HarmonK03

I can hear Shelty now after the game, we were able to DH Jeffers because Jackson is on the roster. And no will ask the follow up question, other teams do this without a third catcher, why can't you adjust if needed. Atlanta just did it last week against us. He will again try to justify his existence.

Then we wait until 2035.

Lackey went deep in his debut at Cedar Rapids, do we just call him now or wait until 2031.

That is probably what at least 28 other organizations would have done.

Diaz has not played an inning in the field this year, so I am not sure he is not becoming a DH only type now. But I will admit, I think Lewis should be the first baseman next year. Diaz would be an upgrade over Bell as DH only and that I would not totally be opposed to.

That is a manager checking in with his best player and shows his importance which is why he is not going on the IL if doctors say he can play. He is going to have good days just like last night and other days he will manage his effort. But as we saw last night, on his good days he is a difference maker.

4th catcher? You never know you could have a rash of injuries in one game.

You are correct in that there seemed to be some uncertainty last offseason. And Falvey didn't leave until right before spring training which at that the initial direction for the season had been set. They did have some money to spend, they did sign Bell and Caratini and I would have preferred go towards the bullpen. To me Joe Pohlad was not in charge of baseball operations, he was basically CEO over everything and Falvey was supposed to be leading the baseball operations on a day to day basis and I think he was. Yes he got the rug pulled out from under him on the payroll but I am still not sure he allocated the resources given to him wisely, this offseason being one example. My concern is Zoll has worked for 10 years under Falvey and it sounds like he has basically been his #2 for at least the last 5 years. There was chatter when Levine left as GM, that he had been kept out of the loop for his final 2 to 3 years and Falvey had been leaning on Zoll. While Zoll might be his own person, I don't want to take that chance. I feel like he is going to operate like Falvey 2.0 and there have been plenty examples of that this year, To be fair he has done a couple of things that feel different. I want an experienced baseball executive to lead baseball operations something Zoll has never done. I would hope that they would have a fresh set of eyes and say this is working and this isn't and set a direction for the organization based on their experience. I have mentioned this before, the Timberwolves did it the right way when they hired Tim Connelly, he is not afraid to make moves to better the team and take some chances, but he also has a plan. That is what I am hoping Tom Pohlad will come to the realization to do and stay out of the way of the professionals,

And Ross hits 15th HR for St. Paul, but hey we have no room for him either, Jackson is a better card player.

But he is only up because of injuries.

The other piece is do you trust Zoll to make these decisions, I have made my thoughts known on this. Can he target the right pieces and set a direction. That is what I most want is what is the direction. I have a flex ticket package and starting last year at the trade deadline that is the conversations I have been having with my ticket rep. Convince me why I should keep investing money in this package, what is the plan. They have been more enjoyable to watch this year, but what are they doing to build a sustainable competitive team and not just one that sits around .500 year in and year out.

They first have to decide, do they want to be an athletic team who plays defense or more clogging of the base paths. I know Arraez's defense has improved. But rather than just sign a guy because he is a free agent, what type of players are they targeting and does he fill a hole or is the player worth it to fit in. The Donaldson signing felt like it was like Falvey wanted to make a splash so he signed Donaldson. Correa to a lesser degree was the same.

Yes you are correct. Where I got off track is I don't feel they will be used, so I was trying to have my cake and eat it too by saying the system isn't improved. I just want them to have a plan and I am not sure they have one and that is my frustration.

If they change their philosophy yes, but so far they haven't shown the inclination to use the system to either fill holes in the major leagues or acquire proven position players.

This is where they need a real baseball executive to present a plan to Pohlad and show where money can be spent reasonably rather than just spend money for the sake of it and helps sell the plan to the fans. If Pohlad is that set on spending money just to say he is willing, then there is nothing we can do. But I have to believe he would listen to an experienced executive. If they really want to spend, do an overpay for Jeffers, that is our biggest hole for next year. We have no lead catcher for next year and will have to spend money for one otherwise. Caratini and Jackson is not a sensible plan at catcher for a whole season.

I was really hoping for a reunion, I was hoping they would put a claim in, then we would have insurance for Buxton.

How is our system stronger, Roden is a 4th or 5th outfielder at best, Rojas has potential to be a contributor. From Philadelphia, it looks like Abel will a contributor, but Mendez is going to have a tough time with the current makeup of the roster as mentioned here. The catcher Tait has leveled this year, could still make improvements, but he has a first round pick now literally breathing down his neck. So I am not sure how is stronger unless we use some of these assets to fill holes.

They should be planning for baseball in 27, that is the only way you should be operating as an organization. Plouffe commented on this earlier today and he is correct. Jenkins should be up here, he is doing everything you ask someone to do to get the shot, he makes the team better now and the future. But this front office has shown they have no real plan.

Bell, Larnach and Wallner really can't be back next year. Especially Bell and Wallner they will just clog the roster with a bat first and their hitting is not elite enough to carry a bat only.

Actually my comment was not about Zoll directly, it was in response to a comment that said "most of the people who built this roster are gone". That is not true and that is not opinion, that is fact. For your last sentence, I do not have the same belief because nothing substantial has changed in the way they operate. I want it to be true, but I have to see to believe it.

Vasquez is stronger defensively

I did too, but you can't hit Caratini and Kreidler any higher in the order.

They don't typically pinch hit for Caratini unless it is with Jeffers, so Jackson can stay in the clubhouse and keep the cards warm. I am not sure why Jeffers couldn't play all three games of this series, Caratini has done nothing for the past month and a half. Why the push to get his bat in the lineup is completely baffling. And it sure would be nice to have Jenkins or ERod in LF and move Clemens to 2B, would be a much stronger lineup.

@milldam I am curious, you put a thumbs down on this comment. It's a factual statement I feel, so why would you do a thumbs down on this.

So he plays probably 6 days in a row at a minimum and then you go oh wait, he is hurt, we are going to put him on the IL. The IL is not a taxi squad that you can just move people up and down. If doctors say he can play, he is not going on the IL, we may as well accept that fact. And we are going to see some nights like last night where he is a spark and helps us to victory, just not as many games as we would hope.