At the end of that season, they were basically playing a AAA lineup many games, even starting an entire LH hitting OF against LHP at times. I think this is important context. They built REAL DEPTH in to the 2023 team and we saw the positive results of doing so. They wanted to do so again for 2024, as best they could, with a more limited budget. I'm NOT being an apologist, but take a longer view to their approach. 1] I'm a big believer in Kirilloff. I think he's warranting that belief now that his wrist is healthy. I think a healthy, still young, Miranda might have a future with the Twins still. But both came in to 2024 recovering from injuries. SO, they sign Santana with hopes of one more solid season in the sun. 2] They traded for Margot instead of resigning Taylor because he was holding out for a bigger deal similar to other FA signings. COULD they have just gone with Castro, and Martin, and Helman, and Keirsey? Yes. Castro is an OK CF, Martin and Helman played about a THIRD of a full season due to injury and Keirsey spent most of the year at AA. So rather than just TRUST the prospects, they wanted a replacement for Taylor as the FIRST LINE of defense, pun somewhat intended. 3] Farmer was an underrated cog in the 2023 team. He did a good job. Even though he was an expensive "bring back" for 2024, his presence makes some sense based on depth, and his RH bat against LHP, and his ability to fill in across the dirt. Now, we can debate all day long as to the wisdom of the FO's approach to having veterans as the FIRST LINE of reinforcements rather than just trusting in the kids and hope for the best. There IS a method to their madness. Had they had more $ to work with, I think they would have gone a different direction with most, if not all, of the additions they made. Again, while their approach, especially with a lowered payroll, makes sense, that lowered payroll situation ABSOLUTELY offers up debate ad to whether their approach was the right one for 2024. I mean, just on paper, everything they did makes some sense. IMO, with the limited payroll, they had a #1 priority. And that priority was to add a decent, solid, competent SP. If they simply couldn't pull another "rabbit out of the hat" type of deal to add an Odorizzi, a Gray, or a Lopez, they should have AT LEAST added, oh I don't know, a Wacha FA, just to pull a name out of the air. The Polanco trade still makes some sense in regard to adding a potentially solid pen arm, and a top prospect, but DeScalfini should have been nothing more than an afterthought, at best. I wasn't a fan of the Santana signing, and am still not. I believe they would have better off trusting/hoping for a healthy AK/Miranda platoon, believed Julien might move there if Lee proved ready, or even dug down to AAA and let him get a shot if everything else goes awry. I love and appreciate good defense. But you can't give 1B over to a glove only player. [They also could have retained Solano for next to nothing as an option]. They should have trusted Castro in CF, trusted that Martin was close, and still have Helman and Keirsey as fall back options that might not stink. Despite a bad start to the season, I admit to being torn regarding Farmer being brought back. But without him, the cupboard is a bit bare for utility unless they were willing to trust Helman and Prato as deeper reserve options behind Castro and Farmer. But even if we accept the Polanco trade as is...and DeScalfini was included...Farmer, Margot, and Santana are a combined $14+ M. Add just a couple $M and you probably have one of several competent, middle quality arms for the rotation. I think adding that arm, and being forced to throw caution to the wind, somewhat, in regard to positional depth and trusting in the system depth and run with it, or run THROUGH IT as necessary, would have been the smarter move. The principal idea of veteran depth makes a ton of sense. But if your choice is a DECENT arm for the rotation, and trust in the kids position wise, or DON'T add that arm and play along the margins for questionable veteran player depth, I'd go all day long with the DECENT arm addition.

I am soo resistant to join this discussion! LOL! But I can't help myself! So I have to put my personal opinions in place. 1] Polanco is a hell of a baseball player. He's one of the most underrated players the Twins have had for the past decade. He was stretched as a ML SS, but he wasn't awful. He was pretty good as a 2B, sometimes very good. If his knees weren't a factor, he might have not been traded at all. 2] Julien is OK defensively and keeps getting better and better through repition and hard work. To say otherwise means you aren't actually watching games. His bat PLAYS! And he's probably better as a 2B fill in and 1B/DH going forward. And that's not an insult to his ability, but the simple fact that if the INF is healthy, Lee just has more ability to be a a better defensive player. You could debate Lee and Lewis at 2B, but why bother. 2] Even with Lewis, Lee, and Julien ALL healthy, does it matter who plays where daily with AK at 1B, some OF, the DH spot, etc, do you EVER have ENOUGH talent that you feel guilty? 3] I UNDERSTAND the VALUE of what the Twins got in the Polanco trade. I really do. They got Topa...who I can't wait to see...and a top 100 prospect in Gonzalez. The return wasn't bad at all. But the $4M for the Santana signing and the "hopeful" DeScalfini option as a SP option just never made sense. 4] BUT, I never would have traded Polanco, even with some health question marks, for Topa and a top 100 prospect unless it was a deal with another couple decent prospects for a SP option! The system is deep enough to have survived Polanco and a couple solid prospects for a rotation arm. 5] I would much rather have Polanco as a 1B than Santana and his $4M+. Think about it for a moment with no disrespect to Santana. You could have Polanco and also, potentially, Kirilloff and Miranda and even Julien playing 1B instead of the combined about $8-9M to for Santana and the LOST DeScalfini deal and potentially "lose out" on Topa and a top 100 prospect. What would you choose today?