tony&rodney

I'll guess Max Clark because Emmanuel Rodriguez is with the varsity. The list does look good with Raya, Prielipp, Salas, and Mercedes along side of Erod.

Season opens with 14 position players and 12 arms is always an option. Platoon baseball was a regular practice to use the strong side skills for players who had skewed splits in the recent past.

Not sure why, but he is a good player. Does the need exist/ View full rumor

Max Clark is one guy I hope to see some video or read articles about in the next few months.

Sounds like quite a few people are using too many numbers and/or reverse psychology to tie down our guy Byron to another year of pain when 2023 is the year Dr. Buxton keeps himself in prime form throughout the season. Look for Buck to earn some of those major incentives in his contract with his performance this summer.

Byron Chourio - just because of the name.

The AL Central gets some deserved trash talk, but there is going to be improvement from every ALC club this summer. The young players mentioned in the Detroit blurb are all talented and Baez is a ballplayer. Health is a factor for them too. Chicago has some supremely talented players headed by Robert Jr. and Moncada. Think duo Buxtons. Tim Anderson plays hard. Cease and Kopech are not favorable at bats. The White Sox have underperformed but may have made the single biggest change of any team in baseball when they removed the corpse of La Russa from the South Side. Grifol is awesome. The Royals are still building but Bobby Witt Jr. is a superstar. I will agree with those who believe that Cleveland was lucky to go through last season with so few injuries. They do have the best farm system, the best manager in baseball, and a corp of young guys who could actually improve. The Guardians will be tough. The Twins just need health to have a good year, but the depth acquired this offseason (Farmer, Taylor, P. Lopez, and Gallo) should be a huge help. The AL Central will not be the worst division in baseball any longer.

I laughed my ass off at that quote - it was hilarious. I think I heard myself making some type of statement similar to that to my kids and to a number of my players over many decades. It was so parental. These young pups sometimes make mistakes. I'm not enamored of violence in any event, yet forgiveness is till a thing. Myself, I'm guessing that Falvey had his say and is thinking that Balazovic will respond well. If somebody comes to work reluctantly and just goes through the motions, it is time for that person to investigate other options for themselves. Sometimes the employer pushes that guy out the door. I don't think Balazovic is done though.

No worries about this idea. The Twins built a strong rotation with youth to fill as necessary. The Players know that each guy gets an opportunity and they will prepare for their "one shot". Spring Training is a time for those who are secure in their positions to get ready for Day 1. Those who are not sure for a roster position can open eyes and make an impression. One of those guys should get a trip to Kansas City. The others will be right there on the frontal lobe of Falvey/Baldelli to watch as they prove their case in St. Paul or Wichita. Stuff happens.

What does that even mean, "Gardenhire......"? Dude. Check thyself.

There aren't any great analytics that supports a negative report on the baseball acumen of Rocco Baldelli. I have been a frequent critic of how the Twins have fared according to my own analytics of rating fundamental baseball. The personal decisions of any manager are directly tied to the talent on hand and their ability to accomplish specific skills. The current Twins roster has fair depth and and improved athleticism, even if it may be slight. The specter of health hovers above the roster and frightens the Twins faithful and restrains their expectations and optimism to a degree. Rocco has a new team in 2023. Rocco was an exciting player and loved the fundamental side of the game as well as the speed game, where he stood out as a young man. He hasn't forgotten his love of playing nor of the type of game he excelled at in his career. Rocco has had to learn quite a bit about resiliency and taking criticism. The Twins had a sad summer as far as attendance is concerned in 2022. The entire Twins organization knows that there needs to be a turn for the better this coming season. Falvey, Baldelli, and the players have been given the message to produce a better more entertaining product this season. Rocco will be fine.

Well, I immediately thought of Billy Martin, Bob Allison, and Dave Boswell having way too much fun in the wee hours of the morning as young reckless men. Boswell was a really good guy but not especially sophisticated although college educated, which is not a bad thing in any way. He painted houses and garages in the Fall in St. Paul to make a little money before heading back East (Baltimore? - (I'm getting old- is that right?). He threw more than 250 innings and won 20 games if i recall in the magical summer of '69. The young Balazovic might need to cool it on some level but for a brief wonderful moment he rekindled a memory of a quiet cool dude who fired pitches to memorialize a memory that I will never forget, Dave Boswell. Of course, Boswell and Balazovic have nothing in common whatsoever. Balozovic did manage to get his name in the news and on Twins Daily, which has been a real struggle for him in recent times. Sometimes guy has to get knocked down in oder to get up ( a horrible cliche that comes with an apology). So he gets a bus ticket to Wichita now. Perfect and I'm going to watch him light up some opponents in St. Paul before a July sunrise. Youth.

Not the same at all, but Paul Molitor had a host of injuries from youth through college and into the first half of his career. He spent at least a half dozen times on the DL (now (IL), sometimes for extended periods of time. Buxton just needs to play baseball and not worry about injuries. Yes, he has had more than his share of time off, but there isn't any reason to believe that he cannot play through a season. I did not like Buxton playing with reduced capacity last season. I felt he changed his swing to a slighter more extreme upper cut and was trying to go yard too much. If he is injured, put him on the IL. There will be plenty of options for Byron to DH too. Hopefully he doubles his starts in centerfield this year, Would be good to see him out there in the first inning for 108 games.

I would echo most of what MLR has posted above. My optimism is much higher this year than it was a year ago. There has been more than enough discussion about health. I would say simply suggest that players like Kirilloff, Polanco, Correa, and Buxton have the talent needed to carry this team, and there are sufficient numbers of others to supplement the lineup. Houston has Yordan Alvarez and New York has Aaron Judge. Each are superstars. When individuals suggest adding a significant bat the player often mentioned was Mitch Hanniger, who is not exactly a superstar. Trading for Trouts and the sort just doesn't happen. Do we wait and sign Machado? I don't think so. I was not so hot on guys like Gray and Mahle, but they were good additions. It was tough to see Petty get traded but I don't believe the Twins lost much in the other trades. Pablo Lopez makes the rotation much better. The Twins are in a pretty good position right now, about as good as could be expected. Sano never became that superstar that we all hoped he would become, so we hope that the next group of guys deliver on their promise. 85 wins AL Central.

The Phillies are talking to Nola about an extension. They are a big market. The Twins would have a shot at Burnes in July if Milwaukee decides to listen, but the cost may be too dear. It never hurts to keep a dialogue open and gage what the Brewers seek as a return and if there are possibilities for a match.

The Twins are not trading Emmanuel Rodriguez. Corbin Burnes is a true ace. Milwaukee is looking to win this year and will not trade him unless they are out of it by late July. The return for Burnes would need to be 2-3 starting pitchers with control and a couple of projectable position players. Ryan, Ober, Woods Richardson, Raya, or Prielipp qualify for the former. Kirilloff, Larnach, Salas, Lewis, Miranda, Mercedes, Miller, Martin, or Lee work for the latter. The only way the Twins work a trade for Bunes would be with both an extension completed and the emergence of a host of their young players. Say that all of the above have great starts to their season. In that event, the Twins may feel there is room to trade four guys for Burnes and still be safely covered by the retention of the other guys.

Perhaps a positive side effect of being around a baseball coach since birth will be that Brooks will be uber savvy in the field, at the plate, and on the bases. One major way for the Twins to win more games is to be improved in simple baseball fundamentals. Lee has been lauded for his baseball knowledge. Knowing what to do with the ball on every play before the pitch, recognizing when advancing a runner is all that is needed (Gene Larkin), or being capable of taking a base on any occasion available - these are critical fundamentals that affects the outcome of games. We will see within two years how Brooks Lee fits into the talent demands of MLB. He sure seems like a lock to be a solid regular for a winning team.

Good for Matt Moore because he deserves that contract. i hope the angels make the playoffs. But .... I'm a Twins fan and we are fine right now. Falvey and crew will be evaluating everyone in training and into the first couple of months. No worries now.

Umm, there is a video on this article that you can see. He planted awkwardly and thus the damage. It was talked about on tv when the play happened and Lewis also discussed his footwork the next day basically stating that he was unfamiliar with where the wall was at the time. You can see he is a little twisted (not direct) in his route to the ball. He did collide with the wall after the injury and catch but it was not pertinent to why he was hurt. Lewis would be an excellent outfielder but he clearly needs repetitions and is surely raw at this time. I don't think he is more likely to get injured playing on the grass. In fact, the stresses are shorter and quicker on the dirt.

I will take the over on everyone but Gallo. He could obliterate the ball this season. I just wouldn't bet on Gallo.

Max still seems to have an athletic approach to playing baseball. We all know that he has been in a struggle with his swing path. Can Kepler bust out? The consensus seems to like Kepler but also tends to believe he is who he is as a hitter. The last few years have been tough for him. I would not bet a penny against Max though. I still like his approach at the plate, his eye, his aggressiveness and how he runs the bases in addition to his outstanding fielding. Maybe 2023 is the year of the Max.

Injuries happen. Royce Lewis could go injury free for the next dozen years. It is worth noting that Lewis was not injured while running into the center field wall, but rather in his planting move while running. Lewis, himself, has stated a desire to play in the dirt while simultaneously quipping that he will play wherever the team puts him; he just wants to play baseball. The prospect rankings/posts are among the most anticipated lists in baseball today. TwinsDaily has done a great job. Lewis, as a #1-1 draft pick, is closely watched and we all look forward to him playing for the Twins. Lee is also a great choice as a top prospect. I would choose Emmanuel Rodriguez because he is that relatively untested or unknown prospect that we have only followed via print and a few random video clips that could seemingly become the next Julio Rodriguez or Juan Soto. Every one of the prospects will get an opportunity to show their skills and talent. The mental strength to maintain a positive mind on a daily basis, focus on individual growth, and adjust to failure is very difficult in an industry where success is measured by statistics which must seem overwhelming to guys who dominated so completely growing up.

Athletes have recovered from ACL inuries in the past, so I believe Lewis can step right into the lineup when he completes a refresher tour in St. Paul. I hope he is with the Twins by July 1. He doesn't hardly feel like a prospect still, yet he is. The return of Royce Lewis and the emergence of others should begin to clarify where each fits best in the field. The Twins could also be keeping an eye out for that elusive arm, aka Corbin Burnes. While I don't expect Milwaukee to part with Burnes this season or that the Twins will be comfortable trading some of their top prospects, it is something to keep way in the back of the mind. Many have pointed to Alex Kirilloff as a key factor for the Twins, both at first base and in the middle of the lineup. It has also been noted that health across the board is needed. Position players are less apt to miss time with injuries than pitchers, so I expect we shall see better results in games available. A return to excellence by Jorge Polanco can be a huge addition to the Twins for this season and going forward. The production that we have seen from Polanco when he is whole can not be expected from our younger players and his toughness is needed too. Thus, Jorge in the fold for three years further brightens the Twins outlook and increases Falvey's options going forward. I'm more optimistic about this team than I have been for years. The return of Royce Lewis is just one of the reasons.

To me Varland looked like he was very comfortable pitching in the majors at the end of last season. He needs to have a little more command to offset his stuff which is more typical of the back end of a good rotation. I would be fine with Louie at #5 for the Twins.