***Official 2022 Minnesota Twins season thread***

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by CC_123

Last night is a prime example of why we are never deatined to make deep runs. We have funneled zero dollars into our pitching. Pitching is what makes deep runs and our staff overall from top to bottom, outside of Ryan and a bullpen arm or two, is pretty gross.

I mean Sonny Gray is pretty dang good.

Also the offense can’t go silent for 6 innings. Scored 7 runs off Cole and then in 6 innings versus relievers, including a couple bad ones, they had 1 total hit.

I agree they need help including bullpen, I feel pretty confident they’ll land a few bullpen pieces at the deadline, bullpen help is fairly cheap especially for expiring contracts

They probably need another starter, but they need bullpen help way more. Also hoping Alcala can get healthy soon

[CollectKep26]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

I mean Sonny Gray is pretty dang good.

Also the offense can’t go silent for 6 innings. Scored 7 runs off Cole and then in 6 innings versus relievers, including a couple bad ones, they had 1 total hit.

I agree they need help including bullpen, I feel pretty confident they’ll land a few bullpen pieces at the deadline, bullpen help is fairly cheap especially for expiring contracts

They probably need another starter, but they need bullpen help way more. Also hoping Alcala can get healthy soon

Getting Gray back will be a boost, not to mention getting Ryan back will be another boost. That being said, for a post season push they still need another SP to add to the combo of Gray and Ryan. And like you mentioned, they need a couple relief arms at a minimum.

I think the lineup is plenty fine, and deep, especially when you have someone like Kirilloff sitting in St. Paul, Lewis who is still out, and Spencer Steer making some noise. As much as I like Austin Martin, I wouldn't be opposed to moving him for a starter. The pieces to make a big move are there.

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by CollectKep26

Getting Gray back will be a boost, not to mention getting Ryan back will be another boost. That being said, for a post season push they still need another SP to add to the combo of Gray and Ryan. And like you mentioned, they need a couple relief arms at a minimum.

I think the lineup is plenty fine, and deep, especially when you have someone like Kirilloff sitting in St. Paul, Lewis who is still out, and Spencer Steer making some noise. As much as I like Austin Martin, I wouldn't be opposed to moving him for a starter. The pieces to make a big move are there.

Yeah I’d like to grab another front line starter, I’m more so saying those kinds of deals are obviously difficult while reliever help is a much softer market and it’s fairly easy to go out and get 2-3 quality relievers for not much in return

Lineup agreed is plenty deep, I was just saying they crapped the bed for 6 innings last night and you can’t afford to have that happen. Yes we should win when we score 7 runs, but if you score 7 runs in the first 3 innings, you need to end the game with at least 8 if not more runs.

[CC_123]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

I mean Sonny Gray is pretty dang good.

Also the offense can’t go silent for 6 innings. Scored 7 runs off Cole and then in 6 innings versus relievers, including a couple bad ones, they had 1 total hit.

I agree they need help including bullpen, I feel pretty confident they’ll land a few bullpen pieces at the deadline, bullpen help is fairly cheap especially for expiring contracts

They probably need another starter, but they need bullpen help way more. Also hoping Alcala can get healthy soon

Gray has had a good season but cant stay healthy so it doesnt do us much good. Career wise, Gray isnt an answer to a rotation and would be a #3 or #4 on most MLB rosters. Hell, Joe Ryan is very good and would be fortunate to be a #2 on most rosters. This is my point. Our rotation is filled with 5-6 guys who are mostly #3-#5s on good teams. The Twins refuse to ever go out and try to get a bonafide #1, can trust him to go 7 innings in a key playoff game, sort of pitcher.

Our offense is fine. 7 runs, regardless of when they came, should win you a game against just about everyone. The staff was spotted a 2 run lead and a 4 run lead and gave both of them up.

Duffey absolutely need to go (I know he didnt pitch last night) and a lot of our bullpen arms are low-end guys that dont have a ton of film on them for teams to study. Duran is going to be fine, he was just serving up heaters down the middle to a good team. Joe Smith wasnt helped by his defense at all. But basically besides those two, every bullpen arm is expendable.

Our offense is playoff built, our pitching isnt. Even if we make the post season, with our current pitchers, we wont make a splash while there. Maybe we can win a game to end the 18 game playoff losing streak, but I dont see us winning a series unless we bulk up our rotation and bullpen

[Eckstein197]

Who would you consider a bonafide ace who’s even available? The list of true number 1 aces is small and I don’t really see one who would be available.

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by CC_123

Gray has had a good season but cant stay healthy so it doesnt do us much good. Career wise, Gray isnt an answer to a rotation and would be a #3 or #4 on most MLB rosters. Hell, Joe Ryan is very good and would be fortunate to be a #2 on most rosters. This is my point. Our rotation is filled with 5-6 guys who are mostly #3-#5s on good teams. The Twins refuse to ever go out and try to get a bonafide #1, can trust him to go 7 innings in a key playoff game, sort of pitcher.

Our offense is fine. 7 runs, regardless of when they came, should win you a game against just about everyone. The staff was spotted a 2 run lead and a 4 run lead and gave both of them up.

Duffey absolutely need to go (I know he didnt pitch last night) and a lot of our bullpen arms are low-end guys that dont have a ton of film on them for teams to study. Duran is going to be fine, he was just serving up heaters down the middle to a good team. Joe Smith wasnt helped by his defense at all. But basically besides those two, every bullpen arm is expendable.

Our offense is playoff built, our pitching isnt. Even if we make the post season, with our current pitchers, we wont make a splash while there. Maybe we can win a game to end the 18 game playoff losing streak, but I dont see us winning a series unless we bulk up our rotation and bullpen

Teams can win without a bonafide ace. I mean looking at the 2021 Braves rotation, I wouldn’t call anyone there an ace. At best they have a couple 2s maybe.

Duran and Smith will be fine, the defense yesterday especially Polanco helped the pitchers zero. Pagan is a fine reliever. He gives up some traffic but he’s a fine arm.

And you say that, but to win a series especially a 3 game series, you don’t need a bonafide ace.

Also you can’t say with certainty we wouldn’t make a splash, the playoffs is about chaos. It’s a lot of games in a short time span. If a couple pitchers get super hot, that’s all you need.

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

Teams can win without a bonafide ace. I mean looking at the 2021 Braves rotation, I wouldn’t call anyone there an ace. At best they have a couple 2s maybe.

Duran and Smith will be fine, the defense yesterday especially Polanco helped the pitchers zero. Pagan is a fine reliever. He gives up some traffic but he’s a fine arm.

And you say that, but to win a series especially a 3 game series, you don’t need a bonafide ace.

Also you can’t say with certainty we wouldn’t make a splash, the playoffs is about chaos. It’s a lot of games in a short time span. If a couple pitchers get super hot, that’s all you need.

It’s great to be optimistic but borderline delusional is not a good look. Where in the twins history have they made any noise in the playoffs, and to say the Braves have no number one pitcher, I would take Ian Anderson and Max Fried over anybody that the Twins have in their rotation.

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

It’s great to be optimistic but borderline delusional is not a good look. Where in the twins history have they made any noise in the playoffs, and to say the Braves have no number one pitcher, I would take Ian Anderson and Max Fried over anybody that the Twins have in their rotation.

I mean they have 2 WS. Yes they’ve struggled recently, but history also doesn’t guarantee replication in the future.

That wasn’t my point either, yes Fried and Anderson are good pitchers but no one would call them aces, bonafide number 1 starters. They’re good number 2 starters, not aces

[oldgoldy97]

Who was Taylor Rodgers traded for?

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

I mean they have 2 WS. Yes they’ve struggled recently, but history also doesn’t guarantee replication in the future.

That wasn’t my point either, yes Fried and Anderson are good pitchers but no one would call them aces, bonafide number 1 starters. They’re good number 2 starters, not aces

I would call Anderson an ace but that’s neither here nor there, that’s just a difference of opinion. Thanks to you I dug deeper into the Twins franchise history, they have been around since 1903 formerly the Washington Senators, 3 World Series titles 1924,1987, and 1991. I admire your fandom for them, much like my fandom for the Rangers in hockey it is in my soul to root for them but deep down I know in the end they will lose. We have that in common the Rangers last championship was 1993,94 and the Twins last championship was 1991 both close to or over 30 years. Now basketball and the Knicks 1973 but I don’t watch them much anymore.

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

I would call Anderson an ace but that’s neither here nor there, that’s just a difference of opinion. Thanks to you I dug deeper into the Twins franchise history, they have been around since 1903 formerly the Washington Senators, 3 World Series titles 1924,1987, and 1991. I admire your fandom for them, much like my fandom for the Rangers in hockey it is in my soul to root for them but deep down I know in the end they will lose. We have that in common the Rangers last championship was 1993,94 and the Twins last championship was 1991 both close to or over 30 years. Now basketball and the Knicks 1973 but I don’t watch them much anymore.

What about Ian Anderson says ace? His first full season he had an era of 3.58 with a fip of 4.12

And this year he has an era of 4.53 with a fip of 4.52. Barely strikes out a guy an inning

Whip nearing 1.4 this year and was 1.23 last year

Would love to know why you think Anderson is an ace

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

What about Ian Anderson says ace? His first full season he had an era of 3.58 with a fip of 4.12

And this year he has an era of 4.53 with a fip of 4.52. Barely strikes out a guy an inning

Whip nearing 1.4 this year and was 1.23 last year

Would love to know why you think Anderson is an ace

He doesn’t come up small in big games to me that is more of a definition of an ace than won loss record or earned run average.

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

He doesn’t come up small in big games to me that is more of a definition of an ace than won loss record or earned run average.

So one World Series start? I mean if we are using those metrics than Steve Pearce should be a starter for every team based on what he did in the 2018 WS

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

So one World Series start? I mean if we are using those metrics than Steve Pearce should be a starter for every team based on what he did in the 2018 WS

He hasn’t been around that long and I guess pitching in the nlds and nlcs doesn’t matter, somebody had to win those games to even get to the World Series. Using a position player doesn’t really help your argument.

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by spuds1961

He hasn’t been around that long and I guess pitching in the nlds and nlcs doesn’t matter, somebody had to win those games to even get to the World Series. Using a position player doesn’t really help your argument.

I mean plenty of pitchers can have a good postseason. But if you don’t have a track record of anything you can’t really be an ace

Nathan Eovaldi shoved in the 2018 playoffs but no one would call him an ace in 2019

[spuds1961]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

I mean plenty of pitchers can have a good postseason. But if you don’t have a track record of anything you can’t really be an ace

Nathan Eovaldi shoved in the 2018 playoffs but no one would call him an ace in 2019

Yea that’s true

[Eckstein197]

Royce Lewis torn ACL. Out for the season. 12 month recovery, out until next summer

[ItsMeJordanD]

AGAIN?!

You gotta be f***ing kidding me...

[mcgoo2]

This is my first time watching a game on Apple TV, I dig it. Doesn’t have the fanfare of an ESPN broadcast but the actual quality of the video/sound is pretty great.

[Athey49]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

Who would you consider a bonafide ace who’s even available? The list of true number 1 aces is small and I don’t really see one who would be available.

When healthy, I'd put Castillo up there..and he's available. Montas isn't quite ace material but he'd be a huge add for us

[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by Athey49

When healthy, I'd put Castillo up there..and he's available. Montas isn't quite ace material but he'd be a huge add for us

That’s fair, Castillo is pretty great. I wouldn’t necessarily call him an ace, he’s a great 2. I just have trouble putting him in the ace group as I believe that’s reserved for guys like Verlander and DeGrom. But Castillo absolutely has ace potential

Montas definitely a solid 2, what he’s doing in Oakland is pretty impressive considering that bare bones roster behind him

[Eckstein197]

Series win over the Rays with a potential to sweep tomorrow, this team responded big time after the Yankees series

This offense is super fun, which is kind of crazy cuz they looked bad against Detroit but all of a sudden they’ve dominated some of the best starters in the AL over the past 5-6 games (Gausman, Cole, Cortes)

5-3 in this 9 game stretch versus Toronto, New York and Tampa with one game to go, going 6-3 would be pretty solid. Especially in a stretch where the twins 3 best starters combined for 0 starts due to covid and injuries. Heck we are 2-0 in games started by Chi Chi Gonzalez

Up 4 games in the division over Cleveland, and 6 on Chicago. By no means is Chicago dead but man they look BAD right now (and most of the season). Them losing today was a pretty bad loss

This was the 9 game stretch that was supposed to “bury the twins” and allow the central to get tighter. In actuality, the guardians gained a .5 game and the white Sox made up zero ground

Twins have an opportunity to bury the guardians by the end of this month, 8 games versus them in a 11 day stretch. By then the entire rotation should be healthy thankfully

[eye4talent]

Any word on whether Kirilloff will return soon? His power stroke is back, and I imagine the reason he’s been batting leadoff is to get as many at-bats as possible for an imminent return.


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[Eckstein197]

Originally Posted by eye4talent

Any word on whether Kirilloff will return soon? His power stroke is back, and I imagine the reason he’s been batting leadoff is to get as many at-bats as possible for an imminent return.


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Seems like he’s ready but there’s really no open spot for him right now. Arraez is getting a lot of the 1B ABs and Miranda is mashing there past couple of weeks. And Larnach is playing well as well. Really no opening and will need to wait for an injury or if they want to roll with a shorter bullpen

[eye4talent]

Originally Posted by Eckstein197

Seems like he’s ready but there’s really no open spot for him right now. Arraez is getting a lot of the 1B ABs and Miranda is mashing there past couple of weeks. And Larnach is playing well as well. Really no opening and will need to wait for an injury or if they want to roll with a shorter bullpen

Eh… Miranda looks like he’s rounding into a bopper. But otherwise, I don’t really see a compelling reason to keep Kirilloff in Triple-A at this point. Larnach is decent, but not amazing… They don’t have a full-time DH…

They were going to figure out how to get Lewis in the lineup before the unfortunate wall incident. It’s probably time to do the same for Kirilloff.


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