All Things 2023-2024 Minnesota Twins Off-Season Thread

[GopherWeatherGuy]

We have to account for Brooks Lee incoming.

Someone on Skor north proposed he play CF.

People also said the same thing about Royce Lewis, who actually played a few games in the OF early in his minor league career. How'd that work out?

Lee has never played OF in his life. You don't just throw anyone in CF, especially someone who isn't that fast, but that's the type of hard hitting analysis you get from Skor north...

I could see Lee ending up at 2B or 3B.

 

[howeda7]

We have to account for Brooks Lee incoming.

Someone on Skor north proposed he play CF.

If he can I'm all for that.

 

[howeda7]

People also said the same thing about Royce Lewis, who actually played a few games in the OF early in his minor league career. How'd that work out?

Lee has never played OF in his life. You don't just throw anyone in CF, especially someone who isn't that fast, but that's the type of hard hitting analysis you get from Skor north...

I could see Lee ending up at 2B or 3B.

They supposedly already said he's not moving to 2B and the have Lewis and Correa at 3B/SS. They have to either relent on 2B or consider an OF spot.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

They supposedly already said he's not moving to 2B and the have Lewis and Correa at 3B/SS. They have to either relent on 2B or consider an OF spot.

Well you know my thoughts on Lewis holding up at 3B, so I believe there will be opportunity there. Polanco may not be back, and I'm not sure Julien will ever be good enough defensively to stick at 2B, so it seems like a logical place to put him.

Lee could possibly play a corner OF, but his speed scouting grade is 50, which is what Kirilloff was rated. Lewis was 70, which is why he was considered for CF. 50 is not fast enough to play CF in the majors.

 

[TNGophfan]

Right now they have Wallner, Kepler, Larnach and Castro all on the 40 man.

ick but still young, ok and way above average fielder, and ick.

 

[TNGophfan]

We have to account for Brooks Lee incoming.

Someone on Skor north proposed he play CF.

Maybe, and I admit I haven't seen enough of him, but I don't think he's a CF. At least not a run preventing one.

 

[Ope3]

Buxton aiming to return to Center Field.

Twins' Buxton has knee surgery, eyes CF return

Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton had arthroscopic surgery Friday on his right knee in an effort to alleviate irritation related to patellar tendinitis and return to center field next season.

www.espn.com

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Buxton aiming to return to Center Field.

Twins' Buxton has knee surgery, eyes CF return

Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton had arthroscopic surgery Friday on his right knee in an effort to alleviate irritation related to patellar tendinitis and return to center field next season.

www.espn.com

thatd be great

 

[short ornery norwegian]

so much hinges on the injury issues. once they are sorted out, then the dominoes start to fall.

I know it seems like a long shot, but if Buxton can play CF at least half-time, then you could have Julien DH. Infield could be Lewis - Correa - Polanco or Lee - Miranda holds down 1B until Kirilloff is ready. Or, an idea I saw - Polanco at 1B. Maybe try Severino at 1B in Spring Training - but I suspect they might want him to get some more games at AAA.

in the OF, depends on how much - if any - Buxton can play. Do you keep Taylor as the half-time CF?
Wallner and Kepler at the corners with Castro as the super-utility man. Or Austin Martin - has played OF in the minors. not much power but runs well.

at C, could you move Vazquez? Camargo has some power and could be the backup to Jeffers.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Strib had a good article on all the players on the 40 man roster and their take on if they’ll stay or go. This nugget on Eddie was amazing -

Edouard Julien, 24

How will the Twins ever replace Luis Arraez's .795 OPS and 128 OPS+ from a year ago? With a rookie two years younger whose numbers were .839 and 130, that's how.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

I have no expectations that Buxton will ever play centerfield again. Just get the man to be a better and give up on his fielding abilities. This team needs a right handed hitter way more then a center fielder.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Strib had a good article on all the players on the 40 man roster and their take on if they’ll stay or go. This nugget on Eddie was amazing -

Edouard Julien, 24

How will the Twins ever replace Luis Arraez's .795 OPS and 128 OPS+ from a year ago? With a rookie two years younger whose numbers were .839 and 130, that's how.

Heres The link to the above mentioned article on the 40 man roster from this year to next’s via Phil Miller @Strib - worth a peek.

Twins 2024: Who stays and who goes? A player-by-player roster breakdown

Sonny Gray? Kenta Maeda? Jose Miranda? Byron Buxton? Michael A. Taylor? What does 2024 hold for them and others? Star Tribune baseball writer Phil Miller takes a player-by-player look at the Twins roster.

m.startribune.com

 

[howeda7]

Darn. So close....

 

[kg21]

I have no expectations that Buxton will ever play centerfield again. Just get the man to be a better and give up on his fielding abilities. This team needs a right handed hitter way more then a center fielder.

He's a career .239 hitter, can't run anymore or play the outfield.........and we just signed him for 100 million

It's too bad

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

Darn. So close....

Damn it

 

[Gophers1992]

I have no expectations that Buxton will ever play centerfield again. Just get the man to be a better and give up on his fielding abilities. This team needs a right handed hitter way more then a center fielder.

If you give me the option of a Buxton who could regain his defensive abilities, or a Buxton who could become the hitter he once was, give me the defense in a heartbeat. Buxton was a good hitter at his peak, but he's an all-time great CF at his peak.

 

[Ope3]

If you give me the option of a Buxton who could regain his defensive abilities, or a Buxton who could become the hitter he once was, give me the defense in a heartbeat. Buxton was a good hitter at his peak, but he's an all-time great CF at his peak.

Even without the injuries, he's going to be 30 in December, so returning to that type of defensive ability just doesn't seem realistic.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Buxton was a good hitter at his peak

He was? He's had a hot month a few times, otherwise he's been a pretty consistently terrible hitter over his career.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

He was? He's had a hot month a few times, otherwise he's been a pretty consistently terrible hitter over his career.

I think that's a bit harsh.

2019: .262/.314/.513 - OPS .827 - OPS+ 115 (87 games)
2020: .254/.267/.577 - OPS .844 - OPS+ 125 (39 games)
2021: .306/.358/.647 - OPS 1.005 - OPS+ 171 (61 games)
2022: .224/.306/.526 - OPS .833 - OPS+ 133 (92 games)

numbers were down this season in 85 games. OPS of .731 with OPS+ of 98.

the unanswered question is what Buxton could do if he ever played a full season (or close to full) when he was healthy (or close to healthy).

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

I think that's a bit harsh.

2019: .262/.314/.513 - OPS .827 - OPS+ 115 (87 games)
2020: .254/.267/.577 - OPS .844 - OPS+ 125 (39 games)
2021: .306/.358/.647 - OPS 1.005 - OPS+ 171 (61 games)
2022: .224/.306/.526 - OPS .833 - OPS+ 133 (92 games)

numbers were down this season in 85 games. OPS of .731 with OPS+ of 98.

the unanswered question is what Buxton could do if he ever played a full season (or close to full) when he was healthy (or close to healthy).

He's played in so few games that a hot few weeks or a month greatly skew those numbers, which is my point. He's a career .239/.300/.468 - OPS .768 OPS+ 106 over 670 games played. That's not good, especially the on base %.

Joey Gallo is a career .197/.323/.466 - OPS .789 OPS+ 109 over 863 games played, and he's the same age as Buxton.

Would you want Gallo in your lineup again? The numbers suggest you would want him slightly over Buxton as a hitter.

I don't want Gallo on the roster, or Buxton in the lineup unless he's playing CF because neither are good hitters. That's why the offense was so poor when both were regularly in it this season, and improved when neither were in it the 2nd half of the season.

Eddie Rosario who we dumped 3 years ago, and Max Kepler who most couldn't wait to get rid of until he got hot the 2nd half of this season also have similar career slash lines as Buxton. None of them are consistently good hitters.

 

[GophersInIowa]

A good Twins playoff stat for once.

 

[Gophers1992]

He was? He's had a hot month a few times, otherwise he's been a pretty consistently terrible hitter over his career.

He has OPS'd over 800 4 times in his career, albeit each season being shortened by injury. 2021 he was hitting at an MVP level before injury. So yes I'd say he was a good to even very good hitter at his peak. Even in that very abbreviated 2021 season he managed to put up 3.5 offensive WAR

 

[Gophers1992]

Even without the injuries, he's going to be 30 in December, so returning to that type of defensive ability just doesn't seem realistic.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not under any illusion that it will happen, but I'd rather try to get him able to play CF then relegate him to a DH role.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

He has OPS'd over 800 4 times in his career, albeit each season being shortened by injury. 2021 he was hitting at an MVP level before injury. So yes I'd say he was a good to even very good hitter at his peak. Even in that very abbreviated 2021 season he managed to put up 3.5 offensive WAR

In 2021 he was hitting at a MVP level in April. That’s one month.

 

[Gophers1992]

In 2021 he was hitting at a MVP level in April. That’s one month.

Well I did say at his peak, not over his whole career.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Well I did say at his peak, not over his whole career.

So the #2 overall pick and 5 tool player got hot for one month over his 9 year career. Wow, congrats to Byron.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Per Gleeman in the Athletic, from a sit down with Falvey, Lee will not be playing any outfield. He started that long term his best position is third, Gleeman added he doesn’t have the speed to do so.

My guess is he starts at Triple A (unless he hits .400 in spring training), as he only has 623 minor league ABs, with only 152 @ St. Paul. This delays his service time, allows for more seasoning ala Wallner and he is a n play as a replacement for third or SS for our “iron men” on the left side. He needs to play regularly vs. being a fill in; they also would like to bring back Farmer as well.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

If you give me the option of a Buxton who could regain his defensive abilities, or a Buxton who could become the hitter he once was, give me the defense in a heartbeat. Buxton was a good hitter at his peak, but he's an all-time great CF at his peak.

Give me a hitter all day long. You can find guys that can patrol center field and make catches. Hell Michael A Taylor played an incredible center field this year. This current twins lineup needs a strong right handed bat more than it does a center fielder. One of the middle infielders are gonna need a place to play and that place might be center field.

 

[Gophers1992]

Give me a hitter all day long. You can find guys that can patrol center field and make catches. Hell Michael A Taylor played an incredible center field this year. This current twins lineup needs a strong right handed bat more than it does a center fielder. One of the middle infielders are gonna need a place to play and that place might be center field.

I'm not talking about a scenario where Buxton turns into Yordan Alvarez, I'm saying Buxton's defense at his best >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Buxton's offense at his best.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Article in The Athletic discussed payroll for next year and that as of now, we’d start at ~$110-120M, depending on which arbitration eligible they do or font tender, Farmer being the highest, who is inthe possible non-tendered camp, due to the amount (whereas AK’s 1.7M us a no doubter). The aforementioned total includes all guaranteed and Jorge and Kep’s options, as those are bargains for their production last year and at a worst case scenario, you have them as trade assets.

Bally’s contract represents 15-20% of Twins revenue, so a significant . Will be interesting to see if we stay in the same range as in previous Falvey years, mid packesque, 16-19.