Riverbrian

We can have both... It doesn't have to be one or the other. Parmelee is flexible enough to spell, Morneau and Willingham along with Doumit and Mauer at DH. We can have them all and they all can play a lot in 2013. We don't have depth issues and the reason we don't have depth issues is because we don't have depth.

A Canadian with Stitches?

At least Terry Ryan can scratch OF off his list of things to do.

Can you anyone look at the options available and seriously consider hitting?

There is that phrase... "A good problem to have". I hope DeVries, Deduno, Diamond, Hendriks, Gibson and maybe a couple of others get classified as good problems to have for us in 2013. I hope that along with those potential good problems to have. I'd like a couple of new pitchers that we pick up and are really really counting on.

I do think run differential is important to look at for determining whether a team's record is over or underperforming. Obviously, it isn't the only thing, but go to ESPN or any other site that lists the run differential along with the standings and scroll back historically and it is plainly clear that *in general*, teams with large positive differentials are better, year in and year out. That's not to say that a team with a near-zero or negative differential can't compete, but it is the exception. DPJ chooses to call it luck and that's as accurate as a terminology as any. Call it magic or lightning in a bottle or chemistry or whatever...but it's the exception, and as mike wants win states, he doesn't want hope to be the plan going forward. That said, Nick clearly didn't mean to suggest hope was the path to take, if not in his original post then at least in his follow up responses. Interesting teams you mentioned there as many have strong similarities: most changed managers shortly before their hope-cited seasons. Team, New Manager, Year Manager took over 2012 Orioles, Showalter, 2011 2012 Pirates, Hurdle, 2011 2011 DBacks, Gibson, Mid-Year 2010 2010 Padres, Black, 2007 2009 Rockies, Tracy, Mid-Year 2009 after 46 games (18-28) 2008 Astros, Cooper, Mid-Year 2007 2007 Indians, Wedge, 2002 So of the 7 teams cited - and I'm presuming those were off the top of your head, 5 of them replaced their manager either in the season of hope or in the year before. Sometimes, a new voice can get players to perform better than the old voice. That's not saying that the managers they replaced weren't good. New 2009 Rockies voice Jim Tracy, for example, replaced old voice Clint Hurdle - who later became the new voice for the Pirates. I'm not suggesting that a change at manager absolutely turns the team around; just saying that when teams turn around after struggles, sometimes it is easier to do with a different leader. Finally, I totally agree. I'd feel much luckier with improved pitching. Diamond is not a #1 guy in 2012, nor Deduno, nor DeVries, nor Hendricks, and none of them figure to be in 2013. Pavano is not a #1 guy. A healthy Baker is not a #1 guy. If league average pitching is what is needed, the team needs a #1 and a #2 to go with the #3 (maybe Diamond), #4s, and #5s (the rest) that we have. Good post...I agree with your point about run differential but only because it's stands to reason. If you are winning more than you are losing it stands to reason that you are scoring more runs than you are giving up. It wouldn't be surprising if teams with the better records have better run differential... It should be expected. I expect to see that in side by side comparisons. However... A negative run differential and a winning record doesn't mean a team is lucky. It simply suggests that they have lost big on occasion and won a bunch of close games. If I see a team winning a bunch of close games. I see a team playing baseball. If I was an Oriole and someone was writing me off as lucky with the good vibe they have going. I'd have Jim Thome pick up Brian Roberts by the ankles and strike you with him. They did it again today. 3 to 2 in extra innings over Tampa. Tip your cap to them. Don't diminish it with the comment of luck. Key hits, moving runners over, Big pitches, bullpen picking up the starters, Big catches, exgressive base running, smart plays in the field isnt luck. Its baseball being played the right way. They don't deserve being called lucky. Calling them lucky is bad form. As for changing managers. I like Gardy and think he's a good manager. I'd help build a statue in front of Target field but I do think a change in leadership would be a good thing. Good for Gardy and good for the Twins. Gardy can take over the Blue Jays next year and do great things. (They have lots of catchers in the Jays organization). The Twins could have a fresh voice because I believe inspiration is important even if it primarily comes from the players themselves. At least I believe it's the job of the players to inspire each other. Speaking of inspiration. I believe that is correct word to use. The Orioles are inspired right now. Not lucky... Inspired!!! If you are inspired... You work hard... If you work hard... You create some luck. Your list of managers is interesting. I hadn't really thought about that. One explanation is that teams change managers frequently. There are only a couple of managers who have stayed with the same club for a long long time. For a team to come out of nowhere they had to be nowhere. Not many managers survive nowhere. Gardy could be the exception. Decent pitching is the the great equalizer. Pitching can keep you in games and when you are in a game... The guy hitting .180 can drop a game winner in... Please Terry Ryan... Whatever it takes... Brings us some arms next year and defense to support that pitching. At gunpoint if you have to.

I'll take the better defender and it looks like Florimon just using my eyes. I'd like to Escobar man the position to see what he can do. Offensively I'm just not going to worry too much about the difference between .220 and .240. Unless Tulo comes to town and wears a Twins Jersey. Give me Defense.

You lose on Monday 12 to 1 and you win Tuesday and Wednesday 3 to 2 both nights. You are Negative 10 in run differential and 2 and 1. If anyone is looking at run differential and saying that proves luck. I'd say it proves nothing. To me it says that they got pounded every once in awhile. A win is a win and a loss is a loss. Luck is a factor for teams like the Orioles and luck is a factor for Teams like the Yankees. Both teams also contend with elements of bad luck from time to time. I agree with Nick 100 Percent... The Orioles do indeed give me hope and so do the Pirates. The 2011 D-Backs give me hope. The 2010 Padres give me hope. The 2009 Rockies give me hope. The 2008 Astros Give me Hope. The 2007 Indians give me hope... I Could keep going... But it's safe to say... That no one is going to take that hope from me because I watched every one of those teams defy the odds. We all like to play the game on Paper but it is always played on the field. We have access to the dollar figures and we have access to the metrics and we all like to try and add the pieces together but the game is always played on the field. You can take your WAR and try to make it all make sense but every once in awhile, a guy hitting .196 ropes one into the Gap and clears the bases with two outs in the 9th. That's the beauty of baseball. In the end... The Difference between Ben Revere .304 Average and Trevor Plouffe .234 Average is 50 hits over 100 games. One hit every two games and that's the thesis that makes teams looks good "on paper". An extra hit every two games and that thesis is blown out the window. It's the freeking little things and the timing of when you make that play (hit, catch, throw) that determines if you are a contending baseball team. If you are good enough to make a major league roster... You are good enough to help your team win and contend. This includes Taylor Teagarden... Everyone has a chance and teams like the Orioles should inspire all of us. Writing it off as luck is just bad form. You make your own luck sometimes. The harder you work... The Luckier you Get... Sidenote... On Paper... I would feel luckier if we improved our pitching!!!

I don't recognize the sport being played. Not really typical baseball.

Ugly start to this game.

If Revere isn't a good hitter... The list of good hitters gets pretty tiny.

I want what this guy is smoking if he thinks any team would take Mauers contract AND give up a prospect!!! Im smoking what's he's smoking. I don't know about 4 prospects but the contract wouldn't be a deal breaker for some teams. I assume... I've only negotiated with baseball GM's in my past life.

I think the Twins would be foolish to consider Deduno a part of the rotation going into next year. I also think the Twins would be foolish to not consider him. Ill give him this... He competes. He's got a door open and hes making the most of it.

If the Twins can add contract relief to the equation... It's Mauer without question.

Bremer f'd it up. He mentioned no hits as the inning was getting under way. I'm writing a nasty email to Dave St. Peter and cc'ing the media director. Bremer should be reprimanded!!! You don't tempt fate. The wrath of the whatever... High a top the thing... You don't tempt it.

I'm with ya. I remember when Justin was in the minors. Meintkewicz was the guy in front of him and I was just waiting for Morneau. Morneau became bigger and bigger in my eyes just because he was still in the minors when his power was needed at the Dome. Waiting for his arrival made me a huge Morneau Fan because you can't support something like that and not be a fan. Been a fan since day one. Now I'm at the point where I want that pitching as bad as I wanted Morneau to be called up.

Hey look... We scored!!!

I still think its Span. If not Span... You have to take the opposite approach and say Sano.

Didnt you notice The running lanes and hurdles.

Not me... Didn't want to visit that camp. I never assumed that TR took this deal turning down a Shelby Miller or Archie Bradley. Besides a SS named Escobar is like having a catcher named Molina. Born to play the position.

lol... I'm sloooooowwww... I just got this... At first read I thought it was a slam... I get it now... dah do no wrong... You're like Chris Berman... You are.

You are not alone in this. It seems to me that Deduno could be an ace if he could get a bit more control over his fastball. His stuff is nasty in a great sense... His control has been nasty in a bad sense...

This post is # 1,000 for me. I'm happy that I got here before USAChief. I want this special post to be important and worthy of 4 digits. So here goes. I think the FoxSports North Girls are alright! They are better segues than Ron Coomer. Thats all... My 1,000th post...

I know the odds are against him... I know he plays with fire in consideration of his control... But I can't help it... I see potential in Deduno. I don't want to thnk highly of him but I can't help thinking highly of him. Hope this feeling lasts the whole game.

Ben has got to do better!! Did you bring all these crickets in here?