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ToddlerHarmon

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Everything posted by ToddlerHarmon

  1. ToddlerHarmon
    You gotta think Maddux did this. He once grooved a pitch to Biggio in the regular season just so he would sit on it in the playoffs.
  2. ToddlerHarmon
    If the Twins agree that Keaschall will never be even a passable fielder, that makes a decision to non-tender Larnach more appealing. Keaschall as full time DH allows both Jenkins and EmRod to be up next year and have plenty of playing time
  3. ToddlerHarmon
    They end the season against Texas, but that just reinforces your point, as that could be a battle for the last wildcard spot
  4. ToddlerHarmon
    Clemens appears competent in the infield. That leaves just three above-average defenders on that list, and they might be the three with the highest offensive ceiling: Buxton, Jenkins, Rodriguez. Glut solved? If only the Twins looked at it that way. Do people expect Roden to be a good defender? I've lost track, and he may have to start hitting for the question to matter. *NOT advocating getting rid of Keaschall. But we need a 4th body out there anyway because Buxton
  5. ToddlerHarmon
    I would keep either/both over bringing in a one-year veteran in their roles, which has happened for years on end. I'd be even more confident in this strategy if I believed the Twins would let a young player push them aside if they struggle.
  6. ToddlerHarmon
    Yup. And to clarify for the young uns, this was not because TK clung to Meares and Walbeck. There were truly no better options on the roster or on the farm.
  7. ToddlerHarmon
    An underrated aspect of how we got here. Build for playoff success, not mediocrity. That means that you only bring in someone like Bell when you've got 3 or 4 proven elite hitters in the lineup, and you're trying to fill the last gap. Bell's good performance this year has got us where? Clinging to hope for a playoff spot, while we play 2 or 3 DH's in the outfield and wait to find a roster spot for Jenkins.
  8. ToddlerHarmon
    Yes, the idea is to have as much power as possible, but it has to be throttled to where the player is still capable of making consistent contact. I, too, am happy if .450 SLG is the ceiling that allows Lee to get on base.
  9. ToddlerHarmon
    I agree with the defensive woes mostly being about roster construction than use of the roster. Moving Lewis off third and Keaschall off second were good decisions for the defense, but we were already hiding too many bad defenders elsewhere. As for roster sizes necessitating multiple utility players, the Twins have enough utility players that our 13th best hitter, whether Outman or Fedko or Gray, just rides the bench. "Defensive flexibility" is a red flag, not a recommendation, for either a player or a roster.
  10. ToddlerHarmon
    Nice that Shelton used Kriedler over Lee against the lefty. Culpepper improved two spots in the lineup
  11. ToddlerHarmon
    I'm going to stoke the raging impatience on this thread by noting that Houston's elite skills are the type that fade quickly with age. He may be a better defender and baserunner now than he will be at 27. Given the needs on the big club, bring him up now! (Exaggeration? Mayyybe)
  12. ToddlerHarmon
    I hope you're right. I fear that they might be held back by fear of a lockout next year.
  13. ToddlerHarmon
    The 1987 Tigers thought they had met the girl in Doyle Alexander, who had a great September after being acquired in a trade. Then the Twins pushed them in a hole, and left them looking up at Jon Smoltz leading Atlanta to about 15 straight division titles. Would the trade be remembered differently if the Tigers had cashed in at least one championship for Smoltz? That is the question
  14. ToddlerHarmon
    But look at that bullpen usage - our mop up guys are being overused!!1!
  15. ToddlerHarmon
    What I'm saying is do so with eyes open: that move would be aimed at the long term vision. If it pays off earlier, great, but don't let Bell and Larnach block them
  16. ToddlerHarmon
    The Twins need a compelling vision. I don't think they have the resources for that vision to be going for it this year or next. They could make the playoffs either year, and maybe even surprise if their starters are clicking. I wouldn't mind buying a few cheap lotto tickets with that hope, but that is not a vision. They do have Jenkins, Houston, and Tait as up the middle, almost ready, VERY young, two-way prospects. If the pitching pipeline can keep churning, *that* is what you build your vision around. Get them all up as quickly as is reasonable (IMO before next year's All-Star break), and *be patient* while they figure it out. There is enough youth and quality around them (Erod, Culpepper, Mendez, Gonzalez; even Keaschall and Lee are still young) to maybe make 2028 the breakout. On that timeline, you still have Buxton, Lopez, and most of the current rotation. And if they don't make it happen quickly, that is a core that will get a lot of bites at the apple, or provide the resources to keep tuning and reloading. BUT, that vision requires step one: bring prospects up and jettison hope for this season.
  17. ToddlerHarmon
    Almost with you. Two issues: - Those AAA players will probably take longer than mid-27 to be leading a playoff charge. Just sorting wheat from chaff may take longer. - I think everyone is betting too heavy on Jackson and Caratini and thus undervaluing Jeffers. But I have no magic wand to make the Twins extend Jeffers or make the rest of the league value him below the QO, so your point stands. Sigh.
  18. ToddlerHarmon
    Loved for this quip alone
  19. ToddlerHarmon
    I guess I've become cynical, but only Culpepper looks like he could be a two-way star, with Lewis and Keaschall both looking like bat-first players that might flame out. Lee, Clemens, et al all look to have a ceiling of useful bench player or maybe 7-9 hitter on a good team. For a reality check, Scott Leius was the short half of a third base platoon on the 1991 Twins, perhaps the second-or-third-worst-hitting regular in the lineup, and still a 1.5-2 WAR player. Yet only Clemens in the group above is on track to surpass his performance in 2026. We have such a climb ahead to establish a championship infield
  20. ToddlerHarmon
    I appreciate the sentiment, and it should be plan A for 2026. But all the major leaguers on that list have shown plenty of reason to doubt that steady playing time will turn them into competent regulars. Alas.
  21. ToddlerHarmon
    Even without SWR, the Twins have a young starting staff. That seems to make long relief a role we will need, and one SWR might be well suited for, if he can regain his mojo. For both players, this plummet smells of playing through injuries for whatever reason
  22. ToddlerHarmon
    The article does not mention that the Twins tried to change Martin in the minors before seeing whether his contact skills could play, whereas they let Lee suffer and work things out in the majors. Because of this, the time it took to arrive at a useful player was much longer for Martin. Some of this was circumstance rather than differences in developmental philosophy, but both strategies began to implement after last year's trade deadline. Is there a lesson? I hope so, and I hope the Twins have learned it.
  23. ToddlerHarmon
    .
  24. ToddlerHarmon
    You may be overstating, but just a bit. This team needs to take some big swings* at excellence and youth. While I believe that proven MLB performers get under-valued in the chase for ooh shiny, the Twins are in a situation where lightning has to be given a chance to strike. *NB: not an endorsement of big swinger Outman :)
  25. ToddlerHarmon
    This is it: the problem is not that the Twins have no talent and no opportunities for overachievement, it's that they have too many spots where best case is uninspiring. What's the most we are going to get out of Lee, Bell, Larnach, Roden? Even if they all achieve "playable", the rest of the roster is not star studded. You aren't going to win divisions and playoff series with that much mediocrity.
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