Eicemann

I only like Hand if the FO thinks he's a viable closer committee member that would enable Duran to be used in multi-inning situations when necessary. There are other viable LOOGYs out there if they're wanting another matchup bullpen arm.

Should the Twins have interest in Matt Barnes who was just DFA by Boston? I'm a bit intrigued...

Celestino is clearly tracking in the right direction; and I hope that he keeps it up. But bestowing upon him the moniker of "Contact King" seems premature when he's struck out in 23% of AB in MLB play to date and in 31% of 895 MiLB AB.

Can we please pump the brakes a bit on Celestino? He hit .136 in 59 AB (8 hits) last season. He has had all of 37 AB this season - 4 hits in April & 8 hits so far in May. That's a .208 BA in 96 career AB. I'm rooting for the kid, but it's much too soon to conclude that he has "made it." I do feel better about him playing when Buxton is unavailable than I did last year. But I still think it was risky to start the season without a reserve OF who has some track record of success.

I disagree. That would be akin to moving Mauer to 1B. Mauer played well there but his athleticism & throwing arm could have been leveraged better in a corner OF spot. Lewis is far too athletic to station him at 1B at this point of his career. Agree on cutting ties with Sano. Although I have seen him make an effort this season to be be more patient at the plate, that's not his comfort zone. He inevitably defaults back to swinging far too freely.

I LOVED the portrayal of Ron Washington in that movie. And he got to deliver some killer lines. Agree that depth issues are more concerning at the other positions you cited here.

Sano reportedly tweaked something in his left knee during that wretched baserunning display against the Tigers that resulted in victory after the Tigers butchered the rundown attempt.

Houston just released Baez. Should the Twins consider picking him up for the veteran's minimum? His stats from pre-pandemic seasons look encouraging - even more encouraging than Bundy's. Any other FA RP out there that warrant consideration by the Twins?

It saddens me that Jeffers has been the DH when Sanchez is catching & another position player isn't rotating through DH that game. Certainly we ought to have someone who represents more of an offensive threat in that role. Miranda perhaps? I mean, Celestino, Garlick, Gordon & Jeffers strike no fear in the hearts of opposing teams. The starting staff has been a very pleasant surprise. But the bullpen inspires minimal confidence.

My main point of contention is that the broadcast announcers characterized Rocco's choice to not use Correa to PH as a rigid policy of defining days off as those players being "unavailable." I have less of a problem with Celestino hitting than designating Correa as "unavailable" for that game - even to PH with the game outcome on the line. To adhere to a "day off = unavailable" policy while equipping your team to win close games seemingly requires more bench depth than what the Twins have in place right now. I understand giving young players opportunity to succeed to build their confidence. But I don't believe that was what drove the choice to stick with Celestino in a late game RISP opportunity; nor that it should necessarily drive that same choice when that situation presents itself again.

Point taken about Correa's slow start and coming in cold. But I stand by my reaction to Baldelli's thought process. And I don't care that Celestino made good contact in his at bat. He simply should not have been put in that position when there are viable alternatives available. And Hendricks proved to be quite hittable in that game. This would be a major talking point had Buxton not saved the day in the bottom of the 10th. But that doesn't mean that a better effort to end the game in the 9th should not have been made.

I was dumbfounded that Baldelli chose to let Celestino bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with RISP rather than PH with Correa. That was an unconscionable choice - sending a career .130 hitter to the plate instead of Correa. IF resting a starter means not bringing him into the game under ANY circumstances, then the Twins had better carry at least one more bench player and one fewer RP.

Duffey reminds me so much of Eddie Guardado in his pitching approach. I'd really rather not see him in the closer role, though. He doesn't seem to have that same craftiness that Eddie G had to find some way to get most guys out. That said, Pagan as a Twin so far has reminded me of Brandon Kintzler - no nasty out pitch he can rely on to end an at bat. IDK who should close. I don't really want that to fall to Duran either. Maybe Joe Smith until Alcala returns?

To shorten game times & accelerate pace of play, foul balls should NOT be UNLIMITED. Invoke a maximum limit of foul balls after which the pitcher would be credited with a K and the AB ended. Also, the sacrifice fly should be eliminated. The batter should be charged with an AB. Rarely is a batter "sacrificing" their AB on a SF play. They're trying to hit the ball as far as possible. That's not even close to the same thing as laying down a bunt to advance a baserunner.

Hmmm. I had forgotten about Upton being a FA. I wouldn't mind him on the Twins roster for the veteran's minimum salary. Celestino should definitely be returned to St Paul if he's going to be used that situationally.