Article: Ryan On Suzuki: He Took The Post

[twinsnorth49]

 

Perhaps I'm not following you.  If Ryan ends up settling for AJ after all other angles fail to materialize, is that still not a net upgrade in 2016 from the current situation?

I suppose if it's an "after all other angles fail to materialize" situation. It's all those other angles I'd like to see first. 

 

[jokin]

 

I suppose if it's an "after all other angles fail to materialize" situation. It's all those other angles I'd like to see first. 

 

Yep. And things got simplified a bit with Torii's announcement out of the way.

 

Time to get back to work, Terry. (the problem is he has tended to get enamored with these feel-good reunion and underappreciated veteran deals over taking on a shot on a home run- a lot less muss and fuss... and $$$->  Pohlad has already come out and stated that he doesn't like the back-end cost of these long-term deals- which pretty much rules out Wieters. And don't forget, Ryan would be reticent to risk looking foolish by signing or acquiring another high-cost catcher-  so soon after making a big splash with the big Zuke extension).

Edited October 27, 2015 by jokin

[hybridbear]

 

Suzuki's wRC+ in 2012 was 63

Suzuki's wRC+ in 2013 was 67

Suzuki's wRC+ in 2014 was 107

Suzuki's wRc+  in 2015 was 66.

 

Is he really somewhere between 2014 and 2015 or was 2015 the real him?

 

This is a lot like Hughes FIP trend.

 

Ryan got outlier seasons from Suzuki and Hughes and decided to sign these guys for longer because of it.  They went back to who they really are this season.

This shows why Ryan should be fired. He appears to have no understanding of math or statistics. It's so frustrating to see the way he runs the team. The Twins need a forward thinking GM, not someone who is stuck in the past...

 

Signing AJ would be more of being stuck in the past...

[Mike Sixel]

Ha, as I said on another thread, that's not me.....I'm 51 and don't really like fighting all that much.

 

As for using money to get a catcher, have people looked at the catching FA list? That's one reason the Jays were so smart to pounce when they did, good catchers don't usually make FA.

[jokin]

 

Ha, as I said on another thread, that's not me.....I'm 51 and don't really like fighting all that much.

As for using money to get a catcher, have people looked at the catching FA list? That's one reason the Jays were so smart to pounce when they did, good catchers don't usually make FA.

 

The Yankees have to be kicking themselves-  sure, they ended up getting McCann, but Martin has vaulted ahead of McCann over the last 3 years- Martin 12.6 fWAR vs. McCann 8.1 fWAR . And Anthopoulos does look like a genius in how he got it done so early in the process (signed on 11/17/14), and yet still convincing Martin's agent to sign a back-loaded 5-year contract- Martin played for only $7M  in 2015, and just $15M in 2016.

[Mike Sixel]

btw.......

 

The TR interview is one of my favorite parts of the book. Also, I wish I had suggested this question:

 

Minor league players are one of your most important assets. Will the Twins become the first team to pay at least a minimum wage? Why don't teams invest in better food and diets for these players, and allow them to learn bad habits of eating fast food since most don't have / know better options?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Just curious if Ryan said anything about Josmil Pinto on that.  His bat was ready last year, though the concussion certainly affected him.  Is the org looking at him more as a DH or does he have a future at C still?

Pinto is mentioned in the interview, albeit briefly.

[Willihammer]

 

In terms of allowing baserunners to advance an extra base by a SB + PB +WP, Twins catchers were better than the American League average. Well, only by 1, but still, I imagine that preventing the extra base by strong accurately throwing outfielders is more important. The difference between Twins catchers and league average for just stolen bases is about one extra base every nine games..

That's an interesting way of looking at that part of catcher defense. An extra base is an extra base, whether it comes on a SB, PB, or WP.

[Dantes929]

 . He and Suzuki could be a decent – if unexciting – combo for 2016.   I think we would all accept that.    AJ is actually still a good hitter and would be playing most of the time in a platoon.    Much like Hunter was a defensive and offensive upgrade over Willingham, imo the object is to upgrade which will make us better next year.    AJ hits right handed pitching very well.   This would be an upgrade.

I am just fine with trading prospects.    I would have been fine with trading Sano the prospect for Posey type prospect.    Probably tough to do though given the general lack of good catchers.

[Dantes929]

 

It's always next year. When does that year come?

Next year.     Is that too obvious.   In 1989 next year meant last place in 1990 but in 1990 next year meant a WS championship in 1991.    What I can't stand is having a bad team and bad prospects (2011).    Decent team with good young prospects is drama I enjoy seeing.   I am looking forward to next year.    And the year after that.

I think our all star closer getting hurt and or tanking might have cost us a playoff spot.   I don't think Suzuki had as much impact.

[Rosterman]

Drew Butera!?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Liked the idea of trying to trade for AJ at the deadline to shore up a ragged and beaten up Suzuki, but I agree that AJ/Kurt is not a very good plan A.

 

Wieters is too old / injury prone / overrated to sign long term, right? That's the consensus?

 

Lucroy's catching days are possibly nearly over, trading for him could be a mistake...

 

What is the likelihood of the Twins spending enough in prospects to trade for Gary Sanchez, Austin Hedges, Plawecki, etc.? I don't see that happening either. 

 

There are solutions out there, it just depends on which flaws the Twins are willing to absorb. Recently, they've been willing to have Doumit, Suzuki, Butera, Herrmann, and Fryer do it. It's a low bar, but they can do better.