Trib Columnists assess "Total System Failure"

[Platoon]

Phil Miller, LEN3, Jim Souhan, and Patrick Reusse address their thoughts on the various decisions, luck, and wishful thinking that led Jim Pohlad to utter the three most famous words since Alfred E Neuman coined the phrase, "what, me worry?"

 

I thought the beat writers were a little more forthcoming than usual, and the opinion writers about per usual. Reusse was pretty hard on the FO in several comments, as well someone should be.

 

To paraphrase Rod Sterling "I offer for your consideration" >>>>>>>

 

http://www.startribune.com/total-system-failure-how-everything-fell-apart-for-the-twins/381146221/

[Blake]

I went through the article and I didn't see anything the beat writers said that hasn't been discussed on Twins Daily. The beat writers are looking at the current problems without looking at why the Twins are where they are.

 

Our very own D-mac laid out the problems in the farm system, and how it has impacted the MLB club, extremely well here:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/22542-article-troubled-youth/page-3?do=findComment&comment=484805

 

Basically, young players are clogging up the minor league system at the lower levels rather than being moved along at a steady pace. And, these young players are being moved to the MLB level whereas even All Star caliber players are getting at least a few PA's at the AAA level before reaching the Majors.

 

The FO expected players with no AAA experience to able to handle MLB straight out of AA. What's sad is that the FO has repeated the same mistake over and over.

 

Nothing discussed in the article is a surprise to anyone on this board. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, all the writers did was regurgitate everything that has been said multiple times on Twins Daily.

[Platoon]

I don't disagree with anything you say. But as much as I (and Brock) would like to believe, there are probably more readers of the Sunday Trib, than TD, The Pioneer Press, and the Madelia Messenger combined. And it's a step forward, and up for the beat writers to join in the fray. All beat writers tread a fine line, and this is as close as they came to crossing it, LEN3 and Millers most controversial pieces normally run towards the "best seafood in Ft. Meyers" variety. Speaking only for myself, I could write a very opinionated, somewhat factual, and blistering piece on the last twenty years that this FO has put fans through. I could write on the faux pennant runs, beating up on a consistently weak division, only to have our asses regularly handed to us in the playoffs, of signing endless extensions to players after a career year, to signing a DH to a team with about ten of them already, and on and on and on. And the view count would approximate Doziers OBP. There is no doubt that people on this board are avid baseball fans, and many are far far more knowledgeable than I, but we are often preaching to the choir, and soothing our inner beasts!

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Where you don't expect Miller and LEN to be particularly biting, Reusse and Souhan whiffed a bit. As referenced above to dmac's OP, it's not that the FO relied on youth, it's that the youth they relied on had a ton of A ball and no triple a ball. None of the writers really put the onus squarely on the ownership and had a straight line of sight to the BH Park portion if only they had finished it with, unless Plouffe was traded(who's been as bad or worse than dozier) and an on-base type outfielder was signed/traded for in his place.

[USAFChief]

I particularly agree with two points:

 

- Too much reliance on top prospects

 

- Trades haven't helped

 

All the rest is either focusing on one player, or focusing on items that stem from the two above.

 

You win with proven major league talent, perhaps supplemented with one or two young players, rather than the other way around. "Rebuild" is mostly a fan driven myth.

 

. It's a damning statement that JJ Hardy was the last Twins trade for a player expected to assume a starting position player role. That's a long time.

[Twinfan & Dad]

Many of us forecasted that the Twins would have a difficult season with the unbalanced roster that TR constructed. The beat writers, ever so optimistic, whiffed on this one in their initial analysis of the 2016 season. My take is that are scared to psss off anyone within the organization if they are critical of the direction those in charge take. Now with the season already lost and national writers being critical they step up to the plate. But to start attacking individual performances and not addressing the true cause of all of this, ownership and Terry Ryan, misses the root cause of the dire situation the Twins are in.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

My take is that are scared to psss off anyone within the organization ........

 

That's exactly how I felt reading it. A couple of the reporters brought up a really good point or two, but as a whole, they took a pretty wide berth at it.

[jud6312]

Wow, what a complete and total surprise ... Patrick Reusse taking a negative stance on Miguel Sano.

[Kwak]

 

Many of us forecasted that the Twins would have a difficult season with the unbalanced roster that TR constructed. The beat writers, ever so optimistic, whiffed on this one in their initial analysis of the 2016 season. My take is that are scared to psss off anyone within the organization if they are critical of the direction those in charge take. Now with the season already lost and national writers being critical they step up to the plate. But to start attacking individual performances and not addressing the true cause of all of this, ownership and Terry Ryan, misses the root cause of the dire situation the Twins are in.

The STrib  is basically ​Pravda for Minneapolis "system".  Beat writers write press releases for the Twins. The "columnists" have more leeway, but they are still cogs in the machine. We should not expect objectivity from the STrib.

 

That said, the Twins painted themselves into a corner when they didn't admit that REBUILD was necessary and not simply RELOAD and fine tune.​ Payroll was in continual reduction until the decision (which I believe came from relentless arm twisting) that led to the signing of Nolasco, Hughes, et al.  The draft  choices were elevated to super star rank as soon as they were signed. The constant hyperbole of these young guys was foisted on the public (and the owner!) as a way to deflect blame for past sins and to promote sales. The 2015 season was judged as "the transition year from a 90+ loss team to a 90+ win team. Sadly, we found out (as well as the owner) that the Twins are ​ still a 90+ loser team and that the 2015 son was merely an outlier/aberration. Hence the comment "...total system failure..."  Rality had struck. The STrib article is nothing more than an attempt to deflect blame from management to players.  It has nothing to do with AAA experience. There has been an abundance of evidence that shows that AAA success doesn't translate ML success.

[HitInAPinch]

I almost blew my Fruitloops out my nose reading that article.  All this criticism with the Twins on a 3 game streak. Fantastic timing     

[Twinfan & Dad]

The STribis basically ​Pravda for Minneapolis "system".Beat writers write press releases for the Twins. The "columnists" have more leeway, but they are still cogs in the machine. We should not expect objectivity from the STrib.

 

That said, the Twins painted themselves into a corner when they didn't admit that REBUILD was necessary and not simply RELOAD and fine tune.​ Payroll was in continual reduction until the decision (which I believe came from relentless arm twisting) that led to the signing of Nolasco, Hughes, et al.The draft choices were elevated to super star rank as soon as they were signed. The constant hyperbole of these young guys was foisted on the public (and the owner!) as a way to deflect blame for past sins and to promote sales. The 2015 season was judged as "the transition year from a 90+ loss team to a 90+ win team. Sadly, we found out (as well as the owner) that the Twins are ​ still a 90+ loser team and that the 2015 son was merely an outlier/aberration. Hence the comment "...total system failure..."Rality had struck. The STrib article is nothing more than an attempt to deflect blame from management to players.It has nothing to do with AAA experience. There has been an abundance of evidence that shows that AAA success doesn't translate ML success.

 

I guess I didn't realize this. WOW, what a job. Report on the team but be unable to criticize. I always thought beat writers could develop relationships with the players and then take the risk that what they wrote could jeopardize the inside stories that players can provide. I guess they are paid to be regurgitators.

[rghrbek]

 

I don't disagree with anything you say. But as much as I (and Brock) would like to believe, there are probably more readers of the Sunday Trib, than TD, The Pioneer Press, and the Madelia Messenger combined. And it's a step forward, and up for the beat writers to join in the fray. All beat writers tread a fine line, and this is as close as they came to crossing it, LEN3 and Millers most controversial pieces normally run towards the "best seafood in Ft. Meyers" variety. Speaking only for myself, I could write a very opinionated, somewhat factual, and blistering piece on the last twenty years that this FO has put fans through. I could write on the faux pennant runs, beating up on a consistently weak division, only to have our asses regularly handed to us in the playoffs, of signing endless extensions to players after a career year, to signing a DH to a team with about ten of them already, and on and on and on. And the view count would approximate Doziers OBP. There is no doubt that people on this board are avid baseball fans, and many are far far more knowledgeable than I, but we are often preaching to the choir, and soothing our inner beasts!

 

 

Agreed that beat writers have it more difficult than opinion columnists, when it comes to criticizing.   However, I do have to say the beat writers have treated the Twins with kid gloves forever.   Particularly Neal.   He is a popular guy, with his ties to KFAN and affable personality.   All one has to do, is follow or read the work of Michael Russo, on the Wild, for the star trib.   He is the best beat writer in town, and the most respected nationally from this market.   It's not close.

 

Russo is almost never wrong, and gives us the fan information before it  happens.   He is not afraid to to speculate and also criticize.   His number 1 goal is to provide insight to the reader/fan.   He has been confronted by players, coaches and management, but somehow has maintained their respect.

 

I wish there were more Russo's to cover our baseball squad but there are not.

[whydidnt]

I read the article this morning at thought it was long on end results,which are obvious, and missed the boat on the cause. I don't think they really spent much effort on investigating why we are looking at total system failure. There was no discussion on how the Twins are still running the team like its the 90s, and every other organization has evolved.