All Things 2024 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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FWIW, I think a lot of players in all sports have more information available today about diet and nutrition. I keep reading about players hiring nutritionists and even personal chefs. and I have to assume that the teams are getting that message out.

sure, when baseball players are in the minors and dealing with smaller salaries, they're probably eating more fast food, processed food, etc. but once a player is in the majors, they have more money and more resources available.

on the exercise front - yeah, considering Lewis' injury history, the Twins have to be looking at changes in his off-season workout plan, and putting a big emphasis on stretching, flexibility, etc. I'd rather have him less bulky and in the lineup, even if he loses a little power. doesn't matter how strong he is if he's on the IL for half the season.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
FWIW, I think a lot of players in all sports have more information available today about diet and nutrition. I keep reading about players hiring nutritionists and even personal chefs. and I have to assume that the teams are getting that message out.

sure, when baseball players are in the minors and dealing with smaller salaries, they're probably eating more fast food, processed food, etc. but once a player is in the majors, they have more money and more resources available.

on the exercise front - yeah, considering Lewis' injury history, the Twins have to be looking at changes in his off-season workout plan, and putting a big emphasis on stretching, flexibility, etc. I'd rather have him less bulky and in the lineup, even if he loses a little power. doesn't matter how strong he is if he's on the IL for half the season.
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Heā€™s 6ā€™2ā€ 200 lbs now, his listed stats on the roster, do you consider him ā€œbulkyā€ now?

If yes, then I guess we have different concepts of bulky.

Not sure why youā€™re assuming that him being bulkier in the future would cause him to end up on the IL more either. Whatever heā€™s doing at present, isnā€™t working.
 
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
Heā€™s 6ā€™2ā€ 200 lbs now, his listed stats on the roster, fo you consider him ā€œbulkyā€ now?
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I base that on articles I've read or comments I've heard on podcasts that Lewis has added a lot of muscle over the last couple of years as he's gone through his ACL rehabs. I hear a lot of references to him being bigger and stronger now. and that is based on people who interact with him personally, see him in the locker room, etc. just going on the eye test, he weighs more than 200 lbs. (insert joke here about going to a carnival and having someone guess your weight.....)

coming up, he was considered a top prospect, but not necessarily a big power guy who would be hitting this many home runs. I think it is possible that the pursuit of strength and power may have resulted in some imbalance where he has lost some flexibility or mobility.

bottom line - whatever he's doing now is not working if he spends half the season or more on the IL.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I base that on articles I've read or comments I've heard on podcasts that Lewis has added a lot of muscle over the last couple of years as he's gone through his ACL rehabs. I hear a lot of references to him being bigger and stronger now. and that is based on people who interact with him personally, see him in the locker room, etc. just going on the eye test, he weighs more than 200 lbs. (insert joke here about going to a carnival and having someone guess your weight.....)

coming up, he was considered a top prospect, but not necessarily a big power guy who would be hitting this many home runs. I think it is possible that the pursuit of strength and power may have resulted in some imbalance where he has lost some flexibility or mobility.

bottom line - whatever he's doing now is not working if he spends half the season or more on the IL.
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Thanks for your detailed reply.

Bulky is in the eye of beholder; itā€™s subjective and informed by peopleā€™s experiences. From my perspective, not saying itā€™s right (I could be wrong I often am), he doesnā€™t look bulky; as a first baseman/linebacker, I was a power and not a speed guy.

So the speed guys to me always looked like they needed a šŸ„© and a dumbbell (no, not mešŸ˜ƒ).

Regardless, he needs to have a professional set up a program because it ainā€™t working now.

Quick similar anecdote: when Verlander went to the Stros he took Bregman under his wing and then reprimanded him, as he used to stay up all hours of the night eating Fruit Loops and playing video games. Verlander told him, he had been given a gift to play a sport/make tons of money and not to waste it or he could be done before he knew it and never have the chance to have a long career like him. Bregman told the story himself in an SI article; Smoltz was Verlanderā€™s mentor.

Miggy is a great example of someone who sadly didnā€™t take care of his gift. Heā€™s hitting.221 with 2 HRs in 77 ABs - what might have been.
 
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golf said:
Last season I thought Twins should've traded Miranda instead of Steer. Don't think that anymore.
He was sent to St Paul in May, returned, and hasn't looked back.
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Miranda is hitting .306, after his 3-3 thus far today. Heā€™d be tied for fifth in AL batting in had had enough ABs; it shouldnā€™t take much longer for him to qualify.

Correra is 5th. I wonder when the last time the Twins had two players in the top ten in batting at the AS break?

Not too shabbyšŸ˜ƒ
 

next week is going to sound a little different.

for the road trip to the White Sox and Giants, Provus and Attebury are taking vacations.

Sean Aronson is coming up from St. Paul to be the lead radio PBP voice for the week, and.....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Marney Gellner is going to be the lead TV PBP person for the road trip.

this will be.......interesting.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
next week is going to sound a little different.

for the road trip to the White Sox and Giants, Provus and Attebury are taking vacations.

Sean Aronson is coming up from St. Paul to be the lead radio PBP voice for the week, and.....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Marney Gellner is going to be the lead TV PBP person for the road trip.

this will be.......interesting.
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I love Marney. Cancer survivors rock.
 



Gopher_In_NYC said:
Sure it does in my experience and from my knowledge studying the subject matter. Maybe try and reread what I wrote (bolded) prior to that comment

He only listed at 6ā€™2ā€ 200lbs, so he should be able to easily add ten pounds in his legs/butt without compromising his speed/mobility and get a strong stomach also.

Heā€™s such a great athlete/ baseball player, he likely hasnā€™t needed to do that kind of work before to compete and stay on the field; but may well need to do so for 130+ games. He also missed so much time when he was out with the knee injuries that also likely effected building up his body as well.

The repetitiveness of baseball/quick bursts required/number of games/ travel wear down the body; so itā€™s imperative to make it as strong as possible to withstand the wear and tear. A less fatigued body/muscles are less likely to become injured.

If you ever trained and transformed your body in HS/college or at an another point in your life, then itā€™s easier to understand the difference you feel in playing a sport, even at those levels.

I weighed 185 in 10 grade and was 210 when I graduated which enabled me to play in college - that was gained by working out 4+ times a week for three years: itā€™s a lifestyle.

If you add 10 to 15 pounds, then the chiseling is the effectšŸ˜‰. It certainly wonā€™t hurt him.
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Whatever he's done, it's not working, but per Royce it sounds as if he's made an effort to get chiseled.

www.nytimes.com

As Royce Lewis searches for answers, Twins offense solves Detroit with 12-3 rout

Lewis, showing his frustration said: "If someone said, 'Hey, if you smoke cigarettes like Babe Ruth, that'll work,ā€™ then I'll do that too."
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 

short ornery norwegian said:
next week is going to sound a little different.

for the road trip to the White Sox and Giants, Provus and Attebury are taking vacations.

Sean Aronson is coming up from St. Paul to be the lead radio PBP voice for the week, and.....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Marney Gellner is going to be the lead TV PBP person for the road trip.

this will be.......interesting.
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Marney is only calling the Chicago White Sox series. She's a pro, and I would expect her to be adequate at the very minimum.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
He couldn't pass a physical after the 2nd ACL? That is extremely unlikely. Could he pass a physical today? That's a bigger question.

I've been saying to trade him for at least a year now, to the ridicule of most on this board. He could have generated at minimum an Arraez like return last year, or in the offseason. The injuries this season were predictable, and they now likely missed their opportunity.
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My comment about passing a physical is that for the majority of time throughout Lewis' tenure, he wouldn't be able to pass one.

After the 2nd ACL he had proven little. While it's possible some team would have ponied up a solid asset, I have a hard time thinking it would have been the same caliber (P Lopez) for Arraez, coming of 3 solid seasons, an AL batting crown, reliable health and 2 years of team control.

If they had traded Lewis, I think advancing in the playoffs would have been much more difficult. He was the one that sparked their offense to the AL Central pennant and then against Toronto. They were also already set at the top of their rotation.

I would say there was a window to get something approaching significant value this past off-season. It would have been a really hard sell to the fanbase though given other circumstances, losing Grey and trimming payroll.

That window for getting such value slammed shut with his Opening Day setback.
 

Glad he got his first W and feet wet; good start to him being a future piece in the rotation. As weā€™ve seen with SWR, itā€™s a process to hone your craft -

Rookie pitcher David Festa packed his bags following Thursdayā€™s victory. Multiple team sources confirmed Festa is returning to Triple-A St. Paul, though no corresponding move has been announced. Festa struggled in the middle innings of his start Wednesday, surrendering three home runs, including a grand slam. The Twins can use Festaā€™s spot to call up a relief pitcher and eventually activate Chris Paddack to fill the spot in the rotation on Monday. Paddack went on the IL retroactive to June 22 and is eligible to come off and pitch Monday in Chicago. ā€¦
 



Gopher_In_NYC said:
I wonder if he needs to do some serious work on his core and legs to handle the rigors of playing so much.

He only listed at 6ā€™2ā€ 200lbs, so he should be able to easily add ten pounds in his legs/butt without compromising his speed/mobility and get a strong stomach also.

Heā€™s such a great athlete/ baseball player, he likely hasnā€™t needed to do that kind of work before to compete and stay on the field; but may well need to do so for 130+ games. He also missed so much time when he was out with the knee injuries that also likely effected building up his body as well.

Next season I want to see you a chiseled 210-215.

Times for Brooks to step up and Farmer to go.
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Ope3 said:
Whatever he's done, it's not working, but per Royce it sounds as if he's made an effort to get chiseled.

www.nytimes.com

As Royce Lewis searches for answers, Twins offense solves Detroit with 12-3 rout

Lewis, showing his frustration said: "If someone said, 'Hey, if you smoke cigarettes like Babe Ruth, that'll work,ā€™ then I'll do that too."
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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Thanks for posting the article and I just read it; obviously weā€™ve come a long way since the days of Whitey, Billy and Micky caterwauling all night long and stepping on the field half tight or hungover and playing.
Thereā€™s also so much more money involved.

Awesome to hear about Royceā€™s commitment to his craft!! Sometimes it takes a Herculean journey to reach your destination. Iā€™m confident heā€™ll do everything possible and hopefully, heā€™s not the Rick Fenney of the Twins - that would sux. On the plus side, Miranda has proven heā€™s an excellent major leaguer and has made the most of his opportunity.

Lastly, in my defense, I did start my OP with the musing of, ā€œI wonderā€¦ā€ (posted/bolded) above your post.
 
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
Thanks for posting the article and I just read it; obviously weā€™ve come a long way since the days of Whitey, Billy and Micky caterwauling all night long and stepping on the field half tight or hungover and playing.
Thereā€™s also so much more money involved.

Awesome to hear about Royceā€™s commitment to his craft!! Sometimes it takes a Herculean journey to reach your destination. Iā€™m confident heā€™ll do everything possible and hopefully, heā€™s not the Rick Fenney of the Twins - that would sux. On the plus side, Miranda has proven heā€™s an excellent major leaguer and has made the most of his opportunity.

Lastly, in my defense, I did start my OP with the musing of, ā€œI wonderā€¦ā€ (posted/bolded) above your post.
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The main point which you and everyone else (including Royce) has recognized/echoed is that all the efforts have still led to multiple injuries. Something has to be altered.

Maybe go the other way? More Fritos, doughnuts, cheese burgers & beer? You can't sprain fat. šŸ˜œ
 

Ope3 said:
My comment about passing a physical is that for the majority of time throughout Lewis' tenure, he wouldn't be able to pass one.

After the 2nd ACL he had proven little. While it's possible some team would have ponied up a solid asset, I have a hard time thinking it would have been the same caliber (P Lopez) for Arraez, coming of 3 solid seasons, an AL batting crown, reliable health and 2 years of team control.

If they had traded Lewis, I think advancing in the playoffs would have been much more difficult. He was the one that sparked their offense to the AL Central pennant and then against Toronto. They were also already set at the top of their rotation.

I would say there was a window to get something approaching significant value this past off-season. It would have been a really hard sell to the fanbase though given other circumstances, losing Grey and trimming payroll.

That window for getting such value slammed shut with his Opening Day setback.
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There was some fan outrage when Arraez was traded too. If you're running the team the way the fans want you to, then you're going to lose. And despite the outrage from this offseason, the Twins are 10 games better than they were at this point last season, despite playing in a much better division, and without Lewis for 2/3 of it.

Lewis did help them end the playoff drought last year, but ultimately they still fell short. MLB trades are made with prospects all of the time, even damaged ones with a much less proven track record than Lewis.
 

Ope3 said:
The main point which you and everyone else (including Royce) has recognized/echoed is that all the efforts have still led to multiple injuries. Something has to be altered.

Maybe go the other way? More Fritos, doughnuts, cheese burgers & beer? You can't sprain fat. šŸ˜œ
Click to expand...
 

I think this is the key line from the story:

Lewis, who missed 58 games earlier this season with a severe right quad strain, is out at least through the All-Star break. He said doctors believe his right adductor strain stems from overcompensating for some of the strength deficits caused by his quad injury.

that is actually fairly common. an athlete sustains an injury - he tries to compensate for the injury, and causes another problem. reading between the lines, it suggests that Lewis may have come back too soon from the quad injury - before he was back up to full strength in the injured area.

remember, in medical parlance, a "strain" is actually a tear in the muscle. so a severe strain is actually a severe tear. this time, I say shut him down until he is 100% - no matter how long it takes.
 

on another topic, one of the fun stories of the year is Payton Eeles.

Eeles is a middle infielder. only 5'7" but 180 pounds. attended a small Christian college in Ohio then one year at Coastal Carolina. Played independent ball after college. Twins signed him after the '24 season started.

Hit .331 with a .965 OPS at Fort Myers in 34 games. then hit .275 with an ,898 OPS at Cedar Rapids. has stolen 21 bases in 47 games. due to injuries, just got called up to Triple-A and got a hit in his first AAA game.

no idea if he ever gets up to the majors, but stories like this are why I like baseball.
 

Check out the cover of Sports Illustrated from this date in 1982: "Best of the Worstā€”Rookie Sensation Kent Hrbek of the Terrible Twins."

Who would have predicted that just 10 years later, the Twins would have won not one, but two World Series?!

IMG_7216.jpeg
 

TRF Guy said:
Check out the cover of Sports Illustrated from this date in 1982: "Best of the Worstā€”Rookie Sensation Kent Hrbek of the Terrible Twins."

Who would have predicted that just 10 years later, the Twins would have won not one, but two World Series?!

View attachment 32127
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He looks practically skin and bones.
 





Wow. Flipped the game on just in time to see Miranda hit a franchise tying 9 hits in 9 straight at bats. That's a wild stat and I'm surprised it's that high.
 



stocker08 said:
Wow. Flipped the game on just in time to see Miranda hit a franchise tying 9 hits in 9 straight at bats. That's a wild stat and I'm surprised it's that high.
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He broke the franchise record with hits in ten straight at bats.
 

I don't understand how your philosophy can both include pinch hitting in the 4th inning to try and win the game while handling the pitching staff like they did tonight. Winder struggled during the 7th, throw him back out for the 8th and watch him give up 3 more runs.

And then pull Miranda from the game while facing a guy throwing mop-up duty. Why take his at-bat away now?
 
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