Richard Karn's Beard

Capps had a prime?

I've been reading articles here for years and have always considered myself a "fan" of the Twins and baseball in general. I've always been hesitant to comment or give my opinion because the responses many times are so snarky, dismissive, and matter-of-fact. The level of arrogance from certain members is off-putting. It's almost as if some of the regulars here don't want anyone having an opinion of their own and/or just don't want to read about it. Losing weight it difficult. No doubt about it. But back to your concern about his weight being connected to the issue...There is an "ideal weight range" called BMI that's pretty easy to calculate. Per his "listed" weight of 260 he's still well above the obesity range. It's not totally 100% accurate but quite frankly I doubt he's even close to 260 lbs right now. Small changes in his body mass would undoubtedly improve how he functions in normal life, let alone baseball related activities. This isn't a contact game. You wanna weight 260 lbs as a defensive lineman? Fine. Not in baseball at the hot corner where reflexes and agility mean everything. This is a reflex, speed, and agility game. Reflexes, speed, and agility can be improved by losing weight. Not losing too much weight, but losing SOME weight, or redistributing that weight through monitored diet and exercise. Are there other factors in play that people don't know about? Probably. Maybe it's mental health issues or an addiction of some sort. Maybe there are family issues at play. Maybe relationship troubles. Or maybe he's just lazy. Losing 10 lbs would take a man of that size a week with a basic meal plan and exercise routine. And that would be a good start. So to give my opinion once again, I unashamedly say he's lazy. I hope everyone's week has been excellent so far and I'm very excited to be able to watch the Twins on FS1 tomorrow. It is an absolute treat for me to be able to watch anything Twins related here in Omaha as we have the unfortunate curse of being considered "Royals" territory.

You can't make people care. Plunk millions in front of kids who have a less than fully developed brains and you can get a variety of outcomes. Buxton wants to be great. You can see it in how he plays. Sano does not want to be great. If he did want to be great you'd see a different product on the field. You'd see a different body and you'd see different stats. You think its bad now? Wait until he gets a few years older and his body starts wearing down even more. So to answer the question as to "why he can't go back to being successful at the plate"...you know the answer. He doesn't take care of himself physically. I'd be selling Sano high the first chance I got. If that chance ever comes along again. It's like....we're all waiting for the next Kirby to come along and thrill us with his combined passion and talent for the game. We might be waiting a long time for that. But it's fun to talk about. Have a great Monday!

IMO I see Buck giving 100%. The effort is there. So that's more of a product of hustle. Ok so maybe Sano doesn't become who everyone thought he could become. Quite frankly I'm tired of his act. The real question is this: If he picks up the pace and settles in to be even close to the player that people thought he might become...do you give him the money? I say no. I'd wait and try and sell high for prospects. The sooner the better. The Twins future doesn't rely on an overweight strikeout machine that occasionally hits a home run. Championships don't revolve around those types of players. They revolve around hustle, grit, talent and continuous development. Miguel has the talent, but none of the other traits. Buck has them all.

I agree. He has the "want to" and is following it up with the "can do". He looks prepared at the plate and should be rewarded with playing time in place of those who look absolutely lost. I realize this is a small sample size and reality may rear it's ugly head eventually but the guy is obviously well prepared, knows his scouting reports, and has a ton of heart. I love this type of stuff. Ryan LaMarre? More like the second coming of Lew Ford!

Projections for another 5 years of Joe would have gotten you a one way ticket to the loony-bin not too long ago. I want to weigh in because I read all the time but never comment. When Joe was in line for hit #2000 I had thought there would be more coverage of it. I waited around to see what type of stuff some of the baseball channels would run about Joe because 2000 hits is a BIG deal (or at least I thought it was). TBH, there wasn't much national coverage on it..and that tells the story for me about how the baseball world views Joe. Great player, but not worthy of that much coverage in mainstream media's eyes. Now....if he makes a nice run at another batting title, and solidifies the Twins lineup through an epic World Series run...we might be cooking with gas... Point being: he needs a title and he needs to produce in the biggest way on the biggest stage in the playoffs and THAT is what I believe will push him into HOF consideration. But that's just my opinion. Sincerely, RKB

I think if the Twins find themselves in the playoffs you go with the pitcher who has consistently been the best pitcher all year. That obviously could dramatically change between now and then. If the game is at home I'd lean toward Berrios. If it is on the road you might go with the experience of Santana. I believe the risk you run with a young pitcher is them getting knocked around early and then you have big trouble the rest of the series. High risk, high reward type stuff...but often times the equation of youth + high risk = problems. It's similar to the mathematical equation that holds true in my life: alcohol + strangers = problems Any way you slice it, it's fun to be talking about these types of scenarios.

I've been reading on this site for years and this is one of the better articles I've read. It was so good I had to create an account. Thanks to everyone who contributes and makes my work days more bearable.