mnfireman

People continuously come on TD suggesting the FO sign another BP arm. While the idea is sound, who gets cut from the 40 man? I think the MLB signings are done for the team until they can move guys to the 60 day IL.

Miranda admitted to tiring down the stretch last year, so HE chose to get in better shape. HE said HE eliminated chocolate and other sweets from his diet and ate more lean meat and vegetables. Sounds to me like he lost some so-called baby fat and replaced it with lean muscle. This body change should lead to more agility in the field, better (not great) speed on the basebaths and less strain on knees, hips, core and his overall health. All of which should lead to him having a very good season for the Twins.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/doctor-declares-carlos-correa-s-ankle-worst-he-s-ever-seen/ar-AA176Tn3?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=f8359faa947d4108c6c02feac7dcd118&rc=1 Second article I've seen about this, thought the first one might have been an attempt at humor. Maybe that slide last September loosened something up in the plate.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/02/luis-arraez-wins-arbitration-hearing-marlins.html

TD is a bunch of GM-wannabes who think they know everything about Player A, B or C. They do not. Especially if numbers can used to prove that their opinion is wrong. Gallo is who he is. He is going to strike out, he is going to walk and he is going to hit HR's. He is also going to play above average defense and fans are going to not like him. 3 true outcomes suck and I do not think they are good for the game, but here we are. He has a reasonable 1 year contract and the team can release him and walk away at any time. I do not see a losing side to this contract.

Barring signings, trades and injuries, I feel that this should be the "regular" line-up: LF - Gallo (L) SS - Correa (R) 2B - Polanco (S) CF - Buxton (R) DH - Larnach (L) 3B - Miranda (R) RF - Kepler (L) C - Vazquez (R) 1B - Kirilloff (L) Bench - Gordon (L), Jeffers (R), Farmer (R), Taylor (R). Waiting in the wings - Garlick (R), Julien (S), Lewis (R), Celestino (R), Wallner (L), Lee (S) & Martin (R). The top 3 see a lot of pitches (4.26, 4.09, & 4.27 p/pa), the top 6 all have good power potential, and there is decent speed mixed in there, 7 of 9 starting batters are league-average or better. The defense should be better, 2 GG OF's and another who should have one, a GG SS and an above average C. The right side may be bleed some hits, but I think Kirilloff will be better at 1B than Arraez was. Kirilloff's wrist is slightly protected by batting lower in the line-up, meaning fewer plate appearances, plus he can be scheduled days off, putting Gallo or Miranda there and subbing in Gordon or Farmer. The tough decisions will come if Joulien starts out hot at AAA and what to do in July when Lewis comes back. Injuries or performance will probably influence these decisions. IF the young players can learn to hit same-handed pitching the alternating line-up can go away

Spring training signing after guys can be moved to the 60 day IL, if the team thinks they need him.

https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/carlos-correa-eyes-future-with-royce-lewis-brooks-lee

https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/jose-miranda-looks-sexy-carlos-correa-says

Philadelphia made it to the WS with Schwarber batting lead off, so why not....

Yeah, I figured that. I think they'll review the local teams and keep/replace as they deem necessary. Bremer has done national games with FS1 and maybe Fox.

I cheated and looked it up. I was somewhat surprised.

The MLB television package just uses the RSN feed, no Bally Sports Network, no Twins...

I think they'll review the local teams and keep/replace as they deem necessary. Bremer has done national games with FS1 and maybe Fox.

The 2022 Minnesota Twins beat up on the AL Central to the tune of 39-37.... Cleveland however was 49-27.

He played nearly every day in Sep/Oct and slashed .252/.298/.396 (.694 OPS) compared to .279/.323/.439 (.762 OPS) through August 31 as a part time/utility player. He also slashed .200/.298/.275 (.542 OPS) vs LHP compared to .289/.329/.465 (.793 OPS) vs RHP. He is best suited to a utility/platoon role.

Would you be surprised to know that Kepler's slash line in the 3-4 spots was .262/.352/.372 for a .724 OPS in 2022? And the Twins 3-4 hitters slashed .254/.333/.389 for a .722 OPS overall.

I believe Gordon will get plenty of playing time in 2023, but I don't think he is an everyday player at any position. He played almost everyday in Sep & Oct last year and his numbers, when compared to his overall numbers, were way down. For the season he finished with a slash line of .272/.316/.427, but his Sep/Oct slash line was .252/.298/.396. There are many reasons for numbers falling off, and over-exposure is one of them. He will be better suited to 2 or 3 starts a week and some late inning PH/defensive replacement appearances, about 100 games overall.

Gallo has played 96 games at 1B, 85 of which are starts. But he has only played 1 inning at 1B since 2018.

MLB could just do what the NHL does - (insert player name) is out with a lower-body injury.

Confidence and mental state are crucial to all aspects of baseball, but especially to pitching. To a certain degree, to be a true stud on the mound, you have to have the mindset that you are the biggest and baddest motherf----- in the land. No one can beat you. That mindset comes from confidence, which comes from success. This statement right here is all the reason I need to at least hope the team gives him a shot at being a starter, either this year or next. Many great starters began their careers as relievers - Pedro Martinez, Adam Wainwright, Corbin Burnes, Chris Sale, and Curt Schilling among them. I also know that these are the exception to the rule, but what if.....

The Twins were in 1st place as late as September 4 when the injuries finally put the finishing touches on the season, 11-22 record after Sept 1, a .333 winning pct. that would be 54-108 over a full season. This years team is definitely better than that, as was last years. At the same time, Cleveland got unbelievably hot, finishing 24-10, a .706 winning pct. that would be 114-48 over a full season, Cleveland is not that good. I believe that the injuries have to level off compared to last year and this team will be competitive, as I feel somewhere between 88 & 92 wins will win the division again. As far as who takes his place as the lead-off hitter, Philadelphia made it to WS with Kyle Schwarber, let's put Gallo there (only half kidding actually)'

especially after Arraez won a Gold Glove for his work at the position. Arraez did not win the GG, or any other awards, for his work at 1B. Vlad Guerrero Jr. won the GG at 1B and Nathaniel Lowe won the SS. Arraez got his SS for the created this season Utility Player position.

The "Getaway day day off" goes back to Gardy and TK and I wasn't a fan of it then either. As much as everybody wants a Francona, he had 4 very bad years in Philadelphia to start his managing career, didn't manage in 2001, 2002 or 2003, and then became TITO (I know he had the nickname before 2004, but it is now his nickname, not his dad's). Not saying Baldelli is or can be Tito, but this is his 5th season as manager and maybe he can figure out a better mix of analytics and gut/in-game decisions. A full spring training and good team health could make him look real good...

Arraez's play at 1B is the perfect example of the metrics or stats making a player out to be better than he was. I saw too many times where he went after a ball to his right that he should not have and too many times where he did not leave the base to save a bad throw, resulting in extra bases for the runner. To me, the eye test wins out over the metrics concerning his defensive play at 1B, and he did not pass.