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rdehring

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Everything posted by rdehring

  1. rdehring
    Got thinking after reading the above. Has anyone heard if there was serious damage to the ballpark in Pensacola? It is right on the water near the point where the hurricane came on shore.
  2. rdehring
    Can I second your comment on Escobar, whom Seth doesn't consider eligible for this exercise. I really hope he is in Florida next summer so we can begin to learn what he has to put up those numbers.
  3. rdehring
    If Buxton doesn't improve at the plate in spring training and during the first few weeks of the season, I have a solution that should improve his average. When he gets to two strikes, should he be instructed to only consider bunting? If it is a slider out of the zone, he pulls the bat back and waits for a strike. If it is in the zone, he bunts. Sure he may foul half of them off and only be safe on half of the others. But getting to first base 25% of the time is a lot better than striking out nearly 100% of the time. Is this idea worth the space it took to write it? Could he add 20 or 30 points to his average? Or is it a worthless idea? The reason I mentioned it here is because Buxton has been discussed in this piece.
  4. rdehring
    Expect this was a lot more work than normal, Seth, considering all the new players picked up last July. Three of your top 15 and five of 25 was a great infusion of talent. And that doesn't include Severino and Pearson who were also new to the system last year. After missing most of his 17 year old year in the DSL and all of last year, I would have moved Javier down a bit, probably flipping him with Thorpe who I view as the fourth best player in the system. I am of the opinion, and I may be wrong, that Gordon isn't going to be anything more than a utility infielder or maybe even a AAAA guy. So I would have dropped him out of the top 10 after his bad second half in 2017 and big disappointment this year. Like wise would have dropped Gonsalves a few slots and probably wouldn't have included Wade in the Top 30 as I doubt he will get added to the 40-man this year. Three players in your last group of five that I would have higher are Jax, Balazovic and Rortvedt. Defensive catchers that can hold their own at the plate are hard to find and all indidations are Rortvedt is one of them. But I know that you have a lot more information about these guys than any of us making your Top 30 one everyone needs to use as a blueprint.
  5. rdehring
    There is something else that no one is talking about, something that this FO may have done for a first time in this organization last year. Signing free agents to short or mid-term contracts can provide the opportunity to flip any or all of them at the deadline should the Twins not be in the hunt. This past year they traded lots of players at the deadline including Duke, Rodney and Lynn. Expect the sales pitch to the Pohlads is easier to make when you tell them we will sign players with contracts paying $60mm this year. If it isn't working, we can flip several of them to cut up to a third of the cost while returning many good prospects. This thought process may lead to more FA signings than we would normally expect.
  6. rdehring
    Very interesting, Nick, and sure would be a change for this franchise. Although I doubt we will see most of the moves you propose, let's hope we see several good signings and/or trades. The one move I would differ would be to sign both Rosario and Gibson this winter, then Buxton over the summer after we have seen what he has done during the first half. Also, like dollars coming off the books in 2020 when they are gonna have to sign several of these young guys to extensions...Buxton, Sano, Polanco, Kepler. That's assuming they have good years in 2019.
  7. rdehring
    Excellent article Ted, thanks. The weight I am looking for when he reports is 260....something, or less. If he is 275 or 280, he will be in better shape than last year, but will tell us he didn't go all out this winter to be the best he can be. Hopefully, he is making progress each time he checks in with the trainers at the DR Academy.
  8. rdehring
    I understand that Rocco does believe Latin matters, and not about the language. With all the Latin players in the organization and on the team, they need a coach who can relate to their culture, life style, what they go thru in the off season, how they relate to living in the U.S. Its all different for them and having at least one coach who has lived it makes a ton of sense.
  9. rdehring
    I like your idea, Seth, of signing several players to long-term (3 or 4 years) contracts with hefty signing bonuses. Personally, would sign Berrios, Rosario and Gibson.
  10. rdehring
    And Wade didn't do squat at his first attempt at AAA. Does he get better next year or beyond, maybe. But we don't know that AA wasn't as good as he is going to get. To me at least, he still has to prove it. As does Gordon.
  11. rdehring
    Looks to me like the Brewers pushed this guy pretty fast. Had a real nice year at Appleton in the Mid-West League when he was 20 with several solid seasons since. Played this year at 25 after breaking in with the Brewers at the age of 22. Expect they had to get rid of one of the excess outfielders to open spots before this move...releasing either Fields or Granite. Now expect both will be gone and they come to spring training with 6 outfielders, Rosario, Buxton, Kepler, Cave, Grossman and Reed...subject to any trades over the winter. Have no problem with that group, a group that still has the potential to be as good as any outfield in the league.
  12. rdehring
    Interesting article, Tom. And I sure am glad you are not the Twins GM. The core of this team right now is Rosario, Gibson and Berrios. Sign all three to extensions and build a team around them.....for 2019 and beyond. As for next year, success or lack thereof is in the hands of Sano and Buxton. They perform at levels near their ceilings and you are in the playoffs and maybe the Series. Perform like last year and the Twins are screwed. One of two performs and they are in the hunt. Yes, the Twins have a few holes that need to be filled to go beyond round one if Sano/Buxton deliver. I see those as a left handed first baseman/DH (maybe Mauer), a second baseman and a top relief pitcher. And they will only need the second baseman for a year or two.
  13. rdehring
    Not an exciting group demanding to be added. Kind of goes hand and hand with the strength of the organization in the lower levels from Fort Myers and down. I wouldn't have Wade as a given, Seth. Like Gordon, he sure didn't hit well at AAA. Whereas, I would add Arraez who has been amongst the leaders (batting average) at every level. I mentioned in another article the other day that there were a dozen pitchers on the 40-man who I considered marginal. That didn't include Santana and Belisle, who I assume will both be gone in a few days. Remain hopeful that at least half of that dozen are either released, outrighted to Rochester, or traded to open spots for the Rule 5 adds and a few free agent signings.
  14. rdehring
    After a nice 9-2 win last night, Salt River has a 1.0 game lead in first place in their division. The trio of Twins relief prospects pitched again last night, Lujan, Smeltzer and Bray. Smeltzer and Bray are doing very well with ERA's of 1.50 and 1.29 after both throwing scoreless innings last night.
  15. rdehring
    Yes, was talking about the 40-man throughout the comment.
  16. rdehring
    I agree that Vasquez may have more potential than many on that list. But is he ready for opening day? I don't know because he spent such a short time at AA and AAA, then was given very little opportunity to pitch when called up to the Twins. What was it, 4-5 innings? Or at least it seemed like it. I think the best for the team and him is that he starts at Rochester for the first month or two of the season.
  17. rdehring
    You asked, now what? The answer to that has nothing to do with Baldelli, rather the Front Office. Take a look at the 40 man roster. There currently are 25 pitchers on that roster (a total of 43 players). Of those 25, I maintain that nearly half (12) fall into the category of marginal prospects/talent. Somehow, this number needs to be reduced with some of these players replaced by players you can count on to perform at the major league level in 2019. The dozen I consider marginal include Busenitz, Curtiss, De Jong, Drake, Duffey, Gonsalves, Littell, Magill, Moya, Slegers, Stewart, and Vasquez. I expect many of you will disagree and still consider a few of these good prospects who may help the club next year. But really, is there one player in that group you can write into the opening day roster in ink? I think not, thus, the problem. This year's roster was too heavy with pitchers with as few as 14 or 15 position players at a few points last summer. Assuming the team shouldn't have more than 22-23 pitchers on the 40-man on opening day, they can't have a dozen who not only aren't worthy of an opening day spot but also aren't top prospects. And this dozen didn't include Belisle or Santana, who both should be gone next week, or Hildenberger or Reed who struggled during the last part of the year. So what's next? I maintain the most important task for the FO will be to re-structure the pitchers on their roster this winter.
  18. rdehring
    I don't know what the future holds for Buxton and have no interest in speculating. With that said, I sincerely hope he is doing what he can this winter to give him the best chance possible to get back to being that player he was the last couple months of 2017. I think you hit it on the head, Nick, that Baldelli could be a boost in Buxton's efforts to recover from whatever has been ailing him. The one positive from last season was that none of his physical ailments were caused by his seemingly reckless method of playing in the outfield. Hopefully, he will report to spring training healthy and remain so throughout the spring and 2019 season.
  19. rdehring
    Can I assume, Nick, that it was 2005 that he missed with a knee/TJ injury, not 2015? Seems like a good choice, if in fact he is their choice. If so, will be interesting how the coaching staff shakes out. See he had some time in Tampa with Shelton, don't know whether that means Shelton will stay..or not. Was expecting they wouldn't hire someone until the Series is over. Expect that means they were blown away by him and wanted to act before he was hired by someone else.
  20. rdehring
    Expect he will be working hard during the off season to eliminate that stretch later in the year when he is average. Do that and everyone can start using the term ACE when speaking about him.
  21. rdehring
    Salt River had a nice 2-1 win in extra innings last night. Tied 0-0 after nine, Salt River came to bat with a runner on second down 1-0. Jaylin Davis drove in the tying run with a ground out. Travis Blankenhorn was at the plate when the winning run scored on a balk. Davis and Blankenhorn both had one hit on the night.
  22. rdehring
    20 home runs, 30 doubles, great K and BB rates, and the Twins just gave him the award as the best defensive player on the team...in center and right field. Lets remember where he came from and the caliber of play he had before moving to Fort Myers when he was 17 years old. Am I somewhat disappointed that his average wasn't better this year? Like everyone, yes. And I expect Max was more than disappointed. Last year his winter marching orders were to focus on hitting lefties...done that. Lets sit back and see what he does next year after this winter's work. I for one still see him as a fixture in the middle of future Twins lineups.
  23. rdehring
    I liked most of what DocBauer was saying. And after reading it thought, maybe the Twins should fire their Manager. I am taking a different approach to this winter. Don't have a clue what the FO should do, just know they should do something. Maybe even a lot! Although with Mauer it sure looked like the end, but after a month off will he decide to re-up for another year? The FO is actually kind of hog tied until he makes that decision...at least as far as first base is concerned.
  24. rdehring
    Thanks, Steve. Now that the first week is behind the guys and they are settled in, time to see what they can do over the next month. Really like the starts Raley, Davis and Smeltzer are off to. Hopefully, Rooker will join the action soon.
  25. rdehring
    Should your core five be six, Mike? Rosario, Berrios, Garver, May, Rogers, Romero? Not certain if all those are core players, but certainly are six the Twins should be counting on in 2019 if they are to compete. Personally, I would add Polanco to that. I believe everyone is being too critical of what is probably an extra error a month. Especially considering that the kid can hit.
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