jokin

....or maybe more ABs for Pinto in Rochester?

I'll even take a Kirk Gibson gimp off situation

Vargas is on the 40-man, but it appears that need in the OF might mean Rosario gets to the Show earlier. Until the situations for Parmelee, Kubel and Willingham are settled, there's really no room for Vargas.

Kennys is displaying his new and improved plate discipline and defeating the stereotypes about him-- Around a 13% K-rate since May 1, with nearly a 12% BB rate. http://twinsdaily.com/showthread.php/11881-quot-Maybe-this-year-maybe-next-year-quot-he-said-quot-But-that-s-the-dream-quot

Phil Miller @MillerStrib · 18m Arcia unavailable for all but pinch-hitting, Gardy says. Ankle still too sore.

Fortunately, Klaw has been wrong before, and there are 2 "too big" examples out there who have defied the stereotype, one of whom is likely headed to the HOF. And Vargas is beginning to display identically good plate discipline techniques that have made Ortiz and Fielder such difficult outs and superstar material. Obviously, I'm not saying Vargas has arrived yet to the Pantheon Hall of Big Boppers, but this year's impressive AA numbers, Vargas' serious approach, yet easy-going ways, have to count for more than a casual Klaw dismissal. I'll wait for more data to come in before I throw him by the curb.

Radcliff was pushed on this issue by Tom Kelly last night, and he grudgingly allowed for the chance that of all the picks, Burdi might get a Cedar Rapids nod, but noted that no final assessment can be made until his NCAA season is completed.

The health issue is also part of the dynamic on why they were relief pitchers in the first place.

Per Berardino, and by Arcia's own admission, if Arcia had put one out last night, it would have been a Kirk Gibson-slow stroll around the bases. He's apparently not healthy enough to beat out Santana for the DH spot?

And what's the track record for a club drafting 8 college relief pitchers in the first 10 rounds? Nearly by built-in definition, "Relief" Pitchers come to the table flawed in some way and are the most fungible baseball talent commodity. It is a big whoop if there were better players available who end up being impact players somewhere else.

Santana DHing again? And then I guess the ankle injury to Arcia was worse than they said it was, after all.

There have been clearly more qualified people available in recent years (LaRussa most recently), the Twins didn't need to interview hundreds of unqualified people who think they can do better, just the ones who have proven they can do better.

Well-stated. And I freely admit to riding the hype wave. But I think articles like this and the documented dramatic improvements in his K/BB rates show why the hype has some justification. And as much grief as I give the Twins scouting department, the Bill Smith Era may very well have produced another potential cornerstone player in addition to Sano.

And given the Twins' track record in this department, when they don't pan out? Then what?

Yup....when the term "electric stuff" was invented, it was with a guy like Burdi in mind. Hopefully, he'll get another chance to pitch tonight.

There are a few clubs who can challenge this notion, in particular, the Red Sox appear to have the nod as the #1 farm system in many publications. And resting on the laurels of picking high in the draft for 3 straight years and discovering gold with Sano will only take you so far. Most pertinent to this thread, the onus is on the Twins to demonstrate that they can develop their home-grown picks, exploit their experimental "strategies" like this year and 2012 and hit pay-dirt with their highly touted international signings.... quickly, efficiently, and to their full potentials.

"Affiliates!"

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/0/1/2/78598012/cuts/vargas_pic_asghrxuq_tfc5hjhl.jpg The New Britain Rock Cats played a game last night that can make Twins fans ever more anxious for not one, but two, more pieces to the Big League puzzle to quickly finish their minor league matriculation. Without much fanfare, Eddie Rosario finally returned to AA after his lost spring on suspension and a brief tune-up in Ft Myers. The only real buzz around Rosario was that he has come back and is playing mostly in CF, as he did in his New Britain debut. Batting in the #2 hole, Eddie banged out 2 hits, including a double. Evidently, Kennys Vargas was the one most grateful to have his fellow Puerto Rican countryman and frequent minor league teammate back in the fold, as he plated Rosario after both of Eddie's hits, and ended up becoming the biggest story on Friday night- putting up video game batting numbers before all was said and done. Vargas was 3-4, falling a triple short of the cycle, and driving in all of the Rock Cats' six runs, including a go-ahead Grand Slam HR in the 6th inning. The easy-going and always-quotable Vargas didn't let the reporters down: Easy-going Kennys may be, but he appears to be taking a serious approach at the plate, and young guys like his buddy Rosario, and even Oswaldo Arcia might want to take notice of what Vargas has to say about patience at the plate, getting more Base on Balls and situational hitting: It looks like he's taken yet another step closer to realizing the dream...and making everybody on the big league club happy, too. And the best may be yet to come for Eddie Rosario, as well. http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140607&content_id=78596108&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb

I was amused by Phil Miller's column yesterday, where he mentioned what a hero Swarzak was for pitching 2.1 innings against the Brewers on Thursday, in the face of an allegedly fatigued bullpen and at "only" 12 pitchers on the roster, "already short one arm". A hero for doing his job?, and a fairly simple assignment, at that. I'm thinking the "dream scenario" for Gardy is like the one earlier this year when we actually went to FOURTEEN pitchers for a game or two....which maybe explains some of today's weirdness. I don't know what Brandon was thinking, but the logic for the first 2 picks is defensible, while the overall "strategy" is most certainly not. Or are they planning on saving huge money from these 3-10 picks and going after some hard-to-sign guys with big dollar offers tomorrow?

I think Kennys was showing his pleasure at getting his boy, Rosario, back in the lineup ahead of him. (He'll be even more pleased if Adam Brett Walker ever gets the call to have his back in the 5 spot and Buxton gets healed and hits just in front of him in the 3 spot).

Bingo! Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp?

Burdi sits at 34 innings, his workload this spring shouldn't be a huge factor in what the Twins ultimately decide to do. After watching him tonight in the NCAA Superegionals, his throwing motion didn't appear to be as violent as has been alleged. And having said that, he dropped a few FBs that hit the gun at 99MPH, and then his 88-90 mph slider is what he threw twice in a row to get the last out of the game, so he must be pretty confident with it as an additional out pitch. During the broadcast, Mike Radcliff sounded open to where Burdi starts out with the Twins, TK pushed him on Cedar Rapids and Radcliff didn't say "no". I'd like to see the Twins make some adjustments in Burdi's delivery to insure his health and longevity...and if all goes well, starting out in AA with a shot at an early call-up in 2015. Burdi hasn't had a blown save going into the 9th inning for the Cardinals since May of 2012. Unless he has fooled everybody who has scouted him, somehow, thus far, it would be foolish to waste this fireballer for very long in the minors.

Arguments made today: 1) Hughes is a flyball pitcher, in which case, Hicks gives you your best defense 2) Hicks hits lefties fairly well 3) Kubel had a strong career line against Keuchel 4) Santana not playing for Arcia in RF means Gardy didn't think all of his options through fully

,,,Oh!.....and crarko, too...!

Paging LaBombo and Bark's Lounge...!