Riverbrian

If Garver is capable of playing a decent 1B... Let him play C and 1B. Get him some more AB's in the process. We just watched the team move players around last year. We can do it again in 2020.

Last year the Sox were trying to sign Machado. With all the youth one year older... I don’t believe the attempt at the top of the pile was a one and done. Meaning... you will hear the White Sox in on Cole and the others. Meaning... whatever you think they are now has little relation to what they will be. Meaning; Dismissing the Sox is a bad idea. You can dismiss the Tigers and Royals tho.

Every team has a budget.

We acquired Cron off of waivers because Tampa didn't want to pay him the 4M he would have received in Arbitration. I don't believe we had the first waiver claim meaning other teams passed on paying Cron 4M. The price is now 8M and his year wasn't as good. Wait for Tampa to waive Jesus Aguilar and sign him.

Agreed

It isn’t the same organization. New ownership. It’s a ground floor opportunity. They tore it down and are building it back up. If Rowson can get those young players to hit with bench coach in the job title, It would be a solid step toward a manager job in the future. The only question that I would have is this: If our bench coach gets the Pirates job. Who replaces him? Would Rowson be a candidate for the same job with the Twins? If that’s the case... the Marlins job becomes a slightly questionable.

It's a song by Chicago.

A Bench Coach is pretty much insulated from the wrath of fans. The manager will bare the brunt of any decision that goes wrong. However, as we all know. Call for a run on 3rd and 7 and the fans will be all over the OC.

Should be the goal that you work tirelessly toward.

I support the concept of a bullpen management overhaul. It is long overdue. But, it has some serious challenges from decades past. The first hurdle in producing the change necessary is going to be the salary structure. As long as traditional "Closers" get more money in Arbitration and get signed for more money in free agency. The top relief pitchers are going to insist on a "Closer" Role. The Twins can buck this trend (I'd really like them to) but it will cause issues in recruitment and retention. Because the paycheck is simply larger based on saves. The closer role needs to be de-valued. I've already de-valued it in my head but unfortunately, that isn't good enough, I'm gonna need some help from all 30 teams, the agents and arbitrators.

This is always the answer... even if we trade Buxton. Gonna need 4 quality regardless.

No idea... that is always possible. However, I think it is more plausible that teams will overcharge the stronger organizations... being less willing to settle for a lesser players knowing that we have better players in the system.

Those players have to be so special... teams are willing to let them become free agents before they reach the age of 27 because of the benefit today. If a 20 year old is going to struggle. There is no sense letting him burn service time struggling so he can figure it out right before he reaches free agency at age 26.

Exactly... Things don't have to be all or nothing. I don't know anything about Lewis defensively but I'm willing to lay down a bet with anyone that when he hits the major leagues. It will be close to a mid-season ... and... and... the odds are that he will debut at position other than SS so I will be comfortable taking that bet as well. If that's the case and it probably is... Let him play multiple positions, he can still play the majority of time at SS if you so desire. And who knows... maybe in the process of doing so. A different SS comes around who can REALLY pick it. A different SS that also starts figuring it out at the plate because he now gets the chance to figure it out at the plate because Lewis isn't playing every possible inning at SS. So, now you have given opportunity to multiple SS's and may the best man win . You increase your production by a 2 to 1 margin instead of locking into one and saying we will live or die with you and you alone. Production is increased, options are increased... these are good things.

You are describing past “Utility” definitions. Super Utility is alive and well in this day and age.

I have no idea what Royce Lewis is like defensively. However... if he can play SS, 3B and CF. By all means let him play all 3 positions. There is extreme value in that ability. Trying to shove him into one spot is a mistake. Once Royce establishes himself as ready and becomes the top call up option. When Royce gets called up, it will be due to an issue on the 25 man (injury or performance related). We don’t know where that injury or performance related issue will spring up. Could be OF, could be 3B, could be SS. His ability to play all of those positions opens up more doors for him to come through. Leave him at one position like SS. He is waiting for one specific door to open and Polanco may not get hurt. It then forces Lewis back to the minors if when Polanco returns. If the injury happens in CF. This forces the club to call up a lesser player because Lewis is a SS only. Let him play all 3 positions and we will see him sooner. Leave him at one position and it will take a specific set of circumstances to get him up to the majors.

Great Job Patrick, IMO... I'm not sure everyone sees the importance of watching the other organizations. Actually, I'm pretty sure most are not watching other organizations. However, I am happy that our front office seems to be watching the other organizations. All 3 of these articles are must reads.

Spot on There is way too much focus on the trades part of the equation. If you want to guarantee that you will win the majority of the trades you make. Find the flaws of the players you acquire and fix them. If you want to guarantee that you will come out on the losing end of the deals you make. Let the chips fall where they may. If you want to give the impression that you are drafting well... Develop them. If you want to give the impression that you haven't drafted well. Fail in development. This is how Houston is winning. This is why the Twins are behind the Astros.

This is it exactly. And this is what the crux of this article is about. The Astros are extremely successful getting players to fly correctly. From unheralded prospects Dallas Kuechel and Jose Altuve to trade acquisitions coming off down years like Justin Verlander and Garrit Cole. The Twins need to be able to do this for long term success. And they need to start right now. Tomorrow is here.

You mean Justin or Melvin Bush don't ya?

Lavine has mentioned in the past and eludes to it here. They were aware of Pressly’s capability but struggled with execution. No way of knowing what that meant exactly but I have noticed a new pitching coach and manager since the Presley trade. Perhaps to improve execution?

There are times when waiting for others to break through walls makes sense but once they do... you are behind. Personally, I have no ability to judge what went on inside the walls. I have never been in the room and have no right to make accusations. They are unfounded at best. However... By all reports the Twins went decades with one analyst and that was Jack Goin. I'm sure Jack was very talented but the amount of data that was being filtered through by other clubs requires a larger department. Intentional? Unintentional? Who knows but it does suggest "Blinders" were on as they trudged the same path they had always traveled.

One by one... the old school operations are falling by the wayside. But here’s the thing. It’ll be a short window for the Twins who were somewhat late to the party but not as late as others. We will enjoy the fruits of these efforts for a little while as the dinosaurs die off. Eventually everybody will be in the same place in the future and a new thing will have to arrive to separate a brand new future new breed from the pack. The Orioles new GM is from the Astros and they will follow the Astros path. The Giants have hired from the Dodgers.

It was near midnight... The numbers listed are examples out of my head and not pertaining to any player, but I have seen players with such swings and have always dismissed the numbers (and stat) due to sample size. You are not going to get decent reliable UZR numbers anywhere from Marwin when he plays: 326 Innings at RF 291 Innings at 3B 160 Innings at 1B 129 Innings at LF 18 Innings at 2B 9 Innings at SS 2 Innings at CF This is the equivalent of full time part time play at each position. Yet, the sum of these small samples will end up in the WAR calculation. I pass on UZR and WAR as a result. If you are looking for a player example. Mike Trout is a pretty unstable defensive player from year to year according to the range stats. You are on the same page as me... Well Kinda. My point is - as you say "defensive metrics are much MUCH shakier than their offensive and pitching counterparts" and for the exact reason you list. There is much more data pouring into the hitting and pitching stats to stabilize it. If we have a disagreement, it is that you are more confident in the defensive metrics than I am. The data isn't enough and the data you do get is overwhelmingly routine. You don't have to think very hard to realize that if 80% of the data you use is routine data that goes into everyone's data pile (I'm making up numbers again). It means that a small percentage of the data will provide the variance and if such a small sample can provide a large variance and it does. It's over-weighted. Take that already over weighted small sample, now remove the obvious shifts that disqualify the play from inclusion in the data. The Dodgers shift 50% of the time. Factor in players who play multiple position and like you said... you got yourself a shaky stat and it's a shaky stat that makes WAR shaky by it's inclusion.

I don’t know... I don’t pay much attention to them. Is there a defensive metric that cuts through the routine-ness that comprises typical defense and provides a repeatable, stable result without wild swings? Point it out and I promise that I’ll open eyes and give it a fair shake. UZR... I’m not going to pay much attention to a stat that tells me a certain player is 7.0 in LF and -1.5 in RF. Or a stat that produces a 4.0 in 2017 followed by a -1.5 in 2018 and then 4.0 in 2019 for the same player at the same position. The discrepancy is sample size related and a full season doesn’t seem to provide a stable enough sample based on the wild swings from year to year and position to position.