JB_Iowa

I don't know why you wouldn't run every player through waivers just to gauge interest. I don't expect anything to come of this but I have no problem with trading him. I also don't have a problem with not trading him. But maybe trading him would give this team a personality transplant.

Batter's eye? Yes, the batter's eye. Ever since they took out the trees, I make it a point to try to check out the "batter's eye" at other fields. It doesn't have to be as ugly as the one at TF. That is one big, black eye in an otherwise beautiful park.

I'm glad that you still remain hopeful, Nick. I went back and re-read your article from June 20 entitled "Reasons For Hope" where you basically said that this team was on track except for the starting pitching -- and I re-read the comments. I suspect that in the last 2 months many of the attitudes haven't changed much. The people who think that the Twns are only a starting staff (2-4 starting pitchers changed) away from contending probably still feel that. The people who thought that Ryan needed to trade 1 or more of Span, Morneau and Willingham probably still think that. The pessimists like me probably still think that the management of this organization (field staff and front office) needs a major injection of enthusiasm, energy, talent and new ideas. (I would guess, though, that the size of the pessimist's club has increased somewhat in the last couple of months). I don't really disagree with any of your "beacons of hope" specifically. I think the return to health is hopeful -- but the fact that the Twins have been pretty healthy and still have an abysmal record is not. I'm encouraged by Parmelee's and Plouffe's emergence -- I just hope that they don't regress as we've seen some players do in the past. I think that even last year, most of us thought that the depth in the outfield was a strength for the team -- the names have changed but not the basic belief that this is a strength of the organization. The problem for me is that these "Beacons of Hope" aren't enough to convince me that next year will be anything but mediocre (if it even rises to that level). Unless some changes are made in management personnel and in the organization's approach, I just foresee more stagnancy.

This is vintage Twins ... and vintage Terry Ryan. I honestly believe that they do not care about being elite. They care ONLY about being competitive enough to put b*tts in the seats while maximizing the return they get for the dollars they do invest. (It had to kill Ryan to throw away the Marquis and Nishioka dollars). And they recognize that the AL Central is often mediocre enough that the strategy will keep them "competitive" through most of the summer. That's why Morneau is a "core" player -- they are still hoping to maximize the "draw" of M & M. That's why they won't take very big risks on free agent pitching -- preferring to limit the dollars they expose. Instead, they will spend limited dollars on FA pitching. Since October 2010, I've been perfectly willing to see them totally rebuild this team -- because I recognized that they were a long way from being eliite (in my definition -- able to win in the playoffs). But that's not how they operate. The Twins are very risk-adverse. Their moves are always calculated to minimize their exposure whlle doing just enough to bring fans through the gates and keep the dollars rolling in. They miscalculated over the last 2 years -- being decimated by injuries last year and just plain overestimating their team -- especially the starting pitching -- for this year. But those "miscalculations" won't be enough to cause them to change their overall strategy. Someone posted on another thread last night that Kenny Williams had said the Twins could have won the World Series several times in the last 10 years if they had just been willing to spend those extra dollars. I think he was right -- and I don't think it will ever happen. I'm not opposed to building starting pitching through trades and draft/develop and Rule V but if you're going to do that, you can't also think that you have to hold on to Morneau (or any other player if you can get a needed return).

While I don't discount the blase factor, doesn't it have a lot to do with opposing pitching? I haven't gone back and looked at the stats but during the "winning streak" road trip several weeks ao, it seems like they were facing pitching that probably didn't even rise to the level of mediocre. But once they hit the Tampa Bay series, they've faced some pretty good pitching clubs -- Tampa Bay, Seattle, Oakland, Texas, Seattle. And I guess that's why I think this club is more than a couple of pitchers away from being competitive. This line-up doesn't seem to do much against decent (not necessarily stellar, just decent) pitching.

Hairline fracture in his collar bone that they missed before? Bets anyone?

After you have a good time at the game Brock, please come in here and figure out where the spaces and line breaks went.

And bah, humbug on DPs taking that lead-off hitter out.

Twitter says "shoulder soreness".And I don't know why my spacing got all messed up in my last post..

Well, its always good to start with your lead-off hitter on base .... especially when the opponent didn't score in the top of the 1st!BTW,Revere CFMastroianni RFChange after Brock posted the line-ups. How long will Span's shoulder soreness last?

And please let them fix the ugly black hole by then.

Uh-oh

I know this thread is supposed to be about Gardenhire not Ryan but I want to address the "bizarre" re-hiring statement. Although I was disappointed in it, I didn't see the re-hiring of Ryan as an interim GM as bizarre. It would have made perfect sense to bring him back for a year and to use that time to hire a GM from outside the organization. Alternatively, it would make sense if he were willing to adopt a "gunslinger" role in which he "played the villain" and did the evaluation, firing, hiring and re-organization that this franchise needs. Alas, I don't think either of those things are happening. We haven't had any indication that he intends to make substantial changes in the way this organization runs (and in who runs it) and we haven't seen any indication that he intends to step down. Instead, it seems as though he just intends to operate as GM while retaining the "interim" title. That may change in the next few months. He may make some substantial changes in the organization. Or, he may step down as interim GM and they might announce a successor. I guess we'll see at the end of the season -- and at least then we'll know if the rehiring was truly bizarre.

Can someone please justify the obsession with Redmond other than the fact that we know his name? I think people remember Redmond's personality and hustle with fondness. Also the skills he developed as a catcher should serve him well as a manager and I do think that he will manage in the bigs some day. Personally I think its to soon for Redmond -- not sure it would be a good idea for him to try to manage players with whom he played (and whom he played behind).

The information in the second half of that tweet is interesting information. I would expect him to set the bar higher down the road. The first half of the tweet is an unjustified jab -- part of the nonsense that often is twitter.

Surpassed the August 2011 win total. Hooray.

Rangers fielders must be allergic to rain ... good thing they don't see it very often.

Afraid that Butera will do well and Gardenhire will make him his starting SS, John?

I didn't know that the player could "schedule" the suspension. Seems like a reason to appeal almost all suspensions. (Would think you'd only not appeal if you wanted it to start immediately).

LenIII on Twitter an hour ago: LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal Scott Diamond's appeal expected to be heard Mon.He can schedule the dates of any suspension,so he's still expected to start on Tuesday. Has something changed since then?

Well, I am one who believes in change for change's sake. NOT constant change but I strongly believe that introducing new talent, new energy and new ideas into an organization is vital. 10 years is about the "shelf life" of most leaders. They knew what they were doing when the passed the 22nd amendment -- 8 years is plenty for most presidents, same for governors, mayors and others. And 10 years is enough for ministers, school superintendents, etc. etc. etc. Baseball managers aren't immune from that belief. Constant turmoil and change isn't good but some regular "turnover" in leadership ranks is very, very healthy.

I'm not a LaRussa hater like some of you but I'd prefer someone more youthful than LaRussa. I'd also like someone from outside the Twins organization and without many ties to people in the organization. Martinez would work for me but I'm sure that there are others as well -- I'd just like them to think a little creatively instead of going with someone they "know well".

I don't know but during the Twins winning streak people were talking about how good this team was. I remember saying -- wait until we see how the do against Tampa Bay. The Twins have some hitters that are pretty good against mediocre pitching but if they face a pitcher who is better than mediocre, its a whole different story.

Can the Twins win 1 game in the next week so that they surpass their August 2011 win record???? Not holding my breath.

So that's the problem. Twins are still playing last night's game. After the 1st, I thought maybe the Twins could lose by less than a dozen. In the 2nd, that appears unlikely.