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LA VIkes Fan

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Everything posted by LA VIkes Fan

  1. LA VIkes Fan
    This COULD really work out if Lewis can handle MLB pitching. I have ZERO concern about finding him a place to play when Correa comes back. Let's not forget, we have the DH spot without anyone hitting well play to put there regularly. We even have our backup C hitting there; seems like we can do better. There's plenty of room for Correa, Larnach, Arraez, Urshela, Miranda and Lewis between SS, 3B, 1B, LF, and DH. If either Miranda or Lewis needs more AAA time because they can't yet handle MLB pitching, they go back. Perfect time to give each of them a 60-100 PA run to see if they're ready. Weak schedule the next month, and a so far weak division. Let's set ourselves up for the second half. By the way, when is Correa coming back? Anyone hear?
  2. LA VIkes Fan
    My bad - just saw that someone on the Covid IL doesn't count towards the 40 man. This woudl open spots for non 40 man guys like Smeltzer, Contreras and Terry.
  3. LA VIkes Fan
    Who do we have to bring in that's on the 40 man? There's a couple of pitchers (Sands is really the only choice over Strotman and Vallimont), but i think Lewis is the only position player on the 40 man who isn't already on the big league roster. This could get ugly.
  4. LA VIkes Fan
    I had them at 78-84 earlier. Now I think it's more like the reverse, 88-74. I like the team and the pitching is so much better than I expected, especially the starting pitching. SO why not 90+? Depth. We jus don't have a lot of depth. I think we are going to have pitching issues when one or all of the following happens - Bundy and/or Archer start to pitch like last year and significantly regress, Ryan, Ober and/or Winder hit innings limits of around 125-140 and have to be shut down or rested, the bullpen implodes, Kepler, Sano and/or Urshela regress to their former hitting selves and Miranda isn't ready to fill in the gap, Buxton gets hurt, etc.... Botom line - good but not great team, makes the playoffs, wins some playoff games, maybe even a wild card series, but falls in the second round.
  5. LA VIkes Fan
    I'd love the Correa exercises his option scenario but I think it's pretty unlikely. He is well set up to get a long term high value contract this winter, particularly if he plays well and leads the Twins to the playoffs and they win a series or two. The Yankees will need a SS, as will others, and I can see him getting a 7-8 contract at a high AAV. I just don't see the Twins doing that and Scott Boras doesn't really believe in home town discounts. Now in the good news category, the Dodgers will need a SS since Trea Turner is in the last year of his deal but I just don't see them signing the face of the "cheater Astros" from the 2017 World Series. The Dodger fans would never accept him.
  6. LA VIkes Fan
    Yes, I think it is far from certain that Kirilloff will be of much help in MLB this year. Something is still not right with him and his wrist, whether it's a continuing physical issue or more of a mental adjustment to playing through pain. I'd be very surprised to see him before June 15. I think it's possible that he will be up for the second half but wouldn't be surprised if it takes him a season to work through these issues, including possibly a further procedure. I think we have to plan on 1B being manned by someone else. On the bright side, that someone else could be Miranda. Between Sano's injury and Kiriloff's rehab issues, there's a huge hole at the 1B/DH spot. Here's his big break, hope he can take advantage of it.
  7. LA VIkes Fan
    Wow, A Kelly's Heroes reference? Impressive and kind of spot on. If I remember the character well, they kind of look alike, and Sutherlands character turned out to be a lot smarter and more savvy than you thought when you first saw or listened to him. Well done.
  8. LA VIkes Fan
    IF Lewis continues to hit his presence and that of Miranda does give the Twins some options should a market be there to trade Urshela or Sano for bullpen help. I could see us trading Urshela at the deadline with a decent prospect for a solid controllable reliever and having Miranda and/or Lewis take over at 3B. A lot depends on whether Miranda shows he can hit at the MLB level in the 3-4 weeks while Sano is on the IL and then at AAA trying to find his stroke. I expect Miranda to play most every day between 3B, 1B, and DH to see how he hits at this stage. It's a long shot since this is his first time up and he's only 23, but a lot of possibilities open up if he can be effective at the plate.
  9. LA VIkes Fan
    I'm with you. It's exciting to see the level of depth on this team. We can actually replace an injured player with a guy who belongs in the Majors as either a decent established player or a legit prospect. It's been years since we could say that. Name me the last Twins team that had 7 pitchers who actually should be in a MLB starting rotation. I frankly can't think of one. Yes, we're probably missing the true #1 starter but we have 7 guys who all are respectable or better starters for the #2-5 roles. Who would have thought! This bodes well for actually competing over the long haul. I've actually warmed to cautiously optimistic...
  10. LA VIkes Fan
    Sorry to hear about Sano, but this really does give an opportunity to Miranda, and maybe even to Arraez to establish himself as the team's primary 1B. It's probably about time to move on from Sano given his inconsistency and now we're being forced into it.
  11. LA VIkes Fan
    My prayers are with you and your wife in this difficult time.
  12. LA VIkes Fan
    I think that's the actual plan and the right plan. I expect Lewis to be in AAA playing SS every day unless Correa gets hurt. Lewis is the SS next year unless Correa stays (seems unlikely), and needs the SS reps. I don't expect he'll be in MN this season until at least August or September.
  13. LA VIkes Fan
    That makes sense. So it's Godoy and Sands optioned to AAA, Sano and Garlick to the IL, Miranda and Moran up. Roster goes from 28 to 26, still have 14 pitchers. All good, although I would like to see Smeltzer get another chance given how well he is pitching in AAA. I think they are going to leave him there as the #8 starter behind the starting 6 and Winder since we don't have another starter at AAA ready to start in the bigs unless Sands gets it together. The rest of the AAA starters are all AAAA fill in types.
  14. LA VIkes Fan
    You the man. That's exactly what they should do as a plan. Kepler is a good glove in the OF and is now hitting (who would have guessed? not me). Arraez needs a place to play against RH pitching and IB is the only spot left for him where he doesn't hurt us in the field. Pair him with Miranda and if Miranda plays well, trade Sano if we can.
  15. LA VIkes Fan
    I agree and Memorial Day may be optimistic. Kirilloff has to get over the mental part of playing with a potentially chronic injury. That takes some time. I'm thinking after the All Star break, particularly if an Arraez/Miranda platoon is at least adequate at 1B.
  16. LA VIkes Fan
    I agree. The interesting thing to me is what do we do if Garlick also has to go on the IL. He isn't my favorite player but you guys were right - he does mash lefties. Maybe we go defense against lefties with Kepler and Celestino in the OF and Miranda takes the DH spot? I'm not a big fan of Sanchez as a DH and even less so when it means the only 2 catchers are both in the lineup. Also, who would we call up?
  17. LA VIkes Fan
    Ueshela isn't coming off 3B, Sano is coming off of 1B, and Arraez and Miranda will get that spot. This tells me that Sano is going on the IL. Good idea, because he will get a few days off, then be sent to AAA on a rehab assignment to find his swing. Miranda is coming up to be the RH hitting 1B, RH DH, and fill in 3B. Gordon is the backup middle infielder/ occasional OF. Garlick may be going on the IL as well. Godoy goes back to AAA and we're down to 26 with Sands going back to St. Paul.
  18. LA VIkes Fan
    I think the cuts are now pretty clear with Sano ailing. Arraez is now the every day 1B and Gordon moves up to be the primary utility IF. That leaves room for Celestino to be the 4th/5th OF behind a starting group of Buxton, Kepler, Larnach, and Garlick (Garlick only against LH starters). Assuming Garlick didn't earn himself an IL stint after walking off the field today, here's what I see: Sano to IL Godoy to AAA Everything else stays the same unless Garlick has to go on the IL and then I could see Miranda coming up as essentially a backup 3B/RH DH since Arreaz is now the starting 1B. Lewis would be the more obviously ready player but I have to think they are going to leave him in AAA to play SS every day unless and until they have a good reason to think Correa will be around more than 1 season.
  19. LA VIkes Fan
    Correa is coming back nicely and just maybe Polanco is starting to come back to his norm. I like seeing Kepler hitting the ball the other way; he might actually be the middle of the order bat we desperately need. We're still one middle of the order guy short of a complete lineup. Larnach maybe? No on Sano. Any way we can trade an A ball guy or two and get Nelson Cruz back?
  20. LA VIkes Fan
    Whoever is working with the Kepler on his hitting deserves a big Raise. I think we’ve seen him hit the ball to the left side of second base more this year than he did all of last season. Now he’s doing it with some power, I think a home run and a double in the last few games. If he can keep this up, get dad to .250 to .270 with the same power as before, we now have found our number five hitter. And we need one bad.
  21. LA VIkes Fan
    Nice write up. My only question is the defense; it seems like it's been better than middle of the road. I may think that because its better than it was and/or watching Detroit and Chicago give away games in the field. Still, I just think the defense is one of the reasons we've improved and a main contributor to the success of the rotation.
  22. LA VIkes Fan
    It's not that Sano isn't a competent MLB player; he is. He just isn't good enough to be the 1B/middle of the order bat on a contending MLB team. He's plenty good enough to start for a .500 team, but I don't want to be that. A contending team can't wait 2 months for a guy to heat up to slightly above average. We should always be evaluating players on whether they can contribute to a team contending for a championship. If they can, they stay. If they can't, you look for an upgrade. They play until you find that upgrade but you don't stop looking. Simple as that. Sano just isn't good enough to be what we need - a solid 1B/DH who hits in the middle of a good lineup. I wouldn't cut him slack, I'd look for his replacement. Weirdly enough, we may have found his replacement in Arraez and/or Kirilloff.
  23. LA VIkes Fan
    I agree but I do wonder a a little about our MLB ready depth. There isn't anyone burning up AAA except for Lewis, who will stay in AAA to be ready to replace Correa at SS. We're having a hard time finding an everyday LF, and Laranch seems to be our only real hope unless Kirilloff re-appears. On the SP side, the only real go to at AAA is Smeltzer, who doesn't seem like he is more than a #5 SP/long reliever. I know we have pitching depth at the MLB level in Winder and some AA guys but it's a long way from AA to the majors. I agree that we have more depth than last year. I don't think we have a lot of depth overall. I think the Twins success this year is heavily dependent on continuing good health.
  24. LA VIkes Fan
    Pull Stashak. Leaving him in is tempting fate. Also, what happened to Ober? Injury?
  25. LA VIkes Fan
    Keep Smeltzer as a starter in AAA for now We will need starters t the MLB level by June given the injury history and checkered track records of Gray, Bundy and Archer. I also don't see the team letting Ryan, Paddack or Ober go more than about 150-160 innings this yea given none of them pitched over 110 innings last year - Ober 108 total, 92 MLB, Paddack 108, all MLB, Ryan 92 total, 26 MLB. There will be 30 starts this year for guys outside the 6 now in the rotation. WInder can take 15 of them, leaving 15 for somebody else. That's what we really need Smeltzer for.
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