mike8791

Interesting take! Alcala to date has been a big disappointment. As you mention, his proclivity for the HR ball has been his downfall. But my real question is: why hadn't the Twins' minor league pitching gurus realize early on that his two pitch repertoire would not translate to big league success? Why is he just learning the importance of a changeup now? Falvey brought in new pitching instructors to revamp previous administration's failures in developing pitchers, along with the whiz kid from college ranks to be the pitching coach at the ML level. Lots of stirring the pot, but the results to date are about the same as under Ryan. While you can't entirely write off Alcala yet, his lack of progress is either a failure of minor league instruction or a big swing and miss by the FO in acquiring less talent than they thought they were getting for an all star reliever who would certainly have helped this year. Until this FO develops some real major league pitching talent, their regime for now has to be rated a colossal failure. The clock is ticking.

As others have noted, its nice to see several top-rated pitchers here, but I think that if the Twins wish to contend again in 2022, they cannot count on any of these guys to contribute significantly next year. Injuries, uneven performances, and frankly, long term pitching development problems in this organization, even under the pitching gurus running the FO for the past 4+ years, would seem to mitigate against any such significant help next year. I would like to see them push Winder to the Twins sooner(by Aug. 1st at the latest) rather than as a September callup. He really looks like a potential #3 or 4 starter but we should find out if his minors success can translate to the big leagues. So, unless they opt for a full rebuild, they better keep Berrios, Maeda and Pineda if they hope to be relevant again as soon as next year. Sign or trade for an established starter and hope either Ober or Winder can fill the #5 spot better than Happ or the Shoe and we might have the makings of a solid rotation.

Wow! Now that's what I'd call a total rebuild! Depending on this offseason budget constraints, your plan might be the only viable one left..It would probably make the banker happy, allow Falvine another 4-5 years to justify their existence, guarantee 2-3 yrs. of dead last finishes and probably reduce attendance by 50%. Might be ok for you young guys but we seniors don't have time left to wait that long. I just want one more World Championship!!

Nick, you have presented a persuasive argument but as I posited in my blog: http://Going Forward - Retool or Rebuild?, I look at a Donaldson trade this year as a nail in the coffin for a retool rather than a rebuild. First, the Twins do not have a replacement for him at 3B. Arraez doesn't have the arm for the position, Miranda is promising but it's a long jump to filling JD's shoes next year, and Sano's time as a Twin looks over. Second, assuming Cruz is traded by July 31st, the loss of both these guys would leave a massive hole in our 2022 lineup. I like Kirillof and Larnach but sophomore slumps are just too frequent in this game(look at Jeffers) and, other than Buxton, there are no all stars on this team that could be expected to lead the offense next year. Of course, if someone offered a top pitching prospect for Josh, we should jump at it, but how likely is that to occur unless we throw in a big dollar contribution? And if so, what does that do to our ability to retain Berrios, Buxton, and Rogers or sign one of the premier FA SSs on the market this offseason? If there was some acknowledgment by ownership that the purse strings will be loosened to accomplish a successful retooling next year, life would be much simpler. But looking at past history and the inability of this FO to find quality nuggets in the discard basket, my bet going forward is an unsuccessful retooling effort followed by years of a rebuild.

Thanks for all the comments above. Just a few more thoughts: 1. The only reason I'm willing to give the FO a last chance in 2022 is because of the Minor League 2020 lost season and a late start to this one. If by midyear they have re-established Twins as contender, ok. But if deadline and offseason moves have not substantially moved the needle in team's performance by July 1st at the latest, they should join Rocco in the delete column. Frankly, this FO has not earned trust in drafting or signing FA pitchers, nor have they been agressive in the trading department. Of course, no way of knowing what payroll limitations they faced, but that's another story. 2. With Cruz likely gone at the trade deadline and Sano no longer a productive bat, can the Twins offense click without JD in 2022? Too much hope and not reality in my opinion. Can Kirillof and Larnach avoid a sophomore slump? Is Gordon a flash in the pan(pun intended)? Can Miranda make the jump to 3B? And the big question: will Buxton be healthy and a Twin next year? Yes, emphasis needs to be on pitching improvements, but that doesn't mean we can ignore fact that Twins' offense has been highly erratic, especially in run-scoring situations. The current lineup has improved in the last few weeks, but is it sustainable, especially if Cruz and Donaldson are gone? And finally, I still contend the only way for the Twins to return to contention next year is if money is made available to resign Berrios and Buxton, plus signing a high end starter, one of the top FA SS's available in the offseason, and 2-3 relievers who have a higher possibility of nailing down a win in late game situations, at least much higher than guys like Colome, Duffy, Thielbar and Alcala. JP has to step up to the plate here and Falvine has to make the right roster decisions this time; otherwise, we are looking at a 3-4 year rebuild.

The only stat that sours me on Rogers, and granted there are many in the same group, but his inherited runners that score is at 57% (stat from last week) for the 2021 season. I want my all-star reliever to do a better job of coming in and putting out the fire completely, most of the time. The Twins bullpen is dead last in this all-important category and Rogers' % is totally unacceptable for a closer or an All Star. The fact he is the top reliever on the 2021 Twins is an indictment of the pen, not a reason to add him to the All Star squad.

Bingo! Resigning Buxton and Berrios are keys. Without either of them in the L/U next year, this team cannot possibly contend, which is why trading them this season makes no sense unless ownership wants a complete rebuild. This is a key test for Pohlad. He must expand payroll to accomplish resigning both, which is why calls to trade Donaldson for freeing up money is illogical. He is one of the very few professional hitters on this team. Who is going to replace him? Even if Twins decide they cannot afford to sign B&B, they should still be retained for 2022 to give this FO one last chance to right the ship. If they don't by midseason at the latest, they should be dumped and B&B traded at the deadline. If the team does rebound, Pohlad would hopefully pony up the $ to resign them. It's all on ownership here. Prepare to go over budget or tear it down. There is just no middle ground.

Now that it is clear Twins must be sellers, the most pressing issue to the FO must be: Retool or Rebuild? With the trade deadline in just 4 weeks, many big decisions must be made this month. Just to restate the obvious: retooling can be defined as fielding a 2022 squad that can be a legitimate contender at least for a playoff spot. A rebuild means tearing down the core and hoping to contend by 2024/5 at the earliest. For starters, let's list the key factors that would allow for a retool: 1. Build around the existing core of Berrios, Buxton, Donaldson, Rogers, Arraez, Kirillof and Larnach. I would also add Pineda and Maeda to this "core", as expecting to contend next season without at least three set rotation pieces would be comparable to entering 2021 with only question marks for the bullpen. One might argue that guys like Sano, Kepler, Polanco, Jeffers/Garver, could also be considered core players, but at best, these are either fringe players going forward with probably more value as trade pieces. Despite all the chatter about trading, the Twins need this core in place to have any real chance of contending next year. This doesn't necessarily mean resigning Buxton, Berrios, and Rogers, but their absence would likely severely limit contention chances next year. 2. To get higher impact prospects who could expect to contribute to the major league team in 2022, trade from strength. This means guys like Garver and Polanco should be available this month(alternatively, Jeffers and Arraez could be substituted but they are much more likely to contribute to squads beyond next year so should only be traded for very high end prospects). Guys like Sano and Kepler who have obviously fallen short of early promise, should also be marketed but they are not likely to bring back major-league-ready prospects. Expiring contracts should not be renewed(except for Pineda), although if Cruz does not bring back at least a medium level pitching prospect for next year, perhaps he should be retained as a player/hitting coach. He's that remarkable. 3. Push the best available pitching prospects up by Aug. 1st. Not a lot to choose from here, with injuries, limited or poor performances from guys like Duran, Enlow, Balozovic, but certainly Winder and Cano, if they both can establish their AA success has translated to AAA in July) should be promoted. Duran and/or Balozovis could be brought up after Sept. 1st if healthy and if they can turnaround some control issues that have emerged. They can continue to run out guys like Jax and Ober but they have shown little to warrant optimism for being keys to a pitching rebound. With one or two high end pitchers acquired by the trade deadline plus hopefully, one or two minor leaguers who show more promise than the retreads used to date in 2021, the FO should have a clearer idea what the basic needs are in the offseason. At best, the Twins could find themselves entering the offseason with the need for one strong starter and one or two late inning relievers rather than a major bullpen overhaul. At that point it is incumbent upon ownership to step up and declare money is available for signing current stars and adding the necessary high end talent rather than nibbling around for bargains - a strategy that has obviously contributed to our record-setting playoff losing streak, as well as this year's collapse. And one more thing for the offseason. Rocco must go and replaced with an old-school, experienced disciplinarian. It's worked for the Sox. Why not the Twins? So give Falvine until June 30th 2022 to see if they're on the right track. If not, time for a midseason change. After this year's colossal failure, the rope should be short. If ownership is unwilling to spend for high level talent and keep the core together for at least one more year, then rebuilding is the only alternative. Trading Berrios and Buxton would be necessary before 2022 and a 3 year minimum rebuilding program should be instituted. This rebuild has to be conducted by new FO personnel, ones who are not so risk averse as Falvine and have had experience in successfully rebuilding other franchises. What about Theo?? Of course, the ultimate solution is new ownership- one who is agressive about wanting a winner and willing to invest in the future. Mark Cuban, are you listening? But that's just wishful thinking. Conservative banking mentality will probably be our albatross for years to come. So what do you all think? Is contention likely for this franchise in 2022 or is rebuild under new management the way to go?

It's been said by many others on this post, but I have to chip in. I AM SO SICK OF MINNESOTA NICE!! Why has this team consistently underperformed in the playoffs? No heart, no fire, just roll over. How can you criticize a player(the only one on the roster) who has called a player's meeting. That is leadership - a trait so absent in recent Twin managers. My two cents: Donaldson would make a great player manager. Keep him until retirement. We simply don't have anyone else like him.

Kudos, Nick, for telling it like it is! At this stage of this bitter season, it is a lot more refreshing to see the cold, hard facts rather than the apologist's versions. As a devoted Twins' fan for almost 70 years, I am sickened by their ineptness, both on the field, in the clubhouse, and in mgt. ranks. With that said, I recognize that the common knee jerk rx to fire the ones responsible for the carnage might give us temporary emotional relief, but will not happen, at least this year. So the real qurstion is : how much rope should Falvine, Baldy, and staff be given? As you've indicated, the Twins will be in seller's mode and Falvey has shown little hesitation in dumping players at the deadline. But isn't the real question now: can this squad return to contention next year, and if so, who constitutes the core going forward and what prospects have a chance to contribute to a turnaround? My two cents: 1. The core consists of : Bux, Berrios, Kirillof, Larnach, Jeffers, Arraez/Polanco(probably not both). If so, trading Bux or Berrios is a no-no. Signing them to long term contracts is a priority. 2. There are very few prospects who right now look like keepers. Maybe Ober, Alcala, and perhaps Gordon(utility). That's not enough to fill in this roster with positive adds for next season. So the immediate need is to bring up our best prospects ASAP., e.g., Duran, Winder, Balozavic(in a month or so), and a couple of relievers now doing well at Wichita. Dump the non-performers now: Colome, Shoemaker, and Dobnak for starters. Let's see the rooks sooner so we have a better idea what we have rather than wait for a September callup. A few other players can be traded for more prospects closer to the deadline: Cruz, Sano or Kepler, Duffy or Rogers or both, maybe Pineda if he brings back a top 100 prospect. I would then reassess these new players' performance and see if we have enough to contend next year. If the answer is yes, then give the FO & Baldy one more chance next year. If not, then it's time for an offseason housecleaning that includes Falvine, Rocco and coaching staff. There must be some accountability, either positive or negative!!

Nice writeup, but can't understand this urge to trade Pineda. He is easily the Twins 2nd or 3rd best starter, depending on how Maeda reemerges. If a retool rather than rebuild is the way to go in '22, the rotation is a key component. Right now, this team has no one to depend on in the #4 & 5 slots. Yes, maybe one or two of the prospects might step up(sorry, not ready to annoint Ober just yet), but this FO has given no reason to believe that any of their pitching prospects are more than just that - prospects. I'd rather wait and bring them up sooner rather than later and see how they fare at the major league level. And we haven't even touched on the putrid bullpen situation. It very well could be that over the next 100 games we see what this team's potential is for next year. Perhaps the prospects will prove they belong in the majors. If not, then a total rebuild is in order. My only concern is that the Wonder Boys have not shown the smarts to do the rebuild correctly. Perhaps this is a situation that also has to be revisited in October?

Interesting topic Cody. As you say, really a bit early to evaluate Lewis, but I for one was appalled that the supposed pitching gurus newly installed at Twins HQ passed on all 3 of these pitchers to take Lewis. This org. has flailed for many years in developing pitching, surely the most important position in MLB. But Falvine has shown excessive hubris in all their drafts, and this seems like no exception. Gore and Greene were considered sure-fire top-of-the-rotation hurlers, McKay rated a bit lower maybe because he wanted to be considered a hitter/pitcher. Yes, the verdict is still TBD, but reports seem to indicate Lewis doesn't have the chops at SS and will probably settle in CF, where the Twins had a guy named Buxton who was considered the #1 prospect and when healthy has started to play like one. Doubts about this FO's savvy certainly escalated when in their next 3 drafts, they selected an OF, another SS, and a DH-type. Is this how you develop a home grown stud rotation like Cleveland has been able to do? Have any of Falvine's draft picks looked like the future of a solid rotation? Yes, they did pick up Alcala and Duran in trades, but they are unknown quantities as of now. They haven't even drafted one pitcher who can help a major league bullpen that is arguably the worst in baseball. The Lewis pick was a signal that this FO was not up to the task of developing a core of major league pitchers. They have done nothing since to change the narrative. This should be the year that they throw these prospects into the fire at the major league level, after all what more can we lose. The rest of this year should tell the tale on the Whiz Kids ability to develop major league pitching. Aren't these the guys that should be held accountable if they prove unable to do that?

Nick, glad to see this post. You nailed it. The F/O gets a failing grade. There is no sugar coating it. There can be no more excuses - not bad luck, injuries, the pandemic, nothing. Do Falvey's pronouncements on being hired that rebuilding this team's batting and pitching philosophies, attention to new metrics, and personnel additions would be his top priorities merely cover up a simple failure of poor judgment on such critical matters as drafts, FA signing, trades, etc.? Does the emperor have no clothes? I don't know the answer except to say that we are very close to System Failure 2.0. Most TD members don't seem to agree. Give them more time, they've won two division titles, they're pitching development geniuses, yada, yada. When is it time for a reckoning? I realize Falvine, Rocco and company have time remaining on their contracts, but shouldn't these "leaders" be held accountable for their failures? If not now, when? For this long term Twins/Senators fan of almost 70 years, I don't believe I've ever witnessed a more distressing collapse from a team with such high expectations.

Nope, have to disagree with premise of trading anyone now. Cruz is an obvious candidate but need to wait at least a month in hope he heats up a bit and the contenders' needs become more apparent. But yes, Cruz should not be in the clubs' plans for 2022. Sano or Donaldson should not be traded at all unless FO gets a particularly appealing offer. We'll need Sano for DH next year and there is no one in the org. ready to replace Donaldson at 3B. They both are disappointments but Twins should not be in a rebuild mode unless guys like Jeffers, Kirillof, Larnach prove wanting for remainder of this year. Let the FO concentrate on solidifying the bullpen first, after all, this was the origin for the team's crash this year. If Duffy and Rogers recover from a poor start, if guys like Alcala and maybe Ferrell prove to be positive additions and one or two of our prospect flame throwers are given an early chance to demonstrate they belong, at least we have the makings for improvement next year. This is where they need to be agressive, not in dumpster fire selloffs.

This team is ready for retooling, not a complete overhaul, so I have to vote with a loud NO to trading Donaldson for bag of balls. Ditto for any dump of Sano. Why trade either one at their low point when they can be parts of a contender? We have no one in the foreseeable future to replace Josh, nor do we have a better replacement for Cruz(who should be traded) than Sano, at least for next year. And selling off guys like Buxton, Simmons, Berrios and Pineda makes no sense in a retooling effort, at least this year. I had high hopes for Celestino, but he's way too raw. Berrios and Pineda will be needed in 2022 to at least have a competitive rotation, with Maeda(?), Dobnak and one of the rooks rounding out the staff. This is not to say the FO should be cautious pre-deadline. Getting rid of Happ and Shoemaker is a no-brainer. Cruz should bring back something, hopefully a bullpen piece that starts the rebuild there. Since the FO deems Polanco insufficient at SS, then both he and Arraez should battle for 2B long term(thinking Arraez would fit in as super-utility player was as mis-guided as trying Sano in the OF). The loser of that battle would make a nice trade piece, perhaps for a good bullpen piece or top 100 prospect.. Simmonns should be resigned for one more year, giving Lewis one more year of development. And certainly Kepler should be shopped, with emergence of Larnach/Kirrilof bolstering the OF, but with Buxton's long term future with the Twins uncertain, Kepler should only be traded in a package involving major league-ready pitching. And finally, as distasteful as this might seem, the Twins have little choice other than rush some of their top minor league pitching prospects to the big league club, preferrably in bullpen roles to start to see what they bring. Yes, somewhat risky, but the FO must use this disaster to retool for the future. As bad as 2021 has been, it is a chance to retool for next year, assuming we have a base going forward. If not, than, yes, a wholesale selloff would be necessary. Big question: can this FO, manager, and coaches be the ones to lead the rebuild?

Nick, your weekly reviews are one of the best things about TD and this one was no exception! This season is probably(99%) a loss, but as you said, there are glimmers of optimism. My greatest criticism for some time(accentuated by 19 straight playoff losses) has been the lack of resiliency/heart of this team. No team leaders. No leadership from the manager! But this past week has shown signs of a turnaround in that they came back twice against tough pitching(Bieber and Plesac), hung tough against Giolito, and actually pulled out a couple of games they trailed in late innings. Yes, the team is decimated with injuries(though no worse than many others), some very slow starts by some and continued ham-handed in-game decisions by Rocky, but for the first time have shown signs of a heart. Is this "comeback" mainly a result of Sano's surge or has it filtered down the lineup? These next 14 games will tell the tale. If they can't manage 9 or 10 wins, then I think that will close the book on 2021.

Let's see, Thorpe has lost his fastball, has marginal other pitches, and has never looked like a positive rotation addition, so we should try him in this disaster of a bullpen??? What is lacking in the pen are power arms that can come in with some men on base(especially on 2nd base in extra innings) and get some strikeouts. Even in middle relief, Thorpe provides little. He has richly earned a DFA, along with others like Thielbar, Colome, Smeltzer and the other retreads the Wonder Boys have accumulated. Let's take off the rose-colored glasses, see reality for what it is, and move on from these dreary tailenders. And if there is no one else in the minors who can provide this jolt of energy, time for Falvine to find a new job. Isn't 4 + years enough time to at least develop one bona fide reliever?

If this is the best we have to look forward to, it's going to be a long season! Sitting here in Chicago, I guess I'm spoiled by how well Sox and Cub minor leaguers have stepped up to provide solid innings in relief this season. The Cubs bullpen has been amazing and the Sox prospects have stepped right in to preserve game after game(in fact, addition of Hendriks has been helpful but certainly not essential to Sox success in late game victories). Contrast to the Twins org. where retreads like Law, Waddell, Anderson, Thielbar have failed miserably and the one minor leaguer from the Twins system, Alcala, has been a disappointment. If Cano, Hackimer, and Chalmers are the best we have to look forward to, the Whiz Kids better go back to the drawing boards(or better yet, retire). There is some hope, if the FO is willing to push some of our top prospects like Duran, Canterino, Winder sooner rather than later, place them in the bullpen and see what we really have for the future. So far that strategy has worked here in Chicago. Maybe it can work for the Twins, too.

This will probably be tossed out by TD because content is a wee bit negative. However, this poster finds little humor in the 2021 season so in an attempt to maybe initiate a real discussion of the origins of Systems Failure 2.0, here are my 3 curses: 1. Jim Pohlad/ownership for looking at the Twins as nothing more than a P & L item rather than a community investment with the sole goal of bringing a world championship to the Twin Cities. As a result, they focus on hiring executives who subscribe to a conservative approach to building a winner instead of rolling the dice to go all in when the "window seems wide open." 2. Falvey/Lavine for their aversion to risk taking, as well as their hubris in believing they are smarter than everyone else in knowing how to build a sustainable contender by concentrating strictly on an analytical numbers approach to player evaluation. 3. Baldelli for his inept game management, inability to provide leadership, and over protection of his players similar to Little League. This team was soft under Gardy and Molly, as indicated by a record 19 game losing streak in the playoffs, but Rocco beats both in his cluelessness in how to motivate a talented, but spiritless roster. Truly a perfect storm.

Like Kirby Yates or Trevor Rosenthal? I don't disagree with your premise about Colome but signing "high upside FAs" in the bullpen is not quite as simple as you make it sound, even if you're willing to spend. The bet on Robles has looked decent so far, fwiw. OK touche Nick! Yates or Rosenthal were two of my preseason choices and both are on the IR list. Colome looked like a reasonably priced FA addition but living here in Chicago, it did not take a tech genius to see he was running thru raindrops on almost every occasion. The Sox were going for the brass ring so they went for the BPA in Hendriks. The Twins not so much. Many of us on TD pointed out the biggest weakness going into the offseason was the BP - and it still is. Guys like Kennedy and Melancon were available, not to mention the ill-advised moves to trade Pressley, and dump Nick Anderson. My biggest problem with this FO is they generally nibble around the edges rather than go after difference makers. And that's a shame, because the window is still wide open. If the team is still in contention come July, will they change their MO and actually make significant additions. They never have in 4 years.

Gleeman reports Dobnak sent down to AAA. I'm sure this is a precursor to get him back in the rotation to replace the Shoe. If Maeda returns to form, this is a strong rotation. If not, you can probably forget about the playoffs. This is why many Twins fans were vehement about FO adding a top-of-the-rotation arm in case Maeda regressed. Wouldn't a Snell, Darvish, Lynn or Sonny Gray have made a sizable difference in the team's outlook now? But the real problem is the pen, of course. Colome was found wanting in Chicago so why did the Whiz Kids sign him as their top offseason bullpen addition? Relievers are notably erratic from year to year, but there were clearly better choices this offseason. Losing May and knowing Rogers was iffy should have been enough warning signs that a couple high upside FAs were critical to a successful 2021 season. When you add in our continued inability to develop pitching in he minors and Rocky's poor decision-making, the bullpen was on everyone's worry list.

Two blowouts in a row! Plus, Kirillof starting to look like a contributor on offense, Buxton continuing his MVP year, and Pineda looks like he's in a groove. While these are the first signs of Twins' revival, let's put things in perspective. This offense has shown they are capable of beating up on subpar pitching. Allen was sent down after Wednesday's rout and yesterday, essentially they beat up on a poor KC bullpen after Allen removed. Any team that gets 10 walks is well on their way to a decisive victory. But except for the last two games, every time Twin bats have erupted for one game, they have reverted to their prior listless offense the next game. Today's matchup against arguably KC's best pitcher, Duffy, will provide a very good test of whether this turnaround is for real. Yes, its early, but the Twins have to step up and sweep the frontrunners to close the gap to 4 games. Winning 2 of 3 hardly moves the needle. Rocco didn't help matters much by throwing in Duffey and Robles in a game they were ahead by 4 runs after 5. Will this bullpen usage affect our chances in the next 2 games? Time will tell. The last 2 games were fun but the Twins have dug themselves a hole that only a 5-6 game win streak will dig them out of. Hate to be a Debby Downer here, but this team(and manager) have to demonstrate they have the internal fortitude to more consistently produce in run-scoring opportunities, hold a lead, and come-from-behind. This mental toughness has been sadly lacking so far.

My take is this team, like last year's and the many playoff losses, are lacking two essentials for a contender:1.) Inability to manufacture runs;2.) inability to come from behind/bounce back. "Not necessarily with the first one. Of the 53 runs they’ve scored, only 22 of them have come via HR" Inability to manufacture runs not synonymous with HR or nothing. "Inability to manufacture runs" statement was mainly an observation about inability to score in extra innings with runner on 2B, no outs. This has happened 3 times. I agree with those who hate this rule, but all teams must play with it. Twins seem incapable/unwilling to bunt or move runner to 3rd by a grounder to the right side. I know, SSS, but over last 2+years, this team has basically failed to play small ball. The many holes in the L/U are one reason, as well as high SO % by guys like Sano, Garver, Kepler. Seems that twins need to change their strategy a bit. Need more contact hitters, as well as greater emphasis on moving the runner by squeezes, sac. bunts, hit and run, etc. Certainly not panicking, but this inability to manufacture runs has continued to haunt this team, particularly in the playoffs where good pitching is the rule.

Buxton and Cruz are leading the charge for a lineup that has been locked in and routinely destroying the ball I think this overstates Twins' offense. Their "offense" has consisted of Bux and Cruz, with major contributions from Arraez and Simmons. Four other lineup regulars(Garver/Jeffers, Cavem Sano, and Polanco) have basically been non-contributors, with BA below the Mendoza line. Our team averages look good because we have 3 games where we averaged 11 runs/game. We have consistently failed in clutch situations - runner on 2nd, no outs, in 10th inning, no runs. I expect JD to help, but although SSS, concerned that Garver, Sano, Cave and Polanco are continuing last year's slide. My take is this team, like last year's and the many playoff losses, are lacking two essentials for a contender: 1.) Inability to manufacture runs; 2.) inability to come from behind/bounce back. These weaknesses point to the manager and team leadership, as well as relying on some very streaky players who probably do not belong in the lineup on a regular basis. With Donaldson back, start Arraez at 2B, Astudillo at 1B, Garlick in LF, and give Jeffers more of a chance to prove his worth as main catcher. And speaking of Baldelli, his pen managment has proven disastrous. Why wasn't Robles, after pitching perfect 8th, allowed to start the 9th? How many times has Rocco pulled a reliever after one strong inning. Let one or two of the pen establish themselves as the go to 8th/9th/10th inning pitchers. Colome must be dropped in the hierarchy, Rogers, Robles and Alcala(and hopefully Duffy if he straightens himself out) should each be used in game save situations, including multiple innings. I know its easy to second guess, but you need an established closer. This is why Sox dropped Colome, signed Liam. Twins FO selected not to go all in because they had depth. Let's start usuing that depth and see who emerges as a stopper. If no one, let's hope we're still in the hunt at the trade deadline and make the move to acquire someone who can.

Have to agree with the anti-Sano crowd. He's had enough time to prove himself. These type of all or nothing types do little to help the team. As things stand now, we have maybe three consistent hitters - Cruz, Arraez, and Donaldson(if he ever stays healthy). Simmons looks like he could join this list, but a little early. I'm not writing Polanco off yet but his falloff from the first half of 2019 is cause for concern. To bolster this team's ability to have a balanced lineup, I would like to see Armadillo play 1B, at least enough to see how he fields the position. This man can just hit and should be in the lineup every day. Rooker is more Sano-like and should not. I believe Arraez should be playing every day and when not filling in at 3B, should be playing LF until Kirillof or Larnach prove they're ready(I like Garlick as a backup if the rooks don't make it). When/if that happens, time to consider trading Polanco, allowing Arraez to return to 2B. This team needs their best contact hitters in the L/U every day!