That’s Offensive: Did Morrison’s Signing Fix Minnesota’s Biggest Flaw?

So, a headline with a question that the article doesn't even attempt to answer. Was mentioning Morrison in the headline just an attempt to draw clicks? And suggesting that the Twins' offense is their biggest flaw? The Twins were ranked #7 in the MLB in batting in 2017 (3rd in the AL).

I appreciate that TwinsDaily doesn't typically use clickbait headlines, but this one is pretty egregious.

I wonder what Mikelink45 thinks is the biggest question mark.    I agree that Sano is the biggest question mark.   I have no worries about the rest of the team.   We had a question mark at DH and now we don't.

Clearly he doesn't solve the #1 starter question.  He also is not right-handed.  But, bottom line is instead of running out a Vargas/Grossman platoon at DH most days, they're sending out a guy who hit 38 bombs last year.  Does he address their biggest weakness?  Of course not.  Does he make their lineup better?  Absolutely.

I was wondering the same thing when I got up this morning.

I wonder what Mikelink45 thinks is the biggest question mark.    I agree that Sano is the biggest question mark.   I have no worries about the rest of the team.   We had a question mark at DH and now we don't.

I would say this is important year for Kepler to show improvement in his hitting. I believe he could turn into one finest Right Fielders in MLB if his bat catches up with the rest of his skills. Last year made big strides on defensive side of baseball but struggled more offensively. I believe that he will make strides this year it takes couple years for players like Kepler to figure it out. I also was going to say Vargas this year but it looks like the Twins are going another direction. I just have gut feeling here that he could be one players that could really blossom into bigtime hitter after he leaves MN. Also his value being a switch hitter problem here in MN is getting consistent playing time behind Mauer, Sano, and Grossman. Could be good year for MN but it also be another step back year with this group learning how to win and produce.

Who came up with this headline?  Did you write about the Twins biggest weakness and how Morrison did/did not address it?  I think the biggest weakness is starting pitching (as others have noted) but based on the headline I assumed that another weakness was going to be discussed.  Disappointed.

Toronto and Texas has tried that strategy.  Did not really work well for them

 

I think that the Twins will be competing for the wild card and even possibly for the division.  They could make the post-season, but to go far in the postseason Berrios have to take it up a couple of notches from last season (and he might be well in the way,) Odorizzi has to be a very dependable number 3, and someone (likely Fernando Romero) will have to pull a c2006 FranKKKKKKKKKKKKie performance (without getting hurt in the process)...

Worked well for the 27 Yankees though.   Just kidding maybe they had great pitching as well.   Saying it didn't work well for Toronto and Texas is like saying having great pitching didn't work well for the Dodgers this year or like saying  Santana can't win a playoff game because look,  he pitched in a playoff game and didn't win.    Give me Toronto's team that year every year into the the playoffs and I would be happy to take my chances.     They won the wild card and the Division Series but lost 4 games to 1 in the AL championship.   In those losses they averaged less than a run a game and gave up exactly 2 runs a game.    They  had no ace but giving up just 2 runs a game will win most of your playoff games.   They had a great offense but scoring less than a run a game will not win any games for you.

The Twins biggest flaw is the same as it was before, but on paper the Twins definitely look better than they did a year ago.

Yay for clickbait! 

I'm not sure in which article to place this comment.  I retired to Maine where only one baseball team exists on the planet - the Red Sox.  I watched the Twins/Boston preseason game last night which featured the Red Sox announcers.  In the second inning, one of them said to the other, "last fall, if you asked 20 major leaguers who would win the Golden Glove in center field, every one of them would have been wrong."  The other announcer said that would have been wrong also.  They went on for two innings how Jackie Bradley Jr. was by far the best center fielder and how Buxton got the award was unimaginable.  They talked about how in one game alone he made three spectacular plays that saved the game.  The showed all three plays.  On one he ran towards right field and caught a liner without having to jump.  Whoppee.  The next play they showed was Bradley running towards shortstop and diving for a line drive.  Not bad.  The last play was Bradley running towards the fence in left center field and catching the ball about 20 feet before he hit the warning track.  If that's the highlight reel, I don't know how he got any votes.  I had to turn off the broadcast.  I think Buxton would have made all three catches easily and they would not have even been thought of as outstanding.  These announcers epitomize the term "homer" and I don't mean a four-base hit. 

You ever heard the Bruins announcers??

YOu want to talk about the biggest homers ever

The only time I hear them is when the Wild play the Bruins and it's on NESN. Bad....

Trust me when I say it is actually BETTER than it used to be when they had Derek Sanderson

 Is it April yet?

#March29

What are we going to do when the other team pitches a lefty?

Lose 4-2?

Click bait aside (and I did try the "three simple rules to lose 40 pounds" he suggested), the ultimate question is a good one

First, I want to concur with ND-fan that Kepler needs to prove he can carry his own against LHSP.

But, if he can't, I'm not sure if there is a dominant Plan B.

This is contrast to Polanco.  If he hits / fields like he did in the later half of 2017, then there is not a problem.  If, however, he more reflects his mid-season swoon, well, the Plan B's are legion.

This is a roundabout way of saying that one dimension of "proving it" involves minor leaguers nipping at ones heels.

I have to admit to being a bit shocked that some are making an issue of a headline. Stunning really. But then I considered that TD has indicated a need for more writers. For the headline critics perhaps this was just their awkward way of volunteering to create content and demonstrate how it should be done.

TD doesn't need click bait in my book as my finger is always poised to pounce on whatever is the next offering. #confessionsofaTDjunkie

What are we going to do when the other team pitches a lefty?

Celebrate.  

"That's Offensive"! The teams biggest flaw was not offensive. They of course could have used a left handed power bat, but that's not anywhere near the top of the list. They did tweak the BP IMHO in a positive manner. While there was a little movement the starting rotation, much of it is negated by the loss of Santana. I do think if there is any significant improvement it will come from a youngster in the orginisation surprising us. As for position players, most of the flaws there are liveable, maybe even picky. Sanos situation really is non solvable since it's not been decided. Good catching is very hard to find, and the Twins haven't. And the middle IF defense is pretty mediocre. While one cannot fix all things on any team, one can prioritize them. And in the case of this team their temporary patches to the SP look frankly temporary.