strumdatjag

It’s not just C4. Losing Urshela is another minus. Then again, losing Sano is a plus. Addition by subtraction.

The Twins certainly have quantity, since you could also add to the mix: Winder, SWR, Balazovic, Varland, and a few still hanging on (Sands, Smeltzer …). Unless the Twins can make a decent trade, I agree that they should stick with what they’ve got.

Another tidbit - He is a client of Scott Boros. I’ve seen a report that says he may be signed for as little as $10 million a year over several years and a $2 million posting fee. This pitcher can throw a fastball and splitter hard and fast. Not much more. Moreover, he has some control issues. This is a lot to spend on a guy who may never make it in MLB.

I don’t remember this guy being discussed here. Shintaro Fujinami is a 28 year old RHP who hits triple digits but has some control issues. I don’t think there is likely to be a huge bidding war for this guy. Kenta Maeda is coming back and maybe could be a mentor for his compatriot. Looks like a potential bullpen arm.

Agreed. On Rogers, we should consider that he probably wanted to play with a different type of TWIN. That would be his TWIN brother Tyler. Not only was Taylor overpaid, but he got the familial benefit that our TWINS couldn’t match.

Too soon to think about 2024.. I’m worried Torii Hunter will drop off the ballot with too few votes on the next go-around. 2023 is an interesting year, since the bulk of the most controversial players of the Steroid Era are dropping off the ballot. BUT A-Roid is appearing on the ballot for the first time. Like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemons, the new T-Wolves owner would probably have put together an HOF career without the PEDs, However, unlike Surly Barry and Lying Roger, he is also a member of the media (maybe liked more by the writers than the less likable Bonds and Clemons). Carlos Beltran looks like he makes it on his first time. Too soon to talk “Joe”.

If he falls to the Twins on a 1 year (then opt out) deal again, that would be great. He fits in well with this team in the short term.

No. CC didn’t sign with the Twins because the Giants were willing to pay him nearly $30 million every year until he was 41 years old. The Twins were smart not to offer anything near that!!!

Batting Average and OBP are not just “Old School”. MLB deadened the ball and is removing the shifts. This will increase the need for base runners and infielders with speed to get to the ball. I like thar Gallo has some speed. But I believe that low-average batters with high strike-out numbers (even with decent walk numbers) will not be rewarded in the current environment. The Twins should not try to rebuild a Bomba Squad. It’s so 2019.

With Sano and Gary Sanchez gone, the Twins must have thought they needed to replace those strike-out machines. So, they got Joey Gallo to fill the void. I’m going to need Ernest and Julio Gallo to help get me through the 2023 season.

Really, would anyone here have been thrilled 13 years from now to watch Correa in his forties and being paid $30 mill???? Let the Giants make that bad deal. The Twins will be a better team longterm if they are NOT dumb enough to make this type of deal. I don’t think CC is even the difference maker who would have brought a World Series championship to the Twinkie Towns in the short term

This would probably be the first trade of one German for another German.

This should be a question of philosophy: Are the Twins a team which will seek to develop aces (like the Rays) or a team which flails at free agents (like Robbie Ray). When the Twins started the FalVine era, the former was the goal. And it should be the goal. If the cupboard is bare, fill it in with the probable has-beens and maybe an ace that slips through for a short-term contract late in free agency. But the goal should always be to develop starters to be stars between ages 24-28.

Japan makes sense. The Nippon League could be enamored with his big bat for one or two seasons before they get bored with him.

Sano to Japan???

If the price is right, signing or trading for a stud catcher makes more sense than signing a stud shortstop or stud starter. The Twins have an abundance of talent at the other positions. Patience from the fans will bring a more than competent young shortstop prospect to our big league club. Maybe there isn’t an ace, but the Twins have enough starting talent to field a decent rotation. At the very least, the Twins need to sign a legitimate backup at catcher.

No No No No. the Twins are stocked with quantity in Starting Pitching. Joe Ryan has shown some flashes of potential in being more than a #3 or #4 level of a starter. The Twins clearly have confidence in him, evidenced by naming Joe as the opening day starter. I’m hoping for a boring off-season for the Twins. The 2022 season was marred by injuries. So, get a stop-gap shortstop until one of. the younger players (Lewis, Martin ….) is worthy of taking over. Add some depth at catcher. Then take advantage of any last-minute opportunities that are available (like Carlos Correa last year). .

Not only would Correa require a huge long-term contract but he would block other players the Twins will soon have ready at Shortstop: Lewis, Lee and Martin (currently excelling in the AFL). Only one of those three has to stick at Shortstop to make it a lousy idea to give an expensive, long term deal to Carlos “Shops at Dior” Correa. Moreover, a recession is likely, leading to a likelihood of even lower attendance than last year. Keep the powder dry and use it when there is an opportunity. Don’t get into bidding wars at this time.

To partially use an analogy from Carlos: I would rather have the Twins sign a guy from Northern Tool and Equipment than go to Dior to sign Correa. - a chain saw rips through the opposition better than an overpriced gold chain.

I’m expecting the off-season conversation will be whether Joe Ryan can be a legit ace or if he’s something less than that. But for now - enjoy the nice run in this disappointing season.

I think Carlos lost the fans and management with the Dior reference.

Injuries doomed the Twins this year. Without them, they are the team that was a consistent winner in April and May. In 2023, a healthy Twins team should be an improved squad with the additions of Maeda and Mahle to the rotation, and adding Matt Wallner’s bat, along with Trevor Larnach. Question marks are Polanco (is he overrated by us?), Kepler (Will he really significantly improve at the plate with the end of “the shift”) and the entire situation at Catcher. I believe it is unlikely the Twins will suffer a similar tsunami of injuries. There is room for optimism after this disappointing season.

With larger bases, stolen bases and bunting will return to the game at least a little

I was in attendance. It’s. Hard to put up more runs with Sanchez as DH and Cave starting. It was a game I so much wanted to see the Twins win for two reasons: 1. To punish all of the fans who left way too early. I saw a group leaving after 3 innings (apparently worried about getting a kid who looked 12 years old to bed on time - they could have taught that kid a good lesson - IF YOU ALWAYS LEAVE EARLY, YOU GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL MISS THE MOST EXCITING GAME YOU WILL EVER SEE. In fact, that almost happened last night 2 To punish the Guardians for the crappiest defense. It was t just the errors

As COVID-mania wanes, I don’t think we will see a return of vendors to Target Field. There are no more cash transactions (except side bets between fans), everything is by credit or debit card. It’s all part of the new cashless world.