stringer bell

Going into 2021, I was of the opinion that Polanco should move around and Arraez be a fixture at second base. The Twins staff thought otherwise and Polanco thrived as a second baseman. I still think Arraez' best position is second base, but apparently the same is true for the unblinking Polanco. According to the fielding metrics, Arraez is fine at third and Polanco is fine at second. It really makes no sense to switch those two. What will it take for Miranda to get a shot? Would it require an injury to either Polanco or Arraez? I do see Miranda as the future at third base, especially with Donaldson wearing pinstripes.

Well, Larnach, Rooker and Celestino all got looks last year, although none of them did that well. Do remember a lot if good players scuffle in their first exposure to the big leagues. If he’s not needed at first, Kirilloff looks like a keeper. Down the road, either Martin or Lewis could end up in left field and be able to play center to back up Buxton. Wallner also could figure in by the end of the year.

Not saying that I agree with this, but another way of looking at it would be to take the 73 win team, double Buxton's WAR (play 120 games instead of 60) and figure that the team won't trade their top starter and their top hitter at the deadline and see at least an 80-win team.

Unless someone who played part of the season with the Twins (Larnach, Rooker, Celestino) seizes left field, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sanchez at DH, with Sanó at first and Kirilloff in left field. Arraez could also get some starts in left. To me, Urshela is the shortstop until someone is added. This does give Miranda a spot. If Sanchez is DHing more than occasionally, they probably need a third catcher. Ugh, what a mess.

I won't quote Brian, but I will comment on a couple of things that he mentioned. The Twins (under Falvey & Levine) have been known to try to wait out free agents to get more reasonable contracts, with less than great results (e.g. Lance Lynn and Logan Morrison). I think they are trying to do the same with the remaining free agent pitching pool and Story. Given their track record, I wish they wouldn't I've wondered if there is an alternative to Story who makes sense for the Twins. Perhaps Andrus needs to leave Oakland to again be a decent major league hitter, I don't know. While I'd like to see Story in Minnesota, I would have liked much more to see proven pitching with the salary room that is now available.

I think there was consensus when JD was signed that the window was open and adding another slugger to a team that set a record for home runs might get them not only in the postseason, but a favorite to win it all. It didn't pan out, thanks in large part to the funkiness of the pandemic season and the injury Donaldson suffered just before the playoffs. Then came Part II, the unexpected flop of a season in which Donaldson wasn't able to lift the team to be in position to even sniff a wildcard berth. Giving a player in his mid-thirties a four year contract was a bet that the first two years production would blunt the ultimate falloff in the last two years. The pandemic and (very predictable) injury woes that Donaldson suffered limited what he could offer when the window was open. I suspect Priority #1 at the trading deadline last year and this off-season has been to get out from under Donaldson's contract. The front office has succeeded at the expense of catching depth and huge holes at shortstop and the pitching staff. They have the payroll space to buy their way to respectability or maybe better than that. I'm interested to see what happens next.

I disagree with terming the Cruz trade a salary dump. He became a free agent at the end of the season and he's 41 years old. Sending him to a contender netted talent that figures to far exceed the production Cruz could have offered in a lost season. That the team saved money there was an added bonus.

With the current roster, I guess Urshela is the starting shortstop? Miranda or Arraez would be the third baseman with Kirilloff in left, Sano at first and Sanchez as the DH. Goodness, that is not a defense that will inspire confidence and it is a strikeout prone low BA group. Well, maybe Gray can be traded at the deadline.

Can’t say this is my idea—I believe I heard Bremer suggest it last season—but using the ghost runner after a couple of “normal” extra innings sounds like a compromise that would work. It would eliminate the marathon games, but a great majority would be decided with regular baseball rules.

Tough crowd. Obviously the key here is $$$$. Getting Donaldson's salary off the books made the uneven trade work. It gives the Twins plenty of salary room to pick up pitching and a shortstop. I just think they have botched the catcher thing every which way. I wasn't opposed to sending Garver for a starting SS, but now we don't have a SS and we don't have Garver or Rortvedt. I am not a fan of Gary Sanchez and doubt that Urshela will hit like he did in 2019-20. My recollection is that Urshela is a good glove, especially at third (probably better than Donaldson), but he's only played 41 games a short (33 starts) and he's only been okay there. If they're opening up today, Urshela is the SS and Arraez and Miranda are manning third base. I guess Miranda deserves a shot after his minor league season last year, but there could be much trouble in the infield this year.

Yes, with all the wheeling and dealing the Twins have done since the lockout ended, they still haven't signed a major league free agent!

Farewell La Tortuga. If only he had a bit of plate discipline.

I think there's room to grow in many areas for Kiner-Falefa. The OBP would really be aided by getting more walks. I wonder if he might add more XBHs to enhance the slugging percentage. As mentioned, he probably won't be hitting at the top of the order for the 2022 Twins, and I think he might do a bit better hitting 7-9. As for Garver, he has not ever had more the 359 plate appearances, mostly due to injury, but also because his manager really makes sure that his catchers don't get overworked. As far as playing other positions, Garver has played three complete games at first base, none since 2018. There probably will be opportunities for Garver to play first for the Rangers, but I don't think it is a situation where it can be assumed he will suddenly get 600 PAs. Nelson Cruz was able to cheat Father Time, but he was a DH. I don't know if Gaver will. The Twins best player in the mid-teens was Brian Dozier. He was basically done at age 31. Hard to say how long Garv Sauce will be an offensive force.

I think there’s room on the payroll to add another starter and a reliever or two. The 40-man roster is now full, I assume. There are guys out there and I don’t think the Twins should wait until they get a discounted price on contracts.

Yes, they need more pitching and yes, Petty is years away. I think a key factor is how many good or better prospects are ahead of him. I understand that all of the prospects won’t pan out and that one never has enough pitching, but with both trades they added back a pitching prospect closer to the majors than Petty.

I’m okay with Martin as an outfielder with positional flexibility, especially if he is a center fielder playing left. It will require that he is an above-average hitter. Everything suggests he will be able to get on base, but if his power doesn’t develop, he has to be elite with his OBP.

Ehire Adrianza signed with the Nationals. He’s on his way to becoming the Drew Butera of utility infielders.

Alex Columé comes off the board. He will sign with Colorado.

IKF, not ISK, correct? The unproven pieces of the position player puzzle would be Larnach and Jeffers. While Jeffers' BA didn't make it over the Mendoza line, he has ample power and should probably hit closer to his inaugural .270 than last year's .197, There will less room in the infield for Arraez, so perhaps he will get more time in the outfield. Of course, there will be injuries. I don't see much room for Nick Gordon unless he's considered viable in both the outfield and at shortstop. Kirilloff will probably get time in left and right as well as first base, with Sano getting reps at first. Miranda could fill in for any infield injury or maybe force his way to the majors. Not quite too much talent, but somewhere in the puzzle I think the Twins have enough run-scoring to be competitive. Pitching? Not so much.

Well, the team didn't want Polanco or Gordon as the principal shortstop. That makes sense to me. I would have liked to see one of the premium shortstops come to Minnesota, but among the trade candidates, I kind of like what Kiner-Falefa has to offer. This club has too many bat-first sluggers and they apparently have included Garver in that category. I haven't liked Garver's defense and the club hasn't used him often at DH or first base. How many games would he play if he was healthy all season? 100 or 110? What are the chances that he will avoid injury, including concussion? Kiner-Falefa has been durable, played plus defense at short and third, and he makes contact--a totally different player from Garver (and many other Twins). Kiner-Falefa will be 27 this month so there might be room for improvement offensively. I'm hoping that he plays as good defensively as Simmons and provides much more hitting and on the base paths than the Twins got last year.

Murphy had never been a regular while Hicks gave the look of fourth outfielder (really struggled vs. RH pitching). Murphy busted and Hicks blossomed. I didn't love that trade, but understood why it was done. This trade seems like an overpay for a middle-of-the-road SS, but Garver has had injuries and he's 31 years old. The team will subtract one DH candidate and add speed and defense. The Twins seem to be betting heavy on Jeffers, which kind of brings us back to Murphy.

I speculated during the lockout that the Twins might acquire Kiner-Falefa for someone like Arraez. I would have thought that Garver is more valuable than Arraez, but maybe not. He's a very good defensive shortstop, who has played high-quality third base as well. He's never hit a lot, but makes contact and is an excellent base runner. Kiner-Falefa put up a 3.7 WAR despite an OPS+ of 85 last year (per BBRef), so outside of the batter's box, he is a fine player.

Andrew Vasquez signed to a major league contract by the Blue Jays.

I’m surprised that there hasn’t been a bigger flurry of moves so far.

I like this move. Minaya found better command and a nice change-up last year. He’s over 30, with limited upside, but he could be a pretty solid guy in the middle innings.