tony&rodney
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Everything posted by tony&rodney
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John Castino comes to mind when players with talent are injured and forced out of baseball. Castino was ROY, but out of baseball at 29 years of age due to debilitating back injuries. Royce Lewis hasn't yet accumulated a season of games at the MLB level but he was knighted a cornerstone and key player by media and fans due to his draft position and promise. We watched Lewis flash his bat on a few precious occasions and it seems those highlights will carry him until he either learns the game and performs or injuries thwart the hope. We can only hope that Lewis somehow escapes further injury but his troubles highlight the incredible difficulty of playing professional sports.
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Whatever MLB decides it seems like Manfred will want to control it and the decision might not be in the best interest of the game. FWIW, I don't like the challenge system because there is the likelihood, perhaps slim, of an umpire being wrong numerous times before the challenges run out which could result in an unhappy umpire making a crappy call late in the game. My choice is ABS all the time or let the umpires call it and financially reward the best umpires while holding those umpires with low grades feet to the fire (confidential reprimands, required workshop training, or even demotion).
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Sure hope Matt Canterino has successful surgery and a full recovery. He receives a ton of love for a guy who has pitched so little and only at the lower levels. That is the deal with a dynamic arm though. I'm not sure his body likes throwing a baseball, although he clearly loves the game based on going through the lengthy rehabs. Good luck to the young man.
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People could keep track on an Excel or Word doc of all the injuries to salve their curiosity about the frequency and type of injuries that occur this year. Once upon a time I was at a tournament and saw the most athletic player tear his hamstring running down the first base line. It totally ripped and rolled up the back of his leg. Gross. Also, across the years more than a few players succumbed to plantar fasciitis. I'm not sure days off help either. It seems rather pointless to pick a type of player that gets injured often too. Marcus Semien has basically played every day except for 1 year since he signed and he is a quick twitch athlete. Paul Molitor was called injury prone because an entire trove of serious injuries stole a couple of years from his career, yet he played over 2600 games with over 10,000 at bats. I'm hoping both Buxton and Correa stay in the lineup a ton this year because they are the guys who need to lead this team. If players get injured, another guy gets an opportunity. I'm not going to blame the condition of anyone or the trainers or coaches. S**t happens.
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Not at all. Huge difference in personnel from last year to now. You are correct that winning is not as big a focus, even at AAA. I'm a big fan of milb.com and didn't watch as many AAA as AA and A+.
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Gasper can play all 9 positions about equally as well. The Twins will keep him if they believe he will make a big difference with his bat.
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The changes surprised me. I watched a couple of his outings and it was obvious that he was working on new pitches and a new start from the stretch and not necessarily worried about getting outs or making a team. David must have had numerous conversations with coaches, other players, and advisors about his repertoire after last season. Remember, Festa was excellent after his first two outings last year. Apparently the decision made involved a new approach (no windup) at the start and adding pitches. Unsurprisingly, these changes take some time and the hope is that refinement and command boosts him to a top to mid rotation pitcher. The Twins made a decision that Chris Paddack was entrenched in their rotation just as Lopez, Ryan, and Ober. Perhaps Festa knew that decision last October and sought a means to stick out at some point this season. Hopefully the changes make him a better pitcher and more equipped to successfully navigate through MLB lineups 3-4 times by July. Festa, Matthews, and Morris all seem capable of success at the MLB level and more experience refining command and pitches can only help them. Is it possible that the Saints games will be more entertaining than the Twins this summer?
- 35 replies
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- pablo lopez
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Spring Training Games, Week of 3/16 - 3/25
tony&rodney replied to Squirrel's topic in Archived Game Threads
I'm just teasing those who get all wound up about Julien. He is what he is and he had one good swing and two crappy swings thus far. Julien doesn't bother me at all. -
Spring Training Games, Week of 3/16 - 3/25
tony&rodney replied to Squirrel's topic in Archived Game Threads
Willi Castro looking a little rough at the plate. I'm hoping he is used as a utility player this season. Castro would love to have a regular position, but he really fits as a utility player. -
Spring Training Games, Week of 3/16 - 3/25
tony&rodney replied to Squirrel's topic in Archived Game Threads
Shock alert - Julien turns DP and makes routine play behind second base to end innings two and three. -
Will Jac Caglianone jump all the way to Kansas City? The Royals do lack depth and their outfield remains weak. However, Kansas City has a good infield led by a top 5 MLB star and Salvy showing the way how to play the game. I'm not going to underestimate KC.
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- bobby witt jr
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There are counseling services available online if there aren't any offices/clinics in your area.
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Interesting to see people believe in Gasper. There are a ton of guesses or thoughts on injuries. Max effort and playing year around may be culprits. Although there may be isolated incidents here and there, misuse of arms by coaches would be exceedingly rare at the high school level. I'm not aware of any. In fact, going back three decades i can say coaches did not use their main arms more than scheduled, even in the state tournament. Years ago, I pulled a pitcher who had a perfect game because he had reached his pre-designated pitch count. He knew he was done, didn't complain, and is still a big arm for a town ball team decades later. Some people get hurt. Fans overthink the injuries and have a sense that toughness is a factor. That is simply not a thing. Hopefully, we see fewer injuries this year but history suggests stuff will happen.
- 75 replies
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- royce lewis
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I'm hoping Miranda is the DH, although Jose is a better first baseman than Ty France. However, France looks like Baldelli's dream. Because Brooks Lee is slow he fits better at third base. Julien has the worst glove and his throws are always a mystery but he does have the best, still not good, range of the choices at second base. Of course, people have serious PTSD reading the name "Julien". The apoplectic responses do not change the reality. We can be certain of one thing though. What Falvey and Baldelli come up with is often a total surprise that elicits a huh. We get to watch.
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The Twins have a strong starting pitcher contingent. They will need to ride these guys for any success this season. The only question in the rotation is Chris Paddack. Paddack wasn't going to bring anything worth mentioning in a trade and he can be a solid starter for the team. The support behind the staff is good. Festa has good stuff and although he wasn't overpowering this spring he is a guy who can fill in. Both Zebby Matthews and Andrew Morris carved through MLB batters this spring and are solid bets to be good starters when their opportunity arrives. No team is going to trade a middle of the order bat and the Twins have enough 7-8-9 hitters, thus it makes sense to wait until next offseason before any trades. My couch tells me that the Twins pitching is solid and the question marks are all related to the position players. Can the bats score runs and will the gloves corral those routine outs?
- 35 replies
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- pablo lopez
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The Twins and their fans were counting on Royce Lewis, so tough break today. Unless there are further injuries it looks like the 26 person roster is set after the recent cuts and injuries. SP: Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Paddack RP: Jax, Duran, Sands, Alcala, Coulombe, Stewart, Varland, Castellano with Topa and Tonkin on IL Catchers: Jeffers, Vazquez Infielders: Castro, Correa, France, Lee, Julien, Miranda Outfielders: Larnach, Buxton, Wallner, Bader 26th person: Guessing Martin but one of Martin, Gasper, Keirsey Jr.
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Better is a subjective word as is best or even good. Why continue then with your good, better, best? I'm not understanding how your first sentence connects to anything else you said. These conversations have been ongoing for more than 100 years. My brother and I argued loudly about the merits of Killebrew versus Oliva. Truth was they were both great. You will always have overwhelming support online for your claim about illegal drugs and Barry Bonds. Although he was tested more than any player ever 12 months a year, he never tested positive and has never admitted anything to date. He was also indicted, tried, and no evidence existed which resulted in Bonds being cleared. Notice I don't say Bonds did not use any substances. Good old clean Barry bothered a ton of people and he is still being punished for his personality. Meanwhile others who did test positive are in the H of F. Ohtani is really good and I tune in to watch him pitch and also when I think I can catch his at bats, but better or best just doesn't exist. I'm not a numbers guy but based just on pitchers I have talked to I would choose Barry every time over Ohtani. But that is just my opinion and I won't claim Bonds is better or the best ever in baseball. If I must choose by force, the choice is easy for me - Babe Ruth and it's not even close.
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The Twins are going to do whatever they want to do. Our guesses are futile. An infield of France, Gasper, Miranda, and Correa wouldn't surprise me but it would give the pitchers nightmares. Willi Castro is best as a utility player. His defense is suspect except at third base, where Brooks Lee is ok. Gasper is a last gasp. Lee has good hands, footwork, transfers the ball smoothly, and throws the ball to the target but his range is limited. Miranda is tough at first, worse at third, but if he his enough he might not hurt too bad. France is a darling until he isn't. Man, he looks rough at first base. The Lewis injury creates angst because he was inked into the lineup. Lewis isn't very good at third base as we saw in the first inning today, but we had hope. I'm going to guess the Twins go with France, Julien, Castro, and Correa. Hopefully the Twins hit.
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Makes me laugh to read all the dread about Julien. Somehow, someway, impossibly, Julien is close to being the key to the Twins season. If he hits and makes the routine plays, the Twins have a decent year. Julien doesn't hit or never gets a shot, the Twins have a soft bat and still poor defense at second base and finish .500. Totally off topic, I had not watched Ty France very critically until recently. He makes Jose Miranda look like Carlos Santana. France should just DH if the Twins think his bat is that important. No way is Miranda not better at first base and Miranda will hit. Miranda's one big weakness is that he doesn't walk enough.
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The number retirement thing is a little odd. One can easily make an argument that Camilo Pascal was the greatest all time Twins pitcher, but his number is not retired. I always hesitate to call anyone the greatest. MLB runs these obnoxious advertisements where the voices scream out that Shohei Ohtani is the greatest ever, greatest living, nothing ever like him, etc. Shohei is indeed a truly wonderful player who has done amazing things on a baseball field and his 2024 season was crazy good. But then you read that Barry Bonds had 10 (ten) seasons better than what Shohei put up last year. Perspective. I just try to avoid the superlatives because we can enjoy excellence without making outlandish claims.
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This is something that has been a question. The weights and strength training reduces injury when it is specific workouts to a sport but many athletes build muscle mass which can compromise their frames. This is all under study quite a bit. Running for baseball players was always a thing. Spring Training games used to have pitchers and a few players running along the outfield fences during the games themselves, getting out of the way when it was necessary. It was one of the unusual sideshows of a ST game. I haven't seen that for a while now. I am retired so I will need to ask some current coaches what is being done now.
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Looks like Brooks Lee is our third baseman and Edouard Julien our second baseman on Opening Day in St. Louis. Sure hope fans are able to still enjoy the game and a beer despite their past feelings.
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- brooks lee
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Fragile isn't really the term. People have bad backs, heart problems, etc. Athletes put stress on their bodies. Everyone knows great athletes who had to stop playing because of various injuries. It happens all the time.
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Spring Training Games, Week of 3/16 - 3/25
tony&rodney replied to Squirrel's topic in Archived Game Threads
Missed a DP because of a 5'-11' first baseman there, which may answer if a guy a little taller makes a difference. -
I absolutely loved watching Johan Santana pitch. He was pretty dominant. Naturally, everyone will have their opinions and thoughts on various pitchers over time. There are also all types of statistics and analytics to use as one sees fit for their point of view. I would have a hard time placing Johan above any number of former Twins though. Guys like Bert Blyleven, Dean Chance, Jim Perry, Camilo Pascual, Jim Kaat, and Brad Radke were all really good pitchers. Pitchers who had shorter careers who were really good were Dave Boswell and Jim Merritt. As a LH pitcher myself I did enjoy Santana but he is part of a franchise that has had some really good pitchers. He is among the top ten, for sure.
