Trov

Yes, Cano is putting up insane numbers in Baltimore, and maybe he will sustain that, but who saw it coming? I mean he always had stuff, but he could not find the strike zone consistently. Now, he is not walking anyone. Until this year, he walked about as many as he struck out. This year he is not walking anyone. I am not saying he will revert back, he may not, but who would have expected him from going career average of like 8 walks per 9 to 0.6. Clearly Baltimore found something, just as they did when they moved Lopez into the pen, but will it be for a career or will league adjust?

I was wondering the same thing about him and CF. I know his arm is not the strongest, which could be an issue in CF, but if he can get on base at high clip and cover enough ground he may be the CF in the near future. Not saying this year, unless he is lighting it up later, but looking into next year CF is a big question with the looks that Buck is never getting back out there.

I think what we have seen from the Twins is nothing is settled, but Lewis should be there for hopefully many years to come. Even if Miranda gets back to hitting like he has shown, his defense is terrible compared to Lewis. If Lewis in CC and play the level of defense they have shown, we may need to start looking for ground ball pitchers.

It is unlikely he stays at 2nd base if he sticks with the team. I expect Lewis, Lee, and Correa to make up some combo of 3rd ss and 2nd primary positions for hopefully years to come. Unless one of them get moved to OF. If not, they should hopefully get the majority of the time in those spots. This is also why you cannot always count on guys coming up and being MLB level guys.

You can never look at each trade in a vacuum of these guys for that guy(s), and who won trade. You have to pay attention to other moves made or not made, who else was in system and so on. Looking at Steer, he has shown good offense, something we knew he had, but also shown poor defense. bWAR has him negative at defense playing 3rd, 1st, and DH this year. He maybe would have played some 2nd if we kept him. Would his offensive numbers slotting in at 2nd for who we have put out may have been nice, but who knows what defense he would have brought. Right now, he would not be in our starting lineup though, because Buck has DH locked up, AK or Gallo have 1b locked up, Steer could get games against lefties some times, and Lewis will have 3rd mostly locked down. So where does Steer play for us, or who would you want to get moved out for Steer? CES may very well mash, but again, he plays basically no defense. He is playing mostly 1b for Reds AAA team, and that is not great. He is all offense, and his k-rate is a little scary. He may turn out to be one of those AAAA players that when facing MLB level pitching his K-rate becomes a big concern, we will see. Either way, unless he is a superstar hitter, he would again most likely slot behind guys we have already. Keeping in mind for both Steer and CES, Lee is in the wings too. Will the trade haunt? No, it will not in my opinion. The only thing you can really be upset about is that we did not get much in return, and maybe could have flipped them for something during off-season. However, I am not seeing either being that much better than who we have that I would be like darn what could have been. Maybe CES becomes a hitting superstar, but I just have a feeling he will struggle at MLB level, not many guys that strike out at a rate of about 33% at minor league level improve at MLB level. If he cannot keep up his very high BABIP at MLB level when he gets called up, he will struggle badly and since he offers no defense he will have less value.

Great game for Lewis. I did not see his first at-bat, but his HR was a great 2 strike approach. He hit a nice liner to right that carried just far enough. His last at-bat was also great approach. He said he was looking for the slider and hit it right back up the middle. I know he has very small amount of time in majors and even high minors constantly coming off injuries, but every thing I have see at the plate with him I like. He is not just trying to hit HR or pull the ball but has an actual plan up there and adjusts to the count. I know he will rarely play back to back games for awhile but will look forward to every game he plays. The ump yesterday had a terrible zone. Not sure what his score card was, but he had a few very bad calls, and some in big situations.

Wallner will get his chance next year most likely. He will keep getting chances as guys get hurt and what not, but his lack of defense will be something that holds him back. The fact Buck is now a DH and appears will never play OF again, I am hoping I am wrong, this takes away the DH from Wallner. He will either need to improve greatly, or be such an extremely good hitter we will deal with the bad defense.

He has shown there is a good chance he will end up on 40 man during this year, depending on other injuries. He will get up to AAA and will be knocking on door of spot start or pen roll at MLB level. Good for him, people were always big on him and sometimes it takes time.

If it takes any of our top 10 prospects I am a no on Burns. He is not worth a top prospect hoping he can duplicate his outlier season. Joe Ryan has pitched better last season in half. Baily Ober has pitched better. Lopez has pitched better. Gray has pitched better. Varland is only one that has pitched worse, and it is not by much. We should not give up a top prospect for a guy that may not even slot as a guy to get a playoff start at this point. If he was on our roster, only reason he gets a start in playoffs is hope he has one of his good starts, which happens like 1 out of 4. In 10 starts this year he has 1 great, 2 good, 4 ehh, and 3 terrible.

I am a no on Burns, unless you give up little to get him. I know some on here think he is an ace, but he is not trending as an ace, but a guy that is living off his crazy good 2021 season, and pretty good 2020 season. 2022 start out similar to 2021, but trended downward. I am not saying he is a bust, he still has some very good starts, but I do not see him repeating 2021 ever again, and he is more likely what he has shown the last year of games. A guy that is more like a middle of road starter, not a top ace. His numbers so far this year, pretty much line up with his numbers the second half last year. Second half last year, he had 3.94 ERA, k/9 down, HR per at bat up, it got even worse in August and beyond. So far first 2 months this year, his k/9 down even more, and walks up. HR rate is up too. In 2021 he gave up a total of 7 HR the whole season, last year he gave up 23, this year so far 9. Can people stop acting like the 2021 season is his norm, and not the outlier? Yes, he will give you a good start here or there, but over last year and half, we have a few pitchers that have been better. Again, if we can get him for a middle of road prospect, sure, but no top guys for him.

To me it is not just about if they were "wrong" in signing or trading for a player, but who else do we have to step in and are they better? You point out to some starting pitchers that they held on to for awhile, but you do not point out who would have made those starts instead if they would have cut the player earlier on, and if that player would have done any better. Without pointing me to a clear easy replacement that was available at the time, it is hard to say they had a hard time admitting they were wrong. You point out Simmons and having different options at SS, but other than putting Polanco back at SS, what was their clear option, after we had Simmons. Yes, we had options of picking someone else, but the article is after we had the player not arguing we should have signed someone else. Lewis was hurt, and the next SS on the top prospect list was Wander Javier. So it was find someone off the junk pile, move Polanco back to SS, and use Arraez at 2nd full time, but he was filling in at 3rd and 2nd already with some time in LF. So who was our clear better choice during the season for Simmons? You also address the 2021 starters we held onto, but do you forget we used 16 different guys to start games, some as an opener, but still had 16 different guys start games that year. One of them was Joe Ryan after we traded for him when we gave up on season as well. So who would have been a better option, for the 2 you wanted cut earlier than was? My point is, to say we hold onto a player too long simply because we do not cut them when they struggle does not tell the whole story. Sometimes you hold onto who you have because you do not have current better options due to injuries, lack of MLB ready prospects.

I have to say one of my favorite at-bats of the game was CC's single up the middle. He was down in count and was willing to just put the ball in play to try and get a hit. He flipped his bat out at the ball and hit a slow roller up the middle. We were, if not still are, leading the league in strike outs per game. The team clearly has a general plan of always hitting the ball hard no matter the count. This may be in part because the belief that hitting the ball soft will rarely result in hits. However, never putting the ball in play and striking out has a 0% chance of getting a hit. Even if it is like 10% chance of getting hit because too soft, that is still better than 0%. I am all for looking to hit ball hard before 2 strikes, and hate watching guys do check swings or taking defensive swings before 2 strikes, but after you get there, I like to see the get bat to ball approach and do whatever you can to make contact, even weak contact.

Picking the right pen arm of the FA is like picking the floating rubber duck at kids carnivals. They all look pretty much the same as they go around, but until you pick one you do not know what you will get. Some get injured quickly, some have good starts and fade, some start slow and get better, and some just are not worth it. Pen arms are some of the most volatile positions around. I do find it interesting that the article praises Jax for being good and attacks Pagan for being bad, but overall numbers have been better for Pagan this year than Jax. Yes, Jax has had a lot more higher leverage, but really since end of April he has been down right bad. Yes, he has been giving up weak contact hits, but eventually you need to think about fact he is not getting the outs, and say it is not just bad luck. For years people would say Rogers was getting unlucky, this article mentions it that he may be getting unlucky again this year, how long can someone be unlucky before we just say, they are not getting the outs?

This was really the point I was trying to make in my post doing a comparison to Jax. I know Pagan was terrible overall last year, but this year he has had only a couple of blow ups. Sure, we would love a full pen of closer potential arms, but that just will not happen. I would understand if we cut him, but overall we need guys to eat up an inning or two when our high leverage guys have been used.

I believe MLB will bring in the challenge system next year, or year after. They will use it for a few years before going full robo umps. The league will want to ease in the use of the robo ump, but as they get used to it, the league will get full robo. I see no reason why not to do it if you have faith in the tech. The scorecard for umps has a huge flaw to it as well, as they give the 50/50 calls basically right either way it is call, only the balls well outside or inside the zone being wrong the wrong call. I get the job is hard, but on boarder line calls it is basically a coin flip, and the up is always considered right when the ball is thrown there. To make things worse, that is generally where the pitcher is trying to throw, the edge of the zone. So if they hit their spots the ump will always have the right call in the score card, even if it is technically the wrong call according to an ABS system.

Baseball reference does not have yesterdays game log in yet. However, going into that game, Pagan numbers are not great, but not as bad as some may think. Griffin Jax has similar, if not worse numbers than Pagan, but I do not see people calling for DFA Jax. I am not saying I want Pagan pitching over Jax, but the numbers are similar. Jax had a FIP of 2.55, going into yesterday. Pagan had FIP of 2.03. Yes, he had a very bad outing yesterday, giving up a bases loaded walk, and his first HR of season, but he was out there because pen was taxed, Gray had a short start, and lets not forget we had bases loaded 0 out, and did nothing with it. The loss is not just on Pagan. If you want to be objective on numbers, maybe Jax should be looked at being sent down as well, if you want to get rid of Pagan. Guys will have bad outings, and Pagan has had more than his fair share, but he generally is being asked to fill not high leverage roll, but had to yesterday because of heavy pen use the two prior days.

If nothing else he is shown he could be used as a trade chip. Not saying they should trade him, but he is showing he may be MLB prospect again.

The main question that needs to be asked, is what vazquez gives you behind the plate, defense and game calling wise, is it worth the difference in offense? Maybe for games with Gray Jeffers should always catch, because Gray calls his own. Maybe for games where the starter relies more on the catcher to guide them along Vazquez has more to offer.

Ryan has shown he can get out lineups now. If he has 2 pitches that rate out top 50 in all of baseball that is crazy good. Yes, neither are top 10, but considering there are hundreds of pitchers that throw an average of 3 pitches per, there are thousands of pitches to grade. I am no expert on pitchers, but the fact he continues to get it done, against people saying he will eventually fall flat and get moved to pen just shows he is willing to prove everyone wrong. Am I willing to say he is our "ace" no, but every time he takes the ball I fell like we will have a chance, no matter who we are facing.

I would send him down for Farmer when Farmer is ready. There is no reason to keep putting him out there to stumble around at 3rd and not hitting any power.

I expect Miranda to get sent down, to allow him to keep getting regular at-bats. He has options. Castro would have to pass waivers, which he very while might, but in reality, he would only be holding spot until Lewis is ready to come up, baring other injuries to people.

Exciting time in the minors. E-Rod hopefully back for long stint, and Lewis making rehab run. Hopefully Lewis will be ready to get to MLB level, take over 3rd and hit the ground running as soon as he can get of the 60 day list. This will be his spring training.

If you actually look, the zone is set as to how they are when in their hitting stance, mostly. So yes, when they are standing with straight legs it looks like the top is at the belt, but when they crouch and stride, it is much closer to the actual rule book zone. The ABS system is a work in progress and MLB has stated as such. They have tinkered with it in the minors to try and get the best they can. The ABS is coming and will start with the challenge system.

I believe this will be the first the way MLB gets to "robo" umps. I like having the full system in the minor, hopefully training the umpires. I would hope they are testing their own calls with what the machine tells them. The challenge system will be next up for MLB, no way will they go full robo right away because it will be too much for fans. The challenge system will add to some things. Last I read MLB is still trying to figure out how to set the zone for the system as well.

I agree with the possibility of sending down Miranda for a bit. He is not hitting much at all, and has been chasing some bad pitches up in zone over and over. Larnach has been struggling as well. However, the one issue with sending down Miranda is AK will still have to take a spot in the line up between Larnach, Gallo, or Kepler, assuming Buck will not move back to CF any time soon. Really, they all are left handed hitters playing similar positions in varying level of defense. One of them gets the Pine if all 4 are on the team, unless Twins try to move Gallo back to 3rd where he came up playing, but has not played there for years. If they go that route, then I would assume mostly Kepler gets to sit, depending on how he is hitting, because they will want Larnach to get regular at bats for most part. So overall, I think Larnach will get sent down if he continues to struggle and AK shows he is healthy and can play each game without issue. We can still option Miranda for Farmer when he ready, or at minimum when Lewis comes back from his IL rehab. I just do not see a point of having AK Larnach, Gallo, and Kepler all on MLB roster and all being healthy, if Buck is going to stay at DH, because one of the 4 have to sit every game. Maybe you rotate them around to help make up for that.