MN_ExPat

Great double digit  game win tonight ...
Early bats awakened and the grand slam was possibly the furthest I have seen a ball hit to right center,  wallner tattoo it ...
Ober was Ober  and was in command  , paddack dazzled his first inning and wanted more but wasn't quite as successful  , but well take it , probably see him pitch once more in colorado , he threw 40 plus pitches ...
Stewart is back and throwing gas , might see him again on Thursday as he threw 16 pitches...
Jax was his normal self throwing 17 pitches ...
Pitching only walked 1 and struck out 15 A's ...
Kiriloff continues to hit homeruns to the opposite field , 8 of his 11 homers have been to left field  , amazing ...
Vasquez  hits another opposite field bases clearing double , he saw 3 pitches and all 3 were in the same location,  I kept saying  , hit it to right field and he did  ...
We got more runs than hits but the batters were very patient and walked 9 times , more walks than strikeouts ...
Good effort even if it was the A's , let's get more ...

Seattle's win over Houston means that the West Division winner will have at least 89 wins. Thus, one more Twins loss ensures first-round playoff action at Target Field, and this is likely even if the Twins win out.
So it's essential to prepare for next week. To that end, the Twins did marvelously today. Seeing Brock Stewart back was particularly heartening, and seeing Bailey Ober dominate put a big smile on my face. 
Twins starters in September (23 games and 123.1 IP): 3.50 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 1.97 BB/9, 9.92 K/9.

Baldelli said it: Usually at the end of a season you're looking at a pitching staff that is injured, weary, or breaking down physically and emotionally. This season, for some reason, the Twins seem to be brimming with pitchers getting healthy just in time to help with a playoff push. 
Tell you one thing...Chris Paddock loves throwing a baseball really hard. Not always the best way to get guys out, but it's sure fun to watch. He was enjoying the hell out of his new elbow.
I wonder if it's time to stop putting an innings limit on Bailey Ober. He looks all growed up to me...

Some good signs in this last week:
Good to see Paddack and Stewart out there! Jax is looking sharper these days, too. Julien continues his phenomenal walk-friendly approach. Kiriloff may have his wrist healthy again! And Wallner is settling in so well.
Go Twins!!

Yer killing me, Seth. Just give me the names you want on YOUR top 20. :D

@Brock Beauchamp - Andrew Morris, Pierson Ohl, Ariel Castro, Dameury Pena, Miguel Cordero, Kody Funderburk, Andrew Cossetti, Noah Cardenas, 

Twins prospects in Arizona Fall League
 
 

Don't disagree with you at all on saying Lopez/Gray would probably get the nod... as they were absolutely indispensable to the team (especially in the first half when the offense was so sluggish), but I think this team would look immensely different (not necessarily worse, just much different) if Castro wasn't there to just be "that guy".
"That guy" isn't always the same guy every year, and how he fulfills the "that guy" role is always a little different, but on every good team he always exists.  This year... that has been Castro.  Doesn't necessarily mean he's the team MVP (and being MVP isn't always about having the best stats), but the boys wouldn't be in quite as good a position without him.

They've had some other recent successful reclamation projects - Caleb Thielbar for one. If Brock Stewart can come back with form similar to when he went on the IL, that would be another.

He's been valuable, but MOST valuable? I suspect part of why Dan Gladden likes him is he plays the game with the same abandon that Dan did. Being a 'plug and player' adds value, for sure, and he's come on of late, but the statistics are pretty similar to Julien's. Castro, in 336 at bats, has scored 55 runs, hit 9 HRs, driven in 34 runs and has an OPS of .735. Julien, in 310 at bats, has also scored the same 55 runs, has 11 HRs, driven in 2 more at 36, and has a much higher .836 OPS. Granted, Castro leads the team by far in stolen bases, with 32, and that helps offset the lower OPS in my way of thinking.
Really, the MVP to me is Max Kepler - and boy, is that a surprise. Besides playing excellent defense, in 414 at bats, he has scored 64 runs, has 22 HRs, 60 RBIs and a .798 OPS. Unlike a lot of Twins players, he has been available most days and has the second most at bats on the team.

Can she hike a football?

Great team W today!  Coupled with CLE getting SWEPT in KC---who saw that happening?---things are looking very good.
The contributions with the bats from our "2nd string/backups" cannot be understated to where this team is at tonight.
As a diagnosed "stats geek" (from the old school), I still believe RBI are a relevant and important stat.  Looking over our team batting stats a few weeks I noticed that it appeared we had A LOT of guys that have not only filled in at key times due to injuries from our starters, but  have contributed in key situations with RBI knocks.
After reviewing the RBI stats (through today per ESPN) would it surprise anyone that our Minnesota Twins hitters are #1 amongst all teams with the most players with 30+ RBI?   Yes, that is not a misprint.  #1 in all of MLB
The Twins have 15 hitters that have produced 32+ RBI.  The next closest number is 12, which have come from 3 teams:  DET, HST and TB.  The team with the fewest is OAK with 5 hitters.  Interesting nugget:  Oakland is the only team that's team leader in RBI is less than Correa's team leading 65.   If you wondered, who is that?  You get a prize if you answered:  Brett Rooker (62)
I know that many will point out that 30RBI is a very low bar, which it may be, but imo, it indicates the productivity of rookies and bench players that have been forced into significant playing time to due injuries.  For the Twins this would include the following:
Lewis (rookie)/ also plagued by injury:  52 RBI---------#3 on the team being Correa (65) and Kepler (60)
Taylor (projected 4th OFer):   47 RBI
Farmer (forced into UT slot when Correa re-signed):  40 RBI
Solano (bench/ role player):   38 RBI
Jeffers (start of season projected backup to Vazquez):  36 RBI
Kirilloff:  Injured to start season/ at least 2 IL stints:   35 RBI
CASTRO!-------non roster invite to ST---------34 RBI with 18 doubles and 32 SB's!
Wallner (Rookie---not called up for significant play till mid July):   34 RBI
Julien (Rookie):    32 RBI
Putting this into perspective,  our OPENING DAY LINEUP in KC on March 30th included the following 6 hitters that have produced far below expectations:
Buxton:  42 RBI on season. 0 games played since August 1st
Larnach:  32 RBI (IL team and majority of season in AAA)
Miranda:  14 RBI  (early demotion to AAA/ injured for most of season)
Gordon:  7 RBI  (unproductive early/ then out with injury)
Gallo:  40 RBI but only 26 since May 1st
Vazquez:  28 RBI (replaced by Jeffers as C#1 early in season)
Have no idea how the rest of this season will play out---as I'm just hoping for 1 playoff W (I want more!), but the outstanding contributions from those listed 9 earlier are a MAJOR reason why October baseball is around the corner!
 
 
 

I disagree. I don’t think it was about starting a clock ticking. They still have Castro, Farmer, Polanco, Julien and Solano that can handle the infield for the remaining 9.
Any new 40 man decision needs to be about the playoff roster and not the roster for the last 9 games. If they get to the playoffs and are thin in the infield they might consider Lee and Martin. They also might have Paddack and Stewart thriving that can be a real upgrade to the bullpen but need 40 man roster spots.

Congratulations to the Cedar Rapids Kernels on their Midwest League Championship!   Loved watching them play ball this summer.

I agree... and even Wichita, they were not eliminated until the final day of the season, which is incredible considering how bad they played in the first half. But they really turned in on in the second half and played great down the stretch. 

Willi Castro hit AAA at 21 when Cleveland traded him to Detroit at the deadline to acquire Leonys Martin. Castro had a very good season in AAA at 22 before being called up to the majors at that age. He probably was rushed to the majors but there was no alternative in 2020. Detroit released him at 25 and just over 1000 at bats. The Twins gave him an opportunity and have reaped the benefits. It can take a while before producing at this level.

This team is starting to remind me of Philadelphia last year - the Phillies won 87 games and made it to the World Series by getting hot at the right time. The interesting thing is the Twins are doing it with contributions up and down the line. Really the only stats where they have players among the MLB leaders are strikeouts (Lopez) and ERA (Gray). Oh, yeah, and grand slams (Lewis). It's a different player most games, with the rookies really showing up, veterans Kepler and Polanco re-emerging, and Willi Castro looking like a primo Swiss army knife.

Now this I can go with. 
Not saying Paddack for the playoffs is a mistake. He's looked very good so far. And he might be a secret weapon, as stated. But he's also been gone for well over a year, never pitched from the pen, IIRC, and is going to have limited innings/appearances this season.
Assuming 8 arms in the pen for the opening round: Duran, Stewart, Jax, Thielbar. Pagan, Varland, and more than likely 1 of Ryan/Maeda/Ober. That leaves 1 spot left and it might belong to Funderburk, looking good so far, and providing a 2nd LH.
So while I don't disagree about the possibility of Paddack, I'm just not sure if I see the fit either. Maybe the 2nd round?

It's a fair opinion on him rehabbing, but these stats are a bit misleading.
I watched him pitch with Wichita last week and St. Paul last night. He's throwing a ton of strikes (72% in those two games), and getting swings and misses in bunches (17 total in those 7 innings, or 16.5%, which matches his strikeout rate like it should so not a mirage). The velocity is up from where he's been in the shorter bursts. I definitely think he can be a weapon. Especially if the Twins have to pull a starter early, he can potentially lengthen the bullpen to their studs.

Exactly! That's why you get him up to the Twins for a couple bullpen games. If he looks good, put him as that 11th man in the pen or at least get him ready when we add a pitcher for, hopefully, round 2 of the playoffs.

I agree. I understand why people are hesitant to trust Paddack at this point but... wow his stuff looks crazy. Upped fastball velo, the big curveball, and the wiffleball changeup. I mean, he cant be worse than winder or floro 

Really need the Kernels to come back and win game two and take the crown.
Have to believe that Stewart's next appearance will be with the Twins sometime this weekend.  Does Paddack make one more appearance, then join the Twins next week?  Have to believe they will want to see him pitch in a game or two for the Twins before being added to the playoff roster.  
Thanks for the report, Steve, they are appreciated.

Curious why you have this opinion? He has been fantastic in his rehab, and was excellent last night. Fastball velocity is great, changeup basically unhittable. I think he could be a great ace in the hole for the bullpen.

My intent in that first sentence about him was not to diminish his outing, because it was again fantastic!

If you're like me, you haven't seen the Cincinnati Reds play a lot of baseball in 2023. What I (and you, dear reader) do know is that they are a surprise contender for a Wild Card in the National League, and that their success has been fueled by ex-Twin farmhands Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand (we'll call his CES going forward). 
The Reds started slow, but have played better and better as the season has gone along. Speer has been an everyday player, starting the season at third base, but transitioning to first base and left field. He's had a breakout season and certainly should get lots of votes for Rookie of the Year. Speer has over 100 more plate appearances than the second-most frequent Reds hitter and he's put up very good numbers--22 homers, 81 RBI, an OPS over .800 and even 14 stolen bases. It appeared that Speer was blocked by a similar player in the Twins' system (Jose Miranda), but he's produced this year while Miranda had a lost season and may well never be a regular for the Twins. CES was recalled at mid-season and has hit decently (105 OPS) while splitting his time between first base and DH. The Reds are a young team, with Jake Fraley and Nick Senzel (both 28) being the oldest position players to play regularly. That doesn't count Joey Votto, who has been dogged by injuries and is hitting .202, but has played in only 56 games so far this year. The Reds are fifth in the NL in runs scored, while eighth in homers. They are #1 in the National League in stealing bases. 
Reds' pitching looks uninspiring. They are 12th in the NL in runs allowed and ERA. It looks like they will have no pitchers who qualify for the ERA championship (the Twins did that last year). Hunter Greene, who the Twins passed over to select Royce Lewis, has had injuries and control issues, but has fanned 129 in 97 innings. The bullpen is led by closer Alexis Diaz, who has a 2.10 ERA, 84 Ks in 64 innings and 37 saves. Two guys who actually pitched for the Twins have contributed to the bullpen, Ian Gibaut leads the Reds in bullpen appearances, has a 3.07 ERA and nine victories. Derek Law is 4-6 with a 3.86 ERA and has been used a couple times as an Opener. 
It should be fun to see how the Twins stack up against Cincy. It is a given that they'll be going all-out as they sit a half game out of the last Wild Card.