post all-star break thoughts (if you see them, have them)

[boxter432]

Angels should be contracted.

[weimy froob]

the strangers bullpen imploded again today. they're only a half game in front of the blue jays for the final wildcard spot. can't see them staying there.

[weimy froob]

Ted
@tlschwerz
For the first time this season, the #MNTwins will be seven games above .500.

[weimy froob]

what would you do? funderburk and castro are off the table--don't even know why ted put their names in there. i'd say that winder's safe for the time being as well.

[Hornets]

what would you do? funderburk and castro are off the table--don't even know why ted put their names in there. i'd say that winder's safe for the time being as well.

Don't we get to add 3 players to the roster this time of year or did we already do that??

[Tuck ya in]

DFA Gallo. Get it over with already.

[ForCaleb]

Gallo on IL. Kirilloff up.

Addition by subtraction plus addition.

[ForCaleb]

This team is getting better as we get near the end of the regular season. Exactly what you want heading into the playoffs.

[weimy froob]

[weimy froob]

i read a column by lavelle e neal where he said twins fans should be hoping for a match up with the mariners. i still think i'd rather see them face the strangers from texas. seattle's bullpen is better and i think the games are going to be decided in the later innings.

[weimy froob]

i think if stewart is able to come back and be effective rocco and pete maki and whoever else is in the decision making process are going to have to make some real hard decisions on how they're going to go with their pitching staff. is louie going to be someone who gives them innings out of the bullpen or should he get a start? should joe ryan and maeda be put in the bullpen? paddock is another wildcard. they need to figure it out so they can push the right buttons.

[weimy froob]

that overturned call at first today reminded me of something that i saw or read (i can't remember which/where). 60 percent of the challenges at first base have been successful this year. that's bad umpiring.

[Coach X]

i think if stewart is able to come back and be effective rocco and pete maki and whoever else is in the decision making process are going to have to make some real hard decisions on how they're going to go with their pitching staff. is louie going to be someone who gives them innings out of the bullpen or should he get a start? should joe ryan and maeda be put in the bullpen? paddock is another wildcard. they need to figure it out so they can push the right buttons.

Pablo-Gray-Ryan are your 3 main starters then you have Paddack, Varland, Stewart, Maeda, Keachal, Ober as additional bullpen options for the playoffs. They are setting up well. You could pair any two or 3 of them up in a longer series as piggyback pitchers as well. Lot's of options at their disposal.

[weimy froob]

i read a column by lavelle e neal where he said twins fans should be hoping for a match up with the mariners. i still think i'd rather see them face the strangers from texas. seattle's bullpen is better and i think the games are going to be decided in the later innings.

not a doubt in my mind now who i want to see the twins face.

Spoiler:

Rangers ace Max Scherzer expected to miss rest of regular season due to shoulder strain, doubtful for playoffs

[weimy froob]

Twins in the playoffs: Who could get left off the postseason roster?
The Twins are likely to carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers if they make the Wild Card Round, and there will some tough decisions to make.

The Twins don't have a ton of drama left in the American League Central race, but there is plenty of intrigue on how they will fill their 26-man playoff roster.

Several players are nearing rehab assignments and will put themselves in consideration for the postseason. Then there are wild cards, like pitcher Chris Paddack, who hasn't played in the major leagues for more than a year but hopes to factor into the bullpen mix.

Six of the eight teams that played in the best-of-three Wild Card Series last year opted to carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers. If the Twins follow those same numbers, there are a few positional battles to play out over the final weeks of the season.

Here's a look at where a potential playoff roster stands:

Position player locks (13): Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vázquez, Alex Kirilloff, Edouard Julien, Jorge Polanco, Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Max Kepler, Michael A. Taylor, Matt Wallner, Willi Castro, Donovan Solano, and Kyle Farmer.

Bubble (1 open spot): Byron Buxton, Jordan Luplow, Joey Gallo, Andrew Stevenson and Nick Gordon.

Starting pitching locks (3): Pablo López, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan.

López and Gray will likely receive down ballot Cy Young votes and they are obvious candidates to start playoff games. Ryan has allowed six runs in 19⅔ innings (2.75 ERA) in his four starts since returning from the injured list, putting him in position to be one of the three starters for the Wild Card Series.

Bullpen locks (4): Jhoan Duran, Caleb Thielbar, Griffin Jax and Emilio Pagán.

Likely in bullpen (1): Louie Varland.

Bullpen bubble (4 open spots): Brock Stewart, Dylan Floro, Kody Funderburk, Kenta Maeda, Dallas Keuchel, Bailey Ober, Brent Headrick, Josh Winder, Cole Sands, Chris Paddack and Jorge Alcala.

[weimy froob]

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i think stevenson gets the bubble spot for possible pinch-running assignments.

much tougher decisions with the pitching staff. if stewart is really a viable option i go with him, funderburk, maeda and keuchel. plan on needing someone to take over for ryan in the 5th inning if there's a game three. keuchel would be who i'd be looking to give the ball to. if he's effective he could get you two plus innings. same idea with maeda if gray or lopez can't go more than five innings.

[weimy froob]

ober getting a chance tomorrow night to audition for a playoff spot.

[weimy froob]

i read a column by lavelle e neal where he said twins fans should be hoping for a match up with the mariners. i still think i'd rather see them face the strangers from texas. seattle's bullpen is better and i think the games are going to be decided in the later innings.

not a doubt in my mind now who i want to see the twins face.

Spoiler:

Rangers ace Max Scherzer expected to miss rest of regular season due to shoulder strain, doubtful for playoffs

the strangers are going to get swept by the guardians.

[Phil Leotardo]

i read a column by lavelle e neal where he said twins fans should be hoping for a match up with the mariners. i still think i'd rather see them face the strangers from texas. seattle's bullpen is better and i think the games are going to be decided in the later innings.

not a doubt in my mind now who i want to see the twins face.

Spoiler:

Rangers ace Max Scherzer expected to miss rest of regular season due to shoulder strain, doubtful for playoffs

the strangers are going to get swept by the guardians.

And blown out in at least 2 of those games. I'm shocked they're still only a game back out west.

[weimy froob]

rocco on paternity leave. take your time coming back--the team will be alright.

[weimy froob]

ted's thoughts--along with a follower. personally i think i've seen enough of joe to turn the ball over to someone else in an elimination game.

[weimy froob]

ted earlier today. i don't know about that. kenta letting everybody know tonight he wants that start.

[ForCaleb]

Matt Wallner has quietly raised his AVG 25 points in the last week

[weimy froob]

thoughts after seeing the three starters in the cincy series. joe ryan is a three inning pitcher right now. anything after that in the scoreless department is a huge bonus. bailey ober is a two inning pitcher--and the same bonus applies for anything after that. kenta maeda should be the game three starter if needed.

[weimy froob]

twins playing their best baseball in september from the eye/memory test.

[weimy froob]

i'm not up on all the sabermetrics--but i think this is the pohlad's getting some good bang for their payroll buck.

Ted
@tlschwerz
Willi Castro is the 5th #MNTwins hitter to reach 2.0 fWAR in 2023. 3 of the 5 are pre-arb, and Castro makes just $1.8M.

[weimy froob]

Betsy Helfand
@betsyhelfand
Nick Paparesta said Carlos Correa's MRI revealed a full thickness tear of the central cortex of his plantar fascia. That tear, Paparesta said, should help alleviate some of the discomfort Correa has had going forward.

Carlos Correa, on being ready for the postseason: "It will take a lot for me not to play in those games. They're way too meaningful and they're way too important not only for the organization, but also for myself. Yeah, I'm confident I'll be there."

[weimy froob]

[weimy froob]

[ForCaleb]