h2oface

Brian Wilson is way way to individual to make his home in the Twins clubhouse. Personally, I love his humor and antics. I don't really see it a match for the manager that has not been able to stomach minor personality manifestations from the likes of a Garza and Loshe. Brian Wilson would blow his head apart.

Gardenhire should have been gone 3 or 4 years ago. He is the guest that stayed way, way too long.

I think something is glitching on the site. I could only get the comments to come up if I entered here from the forum. If I clicked on the "read more...." at the end of the intro on the front page......... there were no comments on any of the articles just now. I can see your misguided "positive" comment just fine from here. ;-)

Don't the Twins have pitchers like this signed in Rochester? Yes. And for 1/10th of the money. It will be interesting to see how the Ryan defenders spin the good out of this. Hey..... his ERA was 4.21 last year. Like being a minute late to the party and all that is left is smoke in the room.

Cool! He probably won't be on Gardenhire's staff anytime soon.

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that Dempster prefers pitching in the National League and with a team that hold spring training in Arizona.

And so just how does that work when it is an administrator, such as yourself, just yesterday, doing the deed? (remember the recent Twins, Jared Burton Agree on Contract Extension comment thread?) Doing the deed of what? Not calling you names and strongly disagreeing with your opinion? That is about how I figured it would work. Never mind.

Just a reminder but when you see name-calling, click on the grey triangle with the exclamation point in it (you'll see it just below the post). That will notify an admin and someone will take a look at the post. As this community grows, people are going to be more rude. It's just how the Internet works. We try to stay on top of it but none of us can read every post, especially on busy days (this week has been pretty nuts traffic-wise). And so just how does that work when it is an administrator, such as yourself, just yesterday, doing the deed? (remember the recent Twins, Jared Burton Agree on Contract Extension comment thread?)

Nice. I bet they really taste good in October, too.

So unless the GM of the Twins robs the opposition blind on every trade and then steals his lunch money, he's doing a bad job? I'd hate to watch sports with that attitude. How do you not hate every single inning of the game with expectations that completely unreasonable? And why watch at all? Masochism? And the Phillies didn't give up a young starter with upside. They gave up a slightly battered young starter that projects as a #3, tops. Is that what you wanted? A mediocre pitcher with little or no upside? I have tried to discuss with you my opinion, and reasons for it, and have no problem with your disagreement. I even said I am happy for you. I also think Worley has great future, and was quite impressed with his rookie partial year in 2011. From the get go, I told you I am not out to change your mind. I don't feel that the Phillies were robbed, but you can if you like. That will not lead me to get into labeling you and disparaging you personally for your opinion. G'day.

Nobody but the Phillies, I guess. I have my own opinion of this ........ and just used the particular article as an example of an article, and not a comment. I wish I had not included it, because it is clouding what I am saying, and is insignificant in that regard. I am not putting stock in anything except my own opinion here and could care less what Cameron thinks (but I did read it, like many others I read, and didn't really mean to have anyone perceive I was putting "stock" in it); I think Ryan could have done better on the Span deal, and I do have high expectations, call them ridiculous if you like, for the GM of my favorite team - always. I do expect The GM to make good deals like the Revere - Worley/Mays deal, and do it consistently. I have no idea what ROFLCOPTER means, but if it is text speak...... beware of the site police. The only "Holy Grail" I identify with is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I am happy for you that you are satisfied with the Span trade. I really wish I could be. I hope "The Hope" pans out, as we all do. Even if it does, I think the deal demanded more return.

What on earth do you think Ryan should have received in return for Span? And by completely hosing the Phillies front office, Ryan merely did what he was supposed to do? Worley for Revere straight up is a fair trade. I'm amazed that Ryan managed to get them to throw May into the deal. Revere is around a 2.5 WAR player in two seasons. Worley is around a 2.5 WAR player in 1 1/3rd seasons. Both have similar service time. A player-for-player swap would have been fair given the circumstances. I hate to repeat myself from posts a few days back, but you have asked, and I am not trying to change your opinion (like that is ever going to happen anyway, eh?), just express mine, as a comment, not an article. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/nationals-steal-denard-span-from-twins/ If you have what somebody wants, you make the rules of the deal. This from a few days ago..... "i just don't get the mentality of trading a major league good centerfielder with a great value contract for someone who may never make it to the bigs at all. span should have been traded for a proven pitcher, and one that can help now, not "maybe" in a few years. what a waste of trading chip. and still no pitching for the twins 2013 season. ……..apparently some teams were lining up for a proven centerfielder, eh? so the twins are the ones that give it away? what's the difference? the teams that always are building for the future, are always building for the future. rarely does that envisioned future arrive. personally, i never like a deal that is a proven for a best guess. best guesses litter the minor league rosters. and that is what this is. span is not a guess. i just don't like it. not at all. and oakland already got the nat's best young arms last year." So to briefly extend here....... I think a first round pick, groomed and now a proven MLB player with a great contract and entering the prime of his years, is worth more than a first round pick that is not proven, but a hope. I feel Ryan left a card not played, and should have gotten another player in this deal. I think he acted too fast, (who else was trying to acquire Meyer? ... compared to who else was interested in Span?) and he should have and could have gotten more, as he did with Revere. Perhaps it was Ryan who wanted the hope more than Rizzo wanted the proven. I don't think so from how long Rizzo has been trying to acquire Span, but I don't know. You don't know. I think the Phillies wanted Revere, and made it very attractive as Atlanta was reported to be in the hunt again, too...........

GM's are supposed to get this kind of thing done. Nothing special. Administrative. Walt Jocketty didn't have this kind of comeback, healthy performance to consider. Just because Terry Ryan does what should be done doesn't make him a sage or special in my mind. The return he accomplished (didn't accomplish) for Span when Rizzo had been after him for a couple years shows me way more about his acumen. He is "supposed" to make deals like he did for Revere. So yes, I for one am still calling for his head, but thankful he didn't mess the last trade up.

Mlb rumors reports Terry Ryan will listen to offere for everyone including Morneau and MAUER so does that mean Ellsbury in cf,and Lester in the rotation? If you click the link there it takes you to a cheap and irresponsible twitter post, and someone has sent a reply that states they re-listened to the broadcast and Ryan said Morneau and Willingham. Mauer was not mentioned. I have not heard it.

---Really? Detroit had the 7th-best record in the American league last year (playing a much softer schedule than the 6 teams from the other 2 divisions who finished with better records) and needed a late-season collapse from a very mediocre White Sox team to even get to the post season Yes, they have some very talented guys, but they are a stars-and-scrubs team, very top heavy without a lot of depth. Once you get past Verlander, Scherzer, Fielder and Cabrera, what do you really have there? A team with holes in its lineup that is bad defensively and has a suspect bullpen. Certainly, the Tigers would have to be considered the favorite to win the division going into 2013, but they're not some unstoppable powerhouse, the fact that they got hot for a couple of weeks in October notwithstanding. Yes, really. The point is to get in the play-offs, and then perform, right? The season really doesn't matter as much as what you do in the play-offs, as long as you get in. Cardinals in 2006 (83 wins), Twins in 1987 (85 wins), Yankees in 2000 (87 wins). All earned the World Series title with dismal records. True, 2012's Tigers (88 wins) got swept in the Series when the the bats went cold, but other than the first game, the pitching didn't. They outperformed the rest of the league when the pressure was on, still earned their spot in the series, and their players performed when it counted more than any other team in the American League, and they did it as a team, not individuals that considered themselves stars-and-scrubs. I tip my hat to them as a baseball fan first, and a Twins' fan second. I like Jack Morris for the Hall of Fame, too. He did what he had to do to win the game, and to win BIG games. Sometimes that means you don't have to get everybody out all the time.

Detroit was the American League representative in the World Series. Twins' fans like to cast aspersions on Detroit and Chicago, but to deny Detroit's talent is perhaps being a bit short sited.

Good for them. Gardenhire would have had to go to the mountain, and perhaps meet with Phil Jackson to have any chance of being Escobar's manager. The skipper has not been able to do it with any others that have presented unique personalities, and Yunel is pretty set in his caustic ways according to my Atlanta friends. For the Twins to ever have unique personalities last, it has to be when Gardenhire is gone.

Two and three years ago, the Nats couldn't get folks to sign with them even when they offered the most money. That is where the Twins are now.

With Gardenhire (it is so hard for me to capitalize his name) managing, there is always going to be a couple of guys to "back up" Plouffe. Utility utility utility. I sure hope they give him the chance to settle in free of injury. He is getting better and you just can't deny those 6 weeks and not give him a shot on a horrible team to take third and shine.

I don't trust in Terry at all. Why should anyone? Ryan stated in September to the season ticket holders one thing, and then did another. Trustworthy? Span has first round pedigree, too, and hey, so does Levi Michael. I'll be holding my breath on that one. On top of it all...... It was Rizzo that had coveted Span for a long time. Terry Ryan folded and got taken, and left cards on the table. It turns out that regardless of the contract, as reported today at MLB Trade Rumors, that Rizzo and the Nats wanted Span more than any of the center fielders available. Ryan made the weak play. There was a takeaway not played, and an additional player to be had that Ryan was not player enough to get. Washington DID get a proven player ready to help immediately and for several years, and the Twins got a hope.

Umpires are pretty bad, especially calling the low part of the zone and the outside part of the zone, but i don't see that from catcher framing. I see it as just humanly impossible to make accurate calls from that severe of an angle.

thanks for a fine article!

Please name these proven pitchers teams were lining up to give away all anybody does here is guess. how am i supposed to "know" that? how are you? that question can only be answered by the ones privy to the conversations. apparently some teams were lining up for a proven centerfielder, eh? so the twins are the ones that give it away? what's the difference? the teams that always are building for the future, are always building for the future. rarely does that envisioned future arrive. personally, i never like a deal that is a proven for a best guess. best guesses litter the minor league rosters. and that is what this is. span is not a guess. i just don't like it. not at all. and oakland already got the nat's best young arms last year.

i just don't get the mentality of trading a major league good centerfielder with a great value contract for someone who may never make it to the bigs at all. span should have been traded for a proven pitcher, and one that can help now, not "maybe" in a few years. what a waste of trading chip. and still no pitching for the twins 2013 season.

would the mets trade johan satana? can the twins get the resurgent years from the ace of their franchise in his foxy maturity? pitcher's park. probably not. never mind.