Article: Reflecting on the Nishioka Experiment

[Guest USAFChief]

1. Nishioka represents "swinging for the fences"? The Twins invested less than $15m over 3 years in him. Only a Twins fan could view that as "going for it". Yu Darvish represents going for it. Matsuzaka represents swing for the fences. Tsuyoshi Nishioka represents trying to poke a ground ball single to the opposite field, in a true Twins philosophy way. Sheesh, people.

 

2. Claiming Nishioka had no role in the Twins 2 year suck fest is incredibly uninsightful. The fact he wasnt even good enough to perform at a below average level in the major leagues has left the Twins with a middle infield hole they're still trying to cover over, with no fix in clear sight. Dumping Hardy for Nishioka isn't Nishioka's fault, but let's not pretend it isn't one of the Twins biggest issues for the past two years, and most likely into the future as well. Just because it might not be the biggest issue doesn't mean it has no effect on wins and losses. Having a hole in your roof doesn't mean you can ignore the termites eating away at your foundation.

[Paul]

 

...the team's staggering inability to evaluate middle infield talent.

 

Is this hyperbole? If it isn't I gotta disagree. I'd bet money the team's field staff and ML scouts could all rattle off a pretty good pecking order of ML SS and 2B that you would agree with. If you had phrased it: "the team's staggering inability to acquire and field superior middle infield talent." I would agree with you. I think that narrows the focus to the real 2-fold problem.

 

A) Acquisition Gettin him out there. I would further narrow the focus to SS, as the value to the team is significantly more there than at 2B.

 

Acquisition is the easy part. All it takes is a little bit of love, a little salesmanship, and MONEY. These guys are extremely rare. The top SS of this generation make a lot.

 

Gettin him out there is apparently a problem. I think Gardy's history gets in the way. He was a very good div 1 SS. He's a very BB smart guy. He's had 35+ years to study and dissect the position full time. I think he intimidates the young ones. And I think he pissed off and chased off the one vet worth a crap that he had.

 

When Gardenhire retires I hope he stays with the team ala TK. I think his expertise would pay great dividends with the very young middle infielders in the organization. But I think it gets in the way with the ML team.

[Paul]

Good post Chief.

[Nick Nelson]

Is this hyperbole?

 

No, it is not hyperbole. And I'm not talking about "superior middle infield talent" – my expectations are way lower than that.

 

The Twins have had almost no stability in the middle infield for close to a decade, especially at shortstop. Their farm system is mostly bereft of even remotely decent middle infield talent. When they finally are able to find guys who can play (such as Hardy and Bartlett) they get rid of them. I challenge you to find another team that has struggled to this degree with finding and keeping palatable major-league options at both second base and shortstop over the past eight years.

[one_eyed_jack]

1. Nishioka represents "swinging for the fences"? The Twins invested less than $15m over 3 years in him. Only a Twins fan could view that as "going for it". Yu Darvish represents going for it. Matsuzaka represents swing for the fences. Tsuyoshi Nishioka represents trying to poke a ground ball single to the opposite field, in a true Twins philosophy way. Sheesh, people.

 

2. Claiming Nishioka had no role in the Twins 2 year suck fest is incredibly uninsightful. The fact he wasnt even good enough to perform at a below average level in the major leagues has left the Twins with a middle infield hole they're still trying to cover over, with no fix in clear sight. Dumping Hardy for Nishioka isn't Nishioka's fault, but let's not pretend it isn't one of the Twins biggest issues for the past two years, and most likely into the future as well. Just because it might not be the biggest issue doesn't mean it has no effect on wins and losses. Having a hole in your roof doesn't mean you can ignore the termites eating away at your foundation.

 

 

1) By Twins standards, yes, it was. This was a higher risk/higher reward move than their previous signings. Darvish and Daisuke are beyond swinging for the fences. When you're forking over $50 mil in posting fees, that's shooting for the moon, and it's beyond what the Twins would ever be involved in.

 

2) Nobody said he had no role. The point is that the role is grossly overstated. I posted the with/without Nishi records, and they speak for themselves. The guy played in less than 25% of them team's games the last 2 years. It's "pretending" to claim he was one of the biggest issues "for the past 2 years and likely into the future as well." You're not the first one to blame him for games lost that he didn't play in, that's absurd enough. But with the "likely into the future" claim, you're setting up to blame Nishi for games played after his release that haven't even been played yet.

 

I'm with savvyspy, there are too many fans with Nishioka Derangement Syndrome.

[Guest USAFChief]

1. Nishioka represents "swinging for the fences"? The Twins invested less than $15m over 3 years in him. Only a Twins fan could view that as "going for it". Yu Darvish represents going for it. Matsuzaka represents swing for the fences. Tsuyoshi Nishioka represents trying to poke a ground ball single to the opposite field, in a true Twins philosophy way. Sheesh, people.

 

2. Claiming Nishioka had no role in the Twins 2 year suck fest is incredibly uninsightful. The fact he wasnt even good enough to, perform at a below average level in the major leagues has left the Twins with a middle infield hole they're still trying to cover over, with no fix in clear sight. Dumping Hardy for Nishioka isn't Nishioka's fault, but let's not pretend it isn't one of the Twins biggest issues for the past two years, and most likely into the future as well. Just because it might not be the biggest issue doesn't mean it has no effect on wins and losses. Having a hole in your roof doesn't mean you can ignore the termites eating away at your foundation.

 

 

1) By Twins standards, yes, it was. This was a higher risk/higher reward move than their previous signings. Darvish and Daisuke are beyond swinging for the fences. When you're forking over $50 mil in posting fees, that's shooting for the moon, and it's beyond what the Twins would ever be involved in.

 

2) Nobody said he had no role. The point is that the role isi grossly overstated. I posted the with/without Nishi records, and they speak for themselves. The guy played in less than 25% of them team's games the last 2 years. It's "pretending" to claim he was one of the biggest issues "for the past 2 years and likely into the future as well." You're not the first one to blame him for games lost that he didn't play in, that's absurd enough. But with the "likely into the future" claim, you're setting up to blame Nishi for games played after his release that haven't even been played yet.

 

I'm with savvyspy, there are too many fans with Nishioka Derangement Syndrome.

 

I repeat...only a Twins fan.

[darin617]

Wow- after this move I have a lot more respect for Nishi. Too bad Blackburn won't man-up and do the same thing.

 

Same thing will be thought of Joe Mauer in 3 more years.

[one_eyed_jack]

Wow- after this move I have a lot more respect for Nishi. Too bad Blackburn won't man-up and do the same thing.

 

Same thing will be thought of Joe Mauer in 3 more years.

 

 

---Yep, similar players in similar situations, Mauer and Nishioka.