Strib's Howard Sinker: Twins are the Nishiokas of MLB

Are the Twins the Nishiokas of Major League Baseball? Howard Sinker writes in a new "Section 219" blog post that he believes that's what they've become. http://www.startribune.com/sports/tw...991646248&cr=1

He's also cutting back his season ticket package. Anyone else doing so? Since I'm an out of stater, I'm not a season ticket holder, regardless of the talent on the field. That said, I made zero trips to Target Field in 2012 (after making several trips a year for the prior several years) and unless the Twins do something to convince me they are willing to try to compete in 2013, I won't waste my money on trips in 2013 either.

Nice to see Howard call out ownership.

That was great!!!!

Wow. He should start writing over here so we can read him more.

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Originally Posted by Curt

Wow. He should start writing over here so we can read him more.

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totally agree, That was a very nice read!

It was a good read. I did not cut back on my season tickets this year. I actually got more games. That has more to do with other people in the group that I buy tickets with dropping out and taking less games than me being really excited to go games though.

Yes, the Twins were bad last year, and 2013 might not be much better, but even watching a bad baseball game in person is better than most things I could be doing. I completely agree with and understand the frustration though.

Not renewing season tickets. Will this keep me from getting into TwinsFest? I'm not sure if there will always be a lot of cheap tickets on StubHub in 2013, as that is a result of unused season tickets. The Twins, if they play better, will sell more tickets at face value, perhaps. Last year, they couldn't sell their own unsold tickets for most games as the stub-hubbers filled that need.

My big problem with the Twins is that they are "neither ... nor". They are neither willing to tear it down and really do a rebuild in anticipation of the talent they have in the system (but with adding even more depth especially pitching prospects) NOR are they willing to do as Howard (and JC himself) has suggested and spend more than their 50% rule of thumb (if they even spend that) to field a team that is above mediocre next year.

While my personal preference is for a rebuild, I don't really have a problem with the latter. I just wish they'd pick a course and pursue it wholeheartedly. Instead, I feel like they are just idling along in same old, same old.

Management has a lot to prove this off-season.

It sure sounded good.

'the kids born after the twins last won a world series are now bar hopping ...'

Nothing groundbreaking...I think most of us feel the same way.

It seems like Howard is advocating spending in the short term as a patch. That's fine to say, but harder to do, and impossible to do earlier in the season. The names that will sign now, at least as far as pitching, are going to want long-term deals. If we want to wait for the 1 and 2-year deals, then we aren't going to see many before Christmas.

I'm not saying it's a bad strategy - I lobbied and lobbied hard even last season to not penny-pinch. But I think we're jumping the gun here.

Of course, one way to appease fans now would be to be forthright about just how much money the Twins have to spend this offseason. Because we automatically (and justifiably) assume the worst when the management won't commit to that.

John,
Do a lot of teams come out and tell their fan base exactly what their payroll is going to be??

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Originally Posted by JB_Iowa

My big problem with the Twins is that they are "neither ... nor". They are neither willing to tear it down and really do a rebuild in anticipation of the talent they have in the system (but with adding even more depth especially pitching prospects) NOR are they willing to do as Howard (and JC himself) has suggested and spend more than their 50% rule of thumb (if they even spend that) to field a team that is above mediocre next year.

While my personal preference is for a rebuild, I don't really have a problem with the latter. I just wish they'd pick a course and pursue it wholeheartedly. Instead, I feel like they are just idling along in same old, same old.

Management has a lot to prove this off-season.

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You just on-the-nosed my biggest fear. Floating in no mans land. The return to competitive baseball could be delayed further by hanging around in no mans land.

I don't know if my fear is worth having and I believe we have people working hard to avoid it but its a deep dark fear of mine and I admit it lives in my closet. I try not to feed it. I want it to go away.

Seth, I don't think any of us would expect the Twins to give fans an exact figure. But even last year, Ryan publicly stated a range shortly after he took over for Smith. I remember it because it was well below what all of us had assumed it would be when we did our various "blueprints." The way Ryan talks now gives no reason for any of us to expect they plan to open the checkbook at all.

I'm predicting what no one else seems to be: the Twins will sign Kevin Correia to a two year deal with a team option for a third…

After being a season ticket holder for seven years, I decided not to renew my season tickets. Some of this came out of the fact that my wife and I don't live in the Twin Cities anymore. But even when we did live there, we had cut back our season tickets at the beginning of last year. It was easy to find people for my tickets in the first couple years of Target Field but it has been a nightmare since the end of the 2011 season.

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Originally Posted by twinsfaninsaudi

I'm predicting what no one else seems to be: the Twins will sign Kevin Correia to a two year deal with a team option for a third…

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Can I get any props please?

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Originally Posted by twinsfaninsaudi

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Originally Posted by twinsfaninsaudi

I'm predicting what no one else seems to be: the Twins will sign Kevin Correia to a two year deal with a team option for a third…

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Can I get any props please?

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Wow...thats one hell of a call.
On topic I'm not changing my season tickets. I plan on going to all the All-Star activites in 2014.

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Originally Posted by twinsfaninsaudi

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Originally Posted by twinsfaninsaudi

I'm predicting what no one else seems to be: the Twins will sign Kevin Correia to a two year deal with a team option for a third…

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Can I get any props please?

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You can get a kick in the balls for predicting something so awful that actually came true. :D