LaBombo

And if the high heeled boys can't stab, beware of the spark.... ...Bryan Adams.

But then he funnels that money into a Latin American academy for catchers who eschew home runs for reaching base... Moral quandary?

Bad or good trend indicator?

Florimon isn't a starter on a contending team. So unless you believe the Twins are a contender in 2014, the only reason to worry about Florimon is that he's blocking a shortstop who will be a worthwhile starter when the Twins do contend. Given the reports and defensive stats on Nunez and the holes in Santana's game, that would leave Escobar, but it's almost as hard to see him help the Twins contend as a starter down the road as it is to see Florimon do so. So if the Twins stick with Florimon if he hits like last year or even a little worse, he'll do his job just fine in my book. He'll help bail out the contact-friendly rotation, keep Gardy busy calling for bunts and steals, and hit in such a way that nobody in the front office worthy of a job can mistakenly believe that he's a starter on a major league contender. Maybe Florimon just needs a new job title to enhance fan appreciation of the role he fills this year. Let's call him... the shortstopgap.

Although I haven't seen much of the Gyrocopter, that sounds about right to me. It's an interesting comparison, but ultimately the Gyorko signing seems to say more about the value of managing service time carefully than it does about Dozier's value. Since the 2012 offseason, when nearly half the 20 or so extensions didn't increase the number of team control years, there have been quite a few like Gyorko's that extend team only a year or two, if at all. At least a few agents will not allow clients to sign extensions and gamble on arbitration until free agency. Still, like OP points out, there are enough similarities to make Gyoko's deal an interesting comp for what a Dozier deal might look like. An OPS of around .800 seems possible, and would make Brian a very (and deservedly) wealthy man.

Nobody is suggesting dumping Dozier, just the possibility that a potential long-term replacement exists in Rosario, freeing the Twins to trade Dozier for something they don't have, like a legit MLB shortstop or at least a strong SS prospect. While I don't see the Twins moving Dozier, he's a perfect example of fans being forced to watch an overmatched minor leaguer for half a season and then being rewarded for it the following season with a solid year from an emerging young player. Hicks may duplicate that same pattern this season. Pinto's defense may be a work in progress, but I'd rather see him catch 100 games than Suzuki. Does anybody have fond memories of Ron Coomer's 140 games in the 2000 season as the replacement for a demoted Doug Mientkiewicz? Me neither

It seems to me that Rosario's future with the Twins depends pretty heavily on where Hicks tops out. If his ceiling is 4th or 5th OF, then Rosario is insurance if disaster befalls Buxton and also likely the next best thing to an offensively qualified corner outfielder to bookend with Arcia. Think about it this way: If Rosario is a substantial upgrade over every other potential 2015 corner OF besides Arcia, why would the Twins trade him? And given the marginal nature of those other options, what would the Twins get for Rosario if he's not a substantial upgrade? And his 50 game detour has probably hurt his trade value a bit as well. This could all be moot if Rosario plays great defense at second, but with the late start he probably has not yet given the Twins the chance to consider a Dozier trade offer with much confidence that Rosario is the second baseman of 2015 and beyond.

Thanks, you're right. Forgot to mention dhtf, but just because hey, only mod left who hasn't had to make me go sit in the corner. That explains the clean third shovel...

Not pictured: Snepp and glunn on shovel patrol...

Finally remembered the last time I saw two innings that crazy at the end of a game... http://www.lpvrs.org/files/news/183/donkey2.jpg

And then I accidentally clicked reply before I could finish. And then the edit button vanished! Yeah, that's the ticket! http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/iyp9fh-u4w8/hqdefault.jpg

Pinto's defensive liability really showed through more in that at bat than in his home run one. On a less snarky note, what a crap third strike call.

It's hard to believe that 1 inning and 45 minutes ago this was a cleanly-played pitchers' duel.

Florimon wandering the basepaths like Magellan with the game on the line... Does the technology not yet exist to operate him remotely from the dugout in situations like that?

Swinging K. In your face, Reussie!

Brief?

Nice walk by Flori. That said, leaving in a pitcher who walks a .071 hitter borders on managerial negligence. Edit: And he walks Dozier. Can the league fine pitchers for walking Florimon?

Which one of the 15 pitchers did you want to see as a PH? No, for real, which one?

He's out-homering Babe Ruth. If his only two catching skills were calling for and catching only fastballs and throwing the ball back to the pitcher underhanded, he should see more time behind the plate than GadZukesie. Was what I meant. Because sarc./snark helps me digest Twins baseball.

Plouffesie

Averaging a home run every nine plate appearances is nice and all, but let's see him go the other way more and move runners with bunts and quality at bats before he takes away playing time from Kurt Suzuki.

Maybe one or two others, but let's not get carried away. "Breakdown" "Refugee" "Don't do me like that" "Even the Losers" (get lucky sometimes) "The Waiting" for him not to suck (is the hardest part) "You Got Lucky" on that seeing eye dribbler "Don't Come Around Here No More" if you can't hit your weight "[Pedro] Won't Back Down" "Learning to Fly" (and I ain't got wings) "Runnin' Down a Dream" of batting .100 "Free Fallin'" toward batting .050 Ok, you win, that's pretty much all of them.

Yes, vs. knuckleball. Single and a walk in 3 PA's. Plus the universe didn't implode as predicted elsewhere.

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os2S6NeI31Quy3UKvYcrhblqrSX4R5Kpm5/65Kx4MNlojzZ/FI3ElzfxQuHye8mPj%20ikpPh8nISgPvJvMLZRnFzGdCpWbeqii%20H0UjNkaOCWbi5shcYa%20EB2R3vLZTlNjc2zDwRPL5fdBuq5XvEbpHllxoTyGoHgPBV79zomJJh0VgQdddfMbWS5xW6RkjTc5CLdQCmml/F5oeupmyNLXC41Hl5KZ1bDiFGTTG/2Q4PSzte9wJkAbaz3N0/pIVF7ZKxjpy06sjs1oHQb%20aB4RxGSCORsZta4vz%20aQ%20IK%20SWVxe69yVmOOPCxr9lVJa5tssBS0zATY9CrbhmiZJLZwuBewRJa8AfQfg9AWw5vxONx4BWNMywJ5WLvojHxi9lW17i1r2ja36K84KMBC7ZLhLfdtcfxXcf6iSlnHqsukIGgGnmnCNobGwDbKPsknFR713mlzf8Ar6DS%20RrTx2GYo6mFh56laSDugdbBEVO6q09y7G29RRpIhZDqin7BCS7qxJlV4f/Z "So let's get to the point, let's roll another j*!#t Let's head on down the road There's somewhere I gotta go And you don't know how it feels You don't know how it feels to be me" Just a hunch, but somewhere = Rochester.

Has there been a difference since 2010?