Congrats to Eduardo Nuñez All-Star

[stringer bell]

Congratulations to Eduardo Nuñez, the Twins' All-Star representative for 2016. In this trainwreck of a season, Nuñez has had a fine and consistent year.

[TheLeviathan]

Eat that Dave!

[mickeymental]

coolio!

[wsnydes]

Congrats to Eduardo!  

[Rosterman]

Kudos. Now let's hope he isn't traded before the game is played (shades of Rosario and Park missing their special days).

 

[Bark's Lounge]

Good for Nunez. Maybe he is in over his head, but at a time a lot of good things were thought about this player. Maybe it took him some time to figure it out, maybe he is a flash in the pan... SELL HIGH BITCHES!!!

[sftwinsfan]

Love him or hate him he's had a great first half and deserves it.  People can argue this or that over the batting average but he's one of the only guys on the team that uses the whole field and seems to have a solid approach of taking what is given to him.  What I'm most surprised over are the homeruns and stolen bases.  Plus just the whackiness is fun to watch.  That little slide into 2nd over the weekend was hilarious.  

[Twinfan & Dad]

I have to respect everything that Nunez has done. A utility player who made the most of an opportunity with a team that has struggled so much that he was asked to do something out of the norm, play everyday. He not only has done so but has played at an all star level. If there is any positive to this season he is by far the easy choice for Twins fans and all utility players in MLB. It isn't often that a utility player makes an All Star team I can think only of Ben Zobrist and Josh Harrison but I'm sure there are more. I can only hope that Nunez continues to play at this level so that his trade value continues to increase or if no other Twins players step up then he will play everyday and play well. No disrespect but Nunez is the best trade that TR has made. Too bad he didn't have a clue what he was getting. Maybe Nunez is a keeper and will get his 300AB every year as a utility player and be able to step in when called upon in the years to come. Note to all utility players, "Hang in there, you never know when your team will be so awful that you may be the sole bright spot in a dreadful season".

[h2oface]

One half of one season with a .320 average can make one an all-star these days. The obligatory selection from this horrid team. It is comical, really when one considers what all-star is supposed to mean. This team has soooo far to go.

[Thrylos]

OK.

 

a. glad to see Nunez get the spot from this team.  He deserves it.

 

b. This says more about the Twins than Nunez.  Really.

[h2oface]

One half of one season in a so mediocre career, and it is the best this team has to offer for the mandatory selection. An All-star. A revered honor. Right up there with Willie Mays and Harmon Killebrew, eh?

[Shaitan]

A lot I could say here but I'll try and keep it brief.

 

1) Nowhere near Ryan's best trade. 

2) I think he's a good pick for the AS game now that they're focusing on building actual rosters where playing multiple positions holds extra value instead of just sliding someone out of position.

3) Props to Nunez for being able to not only play daily, but play a new position daily. Many AS caliber players struggle for entire seasons after a position change. It takes a certain mindset to do it daily.

 

[Shaitan]

 

One half of one season with a .320 average can make one an all-star these days. The obligatory selection from this horrid team. It is comical, really when one considers what all-star is supposed to mean. This team has soooo far to go.

 

What is all-star supposed to mean?

 

It's the 2016 all-star game so I'd argue that hitting .320 for the relevant (to the AS game) half of the 2016 season is a pretty solid achievement.

 

Not disagreeing that the team is horrid, just wondering about the terminology. Are you suggesting he's not having a good year? I think compared to, say, Ron Coomer, Nunez is pretty deserving. If the argument is about the token aspect of 1 per team, that's a different conversation entirely.

 

[Twinfan & Dad]

A lot I could say here but I'll try and keep it brief.

 

1) Nowhere near Ryan's best trade. 

2) I think he's a good pick for the AS game now that they're focusing on building actual rosters where playing multiple positions holds extra value instead of just sliding someone out of position.

3) Props to Nunez for being able to not only play daily, but play a new position daily. Many AS caliber players struggle for entire seasons after a position change. It takes a certain mindset to do it daily.

 

Point on TR trade record is that he has none. If this was his best trade then it's a pretty sad resume. However please name another couple trades he has made that have been better. The man can't do his job period. I think I also mentioned 300 AB is about where Nunez needs to be thus a utility player.

[Twinfan & Dad]

Don't get me wrong Nunez deserves this selection period. There are no second place finalists this year. He is the only player that has surpassed expectations.

[Rosterman]

I thought Buddy Boshers was in the competition. Who was paid off to send Buddy down to the minors.

[Shaitan]

 

Point on TR trade record is that he has none. If this was his best trade then it's a pretty sad resume. However please name another couple trades he has made that have been better. The man can't do his job period. I think I also mentioned 300 AB is about where Nunez needs to be thus a utility player.

 

Nathan/Liriano/Bonser for AJ

Kielty for Stewart

I'd even argue that Jepsen for Hu is of comparable value based on 2015.

Knoblauch for Milton/etc.

Yes, most of these are older. That doesn't mean they didn't happen.

 

[KGB]

It's funny how a player the Twins pick up on a waiver trade and two year later is an all-star and Ryan get's no credit.  But if Arcia makes an all-star game in two years, there will be pages of people patting themselves on the back for saying what a mistake it was getting rid of Arcia.

 

 

[h2oface]

It's funny how a player the Twins pick up on a waiver trade and two year later is an all-star and Ryan get's no credit. But if Arcia makes an all-star game in two years, there will be pages of people patting themselves on the back for saying what a mistake it was getting rid of Arcia.

Whoa. I can't get that carried away here. The only reason Nunez is an all-star is because the rules make someone be selected from the Twins, and not because he made it competing against the American League on his own merit. If voter's were astute, they would consider the whole period from last year's game, at least a whole year.

[DaveW]

Yes, Nunez making the all star team after being picked up off waivers by TR was a good move, no doubt. Unfortunately that good move (and a couple others) have been surrounded by a series of terrible moves that have lead to 5 out of 6 90+ loss seasons, and a 110+ loss season this year.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Nathan/Liriano/Bonser for AJ

Kielty for Stewart

I'd even argue that Jepsen for Hu is of comparable value based on 2015.

Knoblauch for Milton/etc.

Yes, most of these are older. That doesn't mean they didn't happen.

 

Liriano for Escobar as well. 

Butera for Sulbaran

Sulbaran for Nunez

 

Ryan can make decent trades.  That's not the issue with the FO.

[Mike Sixel]

congrats to Nunez. Happy for him.

[DaveW]

 

Liriano for Escobar as well. 

Butera for Sulbaran

Sulbaran for Nunez

 

Ryan can make decent trades.  That's not the issue with the FO.

I think it's abundantly clear that the Twins would have been much better off extending Liriano then trading him for Escobar.

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

It's funny how a player the Twins pick up on a waiver trade and two year later is an all-star and Ryan get's no credit.  But if Arcia makes an all-star game in two years, there will be pages of people patting themselves on the back for saying what a mistake it was getting rid of Arcia.

First of all, not all all-star appearances are equal.  Nunez has been a sparingly used bench player before this year (seriously, 204 PA last year, and only one 15 day DL stint, I think).  He's had a good half season this year, but his value is still pretty low.  He's 29 years old.

 

If Arcia makes an all-star team in 2018, he will only be 27 years old.  Presumably he will play more than Nunez in the meantime too.  Given his position, he will probably need to have a better than 118 OPS+ to make an all star team too.

 

If Arcia follows the Nunez path, spends most of his time on Tampa's bench, then makes an all star team in 2018 as a token team representative with a 118 OPS+ and bad defense, I don't think it will be used as much evidence of anything.

[dbminn]

Congratulations, Eduardo!

 

Since the beginning of 2015: 519 PA and .303/.333/.462 (.798 OPS)

 

[Vanimal46]

Good job Nunez! I'll be cheering for him to shatter Miles "Tiny Head" Jones' All-Star game record of 7 times where a batting helmet falls off a player's head... Nobody's been able to break that record since 1921. We have a real contender for the record!!   

[dxpavelka]

 

 

Congrats.  Enjoy the ride-Bryan LaHair.

 

[ashbury]

Good job Nunez! I'll be cheering for him to shatter Miles "Tiny Head" Jones' All-Star game record of 7 times where a batting helmet falls off a player's head... Nobody's been able to break that record since 1921. We have a real contender for the record!!   

I checked with SABR, and Jones retired in 1919. So this is clearly a hoax.

[Vanimal46]

 

I checked with SABR, and Jones retired in 1919. So this is clearly a hoax.

Are you sure you googled the right name? Miles "Tiny Head" Jones? Perhaps he's just known as Tiny Head Jones?

[ashbury]

Are you sure you googled the right name? Miles "Tiny Head" Jones? Perhaps he's just known as Tiny Head Jones?

SABR is never mistaken.