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Road trip

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Everything posted by Road trip

  1. Road trip
    Controversial opinion: Fastpitch softball is actually the superior bat and ball game. Faster pace, more strategy, and you can ride one or two pitchers for an entire weekend of games. It's a shame that the amateur men's game has largely died, but some of us remember it well.
  2. Road trip
    Stunning to see Garver and Polanco with positive OPS+ numbers of 110 and 109. The eye test says they have been pretty bad. Yet they rate as above average hitters across MLB in 2021. Scoring is down so badly across the league (except when the Twins bullpen is pitching).
  3. Road trip
    I dunno, I thoroughly enjoyed watching, and I don't normally watch the series religiously if it has two teams I don't care about (which would be this year). However I'm staying home more, just like most people, and I watched most of it as an alternative to more hours of Neflix. Game 4 was as exciting a World Series game as has ever been played, imho. Multiple lead changes, and then the ending was surreal. The Kevin Cash decision in Game 6 was immediately controversial. Even if it had worked out most people would have opposed it. Like you, I'm kind of glad it didn't work out, even though I was sort of, kind of pulling for the Rays. Cash's decision prevented the slim possibility of witnessing another Jack Morris-like performance. I felt a little cheated. The Dodgers were obviously very happy to win. I can't say the immediate celebration looked much different than any other year. They'll be proud of their rings. For some players it will be their only ring. And even if a regular season had been played, I'd pretty confidently say that the Dodgers probably had the best roster in 2020. Is there an asterisk? I suppose so. But sports (and life) are full of asterisks. Enjoy the moment while you can, if you can.
  4. Road trip
    Darvish had an extraordinarily bad year in 2018, but otherwise he's been mostly quite good. A career ERA+ of 125 is not easily replicated. Maeda was among the top 3-5 starting pitchers in the AL this year. He'll get Cy Young votes, and would be a contender in many years but of course this year Bieber was otherworldly. You are tough to satisfy I guess. None of the above are Hall of Famers, but every GM would be happy with the outcome if they signed an international prospect like Yamamoto and he then performed with Tanaka/Maeda/Darvish-like results.
  5. Road trip
    Quite a few more success stories than Nomo and Dice-K. Maeda, Darvish, and Tanaka got to MLB relatively young and have done very well. Iwakuma, Saito, and Uehara had nice careers as well, but didn't get to MLB until they were in their 30s so their careers were relatively short here.
  6. Road trip
    I think it starts with retooling the coaching staff. A new hitting coach is a must. I'd love to get Rowson back but that probably won't/can't happen. In terms of the roster, I don't think anyone has mentioned yet that Garver may be redundant at this point. It seems that Jeffers is already better defensively, he's significantly younger, and it appears that his bat will be solid. Multiple teams will be looking for a catcher and Garver has a cheap contract and is one year removed from an outstanding season. Somebody might overpay for Garver now. Most catchers age badly, and he will be 30 next year. Wait another year (if he has a bad one) and Garver may have no trade value left. I've always loved Garver and wished he had played more when he was younger. But it isn't personal...it's business.
  7. Road trip
    Actually, I believe the Twins have to stay *behind* Oakland. The Astros will almost certainly slot in as the 6 seed (worst record among 2nd place finishers). The #3 seed (worst record among division winners) will play the 6-seeded Astros. If the season ended today (pasted from ESPN): AMERICAN LEAGUE No. 1 Rays* vs. No. 8 Blue Jays No. 2 Athletics* vs. No. 7 Indians* No. 3 Twins* vs. No. 6 Astros No. 4 White Sox* vs. No. 5 Yankees*
  8. Road trip
    It is also entirely possible that the Twins could draw the Astros if they win the division. It would all depend on whether they end up as the 2 seed or 3 seed. They are ever so slightly behind Oakland for the 2 spot at the moment.
  9. Road trip
    I hate LOVE Jose Ramirez...for one day, anyway.
  10. Road trip
    Dobnak sent down? Seriously? I know he has had a couple of rough starts in a row, but this is a surprise to me. Fifteen days ago he was considered our 2nd most reliable starter.
  11. Road trip
    Oh, sure, I'll play. Joe "Emory Board" Niekro Doug Mientkwzrzchzwskch (I refuse to look up the proper spelling, but everyone knows who I mean and remembers his glove work) Jose Morales, pinch-hitter extraordinaire. Chip Hale, pinch-hitter extraordinaire, part 2. Butch Wynegar Mike Cubbage Shannon Stewart...saved a season...what a great trade that turned out to be. Bobby Kielty Don Baylor Christian Guzman. Never became as good as we hoped he would be, but boy it was fun to watch him run when he hit one into the gap.
  12. Road trip
    So, its been a few years since I went to a Spring Training game. I'll be in the area again this year. Looks like tickets have gotten more scarce, as I was looking at the game vs St Louis on March 9 and there is nothing left online (Twins site) except standing room or outfield grass. Back in the day, I used to just get tickets from people hawking them outside the stadium, usually for not much over list price, or even less. Do people still sell them this way or have the Stubhubs of the world destroyed the "scalper-ish" on site availability market?
  13. Road trip
    Yup. In addition to Schott, McCourt was forced out in 2012 and Steinbrenner was banned from the league for several years in the 1990s. Plenty of precedent.
  14. Road trip
    Ahem...the '91 Twins set the bar rather high. They added the following: Jack Morris Chili Davis Mike Pagliarulo Steve Bedrosian Carl Willis We all know how that turned out.
  15. Road trip
    "His original contract gave him the right to wear #18. That’s currently worn by Silver Slugger catcher Mitch Garver." Garver has worn three different numbers in three seasons with the Twins (43, 23, and 18). Gave up 43 for Addison Reed in 2018. Gave up 23 for Nelson Cruz last year. So {shrugs}, it seems like Garver may not care much what number he wears.
  16. Road trip
    I agree he is a likely candidate to fall off a cliff. Take a look at his "similar batters through age 30" on Baseball Reference. Nine of the ten stopped hitting by age 32 (The exception being Posada). Catchers as a rule age very badly, even many of the great ones.
  17. Road trip
    Tagging on to this, Kirby Pucket had little power in his early 20's. He was a pure slap hitter. At 22: 3 HRs in Rookie ball At 23: 9 HRs in single A At 24: 0 HRs in Minnesota, and 1 at AAA At 25: 4 HRs in Minnesota And then he got his man muscles, changed his swing a bit, and the rest is history. Arraez probably never hits 20 HRs, but he will get stronger as he gets older.
  18. Road trip
    My guess is that adding three pitchers new to the organization is quite rare. However two new pitchers isn't that uncommon. As recently as winter 2018 the Twins traded for Odorizzi and signed Lance Lynn. Now neither performed particularly well in 2018, but both are doing well now, albeit Lynn is now pitching for Texas. They also had Anibal Sanchez signed and kicked the tires during March 2018. They cut him loose (resulting in much applause on this forum), and he has performed pretty well in the NL ever since. I think it is very likely that the Twins are planning on at least one of Smeltzer, Graterol, Dobnak, and Thorpe to get a starting spot next year. Hopefully it is just one. I'd rather they not perform extreme dumpster diving, but getting two guys that have the potential to perform like the names above (2019 versions) is a realistic target. And I'd sign Odorizzi to a long term deal as step 1.
  19. Road trip
    Love having Dozier for 2018. Pretty certain I'd like having him for 2019, and probably for 2020. Take a look at the top Baseball Ref comps for Dozier though, and what they have done after their early 30's. It isn't pretty. Dan Uggla Kelly Johnson Damion Easley Rickie Weeks Neil Walker Bret Boone Jose Valentin With the exception of Jeff Kent, power hitting second basemen don't age well at all. Father Time is tough to beat. If Dozier is willing to take a 3 year deal (and he probably won't be) then sure, sign him. I think after 2021 you can't expect him to be better than replacement level on his offense, and his defense is unlikely to be adequate.
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