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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Escobar proved to be a revelation this year. Among AL shortstops with 450 PAs, he finished second in OPS. His defense was solid at shortstop. A couple of caveats--Escobar only played 98 games at short and only had 465 plate appearances, not quite full-time. Having Escobar as a utility guy would be a bit problematic. His best position is shortstop and he had much better platoon splits as a RH hitter. He wouldn't get many starts from his strong side at second or third. I suppose he could start several games at short vs. a left hander. The second part of this conundrum is Santana. Is he going to remain a .300 hitter despite fanning almost a quarter of the time? Can he play an adequate major league shortstop on a daily basis? Do the Twins have anyone who could be an every day center fielder beyond Santana? While this thread is titled "Santana is CF?", it really should be "Santana in CF and Escobar at SS vs. Santana at SS and ????? in CF" Also remember, that Escobar is still a young guy. He is only 25.
  2. stringer bell
    I would say that that today's Wild is closer to a Stanley Cup than the Twins are to a championship, yes. If someone is going to win a championship in the next thirteen months, it will be the Wild. I just don't think they are going to win the Cup this year or next and then the window will start closing. I could be totally wrong.
  3. stringer bell
    I had a golf outing and missed the entire Game Thread. Finished reading it just now. While it is sad the season is over, the Game Threads have kept me interested and entertained. Much thanks to Brian and ChiTown and all the contributors. Since I am what I am, I will start some post-mortem threads and hope many of you contribute. Spring Training can't come soon enough for me.
  4. stringer bell
    OK, the Wild made the playoffs the last two years, but there are 16 teams that make the playoffs and so far they've been in the bottom half of playoff teams. I don't think there is any guarantee that they will win in the next couple years and after next two or three years, odds are that they big free agents they signed two years ago will be declining. To summarize, getting through one round of the playoffs doesn't give me confidence that the club is top-tier.
  5. stringer bell
    Defense is a huge problem. The Twins just about have to stay with Arcia, he needs to be a smarter and better defender. I think he has made more good plays, but he also has had too many "brain freezes"--diving when he shouldn't dive, throwing to the wrong base or not throwing to the right base etc.--left field has to be manned by a plus defender (I like Schafer there) and center should be played consistently by one player (I think Santana would be more than adequate with a full spring training).
  6. stringer bell
    Dozier has the third best OPS and fourth best WAR of AL second basemen. There are seven second basemen with a WAR of more than 4.5 (offense only) and then no with even a 2.0. I guess that means that seven teams can be satisfied at second and everyone else will be looking for a replacement.
  7. stringer bell
    Not all of the players listed are "dead weight" and not all will be dropped from the 40-man roster. It is a good list of players who are candidates to be gone and it includes a bunch of guys who don't have much upside. I think Pryor and Oliveros have a very good chance of remaining on the 40-man and probably will get a shot sometime in 2015. Duensing and Schafer are arb-eligible and that could spell the end of their Twins' careers.
  8. stringer bell
    Sox defeat Royals 5-4. Tigers need a win or another KC loss to win the division. Royals need a Twins win coupled with a Royals win to force a game 163. Cards lost and didn't clinch. Pittsburgh is still alive, but needs to win tomorrow and have the Cards lose again to force a game 163. In the wild card, Seattle is still alive just tying the score in their game while Oakland lost again. Same scenario for Seattle as the Bucs and Royals--they need to win out and hope the A's lose to force a play in game to the play in game.
  9. stringer bell
    Hey, I'm pulling for the Royals, but what is Chicago doing putting gas can Belisario in the game.
  10. stringer bell
    Concur!
  11. stringer bell
    Escobar wants to be a starter next year!
  12. stringer bell
    For the research department: The Twins play Detroit 19 times this year. I know they have scored a bunch of runs. Have the Twins ever scored more runs against a single opponent than they have scored against the Tigers this year?
  13. stringer bell
    Kennys "Walking Man" Vargas.
  14. stringer bell
    Dozier may have slowed down, but he has scored 111 runs and driven in 70. Subtract 22 from his homers, and he has produced more than a run a game in the games he has played. Make that 112 + 71 - 23=160 in 155 games.
  15. stringer bell
    Haven't some changes been made to the voting system? I thought that voters now identify who they voted for, so if one or two don't vote for someone like Jeter their names are known.
  16. stringer bell
    I never booed Derek Jeter. I had never thought of him as the best player in baseball either. He's been in the majors for a long time and had a lot of success, no matter how it is measured. Upon reaching 3000 hits, it has become certain that he will be elected to the Hall of Fame. The question, to me, is whether he will get the highest percentage of votes or perhaps if he will be elected unanimously. Does Jeter deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? I don't think anyone seriously disputes that. He has over 3400 hits, five rings, five Silver Sluggers, and five Gold Gloves. His durability has resulted in counting numbers that are top of the class. He has been a model citizen under the microscope of the New York media. There is no hint of PEDs or illicit drugs. No one has mustered a harsh word against the man. Defensive metrics show a less-than-great defender. Jeter never won the MVP, but he has been in the Top Ten in that balloting eight times. To top off all the other honors, Jeter has been at his best in post-season. He's won several post-season honors and seems to have made a lot of key plays when the spotlight was the brightest. If I had a vote for the Hall of Fame, I'd vote for Jeter. I really can't see a reason not to vote for him, except for spite. He's had a great career and deserves the accolades.
  17. stringer bell
    On Hicks, I thought TR made some good points during last night game broadcast. He is a big, athletic young man, and he has not driven the ball. I still don't see a developed hit tool at this point. He has a good eye, but sometimes is too passive. I'm not ready to believe in him as a major leaguer.
  18. stringer bell
    I am not satisfied with the results for the Twins in 2014. They will improve in the W-L by somewhere between 3 and 5 games. Relative to the league, their hitting has improved, but pitching has remained near the bottom of the league. Metrics rate the defense as poor, especially the outfield. However, the club has made some strides IMHO. They have gotten above-average play from everyone in their infield except for the first baseman. They have gotten a very good year out of two free-agent signees. They have brought up two players from the minor leagues who have played regularly since their recall. A year ago, the club was playing out the string and using mostly players who didn't figure in their plans for 2014, much less when the club would be a contender. Not one pitcher had established himself as a fixture in the rotation and only Brian Dozier had established himself as a major league regular. There has been progress. The core for contending teams is either on the team or within sight.
  19. stringer bell
    I have pulled for Oliveros since the Twins acquired him for Delmon. He has looked pretty good today.
  20. stringer bell
    My first thought when I saw the lineup was "Herrmann again"? It still is, but I see that Schafer is injured (hyperextended elbow). Herrmann had a miserable game last night--what happened to Parmelee?
  21. stringer bell
    If we transplanted the Pirates pitching staff on the Twins (with the Twins position players), how effective would they be? I think, pretty effective. Infield defense was not a Twins problem in 2014. Outfield defense was and catching was a net negative. Specifically, Liriano and Worley have found something that really works. It will make Liriano a lot of money and almost guarantee Worley a job with an arb salary bump. For whatever reason, the Twins have come up empty on several guys who came to them with a middling to decent track record--Marquis, Worley, so far Milone, and so far Nolasco. We know that changes of scenery and a fresh start sometimes is all a guy needs (see Hughes, Phil). It also helps when balls that should be outs are turned into outs.
  22. stringer bell
    Happy 10,000th Brian. In all ventures, those that show up get a chance to thrive. Heck, at least 5,000 of those posts were entertaining, informative or downright hilarious. Game threads in 2014 wouldn't be the same without your thoughts.
  23. stringer bell
    Important for May to finish the sixth. He could even get a win, given the Tigers' bullpen, if he keeps it 3-2.
  24. stringer bell
    It is a really good position to be in--behind one All-Star and in front of two of the ten best hitters in baseball.
  25. stringer bell
    Not really a highlight, but most of the season, the team has made pretty good pitchers throw a lot of pitches and get them out of games pretty early.
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