TwinsFanInPhilly

It is obvious you am smart I know you's brilliant thinker, but not so good write

No, it DIDN'T work for 10 years. It worked if you were happy with them being competitive in the A.L. Central and winning the division with some regularity. It DIDN'T work if you had a desire for them to be competitive in the post-season. It's pretty clear if you look at the Twins won-loss record against various teams that in the last 6 years or so, the A. L. East got substantially stronger while the Twins stagnated in the A. L. Central. Some of that was money. Some of that was draft postion. BUT some portion of that was organizational philosophy. I'm not putting all of that on Gardenhire and his coaches. A large part also falls on the front office. But we never see any turnover there either (I do not consider Ryan replacing Smith as any kind of significant change. It is the same philosophy with a familiar face at the helm). After 2010, I was fully prepared to endure several (and that means more than 2) horrific seasons like the last 2 -- as long as I could see a plan emerging that would take the Twin to competitiveness with the entire league not just the Central Division. But I haven't seen that -- all I've seen other than the Willingham signing (which was really just a replacement for Cuddyer) was a little tinkering around the edges. Everybody knew at the end of 2010 that the Twins' starting pitching wasn't good enough to win in the playoffs. Other than a bit in this year's draft, have we seen any moves to toward improvement? NO -- not through free agent signings and not through trades. I feel like the pain of the last 2 years has been utterly wasted. The Twins had an opportunity to start re-tooling after 2010 to try to rise to a higher level of competitiveness. They played it safe -- because their mantra is simply to stay competitive enough to put butts in the stands without taking any major risks in improving the team. Well guess what? Even their "play it safe' strategy failed. And now I'm even more depressed because I don't see them ever taking enough risk to become competitive with the big dogs in the league. This organization is stuck in a pretty deep rut. So yes, now change IS necessary and not just with the field staff. There is also a stench from the stagnation in the front office. I agree with this 100% Interesting. I disagree with it almost 100%.(The part I agree with is that the OP is depressed.)

I agree witht his sentiment completely. And I am so looking forward to first hand reporting on the progress of Buxton, J. O. Kepler, Polanco, Harrison, Goodrum, Hicks, Walker, Duffey, et al. Should be a fun bunch to watch.

never mind

Jim Callis chat from yesterday: Kevin (MN): Is Aaron Hicks a top 100 type at this point? Jim Callis: With his tools and his bounceback year in Double-A, I bet he makes it when we do another Top 100 next spring.

http://www.solobeisbol.com.mx/index.php/noticias/mex-pac/2967-lmp-hermosillense-leonel-zazueta-firma-con-minnesota I always enjoy google translate - you get the general idea, even if you have to ignore certain eccentricities: The Sonoran pitcher Leonel Zazueta was signed by the Minnesota Twins organization leaguer. The right Hermosillo 18 Naranjeros belongs to Hermosillo and Monterrey Sultans LMP summer He was in the Academy Del Carmen in California where he was visited by scouts from different teams as the Yankees, Texas Boston and Kansas City, but the best was the Twins. The tall and burly pitcher has as main gun with an impressive line ranging between 94 and 96 mph. For now the young will report early with Naranjeros and try to earn a spot in the bullpen. Accrue to Minnesota in February for spring trainning, where surely be sent to the Florida League Roockie.

Good find! Thanks for the information.

Here are the two "Scouting Reports" I could find on the kid. Anyone who is a better Googler than I can add content below http://vimeo.com/37834819 http://vimeo.com/37834228

I just did some quick math (which is always subject to verification) and I come up with 20 players at Beloit older than Hicks, 18 players at Fort Myers older than Hicks and 22 players at New Britain older than him. The only ones with the RockCats younger than Hicks are Arcia and Hermsen. So I think the kid is doing all right.

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

durn - make that Hudson Boyd