Twodogs

It might have something to say about how much they are trusting Pineda right now??

I mean the thing to me is they probably could have got him with a minor league deal and a spring training invite?? Doesn't really seem like anyone was pounding on his door?

Hector Santiago??

I like the idea of taking a flier on Holland? He has had great success in the past.

Yeah I was thinking Buxton also, for obvious reasons, as I am a twins fan. However then I thought to myself that he hardly played last year so they probably didn't even think about him?

I was watching the MLB channel and Ripken said that Rocco Baldelli is in the best position to do well as a first year manager. Just some positive stuff to see.

How much better do the Sox get if they ink Machado?? Reportedly 8 years 250?? https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/01/white-sox-have-made-eight-year-offer-to-manny-machado.html

I remember back on those teams when people would do their pre-season batting orders they would be penciling in Cuddyer as the full time 2Bman so they could get other supposed better options out on the field.

I think Hildenberger has been figured out, I think he was deceptive and he was overused and is no longer that deceptive. Hopefully Reed can bounce back. But someone said it earlier that the bullpen is really a reflection of the starting staff. So now everyone is worried about how the starter does the 2nd and 3rd time through the order etc.... Well if your bullpen averages 4 innings every game that means that your bullpen will pitch 648 innings over the course of the year. If you divide that by 7 pitchers, because every team out there hopes and prays that they can have at least a 4 man bench not including the DH then those 7 relievers will average 92.6 innings per season. So if your 5 starters average 5 innings each that means that each of the starting pitchers will avearge a little over 160 innings each. So it is an innings issue directly related to the starting staff. In a day and age where 200 inning starters are getting really hard to find it is putting direct pressure on the bullpen. If all 5 of your starters can average 6 innings that means that all 5 of them would have to pitch 194.4 innings per season!!! When was the last time we have seen a staff with 5 guys all over 190 innings pitched?? However if that was the case, then your relief staff would have to pitch 486 innings on the year which would add up to about 70 innings per pitcher for a 7 man bullpen. It's really really hard not to over use these guys in an era where we are pulling starters after 5 innings all the time. So I had a little idea, not sure if it would work or not, but with the situation of the Twins and you have a lot of young starters that are trying to build up innings every year such as Romero, Mejia, etc... What if you went with a starting staff where your top 3 pitchers start 32 games each and the last two spots in the rotation are manned by 3 guys, Pineda, (not sure how many innings he can go after TJ), Mejia, and Romero all combine to start 22 games each. If they can average 6 innings per start that would put them at about 130 inning on the season each, then since they will be starting only like every 7th or 8th day maybe they could get another 30 innings each out of them in the bullpen?? That would put all 3 of them at about 160 innings and if your top 3 can get like 200 out of Berrios, and Gibson and maybe 180 - 190 out of Odorizzi then those 6 guys will have pitched 1070 innings which would leave 388 innings for the other 6 guys in the bullpen which would put them all at about 64 - 65 innings pitched for each of them?? I would get rid of Hildy and replace him with Ottavino or Allen, and I'd probably get rid of Magill and replace him with someone like Gonsalves or Little etc... In case one of Pineda, Romero, or Mejia fail then that guy can come in and be in that 4th 5th 6th starter rotation?? Have to have one of your bench guys with options so you can send them down for a week here and there for when you need to add a 13th pitcher to your bullpen like a Curtis, Vasquez, etc.... Under current methods the bullpen is always going to be overused I feel that this will even happen moreso with the new opener methods being looked at. So bullpens are always going to be over used and it actually might be one of the reasons there are a lot of free agent RP's? Their former teams probably know something already.

Get a good reliever and save the rest of the cash for extensions for young guys and to have a lite cushion if they get someone big at the deadline.

I'm sure they'd wait until two weeks into spring training to sell the team and the new owners wouldn't get any deals done because they didn't get enough time to warm up their pens.

What's the story with Holland? Is he done?

Not sure if that means what it really means because Oakland and Seattle have even more pitcher friendly parks than Anaheim and they play a ton of games in Oakland and Seattle. Maybe he just pitches better at home. I guess if it is broken down by park and he did well in Oakland and Seattle but say got bombed in Boston then that would make more sense.

What happened to Greg Holland? He was a beast for about 4 years straight then last year he did nothing. Just curious if he still might have what it takes to close out games. I guess Allen would be another good option but they better do something quick as they are falling off the board fast. I think one good guy to close out games is all they really need to start the season. I'd rather they go with the guys they have for their staff and see if they can make it work. I really think if the lineup responds that they will win more games this year. If they do, then they can make a big splash for a front line starter at the trade deadline rather than go for some other #3 or #4 type starter right now. They would have the money available come the trade deadline and they have the prospects also. Just get that guy that can finish the games for now. JMO

In the long run we all hope Sano hits .270 - .280 and mashes 30 bombs. I keep wishing the Twins will get back to the World Series!!!

My only thing when I see stuff, and I criticize also, but before I post one I try to read it and see if it can be taken as sort of a light hearted joke or if I can complement something at the same time that I am criticizing something. But my point is that these players are people too, so my only thing is try to remember that when you post, someday it may be your kid or relative that is being lambasted for making a bad play or whatnot and it will make you feel sick to see a bunch of people post hatred towards your loved one. Back before the internet became the norm most articles were written and read in the newspaper, and some of those columnists would criticize players or coaches and whatnot, but I really believe that they were sort of careful of what they said because they needed to have a relationship with the team and players in order to continue to do their job. People on these boards have no one that they need to keep a relationship with so often times they just let the negativity fly. I'd say we as people need to view these guys also as people before we get too harsh. Don't get me wrong they throw the ball into the dugout from 2B and we the people will be critical about that and how it may have affected the game, but I'm pretty sure any player would understand that. What I'm saying is that we need to watch it and not get personal with those guys and the team we all cheer for. And to think this is the Twins board, imagine what those guys over in Philly probably have to see on their boards. Ha ha. So our guys probably have it a little easier than other places: Philly, New York, Boston etc... Thats the only thing that I'd add to this story. I remember how critical everyone got with Rosario a couple years back. I thought that was crazy, beyond baseball a lot of these guys are just good people doing their best. So be critical, but I always say just don't make it personal, where we are criticizing a person's character and being extra harsh and whatnot.

Adam Ottavino

Yeah a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite is how they should handle the flyers out there. Then after a month of spring training you know if they have all of their stuff back or not and can just dump them if need be.

I agree that Lynn prob would have been better with a full spring training. Santana was not the same last year, that is kinda why I asked if anyone had heard if he was back to normal, throwing hard etc...

Great job! Nice work.

My dream lineup, includes my dream of some of the key players, ah la Buxton to either break out or at least have consistent years. CF Buxton R SS Polanco S DH Cruz R LF Rosario L 3B Sano R RF Kepler L 2B Schoop R 1B Cron/Austin R C Castro/Garver L/R

Romero showed some flashes last year and he also flamed out a few times too, but so did Berrios his first couple of times up, Romero just might not be as durable as Berrios. Nonetheless I feel that he might get that 5th spot. My gut feeling tells me that the Twins will roll with what they got, hopefully they add a piece or two to the bullpen, but if they go with what they have they will feel it out and if they are in contention they will probably go all in and get that starter in late July or at the deadline. I feel like that is what they are going to do because of the Lance Lynn failures last year. I think if they are in it they will go all in and get that guy with the extra dollars that they have right now.

Yeah, I'm assuming they prob didn't have room for him, or Sanchez may have asked to be let go seeing what appeared to be a lot of depth at that time. At that point they still were considering what to do with Phil Hughes also.

Not to mention he made improvements against lefty's last year. So it seems like he tries to make adjustments to get better, which means he's listening and working to get better. It doesn't always work out but I'd always place my bets on guys like that, who seem willing to work to get better rather than guys like Oswaldo Arcia who never seemed to change his approach.