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Lee-The-Twins-Fan

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Everything posted by Lee-The-Twins-Fan

  1. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Yes, we need a higher OBP guy who can hit and field. I think Falvey and co. will add that player in January. I like Nelson Cruz, but I suspect he will go elsewhere. We do need a marque name to help promote the team. The unpredictability of this lineup - which is, I believe, the premise of this story – makes me want to get a really good player. The Twins have the pieces to move around - it could be a hitter who plays almost any position. Pieces can be moved. But I think the author is right in that Tyler Austin will be the odd man headed to the bench. The other problem with this whole scenario is that one or two injuries will really derail the season, unless we have guys in the minors who can take over.
  2. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Never say never.
  3. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I believe we also need a very good hitter as well, somebody who can get on base. With a full 40-man roster, someone will have to go - and that could be a pitcher, which would change the dynamic.
  4. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    You are right to say pitching staffs are fundamentally being transformed. But some of that transformation will depend on existing pitchers. If you have a dominant starter (or four) you would be less inclined to go with an opener, for example. If you have several dominant relievers and few dominant starters, you would be more inclined to go with openers, and to not have specific roles to specific pitchers. So for the Twins, it's a matter of quality first; after that you look for the best way to use your pitchers to win each game..
  5. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Hopefully Buxton and Sano are healthy and honed for the 2019 season. they will be starting. Cave and Austin will be on the bench – if on the team at all (maybe Austin). We need an on-base hitter, with some power. I actually think this is a higher priority than pitching, although we need some of that too. Nelson Cruz would be my first choice, but that might not happen. The Twins' brass seems willing to wait out free agents, hoping the same thing happens in ealry 2019 that happened in early 2018, with the prices for free agents falling. Lance Lynn signed a one year $12 million deal with the Twins then; now he's signed a 3 year, $30 million deal with Texas. I also hope our other 'long shots' Schoop and Torreyes pay off.
  6. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I'd take a flyer on him. What's the worst that could happen? He doesn't perform, and you release him? You might just get some real good results...
  7. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I think the Twins had every right to wait for Buxton and Sano in 2018, after their respective 2017 seasons. Yes the Twins could have gone out and gotten a real good 3B and CF – but you could really say that about the entire team. There are better players out there at every position, but you cannot acquire top notch talent at every position (unless you are the Dodgers, Red Sox or dreaded Yankees). The Twins just cannot do that. They did have to hope that Sano and Buxton would be able to play in 2018. Unfortunately, for much of the season at least, they did not play, at least at the ML level. Yes, the Twins appear to be relying on these two stars for 2019, but I suspect they have a shorter leash this year. If one or both don't perform in early 2019, I suspect the Twins will commence a trade to alleviate it. I would hate to lose either player, but at some point, they need to produce.
  8. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I agree. This is the year for taking the division. Cleveland is getting weaker and Chicago is getting stronger. This is our best chance to take the division and go far into the playoffs. The Red Sox and Yankees will continue to be tough, as will Houston, but the AL Central – the weakest division in all of baseball, is there for the taking.
  9. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I disagree strongly with this assessment. Sano and Adrianza can more than adequately man third base. There are other options as well. But for me, Sano is our 3B, until something happens and he cannot do it. For me, moving Sano to 1B is not an option. Having him DH full time is not an option. He should be at 3B. That's his position.
  10. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Is it a coincidence that the Twins top two infield prospects - Nick Gordon and Luis Arraez – both bat left handed? I think the Twins are good at elevating left handed batters (Mauer, Kepler). Maybe it's a trend? That could affect the Twins decisions on whether to tender certain players, especially Grossman, if they feel these two have surpassed him in talent. And now that Mauer is retired, the remaining Twins are less left handed than before. That probably puts more pressure on Gordon and Arraez to perform...
  11. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I agree. I hope they non-tender Grossman, but keep Adrianza, if for nothing else late inning defensive replacement, anywhere in the infield. I hope the Twins find a left-handed hitting 1B to platoon with Cron and Tyler Austin.
  12. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Good story. I'm not crazy about moving Romero to the bullpen, but other than that it's hard to argue with your analysis. I like May as a starter as well. We're going to need a lot of starters. I would want to see more reps from Kepler at 1B, but it makes sense to have a lefty at 1B for the batting splits. Maybe if we could get a switch-hitting RF as well, it would be good.
  13. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I like Charlie Morton and the two Holland boys. I think they would be a fine addition to the Twins staff. Off topic: When is TD going to drop the pi of Brian Dozier (just above the comment thread)?
  14. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    The biggest thing I will miss about Mauer's departure from 1B is his defense. He was a great defensive 1B, and should have snagged a gold glove in 2017. That said, we need a great defensive 1B. 1B touches the ball more often than any other fielder besides the pitcher and catcher. We need a solid defensive 1B, who can hit. Do not move Sano from 3B to 1B. If his defense is shaky at 3B (And I don't think it is) it will be just as shaky at 1B, and any mistakes will only be multiplied and magnified. Leave Sano at 3B. Get a better 1B who bats left. I like Matt Adams. I think he would be good. As for 2B and SS, I know I'm dreaming, but I wish Dozier would consider coming back.
  15. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    You may have hit the nail, but not on its head. Baldelli cannot do ALL of the above; he first has to have coaches whom he can trust to help with all of the above. He's not just leading the players, but also the coaches. He's also dealing with upper management (making recommendations about both the Twins players and other teams' players) and analytics staff (getting the right information in succinct form to the players that they can apply. His lack of management experience - at any level of the game - is a concern. Anyone can fill out a lineup card, but getting the best lineup possible against each opponent for 162 games is a challenge. As a new manager, he must build relationships with each of the players, and begin to build trust. 'Trust is earned' is a common phrase, but that trust has to exist. Without it, the ball club will flop. Sano and Buxton I believe can flourish under Baldelli, but it's also a question if they will, Their season probably had more to do with Molitor's leaving than anything else (just conjecture). Sano will come back string, I think; Buxton has more challenges. Let's hope Baldelli can get the most out of all the Twins.
  16. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I got one of those phone calls a few weeks ago, only it was the IRS. I returned the call and the voice answered "IRS". No big phone message system. I knew it was a scam. I'm sure Rocco doesn't have this problem...
  17. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Who is the best DEFENSIVE 1B in the organization? Or available via trade? Or available via free agency? I disagree with posters who seemingly dismiss the value of a strong defensive 1B. !B handles the ball more often than anyone aside from the pitcher and catcher. A good one digs hurried throws out of the dirt and makes it look easy. I hope Mauer returns for this reason. And don't move Sano from 3B. He is much better at 3B than anywhere else. He has a string arm, and has made some very nice plays there. Personally, I hope Mauer comes back and plays at least half-time at 1B.
  18. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    $60 million for one year? He's not worth that. No player is. If he plays 162 games, he would get about $370,000 PER GAME! Granted, he works for more than just 162 games a year (workouts, spring training, etc.), but that's a lot of money. And people complained about Mauer's $23 million a year deal. $30 million a year for five years would be good.
  19. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I don't see the Brewers getting Dozier. Would he be an upgrade? Yes, but not enough of an upgrade to give multiple prospects to the Twins, that other teams may be willing to do. Dodgers or Red Sox, yes. Dozier only has a .223 averages and a .711 OPS, very similar to Villar's numbers. If Dozier gets hot, and the Twins get hot, they may re-think the whole sell-mode.
  20. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    Don't look now, but Tyler Duffey is pitching very well in Rochester. He's pitched eight innings so far, all in relief, in three games, and he's done something that's a bit odd: He has a 2-1 record with NO EARNED RUNS allowed. (He's allowed two unearned runs.) He's struck out 10 in 8 innings, and has issued no walks and only 2 hits (That's a 0.25 WHIP rate). At this rate, He might get called up, especially if Hildenberger continues to falter.
  21. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    2018 will be a key year for Garver. Obviously it would be difficult to do this analysis on Garver for his work in 2017 because of the small sample size. I see Castro as the regular catcher in 2018, but Garver and Castro switching those roles in 2019, in Castro's walk year. By 2020, Castro will likely be gone, and the Twins will have a new guy for backup. Who that will be, I couldn't hazard a guess. Top Twins' catching prospects are Ben Rortvedt and David Banuels, but both are a ways away yet. At AAA Rochester are Willians Astudillo, Jordan Pacheco (on the DL) and Bobby Wilson. Wilson is likely the first call-up if Castro or Garver get hurt, but he may not be around in two years when the Twins will need another back-up catcher. Then there's Brian Navarreto, an excellent defensive catcher in Chattanooga.If he starts hitting, he could be the guy. At this point, there is no heir-apparent to the job, which is disconcerting for Twins fans.
  22. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    First Jake Odorizzi pitches six innings of shutout baseball in the opening game. Then Kyle Gibson pitches six innings of shutout and hitless baseball – arguably a step above Odorizzi.. Yesterday, Jose Berrios pitches nine innings of three-hit, one walk, six strikeout baseball - even better than Gibson.. Today, Starter Lance Lynn pitches at noon, central time. No pressure though. You think!?!
  23. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    I agree wholeheartedly with this, although it may be close between them. Oh, and people who want to move Sano to 1B: I disagree. He's fine at 3B. He's got a rocket for an arm that would be wasted at 1B.
  24. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    It seems like we're almost wasting Lynn early on - he gets Pittsburgh, Seattle and Chicago before facing the Indians. I wish he were lined up against Houston – that's where they'll need him.
  25. Lee-The-Twins-Fan
    An eternal optimist, I'd take the over on all of these. they all seem way too conservative for me.
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