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Blackjack

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Everything posted by Blackjack

  1. Blackjack
    Another big difference between Buxton and Kepler is that Kepler plays 'smarter' on defense, he realizes he doesn't have to be superman, doesn't try to run thru walls, collide with other players, etc. Buxton's multiple stints on the injured list has also slowed his development.
  2. Blackjack
    With his streaky nature and the fact that you have Polanco ready to step in, sell high and trade him for pitching. Starting pitching!!
  3. Blackjack
    Molitor is stuck with the roster he's been given. He knows that Sano needs to play but who knows what kind of instructions management has given him regarding Plouffe and playing a lot before the Aug. deadline....
  4. Blackjack
    Having an 'excess' at any position is good - but only if you trade that excess to fill other holes. Plouffe needs to go, either before Sept. 1 or in the off-season. I can't believe there isn't a contender that wouldn't like a bench bat/3rd base/1st base fill-in for the stretch drive. Hopefully he plays well so some team wants him. Keep playing Vargas and after Sept. 1, Park comes up and rotates in with Vargas and Mauer. Hopefully both Park and Vargas play well so in the off-season one gets traded to fill a need. Palka and Walker are your backups in AAA in case of an injury. In 2017 you have Sano at third, with and occasional day at DH, with Polanco covering third.
  5. Blackjack
    I think it depends When is he out of options?? When that times comes, and if hes still performing like he is now, then he's proven himself not good enough - to be a starting outfielder. But he'll always be good enough with his speed and defense to be a fourth defensive outfielder. Unless he keeps running into walls and/or injures himself enough to where he's an average outfielder. The problem is, being such a highly rated prospect, we expect him to be a star, a game changer.
  6. Blackjack
    Whether its baseball, accounting, tiddlywinks, or whatever, confidence and a positive attitude have as much (or more) to do with success than physical ability or brains. Have you ever worked for a boss you didn't like?? Didn't get much done did you? Have you ever worked on a project, struggled, but then you figured out how to solve your problem?? The next time you worked on it, you had the confidence to get it done, probably better and faster. Buxton needs to go down, have some success, build up his confidence AND hopefully learn something. Hopefully every time he goes down he analyzes what he's been doing wrong and figures out how to fix it. Its a learning process. Rebuilt confidence and better techniques and more experience will help him next time he comes back. Going down earlier seemed to help him, hopefully this trip will too.
  7. Blackjack
    Rob Antony was asked a couple weeks ago about Buxton and the fact that he looks clueless when bunting. Rob's answer was something to the effect 'he never had to bunt in in the minors, he did just fine swinging away'. WTF!!! A speed guy should be instructed on how to bunt, and told to bunt once a game, every game, in the minors, just so when he gets to the majors he has another way of getting on base. I think the Twins definitely have an instruction problem at the minor league level.
  8. Blackjack
    Maybe he needs to learn to stop running into walls. Seriously. There is a difference between playing hard and playing smart.
  9. Blackjack
    Good analogy!!! If the starting quarterback sucks the second string QB is always great and wonderful!!
  10. Blackjack
    I think either Nolasco or Milone get traded. They won't get much but it makes room for Berrios. Santana only gets traded if they get a big haul, Rob Antony realizes the Twins desperately need good starting pitching. If nothing else, if the Twins are again out of contention, he can be traded at the 2017 trade deadline.
  11. Blackjack
    I still hope that they see enough good in Polanco the rest of the season that they can flip Dozier this winter. I'd hold out for a young starting pitcher or catcher that is major league ready.
  12. Blackjack
    You'd think some contender (from the National league?) would consider Milone or Nolasco an upgrade to their fifth starter position, they both have more good games than bad. Keep Santana, unless you can get a good starting pitching prospect that can be inserted into the rotation. Same with Gibson. Face it, the Twins need starting pitching. Beyond Berrios, who should be called up if you start trading all your starters?? Dozier, especially with Polanco in the wings, is the one that should be traded, he would bring back the best (starting pitcher!!!) prospect but it won't happen with an interim GM. Thank you Jim Pohlad. Suzuki should also get traded, the young catchers Garver or Murphy should be playing just to see what they have. But the Twins seem to value/protect/treasure veteran players, I doubt they will trade him. In conclusion, my guess is that they don't make any trades.
  13. Blackjack
    Billion dollar industries was your assumption. Just stating that in my experience, search teams (and consultants) are just a CYA attempt by management. If the hire or result of the consultant doesn't turn out, management has their butt covered. Internal teams and people could accomplish the same results for less money.
  14. Blackjack
    I most definitely agree with number 1!! Its been my experience in private industry that search firms are just a CYA attempt by top management, if the hire turns bad "hey we used a search firm". Internal teams could do the same search for far less money.
  15. Blackjack
    Lots of guessing and speculation going on here !!!!
  16. Blackjack
    I didn't see where I mentioned fear in my post..... I was pointing out the reality of changing GM's/coaches etc., its a crapshoot. Only time will tell whether it was the right move.
  17. Blackjack
    One more thought. Be careful what you wish for, as in TR being fired. How many YEARS and coaches and GM's and wasted first round draft picks has it taken for the Timberwolves to get to this point? Until Flip took over they were in a continual spiral, up and down, mostly down. Then he died.... Finding a new GM that will turn the Twins around is going to be a crap shoot.
  18. Blackjack
    I think Pohlad let TR know that he was done at the end of the year and TR said 'screw it, I'm out of here, fire me now'. Think about it, motivation is the key to most people's success, would you want to be TR and work 20 hour days leading up to the trade deadline, when you know that you're gone in October?? Pohlad should have just kept his mouth shut until October and then let TR know it was time to go. That would have been the smart and classy way to go. Plus you'd have the ex-scout making trades at the deadline instead of a front office wonk.
  19. Blackjack
    I agree!!! WTF, why now??!! I think most people would agree that TR, with his scouting background, would make more good trades than bad but if he told Pohlad that he wasn't going to trade anybody at the deadline.... How much faith does anybody have in Rob Anthony??! For me, very little. And how much rope will they give him to make trades??
  20. Blackjack
    And whats fair to the fans??! Terry's job should be to help the team long-term, not worry about a few players feelings. They're all getting paid very well, and should realize that if a player or three gets traded, its the best for the team in the long run.
  21. Blackjack
    Another positive sign: E. Santana even without roids, is becoming the innings eater and reliable starter that the Twins were hoping for when they signed him. Winning ballgames starts with reliable starting pitching and he has provided that lately.
  22. Blackjack
    When does Mauer say "I've made enough money, I'm going to retire before I embarrass myself anymore"?
  23. Blackjack
    Less $8 beers and $10 hot dogs sold is what will ultimately bring about change in management. When the money stops rolling in, heads will roll.
  24. Blackjack
    But you can trade them. They helped dig this hole, if trading them helps the Twins in the long term, do it, don't worry about hurting their feelings, etc. Most players, when they hit free agency are going to do whats best for themselves, as in 'show me the money'.
  25. Blackjack
    Good article Seth!! You hit the nail on the head!! Everything that could go wrong did go wrong!!! Hopefully TR can take advantage of the bad situation and make his own version of the Hu/Jepson trade. I've heard him say several times "we need to change the culture" -- trading some of the veterans like Plouffe, Dozier, and Santana would accomplish that!!!
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