Reusse slams the Twins

[gunnarthor]

http://www.startribune.com/dancing-when-17-40-twins-have-no-shame/382314661/

 

It's pretty rough - no one is spared.  Players, coaches, development staff, FO,  TF prices, etc.  Except, he's actually pretty nice about ownership, which I find surprising.  But what's wrong with the Twins/who is to blame has been covered enough on TD so this thread doesn't have to be that.  Instead, I have two thoughts on this:

 

1) Say what you want about Reusse but I really think he love baseball.  He wants the Twins to be good b/c baseball is his favorite sport.  He seems more like an fed up fan than a columnist.

 

2) He's advocating for a complete blow up and this isn't the first time this year.  Regardless of whether you agree with him, I suspect he knows (or has a very good hunch) that ownership will make some changes one way or other at the end of the season.  He didn't rip on the Pohlads so maybe he has had conversations with them about the teams future?  Is he just angry or does he know more?

 

[rghrbek]

I read the article and it was pretty critical, as Reusse can be.   I also agree that he is a baseball guy first.   I think like many people he is embarrassed that he got fooled from last years Twins' season.

 

However, I think his article is mostly spot on.   Where is the accountability?   I think he's right about the prices.   As soon as the Twins thought they might have a plus .500 team again they jacked up the prices...

 

Not too much he is wrong about in my opinion.

 

[twinsnorth49]

I've never particularly cared for Reusse, but I agree with everything he said in this column. It's long past due mind you.

[Platoon]

I read this early this morning, and agreed with most he said. Reusse knows baseball, he came from a baseball family in Fulda, his dad was very active in it. And for those on here who don't understand how intense old time town ball was, it will be hard to imagine that a product of amateur ball would have enough knowledge to opinionate on MLB. By chance yesterday my baseball savvy son and I were dissecting the Twins, and this idea/question popped into the my head. I asked him, what would the Twins team look like with a Bud Grant in his prime, or Mike Zimmer running it? I don't know if the Twins would have had a better record, but I do believe they would more likely resemble a ML team than they currently do.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Not really a Reusse fan.  Not sure I agree with everything he said here, but I do agree that most of it is pretty spot on.  This team has been dreadful this year. 

[wsnydes]

 

However, I think his article is mostly spot on.   Where is the accountability?   I think he's right about the prices.   As soon as the Twins thought they might have a plus .500 team again they jacked up the prices...

 

Agree completely with you here.  I used to eat and drink at the ballpark almost every game we attended.  By May of this year, I was making sure that I wasn't spending any money at Target Field at all.  I go to the games I've paid for, but that is it.  Between the putrid product on the field and increased concession prices, I refuse to give this team any more of my money this year.  

 

Between the concessions and the team, it's abundantly clear what they spent more time on during the off season.

[HitInAPinch]

meh.  It's Reusse and that's what he's supposed to do.  He's up to 233 comments. 

I can't argue with anything he said, because I've already heard it before. 

 

I've personally questioned the conditioning of this team a long time ago and the lack of production and fundamentals coming out of Spring Training. 

[twinsnorth49]

I'll amend my previous statement to say I still disagree with his opinion that guys like Sano and Vargas aren't fully committed because of their weight. That's just a different spin on his previous article where he placed the blame on Sano and his immaturity, now it's the Twins fault. 

 

Not being able to develop some  of those guys into better players I agree with.

[markos]

 

I asked him, what would the Twins team look like with a Bud Grant in his prime, or Mike Zimmer running it? I don't know if the Twins would have had a better record, but I do believe they would more likely resemble a ML team than they currently do.

They would probably look a lot like the Tom Kelly teams.

[TheLeviathan]

 

I'll amend my previous statement to say I still disagree with is opinion that guys like Sano and Vargas aren't fully committed because of their weight. That's just a different spin on his previous article where he placed the blame on Sano and his immaturity, now it's the Twins fault. 

 

Not being able to develop some  of those guys into better players I agree with.

 

Especially if they had, you know, played him at third and gotten rid of Plouffe.

 

And yeah, I don't get what Reusse's deal is with bashing players about their weight.  He's hyper-focused on that for some reason.

[Brandon Warne]

I've said it on twitter and I'll echo it here -- for various reasons I still can't believe they're doing the dance parties. 

 

You can single out a number of reasons, but it just doesn't feel right. Bad record, it was a last year/Torii thing.....I just don't think it's great. 

[Blake]

Baseball writers always know more than they let on. Ruesse is merely letting Strib readers in on that which TD readers have been aware of for the last couple of months.

 

I know writers have to keep some stuff to themselves because they need continued access. Anyway, if Reusse is ripping the Twins in the Strib then change is in the works. No way he blasts the Twins like this without an editorial and Twins owners wink and nod, because, again, Reusse needs access so he can do his job.

 

 

[FormerMinnasotan]

I agree with the article. It really seems there is a HUGE lack of accountability on this team from Jim Pohlad all the way to the scouting department. How a team can be this terrible and unapologetic about the failure is beyond me. I agree we have a stacked minor league system, but we don't have any coaches at the big league level that can finalize the potential of the Twins prospects. A few failures I can expect, but for practically every prospect failing (or falling short of potential) as a Twin since 2009 is outrageous. For example, if Jose Berrios ends up as a failure or on the low end of his potential that is on the Twins and their inability to properly develop top tier talent (same goes for Buxton and Sano IMO).

[tobi0040]

Regarding weight, the Twins told Sano and Vargas to lose weight. They had an entire off-season and the resources in order to do it (money for a gym, healthy food, cooks, nutritionist, trainer, Twins likely offered to send someone down and work with them, etc.) and they come back weighing more? They deserve some blame.

 

Pretty good article overall, although if you say ownership "deserves more" out of the $170m Ryan spent, then the owners should be held accountable for keeping Ryan around. He is now overseeing the draft and will oversee 4-5 months of extended spring training for the big club to break in/evaluate young players.

[alarp33]

 

Baseball writes always know more than they let on. Ruesse is merely letting Strib readers in on that which TD readers have been aware of for the last couple of months.

 

I know writers have to keep some stuff to themselves because they need continued access. Anyway, if Reusse is ripping the Twins in the Strib then change is in the works. No way he blasts the Twins like this without an editorial and Twins owners wink and nod, because, again, Reusse needs access so he can do his job.

 

I agree. Reusse's level of confidence in this being the end for Terry Ryan is playing into why I am so sure the change will happen.  He is definitely plugged in over there.  

 

I'm really excited for the latest No Shame / Embarrassing move coming this Friday, when the Twins honor a player that rips them and the MN fans anytime someone sticks a microphone in his face.  

[wsnydes]

 

Regarding weight, the Twins told Sano and Vargas to lose weight. They had an entire off-season and the resources in order to do it (money for a gym, healthy food, cooks, nutritionist, trainer, Twins likely offered to send someone down and work with them, etc.) and they come back weighing more? They deserve some blame.
 

The players should be held accountable if they come in out of shape.  It's their job to stay in shape.  Whether it be motivation or laziness, if that's the mentality of the player, that's the mentality of the player.  There's only so much a team can do about that.  It's at that point the hones is on the player.

[Vanimal46]

 

I'll amend my previous statement to say I still disagree with is opinion that guys like Sano and Vargas aren't fully committed because of their weight. That's just a different spin on his previous article where he placed the blame on Sano and his immaturity, now it's the Twins fault. 

 

Not being able to develop some  of those guys into better players I agree with.

Yeah it's a weird vendetta he has against Sano this season. I'm not quite sure why he hasn't let that go yet. 

[Craig Arko]

Huh, a first.

 

Bwahahaha.

[Blake]

 

I agree. Reusse's level of confidence in this being the end for Terry Ryan is playing into why I am so sure the change will happen.  He is definitely plugged in over there.  

 

I'm really excited for the latest No Shame / Embarrassing move coming this Friday, when the Twins honor a player that rips them and the MN fans anytime someone sticks a microphone in his face.  

I thought the walk-off win celebration was ridiculous, but, semi-excused it because it didn't last that long on the field. However, had I realized it continued for a while, well, that would definitely changed my opinion. That kind of extended celebration for the teams 17th win wasn't just embarrassing, it was downright foolish.

 

And where was Molitor to put the brakes on the extended celebration? Does the man have any control over the clubhouse at all? And I really don't see the extended clubhouse celebration happening under Gardy. 

[Vanimal46]

I can't disagree with much of anything Reusse wrote in this column. It's about dang time that a columnist stops beating around the bush and talks about this embarrassing season as it is. 

I will continue to cross fingers that this is the breaking point and major changes will happen this off-season. 

[TheLeviathan]

The players should be held accountable if they come in out of shape.  It's their job to stay in shape.  Whether it be motivation or laziness, if that's the mentality of the player, that's the mentality of the player.  There's only so much a team can do about that.  It's at that point the hones is on the player.

Judging "in shape" by pounds is obnoxiously misguided. If you read Russe you'd think Sano looks like Prince Fielder.

 

My eye test is failing me on that argument.

[gunnarthor]

 

 

 

I'm really excited for the latest No Shame / Embarrassing move coming this Friday, when the Twins honor a player that rips them and the MN fans anytime someone sticks a microphone in his face.  

Yeah, ignoring everything else, I can't believe they are doing this.  Even if you think PEDs had nothing to do with his improbable career arc, he's been a jerk to this franchise every chance he's had.  

[Platoon]

Yeah it's a weird vendetta he has against Sano this season. I'm not quite sure why he hasn't let that go yet.

 

I don't specifically remember the Vargas weight issue. But I think some of the Sano thing comes from Sanos conflicting comments and actions in winter ball, and his apparent disinterest in learning the OF. Normally there would have been glowing, fawning reports of Miguel gettin after it, talking with Torii, and how athletic he looked in late January chasing 225' pop ups. Not a peep. I read almost nothing. I got the feeling Sano was not that excited about being an outfielder.

[wsnydes]

 

Judging "in shape" by pounds is obnoxiously misguided. If you read Russe you'd think Sano looks like Prince Fielder.

My eye test is failing me on that argument.

That's not what I was trying to say, I was trying to make a more general statement.  The ability to produce all year long versus half a year (Dozier) or pulling muscles are indications of lack of conditioning.  

 

But in Sano's case, the team did ask him to come in lighter and he didn't.  

[wsnydes]

 

Yeah, ignoring everything else, I can't believe they are doing this.  Even if you think PEDs had nothing to do with his improbable career arc, he's been a jerk to this franchise every chance he's had.  

That's the part that gets me.  He wrecks this franchise every chance he gets.  I don't have a ton of respect for the guy to begin with, but constantly beating that dead horse is tiresome and classless.  He thinks and acts like he's bigger than the game itself.

[d-mac]

I agree the those before me that it's about time somebody in the local "media" took a more critical tone with this organization. 

[Platoon]

That's the part that gets me.  He wrecks this franchise every chance he gets.  I don't have a ton of respect for the guy to begin with, but constantly beating that dead horse is tiresome and classless.  He thinks and acts like he's bigger than the game itself.

While the franchise has no particular duty to Reusse, maybe the reason he keeps beating this dead horse over and over, is because the horse is still dead after twenty years. And it's the same horse. A season of competing for a playoff spot that was added for TV, and a few seasons of winning a weak division, and getting our asses handed to us by the other divisions in twenty straight years would allow for a lot of horse beating, dead or otherwise. (apologies to the SPCA)

[tobi0040]

The players should be held accountable if they come in out of shape.  It's their job to stay in shape.  Whether it be motivation or laziness, if that's the mentality of the player, that's the mentality of the player.  There's only so much a team can do about that.  It's at that point the hones is on the player.

If my boss tells me to do something and I completely ignore him than I will be held accountable. I compeltely agree.

[SweetOne69]

 

While the franchise has no particular duty to Reusse, maybe the reason he keeps beating this dead horse over and over, is because the horse is still dead after twenty years. And it's the same horse. A season of competing for a playoff spot that was added for TV, and a few seasons of winning a weak division, and getting our asses handed to us by the other divisions in twenty straight years would allow for a lot of horse beating, dead or otherwise. (apologies to the SPCA)

I could be mistaken, but I believe wsnydes comments are in regards to Ortiz not Reusse.

[D. Hocking]

The article is pretty on point and you cannot really argue with it.

 

The one thing I don't have a problem with is the little post-game celebration.  Sure it might be a little silly and even ridiculous considering the record, but it is a long season and if the players can have a moment to have fun and get their mind off of the futility of the season, it probably does them more good than harm.  At this point they need to just take one game at a time and as long as they are taking things seriously and trying to do what they need to do otherwise, if that particular game allows them to have a bit of fun - go for it.

 

I agree about the Ortiz celebration being odd.  I thought the interview on the NBC webpage today was particularity bad in that it was not just criticizing the organization, but the fans as well.