A Good Day in Dunedin?

[stringer bell]

Since the Twins exhibition game wasn’t on TV and there wasn’t radio coverage, I checked the box score and saw a lot to like. They won 7-0 against a lot of Blue Jays’ regulars including starting pitcher Manoah. 
 

Some highlights (again from the box score) 1) Ober with a strong outing (2 innings). 2) Dobnak pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless ball. 3) Bullpen candidates Megill, Santana and Alcala all pitched scoreless ball with Alcala faning all three batters he faced (I saw that he was throwing 95 according to GameDay). 4) The staff picked up 12 strikeouts. 5) Brooks Lee with two hits, Willi Castro with three (Castro has had a pretty good spring--I think he might be an Opening Day candidate if a couple of Gordon, Kirilloff and Miranda can't go). 6) To my knowledge, this was the first time that the Twins played errorless ball in the field. 7) Rosario hit another homer, could he eventually be the best Rosario to play for the Twins? 

Comments--Ober has so far done everything he can to get in the rotation. He should get enough work with Lopez at the WBC. Alcala has nice numbers, but he's pitched against minor leaguers for the most part. Could Dobnak make the club as a long reliever? Castro was pick to be the most-used player who was a non-roster invitee. With the injuries to Kirilloff, Miranda and Gordon, he has a path to make the majors, probably a more conservative choice than having Julien open the season. Lee seems unintimidated by big leaguers. 

 

[ashbury]

Looks like they didn't send a lot of anticipated starters among the position players, but the pitchers were for the most part the types where I'd like to see how they're doing, and none of them apparently had a bad day.

[Dman]

Kala'i Rosario having himself quite the spring training so far.  3 HR's, 6 hits in 13 at bats for a 462/500/1.654 slash line.  Granted he isn't going up against starter level pitching but considering his highest level was A ball to this point those numbers are still very impressive.

Willie Castro another player with a hot spring and he has hit well against actual MLB pitching.  Have to say right now he is my pick for Sire of Ft, Meyers but there is a ways to go.  Did he have an opt out?  He might wish that he got one if not;

I thought Ober had a really good outing.  No hits, no walks, no runs and 2K's in 2 innings.  Pretty dominant start IMO. 

Kind of thought the Twins would get pummeled with the way the Jays have been hitting this spring but the pitchers gave no runs and only 2 walks all day.

[stringer bell]

5 minutes ago, Dman said:

Willie Castro another player with a hot spring and he has hit well against actual MLB pitching.  Have to say right now he is my pick for Sire of Ft, Meyers but there is a ways to go.  Did he have an opt out?  He might wish that he got one if not;

Castro is only 26 years old, versatile, switch hits and has some speed. That is a lot of things in his favor. I think he belongs in the majors somewhere. With Farmer and Solano on board, being a utility guy on the Twins might not work out.

[Dman]

27 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Castro is only 26 years old, versatile, switch hits and has some speed. That is a lot of things in his favor. I think he belongs in the majors somewhere. With Farmer and Solano on board, being a utility guy on the Twins might not work out.

If the bat comes around isn't he a stud utility guy at minimum?  Maybe even solid at 2nd if he has some power.  Is it possible the Twins could actually run into a slightly late bloomer here?   

His numbers looked real good in 2019 at AAA and SSS 2020 in MLB.  The next two years he is brutal with the bat though with a 650 OPS being his highest.  In total 3 out of 4 Major league seasons with a 650 or lower OPS one season 2020 with good numbers in a fairly small sample size.  So still lot's to prove but hopefully he can move past whatever kryptonite weakness pitchers have against him to this point.

Maybe he is who he is?  Obviously the Tigers think so but just a little improvement with the stick and he could be quite the find.  It is only spring training and he has a ways to go to prove himself all over again but he is off to a good start.  

[Heiny]

Really makes our depth on the Big League squad and also the minors look very good.  With good health some of these pieces can be used as trade bait at the deadline.

[FlyingFinn]

Castro, Lee, and Wallner were 6 for 10 at the top of the order, facing Manoah for more than half the AB's. 

[DocBauer]

Great start by Ober. And I'm a fan and believer. As long as the re-work they did with him in 2021 to keep his delivery smooth and consistent holds true, I think he's a legit middle rotation starter. He was great again in 2022, despite limited starts. It's just crazy that an arm that good might start the year at AAA. But when is the last time, if EVER, the Twins had 5 other arms as good or better to begin the season? 

Over a 162 game season and every team needing a minimum of 8 SP throughout, he's going to get 20-25 GS I'm sure. 

Dobnak's future role is hard to predict. His future might be with another organization when all is said and done. But if he's actually back, what a luxury to have him as an option with ML experience sitting at St Paul.

I'm predicting nothing for Castro. But he's still only 26yo, has a lot of talent, and can play multiple spots. I was kind of enthused when they picked him up as a possible late bloomer. I hope he doesn't have an opt out for that very reason. A long way to go for sure, but could he fit at some point, maybe 2024, as a nice utility player? 

I wasn't much of a fan of the 2020 draft, with the exception of Raya, who just felt like a potential steal to me. And Rosario was my second favorite selection that year. I just liked his potential more than I liked Sabato or the athletic but questionable Soularie. Very interesting how much playing time he's had in ST considering age and level of competition in 2022. Seems the Twins have their eye on him.

What's up with Lee? Doesn't he know he only has about half a season of pro ball under his belt? Shhh...nobody tell him he's not supposed to be this good this soon.

Alcala might have been facing lesser talent when he came in to the game today, but striking out the side and throwing consistently at 95-96 is what caught my eye. Fully ramped up...and we still have 3 weeks to go...he's capable of another couple MPH. Today filled me with optimism that he's 100% and just needs to harness all of his pitches with, again, 3 weeks to go. He and Moran make this pen potentially 6 deep!

 

[Old Twins Cap]

The game was on TV somewhere, there's highlights on MLBTV.

Lee and Wallner both boomed balls that hit under the padding of the outfield wall.  Lee's ball, the CF just turned and ran after like in a little league game.  No hope of making a play.

I don't know, the Twins seem to be incredibly deep and talented this year. 

I'm trying to figure out how they could screw this up.  And still no Buxton, Polanco or Kiriloff yet?

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks Stinger, it's great that Castro, Dobnak and Rosario are having great ST. But most likely they won't head north with the team after ST. due to history & present depth. Sadly to say. 

[bunsen82]

13 hours ago, Dman said:

If the bat comes around isn't he a stud utility guy at minimum?  Maybe even solid at 2nd if he has some power.  Is it possible the Twins could actually run into a slightly late bloomer here?   

Maybe he is who he is?  Obviously the Tigers think so but just a little improvement with the stick and he could be quite the find.  It is only spring training and he has a ways to go to prove himself all over again but he is off to a good start.  

This is the definition of small sample size. However Detroit has been drastically behind the curve on analytics. It may not be so much Castro is a late bloomer as much as the education and support isn’t as developed as with the Twins approach. That gives me hope they may be able to tweak something. However I would think it’s in Castros best interest to continue to develop in AAA rather than in the big leagues. Maybe he can make the adjustments no matter where he is . . . Or it doesn’t matter and midnight is coming in either case,  it was a worthwhile gamble and he looks like an equivalent or step up to palacios. I continue to be impressed by the front office of making marginal improvements that add up over time.  

[Dman]

1 hour ago, bunsen82 said:

This is the definition of small sample size. However Detroit has been drastically behind the curve on analytics. It may not be so much Castro is a late bloomer as much as the education and support isn’t as developed as with the Twins approach. That gives me hope they may be able to tweak something. However I would think it’s in Castros best interest to continue to develop in AAA rather than in the big leagues. Maybe he can make the adjustments no matter where he is . . . Or it doesn’t matter and midnight is coming in either case,  it was a worthwhile gamble and he looks like an equivalent or step up to palacios. I continue to be impressed by the front office of making marginal improvements that add up over time.  

Yeah super small sample size (and in spring training which means less) and it could just be a little hot streak but given all his other skills he has, it is fun to think about him breaking out and being another viable utility option. 

I agree AAA to start for sure as there is no room on the roster for him just yet and spring numbers just don't mean all that much as players are not that dialed in. Still if he finds some consistency at the plate he is a major league player IMO.

[Twodogs]

I had the game on the radio on my computer at school.  It was on my mlbtv albeit on the radio and not TV.  Nonetheless Duran was pumping it in there at 102mph