2019 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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howeda7 said:
One looming issue for the Twins: 2020 status of the current rotation:

Berrios-1st year arbitration
Gibson-Free Agent
Odorizzi- Free Agent
Perez-Free Agent
Pineda-Free Agent

Pineda is bad and I don't yet trust Odorizzi. I'd be willing to sign Gibby to an extension of say 3/$30 and Perez for perhaps 2/$16 or 3/$24.
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whether you agree with the strategy or not, it seems pretty clear that Falvey and Levine went into this season determined that they would not tie up players to long-term contracts unless they were 100% sure that those players were going to be long-term key components. virtually every off-season signing was a 1-year deal, or a 1-year deal with a possible team option. F & L wanted to keep all their options open, and have a year to evaluate the minor-league talent.

going forward, it all hinges on what happens with the next group of minor-league players - Lewis, Kiriloff, Rooker, Gordon, Graterol, etc. I would not be shocked if half of the 40-man roster turns over in the next 2 or 3 years - especially for the pitching staff and bullpen.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Perez has a team option for 2020 at $7.5 million. I'm assuming they think Graterol will take over one of the spots by next year. He's got a 1.91 ERA at Pensacola right now. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a September call up if they think he could help a little in the bullpen.
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Didn't know that on Perez. Looks like a no-brainer at this point.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
whether you agree with the strategy or not, it seems pretty clear that Falvey and Levine went into this season determined that they would not tie up players to long-term contracts unless they were 100% sure that those players were going to be long-term key components. virtually every off-season signing was a 1-year deal, or a 1-year deal with a possible team option. F & L wanted to keep all their options open, and have a year to evaluate the minor-league talent.

going forward, it all hinges on what happens with the next group of minor-league players - Lewis, Kiriloff, Rooker, Gordon, Graterol, etc. I would not be shocked if half of the 40-man roster turns over in the next 2 or 3 years - especially for the pitching staff and bullpen.
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Yes. I think they are winning a year ahead of schedule, but when the situation changes, your plans should change.
 

howeda7 said:
Yes. I think they are winning a year ahead of schedule, but when the situation changes, your plans should change.
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Agreed, no one thought this team would have the best record in the league at any point this season. Some people may have been predicting winning the central (but only because the central for the most part sucks besides cleveland but now their injuries have derailed their season). Now all of a sudden the expectations have changed, it will be interesting to see how that changes their plans and if it messes with their long term plans. But with how good this team is playing their plans should change. The problem is I don't trust the pitchers just yet. Maybe it's the MN sports fan in me but I just can't believe Odo and Perez can keep this up....
 

Let's see what they do June 3rd. the date you can sign free agents that had compensation due to their former teams.
 


bottlebass said:
Agreed, no one thought this team would have the best record in the league at any point this season. Some people may have been predicting winning the central (but only because the central for the most part sucks besides cleveland but now their injuries have derailed their season). Now all of a sudden the expectations have changed, it will be interesting to see how that changes their plans and if it messes with their long term plans. But with how good this team is playing their plans should change. The problem is I don't trust the pitchers just yet. Maybe it's the MN sports fan in me but I just can't believe Odo and Perez can keep this up....
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I would expect at least one of them to crash back to the mean. They still need one more starter and one more reliever to have a legit shot of making a run in the play-offs. They can probably get to the play-offs as is.
 

howeda7 said:
I would expect at least one of them to crash back to the mean. They still need one more starter and one more reliever to have a legit shot of making a run in the play-offs. They can probably get to the play-offs as is.
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The bullpen worries me more than the starters. A bullpen with Magill, Harper, Morin, etc is not a playoff bullpen. Hildenberger has been shaky lately. At this point, after Rogers, Parker and May, the bullpen really drops off. And do not bring up Mejia. His best position IMHO is beer vendor.
 

Sid: Twins didn't wait to sign key free agents this offseason

Last season, Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine often talked about how they were comfortable being patient in the free-agent market to add pieces to their club.

For the past two seasons, Major League Baseball teams have seemed to agree and become more patient, especially about giving out big contracts to premier free agents. So far this season, star pitchers such as former Red Sox reliever Craig Kimbrel and former Astros starter Dallas Keuchel are still unsigned.

But it seems like the decision by Falvey and Levine to go after players earlier this past offseason is really paying off. The Twins have the best record in baseball at 23-12 through 35 games, compared to 17-18 last season.

Last season the Twins’ primary free-agent signings were Michael Pineda, Fernando Rodney, Zach Duke, Addison Reed, Anibal Sanchez, Erick Aybar, Logan Morrison and Lance Lynn. They also traded for Jake Odorizzi from Tampa Bay.

http://www.startribune.com/twins-didn-t-wait-to-sign-key-free-agents-this-offseason/509729622/

Win Twins!!
 

per Shama:

Flexible Ticket Pricing Now Twins Way

The Minnesota Twins offered the deepest single game discount on tickets this week that sources could recall.

Tuesday the club offered thousands of outfield seats for each of the 12 remaining home games in May at a price of $5 per ticket, and by Wednesday afternoon the inventory was gone. Then Wednesday night the organization did a second $5 flash sale for May offering entry to Target Field for games but not a designated seat, and now that inventory is also gone. This afternoon a Twins news release said that 20,000 outfield seats were sold via the first sale and 12,000 ballpark access tickets in the second.

How fast the Twins sold out the $5 allotment speaks to its popularity. “In my memory, I don’t remember anything this deep affecting so many tickets for this long a time,” said WCCO Radio talk show host Dave Mona who has followed the Twins franchise since its inception in 1961. “They’ve still got a substantial part of May remaining. I think that they (Twins executives) looked at it and said, ‘We need to do something dramatic to get people into the ballpark,’ and this was pretty dramatic.”

It’s been a rough spring for weather but the Twins have been playing some of the best baseball in the majors and the organization’s marketers want to get fans to Target Field so they can sample the product. “…I am sure they are as perplexed as others at how much of the decline is weather related because it truly has been a terrible spring for baseball,” Mona said. “They’re hoping people come to the park, like what they see and come back even after the promotion ends.”

The Twins attracted less than two million customers to their games last season. That was the lowest head count since 2010 when they moved into their new home, Target Field. This spring empty seats have been everywhere at the downtown ballpark.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Win Twins!!
 



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short ornery norwegian said:
The bullpen worries me more than the starters. A bullpen with Magill, Harper, Morin, etc is not a playoff bullpen. Hildenberger has been shaky lately. At this point, after Rogers, Parker and May, the bullpen really drops off. And do not bring up Mejia. His best position IMHO is beer vendor.
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Mejia has shown he can be pretty good as a starter. He looked really good in his 4 starts last year. And he's out of options so I imagine they front office wants to hold onto him as long as they can. I could see him getting a few starts if Pineda continues to struggle.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Mejia has shown he can be pretty good as a starter. He looked really good in his 4 starts last year. And he's out of options so I imagine they front office wants to hold onto him as long as they can. I could see him getting a few starts if Pineda continues to struggle.
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In the meantime his "hamstring pull" will linger until they decide whether to cut bait with Pineda.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Mejia has shown he can be pretty good as a starter. He looked really good in his 4 starts last year. And he's out of options so I imagine they front office wants to hold onto him as long as they can. I could see him getting a few starts if Pineda continues to struggle.
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I don’t see this, I root for him so I hope he can find a role.
 




Where ever that new place Odo trained this off season is going to be flooded with pitchers next year and they will be able to charge whatever they want and make a ton of money. He has been nothing short of amazing this season thus far.
 

Sid Hartman: Twins prospects emerging into stars under hitting coach James Rowson

While the Twins made a number of changes this offseason in bringing in Rocco Baldelli as manager and Wes Johnson as pitching coach, they didn’t make any changes at hitting coach, retaining James Rowson.

Rowson was hired before the 2017 season and interviewed for the managerial job before it went to Baldelli. The Twins offense has posted back-to-back solid seasons in Rowson’s two full seasons. In 2017 the Twins scored 815 runs, the fifth-highest total in franchise history. Last year they scored 738 runs, which ranked sixth in the AL.

This year they have really improved in one key area, and that is power hitting. Entering Saturday, they ranked first in the AL in slugging percentage. A number of their key young players, such as Byron Buxton, Jorge Polanco, Eddie Rosario, Mitch Garver and Max Kepler, are really performing.

Rowson said the biggest reason for that improvement is their maturity as pro players. But it goes without saying that the front office’s offseason moves to bring in veteran bats C.J. Cron, Nelson Cruz, Marwin Gonzalez and Jonathan Schoop has also paid off nicely.

“I think there is no better teacher than experience, for the guys that were here,” he said. “The guys that were here have another year of experience under their belt. They had a chance to see some of the pitching, they have seen these guys, they’re more comfortable, they understand what’s being asked of them on a daily basis.

“The other guys, some of the newer guys that are here, they have a really good track record. The C.J. Crons and Nelson Cruzes, Marwin Gonzalezes those guys of the world, Jonathan Schoop, they have a track record and they know what they’re doing up there.”

http://www.startribune.com/twins-pr...s-under-hitting-coach-james-rowson/509803682/

Win Twins!!
 

Charley Walters: Jorge Polanco could be Twins’ breakout all-star

This is Jorge Polanco’s 10th year in the Minnesota Twins’ organization.

He’s just 25 years old.

“We did get that one right,” Mike Radcliff said.

Radcliff, the Twins’ vice president of player personnel, and Latin America scout Fred Guerrero, among others, projected Polanco’s upside as a 15-year-old in the Dominican Republic. It’s early, but at his present pace, Polanco this season could become an all-star shortstop.

“That’s the whole deal, projecting out the body and trying to determine what they’ll eventually be physically — that’s the foundation for everything else,” Radcliff said last week.

Polanco, who already has two five-hit games this season, entered Saturday’s play leading the American League in hitting at .341. Included were seven home runs, four triples and 12 doubles.

“We projected him to be able to play in the middle infield, and believe me, there are plenty of candidates each and every year down there that play infield, millions of them,” Radcliff said. “In our mind, he was the best guy.”

That was in 2009, the same year the Twins were scouting another 16-year-old in the Dominican, Miguel Sano. Both were from San Pedro de Macoris.

“We signed Jorge a lot earlier than Miguel because of Miguel’s situation — nobody could determine his actual age, and there were all kinds of paperwork issues and stuff. So that dragged on,” Radcliff said.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/...rge-polanco-could-be-twins-breakout-all-star/

Win Twins!!
 

per Shooter:

Credit the Twins’ analytics people in part with Martin Perez’s 5-0, 2.83 start. For Perez, based on data, it’s been a matter of sequencing his pitches — which pitches he throws and when.

Jose Berrios last year switched agents. It’ll be interesting whether the Twins’ ace, who is just 24 years old and being paid just $620,000 this season, decides to go year-by-year with contracts rather than accept a five- or six-year deal that would guarantee millions against risk of injury. The Twins have tried several times to sign Berrios, who is a fitness fanatic, to a long-term deal.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/...rge-polanco-could-be-twins-breakout-all-star/

Win Twins!!
 

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bottlebass said:
Where ever that new place Odo trained this off season is going to be flooded with pitchers next year and they will be able to charge whatever they want and make a ton of money. He has been nothing short of amazing this season thus far.
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His first few starts weren't great, but he's been absolutely destroying it in his past several starts. And....it's worth noting that Odorizzi has never been a below average pitcher. He's always been pretty solid. Just so happens that so far this year....he's exceeding expectations.
 

The Twins are finally fun to watch again. Baldelli clearly has had a major impact on the team. But the days of piranhas and squeaking into the playoffs by trying to beat teams with a bunch of singles seem over. No more starting pitching woes where we give up at least three runs before relief comes in.

If the Royals could do it....why not the Twins?
 


STrib: Twins' Nelson Cruz will get MRI Monday on injured left wrist

The rally set up perfectly for the Twins: Three runs down in the seventh inning, two runners on base, and their veteran slugger due up. But Nelson Cruz knew he was in too much pain to help.

Cruz’s left wrist has bothered him occasionally all season, and cameras have caught him wincing after a swing. But the nagging soreness turned to pain when he swung his bat an inning earlier Sunday. Cruz called time, walked to the on-deck circle until the pain subsided somewhat, and eventually grounded out. But he told manager Rocco Baldelli he was hurt, and Baldelli sent up a pinch hitter in the seventh.

“It’s something I’ve been dealing with,” said Cruz, who has occasionally had his hand wrapped after Twins games. “Today was more painful.”

Cruz will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday to determine the cause of the pain and the process for healing it. It’s too early, Baldelli said, to know whether the 38-year-old designated hitter can avoid a stay on the 10-day injured list.

“These are the things you just want to be careful of,” Baldelli said. “He’s a guy [who] knows his body very very well, so [we’ll talk] about past history and the things that he’s dealt with. But I think it’s something we’ll be able to work through.”

Should Cruz be sidelined for a couple of weeks, one option might be to cut short Miguel Sano’s rehab assignment at Class AAA Rochester, where Sano doubled twice, struck out twice and walked Sunday. Sano has had 39 plate appearances since returning from a laceration on his right foot, though only nine have come at the Class AAA level.

http://www.startribune.com/twins-nelson-cruz-will-get-mri-monday-on-injured-left-wrist/509828072/

Win Twins!!
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
Where's all the Falvey and Levine hate now?
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I don't know how many times I was called a Pohlad pocket protector on twitter during the off-season because I said some of the moves they made were sneaky good and that the front office had the organization going in the right direction. Of course now those people are pretty quiet.
 

Put Cruz on the DL and call up Sano. No sense trying to rush a 40 year old back from an injury in May.
 

Things were going a tad too well for Minnesota sports. Garver probably out for a long while with a sprained or broken ankle.
 

howeda7 said:
Things were going a tad too well for Minnesota sports. Garver probably out for a long while with a sprained or broken ankle.
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I think our line up is able to absorb some injuries like this. A couple more and we may be in trouble. But honestly with the injuries Cleveland has and how sh!tty the rest of the division is we should be just fine.
 

howeda7 said:
Things were going a tad too well for Minnesota sports. Garver probably out for a long while with a sprained or broken ankle.
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Your (many, many) posts with some oblique reference to "Sports Gods" and Minnesota's "bad luck" are just the best and are not at all lame, boring, and repetitive.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Your (many, many) posts with some oblique reference to "Sports Gods" and Minnesota's "bad luck" are just the best and are not at all lame, boring, and repetitive.
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If you can't have a little fun with the misery that is being a MN sports fan you must be a really really sad person.

It's obvious the sports gods took a little vacation. They must be home now and after having a good laugh about a MN team doing well they put their divine interventions back in motion, thus the Garver injury.
 

BleedGopher said:
Charley Walters: Jorge Polanco could be Twins’ breakout all-star

This is Jorge Polanco’s 10th year in the Minnesota Twins’ organization.

He’s just 25 years old.

“We did get that one right,” Mike Radcliff said.

Radcliff, the Twins’ vice president of player personnel, and Latin America scout Fred Guerrero, among others, projected Polanco’s upside as a 15-year-old in the Dominican Republic. It’s early, but at his present pace, Polanco this season could become an all-star shortstop.

“That’s the whole deal, projecting out the body and trying to determine what they’ll eventually be physically — that’s the foundation for everything else,” Radcliff said last week.

Polanco, who already has two five-hit games this season, entered Saturday’s play leading the American League in hitting at .341. Included were seven home runs, four triples and 12 doubles.

“We projected him to be able to play in the middle infield, and believe me, there are plenty of candidates each and every year down there that play infield, millions of them,” Radcliff said. “In our mind, he was the best guy.”

That was in 2009, the same year the Twins were scouting another 16-year-old in the Dominican, Miguel Sano. Both were from San Pedro de Macoris.

“We signed Jorge a lot earlier than Miguel because of Miguel’s situation — nobody could determine his actual age, and there were all kinds of paperwork issues and stuff. So that dragged on,” Radcliff said.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/...rge-polanco-could-be-twins-breakout-all-star/

Win Twins!!
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Oh.....and big stretch here Charley. Polanco is eleventh in the MLB in batting average, hitting .327, eight in slugging at .614, ninth in OPS at 1.010, and fifth in wins about replacement at 2.6. Yah think he could be the Twins breakout star. :rolleyes:
 

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