Mill1634

Nice job by Duffey to work out of that...do we trust Thielbar to get Yelich in the 9th?

BUXTON BOMB LFG

If you ever have someone ask why baseball is dying, show them the past inning and a half. My god.

What an inning from Jose...complete dominance

Lineup looks so much different without Cruz and JD in it. Need to get JD healthy and back to an AL ballpark ASAP

The Twins went from a 90+ win team to a 70 win team because they lost OD? I understand this game has more "importance" in the eyes of the fan, but its < 1% of the season. We looked sloppy at times, yes, but this should be one of the best defenses in baseball. Also, don't forget the Brewers are favored to win the NLC. A game we should've won, no doubt.

At bats were okay considering that Woodruff is a great pitcher. Twins have to add on when they get to the middle guys, which I guess you can say they did with the Buxton homer, but it has to be more than 2 runs if you're getting them for 5 innings. Maeda didn't seem real sharp, but the bullpen was very good (outside of Colome). Guess we'll only go 161-1 now.

What a disappointment.

That hit the knob

Not sure why the booth is worked up over Robles sitting 97. When he was effective in 19 he was sitting at 97.1. That is the reason he was so ineffective last year (FB velo of 95.4). If he can reharness the 97-98 velo he's a steal. Great start in 2021.

BUXTON BOMB!!!!!

I don't think Justin has read/heard Wes talking about throwing sliders up in the zone...certainly not all of them are intentional, but some of them are

Cave man with a good play

I don't want to jump to conclusions....but Polanco makes that play Am I doing this right?

Just getting back from class...sitting pretty!

But..this game is played in a field with a roof on it.

April 1st...the day of office pranksters and foolish little kids all around the world. That jar at work that you think is M&M's probably has a mixture of skittles with it. Your fridge? Better make sure it's not running away. However, there is one thing today that is not a joke. BASEBALL. IS. BACK. The Twins travel to Milwaukee for a three day set against the Brewers, which means that the Twins will not be able to use Nelson Cruz because the league hates the game. Nor will a majority of fans across the league be able to tune into todays game because Fox Sports Bally Sports (Whatever the heck that is) hasn't made a deal with television or streaming providers. They also made the best game of the year (besides the playoffs) at 1:10 PM on a Thursday afternoon because the league hates the game. But enough about whats wrong with baseball. Twins Baseball is back. It's the season of optimism. That playoff drought? This is the year. The year Byron Buxton plays 150 games? Yeah, thats this one. Miguel Sano putting it all together again? 2021, baby. Fans back in the ballpark? You bet. This is the reason we play baseball. It sells us hope, and today is the start of our dreaming. Let's get into it. The Pitchers - RHP Kenta Maeda (6-1, 2.70 ERA, 80 K's, 66.2 IP) vs RHP Brandon Woodruff (3-5, 3.05 ERA, 91 K's, 73.2 IP) The Twins hand the ball to Cy Young runner-up Kenta Maeda on opening day. The right hander was acquired via trade last offseason and absolutely blew through our expectations. He had a great mix of pitches, and even added another one this spring that has been talked about plenty. Certainly there is some sort of regression coming, but he is in no doubt the Twins ace. On the other side, much like King Kenta, Brandon Woodruff is one of the most under appreciated starters in baseball. The 28 year old relies on 5 different pitches, but leans heavily on a fastball and sinker, and plays his changeup off of it. Expect him to sit above 95 miles per hour with the heater, and bring the changeup in 10 miles an hour slower. Much like most Twins pitchers, he has an effective putaway slider which had a whiff rate of 32.7% in 2020. This is a battle of unheralded aces. The Lineups Twins LF Luis Arraez L 3B J. Donaldson R 2B J. Polanco S 1B Miguel Sano R RF Max Kepler L CF Byron Buxton R C Mitch Garver R SS A. Simmons R P Kenta Maeda R Brewers 2B Kolten Wong L 1B Keston Hiura R LF C. Yelich L RF A. Garcia R 3B Travis Shaw L CF Lorenzo Cain R C Omar Narvaez L SS Luis Urias R P B. Woodruff R The Twins lineup looks about how everyone expected it to look. There were some questions throughout the spring over left field, but most of that question was answered when top prospect Alex Kiriloff was optioned to the alternate site after a poor showing in ST. It could be service time, or it could be the fact that he has minimal at bats at the upper-minor leagues. Either way, his replacement is Luis Arraez, who is a fan favorite and a perfect leadoff hitter, even in the modern MLB. With no Cruz, we see Jorge Polanco hit in the three spot, who is looking to bounce back from an injury riddled 2020. Max Kepler slides to the 5 hole with Arraez in the lineup, but will likely leadoff when Luis is on the bench. New addition Andrelton Simmons hits 8th today, only because Kenta must hit 9th. The Brewers have new second basemen Kolten Wong leading off after a successful stint with division rival St. Louis. Christian Yelich, a perennial MVP candidate will hit 3rd and is also looking for a major bounce back year. I am all aboard his hype train once again, but I have requested it not to leave the station until Monday. The rest of the lineup is full of names we are familiar with. I give the advantage to the Twins. This Day In History - 2008: On Opening Day in Los Angeles, Juan Pierre's 434 consecutive game streak, the longest current one in the major leagues, comes to an end when the Dodger outfielder does not play in the 3-2 victory over the Giants. New skipper Joe Torre plays Andre Ethier in left field in place of the highly paid but light-hitting fly chaser. Pick to Click - Josh Donaldson starts the year with a bomba. GO TWINS!!!

My predictions: NYY TOR BOS TBR BAL MIN CWS* KCR CLE DET HOU LAA* OAK TEX SEA NYM ATL* WAS PHI MIA STL MIL CIN CHC PIT LAD SDP* ARI SFG COL Playoffs CWS>LAA NYY>CWS, MIN>HOU NYY>MIN ATL>SDP LAD>ATL, NYM>STL LAD>NYM LAD>NYY in 6 games MVP: Mike Trout,Mookie Betts CY Young: Kenta Maeda, Jacob DeGrom ROY: Randy Arozarena, Dylan Carlson

http://twinsdaily.com/blog/1235/entry-13737-milldaddys-2021-offseason-blueprint/ Thoughts?

What's up everyone? You may know me from the forums as I have created and introduced multiple game threads throughout my time spent at TwinsDaily, and have also created offseason blueprints in the past. This year is the hardest one I will have done, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and it's affect on spending both on the Minnesota Twins, as well as baseball as a whole. The Twins spent what would have been 135M on their payroll in 2020, before being prorated. I am going to assume that that numbers stays fairly steady, but to be on the safe side, am going to project between 125-130M for the 2021 payroll. First thing first, and that is arbitration estimates, which come from MLB trade rumors. SP Jose Berrios - 5.3M (Tender) CF Byron Buxton - 4.4M (Tender) RP Tyler Duffey - 1.7M (Tender) C Mitch Garver - 1.8M (Tender) RP Taylor Rogers - 5.5M (Tender) LF Eddie Rosario - 10M (Non-Tender) RP Matt Wisler - 1.4M (Tender) Total - 20.1M I don't think any of these decisions will shock you, and I don't think very many are up for debate besides Eddie Rosario and Taylor Rogers. Rosario is an above-average OF who swings at a TON of pitches out of the zone, and doesn't provide + defense in left field. In a normal year I think Eddie is non-tendered, and in this messed up year I can almost promise you that he will be non-tendered. Rogers struggled throughout the year, but his peripherals looked good, which is promising. The only hesitation on this is what we saw Cleveland do with Brad Hand. However, Taylor is due almost half his salary, and is a better pitcher. Sign me up. Guaranteed Salaries: Donaldson - 21M Sano - 11M Pineda - 10M Kepler - 6.5M Polanco - 4.3M Maeda - 2.5M 23 players making the league min. -13.2M Total - 88.9M To spend - 36.1M Now lets project the locks to make the roster (pending trade): C - Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers 1B - Miguel Sano 2B - Luis Arraez (L) 3B - Josh Donaldson SS - Jorge Polanco (S) LF - Jake Cave (L) CF - Byron Buxton RF - Max Kepler (L) This leaves us with the following holes in the lineup: Backup SS Utility IF Right Handed OF Designated Hitter Now for the pitching side: SP - Kenta Maeda SP - Jose Berrios SP - Michael Pienda SP - SP - RP - Taylor Rodgers (L) RP - Tyler Duffey RP - Matt Wisler RP - Jorge Alcala RP - Cody Stashak RP- RP - RP - This leaves us needing: Starter Starter Reliever Reliever Reliever Reminder, we have between 36-41M to spend on these holes. Now for the fun part; lets spend some money and fill in some holes! Starting Pitcher (2) Internal options: Randy Dobnak - I think Randy Dobnak slots somewhere into the Major League club, and that is exactly what I am going to do. We saw him start off real strong, being on the leaderboard for ERA. However, he faltered quickly, and lost his job. I believe he has what it takes to bounce back, and we're going to make him the #5 starter on the squad. Devin Smeltzer - I don't think Smeltzer is a MLB starter, and has a career ahead of him being a long guy out of the bullpen. He'll start at AAA. Lewis Thorpe - Thorpe seemed to have issues with the front office, being sent down with the first waive of players in ST 1.0, but eventually got a shot at the club. He did not pitch well, and I see him filling a role similar to Smeltzer Jhoan Duran - Duran is an intriguing young arm, but for a club wanting to contend, not the type of guy you can roll into the year with. He'll start at AA or AAA. Sign Robbie Ray to a One Year, 6M dollar deal Robbie Ray was widely regarded as one of the best SP's hitting the market this year, but then his 2020 season happened, which was not pretty. However, I think Ray has the potential to be an upside signing for a team with good pitching development, which is what the Twins have in place. If they can harness the control (7.1 BB/9 in 2020, 4.6 career), he can be a good starter in the Central. If he doesn't work out as a starter, he can fall back to a bullpen role, and pitch well from the left side. That brings the rotation to: SP - Kenta Maeda SP - Jose Berrios SP - Michael Pineda SP - Robbie Ray SP - Randy Robnak Remaining budget: 30M Relievers (3) Internal options: Brandon Waddell (L) - Just claimed on waivers from the Pirates, a Matt Wisler type arm from the left side. I don't see him breaking North on opening day. Ian Gibaut - Another waiver claim, this time from the Texas Rangers. Ian also comes from the Matt Wisler mold, and throws plenty hard to compliment his breaking ball. I think he finds a role on the opening day roster, and we will slot him into the front end of the bullpen. Edward Colina - We saw him debut in his only game of the year for the Twins, going very poorly. I think he is probably starting the year off at AAA, but we will see him sometime in 2021. Dakota Chalmers - Has yet to see MLB action, acquired along with Sergio Romo in the 2019 trade. AAA to start the year. Pending free agents: Sergio Romo - We've seen Romo's wicked slider do his tricks for the Minnesota Twins, but his option was declined by the FO. There could be interest in bringing him back, but combine his age with his antics, and I think it's time to move on. Tyler Clippard - Clippard was effective for the Twins in 2020, and I see no reason to not bring him back. Trevor May - I love May, but I think he will probably find a spot where he can have a cemented late inning bullpen role. The Twins can't offer that, and for good reason. Resign Tyler Clippard to a 1 year, 2.5M dollar deal Clippard was set to make 2.7M with the Twins his first go around, and I am willing to give him a very similar deal. He is aging, but he has a pitch profile that doesn't rely on velocity, and can get both righties and lefties out. Sign Joakim Soria to a 1 year, 6.5M dollar deal Take the money that you had set aside for Sergio Romo, give it to Soria, and add a little bit on to sweeten the pot. Soria throws an effective slider similar to Romo, getting a whiff rate of over 30% in 2020. He doesn't rely on his fastball, which averaged between 92-93 MPH in 2020. He adds a veteran presence to the bullpen, and can pitch in high leverage innings as the setup man. That gives us a bullpen of: RP - Taylor Rodgers (L) RP - Tyler Duffey RP - Matt Wisler RP - Jorge Alcala RP - Cody Stashak (L) RP- Tyler Cippard RP - Joakim Soria RP - Ian Gibaut Remaining budget: 21M Now onto the hitters, where the holes are backup SS, Utility IF, Right handed OF, and DH. Backup SS There is really only one option here for me, and that is resigning Ehire Adrianza to fill in this role again for the Minnesota Twins. He is cheap, good on defense, and can hit enough for his role. This is an easy choice. Resign Ehire Adrianza to a 1 year, 1.5M dollar deal This is a nearly identical deal to what Ehire got in 2020, and should suffice for both sides. The only holdup is if Ehire believes that he is good enough to start somewhere in the MLB. If this is the route that Ehire chooses to take, then a clear internal option is either Royce Lewis (not happening), or Nick Gordon. Utility Infielder Internal options: Travis Blankenhorn (L) - We saw Travis a lot during the Summer Ball scrimmages, and also saw him for a brief time with the Twins in 2020. He looks like a tank, and can play 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. However, he hits from the left side, which is not what the Twins need. Royce Lewis - Former #1 pick who is widely regarded as a top 50 prospect around the league. I think Royce needs more seasoning, and when he is brought up, it will be as an every day role. Nick Gordon - Lost an entire year of playing time due to COVID-19, which makes him hard to evaluate. Just to be on the safe side, I am going to assume he either a. starts in the minors, or b. is DFA'd. Sign Jonathan Schoop to a 1 year, 6M dollar deal I would love to see the former Twin back in town as a utility infielder, and he fits the exact mold of what the Twins need. He has a strong arm at 2nd base, which should allow him to play 15-20 games at third base if the Twins need him to. He has a career OPS vs lefties of .726, and can hold his own against righties. That bring us to an infield of: C - Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers 1B - Miguel Sano 2B - Luis Arraez (L), Jonathan Schoop 3B - Josh Donaldson SS - Jorge Polanco (S), Ehire Adrianza (S) Remaining Budget - 13.5M Right Handed OF Internal options: Brent Rooker - We saw Rooker come up and mash in his first stint with the Twins before breaking a bone in his forearm, which is not exactly an easy injury for a hitter to overcome. If he recovers fully, I expect him to break North with the Twins. However, we are the Twins, so I am going to plan for the worst case scenario. Sign Kevin Pillar to a 2 year, 12.5M Dollar deal Kevin Pillar plays great outfield defense, and hits lefties well. In 2020, he had an OPS of .969 vs LHP, but was abysmal vs right handed pitchers, OPS less than .700. However, that is fine, as he is one of the better Center Fielder's on the defensive side of the ball, and has experience playing the corner outfield. He is a dream fit for the Twins, which makes me willing to give him a 2 year deal. Remaining Budget - 7.25M That's it, we did it, and we spared some extra cash. Now lets break things down. C - Mitch Garver, Ryan Jeffers 1B - Miguel Sano 2B - Luis Arraez (L), Jonathan Schoop SS - Jorge Polanco (S), Ehire Adrianza (S) 3B - Josh Donaldson LF - Jake Cave (L) CF - Byron Buxton, Kevin Pillar RF - Max Kepler (L) DH: One of Alex Kiriloff or Brent Rooker SP - Kenta Maeda SP - Jose Berrios SP - Michael Pineda SP - Robbie Ray SP - Randy Robnak RP - Taylor Rodgers (L) RP - Tyler Duffey RP - Matt Wisler RP - Jorge Alcala RP - Cody Stashak (L) RP- Tyler Cippard RP - Joakim Soria RP - Ian Gibaut This blueprint largely brings back the squad from 2020, with exceptions to Eddie Rosario, Jake Odorizzi, and Nelson Cruz + players around the margin. I think that this group has what it takes to win the Central, and win a playoff series (gasp). The rotation has a wildcard in it, but for a reasonable amount. The bullpen was largely kept in tact, but replaced one veteran presence with another. The lineup loses Nelson Cruz, but adds in young guys like AK and Brent Rooker, and expects bounce back years from some of: Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco, Miguel Sano, JD, and Max Kepler. They are supplemented with 2 lefty killers in Kevin Pillar and Jonathan Schoop. Let me know your thoughts on this blueprint below!

They were added. Currently at 33, per Dustin Morse

Willians won't be here next season. No way he survives the 40 man roster turnover. Cave is either back on the MLB roster as the LF or 4th OF, or is traded. He's done being sent down. Kepler doesn't have to fight for a spot yet, he signed an extension not long ago. He could be traded, sure, but if he isn't, he is your RF next year for the 110 times we face a righty. Rosario is likely gone. Maeda, Berrios, Pineda is a good start, but I think adding a guy like Bauer is crucial to take the next step.

There is no chance that the FO just blows this thing up. I think re-tooling is the most likely scenario. I think you will see Rosario gone, Cruz is a toss up who I would like to see gone (Plenty of in-house DH options, his body is slowing down, that money can go elsewhere), and Odorizzi likely gone unless he's taking a prove it deal. I think May, Clippard, and Ehire all have shots at being back, unless Ehire thinks he can start for a poor team like the Tigers or Pirates. Marwin has to be gone unless he is taking a 1 year, 4M deal. I wouldn't be shocked to see one of Polanco, Kepler, or Sano to be traded, but I think it is probably unlikely unless they're getting MLB talent back in return. I think I would push hard for Trevor Bauer, and add Michael Brantley. He adds the ability to grind through an at bat, which is something that we are really missing. I need to dig more in to potential trade candidates on other squads before my off-season blueprint.

Certainly doesn't sound like a guy that plans on coming back, or has an offer to come back. However, as we know these things are fluid. He is in line for a nice pay day, and potentially a closing role somewhere in 2021

I think this is an extreme overstatement. It sucks, but the window isn't closed. You saw one of the more promising prospects today in AK, who hit the ball hard twice. Rooker was really good in his time up here. Jeffers wasn't all-star level by any means, but if he puts the numbers up over 100-120 games, it is a top 12 catcher in the game, with his defense. Alcala threw gas out of the bullpen, and can turn into a legit late inning option. Kenta evolved into a stud pitcher. May could very easily be brought back, and the same can be said with Cruz. The sky isn't falling Twins fans.