stringer bell

Sean Connery, the first (and best IMHO) James Bond is dead at 90.

I like them all.

I think the ingredients for postseason success are pitching, power, defense and speed in that order. I've said that for a long time. I guess pitching would now mean that there is enough starting pitching and a shutdown bullpen.

I read a story about Anderson and I wonder how much of his back story is why the Twins were willing to let him go. To me, the miss on Anderson is probably least excusable of the current bullpen stalwarts who were in the Twins' system.

Incentives can't be things like homers or RBIs, correct? Games, plate appearances are allowed, but not counting numbers IIRC.

Well, Cruz was the best hitter, perhaps in the AL, for the first 30 games. He was pretty ordinary in the second half of the abbreviated season. From 8/25 on (the last 30 games) until the end of the regular season he hit .256 only five homers and six RBI with 29 strikeouts. He has been a great hitter for a decade, but he’ll be 41 for half of the 2021 season. I’m just not sure he can continue to be great much longer.

I guess I thought tendering Rogers would be a no-brainer especially since no one has enough pitching (see the playoffs). Rogers was very good and versatile and seemed to figure out how to get right handed batters out, but he faded a bit late in 2019 and wasn't good last year. I think a bit different usage and a tweak or two would again put him in the "very good" to "elite" categorization. Rogers is relatively young and healthy. I simply can't see the Twins giving him up because he costs too much.

I do find it interesting that many on this site are calling to bring up the prospects to a club that has won more regular season games in the last two years than anyone else in the American League. In very general terms, if they hit like 2019 and pitch like 2020, the Twins would be dominant. Specifically with Polanco, if he hit like 2019 (particularly the first half) and defended like 2020, he could be an All-Star candidate again. He has had at least a season and a half of ankle miseries, which might explain his decline in the second half of 2019 and his poor 2020. If he only an average hitter and an average to below average defensive shortstop next year, perhaps then he could/should be shifted to some type of utility role. I know he played a couple of games at third in his first year and he played a lot of second base in the minors. I think he could adjust. An average bat with the flexibility to play three defensive positions adequately would make him a pretty good replacement for Gonzalez/Adrianza and with Rocco's managing style, he would get plenty of at-bats. To me, Polanco to utility is Plan B or C. Things would have to happen for that move to happen, but I don't think it is out of the question entirely.

The pity of this is that the Vikings have superior "skill position" players on offense (Theilen, Jefferson and Cook). The triggerman is just not that good and the brutal fact is that quarterback is far and away the most crucial position in pro football. Cousins will have better games and I still think Minnesota will be break-even depending on how they do against their division rivals. With the expanded playoffs that might even net a postseason spot, but not serious championship status. The defense isn't scaring anyone despite some good talent. By the time the defense can be rebuilt, Cook and Theilen will be past their prime.

I am not a huge Sanó fan, but I don’t think it is the optimum time to part with him. He’s coming off a bad, but healthy, partial season. Even with health, the big guy is so slump prone. For too many interludes, you’re hoping Sanó will “run into one”, rather than having confidence that he’ll make solid contact. He doesn’t walk enough to be even a “three true outcomes” guy (.278 OBP). I give the guy credit for his work and improvement at first base. I don’t think he’s a bad guy or has a questionable attitude, but he just hasn’t shown he can sustain the hot streaks to guarantee a spot in the middle of the order.

Ironic that Sid would pass today. I saw Patrick Reusse's column and thought to myself the Sid may outlive him. Sid was Minnesota sports for longer than almost all of us have been alive. 2020 takes another one.

Comparing Buxton and Robert, though, is CF vs. CF. I believe Buxton led the Twins in WAR despite playing not 2/3 of the games.

It's not a perfect comparison because he became a DH, but the same was said about Paul Molitor early in his career and he was durable later in his career.

Cleveland has done a good job turning over their roster making it younger and continuing to reinforce their pitching. They aren't going away anytime soon, whether or not they retain Lindor. Chicago has a lot of good players and a lot of pitching that has a good chance to be very good or better plus they have an ace in Giolito. I think they will be above average or better. The Twins have a lot of guys who have had periods of outstanding performance. Some like Sanó and Buxton have never sustained it for an entire season. Kepler and Polanco each had one great season plus above average play in other seasons. The pitching staff has a good top of the rotation and some good bullpen pieces, but will need to fill out both the BP and the starting staff. There's a lot for the front office to do, but they have the pieces in place.

It is nice to start with three proven starters and only have to add two to the back half of the rotation with several in-house candidates available. Draft choices and trade acquisitions by Falvey/Levine can and should fill the bottom of the rotation starting in 2021. Personally, I'm not in favor of retaining Odorizzi, because of his inability to go deep into games. I certainly hope that the starters, with a normal season including spring training, will average closer to six innings per start and take some heat off the bullpen.

Buxton only played 39 games, but a case could be made for him over Robert. I believe Buck had a higher WAR and his hitting numbers (OPS and OPS+) were better, plus he is a better defender than Robert. Same old story. The Twins need to find a way to have Byron on the field for 140+ games and he might be an All-Star and perhaps an MVP candidate.

From what I have seen, you can be very proud of your son. He seems to be a class act who takes the frustrations and struggles that occur in stride. His story is a good one and he has a great future. Undoubtedly, Randy has been a good contributor so far. He faces the challenge of adjusting after the league has adjusted to him. I wish him well, not only as a Twins fan, but also as someone who cheers for those that have faced uphill climbs to reach their goals.

Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan, age 77. Not to be confused with the former Red Sox manager with the same name.

Oliver Drake DFAed and off the playoff roster for the Rays.

I haven't seen enough to give up, but I've seen enough to have plenty of doubt. Thorpe hasn't demonstrated sufficient command to get away with the stuff he has IMHO. Perhaps 2020 was more difficult for him than others due to the pandemic and whatever other issues he had in spring training, but I have to believe he's only going to get one more chance, if that.

I'd like to thank the Rays for advancing to the ALCS so that I didn't have to decide who I hated less between the Astros and the Yankees.

I'm conflicted about Rosario. I don't think he'll ever be better than he is now and that he might not age well, however Baldelli has almost always kept him in the middle of the lineup. Rocco did the same with Polanco, batting him at the top or in the middle, but when he slumped he moved Jorge down in the order, that has not happened with Eddie. If the manager consistently regards Rosario as one of his top offensive guys, does it make sense to let him go, particularly as a non-tender? I have thought that the club needs to make room for the many corner outfield prospects who are near ready, if not totally ready to step in. Further complicating this is the nearly lost season of development with no minor league season. 25 plate appearances for Rooker and Kirilloff don't give enough information about their readiness. The one certainty is that arbitration-eligible Rosario would cost considerably more than an organizational replacement. If resources are limited, is this the place to save?

I am puzzled by Kepler's inability to hit for a higher average. As noted, he has a great natural swing, decent eye at the plate, strikes out relatively little and has good power. I see Kepler go through slumps where he continually hits popups and grounders into the shift. Could he be looking too much to drive the ball and not enough to hit line drives to the alleys? I don't know. The other thing is hitting against left handed pitchers. He was better against them than right handers in his fine 2019 season, but this year was dreadful in a small sample. There's a lot to like about Kepler's game and even in an off season for him he posted a 108 OPS+ and (full season adjusted) 2.2 WAR. At a still-young age, I think the Twins should hang on to the reasonably priced right fielder. I also think that Kepler should work on bunting against the shift, both down the third base line and past the pitcher (especially lefties who fall off toward third base). If he can "shorten up" the second baseman and perhaps move the the third baseman and shortstop closer to "normal" position, I think he could lift his OBP and batting average quite a bit.

As a fourth outfielder/bench guy I think I would too. It appears that the Twins coaching staff like Cave a bit more as a center fielder and Cave has more power, but Wade gets on base and has acquitted himself nicely at first base in a few games there. The thing about Cave is that he seems to do better filling in for a week or month, but playing a random game a week, he doesn't seem to perform as well. I see Wade as better getting a start or two per week. As was mentioned above, both Cave and Wade would be better fits if they were truly center fielders or hit right handed.

No team that made the postseason looked worse than Houston going in. Now they outpitched the Twins and are 2/3 of the way to outslugging the A's. Do they have all-black alternate uniforms that they can wear, because they are the "bad guys" of this postseason.