Article: What Kind of Fan are You?

[Seth Stohs]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?418-What-Kind-of-Fan-are-You

[Twins Fan From Afar]

Good post, Seth. I'm about a 7.5 on the fan scale. Certain moves (like the Capps for Ramos example) confuse or annoy me right off the bat, but I know enough to know that, despite what we all complain about concerning Bill Smith and Terry Ryan, the people working in MLB front offices generally have good baseball minds. And I also know that it's an exercise in futility to complain about that trade 150 times on the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press amd TwinsDaily sites.

 

And there's only so much negativity I can take. If the Twins stink this year, I'm sure I'll write about that on my blog to an extent, but I'll also focus more attention on the Rock Cats and the other teams that might post winning seasons.

[Axel Kohagen]

Honestly, I can go between 1 and 10 in a single day, maybe even during a single game. Maybe even during one at bat. I guess "mercurial" would be the best word. I prefer highly emotional.

 

When I watch any game, the Twins are simultaneously the greatest team to ever play baseball and lousy bums. My objectivity is shot.

 

For me, their can be no greater testament of love than this chaotic insanity. Go Twins!

[coddlenomore]

I get it, we shouldnt overreact this early. Yet I am amazed that the credit level you and others give to this team in terms of moves made. We lost three all -stars and replaced them with a 38 year old short stop, and oft injured left fielder with half the range of Cuddyer (shocking, but true!) and Doumit. We never addressed the horrific pitching situation we still have (see, i do realize they have pitched well so far.....) and people who think we upgraded our defense please explain to me how other then carroll? The credit Terry Ryan gets need to be put into the context that every move we make is dollar wise, thats it! Remember all our big free agent pick up?......How about those huge moves when we were contending...Bret Boone, Pat Borders, Jesse Orosco, Phil Nevin, etc....

[Shane Wahl]

I am probably about a 7 or so, though with Gardenhire specifically it is more of a 5. I am hoping that TD doesn't turn into the mess of comments that was the Star Tribune Twins section (I never go there anymore). Four games into the season . . . there are 158 more games . . .

[Twins Fan From Afar]

I get it, we shouldnt overreact this early. Yet I am amazed that the credit level you and others give to this team in terms of moves made. We lost three all -stars and replaced them with a 38 year old short stop, and oft injured left fielder with half the range of Cuddyer (shocking, but true!) and Doumit. We never addressed the horrific pitching situation we still have (see, i do realize they have pitched well so far.....) and people who think we upgraded our defense please explain to me how other then carroll? The credit Terry Ryan gets need to be put into the context that every move we make is dollar wise, thats it! Remember all our big free agent pick up?......How about those huge moves when we were contending...Bret Boone, Pat Borders, Jesse Orosco, Phil Nevin, etc....

All those things you listed annoy and upset me probably just as much as any fan. I think I almost was reduced to tears when I found out that we were resting our hopes on Jason Marquis this season. But I also realized that there's nothing -- aside from complaining for a day or two on my blog -- that I can do about it, besides not going to games. And I like baseball too much to make that kind of a protest.

[Thrylos]

I want to Twins to win. Also when they don't I want them to look and analyse the reasons why they didn't win and make changes that will allow them to win. If they do not do that (or if they have low expectations/complacency i.e. it is ok to win the division every other year or so and be blown out at the post-season) I criticize. I just want them to win.

[strumdatjag]

The front office was brilliant in letting Nathan, Cuddyer and Kubel go. With a depleted minor league system, the Twins needed the compensatory draft picks to beef up for the future. This year and next year could be tough to watch if you were expecting a division championship. However, the three guys we let go were not going to be the difference to put this team in the playoffs. This is Detroit's time to shine, and the Twins are smart to use it to start building for the future. Read Reusse's column today.

[jeffk]

strumdatjag - I agree that was the smartest thing they did this winter, to replace players with equivalent players that were slightly cheaper plus draft picks.

[ltwedt]

I am a Twins fan - 10 all the way! However:

 

I reserve the right to question, disagree, be stunned with, agree with and talk about - all decisions made by the GM, the Manager (especially the Manager!!!), and the entire Front Office.

 

I also reserve the right to:

 

Be a "Homer", enthusiastically and irrationally cheer for and wildly support the Minnesota Twins!

[twinswon1991]

I am the biggest twins fan there is but I also have a firm grasp on REALITY. I never expected this team to be better than bottom 3 in the whole MLB this year but that doesnt make me any less of a fan.

 

I wish more of the media had a better sense of reality instead of cheerleading and giving uneducated fans false hope.

[Gernzy]

Probably about a 7. I hated the J.J. Hardy trade. Wait hate isn't strong enough of a word. It really pissed me off. Sometimes we don't give people enough of a chance, and sometimes we give people too many chances (Casilla, Punto). I'll be a Twins fan no matter what happens though.

[Steve Lein]

I'd have to say I'm always in the middle. I wholeheartedly believe some moves were 100% correct (Signing Willingham/Doumit to replace Kubel/Cuddyer/Butera). But I wholeheartedly also go WTF?! to some moves (Jason Marquis, Capps). Since they should be rebuilding, but haven't yet actually embraced that philosophy, I'll probably settle in at a 4 right now.

[Fanatic Jack]

I'm a 10 win, lose, or draw. However, I will cancel my season tickets after 2012 if manager Ron Gardenhire keeps his job. Name another market in MLB where Gardenhire would keep his job? Jim Leyland nearly won a World Series in 2007 and was on the hot seat until last year. Ozzie won it all in 2005 and was very good friends with the owner (Jerry Reinsdorf) and they did not retain him when his contract was up. Gardenhire can't beat any teams in the AL East or West, has lost 12 straight playoff games, and refuses to even make a coaching change. He also continues to make excuses for the team. Injuries last year and now great pitching. Give me a break! I ask you Seth, at what point does losing become acceptable???? Why is ok in Minnesota but not New York, Boston, Chicago, and St. Louis?

[Fanatic Jack]

We were promised more as fans when we helped Pohlad build his fortress of solitude called Target Field.

[CDog]

Those might be the two greatest posts ever from an irony standpoint.

[TCBurgerGuy]

I'd call myself a solid 8. As far as the front office and trades and such go, I understand that being a high-level executive in any profession is a tough gig, especially one as high profile as in the MLB. For the most part I trust that the people in charge of putting a team together know what they are doing. I believe that they want the team to win. I also think that they know deep down that it isn't going to happen this year or probably next. I have to say that I really agree with strum's post above. They need to replenish the minors. They will possibly be losing the majority of their pitching staff next season. They are rebuilding without stating it and losing three of their biggest names was a move that was going to happen eventually. I still love the team, but it may be hard to watch for a couple of seasons (like in the mid-late 90's). A true fan will remain a loyal fan through those hard times and will enjoy the good times even more when they return.

[CDog]

I'd also say 8ish. There are occasional head-scratchers, but I'm smart enough to know what I don't know. I don't question everything my doctor says even though I've seen a few episodes of "Scrubs," either. But there would be cases where I might look for a second opinion, too.

[Boom Boom]

I would have said a 9 until last year. Last year was really, really bad, and it wasn't all injuries and bad luck as the Twins claim. By August any time I heard the phrase "The Twins Way" I revisited my breakfast. I'm of the belief that baseball has passed the Twins (re - Gardy) by. The Twins are in need of a paradigm shift if they want to be relevant again, and although 4 games is a very small sample size, it sure looks to me like they're picking up right where they left off.

[Seth Stohs]

Jack, I would suggest taking a look at the definitions of the 1 to 10 range... the point isn't that 10 is better than 1. It's just a range of the type of fan that people are.

 

I would say I'm probably an 8 or so. Most of the time, I can understand what the thought process is even if I don't always agree with it.

[rk83071]

I consider myself a bit of a homer when it comes to the Twins. I feel that they figured something out long before any of the other sports organizations in this town did. In the instant media now society that we live in and the kind of money families have to spend the Twins have always had a good reputation of being a highly respectable organization that knows how to act in the community in which it is supported by. Like every sports organization on the planet they all have their ups and downs but that’s how business and life in general cycles. Minnesotans in my view point tend to be somewhat of fair weather sports fans, I myself am loyal. I still have pennant hanging in my office from my very first Twins game back in 1977. I will always have the Twins as #1 on my list through thick or thin and that’s ok with me. If you compare the Twins with all the negative drama and chaos that has been created by other sports organizations in this town who are competing for the same family dollar it is not even close. Yeah so the Twins are going to have a few not so great years but in my mind I know that the quality of the individual the Twins are going to have represent them and my community is always going to be worth my hard earned dollar. I have never once felt uncomfortable taking my family to a ball game because of the atmosphere the Twins have created. I have to think long and hard about some of the other sports venues. Also one other tidbit, even though it has been a long while they are still the only major sports franchise to have won any sort of major title in this town. Whatever happened to loyalty? Go Twins.

[LimestoneBaggy]

I'm a 8.

 

I was very upset (to put it mildly) about the Capps trade, but in 2010, it did what it was supposed to (in 2010). See also: Herrmann, Rams (and insert a good-defense catcher here). I can understand the thought process to "win right now" in 2010. At this point, I don't understand bringing Capps back, but we'll see what happens (his current ERA is perfect; so to follow the recent trend, the pick up is doing great.....not going to mention long fly balls). I didn't like the Diamond for Bullock trade, but Bullock didn't look that great last year, and Diamond is capable of spot starting (which has value). I really wish I had an insiders perspective on how coaching and Target Field affect our current roster.

 

My point in all of this (and I think Seth's as well), is fandom is a spectrum without black and white book ends. Feel free to fall wherever you fall. Let's debate everything; if you want to throw the team, management, and everything else under the bus at this point, it's something to discuss (I'm too much of a homer/small sample means nothing/easy to judge in hindsight guy). But I beg of you, don't let TD go the route of other blogs/media/etc. Personal attacks, name calling, and animosity are better left for those who can't have intelligent discussion with individuals throughout the spectrum (ahem....our politicians).

 

Oh yeah, and Chris Parmalee isn't hitting well, yet.

[WYTwinsFan]

I'm most definitely a 10. I always assume that if a move doesn't make sense to me, I don't have all the information. I'm not in the clubhouse or Terry Ryan's or Dave St. Peter's offices so I don't really know all the facts or inner workings. I assume that they make the best decisions with the information they have.

 

Also, I'm a Twins fan because I love the Twins Way. Hustle, pitching to contact, playing the game the right way and everything else that means!

[twinsnorth49]

I'd say I'm an 8, a complete homer actually, sure I disagree with some things they do and at times they drive me bonkers but they're my team and I'd rather root for them than tear them down. Second guessing is too easy when you're sitting on the armchair recliner, discussion is fun but I stop short of pretending I'm qualified to run a major league baseball team. I' also not one for wishing people to lose their jobs, sure it happens but I would never hope it would happen to someone.

 

The Twins have given us tons of great baseball to cheer about and plenty of bad baseball to cry about........it's the Twins way!!!

[savvyspy]

I'd probably be a 7 or so if the front office would just admit they have a major rebuild ahead of them and stop signing these worthless patchwork guys that offer no future (here's to you Jason Marquis and Jamie Carroll). This team would have been better off letting all their free agents go (including the indefensable Matt Capps) and stocking up on picks. This is a 65-70 win team WITH Mauer and Morneau healthy. The problem is MN GMs don't get you need to get really bad to ever get really good. This Twins team is a teardown project. Almost anyone should be on the block. I'd rather build around the future guys (Dozier, Parmalee, Benson, Revere, etc) than watch Willingham play left field like he's trying to dodge hand grenades. I don't care if they win 72 games instead of 62. Both are total failure in my book. If the 62 loss team leads to shaving a year off rebuilding then that's was the team should do. Instead the Twins try to have it both ways. Its embarassing. As a result I'm more of a 4. And as for the "where's loyalty for the only team to win a title?" BS. It was 20 years ago turn the page. You want a dose of where this team ranks right now, they just had an opening day ceremony for a 10 YEAR OLD DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP. Good God.

[twinsnorth49]

Its embarassing. As a result I'm more of a 4. And as for the "where's loyalty for the only team to win a title?" BS. It was 20 years ago turn the page. You want a dose of where this team ranks right now, they just had an opening day ceremony for a 10 YEAR OLD DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP. Good God.

I respectfully suggest you become a Chicago White Sox fan, keep on keeping on.

[luckylager]

I would say that I am an 8 on the Twins fan scale (as well as the attractiveness scale). I rarely miss a game, though I admit missing quite a few towards the end of last season. I've had 20 game packages the last two seasons, but gave them up this season for a variety of reasons including my wife being out of work for the last two years and scheduling conflicts with my son's baseball season. I am not always in lock-step with moves made by the Twins front office (why resign Capps?), however I do realize that there are smarter baseball minds than mine at work there. I believe that the Twins rolled the dice and blew their wad on Mauer (in hindsight a mistake, but imagine the uproar had they let him go). Unless he steps up and delivers, the Twins are going to be mediocre at best and will be handcuffed for the next few years until the farm system can provide some cheap talent. During that period I will take what we get and hope for the best. Ranting and raving and making up nasty names for management and players is stupid and childish; also a waste of time. Relax and see what happens or find something more enjoyable to occupy your time.

[MWLFan]

I guess I fall into the patient logical view catagory, but I wouldn't say that I give the benefit of the doubt without some basis for that. It is like a Bank Account, the Twins deposited a lot of equity with me since 2002. That is ten years of good baseball with some great moves. Did they make some withdrawls, sure. Last year dropped that account quite a bit and it is not at the level it was 2 years ago. But I look at the account and feel that they have a lot still in there and the manager of that account was Terry Ryan for most of the period. The trust and goodwill sure is not where it was in the 1970's or early 1980's when they probably had as much relevance to me as Greece has credit. The Twins were a complete after thought during most of my life and the last 10 years has been the most consistent and successful period of Twins baseball since I turn 10 years old in 1971. Besides 1961 to 1970 it would be hard to see how this leadership group could be unfavorably compared to any other group in Twins history. That all being said the clock is ticking and we need to see some progress and a plan that is coming together or that goodwill will be depleted, for me that is probably 2 to 3 years of moderate losing. (Another year like last one will move that needle quicker.)

[Cody Christie]

I stressed out a lot more about the team last year than I have so far this year. My wife, Mrs. NoDak Twins Fan, has been wondering how I have been so calm through the first handful of games with the team playing so bad. I don't know if I got numb to losing in 2011 or if I am trying to give this team the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the start of a new season. There was plenty of turnover in the roster and I am much more willing to watch things unfold this year as the team tries to gel together.

 

I still question somethings with the team but I trust that the best will still come in the end. On the scale talked about in the post, I would give myself an 8. Ask me later in the season and I might change my mind.

[PeanutsFromHeaven]

Using the Seth Strohs Barometer of Front Office Fandom (Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved) I'd put myself about an 9 publicly, and a 5 privately. I also liked this quote:

 

...I realized that there's nothing -- aside from complaining for a day or two on my blog -- that I can do about it, besides not going to games. And I like baseball too much to make that kind of a protest.

To be sure I scratch my head and shudder a little bit inside when I see big Hot Stove News like "Twins mulling 2 million offer to FILL-IN-THE-BLANK-OVER-THE-HILL-INFIELDER", but ultimately, what does my feeling or saying that do? I spent one season working with a minor league club, which was plenty of time to realize that the baseball business people are going to do what the baseball business people are going to do. No amount of stomping your feet, tearing your hear or swearing about things will change that. So, why not put on a happy face and enjoy the game for what it is?

 

Like TFFA I like baseball (especially Twins baseball) too much to boycott it, so I'll shudder on the inside, smile on the outside and enjoy every day until the cold reality of November comes around again.