Riverbrian

First off... No Hostility from me at all... I just wanted you to slide furthur out on that thin branch you so willingly sprung and clung to. We will spend some time learning about each other I assume but I'm generally a good guy with strong opinions. Wrong Frequently but I don't know the exact moments that I am just like everyone else. This site has been infused with some energy of late and I think it's great. Welcome aboard... I am detecting a slight substance of troll dripping off your posts. The results aren't back from the lab yet so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You do realize when you say... "I can make things up" and "I can play make believe" that it could cause a retort. Now I appreciate you talking slow and using easy to understand words for me with your explanation of AAA 101 in your latest post but can we advance the conversation a little. I do get AAA so that will save us some time. The question I asked you was... How did Ben's 101 PA in AAA and one extra base hit transform him into the beautiful MLB swan today? I don't consider a recap on AAA an answer to that question. Your explanation was for Adam Lind. I'm not sure if we are talking about the same article or not. I remember reading a couple of them about him moving his hands higher and working on it with Tom Brunansky in Rochester. He worked on it in Rochester with Tom because he was in Rochester. That adjustment could happen at the MLB level with Joe Vavra just as easy. Especially since it was Ben who spotted it(if i remember right and I think I do). Even with his hands lower... which I admit I wasn't noticing or concerning myself with in 2011 or the start of 2012. He still made contact at a very impressive rate. You couple that contact rate with his speed and you have a valuable talented major league ballplayer. Having his hands higher... eliminates extra movement in his swing and eliminating extra movement can lead to a better at-bats but he was doing pretty good prior. I have said all along that Ben should have never been sent down. He should have been starting in LF from the 2012 get go. In his 28 MLB at bats in April. He didn't strike out once... He puts the ball in play more consistently then anyone on the Twins Roster and that is still true today and it was true last year as well. Not only on the Twins Roster but almost everyone in the Major Leagues. The only thing about the trip to AAA that was good was that he got to play everyday. Sending him down was unnecessary... He was doing what Ben Revere does last year and it's the only time he hit below .300 in his career and it was his first time facing Verlander and Weaver and the best of the best. Give the kid a break. Don't assume that Brunansky fixed him. He wasn't broken. Coaches get too much credit and too much blame. It's up to the player. Also, if a reporter or columnist or internet blogger asks a kid a question like "How was your experience in Rochester and how did it help you" because that's the angle they are working on... What is a kid supposed to say... "It was a freeking waste of time! Bruno worked with me and it was like every other experience with a batting coach". He's going to say the things he said because anything else would be torn apart. He would have fixed his hands regardless of where he was at. The kid has hit over .300 at every level. He has speed that is comparable to Giancarlo(Mike or whatever) Stanton's Power. That's best in class... He gives it everything he has. He belongs on the Twins. If you guys want Power... Look elsewhere... It isn't Ben. In my opinion, he's the most exciting ball player on this team currently. You can win with Ben in your lineup. Now just get some freeking Pitching to help him out.

Hey Chief... You typed 2 months... You meant 2 pages I assume.

Seriously... Are you under the impression that I believe Ben Revere went down to AAA had a snickers bar and Played X-box in his hotel room until game time. They watch film in the big leagues as well. No need to go to Rochester for that. I'm sure that Bruno helped and I'm sure Vavra would have been there for him as well. (although the Vavra bashers are lining up for a piece of me now). He adjusted his hands higher and this got him in the load position quicker. BTW... It was Ben who spotted it on film... Not Bruno. However, even with his hands low... He still made incredible contact and was still freeky fast and he consistently hits over .300 at every level with the only exception being his rookie year last year. And ladies and gentlemen... That was his first taste of consistently facing the Chris Sales of the world. I'm intrigued... You have my attention... I'm always willing to learn from the masters. Please go on and explain how his 101 PA in AAA and one extra base hit transformed him into the beautiful MLB swan today.

Ya kinda missed my point by a couple of football fields and kinda made my point at the same time. Thats impressive and not easily done... No wonder you are the greatest poster alive. The average poster alive would struggle attempting that.

Thank You Paul... Breath of fresh air. I'm putting you on my smart poster list. BTW... On the nasty attack side of this thread... If someone makes the major leagues and then sucks in the major leagues... Please understand that they kick your ass and it isn't close. It's kind of like Goober with no teeth, flunked out of school in 10th grade, today getting evicted after spending his rent money on Beer and Ravioli. Goober Can't understand how the computerized voice on the weather radio has a job talking that way and yet will sit in the middle of a bar and say Obama is an idiot.

Is it possible that Gardy has been quoted out of context?

My head is spinning... So much to respond to in this thread. 1. Sending Revere down to AAA did not produce the Ben Revere we are seeing now. Ben puts the ball in play and is freeky fast. That's why he hits over .300 all the time. He's not chasing and pitchers are not afraid of him so he gets good pitches to hit. He's a good hitter... He's just not a power hitter. When the pitches start getting trickier... He will walk more. Revere will be just fine until Hicks or Buxton come to town. I'll never understand how anyone doesn't love having Revere wear a Twins jersey. 2. No reason to send Dozier down unless you feel the guy is standing in the way of a division title this year or you are sure that Free Agent SS X is going to be manning the SS Position next year. Otherwise... There is no one else more ready for his job. Carroll is a baseball player but he's also 83 years old. 3. Plouffe will regress because no one can stay that hot. However because of how dialed in he was. Of course he will playing 3B for awhile. It would take a pretty special idiot not to put him in the line up after witnessing what he showed he was capable of. Plouffe just needs to swing at pitches he can drive and quit going after what the pitcher wants him to hit. Hopefully he learned what he can accomplish by doing just that. A streak like that can do amazing things for young players. It fills them up with a bunch of "I can do this" juice.

Send up a White Flag? Who does he think he'd be surrendering to? You'd have to assume that the players have been around baseball and are able to see the condition of the Starting Rotation. Players would probably be not only understanding of trades for Starting Pitching but thankful for any pitching help. That's my opinion anyway. Is there some sort of belief inside Target Field that the rotation can get the job done if the wind blows exactly right? On the subject of Blackburn: In my mind... As a pitcher... he has no margin of error. Never has... Never will... If you average 4 K's per nine innings. That's a lot of balls put in play. If the walk rate goes up from 1.8 to 3.2 that is significant because of all the balls put in play and the BABIP percentages alone will eat you alive. Couple that with a sinker that doesn't sink down in the zone and the HR rate goes up and it's good night nurse. (look at me using those metric thingies... now go watch the game... lol) Blackburn had a couple of decent years in 2008 and 2009 but was living on the edge each of those years. His contract was questionable from the get go. As for this year... We have no alternatives... Next year... He's back with us... Feel free to skip his starts to give others with a future a turn. The phasing out of Blackburn should be getting underway. It could last until the end of 2013 or with a loud explosion in the next few months.

Actually, I spelled it wrong a bunch of times. I was too lazy to move two steps to my left and get centered on his spelling. I admit it.

I would love Terry Ryan's Job... At least I think I would... Maybe it has a private hell that the public doesn't see. If I had Terry Ryan's Job... Liriano would be keeping me awake at night. His inconsistency has been too great but his stuff is also great. The Twins desperately need pitching and if you are searching for arms and need to try arms out looking for gems. Liriano fits that mold. But, Liriano is just too big a risk based on how bad he gets in long stretches. More time is needed to make this call. Right now... I wouldn't bring him back... If he's still pitching like this in August. I'd still have to drive a knife through my eyeball fretting over it.

Bryce Harper for sure-- What can't he do... He Can Run, Hit the ball a long ways. Cannon for an arm and right now he's giving it everything he's got... Hard not to love watching the kid play. Mike Trout -- The combination of Harper and Trout coming up at the same time is a whole new level for baseball. Kinda like Bird/Magic. Carlos Gomez!!! I wish to God he was still in a Twins uniform. Brett Lawrie is another gamer... Goes hard all the time that is fun to watch. Hamilton, Cano, Heyward are the guys I watch for their skill alone. Heyward hasn't really shown it yet but he looks good failing.

Here is what everyone has to come to grips with. If Morneau is not traded at the deadline or off season. He is our starting 1B in 2013. He can flail or fail or choose to bunt baseballs with his helmet or hit majestic home runs 3 times every week for the rest of 2012. If he is not traded... He will be our starting 1B. No Splits will change that. Only injury or trade will change that. If Morneau is going to be our starting 1B in 2013... AND he will be... You let him work things out in 2012 and see if he can get back to pre-concussion territory. For clarification. I'm hopeful that the Twins move Morneau so a younger player can play 1B. Until that happens let's protect the investment. On the subject of Velencia... Yeah... I'm not a fan... I don't like watching professional players half ass it. He deserved his demotion... However, I'm not giving up on him. I hope he figures it out in Rochester... I really do. He hasn't yet. Maybe some day. I won't dispute this Cdog. I won't claim to have any knowledge of what he does in the clubhouse... How he responds to coaching. What he works on or doesn't work on. I just know that I grew increasingly frustrated as 2011 went on... Watching him routinely reach for grounders when a simple two step move would get him centered. 2012 was more of the same. I've coached many kids with the same lead feet. It's focus and the ability to maintain it and I've seen the same kids who play that way in the field are typically the same kids who can't work the kinks out of hitches at the plate or laying off pitches they can't do anything with. Those same kids will also be disapointed that things are not going their way and will tell you that performing well is important to them but yet... Anyway, yeah... I took that leap and I could be wrong. Something happened... He was bounced from the Majors without a replacement for him. Message on something from someone has been sent. I think my guess is somewhat educated but it's just a guess. I'm not confusing your convictions for Velencia Love. I gotta a pretty good grey area detector. I've said this before... Live by the stats... Die by the stats. Baseball is so much more. I read the stats and I understand the stats and I think stats have their place but Baseball is so much more. Can anyone please explain Trevor Plouffe this past month with past metrics. You can't... Explain Adrian Gonzalez this year. You can't... Pick a player any player and a majority of them have OPS+ numbers that can bounce around to the point of almost uselessness and nearly everyone who quotes splits or stats like gospel can't explain the data swings from Month to Month or Year to Year. Baseball is so much more. . The discussion isn't Velencia in my mind... I could care less about Danny and the baseball world feels the same way. Call him up... I don't care... To me this issue is about Morneau... Is it possible that he's done and never coming back. YES... Is it too soon to make that call... YES... Why do I feel this way... Because OPS+ Numbers do bounce around like a pinball from month to month and year to year. I love this site and I love these discussions... Just read the disagreements between multiple people on this site and try to put it in the context of a GM or Manager. Almost every thread has disagreements and varied opinions. Some people want Terry Ryan fired... Some are smiling ear to ear over his return. Some People Want Bill Smith hung by his toenails and dipped slowly into pirahna infested waters and some think he was handed a bum situation. Some people want Gardy fired and some want him over for dinner. Just imagine... How as a GM... You have to block all that out and keep your focus on getting better according to your gameplan. GM's are not going to bench Morneau and his contract, just like GM's are not going to bench Soriano in Chicago or Youkillis in Boston. The Minute they do... They just pissed the money away. You can disrespect the Twins organization all you want. The Truth is... The Twins are pretty much like the other ones. Morneau will be traded or he's starting for us in 2012. It's an investment and it's a large one. You work with it.

Waiting with Justin is exactly what I'm saying. You say he won't bring in a prospect worth the 23 million dollar hit. Could be true right now... I don't know and I won't argue that. However, you will be paying the 23 million regardless. His contract calls for it. If you platoon him... You've made him a platoon player. Price $23 Million... If you trade him and eat the entire contract... Price $23 million but maybe you get a prospect in return and you open up a job for Parmelee. You Spend the same money either way. This team needs pitching. If we get the 16th rated prospect in an organization in return... That's OK... We need him. Some people have said that the Red Sox got nothing in return for Youklis. Yeah Maybe.... But if Zach Stewart was with the Twins... He'd be starting Friday or Saturday against the Royals. We Needs ARMS!!!!!!!! Velencia lost his job to no one! He had a job and he lost it all by himself. He was given every opportunity to keep it and he dropped it. Will Middlebrooks didn't show up and take his job. He simply lost his job at a time when the Twins did not have a decent option. The Twins said... They would rather have nobody play 3B than trot Velencia out there again. If this doesn't speak loudly to the observing fan. I don't know what will. Platooning him with a 14 million dollar ex MVP is about as crazy as it gets no matter what the splits say. Parmelee needs to play every day... He's the closest thing we have to a future 1B or DH in Minnesota. Send him Down in the next 30 seconds or so please!

Thank You... I had a devil of a time trying to make it work on IPAD. Much appreciated. If he has no trade value. He will be a Twin next year cuz he won't be cut. In that scenerio. You are absolutely right. Might as well see if he can work out his lefty pitcher kinks. Here's a question... In your opinion... Would his trade value change at all if the Twins said they would pay the remainder of his contract? The whole thing.

I don't think the Twins should write him off either. I think Velencia has to stop writing himself off. He needs to know these jobs are earned. Plouffe certainly was stinking up the joint. He got a job handed to him cuz there was no one else to turn to and he stopped swinging at crap and he grabbed the job with both hands. He fixed it in less than a month of full time duty... Velencia had over a year and it was getting worse. Still not fixed! Can't argue with this too loudly. You may be right. However, your prophecy is much more self fulfilling if you kick him in the nuts. If Morneau gets Plouffe hot in July... A former MVP may change GM opinions. You want to give Velencia that chance to do a Plouffe but you won't give it to the guy who actually did it before. I cant see your thinking here. The Twins could also eat some contract to make a deal better. Eating some money to get a pitching prospect in return is better than eating some money because his splits are looking rough and you toss him aside. 14 million and a platoon. You might as well cut him cuz he will be worthless at that point. Velen is is not a terrible player he just plays terribly. You can call Velencia up... Let him fill the water jugs... I don't care. Velencia being called up does not negate the Twins future. He played his way into the water jug role. Velencia means very little in the baseball world right now. You negate the Twins future by: A. Pulling the plug on any future trade value for a former MVP. B. If Morneau has no current trade value. He's a 2013 Twin for sure and hes making 14 million. Doesn't take a rocket scientist or zookeeper or radio DJ or any other smart person to realize that Justin Morneau is playing 1B next year. So a platoon isn't wise. I'm willing to make moves that cost us 20 wins a year. I poo poo ideas that prevent us from improving our pitching or overall team in general. Patience... Can we just get through the trade deadline. Before you start tossing the cargo of Cinnamon, Black Pepper or Silk overboard before you reach port on the trade route.

Been around the game for awhile. I recognize it when I see it. Jeez that sounded egotistical... Didn't mean to sound that way. Defensively... Let's just say... There was no dirt on his uniform. Watched him make routine boots too many times because he wasn't engaged enough to move his feet a couple of steps. That's taking your job for granted. Especially with your boss named Ron Gardenhire. Offensively a year straight of chasing the outside pitch without fixing it. If you don't stop swinging at that. The pitchers will keep throwing it. If you do make contact it's a weak grounder or pop up everytime. After awhile it's clear... The kid isn't attempting to adjust and doing so without consequence. He's a good hitter. The MLB fastball wasn't too much for him. The mental part is.

1. Justin Morneau is either going to be our 1st baseman in 2013 OR traded to a contender for something. (or hurt again). 2. If Morneau is our 1B in 2013 and with that contract and earned veteran cred. He will be allowed time to work on things against lefties. 3. If Morneau is traded at the deadline or off season he needs to have the confidence of his management displayed. You do not throw a brick through the windshield of your car prior to selling it. You do not throw a brick threw the windshield of a car your keeping. 4. Either way... Platooning Morneau is counter productive to the betterment of the Twins. 5. Danny Velencia had a starting major league job. He had no obvious threat underneath him and therefore no reason to lose his job and he still managed to lose his major league job. 6. Velencia isn't in AAA right now because he hit whatever he hit. Velencia is in AAA because he played half assed baseball. 7. His manager is Ron Gardenhire and Gardy will stick with Tolbert and Punto and players who go out and bust ass despite poor hitting metrics. 8. Velencia is in Rochester and he deserves it. He took his job for granted and he lost it. He's done nothing in Rochester to deserve a call back. 9. Chris Parmelee should be sent down... It makes no sense to waste him on the bench. Call him back up when a job is open. 10. There are 95 guys on this team who can play 1B right now. Training Velencia for platoon at 1B is a really bad idea.

Our best hope is a throwback day followed by a rush of jersey sales.

Padres and Astros... I like the colors, stadiums and underdog status. Nationals... My family sat in RF for a Nats/Giants game in SF. During batting practice the Giants players didn't throw a single ball into the stands. The Nats hit last and threw both of my sons a ball right away.

I'd love it. His slugging would rise big time.

lol... Ladies and gentlemen... Gene Mauch.

I'm not sure that Ben wasn't 5 for 5 tonight. Looked safe to me. Close but safe.

My Avatar is actually Drew Butera.

lol... I'll have to read back a few pages but I think someone was blaming Butera for the Sunshine.

I really want to crawl thru my TV and smuck Youklis in the head and yell... Hold the flipping bat right!!!