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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Pitching is the coin of the realm IMHO. I don't think the Twins should give up any pitchers unless they get comparable talent in return. An established front-line catcher with a very team-friendly contract is worth quite a bit. I speculated during the season that it would take three prospects in the top 6-10, perhaps a pitcher and a position player along with Arcia. I still think that is about the right price for Lucroy.
  2. stringer bell
    I got through the first hundred and some of the names brought back memories. It is hard to compare players from different eras and also tough to compare relatively long stints to those who were outstanding but only played with the Twins for a short time.
  3. stringer bell
    Perhaps Santana's struggles last year explain some of Terry Ryan's apparent affection for middling veterans. I predicted last year that at least one of the Twins' partial season break-outs (Santana, Vargas, or Arcia) would spend time in the minors in 2015. Unfortunately, all three did. I will make the same prediction for the 2015 class-Rosario, Sano, and Duffey. One of those three will get optioned at some point in 2016. It is the nature of the game of baseball and it is also why there needs to be a backup plan for players until they are fully established. Specific to the case of Santana, he can't get down on himself and needs to play free and easy like he did in 2014. Maybe, knowing that his role will be as a utility player going in will help. He showed he can be far better than he played this past season, so there is potential, but he has to play with confidence to approach that potential.
  4. stringer bell
    If Kepler and Buxton start the season in the minors, there might be considerable outfield time available for Santana. Has he ever played left or right? If he were capable in left, he could essentially be the fourth outfielder in addition to getting some starts at second and short, maybe even third. I can actually see a bench with both Nuñez and Santana on it. He's not proven in any respect, but he has tools and he sustained his over-his-head performance for over 100 games last year. He should get a lot of rope before the Twins give up on him.
  5. stringer bell
    I don't think 2014 should be forgotten, but it should be put in perspective. Split the difference between 2014 and 2015 and you have a fairly decent young player. Regarding his OF defense, by the end of the season last year, I thought Danny was pretty good, especially for his limited experience.
  6. stringer bell
    Utility IF/OF. If he hits, he could be the next Ben Zobrist, or going further back Toni Phillips. I also think the yoke of "regular SS" was too much for him. Let him fill in and if he hits, find a place for him almost every day.
  7. stringer bell
    I don't think Rosario played enough to merit significant support for a Gold Glove. I am surprised Dozier will be considered, but I have to say it's an honor. Good for him.
  8. stringer bell
    Disagree quite a bit with your take, Doc. Cuddyer has taken on a part-time role for the Mets, so he has experienced starting 1-2 times a week and coming off the bench to pinch hit. Further, as a right handed hitter who has always hit lefties well, he could be a platoon with Arcia or Vargas. He has played first base almost as much as Mauer and could give Joe days off against tough left handers. Injuries also happen and having a veteran player around for depth at four positions is a nice backup. The problem is Cuddyer's contract--he is due $12.5M next year and trading Nolasco and a prospect might even be doable, but Nolasco is guaranteed about the same money in 2017, while Cuddyer pact is up in 2016. I've never heard a teammate say a bad word about Cuddyer. He is a different type than Torii, but well-respected by both the teams he has played for and his teammates.
  9. stringer bell
    Cuddyer is my all-time favorite player. I'd love to see him back in Minnesota as a RH DH, part-time right fielder and first baseman. Unless the Mets were to pay most of his contract, I don't see it happening. Of course, maybe Chief is on it by calling for trading Nolasco for Cuddyer. When the the 2015 season was over for the Twins I predicted the starting outfield in 2016 would be (L-R) Rosario, Hicks, Arcia. I still think that is right. From the 40-man roster, the current fourth outfielder would be Danny Santana. Buxton and Kepler most likely would benefit from AAA time. All five young outfielders have some potential to bust, but there are two options in the minors to take their place.
  10. stringer bell
    I am of the opinion that the Twins can start their run of serious contention in 2016 and so I think they should get an established player, not a prospect. Get Lucroy, not a guy who might be ready in 2017 or 2018.
  11. stringer bell
    I disagreed with retiring both Hrbek's and Blyleven's numbers. I would disagree with retiring Torii's as well, but he is a Twins Hall of Famer for sure. Congratulations to Hunter on a fine career.
  12. stringer bell
    While Thompson provided no value to the Twins, there wasn't any reason to remove him from the 40-man roster. There just weren't any good options in the Twins' system. There is no point to making such a move until it needs to be made.
  13. stringer bell
    A good decision by Torii. Good for him and good for the Twins.
  14. stringer bell
    I don't think Plouffe is on their list. He'll be expensive this year and would be a free agent by the earliest time the Brew Crew would contend. I think major league pitching is pretty precious and I wouldn't have Gibson on the table unless the Twins got major league pitching back. I'd sooner part with Hicks than Kepler, but I guess I haven't been the biggest Hicks booster for a long time.
  15. stringer bell
    Should have changed that moniker to "Mike wants wins Now!". Sorry, Mike. Couldn't resist.
  16. stringer bell
    Lucroy is pretty good. He is regarded as good to excellent defensively and has a lifetime 109 OPS+. Last year the Twins had one player exceed that number and he only had 300 or so PAs (Sano). To get that kind of offensive productions from a good defensive catcher is outstanding. On the larger issue of acquiring talent, every player the Twins look at will have negatives as well as positives. It would be nice to find an undervalued asset, as at once time Jose Bautista and Wade Davis were. The price for other team's assets will always be high, but sometimes a guy finds the right role or right position and blossoms.
  17. stringer bell
    That's about what I was thinking.
  18. stringer bell
    Lucroy had a concussion this year, but it doesn't mean he's done catching, although he's closer to that than he was a year ago, if that makes sense.
  19. stringer bell
    What would it take? Young players-I have to believe Milwaukee knows they can't contend in 2016 and perhaps 2017. Hicks and Gibson have 2+ seasons each, it may be they would be willing to take those guys, but they wouldn't want someone not under team control for at least four years. I speculated during the season they would need three prospects not named Berrios, Sano or Buxton, probably one starter, one position player and maybe a ready to go player (I suggested Arcia).
  20. stringer bell
    I knew an "inside source" who told me awhile ago that Flip's situation was "desperate" so I am not totally surprised. Still, it is sad news and he was still relatively young (60). He was a fine player for Musselman's early 70s Gophers, when Gopher basketball became relevant, so he'd been on the Minnesota basketball scene for a long time.
  21. stringer bell
    AJ defied the calendar in 2015 at age 38 to an even greater extent than Torii did at age 40. While at some point we can expect a decline, the question everyone interested in his services will ask is whether the decline will be subtle or dramatic. Given his long career, there is a pretty good chance he will be at least 80% of what he produced last year. He had well over 400 plate appearances, so it isn't like he played twice a week, more like he was platooned, which would be the exact situation he would find himself in for the Twins in 2016. In order, I would like to see a good catcher like Lucroy or Wieters acquired, preferring Lucroy as a better blend of health, cost, defense and offense. Second, a good to excellent prospect (less than a full year of service time) and third, a one-year contract for someone to share time with Suzuki, with a lefty hitter probably getting more time than Zuke. My biggest reservation about Pierzynski is his defense, particularly his throwing and the small risk that he will regress dramatically.
  22. stringer bell
    Talking about AJ's arm: I remember when noted base-stealer Michael Cuddyer stole three bases in one game against the battery of Floyd/Pierzynski. The thing is that guys with moderate-at-best speed take liberties against the likes of Suzuki and Pierzynski. I think this figures in to the high numbers of runners who ran against Atlanta last year. To know that an average runner can take second with minimal risk at a crucial time of the game is huge and IMHO both Pierzynski and Suzuki afford opponents that opportunity. Sure, it has much to do with the pitcher, but Zuke and AJ are substandard throwers who have been taken advantage of and will be in the future.
  23. stringer bell
    Why did the Twins improve in 2015? Defense is the biggest reason. These proposals weaken the defense everywhere but catcher. I support improving the defense at catcher, first and foremost. Moving Rosario from a position where he is good/outstanding to a position where he would be a novice makes no sense. Plouffe's best position is undoubtedly third base and so far Sano's position is also at the hot corner.
  24. stringer bell
    Keeping Plouffe and re-signing Hunter means no meaningful role for Arcia and a too-easy demotion of Hicks or Rosario if/when Buxton is deemed ready and one of the two slump or struggle. I suspect that Santana's utility role is already written in, perhaps in ink. If the Twins limit their number of pitchers and outfielders, there is a place for Eduardo Nuñez, for what that is worth. On the pitching front, I liked the Cotts move and while he had some bad outings, they were mostly in one-sided games IIRC. Having one veteran middle innings guy is probably a good thing. The problem was that the Twins carried three or four all season in 2015. I pretty much agree with Molitor's view on Berrios. I don't expect him to break camp with the Twins, but would be surprised if he isn't in the majors to stay well before the All-Star break.
  25. stringer bell
    I believe the first guy with a shot as a utility guy will be Danny Santana. He played quite a bit of second early in his minor league career and quite a bit of outfield for the Twins in 2014. He is out of options. If he hits closer to 2014 than 2015 in a roving role, he could be a real asset.
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