Riverbrian

It never pays to be brief. My argument doesn't equate to never trading for an impact player. My argument is specific to Realmuto. Although, I would execute your trade idea with no concerns whatsoever. I also believe Spycake is right and I don't think your trade idea would get the job done. I also believe that if Spycake is right... you will be creating additional holes for 2019 to the lengthy list of holes that already needs to be filled for 2019. Personally, at this time, I don't have Sano and Buxton as hole fillers that we can be confident in.

I'm not asking the impossible here. You are making it seem impossible by implying that I'm saying a manager should know when a hot streak begins or starts and manage accordingly. That isn't what I'm saying but apparently the impression I am leaving behind because it is what I'm always defending and I'm not saying it. Do we really have to wait until July before a manager realizes that Logan Morrison is not performing? Do we have to wait until June to determine that Sano shouldn't be in RF. (I was supportive of the move until I saw the results of the move). When you say mediocre what is your definition of mediocre? Is Eduardo Escobar Mediocre? Is there anything in past stats that indicate he was going to do what he has been doing this year. Is he still mediocre? Should he be moved back to a bench role when Sano comes back. Polanco is already back so I guess Escobar will no longer have a starting position because a manager shouldn't make adjustments based on how players are actually performing because it's impossible to predict when the mediocre comes back? I'm not asking the Manager to be clairvoyant and predict streak starts and stops... I'm asking the manager to STOP trying to be clairvoyant and let the players make the determinations for him. In the past 30 days: Robbie Grossman is hitting .324/.380/.500 Logan Morrison is hitting ..190/.238./.431 When Logan comes back does Grossman get bumped? I'm not asking this question after a 4 for 4 day by Grossman. I'm asking it after 30 days of data. Actually in Morrison's case... we can look at the entire first half for data. Past history from Molitor suggests Morrison will move back into his regular role when he returns. Who gets bumped? Grossman or Cave? Is there room for all to get AB's or is that some kind of unwritten rule that can't be broken? With Magill... I don't care about Magill anymore. I was taking a cheap shot at the Auto Pilot nature of Molitor with my post. I understand that he has been placed in some sort of 1980's traditional long man role. I'm personally not a fan of 1980's baseball ideology but the bottom line is that Magill isn't getting used and if he isn't getting used... we should let Magill go and get Molitor somebody he will use. If that's Belisle... I disagree with the choice but Molitor will use Belisle and therefore... what the hell.

Acquiring Realmuto would be a cannonball through the farm system. Which is fine as long as the Twins are prepared to fill holes with AAAA guys and they never have a significant injury.

I believe the rule was designed to stop catchers from blocking the plate and forcing the collision. I believe catchers can stand where the ball is arriving. I am also no expert on the rule either.

I'm going to add Magill to my list of poorly timed asset usage. I'm keeping the list on my fridge. Eventually... I'm going to need a longer fridge.

Ugly game or not... I absolutely enjoyed it. As for the bench clearing stuff... It doesn't matter to me who started it or what started it. I like it when the Twins show a little attitude.

Ump: We got a challenge on that play at home. New York Guy: Yep, I've reviewed the tape. Frame 278 taken from Camera A which is the overhead camera clearly shows that the runner crossed the plate before the tag. Camera B shows that his foot touched the plate and was safe on the play. You can take your headset off and make the safe call. Ump: Wait... Hold On... They are not challenging the out call. They would like to challenge if the catcher was illegally blocking the plate. New York Guy: Seriously... Just tell him that he should challenge the out call instead. I don't want to review it again... He was safe. This game is already behind schedule and I got an immigration appointment in Miami tomorrow. Ump: Hey Paul... Are you sure you want to challenge the blocking of the plate? Paul: Yeah... His foot was in the way. Ump: He wants to challenge the catcher blocking the plate. New York Guy: OK then... the rule states that the catcher can't block the plate unless he has possession of the ball. Video review clearly shows the ball entering his glove for possession of the ball and not leaving his glove which further indicates possession of the ball. Call Stands. Ump: Out Paul: What you mean out. He was clearly safe. Ump: Yes he was safe but the call is out. Paul: Ok.

Yep... It's a 25 man Roster. I'm getting tired of Molitor treating roster spots like the NHL treats those accountants who serve as Emergency Goalies.

I'm actually disappointed because I thought that Molitor broke his mold and did a little out of the box fancy managin'.

I appreciate that Kelly and I share your disgust over expressed hatred toward our guys although I'm not sure that hatred is the right word. Mauer and Dozier pair together quite well in my opinion because they balance each other out. It seems that those who criticize Mauer tend to criticize him because he isn't your typical power producing 1B prototype. Having Dozier on the roster negates that potential deficit because Dozier has more power than the typical 2B prototype. Some seem to be critical toward Mauer because he spends time on the DL every year and Molitor gives him scheduled time off in order to keep him as fresh as possible. Dozier is the opposite of that. Some seem to be critical toward Mauer because he never swing at the first strike and Dozier jumps all over that thing. Some seem to be critical toward Dozier because of his streakyness while Mauer tends to be more consistent. Dozier is dead pull and Joe is incredibly not. 2019 is gonna be interesting if we have new people playing 1B and 2B after all of these years. I'll miss them both.

Everybody is entitled to feel the way they feel but I really have a hard time understanding this sentiment. To each their own I guess. I would absolutely trade him for the best return before the deadline because of his pending free agent status but to express such disdain for him is beyond me. I have my list of concerns about Brian (everybody on the Twins roster for that matter) but after nearly a decade in the Twins organization, he's been a big part of my Twins experience and the thought of Brian Dozier playing elsewhere gives me a little bit of sadness. I think he plays too much... I've often stated that he could play less while he is one of those lengthy funks but on the other side of that is the fact that he shows up everyday to play. I assume he has played through some injuries to show up every day and play because nobody gets through unscathed. The Twins had a very disappointing start in 2016 and a disappointing start this year and when you look at those disappointing starts... Brian Dozier has been very disappointing at the same time. It is easy to blame Brian Dozier during those stretches and I do sometimes but on the other side of that coin is the consideration that maybe this shows the importance of Brian Dozier because team success seems to follow the same path as Brian Dozier success. Then there is the important consideration of who will replace him in 2019? I haven't got an easy answer to that question and that takes the whole situation from not just sadness over the departure of one of my players to sadness plus concern because we don't know who comes next.

If you are going to have a hitter pitch. You can't be bringing it at 86.2. The hitters can time that. Bring in Grossman and let him do that 60 MPH thing he does. MLB Guys pop that stuff up.

I'd love to have Realmuto but I can't rationalize the price that needs to be paid to acquire him. You could acquire a lot more bat at other positions for the same price. More bat that doesn't come with the standard required catcher rest and typical catcher dings that seem to send catchers to the DL more often than other positions. I have no idea (how could I) but I think it's a fair assumption that it would take more to acquire Realmuto than it would for Eugenio Suarez. If that's the case you might as well go get Suarez instead because he will produce more at the plate and play more often. Maybe the Pirates will give up Marte for the price you would pay for Realmuto. Many seem to be willing to declare Sano as the starting 3B in 2019 and therefore don't see a need for Suarez. Many are ready to declare Buxton as the everyday guy in CF come 2019 and therefore don't see the need for a Marte. I will never understand that logic when you look at the Sano and Buxton puddles lying in the middle of the 2018 street. How can any GM or fan for that matter look at Sano and Buxton and say to themselves... We are covered at 3B and CF? Why wouldn't you pickup a Marte to join Rosario, Kepler and Buxton if you could? Let Buxton earn his playing time. If he can't beat those 3 for playing time than he isn't what we need him to be in 2019. If all 4 kick ass... Great problem to have. Why wouldn't you pickup a Suarez to play 3B if you could? Let Sano earn playing time by... you know... performing. Sano could start on the opening day roster as a 1B/3B/DH. If Sano is earning everyday playing time... he could play some 1B or DH. If Mauer comes back... Sano could slow Mauer's playing time by... out performing him or DH if Mauer is performing... again... good problem to have. If Mauer doesn't come back... pick up Matt Adams for 1B to compete with Sano and Suarez. Play Adams in the OF on occasion if you like the matchups or all 3 are hot and you want to DH someone else. We were 5 hitters short this year from a decent starting 9 players. I don't understand how anyone van put together a potential 2019 lineup with Sano, Buxton and Kepler etched in stone and feel comfortable that we have 3 positions covered adequately for 162 games next year. I'm saying this and I believe in all 3 of those guys. So that leads to the question? But... who will play Catcher... We will have Castro and we will have whoever they sign in Free Agency. If you are giving up Lewis or Romero plus Nick Gordon plus that Brudar kid plus Kiriloff or whatever you are willing to pay for Realmuto... Spend it on someone who will dent the scoreboard more often... GO BIG and don't let the presence of Sano or Buxton stop you. About the only way I'd be comfortable trading for Realmuto was if the Twins could get Starlin Castro as a throw in or even lower the prospect price for taking on that contract. I doubt that would work but at least that way you improve a couple of areas instead of a cannonball through the farm system for a Catcher improvement alone.

In reality, I have the same view of catchers that you do, I'm just not as hard on Garver as others. In the end, I do agree with you. Others are much more to blame than Wilson. As a matter of fact, I often agree with you. You should probably be concerned about that.

I agree unless the context of the team is desperate need for offense. If offense is killing the club, pitchers asking for a preferred catcher could be counter productive to addressing the weak points and the primary reason why a manager is necessary. Managers need to make the decisions that are important to the club and not to the pitchers personal preferences. Brian Dozier shouldn't get to pick where he hits in the order either.

Molitor has to tell the pitchers that he is in charge.

We simply have no idea how insubordinate Doug M may have been to new ideas brought by the new regime. I have no idea obviously but that would be the first place I’d look when trying to figure out why he was let go. There was a change and some people don’t change and some people tell everybody around them that they are not going to change.

I’m having trust issues with the clubs ability to identify the difference between prospect and non prospect.

I have no idea what structural changes were made and I have no idea what structural changes will be made going forward. But I’m pretty sure that If anyone was expecting a sudden shift in direction, you were nearly certain to be disappointed. Things rarely change on a dime when an existing staff experiences a change of leadership and you have to get rid of any notion that Terry Ryan or Thad Lavine make decisions by themselves in a vacuum. I’ve never witnessed it personally but I’m willing to bet any amount of money that Terry Ryan-Falvey/Lavine -All GMs have authorized the signing of players sight unseen by themselves on the recommendation of their staff. It is hard to say who the advocate for Belisle was. Whoever it was... if it works like it is supposed to. His future recommendations will carry less weight.

Who knows what kind of emotional wrecks we have on our payroll. There are emotional wrecks all around us every day. We all know people capable of losing sleep because someone took the last cup of coffee a couple of days ago. However... logically. Do we want players who are so fragile that they wilt at the loss of a coach or the mood of the disgruntled? You’d have no chance unless everything was perfect on and off the field.

Personally... I’m not sure. I’ve seen Garver catch some nice pitching performances so I don’t think he is catastrophic in that regard. However... in this environment... dying for a hit and not dying on the mound. Playing Wilson over Garver seems like treating the heart attack victim with a nose job.

I know that I've been having a love affair with the Brewers roster but... even though the Brewers offense hasn't been off the charts this year... They are built for games like this. They can scratch out a run with a home run or they can do it with their feet small ball style... Plus.. Killer defense and bullpen that can shut you down. Win and Losses are mattering less and less for me. I'm just hoping for a spark of something that can lead to a spark of something in 2019 at the moment.

We could use some offense for 2019. It will be a challenge to fill all the open spots via Free Agency. Gonna have to acquire some decent talent via trade.

And cost 5.4 million dollars less.

It'll be a 3 person draft.