Souhan on the Twins

[DaveW]

 

Dave, I'm no fan of Souhan either, but aren't you guilty of taking a big pot shot at Souhan (and Hunter previously) moreso than you say others are taking at Mauer? No need for the name-calling, is there?

 

I'm a fan, Souhan is supposed to be a "professional". Slight difference.

[DaveW]

 

 

And your claim here that Hunter (and maybe Molitor and Perkins?) have no added influence on the team atmosphere?

Um I never once claimed that. I think they are a part, but I also think that winning has a much bigger part and guys performing well like Mauer, Plouffe, Dozier etc also have a part. Is Hunter helping? Of course, I just have a hard time believing that "because the Twins are dancing in the clubhouse after games" that somehow is the biggest reason why they are winning games, I tend to think that the season they are winning games is because they are scoring a lot of runs and Gibson/Pelfrey are getting "ace like" results on the scoreboard.

If an article comes out with Arcia/Rosario/Hicks someone talking about how Hunter showed them how to run better routes or actively made them a better hitter, then I am willing to give him a larger share of the credit. Until then? Hunter is just one of 25 that deserves credit for the atmosphere (i.e. one of 25 helping them win)


 

[Willihammer]

The funny thing is Hunter leads all Twins batters in the triple crown categories. I think its safe to say that one way or another, Hunter is a big reason for the Twins win streak.

[bird]

That was much better, Dave.

[gunnarthor]

 

Funny how winning does that...

Winning=Good clubhouses 99.9999% of the time no matter if you have Hunter in the clubhouse or A-Rod.

 

 Notice how Hamilton was a "good teammate" when the Rangers were winning, but the minute he goes to the Angels and they struggle he is a "bad clubhouse guy". Ditto with A-Rod and pretty much every other player.

 

The clubhouse is a positive place because the Twins have won 9 of 11 games, is Hunter part of that reason? Sure, but so is every other Twin who has played well including Plouffe, Gibson, Rosario, Pelfrey, Thompson, Dozier and yes, even Mauer.

Again Souhon comes off like a clown, the Twins are on fire and Mauer has been hitting well during this time (on fire with men on base as people previously point out) taking an inaccurate pot shot at Mauer is just so rubechat-ish.

Actually, some of this is flat wrong.  I lived in NY for a decade and the Yankees clubhouse, even when they were winning with ARod, was consistently cited by reporters for being dull and tired, esp when compared to the "Cowboy Up" Red Sox.  Lots of articles about how the Yankees needed to lighten up the clubhouse and become more friendly toward each other.

 

And Hamilton was a bad clubhouse guy when he was dealing with addiction issues.  Not really comparable to the issues in play here.

 

I don't think Souhan took much of a pot shot at Mauer other than truthfully point out that he's not playing as well as others and that the change in atmosphere that he and others have seen is more due to guys like Hunter.  

[gunnarthor]

The free press ran an article on the Twins and talked to Buster Olney about us and came to many of the same conclusions as Souhan's article did, esp praising Molitor and Hunter.

 

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2015/05/12/minnesota-twins-torii-hunter-competative/27158567/