Joe Benson Homered Last Night

[jokin]

Well, earlier today: "I still think Arcia is going to be a hell of a hitter in the majors one day but Hicks, I'm about ready to write off."

 

There's your one-off, a marginal poster on TD, at best.

[gunnarthor]

All eyewitness reports, from TD participants, to Rochester media members, up to, and including from the Twins FO itself, indicate that Benson had checked out and was his own worst enemy. This is really beyond dispute. Yes, the upper levels of baseball do present a challenge, Benson's athleticism indicates he is better than the crash-and-burn numbers he produced at AAA and AA, both this year and last. The mental aspects to the game ( ie, the endless and inevitable repetition of failure over success at the plate) appears to be Benson's major impediment.

 

Got a link to him checking out? I'm pretty sure TD just had a heated discussion about Rosario checking out of games and getting benched. I'd be stunned to hear the Twins were letting Benson check out and not react to that.

[jokin]

Got a link to him checking out? I'm pretty sure TD just had a heated discussion about Rosario checking out of games and getting benched. I'd be stunned to hear the Twins were letting Benson check out and not react to that.

 

Just refer to every thread on Benson in the last fortnight of days. All the links are there- start with Thrylos's eyewitness report of about a week or two ago.

[Shane Wahl]

Jesus H. Good god. Letting a top prospect just "check out" is an abomination. You know . . . I am only a full-paid philosopher for one more year at the moment . . . the Twins should probably, um, hire me to check in with such players and discuss life and goals and failure and death and all that stuff. You might think that a "sport psychologist" is needed, but those people are wankers and pill-pushers.

 

Note to self: new career path based on idiotic 40-man decisions by the Minnesota Twins

[Guest USAFChief]

Well, earlier today: "I still think Arcia is going to be a hell of a hitter in the majors one day but Hicks, I'm about ready to write off."

 

A couple points: I want to make clear, in case anyone doesn't click the link, that is not my post that you have quoted above.

 

Your single example doesn't mention Benson, who seems sort of important to your earlier post, no?

 

I'm not saying these posters aren't out there, I just want to know who you expect us to track.

[gunnarthor]

Just refer to every thread on Benson in the last fortnight of days. All the links are there- start with Thrylos's eyewitness report of about a week or two ago.

I'm still digesting Thrylos' Baker signing is imminent thread. Forgive me if I don't give him any weight.

[jokin]

I'm still digesting Thrylos' Baker signing is imminent thread. Forgive me if I don't give him any weight.

 

That's certainly your prerogative. In this particular case, he confirmed what previous reports had been saying about Benson's struggles, and more of the same came just today from the Rochester beat writer, as well as from the Twins FO in explaining the DFA move.

[Shane Wahl]

USAF Chief is on a roll with this whole situation. I give him credit for that.

 

For everyone who thinks that this is a very meager deal: first very meager deals ADD UP when an org. keeps doing stupid things. Second, imagine Kyle Gibson pitching for the Twins and Joe Benson still in the organization? Like, WHOA! Third, even if Gibson isn't pitching for the Twins, imagine about 5 other guys who are no-talent players on the 40-man being simply SENT DOWN TO ROCHESTER instead of just losing a consensus 10-15 prospect (heading into this season).

[gunnarthor]

That's certainly your prerogative. In this particular case, he confirmed what previous reports had been saying about Benson's struggles, and more of the same came just today from the Rochester beat writer, as well as from the Twins FO in explaining the DFA move.

I dunno. Why Joe Had To Go | Extra Bases | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle I found this and the writer there specifically points out his horrible numbers: "Benson played himself out of any chance of a future with the Twins. He hit .192 with 1 homer and 9 RBI in 42 games. Let those numbers sink in for a minutes, because there’s more. He also struck out 50 times and walked just 10 times in 151 at-bats. That’s one K for every three at-bats." And he closed it with "But I also remember what Red Wings legend Joe Altobelli told me. Players hit a wall at certain levels. For some, it’s A ball. For others, it’s AAA. Benson just might not be able to hit Triple-A pitching." Certainly don't see anything there suggesting he had checked out but a lot to support the idea that he couldn't hit above AA.

[gunnarthor]

instead of just losing a consensus 10-15 prospect (heading into this season).

 

Who had him in that range? Not fangraphs, not baseball america, not baseball prospectus, not Jonathan Mayo. Maybe the fans at Twinkie Town. I'm not sure if Klaw does a team rating but I don't have insider.

[jokin]

I dunno. Why Joe Had To Go | Extra Bases | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle I found this and the writer there specifically points out his horrible numbers: "Benson played himself out of any chance of a future with the Twins. He hit .192 with 1 homer and 9 RBI in 42 games. Let those numbers sink in for a minutes, because there’s more. He also struck out 50 times and walked just 10 times in 151 at-bats. That’s one K for every three at-bats." And he closed it with "But I also remember what Red Wings legend Joe Altobelli told me. Players hit a wall at certain levels. For some, it’s A ball. For others, it’s AAA. Benson just might not be able to hit Triple-A pitching." Certainly don't see anything there suggesting he had checked out but a lot to support the idea that he couldn't hit above AA.

 

last season, Terry Ryan has this to say:

 

"We just need to control the emotional part of his game; he gets a little excited," Ryan said. "We don't want to change his personality, I can tell you that, because he brings a little edge to him."

[LaBombo]

I think it would be really interesting to track the posters who are ready to give up on Hicks but think Benson's getting a raw deal.

If by "give up" you mean promote Hicks from last season's level to AAA, then count me in. Let me know how I "track" compared to the other imbalanced posters if you have a chance.

 

If not, good luck with trying to equate a single post to even a minority TD contingent's consensus on... well, anything, I guess.

[jokin]

I dunno. Why Joe Had To Go | Extra Bases | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle I found this and the writer there specifically points out his horrible numbers: "Benson played himself out of any chance of a future with the Twins. He hit .192 with 1 homer and 9 RBI in 42 games. Let those numbers sink in for a minutes, because there’s more. He also struck out 50 times and walked just 10 times in 151 at-bats. That’s one K for every three at-bats." And he closed it with "But I also remember what Red Wings legend Joe Altobelli told me. Players hit a wall at certain levels. For some, it’s A ball. For others, it’s AAA. Benson just might not be able to hit Triple-A pitching." Certainly don't see anything there suggesting he had checked out but a lot to support the idea that he couldn't hit above AA.

 

And of course, his early season frustrations and apparent mental fragility led to him likely breaking his hamate bone by hitting a solid object of some kind.

[Shane Wahl]

Who had him in that range? Not fangraphs, not baseball america, not baseball prospectus, not Jonathan Mayo. Maybe the fans at Twinkie Town. I'm not sure if Klaw does a team rating but I don't have insider.

 

I am talking about Twins prospects. See Seth Stohs, Aaron Gleeman, etc.

[Shane Wahl]

And of course, his early season frustrations and apparent mental fragility led to him likely breaking his hamate bone by hitting a solid object of some kind.

 

Dude is very good in 2011 and then battle an injury in 2012. Plays essentially 4/5 of a season since that 201 season because of injury (that clearly hurt his 2012 performance). But there are better players on the 40-man roster.

[jokin]

last season, Terry Ryan has this to say:

 

"We just need to control the emotional part of his game; he gets a little excited," Ryan said. "We don't want to change his personality, I can tell you that, because he brings a little edge to him."

 

Brad Swanson summed up Benson's ouster with this:

 

"However, it is pretty clear that Benson did not fit in well with this organization. I really bristle at the Terry Ryan quote. I understand the desire to have Benson control the emotional part of his game, but if that is something he has been trying to do over the past two seasons, it isn't working. "

 

We've been hearing reports about how high-strung Benson's personality is for quite a few years, and comments from inside that at times Joe was his own worse enemy. The challenge proved daunting for him at AAA, coupled with the string of injuries, the reports of emotional outbursts on the bench and the behaviors disrupting the rest of the players, are all out there.

 

It's certainly in great doubt if Benson can ever be a legit big league player, this seems to be one of those classic instances that illustrate that "getting a new start" is the best outcome for both parties.

[jokin]

Dude is very good in 2011 and then battle an injury in 2012. Plays essentially 4/5 of a season since that 201 season because of injury (that clearly hurt his 2012 performance). But there are better players on the 40-man roster.

 

To be fair, he was struggling at the plate before the hamate bone to the wall, was there another injury that was hampering him going into 2012? Exactly when did the knee injury get diagnosed- no surgery until the post-season.

 

And the bad hitting trends of last year carried over, even though the club has announced him "fully healthy." (Being that was Rob Antony saying that, probably want to take that with a grain of salt).

[howieramone1406390264]

I'm not at all concerned that Benson and the Twins have parted ways over his recent performance and possible artistic differences. I'm very pleased the Twins have quietly done a yeoman's job in positioning themselves for another haul in the 2014 draft. Ryan and co. will receive a third shot at Christmas before the piper needs to be paid. The organization is profitable, fans are still going to the pretty place, and critics who believe Hennepin Country is providing billions in taxpayer money in return for winning the World Series every other year or so, are amazingly quiet. Things could be worse.