dxpavelka

Actually my lineup is the the top 6 RBI guys in baseball plus Lindor (top RBI SS) Realmuto (top RBI C). I put Turner at 2B but wouldn't miss a beat if I put Cronenworth there instead. You made my point for me. The most complete players in the game are also the top RBI guys. Abreu would almost certainly, (unless possibly we found a week to keep Correa) slot in as our best RBI guy AND best overall offensive player, barring a HUGE leap from Miranda and I'd be just fine any of those things. We scored less than 700 runs last year. If that number ain't over 800 all the debates on this site about pitching become meaningless.

Most important word in your whole statement is the smallest one. The "if" in the statement about Kirilloff's wrist.

Not to mention Gordon batting anywhere and that one of both of Larnach or Kirilloff will likely be on the IL by mid April.

When I look at those options at first I see three. 1. A guy who might not be able to play the field at 3rd. 2. A guy who maybe shouldn't play the field anywhere. 3. A guy who can't stay on the field. Bring on the old guy.

Kind of funny. You, and many others, describe RBIs as a stat of opportunity and then decry the Twins lack of taking advantage of opportunity. RBI is the first thing I look for when it comes to player production. Yeah, you gotta have opportunities to get them but you also have to take advantage of those opportunities. I'll take the big RBI boppers every time. I'll go to war with a lineup of Judge, Alonzo, Ramirez, Goldschmidt, Tucker, Alvarez, Lindor, Turner & Realmuto any day of the week and you can pick whichever one you want using whatever metric you want. I'll bet on mine to beat yours.

What actually happened was he won a World Series the first year after we let him go. Atlanta even traded for him. We let him go to save $8 Million. I'm old enough to remember when fans would have ripped ownership a new one for moving on from a guy to save $8 Million. Didn't realized I was dealing with a Pohlad Pocket Protector. Given the injury issues with our OFs the last two years we would have had plenty of need / use for him. He likely would have out-performed much of the putrid sludge we've run out there. You ASSUME that what he did in 270 plate appearances last year is the same as he would have done here had that plate appearance number been 470. His production could have been totally different. You know what the say about ASSUMing. I would ASSUME that had he played here the last two years he would have hit better than the folks we actually rolled out there. You can ASSUME whatever you want and I can ASSUME whatever I want and neither of will ever be proven right or wrong. What I CAN PROVE, however, is that in the two years he's been gone is that this ball club has hugely under performed. Been listening to folks all season telling me about the Timberwolves lacking heart this season. I tell folks the same thing about the Twins since Eddie's been gone and they act like that 's not a thing. You can't measure it and you can't see it. But you can sure see when it's not there. Hasn't been there since Rosario left. Won't get better if Correa leaves. But, hey, if you're OK with the last two years, who am I to disagree?

Dude. Nick Gordon was our best LF. 'nuff said. That's how you miss the post season in the two years since Rosario left and Rosario wins a World Series.

I'd be ecstatic if this was the year he played as many games as Buxton does. Larnach too. Then maybe we could get a read on what they might actually be able to contribute. If not, we may need to start looking at other options. And I'd have to continue to harp on the short-sightedness of moving of from Rosario when we did. Especially if we double down and do the same thing with Kepler this year just to get more right handed.

Rodon will be off the market LONG before Correa moves.

If I'm making a deal with Toronto for a catcher, I'd rather have Gabriel Moreno. They just might do it considering, Alejandro Kirk's an All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner and only 24 years old. Moreno's gonna cost but would be worth the price considering the dearth of high end catching in the system.

Teams also have the right to re-sign said players before they reach free agency. Says so in the CBA. Typically, if they wish to retain the player, they make an offer they deem to be in line with his value to their team.

8 years, $275 Million is what it's gonna take at minimum on both--Unless it drags into March. Pay that now and get it done. Opt out shouldn't bother anyone if you honestly believe that Lewis, Martin & Lee are viable future options.

And yet the Ms feel they can do better..

Like they all showed up the second half of this season?

Moving Kepler and bringing in Haniger would be taking a step back both offensively and defensively just to get more right handed?

Your lefty hitting lineup idea is cute but you better have a plan B by the time Kiriloff & Larnach go on the IL in Mid-April.

Pretty sure it's not a "policy" to not grow catchers. I agree, that it's currently a weakness of the system but I don't think it's intentional. You may also remember that eight months ago we just traded two of them with major league credentials. That tends to thin your numbers out a bit especially at a position without a lot of flexibility. You see lots of prospects with labels of "maybe he's this and maybe he's that." Very seldom do you see "maybe he's a catcher." Either they are or they aren't. Most aren't.

Gonna take an 8 digit AAV.

And now we need to move Jhoan into the rotation and give him a shot at developing into the ace we've needed since we traded Johan. Having a lights out guy at the back of the pen who might not even be in the closer role will be useless (see 2022 Minnesota Twins) if we don't find that ace and if we continue to struggle to put 700 runs across the plate in a season.

The only thing "blocking" Kiriloff is his ability to stay on the field. Same for Larnach. Two years in and they've both spent less time on the field than Buxton. At least when Buxton IS on the field he performs at an all world level. If this team, if Correa leaves, and with Urshela already gone, struggles to plate 700 runs again, do the pitching issues even matter? Do we really need Duran to be a lights out relief guy, possibly in a non-closer role? Put Duran in the rotation and give him a chance to develop into the ace we've spent a decade and a half looking for. Without that ace and without an 800 run offense what he does in the pen will be useless.

A "master plan" is something you don't ever see from any team any time.

Twins version: Mark Funderburk. 214 Minor League home runs. 2 big league home runs.

Sadly, in our lineup, he's a plus stick.

Tough for Kiriloff and Larnach to make us too left handed from the IL.

Nah. That's Garlick's job.