Ruven

> The big question is this: how in the world do the Twins set up their outfield? With Max Kepler, Buxton, Gallo, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, Gordon, Gilberto Celestino, and now Taylor, the team has eight legitimate outfielders for three spots; creativity must be in the cards. < Assume 13 pitchers, 2 catchers. That leaves 6 infielders, 5 outfielders Infield is set, yes? Gordon (and Farmer) are utility guys, mostly IF along with the 4 starters third-to-first Miranda-Correa-Polanco-Kirilloff. These utility guys can also play OF in emergencies (in-game injuries, extra innings with a depleted roster) or high-split pitchers (all LH or RH hitters preferred), or non-competitive situations (like 9-2 late), plus Gordon can pinch-run. I think those guys are penciled in as the 6 infielders, and Gallo can also fill in at 1B. You’re right, the outfield hasn’t shaken out yet. So. Buxton, Gallo, and Taylor are probably in. That’s 3. Between Kepler, Larnach, Celestino and Wallner, pick 2. If no further trades, I’d say Kepler and Larnach get first shot and see what happens. But.… My bet is we see another deal before spring training ends that moves a couple of these extra MLB-ready outfielders along with a prospect or maybe a starter from the FA2B starters for another >#3 starter, or an established right handed hitting RF if another pitcher turns out to be too expensive.

The penultimate paragraph is devastating in its assessment of the Marlins’ plan. Or lack of one

Had an argument with a guy who HATED Frank Thomas, almost 30 years ago. “He’s not anywhere near as good as Lou Gehrig or Ed Murray.” Okay then, was my response. These are the names you have to pull up to dis Frank Thomas? So he’s, what, the third best hitting first baseman ever? Stony silence from the other guy My point being that if comps for Arraez include Tony Gwynn, life is good for Luis

Q: did comps to Devers and O’Neill recognize that those guys play(ed) in hitter friendly parks? If Miranda pounds out numbers in Target Field equal to Devers in Fenway, well well well. Same with Larnach in TF and O’Neill in Yankee Stadium. Thanks for taking the time to write this article. Comps are very helpful in evaluating players

And I have a 2000 Camry that is a great deal. I mean, it runs. What more does anyone want from a car?

Tweak the rule for a rare possibility. It won’t happen often, twice in the history of the game in the case of perfection, but no team should be allowed to place a runner on a base in an extra inning that no runner on the team has reached in that game. Suppose a 0-0 game after 9 and Team A has had a few threats along the way while Team B has never reached base. Or never had a runner reach second. It happens. In that case, Team A gets the advantage of starting a runner on second, and Team B cannot start an extra inning with a runner on a base until they actually advance a runner to that base. If and when Team B gets a runner to first or second and another inning comes along, Team B gets to park a runner on that base. And if not, they don’t. it would be a rare circumstance, but it would be brutally unfair to lose a game 1-0 where 30 up and 30 down was the pitching line.

These international signings are so young. Just turned 17 a few months back and already 6’3” and only 180, plenty of room to put on muscle and at that age it’s possible to add another inch or so to the vertical. Not a speedster. A corner outfield position seems likeliest when he fills out From the one BP video I saw he has a short and simple swing w natural power. Like Mr Andujar used to say, In baseball you never know. He may turn out to be the best in his class. Good luck to him.

Please include date of birth. That is an essential stat for prospects. Thanks

It can be done. Teams have gone from worst to first before. Teams in these parts, even. Say Ober and Ryan are in the rotation and give us what we saw plus a little. Then it’s sign a real starter, trade for one (Jeffers &/or Kepler &/or ?), develop one, and maybe find a few for when there are hiccups (Dobnak? Barnes?), and that’s a rotation. Arraez-Buxton-Kirilloff outfield, Donaldson-SomeFA-Polanco-Sanó infield, Garver et al behind the plate with a DH by committee, and that’s plenty of offense. Critical need is a solid rotation and 90 wins are not out of reach. I mean, this team this year won 73 and Colomé blew about a dozen all by himself, with starts wasted on Happ, Shoemaker, Albers, Thorpe, et cetera. It can be done.

Trade away in this order, for return value: 1. Arraez - high on base top of the order guy, he has real return value despite his defensive liability 2. Kepler — on the “better a year too early than a year too late” scale the Twins flubbed this one, but there might be a starter of some merit the Twins could acquire with Kepler and another stick (Larnach, Celestino) thrown in. Do NOT trade away or give up on any more pitching (Presley, Hendricks, Gil, Ynoa) acquire acquire acquire 3. Donaldson/Sano/Jeffers/Rooker — DH in both leagues increases the value of guys who can club the ball and can play a position in a pinch. Generating any return value for these guys for a proven starter will require $$s and/or adding a prospect to the mix. Objective: add starters. Sign a shortstop. Start fresh.

People here not recognizing Simmons as the worst ever are disregarding (¿perhaps have never experienced?) the internal furor and havoc a bad and non-contributing teammate can cause. This guy GOT PEOPLE SICK and endangered players, staff, and their families with his Big Stupid. On top of that, he’s the worst offensive performer in the league and, like Ted said, his errors always seem impactful. Yeah, he’s the worst Twins FA signing. Ever. Gerriddovm.

Berriós was 22 on arrival and went 14-8 as a 23 year old. IN ‘17. Must take that into account when considering Ryan’s preparedness for the MLB. He’s already 25. Time to move him along. Looks like he’s too good for AAA.

You might not be wrong - one reason to do that would be to draft a guy strongly committed to college in a later round with enough money banked to pay him enough to sign now. One example on both sides, the Yankees and Don Mattingly, 17th(?) round way back when; contra that, Twins drafted George Springer in the 38th(?) out of HS and he stayed with his college plans. OTOH times change and there are dollar caps on what teams can spend, there might not be enough in the kitty to sign some college-bound kids drafted very late with a meager few hundred $k saved early on Another possibility and the one I think is correct is, they know this pick is their only shot at “this guy” because he for sure won’t be around when their next pick comes along. Doesn’t look like they were wrong with Jeffers, and Canterino is now a top prospect; Soularie and Leach I don’t know from. This approach requires enough success in drafting players for fans to say, This management and scouting group knows what they’re doing. With this Twins FO that’s still an assessment in flux, though early returns (Larnach & Kirilloff, Jeffers, some others) is very promising. Which is to say, evaluating baseball talent, especially HS kids, is a major crap shoot. And it takes years to develop players. I’m hoping they’re hitting on many of their draft picks. Even those some have evaluated as unders on slot value.

It’s a beautiful thing - when he hits it hard it’s mostly uncatchable, sometimes out of the park, and when he hits it not so hard he beats out the throw to first. More, please.

> Happ is a model of solidly average starting pitching, a definite need for the Twins this offseason. Because if there’s one thing every contending team dreams of adding to its talent-base it’s a (nearly) 40 year old “solidly average” starting pitcher. What more could players or fans hope for? Certainly not above average, or (ahem) superior starting pitching. Heavens, no. It’s solidly average for us, thank you very much.

Pre-game 3 rant, but wtf! Why is Buxton on the bench?

So many hits, so few runs. One can understand the 3B coach sending Eddie on the double to the wall, it took a perfect relay to get him by a hair. If and when the team starts clobbering up and down the lineup it won’t feel as necessary to risk all for a single run when playing it safe puts runners at second and third with one out. Well played game, the boys are starting to look sharp.

Seriously: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. It is not important that he should mature as soon as an apple-tree or an oak. Shall he turn his spring into summer? —Henry David Thoreau

This is the season a player might hit .400 or at least challenge that figure. It won’t be over the standard 502 plate appearances, maybe half that, but if Arráez plays all or most of the 60 and improves over 2019 at all, he has a shot.

Eddie has a lot to offer. And some great moments, right from the outset https://youtu.be/CVrQwEJyGgY

The first 60 games is one way to approach this. Another way to slice it is ANY 60 game stretch. The worst-case scenario is to look at the best 60 game stretch of every team (by win percentage) during a regular 162 game season, whether they made the post-season or not. Teams that would lose 90 to a 100 games might not typically have a .500+ stretch over 60 games. But they might. And certainly some have. And that’s the problem with a shortened season. It could happen. So, 2020 and what we know about this effed up year so far, it very likely will.

Let’s be big boys and girls. Players wouldn’t be into it, and they would all be exhibition games anyway. https://youtu.be/17QQcK4l6Yw

1. Bert 2. Johan 3. Kaat 4. Frankie 5. Jim Perry

1981, last game before the strike was Helmet Night, a weekday evening? can’t recall exactly, probably. I went to that game against the Tigers, some guy named Morris started, pitched before AND after the extensive rain delay and the only guy on the Twins who could hit the ball with any authority on either side of the delay was the ok player but excellent baseball name Rob Wilfong. Twins lost badly. Went only because the strike was imminent and I was headed overseas. The next Twins game I went to was also against the Tigers, the 1984 version, at the Twins home opener. Twins got clobbered in that game, too. Bookends.

My bet is lineups will be constructed to counter the starter and alternating left/right hitters will continue to predominate. Stacking could be utilized against teams with only one left-handed reliever so as to “get that over with” early on in hopes that the left-handed hitting stretch will get a second whack at the bullpen later in the game. This could be a strategy used against teams like the Twins with a mostly right-handed bullpen, Clippard and the closer notwithstanding.