Twins 2021

Rookers not ready. It could be Rooker if Buxton gets hurt again.

I liked the way Rooker played last season before he got hurt. I also am not as low on Cave as most people are. Do I want him starting all year long, of course not. But whenever he’s played long stretches in the absence of Buxton he has played more than acceptable for a back up. I’m fine with them holding off on Kiriloff to get the extra year of control. I’m looking forward to the season. If they get big years from their core like they did in 2019 this could be a fun team. I like the pitching more this year than the last two seasons as well.

As always it will be up to the pitching to keep them in the game. IMO they have to get these starters into the 7th some how. You can’t go 5 and expect the bullpen to hold up throughout the whole season. Unless Cruz collapses and Donaldson & Buxton are hurt all year the offense should be ok.

They just need to crush the heart of the White Sux fans again.

Dutchboy wrote:

As always it will be up to the pitching to keep them in the game. IMO they have to get these starters into the 7th some how. You can’t go 5 and expect the bullpen to hold up throughout the whole season. Unless Cruz collapses and Donaldson & Buxton are hurt all year the offense should be ok.

They just need to crush the heart of the White Sux fans again.

You have a manager that will not allow that to happen which is why we saw the bullpen collapse halfway through the season last year. On paper I like our bullpen better this year, but time and Rocco’s awful pitching decisions will tell.

Pitching is going to be odd this year. Going to take most starters a lot longer to get ramped up inning wise. They pitched half the amount of innings last year. I think most teams will be cautious this year trying to ramp up the innings on there starters.

The bullpen has collapsed from over work more times than not over the last 15 years.

Don’t disagree Dutch just saying it will take longer than normal to get starters going longer. In the twins case they may never pitch into the 7th.

I agree, i’ve read the same things many places. And for the record, I don’t expect Rocco to do anything different either. He will burn this bullpen up by August 1 and just piece things together and hope for the best.

Rich Hill signs with Tampa pending a physical.

I like Shoemaker but don’t know that he makes the Twins better. Seems just to be another of what we already have.

61orbt wrote:

Twins have an offer out to Matt Shoemaker. Sounds like he’ll be making a decision this week

Good call, signed him today 1 year $2 million pending a physical.

Depth move here. He makes the rotation as the 5th starter, use him as long relief, or cut him loose.

Spring Training starts Friday…….

Did Brian Dozier really tail off that fast after he left here that he retired today at 33 years old?

Ripjiggen wrote:

I will say the Athletic is worth the price of admission. Good writers there. ESPN plus not so much.

The Athletic is worth every penny. I know its not cheap, but if you sign up on Black Friday its like $2 per month. $24 for literally the best content out there and they have no deadlines, limits on # of words, ads or anything. Ive been a subscriber since Russo joined and the content is fabulous.

The Athletic is worth every penny. I know its not cheap, but if you sign up on Black Friday its like $2 per month. $24 for literally the best content out there and they have no deadlines, limits on # of words, ads or anything. Ive been a subscriber since Russo joined and the content is fabulous.
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It is worth it and Russo is a phenomenal writer. His piece on Mark Parish was a great story!

KP wrote:

It is worth it and Russo is a phenomenal writer. His piece on Mark Parish was a great story!

The one he did on Brady Boudreau (Bruce’s autistic son) is equally amazing, but yes, that Parish one was incredible. The simple fact that Mark was brave enough to share it is great, but Russo told it with incredible skill.

Im gonna have to go look that one up because I missed that about Bruce’s kid. Russo is pretty much the only reason why I pay for it.

KP wrote:

Im gonna have to go look that one up because I missed that about Bruce’s kid. Russo is pretty much the only reason why I pay for it.

Me too primarily, but now that Gleeman is on there I look at a lot of his Twins stuff. I follow a ton of NHL folks on there its awesome for Draft and Prospect scouting info. So amazing!

JEREMY wrote:

Did Brian Dozier really tail off that fast after he left here that he retired today at 33 years old?

I just read from a reporter that Dozier commented that with spending more time at home during the pandemic and being able to wake his kids up, take them to school, and be with them a lot more meant to a lot to him. Combine that with being on the tail end of his career, seems like he’s made a good decision.

Dozier thing is funny. It had to be his defense as the reason he couldn’t get a job right? Have we ever seen a better high fastball hitter around here? And in today’s game the pitchers are throwing fastballs up. Should have been right in his wheelhouse. Although with the amount of money in this game and what he earned already you can’t blame a guy for retiring.

Dutchboy wrote:

Dozier thing is funny. It had to be his defense as the reason he couldn’t get a job right? Have we ever seen a better high fastball hitter around here? And in today’s game the pitchers are throwing fastballs up. Should have been right in his wheelhouse. Although with the amount of money in this game and what he earned already you can’t blame a guy for retiring.

IMO Dozier should have been a 3rd basemen the second half of his career. He would be an above average fielder there – that would potentially hit 30/30 (Doubles, HR’s). A lot of teams would accept a .225-.250 hitter with that kind of power at a corner spot.

JEREMY wrote:

Did Brian Dozier really tail off that fast after he left here that he retired today at 33 years old?

Yes, yes he did.

Will the Tatis deal be the one that finally kills baseball? Since free agency began (yes I was around then) people have talked about teams buying the talent and titles. To a minor degree that happened but the Betts & Tatis deals are taking it to another level. I really don’t see how San Diego can eat all these contracts. $340 million is a lot of money, no matter how many years they spread it over.

Dutchboy wrote:

Will the Tatis deal be the one that finally kills baseball?

Doubtful, the owners are still making money. Fun facts on that Tatis deal, when that 14 year contract is up, Bobby Bonilla will still have one year left on his Mets contract. Also, Tatis will get about $141m of that $340m contract due to California taxes ($172M will go to taxes), and a terrible deal he signed in the minors as a teenager that gives a 3rd party approximately another $27m.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fernando-tatis-jr-s-340-million-contract-will-be-shared-with-a-firm-that-invested-in-him-as-a-teenager-11613679240

I read that article earlier this morning. Funny how a kid can burn through a $700 thousand dollar signing bonus. Please he dad made a boatload of money playing pro ball.

Lots of money for a 22 year old kid to handle. As far as the taxes I would think he could get a lot of tax shelters and Foundations set-up prior to the really big money coming in.

Just think what the Tatis deal means to all these shortstops. Lindor certainly isn’t taking less than $340 even if the term is shorter. So lets say he gets $350 what does Baez ask for, what does Story ask for, what is Correa worth? The union will want a bigger and bigger number no matter how many years. The redeeming factor for the owners will be there will be a strike so that will delay things just a bit in my opinion.

Going to be fun to watch unless you are in the bottom 1/3 of the league in revenue.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Will the Tatis deal be the one that finally kills baseball?

Doubtful, the owners are still making money. Fun facts on that Tatis deal, when that 14 year contract is up, Bobby Bonilla will still have one year left on his Mets contract. Also, Tatis will get about $141m of that $340m contract due to California taxes ($172M will go to taxes), and a terrible deal he signed in the minors as a teenager that gives a 3rd party approximately another $27m.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fernando-tatis-jr-s-340-million-contract-will-be-shared-with-a-firm-that-invested-in-him-as-a-teenager-11613679240

I love that Bonilla deal! Maybe the best contract ever signed.

Sounds like Berrios and the Twins have started beginnings of extension talks. Personally I hope they are proactive in this because if he hits the open market his offers will be so inflated it’s really going to cost the Twins. I still think he can improve to be better than he is but he’s a very solid #2 and I think it’s important the Twins extend him.

With Maeda under contract through 2023 at a STEAL of a rate, I am thinking a 3 year deal at hopefully around 15/year would be a good deal in my mind.

Royce Lewis out for the season.