Let May close; and where the heck is Polanco?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It appears that Reasons # 1 and 2 are no longer operative- the Twins appear to have made the decision that Polanco doesn't have the chops for SS-

 

not disagreeing with you necessarily, but at some point people need to start questioning and demand to see for themselves. Polanco can't play short, Sano can't play third, Plouffe can't move off of third, May can't start, Pelfrey can't pitch out of the bullpen, Meyer can't pitch at all, Pinto Herrmann and Fryer can't catch.... The list goes on as does the losing.

[Thrylos]

 

whoa whoa whoa, the twins have had a 3 run lead at some point this year?

 

Yeah.  And Perkins.Blew.It.

[Jham]

 

not disagreeing with you necessarily, but at some point people need to start questioning and demand to see for themselves. Polanco can't play short, Sano can't play third, Plouffe can't move off of third, May can't start, Pelfrey can't pitch out of the bullpen, Meyer can't pitch at all, Pinto Herrmann and Fryer can't catch.... The list goes on as does the losing.

I'm not disagreeing necessarily, I just really liked the way you phrased all of this.  I'd tend to agree that we need to see for ourselves if we haven't seen a rather consistent pattern of our prospects being even less prepared than expected.  Like, "they were wrong about Buxton being ready, maybe they're wrong about Sano not being able to play 3rd?"  But I'm more afraid that its "Buxton is a waaaay worse hitter than we expected" and then how bad would Sano be if he was "waaaay worse" at third than they expected, and they already expected him to be bad?  Either way, we need to do a much better job of evaluating our own talent before they hit AAA, let alone the major leagues.  Hopefully Gardy is a better evaluator of talent than he was a manager, at least at the end there.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

Plouffe had a nice couple games, Dozier had a nice couple games, and Nunez was hitting .370 or something coming into the game today. I want Polanco to play too, but I think it's justifiable to sit him in this situation.

I think the point is, he should be playing everyday somewhere, either MLB or AAA, not on the bench. If we need a bench infielder, call up Beresford instead of Mastroianni or one of our mop up pitchers.

[Mr. Brooks]

Plouffe had a nice couple games, Dozier had a nice couple games, and Nunez was hitting .370 or something coming into the game today. I want Polanco to play too, but I think it's justifiable to sit him in this situation.

So you expect the Twins to turn it around and contend for a playoff spot this year?

Because if not, Nunez batting average is meaningless.

[USAFChief]

I think the point is, he should be playing everyday somewhere, either MLB or AAA, not on the bench. If we need a bench infielder, call up Beresford instead of Mastroianni or one of our mop up pitchers.

Or deal Nunez while he's hot and semi-permanently install Poanco as a spare infielder.

[Shane Wahl]

Yes, all efforts should be made at trading Nunez and Plouffe. Come on. Please.

[TheLeviathan]

not disagreeing with you necessarily, but at some point people need to start questioning and demand to see for themselves. Polanco can't play short, Sano can't play third, Plouffe can't move off of third, May can't start, Pelfrey can't pitch out of the bullpen, Meyer can't pitch at all, Pinto Herrmann and Fryer can't catch.... The list goes on as does the losing.

I wish I could like this for each kick ass example. I'm so sick of those explanations.

[DocBauer]

I'll bet a large amount of money... for me that would be about 50 bucks. 

 

I'll bet that a large percentage of Twins personnel... players, front office actually do read TD comments just to see what is being said about them. It makes them a little uncomfortable but they read it in the same way that we put our tongues on canker sores. It doesn't help the situation and it stings a little but we put our tongue on it anyway. 

 

So... For the Twins in the Front Office and the players who are reading this... and you are. 

 

Ignore all these posters... and just listen to me.  

50 bucks?!

 

You big spender you! Too rich for my blood...or wallet.

[DocBauer]

Actually, despite some fun and sarcasm, there are a LOT of great points here. Liked several, can't quote all of them.

 

I like Plouffe. I would have kept him as well, unless there was actually a quality trade option for him. Coming in to the season you had young stud Sano, but Mauer and Park were mysteries. Park was and is loaded with potential. He's got flaws and is still ,earning, and Mauer has looked a lot like his old self until a recent slump, (is that reality or just a slump with nobody hitting around him?) But come on, Sano IS a competent 3B with room to get better. He showed it in the minkrs, he showed it in limited time last season, and he showed it recently when Plouffe was on the DL despite not playing the position in ST, or the early in the season, or despite reports he wouldn't play the position this year. (Banging my head against any nearby wall)

 

I say again, platoon Plouffe, until or unless traded, with Mauer and Park and Sano at 3B/1B/DH/RF. Why is Sano the ONLY one to be asked to play out of position?

 

PLAY POLANCO! He has tremendous potential as an overall productive hitter. Every time milb teams try to bat him 1st or 2nd, he ends up being a #3 hitter in their lineup. Why? Because the guy is a talented hitter! Bring up Beresford if you want someone to sit on the bench!

 

I disagree with bringing Buxton or Kepler up right now. As much as it hurts, give them time.

[DocBauer]

May should have never been moved to the pen. Period. End of story. Someone besides Jepsen should have been brought on board to flesh out the bullpen.

 

Right now, we are hoping and concentrating on Berrios and Duffey being allowed to stay in the rotation. Until another move, or two, is made, this is a sticking point as sooner or later Gibson will be back. (This is a good thing) Room still needs to be made.

 

But until additional room is made, and it could be tough to do so, money already spent and committed just nèeds to be washed and swallowed in favor of smaller contracts with larger potential, May should be auditioned to a greater role vs Jepsen.

[Old Twins Cap]

 

Agree with a lot but not all of this.

 

The OF defense IS a crime. Adam Jones' hit in the 9th would have been caught by an outfielder better than Arcia. You can't tell me that a lot of the current pitching problems, especially with Hughes, aren't due at least in part because of that awful outfield defense.

 

That's on Molitor.

 

What's Rosario doing on the bench in a close game in the late innings instead of playing defense for Arcia? 

 

That's a rookie mistake, from a HOF player but, second year manager.  It cost us a game.

 

It's not rocket science.  Game is tied.  Play your best defense.  Difference between Rosario and Arcia at the plate is what?

 

 

[zchrz]

 

OK, so put yourselves in another teams shoes.  You know the Twins need to move some players.  Are you going to offer them anything of value for those players?  Not if you're smart.

 

So lets just keep them so they can provide no value to the Twins and block prospects....  A reliever for Plouffe looks like it would have been pretty damn nice at the moment.  

 

The Wolves perennial incompetence brain slug seems to have left its host and attached to the Twins. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Ugh, that is really disappointing if this is Polanco's last option year. The Twins have no idea what they have, and by next year he'll have to be on the MLB roster or risk losing him. 

 

Yup, just more terrible roster management from this FO. Awful.

 

edit: Or not....maybe he has one more!

 

Either way, how they use him is.....mind. boggling. to me at least.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Upon further research, Polanco indeed missed out on a 4th option year by 3 days.

 

Players with fewer than 5 full pro seasons get a 4th option year, with 90 days as the threshold defining a "full" season.  Rookie leagues are all under 90 days in length, so seasons spent fully in a rookie league shouldn't count toward those 5 full.

 

However, in 2010, Polanco started in the Dominican Summer League, which begins earlier than other rookie leagues, then moved to the Gulf Coast League, which runs later.  His combined rookie league season between those two leagues appears to have run 92 days.

 

Given that Polanco was a fairly high profile signing (#23 on BA's top international prospects that year, and his $775k bonus was I think a Twins international record at the time, preceding Sano by a couple months), I think someone dropped the ball on this one back in 2010.

[DaveW]

That's on Molitor.

 

What's Rosario doing on the bench in a close game in the late innings instead of playing defense for Arcia?

 

That's a rookie mistake, from a HOF player but, second year manager. It cost us a game.

 

It's not rocket science. Game is tied. Play your best defense. Difference between Rosario and Arcia at the plate is what?

Wow this is a great point, I didn't even think of that. More frustrating is that Molly will pull Sano defensively quite a bit, but than wont pull Arcia? What gives!

[Otto von Ballpark]

Indeed, the Twins screwed up big time with Polanco in 2010.

 

A quick scan of BA's top 25 international prospects for 2009 indicates that Polanco was the only one in that group to spend 90 days on a pro roster in 2010:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2009/268478.html

 

Others spent more than 90 days on a roster in 2011 or 2012, of course (Sano, for example, didn't need 3 full seasons in rookie league ball), so they wouldn't all get a fourth option year either, but no other player in that list lost his 4th option year eligibility in his first pro season like Polanco.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Indeed, the Twins screwed up big time with Polanco in 2010.

 

A quick scan of BA's top 25 international prospects for 2009 indicates that Polanco was the only one in that group to spend 90 days on a pro roster in 2010:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2009/268478.html

 

Others spent more than 90 days on a roster in 2011 or 2012, of course (Sano, for example, didn't need 3 full seasons in rookie league ball), so they wouldn't all get a fourth option year either, but no other player in that list lost his 4th option year eligibility in his first pro season like Polanco.

 

Ugh....so, ugh. If true, it is just another simple thing this FO messed up. IF true.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

What was May's role when the Twins were playing their best last year (in May)? However, I completely feel that the Twins are not using May as their closer due to saves being used heavily in the arbitration process. I honestly believe that to be the main reason.

[howieramone2]

 

Thank god they don't. They might be on the way to 550 losses over 6 years if they did.

Target Field would become a parking lot.

[howieramone2]

 

Indeed, the Twins screwed up big time with Polanco in 2010.

 

A quick scan of BA's top 25 international prospects for 2009 indicates that Polanco was the only one in that group to spend 90 days on a pro roster in 2010:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2009/268478.html

 

Others spent more than 90 days on a roster in 2011 or 2012, of course (Sano, for example, didn't need 3 full seasons in rookie league ball), so they wouldn't all get a fourth option year either, but no other player in that list lost his 4th option year eligibility in his first pro season like Polanco.

Anyway you could come up with the name of the individual who screwed up in 2010? The board is running out of scapegoats.

[kab21]

Veterans (or old people) that should keep playing almost everyday for the next 2 months include the following. If you bench them then you guarantee that they have no trade value. Plouffe and Dozier could be fairly valuable commodities at the deadline so I wouldn't think about benching them. In order for that to happen though you need injuries or complete ineffectiveness at 2B/3B to happen to a contending team.

Mauer - playing well

Plouffe

Dozier

Park - playing well

Suzuki (lack of any other option)

 

Polanco should be playing at SS some and getting an occasional day at 2B or 3B.

I am not concerned in the least about May pitching the 8th or the 9th as far as his development goes. Starting is an entirely different argument though. Jepsen has thus far looked awful this year though.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Anyway you could come up with the name of the individual who screwed up in 2010? The board is running out of scapegoats.

 

Terry Ryan's hand picked replacement?

 

I thought we had pretty well narrowed our sights - who needs a host of scapegoats when it's really just one guy that embodies all the problems?

[Mike Sixel]

 

Veterans (or old people) that should keep playing almost everyday for the next 2 months include the following. If you bench them then you guarantee that they have no trade value. Plouffe and Dozier could be fairly valuable commodities at the deadline so I wouldn't think about benching them. In order for that to happen though you need injuries or complete ineffectiveness at 2B/3B to happen to a contending team.

Mauer - playing well

Plouffe

Dozier

Park - playing well

Suzuki (lack of any other option)

 

Polanco should be playing at SS some and getting an occasional day at 2B or 3B.

I am not concerned in the least about May pitching the 8th or the 9th as far as his development goes. Starting is an entirely different argument though. Jepsen has thus far looked awful this year though.

 

so just keep Sano in RF, where he doesn't belong, on the off chance you can trade Plouffe?

[gocgo]

 

So lets just keep them so they can provide no value to the Twins and block prospects....  A reliever for Plouffe looks like it would have been pretty damn nice at the moment.  

 

The Wolves perennial incompetence brain slug seems to have left its host and attached to the Twins. 

Exactly.  That's the corner that we have painted ourselves into.  Hopefully, with season being over already, we will pull the trigger and not wait any longer and start playing the future.

[Linus]

I think the point is, he should be playing everyday somewhere, either MLB or AAA, not on the bench. If we need a bench infielder, call up Beresford instead of Mastroianni or one of our mop up pitchers.

This. He should be playing second base everyday in Rochester. Then we might know if we have the luxury of trading Dozier at the deadline

[Pardon My Dinger]

Welp.

[Kwak]

May might not appear more than once per week if he is moved to "closer" position.  I remember that Perkins rarely appeared not so long ago because there were very few games needing closing.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

No reason Molitor can't get Polanco in the lineup, though I'm honestly not sure what difference it makes at this point. Maybe Molitor feels these are must win games, and he cannot afford to trust a rookie under such conditions. I have no idea.

[jokin]

 

Anyway you could come up with the name of the individual who screwed up in 2010? The board is running out of scapegoats.

 

Actually, all roads lead to just one goatpath, not many.