Fangraphs (and other national publications) on the Twins

[nicksaviking]

I'm guessing the take away wasn't intended to be the "Ivy-League" part so much as the "white male" part.

 

Klaw probably shouldn't have implied that a good education was bad because last I checked Harvard has at least reluctantly started letting in women and people with ancestors not originally from Europe.

[drivlikejehu]

Seems like Klaw is ripping clubs for not hiring candidates that don't exist. It would be nice if they did exist, but reality is what it is. And the number of front office jobs in baseball is very small to begin with, even with more positions being created in recent years. 

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

I asked Keith Law about the Twins hiring Thad Levine in Law's chat today. Response was negative -
"More of the same - another white male prep-school educated guy without experience in the baseball side or the analytics side of the business. I also was surprised that Falvey didn't find someone with a different background from his own to try to complement his resume and fill in missing skills."

I think Falvey DID do that. Appears Levine's expertise is wheeling and dealing decisions and Falvey being analytical and creative in many aspects.

[Mike Sixel]

From today's prospect chat on FGs.....

 

Eric
2:31 What kind of ceilings/player comps do you put on either AJ Puk or Tyler Jay?

 

Eric A Longenhagen
2:31 I try to avoid comps unless I really like one, both are potential #2/3s for me as a ceiling.

 

Eric 2:41 Obviously not a prospect any more, but is Buxton's ceiling still crazy high, like a role 70 player, if things come together?

 

Eric A Longenhagen
2:41 Oh yes.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

From today's prospect chat on FGs.....

 

Eric
2:31 What kind of ceilings/player comps do you put on either AJ Puk or Tyler Jay?

 

Eric A Longenhagen
2:31 I try to avoid comps unless I really like one, both are potential #2/3s for me as a ceiling.

 

Eric 2:41 Obviously not a prospect any more, but is Buxton's ceiling still crazy high, like a role 70 player, if things come together?

 

Eric A Longenhagen
2:41 Oh yes.

That's fair. I was thinking about Jay just yesterday and was trying to put a ceiling on him. He hasn't pitched enough innings to really get a read on him but I think 2/3 is pretty fair. That's about where I landed.

[Mike Sixel]

Another FG writer going to a FO.....unreal. I really like August's work, and his first two pieces were about Dozier and Suzuki!

[Vanimal46]

Fangraphs appears to be a nice launch pad to a FO gig. I thought the narrative was only Ivy league bros get those jobs? 

[sthpstm]

 

Another FG writer going to a FO.....unreal. I really like August's work, and his first two pieces were about Dozier and Suzuki!

 

Cleveland connection...could it be the Twins? 

Until it's not, I can hope.

[Thrylos]

 

This seems to be Law's 'story of the day' -- all these pesky Ivy League guys in front offices.

 

Law's headline today:  "Every major front-office hire of the last 13 months has been male, white, and likely Ivy League. Mike Hazen is the latest. It's on MLB to fix it."

 

Haverford College, and UCLA (Levin's Alma Matters) are not Ivy League.  Haverford is one of the top 20 Liberal Arts Colleges, expensive and highly selective, but that's not Ivy League.  Plus FWIW Levin played baseball in both College and High School.

And FWIW, I'd rather have a general manager who went to a great school for College and then went on to an excellent MBA program that someone whose greatest academic achievement was to graduate from the George S. Parker High School, in Janesville, WI...

[Mike Sixel]

That's not KLAW's point, as I posted above............

 

Do people just take surface comments, or REALLY think about what he's saying here?

 

1. Mostly rich people go to expensive schools.

2. Mostly rich people can take unpaid internships, or awful paying jobs, after going to an expensive school

3. Mostly these are white males

4. there is no real evidence Ivy League schools crank out smarter, more prepared, people

5. Restricting your POOL for hiring leads to a lot of group think, and stunts long term innovation

6.........really, give it some thought.

[jimmer]

 

Haverford College, and UCLA (Levin's Alma Matters) are not Ivy League.  Haverford is one of the top 20 Liberal Arts Colleges, expensive and highly selective, but that's not Ivy League.  Plus FWIW Levin played baseball in both College and High School.

And FWIW, I'd rather have a general manager who went to a great school for College and then went on to an excellent MBA program that someone whose greatest academic achievement was to graduate from the George S. Parker High School, in Janesville, WI...

Ah, come on, a degree in physical education from University of Wisconsin-Madison is nothing to sneeze at :-)

[Thrylos]

 

1. Mostly rich people go to expensive schools.

 

3. Mostly these are white males

 

 

Beg to differ.  Feel free to check % male or female of highly rated private Colleges and Universities (aka "expensive schools") entering classes.  Most of them are female. (MIT and Caltech aside). 

Most of these schools have a need-blind admission policy, which means that if you have what it takes to get in academically, but not the financial means, they will pay for it. 

[jimmer]

 

Let's try to stay classy here. You might not like the decisions Ryan made as GM but this stuff isn't necessary. He never sunk to stuff like this and he was under an intense spotlight unlike posting anonymously on the interenet.

yeah, it was just a joke, hence the smiley face.  no need to believe everything is meant maliciously.

 

P.S.  What is the interenet? ;-)

[Thrylos]

 

Let's try to stay classy here. You might not like the decisions Ryan made as GM but this stuff isn't necessary. He never sunk to stuff like this and he was under an intense spotlight unlike posting anonymously on the interenet.

 

Prove that statement.  After the tons of feeding crap to the press (usually to Reusse and Souhan) regarding players the Twins' FO did not like.  Ryan or not, they were there and were below the belt hits.

 

Ask Pat Neshek, if you don't believe me.

[jimmer]

 

Prove that statement.  After the tons of feeding crap to the press (usually to Reusse and Souhan) regarding players the Twins' FO did not like.  Ryan or not, they were there and were below the belt hits.

 

Ask Pat Neshek, if you don't believe me.

Or Slowey, or Perkins, or Lohse...

 

and no joking, like I was doing, was going on when THAT stuff was being said.

 

But, in any event, thank goodness he's gone.

[Linus]

yeah, it was just a joke, hence the smiley face. no need to believe everything is meant maliciously.

 

P.S. What is the interenet? ;-)

Sorry I made a mistake typing. Didn't realize it would be a big deal.

[glunn]

Moderator warning -- I just deleted about 5 recent posts in this thread. Please refrain from bickering or we will start awarding infraction points,

 

TD is a place for respectful discussion, and bickering between two or three posters ruins threads for the rest of us.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Insider summary on Gonsalves from KLAW:

 

"I think the light fastball is going to present problems for him as the competition improves."

I was always curious about Gonsalves fastball.  There are example of those type of pitchers becoming successful.  A couple of Braves pitchers come to mind.  And that ain't fair to compare Gonsalves to them. 

 

If he can pickup a couple ticks on that fastball, who knows???

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

If he can pickup a couple ticks on that fastball, who knows???

He's still only 22 years old so anything is possible but I wouldn't hold my breath over Gonsalves picking up speed on his fastball. It's more likely he learns to control it better and add movement.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

He's still only 22 years old so anything is possible but I wouldn't hold my breath over Gonsalves picking up speed on his fastball. It's more likely he learns to control it better and add movement.

Definitely more likely to lose velocity than he is to gain it.

[snepp]

 

He's still only 22 years old so anything is possible but I wouldn't hold my breath over Gonsalves picking up speed on his fastball. It's more likely he learns to control it better and add movement.

 

He just needs to get that good downward plane, then he'll be able to get some good sink on it.

[Vanimal46]

Saw this nugget on MLB Trade Rumors:

Today the Twins will have representatives to check out Greg Holland's showcase. Along with the Twins in attendance are the Rangers, Giants, Yanks, and Red Sawx. 

[nicksaviking]

 

Saw this nugget on MLB Trade Rumors:

Today the Twins will have representatives to check out Greg Holland's showcase. Along with the Twins in attendance are the Rangers, Giants, Yanks, and Red Sawx. 

 

One of those clubs has a much easier path to the closer role than the others. If that should be of any interest to a relief pitcher interested in rebuilding his value and trying to get another good sized payday down the road.

[Vanimal46]

 

One of those clubs has a much easier path to the closer role than the others. If that should be of any interest to a relief pitcher interested in rebuilding his value and trying to get another good sized payday down the road.

The Giants may have an easy path to the role too. Santiago Casilla had a rough go of it last season as their closer. 

[Vanimal46]

Paul Molitor Cocktail
12:35 Is Sano better in 2017? Does he stand around 3B until Mauer's contract mercifully expires?

Dan Szymborski
12:35 Yes, I would hope not.

 

 

mike sixel
12:36 Dozier return Urias or De Leon, and due to pitcher uncertainty, would the Twins want more?

 

Dan Szymborski
12:36 Yes and they wouldn't.

[Vanimal46]

Vanimal
12:45 More likely Twin to get traded this off-season: Brian Dozier or Ervin Santana?

 

Dan Szymborski
12:46 Santana I think. Still remains to see just how much autonomy the new FO will have to trade Dozier

[Mr. Brooks]

Vanimal

12:45 More likely Twin to get traded this off-season: Brian Dozier or Ervin Santana?

 

Dan Szymborski

12:46 Santana I think. Still remains to see just how much autonomy the new FO will have to trade Dozier

That is a good point.

Ownership has already shown that it will put restrictions on who can be fired. It wouldn't surprise me if they made occasional demands on the player personell side as well.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Paul Molitor Cocktail
12:35 Is Sano better in 2017? Does he stand around 3B until Mauer's contract mercifully expires?

Dan Szymborski
12:35 Yes, I would hope not.

 

 

mike sixel
12:36 Dozier return Urias or De Leon, and due to pitcher uncertainty, would the Twins want more?

 

Dan Szymborski
12:36 Yes and they wouldn't.

 

Ha, I was away from the chat and was just going to post this!

[Mike Sixel]

 

Vanimal
12:45 More likely Twin to get traded this off-season: Brian Dozier or Ervin Santana?

 

Dan Szymborski
12:46 Santana I think. Still remains to see just how much autonomy the new FO will have to trade Dozier

 

congrats!

 

Also, if they restrict personnel decisions, part of me hopes they lose 162 games forever. 

[nicksaviking]

 

congrats!

 

Also, if they restrict personnel decisions, part of me hopes they lose 162 games forever. 

 

Yes, if Pohlad and/or St Peter start dictating player decisions they might as well just throw in the towel because this whole front office restructuring would be a sham.

 

Not that I think they will. Pohlad always appeared to be pretty hands-off prior to Ryan getting fired and St Peter has never shied away from the fact that he's not a baseball tactician. I would also guess the addition of new and unfamiliar people in the front office might scare off any meddling as no one can be sure that lips won't be looser with the new crew; an ambitious but disgruntled go-getter might go and blab to La Velle.

 

Also, the only reason I could think of for ownership to meddle is to sell more tickets, and clearly they already saw Dozier doesn't sell tickets.