Brad.dahlen

I am going to go with exactly 90 wins for this club.

Right, but Plouffe has spoken at length about the Twins trying to basically make him a slap hitter before he ignored that and said he was going to swing how he wanted.

This sure is a stark difference from the Terry Ryan led Twins. Taking more natural power hitters like Plouffe, Dozier, Kubel, ect and asking them to be a piranha 🤣

I think after the Solano signing it is very likely that Trevor Larnach starts the season in St. Paul and Nick Gordon is the opening day DH. If you would have told someone in 2020 that Nick Gordon would be the opening day DH three years later I would have told you you were crazy. Although DH will be a revolving door of players, I think Opening Day will be the A+ lineup. Barring everyone leaves Ft. Myers healthy, this is a great opening day lineup. Buxton CF Polo 2B Correa SS Gallo LF Miranda 3B Kiriloff 1B Gordon DH Vasquez C Kepler RF

After thinking about it some this morning, I think it is more likely that Gordon would be the opening day DH, Larnach to AAA, and Solano as the 4th bench spot.

Someone make this make sense for me. Is Solano going to start the season at AAA? If he doesn't that probably means that Gordon is gone?

Hard to argue with this list. Certainly can't take anyone off. Who would be the pitching Mt Rushmore? Radke, Santana, Viola, Morris, ect?

Regardless of the circumstance, just not a good look for a young and struggling prospect. Just about ready to stop considering him an asset going forward.

I think one way that it helps out Kepler is with his attitude. I've heard that he gets frustrated with being shifted on so much. Hopefully he can now hit with a clear mind and just put the barrel on the ball. So many young MLBers have good starts to their hitting careers because they take a much simpler approach to hitting, HIT IT HARD. I have noticed over the last couple years that Kepler seems to be constantly tinkering with his swing. I think the shift ban could raise his batting average by 20-30 points, if he stays healthy and has a clear mind. I think it will also help that he will be asked to play CF much less than years prior.

Very interesting! Great research. He could be very valuable as a high leverage reliever. Even more so than an inning-eater middle reliever.

For the first time in how long there are three solid names being debated here. Gray, Ryan, or Lopez would surprise no one. We are fortunate to be able to have the discussion in Twins Territory.

Who do you think will be the opening day starter? The veteran Sonny Gray? The new guy, Pablo Lopez? Or the young franchise building block, Joe Ryan? Who would you pick and who do you think the Twins will chose? I'd let Joe Ryan have the honor but I think they will go with Sonny Gray.

A few weeks ago people were on here clamoring for Nelson Cruz because this young team needed his leadership. At that time, it was very evident that this fanbase does not understand that Carlos Correa is THE BEST leader in this franchise's history. He is a leader behind closed doors, in front of the media, to the front office. He is the total package. I honestly believe his leadership is just as valuable as his play on the field. Especially for a younger team like this. And the veteran players on this team aren't the leader-type (Buxton, Gray, Polo, ect)

What WOULD I do? I'd have Ober be the 5th starter and have Maeda pitch the middle innings. He has experience doing it (and excelled). Ober is a young arm that I really like. But the writing is on the wall that Maeda will be the 5 and Ober will likely start the year in St. Paul. Ober has options left and they already said Maeda will not be moving to the 'pen. Either way, we've learned every year that even if Ober starts in St. Paul he is pretty likely to make a start or 2 in April. The starting pitching depth to me is - Gray, Lopez, Gray, Mahle, Maeda, Ober, Winder, SWR, Varland. And that's pretty strong depth if you ask me.

I can see Winder in the pen but not Ober. I am confused why they were so adamant about Maeda being in the rotation. IMO I'd have Ober be the 5th starter and Maeda as a middle inning, some length, reliever.