All Things 2022 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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It would give me a little bit of joy if we can finish ahead of the White Sox. 3rd place for them would be a huge disappointment for them.
 

Amazing column by Chip; he rips the Twins FO as they would in the Daily News and the Post for their approach to building a staff, the bullpen, the overall approach - we're not crazy.

Twins will have their lowest attendance since 2001, excluding the pandemic seasons. Losing money and being embarrassed are two of the least favorite things for wealthy people - everything for them is a competition. No, I've never hung out with Pohland types, but I've been around enough millionaires to known they hate to lose - let this be the salvation of the proletariat.

www.startribune.com

Injuries hurt the Twins. But the organization needs to make some fundamental changes

Call it Total System Frustration, including but not limited to injured and ineffective pitchers.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

The Twins claimed first prize in terrible timing this week by announcing, in the midst of a breathtaking collapse, plans to unveil new uniforms and a new scoreboard next season in a rebranding makeover.

Is it too much to ask for some rebranding of the actual baseball product too? Save the cosmetic changes, fix the pitching.

In 2016, I called Twins owner Jim Pohlad to ask about a disastrous first month of the season and he offered an unforgettable assessment: Total System Failure.

The 2022 season doesn't fit that exact description. It's more of a Total System Frustration.

Twins followers are frustrated with the front office. Frustrated with the manager. Frustrated with ownership. Frustrated with the entire operation.

If the team's brass need evidence of the anger, a quick search of social media should do the trick. Or they can look at attendance numbers.

The team is on pace for its lowest average attendance in a non-pandemic-affected season since 2001, which is especially telling considering the Twins were in first place in the division for 108 days.

Team executives can rationalize that any way they desire, but a disconnect exists that won't be solved by simply giving an exaggerated sigh and lamenting how injuries ruined the season.

Yes, an inordinate number of injuries impeded their quest to win the most winnable division in MLB. The Twins have placed 32 players on the injured list, tops among American League teams.

No one denies that injuries severely impacted the pennant race. But it's too convenient and lacks accountability to blame injuries as the sole culprit for missing the postseason. Any attempt to use absences to deflect attention from organizational missteps would be an exercise in scapegoating.

In performing the season autopsy, Derek Falvey's front office needs to conduct an honest evaluation of every facet of the operation and understand that a cockamamie pitching plan contributed greatly to the demise.

The front office put together a mediocre rotation and adhered to a quick-hook philosophy that limits starter innings, which shifted extra burden to a bullpen that was untrustworthy. How does that make sense? That approach was doomed to fail.

Falvey continues to supplement the rotation with retreads whose best days are long gone, presumably under the belief that their pitching system will coax a career rebirth. That frugality is not a sign of being serious about building a top-flight staff and legitimate contender.

The quick-hook template for starters is not sustainable because it puts too much strain on the bullpen, even if they had a deep, elite bullpen.

The reluctance to let starters face the order for a third time becomes particularly maddening on nights when the starter looks strong and willing to keep battling. It's as if decisions are made on autopilot, oblivious to gut feeling or flow of the game.

Rocco Baldelli serves as the public's punching bag because he's the one making pitching changes, but this starts above him as an organizational philosophy that needs to change. If they don't trust starters to pitch more than four or five innings, then spend more money to find pitching that they do trust.

Ownership also should demand a deep-dive examination of the medical department to determine if the volume of injuries was merely unfortunate luck or whether underlying issues exist.

It's just odd — and perhaps only ironic — that a team so devoted to sports science and giving regular days off for rest and recovery would encounter this amount of injury.

The front office forfeits some sympathy votes by adding pitchers with known injury history and then watching that pitcher suffer another injury. This has happened multiple times now. Falvey said those decisions involve assessing risk, but a pattern of getting burned should compel them to re-evaluate their thought process.

"I need to go assess what we're doing organizationally," Falvey said last week. "We'll try to figure out what the right paths are forward."

More of the same is not the answer. They can blame injuries for the season unraveling, but the problems go deeper than that.
 

Nice article. Hits a lot of the points I'm thinking of (and basically everyone else). I'm sure there are a lot more, but good to bring it out in the public spectrum. Especially pointing out the attendance and tying it to the failures
 



I get what Correa is saying, but I thought it came off as as very elitist, for lack of a better word. Talking about shopping at Dior, and saying "I'm the product."

makes it pretty clear that Boras is looking for the biggest contract possible.

I think the real issue will be the length of contract. If Boras is looking for a 10-year deal for over $300-million, I just don't see the Twins being the high bidder. If Boras and Correa are willing to take a 6 or 7-year deal, then maybe the Twins might consider it.

and - if Correa leaves for another team, the Twins had better take that $30-million and use it on the best bleepin' pitcher they can find - with NO history of injuries.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I get what Correa is saying, but I thought it came off as as very elitist, for lack of a better word. Talking about shopping at Dior, and saying "I'm the product."

makes it pretty clear that Boras is looking for the biggest contract possible.

I think the real issue will be the length of contract. If Boras is looking for a 10-year deal for over $300-million, I just don't see the Twins being the high bidder. If Boras and Correa are willing to take a 6 or 7-year deal, then maybe the Twins might consider it.

and - if Correa leaves for another team, the Twins had better take that $30-million and use it on the best bleepin' pitcher they can find - with NO history of injuries.
Click to expand...
Even if they were willing to pay market rate, no top-end starter wants to come play for the 4 inning spreadsheet gang. There's a reason all of their starting pitching acquisitions have been via trade.

Reading back-to-back articles in the Star Tribune: "the Twins are disappointed in low attendance" and "St. Peter says Falvey will be back next year and for "many many" years. Gee, Dave you think one might have something to do with the other?
 


howeda7 said:
Even if they were willing to pay market rate, no top-end starter wants to come play for the 4 inning spreadsheet gang. There's a reason all of their starting pitching acquisitions have been via trade.

Reading back-to-back articles in the Star Tribune: "the Twins are disappointed in low attendance" and "St. Peter says Falvey will be back next year and for "many many" years. Gee, Dave you think one might have something to do with the other?
Click to expand...
Too end starting pitchers never got free agency. They are like quarterbacks in football. Too many teams and not enough of them. The best chance they would have is to find a star somewhere and trade a boat load for them and then sign them to a contract. Otherwise you better be able to develop them.
 











Way to go Joe!

Ryan caps breakout rookie season with Twins record​



www.mlb.com

Ryan caps breakout rookie season with Twins record

DETROIT -- Exactly a year ago, Joe Ryan’s spectacular month-long cameo in the big leagues to finish out the 2021 regular season came to a forgettable conclusion at the hands of these Tigers. Friday night at Comerica Park, he punched back in record-breaking fashion. Ryan entered his ‘22 finale...
www.mlb.com www.mlb.com

DETROIT -- Exactly a year ago, Joe Ryan’s spectacular month-long cameo in the big leagues to finish out the 2021 regular season came to a forgettable conclusion at the hands of these Tigers. Friday night at Comerica Park, he punched back in record-breaking fashion.

Ryan entered his ‘22 finale needing to fan two batters to break the Twins’ single-season record for a rookie. He collected those quickly with consecutive strikeouts of Miguel Cabrera and Spencer Torkelson in the second inning -- and kept going.

By the time Ryan completed his sixth scoreless frame to conclude his first full season in the Majors as part of a 7-0 victory over the Tigers, he sat alone atop the leaderboard with 151 K’s, a fitting trophy for a consistently solid year punctuated by flashes of dominance.

“It was a perfect way to wrap his season, a great rookie year from him,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We just gave him the ball in the locker room for the Twins’ single-season rookie strikeout record, in which apparently he topped Francisco Liriano. Pretty amazing, so I think he should be very pleased and he has something very nice to build on going forward.”


The 26-year-old right-hander took some lumps in the sixth inning but escaped unscathed thanks to an outfield assist and a strikeout with runners on the corners. That final third strike brought his total to eight in the outing, decisively passing Liriano’s 144 strikeouts in 2006 to set the Twins’ new rookie mark.

Most strikeouts in a season by a rookie, Twins history
151 - Joe Ryan, 2022
144 - Francisco Liriano, 2006
135 - Bert Blyleven, 1970
130 - Jim Hughes, 1975
“Very honored to be on that list and cool to have a couple of great pitchers on there,” Ryan said. “Definitely an honor.”
Joe Ryan's 145th strikeout


Joe Ryan's 145th strikeout​


It didn’t take long for Ryan to earn his manager’s faith after he was acquired from the Rays last year in the four-player trade that sent away Nelson Cruz. And in a 2022 season during which the Twins were decimated by injuries, Ryan’s consistency was needed as he led the club in innings (147) and strikeouts while finishing second in games started (27), none of which are likely to change in the final games of the season. Ryan was available and effective throughout the year outside a three-and-a-half-week absence due to COVID-19.

“He’s been a good, healthy worker for us,” Baldelli said. “He’s pitched deep into some games. He’s missed bats. He’s continually developed his stuff. He’s been pretty strong in the second half, too. I mean, what else can you ask for from a young arm?”

Though Ryan had a few blow-up outings in key games against the Padres, Dodgers and Red Sox, 2022 was undeniably an effective season of development for the youngster, who continued to learn how to pitch with his offspeed stuff and navigate lineups deeper into games.

When he arrived in that July 22, 2021, trade with Tampa Bay, he leaned on his fastball to the extreme -- undeniably an effective pitch due to his unorthodox arm angle -- but needed to grow to trust his offspeed stuff to work lineups deeper into games and eat innings when his team needed it. That fastball is still his best pitch -- hitters slugged only .305 off it this year -- but the development of the slider and changeup will make him a more complete pitcher.

“It allows him to actually pitch to some hitters’ weaknesses in some ways, where at the beginning of the year, he probably wasn’t doing some of that,” Baldelli said. “He was probably just relying on his fastball, and he’s learned that he’s going to have to kind of deviate from that plan and learn some things, and he’s continually getting better.”

The culmination of all that progress as Ryan found a routine looks like his September, which also featured seven no-hit innings against Kansas City and 7 2/3 shutout frames against Cleveland. There was perhaps no more fitting way to cap that than when he overcame adversity in his third time through the lineup, with the Twins hoping he’ll evolve into another innings-eater capable of going deeper into games.

Ryan posted a 2.20 ERA in September, and a 10-0 record and 1.39 ERA in 12 starts against the division. That’s already a very strong foundation – and the Twins are eager to see what further development will bring.

“Really fortunate to have amazing teammates around me, especially on the rotation side,” Ryan said. “So many smart guys that have done it for so long that I can learn from. Just trying to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can. Just trying to take notes and hopefully carry that on over.”
Did you like this story?
 

No. 6 prospect Woods Richardson joins taxi squad (meaning he will pitch this year - Huzzah!!)​

www.mlb.com

There's a new longest last name in AL/NL history

DETROIT -- Simeon Woods Richardson admits that he had thought about the absurdity of what his full last name would look like on the back of a Major League team’s jersey. It’s 16 characters long, pushing him decisively past the previous labyrinthine-last-name leader, former big league catcher...
www.mlb.com www.mlb.com

DETROIT -- Simeon Woods Richardson admits that he had thought about the absurdity of what his full last name would look like on the back of a Major League team’s jersey. It’s 16 characters long, pushing him decisively past the previous labyrinthine-last-name leader, former big league catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, for what’s believed to be the longest name on the back of a jersey in big league history.

“I could already envision it,” Woods Richardson said. “I already know it's going to go from love handle to love handle.”

He no longer needs to imagine it, because such a jersey now exists and hangs from a locker in the visiting clubhouse at Comerica Park, with his beautifully arching last name enveloping a jersey number 78. Woods Richardson, the organization’s No. 6 prospect, joined the Twins on Friday as a member of the five-man taxi squad, and manager Rocco Baldelli confirmed that the 22-year-old right-hander will pitch for the Twins before the end of the regular season.

Though the Twins have not yet made any formal announcement as to when that will be, it would make sense that Woods Richardson’s big league debut could come in Sunday’s series finale against the Tigers, as the club has announced its probable starting pitchers for every other remaining game in the regular season, with Sunday still listed as “TBD.”

“You balance out the kind of year that he has and you balance out kind of the upside and what you think a guy might be able to get out of it, where they’re at in their career,” Baldelli said. “There are guys that you want to get out there. You want to see them. You want to get them in a spot where if they’re making a start for you the following spring or the following year early in the year, that they’ve done it before.”


Woods Richardson was one of two prospects the Twins acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline, along with Austin Martin, in the deal that sent José Berríos to the Blue Jays. At this point, it appears safe to call him the headliner of the trade.

Though Woods Richardson no longer ranks among MLB’s Top 100 prospects (he was ranked No. 68 at the time of the trade), he has rebounded from an interrupted ‘21 season with an outstanding ‘22 during which he has posted a 2.77 ERA in 23 appearances (including 22 starts) across Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul, with 115 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings. He has allowed no more than five hits in any of his seven starts since his promotion to Triple-A.
Woods Richardson had a 5.91 ERA last season at the Double-A level in the Toronto and Minnesota organizations, but the Twins were expecting a big improvement this year due to the right-hander’s youth -- he just turned 22 on Tuesday, when he was first told he’d be joining the Twins on this road trip -- and also because his ‘21 season was interrupted for a nearly two-month hiatus when he was named to Team USA for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Armed with a much-improved slider, more consistent mechanics and the ability to mostly stay in a steady rhythm this year save a month-and-a-half-long absence due to COVID-19, Woods Richardson has looked to be reaching his sky-high potential – and the Twins are ready to see it at the Major League level, with the hope that Woods Richardson will take his big league cameo as a learning experience entering the offseason.

"I think it's a tremendous help,” Woods Richardson said. “Just seeing the type of caliber of hitters in the box, reading their swings, reading my swings, it upgrades your game. You will do better, you will feel better, you will think better. Everything is for a pitch-to-pitch purpose. I think that's what I'm most excited to see."

When Woods Richardson debuts, he’ll be the youngest pitcher to appear in the Majors this year, narrowly edging out teammate Ronny Henriquez (the organization’s No. 22 prospect). The Twins aren’t worried one bit.

“If they’re close to being able to help you, if they’re fully ready to be able to help you and you look at all of that -- sometimes, just because you’re young doesn’t mean you can't come up here and compete and doesn’t mean you’re not ready for these opportunities,” Baldelli said. “We think these guys are, obviously.”
 

If you're nostalgic, ace Dylan Bundy is throwing his last innings as a Twin. It's the 3rd, so he's nearing a "Falvey Complete Game" of 4 innings.
 

howeda7 said:
If you're nostalgic, ace Dylan Bundy is throwing his last innings as a Twin. It's the 3rd, so he's nearing a "Falvey Complete Game" of 4 innings.
Click to expand...

You hack - they stretched him out and he went 5 tonight
 


on Ryan and the rookie strikeout record - Ryan had 151 K in 147 IP.

Liriano in 2006 had 144 K in 121 IP. he also went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA. But, Liriano's season was shut down early due to elbow problems.

on Saturday, Twins lost to Tigers 3-2. winning run scored on an infield error by Arraez. Twins also had more base-running adventures. they had the bases loaded one inning and Urshela was picked off 2nd base to end the threat.
 


Gopher_In_NYC said:

No. 6 prospect Woods Richardson joins taxi squad (meaning he will pitch this year - Huzzah!!)​

www.mlb.com

There's a new longest last name in AL/NL history

DETROIT -- Simeon Woods Richardson admits that he had thought about the absurdity of what his full last name would look like on the back of a Major League team’s jersey. It’s 16 characters long, pushing him decisively past the previous labyrinthine-last-name leader, former big league catcher...
www.mlb.com www.mlb.com

DETROIT -- Simeon Woods Richardson admits that he had thought about the absurdity of what his full last name would look like on the back of a Major League team’s jersey. It’s 16 characters long, pushing him decisively past the previous labyrinthine-last-name leader, former big league catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, for what’s believed to be the longest name on the back of a jersey in big league history.

“I could already envision it,” Woods Richardson said. “I already know it's going to go from love handle to love handle.”

He no longer needs to imagine it, because such a jersey now exists and hangs from a locker in the visiting clubhouse at Comerica Park, with his beautifully arching last name enveloping a jersey number 78. Woods Richardson, the organization’s No. 6 prospect, joined the Twins on Friday as a member of the five-man taxi squad, and manager Rocco Baldelli confirmed that the 22-year-old right-hander will pitch for the Twins before the end of the regular season.

Though the Twins have not yet made any formal announcement as to when that will be, it would make sense that Woods Richardson’s big league debut could come in Sunday’s series finale against the Tigers, as the club has announced its probable starting pitchers for every other remaining game in the regular season, with Sunday still listed as “TBD.”

“You balance out the kind of year that he has and you balance out kind of the upside and what you think a guy might be able to get out of it, where they’re at in their career,” Baldelli said. “There are guys that you want to get out there. You want to see them. You want to get them in a spot where if they’re making a start for you the following spring or the following year early in the year, that they’ve done it before.”


Woods Richardson was one of two prospects the Twins acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline, along with Austin Martin, in the deal that sent José Berríos to the Blue Jays. At this point, it appears safe to call him the headliner of the trade.

Though Woods Richardson no longer ranks among MLB’s Top 100 prospects (he was ranked No. 68 at the time of the trade), he has rebounded from an interrupted ‘21 season with an outstanding ‘22 during which he has posted a 2.77 ERA in 23 appearances (including 22 starts) across Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul, with 115 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings. He has allowed no more than five hits in any of his seven starts since his promotion to Triple-A.
Woods Richardson had a 5.91 ERA last season at the Double-A level in the Toronto and Minnesota organizations, but the Twins were expecting a big improvement this year due to the right-hander’s youth -- he just turned 22 on Tuesday, when he was first told he’d be joining the Twins on this road trip -- and also because his ‘21 season was interrupted for a nearly two-month hiatus when he was named to Team USA for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Armed with a much-improved slider, more consistent mechanics and the ability to mostly stay in a steady rhythm this year save a month-and-a-half-long absence due to COVID-19, Woods Richardson has looked to be reaching his sky-high potential – and the Twins are ready to see it at the Major League level, with the hope that Woods Richardson will take his big league cameo as a learning experience entering the offseason.

"I think it's a tremendous help,” Woods Richardson said. “Just seeing the type of caliber of hitters in the box, reading their swings, reading my swings, it upgrades your game. You will do better, you will feel better, you will think better. Everything is for a pitch-to-pitch purpose. I think that's what I'm most excited to see."

When Woods Richardson debuts, he’ll be the youngest pitcher to appear in the Majors this year, narrowly edging out teammate Ronny Henriquez (the organization’s No. 22 prospect). The Twins aren’t worried one bit.

“If they’re close to being able to help you, if they’re fully ready to be able to help you and you look at all of that -- sometimes, just because you’re young doesn’t mean you can't come up here and compete and doesn’t mean you’re not ready for these opportunities,” Baldelli said. “We think these guys are, obviously.”
Click to expand...

It’s official, per the MLB Ap - he’s taking the hill today as the starter.
Read an article on him a couple of weeks ago and he was stating the ups and downs of the past year are all part of the maturation process - great perspective and easy confidence from a 22 year old. To me he has the mindset of an ace, he’ll want the shot at the end of the game, be the stopper for a losing streak and if you read the article above, he’s been lights out this year with a 2.73 ERA over 22 starts at double & triple A. Let’s not forget that he was the 68 overall prospect before last season’s travails. His debut, per the article, makes him the youngest hurler make their MLB debut this year.
Huzzah!
 

short ornery norwegian said:
on Ryan and the rookie strikeout record - Ryan had 151 K in 147 IP.

Liriano in 2006 had 144 K in 121 IP. he also went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA. But, Liriano's season was shut down early due to elbow problems.

on Saturday, Twins lost to Tigers 3-2. winning run scored on an infield error by Arraez. Twins also had more base-running adventures. they had the bases loaded one inning and Urshela was picked off 2nd base to end the threat.
Click to expand...

On the ☀️ side of the post-

Arraez’s 2 hits last night gives him a 2?point cushion heading into Sunday.

Ronny Henriquez looks like he belongs and was the youngest pitcher this to make his MLB debut this year and will be supplanted today when Woods Richardson‘a start. Young guns
 



howeda7 said:
Rocco ripping up the spreadsheet and letting his hair down now that games are meaningless. They stole 2 bases on Friday too.
Click to expand...

You cannot deny Cave and Contreras on the base paths - only hope to contain them!
 


Not to worry though. Falvey and his brain trust will be back next year and for "many many more years." Buy your tickets now while you still can...

 


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