If Kepler is traded....

[Brad.dahlen]

If Kepler is traded who is the other started OF assuming that Gallo starts in one spot. Wallner, Larnach, Kiriloff? 

 

I personally think Kiriloff will start at 1B

[JD-TWINS]

Same guy that started over 100 games in OF last year……Nick Gordon - Byron Buxton - Joey Gallo is our principal outfield………..Larnach - Gordon - Gallo is our 2nd set……..Vs. Lefties, Gordon - Buxton - McCutchen (yet to sign - somebody has to replace Garlick)

Nick Gordon had 28 doubles in 405 AB’s………pencil him in for 40 if he gets 575 AB’s. Gained 25 lbs from January-June last year. He could easily be a 15 HR guy & with speed. He’s no longer our utility IF, he’s our 2nd best OF & if Buxton can’t play he’s #1.

Larnach will get a bunch of OF (LF) AB’s & probably 1/3 of DH AB’s.

Kirilof isn’t displacing Araez anytime soon. Get 75 - 150 AB’s w/o getting hurt & then we’ll consider some starting spot at 1B.

[Heiny]

1 hour ago, Brad.dahlen said:

If Kepler is traded who is the other started OF assuming that Gallo starts in one spot. Wallner, Larnach, Kiriloff? 

 

I personally think Kiriloff will start at 1B

I hope it's Larnach.  He played well defensively last year, and if he's healthy I have alot of confidence in his bat. One mans opinion.

 

[Brad.dahlen]

10 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Same guy that started over 100 games in OF last year……Nick Gordon - Byron Buxton - Joey Gallo is our principal outfield………..Larnach - Gordon - Gallo is our 2nd set……..Vs. Lefties, Gordon - Buxton - McCutchen (yet to sign - somebody has to replace Garlick)

Nick Gordon had 28 doubles in 405 AB’s………pencil him in for 40 if he gets 575 AB’s. Gained 25 lbs from January-June last year. He could easily be a 15 HR guy & with speed. He’s no longer our utility IF, he’s our 2nd best OF & if Buxton can’t play he’s #1.

Larnach will get a bunch of OF (LF) AB’s & probably 1/3 of DH AB’s.

Kirilof isn’t displacing Araez anytime soon. Get 75 - 150 AB’s w/o getting hurt & then we’ll consider some starting spot at 1B.

Really like this thought process. I would be onboard for sure. Not sure if this leadership would give the reigns to Gordon or not.

[Brad.dahlen]

Just now, Heiny said:

I hope it's Larnach.  He played well defensively last year, and if he's healthy I have alot of confidence in his bat. One mans opinion.

 

Was that May of 2022 that he was absolutely on fire? Then got hurt shortly after. (story of the Twins)

[tony&rodney]

Gordon showed he was ready. Wallner could DH and fill in at RF. The Twins have outfielders. I'm really wondering if Kepler will actually be traded. When he was not in the promo for the new uniforms it seemed a sure thing but time has drifted along. Kepler still has plenty of value.

[Heymel]

Didn’t Reusse opine yesterday that Kirilloff might have a difficult time coming back from last year’s surgery?

[wsnydes]

1 minute ago, Heymel said:

Didn’t Reusse opine yesterday that Kirilloff might have a difficult time coming back from last year’s surgery?

That's been a concern, yes.  Difficult surgery plus it's always a worry when you're messing with a hitters wrist.  

Welcome to TD!

[Parfigliano]

4 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Gordon showed he was ready. Wallner could DH and fill in at RF. The Twins have outfielders. I'm really wondering if Kepler will actually be traded. When he was not in the promo for the new uniforms it seemed a sure thing but time has drifted along. Kepler still has plenty of value.

Hopefully enough value to add some pitching.

[Brad.dahlen]

14 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Gordon showed he was ready. Wallner could DH and fill in at RF. The Twins have outfielders. I'm really wondering if Kepler will actually be traded. When he was not in the promo for the new uniforms it seemed a sure thing but time has drifted along. Kepler still has plenty of value.

IF Kepler is not traded that would almost guarantee that Wallner and Larnach start at AAA I would think. I still think they find a way to ship Kepler off.  

[Brad.dahlen]

13 hours ago, Heymel said:

Didn’t Reusse opine yesterday that Kirilloff might have a difficult time coming back from last year’s surgery?

I heard that too. And speculated that was part of the reason they brought in Gallo. 

[Doctor Gast]

14 hours ago, Heymel said:

Didn’t Reusse opine yesterday that Kirilloff might have a difficult time coming back from last year’s surgery?

Might, he's supposing like everyone else.

[Doctor Gast]

With out a doubt, it's Gordon's job. He's a much better fielder than the others & his bat speaks for himself. Gordon's bat would have to crash & Larnach would really have to really mash before he could dethrone him. I see Gordon continue his upward trend.

[Doctor Gast]

1 hour ago, Brad.dahlen said:

I heard that too. And speculated that was part of the reason they brought in Gallo. 

They might also plan to play Kiriloff more at 1B to save his arm. Which IMO sounds more reasonable.

[Brad.dahlen]

28 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

They might also plan to play Kiriloff more at 1B to save his arm. Which IMO sounds more reasonable.

Agree with this. I'd have Kiriloff be the primary 1B. Have always heard that he is a plus defender at 1B. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the other starting outfielder isn't in the organization right now. That's my guess. I THINK Kirilloff will be 1b more than outfield, I THINK Kepler will be traded, and I'd imagine that Larnach is a piece that gets moved for a pitcher. I ALSO think a trade coming in will be an outfielder (could very well be wrong.) Gordon I don't see as an outfielder here (maybe he is moved too?) but otherwise he is a really good utility option. 

 

Anyway, trades (multiple) are coming, and I can see a pivot to get a starting outfielder via trade as well as a starting pitcher. Separate moves, but that's my guess.

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Might, he's supposing like everyone else.

Yeah, the surgery sounds gruesome, but really, in the end isn't it just a broken bone growing back together?

[nicksaviking]

36 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the other starting outfielder isn't in the organization right now. That's my guess. I THINK Kirilloff will be 1b more than outfield, I THINK Kepler will be traded, and I'd imagine that Larnach is a piece that gets moved for a pitcher. I ALSO think a trade coming in will be an outfielder (could very well be wrong.) Gordon I don't see as an outfielder here (maybe he is moved too?) but otherwise he is a really good utility option. 

 

Anyway, trades (multiple) are coming, and I can see a pivot to get a starting outfielder via trade as well as a starting pitcher. Separate moves, but that's my guess.

I really don't need a firm RF, at least not to start the year. I'd be just fine if the team gave regular reps to several players until one runs away with the job.

But I'd move Kepler and Arraez for pitching then sign Trey Mancini who can do both of their jobs but hits right handed.

[Cory Engelhardt]

Mancini would be good, and maybe even Kyle Farmer can be an outfielder at times. But I can't imagine they wouldn't want someone who would be a strong fielder as well (and neither of them probably grade out as a strong fielding outfielder.)

It'll be fun to see what happens.

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Might, he's supposing like everyone else.

Ulnar bone shortening to relieve wrist pain is not terribly successful so Russell might be smart enough to have talked to an orthopod and come to the same conclusion as the research. The procedure seems to have been done as a nothing else worked so try this kind of deal. Optimism is required. Reuses is rarely optimistic

[Brad.dahlen]

2 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the other starting outfielder isn't in the organization right now. That's my guess. I THINK Kirilloff will be 1b more than outfield, I THINK Kepler will be traded, and I'd imagine that Larnach is a piece that gets moved for a pitcher. I ALSO think a trade coming in will be an outfielder (could very well be wrong.) Gordon I don't see as an outfielder here (maybe he is moved too?) but otherwise he is a really good utility option. 

 

Anyway, trades (multiple) are coming, and I can see a pivot to get a starting outfielder via trade as well as a starting pitcher. Separate moves, but that's my guess.

I would love to add another impact bat. Rather than trade Kepler and fill it in house. Maybe a veteran that you could move to DH if Wallner is too hot to keep at AAA. 

[August J Gloop]

Kiriloff currently sits very close to done. They could let him play in AAA to get un-done, but until that gap power comes back, it's over for him. He's not good enough defensively to let it ride out at the big league level. Tough break for a good prospect. 

If only Max is traded, I see a LF/CF/DH chimera with Gordon, Bux, Austin Martin and Celestino. Gallo will likely play nearly every day in right. He doesn't have any real platoon splits. His thing is just making better contact. Larnach can put that to bed by being healthy and effective in Left. He's also shown good D and limited indication of overcoming the platoon split level. 

Celly is probably out in that case, awaiting an IL stint for any of the Outfield Quadrangle. 

[LA VIkes Fan]

I really think much of this is pretty straightforward. Kepler is traded. Gordon is the starting LF either in a semi-platoon with a RH OF to be named (maybe Manicini? McCutchen just signed with the Pirates) or with Celestino, with Gordon getting the bulk of the ABs. I vote for the OFTBN with Celestino playing everyday in CF at AAA. Gordon and Gallo are the back up CFs unless (or perhaps until) Buxton has a major injury and then maybe we call up Celestino from St. Paul. Laranch is the 4th OF playing 3-4 times a week when Buxton DHs and Gallo plays 1B and he DHs 1-2 games a week. 

The harder part is Kirilloff. He's coming off a surgery from which we just have no previous MLB track record of success or non-success. He is a complete crapshoot at this point. I think the plan has to be to start him out in AAA as either the LF or 1B, play him every day if the wrist holds up and see what he can do. He more than anyone needs to re-prove himself at the AAA level on two levels - (1) that he can still hit after the surgery, and (2) that his wrist will hold up over the long term, not just the short term. We cannot afford to give him a starting MLB spot, watch him hit for a month, and then watch him fall off the table like he did before. If he hits for the first 6-8 weeks there is likely to be a place for him in the Bigs in the OF or at 1B replacing a player who is ineffective or injured. If not, he waits and we get more data on whether he can actually hold up over the course of a long season. I know this sounds harsh but we cannot go into the season counting on Kiriloff to be an asset to the Twins. It's gravy if he becomes that asset, but we have to plan as though he will not provide a meaningful contribution in 2023 and may not ever be able to do so.