Snortwood

Neither can turn on a fastball. Hard in soft away - easy out. Yes, the verdict is in on these two.

Ty Cobb was interviewed after his playing days were over. - Mr. Cobb - if you were playing today what would you hit? - Two-seventy. - Really? Only two-seventy? (In disbelief.) How come? - Well you have to remember, Cobb said, I'm seventy f*****g years old.

It was a decision rich stretch where the managers impacted the outcome. Reasonable minds can disagree on this one. I preferred the choice Gardy made and always appreciate it when they pitch to Joe in a game situation. On to LA!

Why do you think 99% would think a bunt was the right play there? That was one play Gardy assessed correctly if you realize that his objective, along w scoring anyway possible, was to get Mauer an at bat. If Plouffe bunts successfully in that situation Gardenhire takes the bat out of Mauer's hands. W a runner on 3rd and less than 2 out Francona can't pitch to Mauer. In that situation Mauer gets walked and Francona has a lefty to get Morneau and leaves the lefty in to face Doumit rt-handed. Whether the Indians get out of that without allowing a run is not important - what matters is that the Twins by sacrificing would have played it so as to make it possible for Francona to get out of that situation without the Twins giving their best player a shot to decide the game. The only way Gardenhire gets Mauer to the plate w a chance to swing the bat is by letting Plouffe swing away. The dp was not optimal, but Francona bit. He let his guy pitch to Mauer. Odds are always w the pitcher and it's a long season: Francona wins long-term by showing confidence in his guys and going after the other guy's best long before it gets to do or die. How else is he going to get his players to perform in those situations like they've been there before unless, you see, he's given them opportunities to come through in those situations? He's a good manager. Sometimes you have to engage in a battle you would prefer to skip because there are greater battles ahead that cannot be avoided. This was an interesting call on Terry's part. And maybe Francona needs to learn what his own players can and cannot be asked to do. I disagree 100% that the bunt was required in that scenario. The objective is to score and to give your best player a meaningful AB. Both of those objectives are best met by Plouffe swinging away. Please explain how Gardenhire could have played it differently to get Joe an AB?

Colabello has a long swing. He's going to K relentlessly against MLB pitching. My guess is he's feasted on "work on it here" off-speed stuff offered up at AAA. TBD, but he didn't show much bat-speed his first go round this season w the Twins. Strictly filler until real talent rises for an extended stay.

"Derek Jeter . . . started the game at shortstop and ended up 0-for-3 . . . Jeter also had some tough defensive moments at shortstop." No stick, no glove. That Jeter kid will never make it to NY. At least not while the Twins are in town.

If you're buying stock go long on Hicks and Arcia, hold on Dozier and Plouffe, and sell on Parmelee. Arcia is a player. Hicks will figure out how to make contact w the off speed stuff. Parmelee's inability to get around on the fastball is fatal. Package Dozier and Plouffe and you'd have a solid 2B. Separately they're each inadequate at one major aspect of the game but passable (lower in the lineup!) in the absence of other options .

Closers are plentiful and an unneeded luxury for a 90 loss squad. Get me a premier shortstop and we're in business. Heck, there's another Zoilo in the league now, it's long past due the Twins should have an All-Star at short. If it costs Perkins you make that deal. Maybe if the Red Sox get close and must have a power lefty out of the bullpen. Maybe, but not likely. TBD.

If the reason the Twins aren't bringing a legit player to the majors is Jamie Carroll, we are all truly doomed. As fans of the Twins, that is.

Hicks is playing too deep. Somewhere in the deep lizard-brain of the Twins playing deep in CF was encoded in the genes of every middle outfielder to account for cutting off the ball scootching thru on the turf in the 'Dome to keep extra bases to a minimum. Those days are over, but the idea still holds. Go to a game at Target Field and compare the depth of their CF to where Hicks plays and, at least in the two games I was there this year, he was 10-15 if not 20-25 feet deeper. Balls are falling in front of him that other CFs would catch. More opportunities for assists is not necessarily a good thing.

Willingham's value is actually increasing as the cost of taking him on declines so long as his abilities don't drop off the table. My take on it is he's in a bad stretch and hasn't gone south, he's got another few seasons in him - bat speed is still there. But - he's a DH, and a valuable RH off the bench. For once the Twins are doing the right thing giving playing time to Arcia and Parmelee and taking it away from Doumit and occasionally Josh.

Here's the problem - and if we can get the problem statement correct we have 90% of the solution worked out - so here it is: Strikeouts can be context critical. There are innings and situations where a strikeout is the only non-dangerous event (passed balls and such aside). That is, we may be looking at this from too wide a lens if we try to evaluate Ks against 9 (argued above to be obsolete) or even in the context of a game. What matters is the moment. When batters come to the plate with RISP and X out, we know pretty much exactly how well they've done. We don't get anything like that when pitchers are out there huffing and puffing and men are all over the bases. WHIP is a wide angle lens. It gives you an idea. But it isn't as interesting as, say ERA for starters in an inning after 2 out and nobody on. And why the guys on the mound for the Twins lead the league in that stat. Or trail, depending on how you look at it. Stats like that. It's got to be context specific. Until we drill down that tightly and focus in that closely, we just won't know why some pitchers with fewer strikeouts are more successful than those who, based on numbers overall, might be thought to be superior.

It's too early to state the case is definitive but I can't help thinking of Billy Beane's career as a player every time Hicks comes to the plate. Top draft pick, great athlete, good enough at every level and great in bp but a deer in the headlights when the game is on. Hope that isn't the case, but it wouldn't be the first time it happened to a player.

I agree with Steve Lein. If Miguel Cabrera can play 3B and Prince Fielder can play 1B on a pennant winning squad, the key to defense is for sure NOT your cornermen. Let Sano grow into an adequate third-baseman and the Twins are much better off for it. Just like they are for keeping Mauer behind the plate. Until he proves otherwise, keep him at the hot corner and see if that can work.

What is hard to believe is that the Twins got more out of the Pierzynski trade with the Giants than they did from sending Johan to the Mets. Compare and contrast Terry Ryan and Billy Smith. No cuss words allowed. You may begin.