Riverbrian

How indeed? As for Zone ratings: 1. Sample size. He plays multiple positions. He plays where the team needs him to play and he hasn't been a regular starter either... apart from 2011 and 2009. When limited playing time is split by 6 different positions the numbers will be misleading. You need some more data to be fair to him. More data for stabilization. 2. I personally don't belong to the church of defensive stats so I'm not a good guy to dive into that. If he truly does lack range with his speed... Reaction and route running would be the two biggest culprits. I don't see it when I watch him play.

I can see what you are saying Nurse. There is a core group of us but the only tangible thing about the core is active participation. We got some hit and runners as well. Ones who show up once a month. We have jokers... Straight men... Clergy... Librarians... Foster Brooks and even people from Iowa. There are a ton of different personalities and there is room for yours as well. The last thing we want... Is for anyone to feel sheepish about entering. I think you'd be surprised how fast the integration would happen.

I've always liked Capuano... When the Dodgers added their 23rd starter before 2013 began and nobody knew what they would do with superfluous starters like Capuano and Lilly... I wanted the Twins to try and trade for him last year. Now... Well... I'd love to have him but I don't want to lose Deduno, Worley or Diamond just yet.

Eggs-Ackley!!! Well said Doc!!! I'm giving you Jokin and String 4 points. Those points ain't worth much but it's the thought that counts. I want Bonofacio on the roster. I don't want him because I think he is Jacoby Ellsbury. I want him for this roster... This team context... Because He's perfect and I can't think of a single player in all of MLB that's as perfect for our needs. We are going into 2014 presumably with Trevor Plouffe at 3B and Alex Presley in CF and not a single experienced player at those positions backing them up. Presley just might be the be the every day CF by default out of Spring Training just like Clete Thomas was in the back half of 2013. Presley could hit .200 in 2014 and there is no one to take him out of the lineup. Presley could hit .200 and he'd have to be penciled in every day regardless. I remember 2013... It wasn't that long ago. We started with Hicks in CF and he was all we had. Wilken Ramirez was the backup CF and after it was clear that Hicks had to be sent down. Here comes Clete Thomas and Clete played every day. I don't want to do that again!!! Hicks needs to start at Rochester. We don't know if he's gonna figure out the MLB breaking pitch or not. Mastro is no guarantee to be rostered. Buxton won't be rushed and we have corner OF's coming out of our ears. Escobar could play 3B if needed but Escobar won't push Plouffe for PT. Bonofacio could because of the speed he brings and the ability to get on base. He has a superior skill that can be utilized that Escobar doesn't have. Even if he has some skills that are deficient. Plouffe was absolutely horrible in stretches last year. He played everyday regardless because we did not have a decent 3B option to replace him. He needs to be pushed. Sano probably isn't breaking camp with the big club. Bringing in Bonofacio... Not as a starter but as a... I'm here and I'll take your job if you don't perform guy is exactly what this team needs and Bonofacio can do it at two positions we desperately need it at... 3B and CF. We can't put Kubel in CF if Presley goes into a funk. It was so frustrating watching Clete Thomas play every day. I don't understand how anyone can be afraid of bringing in Emilio Bonofacio after 92 Games with Clete Thomas. And... He's a player that can easily be pushed aside to another role when Sano comes up and to another role when Buxton comes up. Or... Easily Cut... DFA'd... Or whatevered... If we magically become the loaded team of 25 monsters. And... We need speed... We have no speed!!! Good God... We were station to station baseball... Game after game after game in 2013. For those of you who don't want him... Good thing I'm not the GM because he'd already be here. OPS be damned!!! Bring him here.

Decent points on both sides. I still believe he's perfect for the Twins. He can push Plouffe at 3B until Sano can take over. When Sano does take over OR Plouffe proves that he can and should play everyday. Bonofacio can move to another position. He can also play CF. If Hicks doesn't make the club out of ST... We don't have a lot of CF'ers. We need speed... Not for stolen bases... Just speed... We don't have speed. He has speed and we need speed. He isn't as bad defensively as some are saying. He's perfect for us... Go get him Terry Ryan.

Ha!!! I just don't have a lot of faith in defensive statistics. I don't think they are fully cooked yet. Offensive stats... I'm into them... However, just because a player hits .220 it doesn't mean he won't perform better in the future so I go back to the Ol' Eyeball a lot. I'm not a stat prude by any stretch of the imagination. I know them all. I'm just more into the "why" they are producing such stats... Swing... Focus... Approach. Improve those things and the stats look better. The Ol' Eyeball tells me the White Sox were a bad baseball team and so were the Twins. They both can get a lot better real quick with better swings... focus and approach.

The ol' eyeball. I used to pick women the same way.

Florimon and Dozier up the middle. Those two take away hits. And they by themselves make us respectable defensively in my opinion. I think Suzuki, Mauer and Presley will be alright. And I completely agree with you that the outfield corners and Plouffe are defensive compromises. UZR? I don't belong to that church. But we do need speeeeed.

The Sox staff doesn't scare me at all outside of Sale. They were a real bad defensive team last year and I don't see any evidence they addressed that problem and that will keep those lofty projections of the starting staff unrealized in my opinion. The White Sox were horrible to watch last year much like the Twins. Just a team that needed to slug to cover their other shortcomings and they didn't and they packed it in. The Twins defense is OK and that will help them keep games close enough to win a couple but they have a problem with the lack of speed on the current roster because if Willingham and Plouffe dry up this year like they did last year. The Twins don't have another way to get the job done. I don't want another year of station to station baseball but the roster looks like it might be. I know we can't wait for Sano to show up and start hitting bombs but I think decent MLB play from Aaron Hicks would be the bigger boost in 2014. Both teams have to dig in like they didn't do in 2013. We need SPEED... Not stolen bases per se... Just flat out Run of the mill speed. Who's better between the White Sox and Twins? I don't know... But if they both don't start playing better more inspired baseball with pride... Who's taller... Ronnie James Dio or Udo Dirkschneider? Is a similar question.

Yeah... we do rally around each other don't we. No denying it... It's very obvious in this thread. I'm ok with that. I think we all are. Over in the moderator forum... I think every one of us at one point has said "Uncle... I don't think I can do this again". It isn't fun... Each issue takes a little bit out of you. It's why we love the sanctity of the game thread. We do stand shoulder to shoulder. If we didn't.. Some of us would have fallen by the wayside.

Yeah I do see how some can be confused. The only thing I can do to alleviate that confusion is this. "If Bickering... Fighting... That sort of thing... Ever broke out on a game thread. You would see very similar moderation of the game thread in quick fashion. There would be no more confusion of moderation style between game threads and the others". If Jocularity and Respect and tolerance for each other... That sort of thing broke out on the regular threads... There would be no more confusion of moderation between the two. Moderation would be a snap... We'd be like night watchmen with our feet on the desk and watching an old movie on a black and white television and an occasional stroll through the building. The worlds would link together. Until they do... Perceived difference will probably be a by product. As sure as I am standing here... The real difference is the overall mindset in the game thread. No one is fighting and hating life in the game threads and as long as nobody is... More is tolerated!!! We just can't say that about the other threads.

Chief nails it here... I would say it slightly different... I would say "in regular threads we discourage thread jacking... In game threads we encourage it" That's the difference. The regular threads have subjects and we try to keep them on the tracks of that particular subject and after a couple of pages those subjects start turning sour and then the moderation phone starts ringing and we have to moderate it or not moderate it depending our individual and collective assessments. We don't always get it right but we are trying to get it right. The phone never rings on the game thread. Everyone is happy!!! No one is fighting with each other. We are throwing the likes around like high fives and entertaining each other. That's the difference. Levi... I get your point and I accept the perception that you are pointing out but I don't know what can be done about it. We can't let the regular threads run free. We know what happens when we do... We all make mistakes as moderators but we are not hypocrites. We haven't had grenades tossed at each other in game threads yet cuz the mindset is just different. The game threaders understand that grenade tossing would stand out like a sore thumb in context of what is going on around them. There is a respect paid to all in that room and everyone is invited in... As long as they take their shoes off before they enter. If they come in with steel toe boots and start denting things. You'll see moderation and it will be immediate because moderators are obviously there enjoying the party. Its a safe zone from combat. There are grenades all over the regular threads. The JFK joke may stand on the game thread because those in the room are in that mindset to accept that joke or similar when they enter. The direction of the thread is anywhere so the joke fits the context. It ain't that way on the regular threads. People get offended by everything and when they get offended. They let us know... They let the offender know and they let everyone who reads it know and pretty soon we have people at each other's throats and the topic of discussion is blown to hell and very few enjoy the feelings displayed. Sometimes moderation is pre-emptive because we've seen it before and what happens next. Thats the best I can do to explain it. I'm sure you know what I'm saying and I know you are not suggesting a change in the game threads. You are probably asking for a little more tolerance in the regular threads like we seem to give ourselves in the game thread. We can't... Cuz of the grenades.

Levi... I hope you know that you are always invited to participate in the game threads. Everyone is. I can see the perception of contradiction that you mention. However... I believe there isn't a more moderated thread in the building. It is full of moderators every night... So it's actually kind of the opposite. The current format of the game threads was evolution but slightly intentional. We just don't want to feel sad! That is challenging with a struggling club... We want it fun and moderators are always there to try and keep it fun. It's working... The game thread has more daily views than any other thread created on the site. We have plenty of threads to talk about how terrible Everything is. The game thread became a place to make a comment of how I would have pinch hit here but not hang on it and be able to move away from it into anything else in the whole wide world... With that... Sophomoric humor is a natural by product because everyone has a different personality and the game thread in its current form can't exist without a little latitude. However... If the advanced line gets crossed... There is a moderator to handle it and keep it on track. Full disclosure as a moderator... Glunn has moderated me privately when I crossed the line and he was right to do so. On the other threads the mood can get dark and topics are defined. The moderation is much trickier because fights break out and points can get hammered into the ground and discussion can get off topic. That's why it seems like a double standard in my opinion. Its a different format.

I am strongly in favor of picking up Bonofacio. He's perfect for our needs. He can push Plouffe at 3B. Force Plouffe to perform or lose playing time. Once Sano comes up... Bonofacio can slide to OF and he brings a bunch of speed with him. Speed is something we lack and need. Defense... He's good in the OF in my opinion. Not as good in the infield but he's OK. He would certainly be valuable because of his multi positional value. Fingers Crossed the Twins can bring him to Target Field.

I'm not as concerned about platooning... I was much more concerned about players (who didn't earn it) playing every day.

I agree... I don't trade Hicks either. Its a sell low scenerio until he figures it out. Once he figures it out... We will be miserable knowing he's not still with us.

If I'm the GM... I want a frontline Starter and Speed... I'm not sure how to acquire it though because our trade value bottomed out and I don't want to part with prospects.

I think this thread will naturally turn to offense. However... I'd like to focus on defense. It's my opinion... Defensively... Andrelton Simmons in Atlanta... Jose Iglasias in Detroit... The best? I think Florimon is in that group for discussion.

God I miss Ben Revere... His style of baseball is exactly my style of baseball. I would have made the trade... But... I would have buried myself in a bottle of Captain Morgan afterwards. I don't care about his slugging... Just put him on my field and let him run and do his full speed thing. Back on Worley... I couldn't help but wonder about the game being called by Mauer behind the plate. Even if his breaking stuff is below average... You still have to mix it up. Worley was unmixed... Somebody needed to change and I wonder if that wasn't part of the problem.

In the end... It comes down to individual belief in the big "IF"... If Worley can do it... And on that I agree with you. I had a great seats last year right behind home plate for a Worley start and I was shocked by how flat and average his fastball was. I saw very little movement... I saw a fastball that was up consistently and I saw him throw that fastball over again while he ignored any other pitch in his arsenal. He got destroyed... Lasted maybe two innings... The ball was flying around the park... hard and long. I came away from that game asking how did this guy make the major leagues. His performance was that awful. With that said... 2011 was a great year for him at a very young age. I also noticed the high percentage of strikeouts that he compiled via the backwards K in 2011. It was sensible to assume that once batters started swinging instead of looking that he could get knocked around. And with that said... To tie it all up in a bow... I don't think 2013 was accurate to draw a conclusion on Worley... It was so bad... How can it be accurate... And I don't think 2011 was accurate to draw a conclusion on because it was so good. BUT... on the off chance that he can find 2011 again. At age 26... I'd hate to toss him aside for guys who have a longer track record but not a consistent better track record. I hope the Twins find a bullpen role for Worley or space on the DL so we don't have to DFA him. I'm not comfortable cutting him loose. Unless... I know for sure... He is wrecked with injury or some kind of stubborn head case that refuses to try and correct his problems. In my mind... I have Deduno ahead of him and Diamond for that last available spot... A mind that lacks complete information since I don't have access to medicals or specific coaching instruction or desire and attitude. I'd like the Twins to find a way to hang on to all of them... Deduno with the last spot... Worley and Diamond in the pen... If they continue to struggle in 2014... Maybe then we can cut the cord but not until they actually struggle in 2014.

The offense has to start playing baseball... The Pitching is hopefully much improved... But... I do not believe that the Starting rotation can carry this club. So if the Pitching can just be average and keep us in games... It will be up to the offense to do enough to get the job done. Based on what I saw last year... It's going to take a huge dose of "I think we can" to change directions from the "I don't think we can" that infected the bats last year. The Twins will have to "Man UP" in 2014.

No Doubt... Hicks by overwhelming consensus is expected to be better. Maybe much much much better. If those scouts and evaluators are right. No Doubt... By Result in the minors and majors. Vance Worley has been better than Hicks. CMathewson... I've always loved your posts but it hasn't been two horrible years of Worley. It's been one extremely awful year along with one surprisingly suburb year. The year in the middle of those two years... 2012... Was very average... Very Correia like... I don't think Worley should be praised for it but I don't think 2012 should be lumped in with 2013 and labeled as two horrible years. No one in our current rotation had done better for a year than 23 year old Worley Circa 2011. The closest was 25 year old Nolasco in 2008. Worley was beyond bad last year... But he was beyond good in 2011. Average in 2012... 2014?

I don't want to live in a world with no room for the underdog. I'm sorry son... You were drafted in the 16th round. We can't let you play up here. A 16th rounder has no chance of learning anything once exposed to the best instructors in the world. I'm Sorry Mr. Hershiser... Thank You for that 2.66 ERA in 1984 but we can't let you continue into 1985 because you had a 1.49 WHIP in Albuquerque in 1982 and you were a 17th round pick before that. We ain't stupid here... We just need you to fill up some uniforms so we have a team in Lake Elsinore. I'm sorry Trevor Hoffman... We thought you were a SS when we drafted you. There is no reason for us to convert you to pitcher. Give up the dream... You are just wasting our time. I'm sorry Mr. Nava... You are 24 years old and playing in Chico California... There is simply no way that you can help us get to the World Series. It would be a complete waste of time for you ride the bus for low pay trying to advance through each level of the farm. This Game is made for 1st rounders like Trevor Plouffe and Chris Parmelee. Let me stand here and say... To all Dreamers... Don't bother trying... Infield drills... Batting practice... Work in the weight room... Diets... All of it... Why do you even try... Just give up! There are simply no room for great stories in baseball. Just the elite talent.

Awesome post... Simply Awesome... I agree with every single word.

I'm not sure how to moderate this comment. It's either a joke or an opinion and both are fine. If a joke... may I recommend a smiley face to indicate so. If an opinion... To all TD posters... Do not get personal as you tear Marta Shearing apart. Getting personal is a violation of TD policy. With that said... I will view from the cheap seats.