Thread: Who wants to be here?

With the way the Twins have been playing, this is the perfect time for managment/coaches to start playing hardball with the players... By that, I mean send a few guys packing (waivers or options) then hold a team meeting and ask, "Who wants to be here?" Make it clear that those who don't play up to expectations are not going to be in the majors very long... As an example, send down Hendriks.... Bring up Diamond or DeVries.... Put one of them in the rotation... Give them a shot... If they stick, keep them, if they don't, send them down and bring up the next guy in line.... Send Thomas packing... Bring up Carson... Same deal... Do the job or lose your job... It's a bit extreme, but the Twins are in an extreme situation... At this point, they have to stop worrying about hurting someone's feelings or giving guys weeks to pull out of a horrible slump... Make it black and white... How bad do you want to wear a major league uniform? Create some competition...

Absolutely. A message needs to be sent that lackluster, ho-hum, uninspired play will not be tolerated. Guys need to start playing like they care or get someone in there that will.

I agree. Shuffle in about 5 guys immediately. A couple might not stick, but there are others to come up.

End Rochester this year with:

1. Revere, LF
2. Herrmann, C
3. Dozier, SS
4. Benson, CF
5. Parmelee, 1B
6. Hicks (yes), RF
7. Tosoni, DH
8. Romero, 3B
9. Nishioka, 2B

And Hendriks (maybe he can return to the Twins sooner . . . ), Bromberg, Wimmers, Stuifbergen, and Hirschfield/Albers/Darnell in the end of season rotation.

See what they do there and get them prepared to replace the nonsense that is:

Clete Thomas
Trevor Plouffe
Alexi Casilla
Drew Butera
Jason Marquis
Scott Baker
Anthony Swarzak
and potentially Doumit and Valencia

Changing it up is probably a good idea. That said, I tend to think its the talent, not the attitude that has us at 6-18.

Originally Posted by shanewahl

See what they do there and get them prepared to replace the nonsense that is:

Clete Thomas
Trevor Plouffe
Alexi Casilla
Drew Butera
Jason Marquis
Scott Baker
Anthony Swarzak
and potentially Doumit and Valencia

FYI, Casilla has been hitting better than Carroll and Parmelee (both names you left out) and has been excellent on the field. I don't think that he is part of the problem, really... Also Swarzak has been one of the most reliable pitchers out there this season.

We definatly need to shake this team up. Have to find a way to light a fire under these guys. They are a better team then this.

I agree 110% that it is time to send the message that you need to perform or take your ball and go home. Does anyone really believe that the Club will do anything close to that? That is not the "Twins Way." Continuity is the way to succeed. It is not working and the changes to improve for 2014 and beyond need to start now. This Club has bred an atmosphere of complacency and it needs to change if they want to return to winning baseball.

Originally Posted by DJSim22

Changing it up is probably a good idea. That said, I tend to think its the talent, not the attitude that has us at 6-18.

I agree that we have a talent deficit right now but it is also clear that there is a systematic attitude/denial problem running throughout this clubhouse. Which one is more to blame? Probably the talent but not by as wide of a margin as you might think.

"Who wants to be here?" That is a great question and one that seems more appropriate for a high school coach to ask his/her players when they are more concerned with hanging out with their friends, flirting, and deciding which party to go to after the game. It is just pathetic that this needs to be asked of a bunch of professional players. Desperate times require desperate measures and this might be the time for individual sit-downs with players to find out where their heads are at and issue some ultimatums.

"Who wants to be here" should be part of the atmosphere every season, every week, and not just when in last place.

That is independent of the view that right now it is more about the talent level than the motivation. To think that an Internet Tough Guy, or a Mitt "I Like Being Able To Fire People Who Provide Services To Me" Romney wannabe, could stride into the clubhouse and straighten this out is not very plausible; more than likely, the players know the business side well enough, and if they are cut some other team will sign them, and that process could even repeat again for players like Valencia. So they'll pay lip service at most to the ITG and wait him out.

It's not a sports movie.

Originally Posted by ashburyjohn

more than likely, the players know the business side well enough, and if they are cut some other team will sign them, and that process could even repeat again for players like Valencia. So they'll pay lip service at most to the ITG and wait him out.

You may be right to a certain extent, but if their performance rides on playing in the majors or minors, I think that is a huge motivator.... Once a player is in the majors they don't want to go back to the minors... You mention Valencia.... I don't think that Valencia believes he will be sent back, because the Twins don't really have anyone to replace him... He's too comfortable... He has no competition... I think a few weeks with the Red Wings would change his attitude....

Originally Posted by CDog

It's not a sports movie.

nice. i'm laughing over here. all i can imagine is Gardy walking in with a cardboard cutout of the female owner from "Major League".

Originally Posted by CDog

It's not a sports movie.

Yes, thank you CDog. A much better distillation than I achieved.

"Who wants to be here?" Pretty soon that question will be asked in the stands by the fans unless they can turn this thing around!

I've always thought a baseball team is never as good as it looks when it's winning or as bad as it looks when it's losing.

I'm revisiting that thinking these days.

Originally Posted by thrylos98

FYI, Casilla has been hitting better than Carroll and Parmelee (both names you left out) and has been excellent on the field. I don't think that he is part of the problem, really... Also Swarzak has been one of the most reliable pitchers out there this season.

Hitting better, but Carroll is still getting on base more. And I would expect the law of averages to apply. Carroll is not going to bat .210 or whatever and when that jumps to .260 (perfectly reasonable), his OPS will be higher than Casilla's. But that doesn't even matter. Carroll will have value next year in whatever role and Casilla will be due for $2-3 million. Total waste of money if Dozier is ready at $450K.

And I mentioned that Parmelee should be in Rochester.

We have many good hitters on this team, but they haven't performed in this series. The starting pitching continues to be dismal. I've always stuck by the Twins, win or lose, but this is the biggest fiasco (since trading Harmon Killebrew) that I can recall.

Just kind of funny that the two titles on the left sidebar are "Who Wants to Be Here?" and "Gardenhire to Miss Mariners Series." Question, meet answer.

Originally Posted by thrylos98

FYI, Casilla has been hitting better than Carroll and Parmelee (both names you left out) and has been excellent on the field. I don't think that he is part of the problem, really... Also Swarzak has been one of the most reliable pitchers out there this season.

Why Doumit???