Riverbrian

Is there really enough defensive data to fairly label him as anything defensively? This narrative is being repeated over and over again and it really doesn’t match the eye test.

crime /krīm/ noun an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. The other team is trying to win. We don’t get to do what we want at all times or we would be 162-0. Last night went in the W column. The team battled back. Good experience for the playoffs.

His plate discipline is currently best on the team at age 22. He's 22 so his power is still developing. I don't care what the defensive metrics say. I've watched almost every game... I can't recall any moment where he could be perceived as a defensive liability at any of the positions he has played. I'm buying stock.

I’ve stated it many times so it’ll come to no surprise. I have same worry about every player next year. I say hedge your bets with depth just in case.

I think you make a decent point. Personally I’d just have a hard time pinch hitting for Arraez ever.

It occurred to me this morning that it feels good to be on this side of the magic number for a change.

The most that Cleveland can reach with 12 games left is 99 wins. 100 wins for the Twins sounds perfect.

We are agreed on Littell. I'd like to see him get some higher leverage appearances so I know that Baldelli agrees with us. On Gibson and Perez... I can't see it. I wouldn't be opposed to it but I can't see it because it would be a 180 from how the team has treated them. The club ran right up to the wire with these guys throwing significant innings. A 5 man rotation with those two representing 40% of that rotation. I can't see them just changing course on a dime. Gibson and Perez were given every opportunity no matter the results... The club is trying to make them succeed. It would actually bother me now, if they pulled the plug on Gibson and Perez at this late stage, even if I think it should be considered. Littell bounced between the minors and majors and was almost always the last option for high leverage. Even during the dark days of July when we sent 4 relievers away for nothing. The club has just shown me different by action. Other than that... I agree with you.

The bullpen is deep for the moment. Once the playoff roster gets set it’ll be a little different. Do they keep Stashak or Smeltzer or Littell. More data is necessary to make that decision. Until they hand the ball to Smeltzer or Dobnak and allow them to pitch as many innings as they allow Perez to throw. Bullpenning seems like an accurate term.

I’ve stated multiple times that I wish the Twins would have already had more MLB info on Dobnak and Smeltzer. I don’t buy any assumption that Perez is better. He might be but his bar isn’t hard to clear. He has an ERA over 5 since June. Those are not numbers to lock into and say we have no need for improvement. With Gibson being a question mark and Pineda out. Perez has gone from 5th best to 3rd best by default. We could have prepped for this better. Bullpen games will be what we do now for at least one spot in the rotation and I’m Ok with this because of current team context. But with Gibson throwing yesterday... I’m wondering if we don’t bullpen two spots in the rotation.

What kind of pizza are you eating?

I'm not sure why Rocco turned to Gibby? My only assumption is after nearly every bullpen arm throwing the day before... he looked at his options and said "I trust Gibby the most". Future questions to be answered. Is Gibby still in the rotation? With his illness.. Are they going to try to manage his innings? Do we still have a rotation?

I was just thinking about the difference between last year and this year.

Schoop stats this year would have been our third best hitter last year. It's an illustration of progress when a player producing an OPS+ of 108 becomes our biggest disappointment.

Not to my knowledge.

I'd prefer that they don't hand a job to anyone and call them a placeholder. We will need 8 starters at least throughout the year. I'd like to see all 8 competing for the 5 spots and I think it would be wise for Pineda to be one of those 8. If the front office views it from your standpoint. If they plan to sign Pineda and use Player X until Pineda returns, knowing Player X is going to be a sub par pitcher. Already knowing that they will send Player X away when Pineda returns, neat and clean like a Hollywood script. Then it would be a horrible idea. In that Scenerio... They should still sign Pineda and find a better player than player X. Signing Pineda should not prevent them from finding a legitimate arm for that 5th spot in the rotation.

I think it's a good article with a legitimate question.

I agree with everything you've said. I would only add: "Umm, We gotta sign someone".

To answer your original post. If I was on the Red Sox Search Committee. Falvey would be on my short list. I would be looking for progressive front offices moving in new directions. I'd be looking at the Dodgers, Astros, Rays, Cubs and Brewers leadership along with the Twins. Just imagine... the Rays sensibility and combine that with Red Sox resources. The combination of those two things would produce... what the Dodgers are right now. If I'm Falvey... I take the job. Because the combination of the Rays sensibility and the Red Sox resources is a tactical advantage that the Twins or even the Astros can't fully match.

If Taylor Rogers is our best pitcher. (I Believe he is... Starters included). You will need more innings out of him. Come playoff time... the walls are down... the 162 game structure of rotations, closer, set up, long relief... no longer apply. Meaning... if they need Rogers to throw... He will have to throw, especially if he is our best pitcher. Saving him for save situations and thereby limiting the innings that he can throw is an incredible waste of talent. The data that states that Rogers struggles with no rest is a small sample size but if it is a direct cause and effect. They got to throw him on multiple days to get him used it or better at it. Because we will need him to do such things in the playoffs. Many people look at data and say... :Uff Da we got to turn this down... it isn't working". Sometimes that same data is really saying. We got to turn this up.

My response was based on the often stated concern that his all out style of play is the cause of his injuries. I'm merely pointing out that not all of his injuries are the result of him running 100 mph into the fence. If you are trying to point out that he is "injury prone". That is obvious based on the number of days he has spent on the Disabled list but that is a different discussion.

It hasn't resulted in 115 games in two seasons. Migraines are not a product of his play... A foul ball of his toe is not a product of his play.

You slow him down... He isn't the same player. Yes... he has been injury prone but not all of the injuries were fearless reckless baseball injuries.

This is probably what we need to do. I'm not sure they will do it... But, yeah we need information in double time.

I don't know and I don't believe the front office knows either. Martin Perez had a 5.08 ERA in June, 5.32 ERA in July and a 6.75 ERA in August. Perez should be the replacement for Pineda because Perez's performance should have already been upgraded by now. We have sufficiant data on what Perez brings to the table. The front office has already confirmed "through action" that they believe that Martin Perez is better than all of the available options we are looking at to replace Pineda. By sticking with Perez and not allowing Smeltzer, Thorpe or Dobnak the opportunity to show they are better, they have forced us into the position of pinning the tail on the donkey blindfolded with Smeltzer, Thorpe or Dobnak. I've been warning anyone who would listen about this upcoming issue since June. We are talking about small sample sizes here. Smeltzer has been better than Perez and Gibson through 36 innings. Dobnak has been better than everybody through 9 innings. Smeltzer should have thrown his 37th inning by now and Dobnak should have thrown his 10th inning by now and we should have a pretty good idea if Smeltzer or Dobnak can improve the rotation by now. I don't trust the small sample size and I don't trust any assumption that Perez can't be improved upon and I have never trusted the possibility that the cemented 5 man rotation would be intact come playoff time. This isn't the offense where we have a roster full of guys who can get the job done, leaving no room for discovery. Even with the offense being plump full with no room for discovery, we still managed to find Arraez by letting him continue doing what he was doing. On the mound, we have protected Perez in the rotation when performance suggests he is easily replaceable. We have rostered players in the bullpen who have been under utilized and eventually released so this has never been a 25 man roster space issue. We have done nothing to prepare for this moment. I'm am extremely disappointed in Pineda and the consequences that followed his actions but if it wasn't a suspension, it was going to be an injury to one of the 5 starters or exhaustion from one of the 5 starters or just plain ole' poor performance (like we have received from Perez for 3 months) from one of the 5 starters. It's too late. We have no choice but to close our eyes and choose. I hope the choice works out. It's possible but the risk of choosing blind was unnecessary.