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Dantes929

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Everything posted by Dantes929

  1. Dantes929
    I think Duffey deserved the spot based on what he did last year. He and Santana pretty much carried us down the stretch. I have no problem with him going down to work on a pitch but he has so many variations on his pitches in speed and break that saying he is a two pitch guy is pretty misleading. Blackburn was moderately successful for a while and as far as I could tell he only threw one pitch and only started failing when that pitch stopped moving. There were some stats a while back showing how batting averages and contact rates plummeted when fast balls hit the high 90's. Elite fastballs are easy to measure at least in terms of velocity. Curve balls and sliders are less easy to qualify but I am guessing the difference between an average curve ball and an elite curve ball has a similar split. That's why its frustrating to me hearing fans group pitchers in categories based just on velocity. Milone and Duffey are good examples of how not all 90 mph pitchers are alike. Velocity is just one element of "stuff".
  2. Dantes929
    So no one figured out Duffey last year in AAA or during the pennant race in the fall but that is small sample size while a mediocre spring while working on a pitch is somehow a decider? I am not against working on the third pitch but his curveball was pretty special last year especially all the variations on it and his fastball was decent. What did you mean sitting on his curveball and hitting his fastball? If you meant they were letting it go that is a fairly easy solution of simply throwing his curveball for strikes which he showed he was able to do last year. I think Nolasco was overrated when they signed him but probably underrated now so it would not surprise me if he did a decent job in the 5 spot but I had higher expectations than that from Duffey.
  3. Dantes929
    I am more concerned about the on base part. I would like to see a lot of bunts down the 3rd base side. I am less concerned about the stolen bases. I want him to try just enough make the other team think about it.
  4. Dantes929
    Thanks for reminding me about irony. I forgot Nolasco for Cy Young.
  5. Dantes929
    I'll take Buxton but am not going to quibble. Lets just agree that the MVP will be a Twin. MVP for Buxton, home run title for Sano and batting title for Mauer. This is the time of year for these kinds of thoughts. Anyone else going to the home opener?
  6. Dantes929
    Valencia rode infield singles and bloopers to a career year in 2010. If Buxton can get a few of those early to help him relax and not stress out about average I can see him doing very well. Of course, a slow start can get into anyone's head but especially rookies. If he gets on less than .320 I will be a little disappointed. I will predict a .350+ OBP after the break which will be pretty awesome from the leadoff spot..
  7. Dantes929
    If he hits like he is touted to I would be just fine with Sano at DH until Mauer is gone anyway. I honestly think the Twins were fine with him at DH as well until Park happened. The issue really is as much about Park as it is about Sano. If Park fails then we are back to Sano at DH and Arcia or Kepler in right. If Park, Plouffe, Mauer and Sano all have good offensive years I think people will be more forgiving of poor right field defense. If any of them struggle then it changes the equation.
  8. Dantes929
    When saying this year you mean Spring Training I am right with you. Maybe he was taking 100 fly balls every day in practice. While this does not replicate some of the spin from live ball it would still be a reasonable starting point. However, I have not heard they have even done this. While I downplayed some of the concerns and said either he had it or he didn't it was predicated that he would see tons of action in ST to figure out which it is.
  9. Dantes929
    I do not believe Sano is a permanent fixture out there but I guess if those three, Park, Mauer and Plouffe hit like all stars and Kepler is stuck in the minors its not all bad. Just like if the rotation performs so well there is no room for Berrios would be a good thing. More likely, things happen and eventually both get their chance.
  10. Dantes929
    Yes, I just did a google search and you nailed it. ,
  11. Dantes929
    Throwing "like a girl" reminds me of a catcher last year. I think it was for the White Sox. When throwing the ball back to the pitcher he would put his glove hand on the ground and lean forward an throw of the right foot. Looked awkward as heck and drove me crazy that a guy could get to that level and look that amateurish.but then when one of our guys tried stealing he threw a pea to 2nd to get him.
  12. Dantes929
    Buxton's swing last year reminded me of Molitor's with the no load, still head and quick bat and while I would be ok with Nixon's numbers this year I would be thrilled with Molitor's. The problem is that kind of swing still has a rhythm to it and Buxton struggled to recognize pitches and appeared to be indecisive resulting in late and weak swings. I am just hoping for a good start. I think veterans know the hits will come and don't freak out about an early low batting average but rookies press. I always thought Valencia's good year was spurred on by a few infield hits and bloopers in his first couple weeks. It allowed him to relax until he squared up a few. On a separate note I always wonder about broadcasting your approach in the papers. Opposition might be reading these papers as well.
  13. Dantes929
    With how many people are skeptical of Sano to the outfield I would say you are in the majority. Personally, I would say I am with you depending on what pieces Trevor brought back. If it was a good reliever or two I would have been all over it but Plouffe is an asset I wouldn't want to give away for noting. He did lead the team in RBI the last two seasons. People will say it was mismanagement but I really think the Twins were planning on Saon as back up third baseman and back up first baseman and primary DH. That would open up outfield spots for Arcia or Kepler. Ryan said they liked Park but weren't expecting to land him so really that set in motion the whole Sano to outfield thing simply because among Plouffe and Park and probably even Mauer he is best suited for it. He does seem pretty fast. If Park hits and Sano can't hack it in the outfield then things will have to change.
  14. Dantes929
    With Atlanta Nixon hit .278 with a .351 OBP. and while fast he wasn't Buxton fast. I would be just fine with .278 and .351 OBP from a lead off hitter with blazing speed and great defense. I hope Molitor and Bruno realize this kid isn't Mike Trout and end up turning him into the next Willie Norwood. I also don't think the mistake was shipping out Gomez for Hardy but rather Hardy for nothing. Not to mention it is quite likely that Gomez would have done just fine with Twins if he had been here several years also.
  15. Dantes929
    Livan'd, Corriea'd, Blackburned,
  16. Dantes929
    I am all for Nolasco having a career year. It would only take a few good outings in a row to get everyone on his bandwagon. The real fear is that he is given the spot when he has done little to deserve it and pitches just well enough to keep in the rotation but not well enough to make anyone like him.
  17. Dantes929
    Duffey's was just as good in my opinion while he was up last year. He was buckling guys knees for called strikes and getting them to chase out of the zone. How much better can you get? I was a fan of Blylenven but just from the eyeball test Duffey's was as good or better last year. This isn't sacrilege. For a while Scotty Diamond's was really good also. Blyleven was special because he had a great curveball. He was HOF special because he had a great curveball for a really long time. Diamond's lasted one year. Duffey's lasted 10 games so far.. Ok, I really shouldn't have put Diamond in there because it wasn't on this level but wanted to to make the point that it was good and he couldn't maintain it. Duffeys's was great and we will see. Blyleven's was great and he maintained it.
  18. Dantes929
    In my book it wouldn't be May for Duffey. It would be May for Hughes. Hughes often relies on one pitch which works better out of the pen. My rotation would be Santana, Gibson, Milone, :Duffey and May. Nolasco in long relief and the #7 starter behind Berrios. Just my opinion.
  19. Dantes929
    I agree it is a shame about May though he has had a rough spring as well. Really, So what? What third pitch did Blyleven have? As far as I could tell Radke had a fastball and a changeup. If his curveball has the same bite and his fastball has the same pop and his command sharpens I am not too worried.
  20. Dantes929
    Except it still is about the process. Nolasco had a great outing today. Does this all mean Nolasco is going to contend for Cy Young and Duffey will be a 9.00 ERA guy in the minors? Slowey used to dominate spring training, Buscher would outhit Barry Bonds and Morneau would bat below the Mendoza line. Its actually good that he sees guys sit on his curveball now so he can figure it out.
  21. Dantes929
    I have no idea if he will be successful in the outfield or not but I am guessing in a 40 yard dash Sano would beat Ploufe by several yards.
  22. Dantes929
    That has been the knock on him even in his batting title days but there is science to it. Back when they Mauer was beating Cuddyer and D. Young by 40-80 points the three of them had pretty even splits for the various counts. They all mashed when ahead in the count. There is only one way to get ahead in the count and that is by taking pitches. Now I always thought he should swing at a few more just to keep the pitcher honest because I was as annoyed as anyone when he would watch nothing fastballs down the middle of the plate but it wasn't all the time which is why he was able to get ahead in the count more often than anyone. He was a good 2 strike hitter but you don't bat ..320 when behind in the count so it obviously didn't happen all the time.
  23. Dantes929
    For his power numbers I think everyone would be happy with a combined 20 homers. Even if he hits 4 more in the next couple weeks.
  24. Dantes929
    it wouldn't surprise me. I have been pretty high on Dozier from the start but it would surprise me if he were to have a better year doing the same thing he did last year. Delusional is a good way to describe his analysis of the two halves. I would not need stats to back me up that he was less effective. I could easily tell just by watching but the stats definitely do back up the huge difference in splits between the 1st half and 2nd half. I also don;t care what side of the field he hits but I do care that with the heavy shifts and pitchers throwing to the outside corner that he is trying to pull that ball over the left field foul pole. In his good year Willingham strode toward the pitcher with good balance looking like he could hit anywhere but his natural pull swing sent it to left more often. In his worse years his stride was a little more to the left and it looked like he was trying to pull everything. That is the difference I see in Dozier's two halves as well as well. If he commits to plate coverage he can still pull most balls but he shouldn't be trying to pull the ball. There is a difference.
  25. Dantes929
    Even in his best year he probably should have been batting 2nd because guys weren't getting on base in front of him anyway. Now its a no brainer. The lineup still looks better with him in it. A large part of this is OBP. Even in his worst year he was 2nd on the team at getting on base. Sure seemed like a lot of home runs by Sano were with Mauer aboard. I expect him to have better OBP than last year. I'm not betting anything so I will go ahead and predict another batting title.
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