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This is the most thorough report that I could find. I wonder if he was throwing too hard, too soon or hurt himself lifting weights or what? They only report that it's inflammation. https://www.archyde.com/jose-miranda-leaves-the-world-classic-due-to-shoulder-discomfort/

It might work to his advantage to by #5 in the rotation. Because in theory he would be opposing pitchers that are easier for him to beat which would result in him having a higher win loss percentage. That could work out the best for him & the team as his comeback progresses.

According to this article, Maeda pitched two scoreless innings today despite the Rays knowing what each pitch would be due to the catcher's earpiece volume being set too loud. When a player in any sport goes on a roll, they can become unstoppable without any explanation. And it's possible that's where Maeda may be heading this season. Sometimes a player just can't do anything wrong. That's just the way that some cookies crumble! Just enjoy it and don't fight it because Kenta's got game! I don't care about his stats as long as he's effective enough to get the outs. The rest will take care of itself. If you ask me I think that he'll be as good as ever because he has the mojo thing going on! Call it Karma or whatever you want. As long as Rocco pulls him out in time and doesn't push him any harder then need be, he will do just fine & will finish the season with a win loss record of about .600 - .650. BTW, afterward when Kenta found out about the earpiece volume he just laughed! The Twins need to get ready to show him the money! I think he's hungry for it! https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/twins-kenta-maeda-pitched-around-big-issue-during-spring-start/ar-AA1890gR

Look at this state logo that I found online associated with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System schools such as St. Cloud State and Inver Hills Community College. It looks like the Twins designer copied it pretty much right off the online template found at St. Cloud State dot edu slash printing services Inver Hills Community College is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. https://eservices.minnstate.edu/registration/search/basic.html?campusid=157 Something very similar to the old Twins m logo is now being used as the State of Minnesota logo. Since the state is now using it maybe the Twins should have stayed with their old m for more familiar & widely acceptable recognition.. But then some fans could wear their old m hats and they wouldn't sell as many new ones. https://www.logolynx.com/topic/minnesota state

I like the return of pinstripes because they exude power. But I don't like the new M or having the bold map on the sleeve. If the players really don't like the M either, then it might effect how well they play when they wear the new hats. It can affect their attitude about the organization when they need to make choices about where they prefer to play. It's just another factor like everything else that an organization asks players to promote & do under contract. If players on other teams think that the new logo is Mickey Mouse, then they'll be less likely to respect the organization and the management. I look at it as it's only a matter of time before the logo will be changed again. I wonder if we asked the players or former players what they really think about the new logo, how would they rate it? Would they give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Some fans will like it and some won't. But I doubt that the new M will be as universally liked by Twins fans as the TC logo has been. Sometimes it's better to not mess with success, especially when it's perceived as mostly being about the team finding new ways to make money.. The Twins saw the Guardians successfully change their name & logo, so maybe now the Twins want to do the same. But the Guardians had a negative image problem that the Twins didn't have. Next year the Twins will unveil their city connect uniforms, another money maker. I realize that some Twins fans historically had an issue with the emphasis being on TC and not on the state of Minnesota as a whole. But that has largely been addressed by the Twins over the years with the winter caravan and the Twins Territory campaigns to reach out to the fan base. The new logo is also about trying to convey a new winning image which to be honest, that's more dependent on how the team performs rather than about how the new logo looks. I'm personally dismayed by the new logo and have read many more negative comments than positive ones on Facebook fan pages. Most like some of the changes but the logo is one that more fans are critical of. I can't help but to think that it was a mistake. But any hats that they can sell is extra money in the team's pocket. And isn't the bottom line what it's all about? I just hope that they can win some playoff games and continue to spend enough money on players to progress toward the ultimate goal. But I won't consider wearing one of the new hats. I'll leave that for the new generation of fans if they can stomach it.

The new M logo is a sad attempt to replicate the Northstars logo. And what other team wears such a bold state map on their sleeve? Please forgive me for being negative but I think that's lame. Do they think that baseball fans need a lesson in geography while watching the game?

Another starter who is on the bubble. It's doesn't matter if you call him a long reliever or a starter. Functionally how many innings can he pitch and can he stay healthy while doing it? If we need extra guys who can pitch 3 or 4 innings and he can perform then that's how he should be used. If a guy gets injured by pushing him then the question is easily answered. Pitchers aren't expected to deliver 90 - 100 "effective" pitches anymore so they need to be managed. It seems that sending guys to AAA to be starters only wears them out for when the Twins need them. I don't care if he's called a starter or not. just make sure that he can deliver enough pitches for when we need him to take over a game or spot start, whatever you want to label it. The most important thing is that he's effective for the 3-4 innings that he pitches, either as a starter or a long reliever. Just don't expect too much from guys who are "bubble starters." Forget the longer starts by starters, In order to win playoff games we need guys who can be platooned.. Two of them might get through 6-7 innings because rarely will one be able to do it alone against the big money teams, at least not if the Twins want playoff wins. Maybe they need to be kept stretched out but their pitch counts need to be managed to prevent recurring injuries. If they can't stay healthy pitching 3 or 4 innings in the bigs then they won't stay healthy pitching 5-6 in AAA. There's always next year 4 him..

IMO we need pitchers in the long relief role who don't make mistakes, have live arms & good action on their pitches. With the pitch clock, the Twins can't afford to have marginal guys as long relievers, or else the game will get away from them. They need to be good like Ober. I'm not confident about Jax pitching more than 1 inning. Sometimes he's got it but other times he doesn't. I wouldn't want guys who have already been passed over as starters. Moran is another guy that I don't have enough confidence in. He's a lefty but doesn't pitch enough strikes. Pitchers that rely on pitches way out of the zone for K's are bound to produce more BB's. Once they start letting guys on base then Rocco will need to go back to the BP which defeats the purpose of long relief in 2023.

I like his live arm and comparing his stature to Pedro Martinez, Henriquez is still young and may eventually pan out as a starter. But if being a long reliever keeps him healthy & effective, then let him work multiple innings to maximize his assets as soon as possible. If he can shine in that role then that's just as good as being a starter if not better for the Twins. It will be like calling in the cavalry. Let him get some K's without the wear & tear of high pitch counts, and instead of worrying about the weak links when resorting to a chain of multiple single inning relievers.

That;s great news about Kenta. He Maeda my day!

I'm not concerned about Polanco's health this year, Last year was an outlier year because he's been such a workhorse while carrying the team in previous years and was being underpaid to boot. The Twins have coverage for every emergency this year, and can even provide 2 IF players with a day off at the same time, & even if one IF gets injured. The AAA prospects need to wait for their opportunity plain & simple. Lewis is my primary interest & I think that Solano may be more of a platoon at 1B & backup at 2B when needed. Any player can end up becoming a rental at the trade deadline depending on where the Twins are in the standings, but I doubt that the Twins will trade Jorge if he's producing like an All Star. The Twins will be a better team with both Lewis & Polanco this year than without them. I just hope that Polanco gets to vest independent of whether he's a trade candidate next year or not. He's generally delivered when the pressure is on like a true pro. If Lewis pans out then IDK how long Farmer will stick either. He's older than Polanco and doesn't switch hit. It depends on whether Lewis can back up SS or not after surgery, and should not be based on how much Polanco will be paid next year if he vests.

I'm hopeful that he can pitch well enough to get his contract renewed with the Twins. I'll go out on a limb and predict that Maeda will have at least a .600 win-loss record this year., perhaps finishing out between .600 - .650. A fellar can dream right? Maeda said that he feels good enough to go and hit some HR's! What a riot! He's got quite a sense of humor!

Both Solano and Farmer have some familiarity with NL pitchers that could be helpful in some situations. The same may apply to the ex-Reds pitchers that are now with the Twins, & Maeda too. Since there's more games with the NL this year then knowing a little more about the NL opponents can't hurt.

Maybe Driveline improvements are one of the reasons why Rocco has vowed to let the starters pitch deeper into games this year. Rocco Wants Starters to Pitch Deeper and Carry Twins in 2023 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/rocco-baldelli-starters-carry-twins/?fbclid=IwAR0beRzsGZ_0nrbHeIq_R6YhTxI8m6VbLEhzHrxQ2_pqF5zmfmhl1JxBPCA

I went with Maeda because I think that he has the highest ceiling. He has the experience & track record & is pitching to prove that he's able to make a complete comeback. He's a dedicated pro that worked hard to recover, and I think that his stuff will remain elite enough to win. He also had an extra long recovery time and a better surgical procedure. I'll be surprised if he doesn't regain all of his form by the end of the season if not from the start. He's pitching for all of his Japanese fans too. Don't count him out, he has tons of pitching talent.

Yes, Buck does need to stay healthy. But he also needs to be allowed to play to earn his bonus money for plate appearances. Last year he only had 382 plate appearances and didn't earn any bonus money. If Rocco is too conservative with him, then he's going to be disappointed if it's due to Rocco keeping him off the field. As long as he's healthy he should play. And the Twins will have a better chance of winning the Division with him being in the lineup. Plate Appearances $500,000 each for 502, 533, 567, 600, 625

If he has a healthy season and hits well, Buxton can make big bonus money depending on how many MVP votes that he receives. The shift ban could eventually help to reward him with many millions of $$, so he has plenty of incentive. In the past, he's placed 18th & 16th in MVP voting. Annual MVP Bonuses: 1st: $8M 2nd: $7M 3rd: $6M 4th: $5M 5th: $4M 6th-10th: $3M

Rocco hinted that the managing changes will be more than simply due to the new pace of play. https://www.yahoo.com/now/pace-play-see-twins-skipper-023300087.html

I'm not sure that an ace is even available this year that would take the Twins to contender status. But Rocco is on the hot seat since BARRING INJURIES, if he wants the credit for wins then he needs to also take the blame for losses. He simply needs to find a way to win with the players that we have. We can't blame it on aces that we don't have or necessarily need. We need to win with a combination of good ball play and good moves. Bench the players that don't produce and let someone else play. Rocco needs to act and players need to play like their jobs depend on it. Develop the winning formula, that's how pro baseball is supposed to work without any excuses.

In the best of offseason health, Tyler Mahle has a new son & has renewed & improved his breaking pitch. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/twins-tyler-mahle-feeling-healthy-ready-to-put-2022-behind-him/ar-AA17AgSc

Did you make one up with Luis Arraez before he was traded?

I think it's silly to compare his throws from 2B to throws from 3B because 2nd basemen don't need to throw hard. But his arm from SS was just fine as was his nearly 100 mph throws from the OF. Any SS worth his salt can play 3B. There's not one credible source for the statements that are being made that Nick will never play the infield again. That's pure honkey-tonk. If Farmer, Polanco, Correa or Miranda get injured then Nick can play anywhere in the infield. If any player in the OF gets injured then Nick can play anywhere in the outfield. Why in the world would the Twins trade Arraez if Gordon couldn't fill his shoes and more. The negative comments about Nick's many talents just don't make any sense. He adjusted his swing to provide more power as he was asked to do, and he has one of the nicest swings on the team. And he knows how to bunt and run the bases. IMO too many fans are looking at a gift horse in the mouth. He was a bona fide 1st round pick that had a slow track of development that's finally paying off. Maybe some fans simply don't like that he now displays more talent and durability than some of their favorite prospects. I guess we'll see who produces, plays which positions and gets traded first. I like Nick's hair color and I'm not going to trash him over it it took some getting used to but it grew on me and doesn't bother me any more. I like it more than ever because I realized his talents are worth their weight in gold.

If he can be as effective as he was last year then it would be a good signing. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/handbr01.shtml

I posted these on my wife's Facebook page! You're the Goat You're the best catch I ever made We're a match Maeda in Heaven

I don't know but I doubt that it matters much. Here's his spray charts which shows that he hits a lot of ground balls to the left side that aren't singles. He either improves his hitting with men on base or he doesn't. https://www.fangraphs.com/players/kyle-farmer/14813/spray-charts?position=SS&type=battedball