JB_Iowa

Thanks for making me smile. At least you can take comfort in being surrounded by other addicts when you are here at TD. This probably isn't the place to go for an intervention. Part of it is that hope springs eternal. As pessimistic as I am about next season, there is still that kernal of hope inside that the Twins can turn it around.

Oh, and there was plenty of negativity around Michael Cuddyer (despite his smiling countenance). But since he was never "deified" the way Mauer was, he wasn't "villified" quite as much eitehr.

I don't have a lot of feelings about Mauer -- one way or another. As I've said several times before, I didn't understand the deification and I don't really understand the viliification. Mauer has just always left me pretty cold. I can admire his professionalism and his accomplishments -- but I don't (and never have) felt any particular emotional connection to him. But I really think that a lot of the "backlash" as you characterize it, is due to the "deification" that he enjoyed during his first 8-9 years with the organization. And no, he didn't ask for that either. But honestly, people were treating him as though he was God. There is no human being who could continually live up to the image that a lot of people (mostly Minnesotans) ascribed to him. When he was going through his troubles last summer, I remember posting elsewhere that all Mauer could do this year to "rehab" his image was to come out and play almost every day this year and put up numbers that are in keeping with his career averages. He hasn't quite done that in the sense that he is catching in only about 1/2 the games (I think and maybe not even that). But at least this season saw a return to productivity (although he will probably never approach the stats of 2009). But even as I posted that, I added that I didn't think he could EVER regain the elevated status he once had. If he continues to be productive -- and if he can get back to catching 100 games or more a year as Terry Ryan envisions -- I think a lot of the "backlash" will fade. But I don't think he'll ever be "Saint Joe" again. And I don't think that's all bad. Overall, I think people will end up with a more realistic picture of him and a more realistic perception and appreciation for his accomplishments. And, to me, that's a good thing.

The mute button is your friend -- turn off the sound. You'll be surprised at how much more enjoyable it is to watch the games (even the way the Twins are playing) without listening to all the blathering and incessant interviews and gimmicks.

Amen.

Great column and posts. Waiting to see that photoshop creation!

Welcome to TD. I hate complaining about everything you do but I guess I'm just crabby by nature. Did you do something about 7:30 or so on Friday evening that caused all these scroll bars to appear? I appreciate shortening the pages but the scroll bars are annoying as h*ll. Especially because with the ads you get about 2 lines of each post and then have to scroll. Could you just eliminate them or at least allow more text before you have to scroll?

Can't disagree with anything you say. Given that Revere is only 24, I would expect his power to develop somewhat over the next few seasons (although I doubt he'll ever be a real power hitter). He also brings a spark and enthusiasm that often seems missing from this team. He is one of the least of the Twins problems right now. And given his highlight reel catches and captivating grin (he has SO much positive energy and that grin is infectious), I have to think that he is one of the few players on the team that may actually put b*tts in the seats.

Interesting. Thanks.

Thanks for the smile. I can actually picture this coming out of the spinning machine.

Do they have to move the same ones back or could they just use new ones, I wonder? At any rate, I agree that they need to break the curse of the pine trees (or spruces or whatever the were). So either replant or hire an exorcist.

Interesting post. Terry Ryan has indicated that Mike Radcliff will be deeply involved in this year's draft and the info above seems to bear out the wisdom of that decision.

Thanks for the laugh but 2nd in this division is a bit depressing.

I'm not a stats person but as I watched him run to 1st in his last AB yesterday, I commented on his knee. It wasn't a limp but it seemed like there was a hesitation in his step. I don't know the answer to all this but I think you are absolutely correct in your conclusion that he will go through periods like this (probably many of them) as long as he continues to cqatch.

The only thing good about the last series was that it was on the West Coast ... and I didn't feel compelled to watch it. In the past I would have decided to forego sleep. Not doing so was a really easy decision this week. Always enjoy your thoughts, k-bro

I don't think this says anything about him leaving permanently (not that I'd be opposed to that). And, while they have metaphorically hit the rocks, it isn't like they are in any physical danger (except perhaps from rabid fans). As I recall, he has taken days off for family matters in the past. In addition to his brother's (? as I recall) death which was obviously unscheduled, I specifically remember him taking time off for his daughter's HS graduation. That may have only been for 1 day but I think it was during a homestand. So I really don't view this as unusual. And, moreover, this may be coming at a really good time. Perhaps a few days away will give him some new energy when he goes back to this disaster of a team. I just don't see this break as a big deal. (That doesn't mean that a change of managers isn't warranted ... but not for taking these few days off.)

That's the way I interpreted it as well -- that Smith wanted to keep payroll near or above 2011 amounts and the Pohlads weren't willing to do so. I really thought it was Smith who didn't think rebuilding was necessary and that they would "be okay" with just a few additions & changes. I call that the "recapture 2010 glory philosophy". I really don't see Ryan rebuilding either but he's doing it on the "spend 15% - 20% less" philosophy.

As a non-Minnesotan, I never really grasped the Joe Mauer "deification" thing. To me he was always a very talented player with great potential and accomplishments and a pretty milquetoast personality. From the outside looking in, it seems to me that there are a lot of factors that may figure in for those who boo Joe Mauer -- and John has mentioned many of them. I believe that the team's current misfortunes are the biggest factor. If the Twins were winning "forgiveness" for last season would come a lot faster. But when the team is as bad as this one is, people tend to lash out at the most visible factor (in some ways its payback for the way they idolized him when the team was winning). And things like his salary and his Florida residency start to nag at people and put a bullseye on his back. I don't think Joe Mauer will ever be the "golden boy" that he once was. I do think that he would regain a lot of his "goldeness" if the team would start winning and if he stays healthy over several seasons. Obviously he has to have some decent level of performance as a result of that health. It also wouldn't hurt if he was a little more publicly involved in charitable endeavors in Minnesota (again a case where more is expected from an "idol"). And remember, when you are lost in the dark forest of losing, it is hard to see any shining lights.

Well, personally, if I had spent over $112 million last year and $94 million this year ... and saw it swirling down the drain the way it is, I'd be out kicking some b*tts in the team leadership (front office; field staff; players all included). Bah, humbug. And yes, they made money last year and undoubtedly will this year but it's not hard to see that profits may be getting smaller. Face it, if the profit margin is 10% (hypothetically), I'd rather have 10% of $300 million than $200 million.

Thank you for this column. The other day when Andrew (Twins Fan From Afar) had a post on Mauer's stats with RISP, I asked about the discrepancy between the stats he cited and observation -- why I (and others) don't feel much confidence when Mauer comes up in high leverage situations (especially in later innings). You've helped to give some definition to those gut feelings/observations. I'm not a boo bird but I hope my confidence in Mauer grows as the season goes on.

Never hurts to have a resident curmudgeon. I miss Andy. We all have our favorite complaints -- for the last year and a half, mine has been the need for "new blood" in the management of the organization (f.o. and field staff) -- pretty sure I sound like a broken record on that topic. (Do people still know what a broken record sounds like? Ah, the sound of those repeats and skips in songs on the airwaves). But I'm pretty tired of the ones on your list, too.

I appreciate the stats, Andrew but there seems to be a gap between the statistics and perception. And I wonder why that is? Is there something that observation tells us that can't be defined statistically? Even before last night's game, what percentage of the people who comment on this board (or of all fans for that matter), would have wanted Mauer to come up in that situation and what percentage would have had a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach? For reasons I can't explain, Mauer doesn't inspire much confidence in me. And it sounds like I'm not the only one. So what explains the discrepancy between our "gut feelings" and the stats you've cited?

Enjoy your Rock Cats updates, Andrew. On the Ace, I think a lot of people were clamoring for an Ace before the 2009 and 2010 seasons -- and an Ace might have made a difference then. Some even begged before the 2011 season -- when we didn't know that injuries would decimate the line-up. But I think a lot of people who watch this team closely admitted that trying to find and pay an Ace for 2012 was likely to be a waste of money. What I wanted to see -- and still want to see -- is them using the next year or so to either harbor money to buy an Ace or investing in several players with Ace potential in hopes that one of them may pan out. In late 2010 I posted that I wasn't sure how they could improve upon a team that won 94 games and yet was still dead in the water in the playoffs (and acknowledged that I was pretty depressed about the team's prospects given the repeated playoff failures). I felt then -- and continue to feel -- that they need to rexamine everything from top to bottom (including front office, medical and traing staffs and coaching in addition to players and the minor league process) Yes, I would call it rebuilding -- and it is likely to be pretty painful. But guess what? What happened last year and so far this year is painful too. To me, acknowledging that you need to rebuild and undertaking the process is like the old days when the doctor actually gave you a shot. It hurt at the time but you got better a lot faster.

To me, the $18 million dollar payroll cut would have been a little more palatable if they had just acknowledged that they needed to rebuild. While I am mindful of the fact that the 2010 team won 94 games, this really IS a different team. The losses of Cuddyer, Kubel, Young, Punto, Hardy, Hudson, Nathan, Crain, Guerrier, Rauch, Mijares and others mean that about 1/2 of the team has turned over. But more than that, the players that remain from that 2010 squad aren't the same as they were then -- and aren't necessarily better. Joe Mauer doesn't walk on water -- and may not recapture the glory of 2009 and earlier years. Justin Morneau remains a giant question mark. Span's health was iffy. Pavano is 2 years older (and that does mean something in your 30's unless you are Jaime Moyer or Tim Wakefield). And as we're seeing, adding a couple of years to the arms of Baker, Blackburn et. al. seems to have adverse effects as well. There are enough faces gone from that 2010 team -- and enough health concerns among those that remain -- that it is a matter of rebuilding, not reloading. And, although that team won 94 game in the regular season, they continued their utter futility in the playoffs -- that alone should have merited some strategical changes. I hope that the powers-that-be acknowledge among themselves that they are in a rebuilding process even if they won't acknowledge it to fans. I'd hate to see another summer of squandering player assets without much return. And, please, please, please make those 2012 draft picks count.

And see, people do read you here. I didn't have high expectations for this year but it has been disappointing to see their utter futility at the plate thus far. IMO, it would make a big difference if Mauer would get in the groove. It would make Morneau and Willingham better (at least they've shown signs of life) and give more incentive to the top of the lineup to get on base. I'm not saying that Mauer starting to hit solves all the problems -- just that I think it is a necessary part of the equation.