tarheeltwinsfan

I have been critical of some players here on TD. Therefore I owe, especially Kep and EP, praise for their really good games that they have played lately. Congratulations guys and thank you for your efforts.

But so far it has been good enough to be in first place in the division with the easiest remaining schedule in the AL. The Twins are going to win the central division. The question here is, will the Twins have Sonny Gray to start Game One?

Exactly this.

I agree that the Twins could be better in 2024 if Gray were traded for some really good players. However, I feel there is a 50/50 chance that the imagined trade for Gray will be a bust. Just look at the Twins' trade history with this FO. There have been some great trades (Ryan), many "meh" trades and some awful trades (Mahle) by this FO. I argue that any trade is a gamble. I'd rather stick with the horse I rode in on this year. Second, it is 2023, and the team is in first place and even Cody wrote in his article advocating trading Gray, that the Twins are better with Gray than without Gray. The Twins must stop waiting for next year, then the next and then the next. Tomorrow is past, the future will always be there and today is called "the present" for a reason...because it is a gift. Carpe diem Twins, carpe diem.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I feel it would be financially easer for Buck to take a chance and play, since he has $100 million guaranteed, even if he injures his knee more by playing CF. But I feel sure he loves the game and would miss playing baseball.

I respectfully disagree. By trading Gray, the Twins lessen their pitching at a critical time in the season. And the trade of Gray, who is a mentor and a leader among the pitchers, would send a negative message to the rest of the team that they can't win the division championship. And that message is just not true. The Twins can win. In fact, they are still favored to win the weak central division, even though they are in second place by 1/2 a game.

I've got you beat Bly. I started pulling for this franchise way back in 1955 when I saw the Tigers beat the Senators at old Griffith Park in Washington as I was visiting my grandparents, who lived there. Paul Foytack pitched for the Tigets. The Senators had 5'8" Clink "Scrap Iron" Courtney, Eddie "the Walking Man" Yost, Chuck Stobbs, my favorite pitcher, Camilo "Little Potato" Pascual, Pedro "The Yankee Killer" Ramos, Roy Sievers, Jim Lemon and many other great players. I tried to copy Roy Sievers' batting stance in my Little League games. I struck out every at bat that year. I was 10 years old playing with 11 and 12 year old players. The next year I got some hits and hit almost .300 and by my 12 year old year, I was an All Star, though that was the highlight of my baseball career. Babe Ruth League was played on a field with regular major league dimensions and I was a slow runner. That did not go well. It was my first year playing in metal cleats instead of black high-top Keds. I pitched in high school, where I hit .250 and I must have set a record for the most walks and the most home runs allowed by a pitcher. I tried out for the UNC freshman baseball team, but I immediately realized I was in way over my head and my tryout lasted only 3 days. I did catch on my law school intramural fast pitch softball team and got the game-winning hit in the championship game, by (please listen to this Twins' players) by hitting a single to the opposite field, driving in the winning run. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.

Good, reasonable article. Thank you, Cody.

Trading either would be good. Trading both would be better.

Great article. Please send multiple copies of your article to Rocco and Poppins for distribution to several Twins hitters (cough, cough - Correa and Buck - cough, cough).

Good points Azviking. The Twins (owner, FO, manager, coaches and players) need to at least act like they have a pair. If a situation is perceived as being real, then it is real in its consequences.

The current 2023 figures of Steer and Miranda on offense and Miranda's poor defense at 3B do lend credence to the point of the article. But I would argue that the sample size of just using the 2023 stats is too small to be definitive.

The Braves lost the 1991 World Series 4 games to 3 to the World Champion Minnesota Twins.

For Carlos to have a 2023 seasonal batting average of .260, he will need to have a .295 batting average the rest of this season. That's entirely doable, I hope.

Maybe Rooker.

Unfortunately, your well written article was accurate, Ted. The Twins have waited a half of the season for the resurrection of Correa's hitting and Buck's hitting and fielding, Gallo's hitting and Kep's hitting, to no avail. Each game already played this season, counts as much in the standings as each game to be played in the second half of the season. As you stated, the door to the 2023 AL Central Championship is closing slowly, but surely, and the Twins are on the outside, looking in.

Thank you for this excellent research.

I would say Jenkins # 1, Lee #2, Soto top 10.

Exactly.

Jeffers, Salano, Lewis (when he returns), Arraez (opps), Steer (opps), Rooker (opps), Encarnation-Strand(opps), Oh well, you may have a pointDJL44.

Outstanding summation of where the Falvine FO has taken the Twins in 7 years. I really feel you hit the nail on the head about the Twins current commitment to an outdated hitting philosophy which is not working. As much as I hate to cry, "Fire somebody", I now feel that is necessary with the Twins hitting coaches. Something must change quickly, regarding the lineups (the manager's responsibility) and the hitting philosophy of the Twins current hitters. The pitching is outstanding, the defense is very good also (just my observations). Gallo, Kepler, Vasquez, Taylor, Buck (who has not played a game in the field this year) and Correa are all above average fielders and have helped the Twins pitchers achieve greatness this year. But these good defenders are strikeout prone, resulting in the Twins being on track to setting an all-time major league strikeout record by hitters. Do you think this might be the problem? Duh ! Here's your sign ! Several of these players need to be replaced quickly. I suggest Gallo be traded for whatever , even if the Twins need to eat some of his salary. Kep keeps doing just enough defensively and offensively, to hang around. But he also needs to be traded. His thoughts just seem to keep wandering to the green summer hills. Vasques needs to bat less...say maybe 35-40% so Jeffers can play more. Someone needs to pinch hit for Vasquez in critical at bats. Let Farmer catch in emergencies and in blowout games. Yes, Farmer. Taylor and Buck need to bunt more and to start hitting to all fields. Until he can start producing at the bat, Buck needs to bat 7,8 or 9 in the order. It is not rocket science. Correa is needed to anchor the infield on defense every game, He needs to get back to hitting the ball to right field and stop hitting into so many double plays. All of the Twins hitters need some intensive lessons on bunting and hitting behind the runners, in order to advance the runners. I know folks may say a bunt is just giving up an out, but the Twins are not about to set a major league record for the most bunts in a season. There, I feel better now.

Great job Jeremy. You have done so much good writing to help keep us readers informed as the draft approached and now during the chaos of the draft. You are having to deal with a lot of unknowns and variables and rumors and changes. Thank you for organizing so well the status of this draft as it progresses. Your hard work is much appreciated.

Outstanding article Seth. Great quotes by and about these players. I'm so glad you emphasized the importance of good character in your article. Thanks for not emphasizing stats and ratings of arm strength, etc. We needed to "meet" these new Twins prospects. Thank you for a personal introduction to each of these three new members of our Twins' family.

Soto has great numbers and he seems to have a very positive attitude. He said he was excited to be able to play with Jenkins, who was his buddy in some prior games. I really like the first two picks of Jenkins and Soto. Let's see who is next.