Minnesota Sports Forum

PorkChop wrote:Nelson Cruz at a relatively friendly cost. If healthy no reason u can't pencil him in for 30 hrs and 90 ribs. Nice move

It reminds when we got the Hammer Josh Willingham. I said in my report I wanted an older power right handed bat and wanted Miggy, but I'm completely fine with this signing. I really wish the twins were players on Realmuto which it sounds like they're not. I feel like this division is ours for the taking. Espically if the Indians ship out Kluber.

I think Twins Priorties now should be
Cody Allen
Other Bullpen
Starting pitcher I like to take a flyer on Keuchel

Jester wish list

Pollock or CarGo I think both of these guys have something left in the tank but I would rather have Pollock over CarGo

Trade Kepler and a pitcher for Realmuto

Mike Moustakas and ship out Sano

I would love to bring Denard Span back as the 4th outfielder and veteran in the club house.

Kelvin Herrera and take a flyer on Zach britton

jester1534 wrote:

PorkChop wrote:Nelson Cruz at a relatively friendly cost. If healthy no reason u can't pencil him in for 30 hrs and 90 ribs. Nice move

It reminds when we got the Hammer Josh Willingham. I said in my report I wanted an older power right handed bat and wanted Miggy, but I'm completely fine with this signing. I really wish the twins were players on Realmuto which it sounds like they're not. I feel like this division is ours for the taking. Espically if the Indians ship out Kluber.

I think Twins Priorties now should be
Cody Allen
Other Bullpen
Starting pitcher I like to take a flyer on Keuchel

Jester wish list

Pollock or CarGo I think both of these guys have something left in the tank but I would rather have Pollock over CarGo

Trade Kepler and a pitcher for Realmuto

Mike Moustakas and ship out Sano

I would love to bring Denard Span back as the 4th outfielder and veteran in the club house.

Kelvin Herrera and take a flyer on Zach britton

FWIW On a podcast with Souhan Falvey mentioned Kepler's name multiple times. It seems like he is till part of the young guys they like. I mean not as much as Buxton or Sano but I think you get what I am saying.

I'm honestly not aware of the entire league when it comes to baseball like I am with other sports and I wasn't all in on Nelson Cruz but it seems like this is a fairly significant signing in general and a low risk 1 year deal. From what I have read he sounds like a good dude so that could help when this team is gonna be relatively young. Who gets let go to make room for him or another signing like a relief pitcher? Are their any other possible moves to make room like someone being placed on the 60 day DL?

I absolutely love the Cruz signing. I believe the guy has hit more HRs than any major leaguer in the past five years despite playing in a pitchers' park, and doesn't appear to be slowing down at 38 (from personal experience I can say that while my baserunning and defense were not as good at 38 as 25, I think my ability to hit a baseball was every bit as good). I also don't think we can overstate the importance his mentorship will have on Sano and our other young Latin players. Can anyone name a more potent Latin fivesome in the middle of the lineup than Polanco, Rosario, Sano, Cruz and Schoop? I can't. This deal has me really excited for next season!

On a chilly December morning it's fun to fantasize about the Twins' lineup next season...especially if all are healthy and anywhere close to potential. I see it like this:

Buxton
Polanco
Rosario
Sano
Cruz
Cron
Schoop
Cave/Kepler
Castro

Anybody look up Cruz's stats at TC yet? In 30 games:

BA: .325

OBP: .355

Slugging: .667

OPS: 1.022

10 HR

25 RBI

No wonder Minnesota was his first choice of destinations...he obviously sees the ball well here. Maybe we switch him and Sano in the lineup?

One interesting story line for next year will be Willians Astudillo. He had a great late season last year and is doing even better in the Venezuelan winter league: .321/.365/.504(.870) with 10 HRs in 58 games. Only 4 K's in about 250 plate appearances...a batting eye like that is rare!

longstrangetrip wrote:One interesting story line for next year will be Willians Astudillo. He had a great late season last year and is doing even better in the Venezuelan winter league: .321/.365/.504(.870) with 10 HRs in 58 games. Only 4 K's in about 250 plate appearances...a batting eye like that is rare!

He's interesting Dude he's been playing professional baseball since he was 17 when the Phillies signed him. Went back and looked at his stats and he's got abouce .300 the last 4 years except in 2016. I can't find if he was injured anywhere in 2016 but because it's anomaly I'm just going to assume so. If he can stick at catcher and I know he only play 16 games there but he threw out 33% of runners. It's a small sample size but that would put him in the top 12 for catchers for throwing out runners. Just to point out Bobby Wilson was our best catcher and finished 28th last year with a 28%. Also in 2017 Castro only had a 26%.

My point is our catchers have been so bad defensively throwing out runners if Astudillo is average and can hit .280 there's no reason why he shouldn't be our starting catcher.

longstrangetrip wrote:One interesting story line for next year will be Willians Astudillo. He had a great late season last year and is doing even better in the Venezuelan winter league: .321/.365/.504(.870) with 10 HRs in 58 games. Only 4 K's in about 250 plate appearances...a batting eye like that is rare!

Other fun fact about Astudillo

2154 career minor-league plate appearances, Willians Astudillo has only struck out 67 times. In his time in the minors he's been hit by 58 pitches. That means he's only struck out 9 more times than he's been HBP.

This guy if you dig into him stats wise is fascinating player.

Interesting stuff, jester. We'll all be watching to see how the catcher situation shakes out with Castro, Garver and Astudillo. If Mollie were still manager, I would have predicted Garver to back up Castro...he always seemed to consider Willians only when necessary. But we don't know how Baldelli will look at this. We all talk about Astudillo's bat, but as jester points out, his defensive numbers aren't bad. He has allowed no passed balls in his 109 innings behind the plate, and ranked 38thh out of 115 catchers in called strikes above average (framing). I think he will get a lot of innings behind the plate in spring to either earn a spot on the roster as a catcher or be forced to make the team as a utility guy. In any event, it will be fun to watch!

longstrangetrip wrote:Interesting stuff, jester. We'll all be watching to see how the catcher situation shakes out with Castro, Garver and Astudillo. If Mollie were still manager, I would have predicted Garver to back up Castro...he always seemed to consider Willians only when necessary. But we don't know how Baldelli will look at this. We all talk about Astudillo's bat, but as jester points out, his defensive numbers aren't bad. He has allowed no passed balls in his 109 innings behind the plate, and ranked 38thh out of 115 catchers in called strikes above average (framing). I think he will get a lot of innings behind the plate in spring to either earn a spot on the roster as a catcher or be forced to make the team as a utility guy. In any event, it will be fun to watch!

None of these guys really blow you away overall as players but I feel like they can be an asset (as opposed to annoverall liability) as a group for the Twins. I agree it was a bit confusing what the Twins did with Astudillo last year. I mean I can come up with reasons why what was done was done but I would have liked to see him more at catcher. I'd be curious to know if Jester has some contacts that could give us some insight as to his abilities there.

Astudillo seems to bring more to the team than his play. Based on what I saw he was a clubhouse favorite too. I know I am a big fan of him.