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Badsmerf

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Blog Entries posted by Badsmerf

  1. Badsmerf
    Is it wrong that most of the articles I completely skip nowadays and just go straight into commenting like I read the whole thing? No? Whew, that was a load off my shoulders. It must be hard for the regular bloggers to think of stuff (correction... baseball related stuff) to blog about. Usually when I feel the need for a blog it has nothing to do about baseball, not really anyway.
     
    Its time for a revolution. We as members need to take over the blogs and articles section from current incumbents. Years of turmoil and oppression from the main page has beaten us down. We need to stand up. Blog about random dumb things as much as possible (please try to make sense though, I wont name names but somebody's blogs are pretty loony).
     
    Why can't we read a blog about the under-armor boxer-brief mania that has been sweeping the Twins clubhouse? Or the new Axe body spray Aaron Hicks is using? Come on guys. Lets think outside the diamond (hehe, yeah I did that).
  2. Badsmerf
    Ok, I'm starting off my blogging here with a top ten list... No big deal, since we're on the internet all of our tact and self-respecting ways (maybe just respecting ways in general) get thrown out the window, or lost in transition to the keyboard.
     
    1. When I have a good idea or observation that I feel a player has made a mechanical adjustment of some sort and want to look deeper to see if I can develop the idea. Parker goes ahead and steals my idea and writes a blog about it. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just a blog, but the douche has to include video clips with custom made circles like Madden (seriously, who knows how to do that). After him, my original idea seems like a copy-cat... thanks Parker.
     
    2. Rocket Pig changed his screen-name to his real name to copy Seth Stohs and Nick Nelson. Rocket Pig was cooler dude, we all knew your name.
     
    3. Between all the threads and blogs there is too much to read on this site. Anyone could get lost and spend the rest of their lives here like Inception. Scary.
     
    4. The village idiot is not defined. It makes me constantly putting my head on a swivel wondering if somebody is worth arguing with or ignoring. Its making me anxious. Whoever you are, its time to step-up and stop laying in the weeds.
     
    5. Bloggers. The reason I'm writing this is because I got peer pressured into it. That excuse actually worked with a cop once (or maybe it was a college chick, sometimes the two get confusing).
     
    6. Too many "insiders." When I know that somebody knows that I know they know something and aren't telling... *squinty eyes*
     
    7. Too serious. Sometimes in the middle of a game thread I like to say "Aahhh where's my pants?" I don't even get a smilie with a red guy shooting a green guy.
     
    8. Nobody knows me yet. Its strange posting when I address people and I feel like they think "Who the **** is this guy? Why does he think he can talk to me in an open forum setting like this? What a jackass." I doubt that is the actual response... ok, maybe it is. Damnit.
     
    9. No swearing allowed. Sometimes you just feel like throwing the f-bomb. I do it anyway and force the filter to work because it makes me feel rebellious. Seriously, everybody knows what I'm writing, why filter it? Let it fly. It actually puts emphasis on something rather than a few stars. Lame.
     
    10. Ok, I only had 9. I'm not changing the tittle.
  3. Badsmerf

    Fixing this mess

    By Badsmerf,

    We are in the middle of an 8-game losing streak which has seen the Twins outscored 51-22 and completely inept at times. The starting rotation is in shambles and managed to make it through just 29.1 innings in these games with only 2 starts getting past the 5th inning. Needless to say, the offense hasn't been much better. A bad starting rotation and an anemic offense amount to losing games in bunches.
     
    How do we fix it? Luckily for the 3 people that read this,I know all the right answers. Paying for a legit starting pitcher 6 months ago would have helped. Fortunately, there is a little light in the tunnel for the Twins. I'm not sure if now is the right time to make big moves like the ones I'll be advocating, but at some point it might be necessary. I'm just going to talk about 3 guys that could come up and provide quality starts. One of them, Gibson, is likely to be on his way to Minnesota already with Worley being sent down. Mostly, the rotation needs help and Terry Ryan should be under a lot of heat for not properly addressing it in the offseason.
     
    First, I'm baffled by the Twins expectations and inconsistencies in their player handling. Hendriks (not one of the 3 since he is hurt) started the year a few "meh" starts, the second seemingly better than the first. Yet was sent down after 2 average starts while Worley was allowed to be the worst starting pitcher in the MLB for 10 starts. Currently, he has a 1.004 OPS against, that is combined, not just against Miguel Cabrera. Anyway, the 3 I'm talking about are Gibson, Albers and Meyer. Deduno, however, is not part of my list, and will most likely show why in his brief (my prediction) time with the Twins this year.
     
    Gibson is most likely to make his appearance soon. I wanted consistency from him before going to the MLB, but he is going to be up for good at some point and his complete game shutout in his last start is enough evidence to me he is ready. Need I say more?
     
    The next choice is Albers. Albers hasn't had a look in the MLB yet, but is putting together a nice season. A TJ surgery victim in 2009, he has missed some of his prime development time. While I don't think Albers is a saving grace, I do think he could put together respectable starts. This season's statistics might be a little skewed by sample size though, since he is striking out batters much better than ever before. Mainly, he doesn't walk people (averages 1.8 BB/9 through the minors) and has been great at not giving up HR's (averages .4 HR/9). Combined with being a lefty on a staff dominated by righties and he might have some success.
     
    Next is Meyer. He should be up after super-2 status is past. Reasoning? Because he has ****ing talent you dimwaud. He would instantly be the best pitcher in the rotation, and most likely to get the best results. Going forward if the Twins take their time with their best prospects they are going to lose fans. Nobody wants to go see a scrub rotation give up 8 or 9 runs and not get through the 5th inning. Keep this up and the bullpen is going to break down and the Twins would be in a world of hurt if Perkins or Burton get hurt. Meyer will be competing for a spot in the 2014 rotation, and if he doesn't make it out of spring it wont be long until he forces his way in. Again, because he has ****ing talent, the thing that Terry Ryan and co. have neglected to draft or trade for in almost 10 years (slight exaggeration). This opinion might be premature on Meyer since his results haven't been sparkling, but I think he will start building a case quickly.
     
    How do you get these 3 in the rotation? Worley is already down and Gibson up, so one down. When Deduno fails (which he will), Albers is then primed for a call-up. He has to be added to the 40-man so pass Butera through waivers. A no-hit catcher that is on the DL shouldn't have much problem passing. Around the deadline when it is obvious this team is going nowhere and someone is traded you can then add Meyer and put him in the rotation. This rotation wont magically make a run in August, but it will be much more interesting and easier to watch than the current version.
  4. Badsmerf

    The DH

    By Badsmerf,

    So I was curious the other about my believed ineptitude of the Twins at the DH position. So I looked up basically the last 10 years of position specific hitting. Surprisingly, the Twins have utilized the DH pretty well. Obviously, they are not Boston with David Ortiz, but it hasn't been Rondel White numbers either.
     
    In the recent history, they had Thome which clearly boosted their numbers. For a few years they were right at the top of the league! I stopped a second, made sure I was looking up the right position (not catcher/1b) and said "good play Twins, we'll see how long that lasts." Despite their lack of a true DH, they have usually been middle of the pack. However, the one that hurts is in 2006 when the DH posted a .676 OPS only slightly above Seattle.
     
    While I can accept the Twins haven't been completely inept at the position, it still bothers me the way they handle it. Obviously using Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Micheal Cuddyer, Jason Kubel at DH have boosted the numbers since 2006. Needless to say, they are all position players, and using them as a DH inserts a back-up into the line-up..... and most likely, a futility infielder or no-hit catcher. That, is the part the bugs me. So while the DH numbers have looked ok, it is covering up the fact that position in the line-up is actually being occupied by someone that has no business getting 400 MLB AB's in a year.
     
    Things are starting to come together a little now, right? I'm advocating for a legitimate full-time DH. One that can post an .800+ OPS for the position without help from other players, one that can hit for power, and one that MN fans like. I'm advocating for Josh Willingham to move to DH for the next 3 years. His contract is only through next year? If he is healthy all off-season you extend him 2 years at about the same money he is at now an move him to DH where he can stay healthy.
     
    This does a few things. First, and best of all, it takes AB's away from futility INF like Florimon, Escobar, Carroll (wait, that is like all our MI INF... whaaaat). Next, when guys like Mauer, Plouffe, ect. need a day off, they can actually take a day off and not just DH. That is one of the things that bugs me about Gardy. If you want a guy to take a rest (Mauer) give him an actual rest! I get the keeping the bat in the line-up thing, but the Twins have a pretty decent bat in Doumit now, and have an ok option in AAA once Doumit leaves in Herrmann. He could still do this on day Willingham gets off, but I'd accept more games without Mauer in the line-up at all if we had a DH like Willingham where the drop-off in the line-up is only one position. I think it would also allow Mauer to catch more games, which would be another added bonus.
     
    The Twins have a glut of OF coming in the near future (Hicks is already here). Arcia coming up could push Willingham to DH instead of Parmelee to 1b like many are speculating. This would allow the Twins to bring Arcia up as soon as this year. I'm in favor of a real DH. An asset to the line-up. A RH power bat to drive in runs. I want this team to win, regardless of my distaste for ineptitude of the front office. I hope they consider it, because moves like this are what teams that want to compete do.
  5. Badsmerf

    I'm an Elitist

    By Badsmerf,

    The first step in realizing you have a problem is admitting to it right? Well, apparently the next step either doesn't exist or is locked away in Gringott's to never see the light of day. Thing is, I'm an elitist. Whew. That was more difficult than it seems... actually, na not really.
     
    I have a problem reading nonsense and tolerating irrational or outrageous (deemed by me of course) thoughts. Its not that you don't have a right to post about anything you want, its just that you are probably wrong if you feel like: 1) a particular trade makes sense for both teams 2) you've stumbled upon some diamond in the rough no MLB team has yet 3) you disagree with anything I post 4) you don't use stats for arguments (no saber is not from star wars). I don't want to automatically dismiss your posts (unless you meet said criteria), but feel we would all be better off there was a concentrated effort to correct it.
     
    That said, lets go over proper baseball discussion etiquette. Stats are king, as are direct quotes, video examples, and the occasional infatuation with young adult boys/men. I understand you think he's great, simma down naw... no need to ruin a good pair of shorts. Lets introduce thinking objectively and critically. Put yourself on the other side of the argument/discussion, what evidence could be used to persuade you? Does talking in circles and using straw-men work? No, lets try real evidence then. If the evidence does not support you then maybe you are wrong. Its ok, I find myself wrong often; I just do it before putting things out on a message board and defending false stance for 5 pages. Again, not everybody is me and appreciate individuality... to a point. Back on track. If you ever feel the need to use "clutch" "scrappy" "does the little things" or any of the other stupid cliches just do us all a favor and punch yourself in the face afterwards. You can post what you want, I would just appreciate you doing to yourself what I can't do when I read it.
     
    That is a little dose of elitism for everyone. I'm sure there will be more to come once the regular season starts and I start hearing how Plouffe is no good because he only hits HR's when nobody is on base, or how Correia is pitching well by only giving up 4 runs in 6 IP. Thinking about it already makes me want to punch somebody in the face.
  6. Badsmerf

    The Return of Plouffe

    By Badsmerf,

    Trevor Plouffe is going on a rehab assignment and will be back with the Twins on Monday if all goes well. He was quoted today saying only direct pressure applied to the nerve bothers him, and they have figured out a way to avoid this happening. On one hand, I'm worried for the people along the 1st base line in Rochester tomorrow, and on the other I will be smashing F5 to see if he hits a HR. It has almost been an entire month since he has been out of the line-up, so I want to retouch his break-out year (well, in the MLB at least).
     
    Looking through his stats, he had a well documented terrible start to the year. So bad, that up to May 12th he had a .480 OPS in 51 AB's. I'm going to omit that start for the sake of my analysis (I know its been done before, but I want to do it again lol). I'm considering May 10th since that is when he really started getting consistent playing time and I'm only taking away 40 AB's. His line from then, to when he got injured is .279/.328/.575, for an OPS about .900 through 219 AB's. A first half like this and Plouffe would be an all-star most years.
     
    To get an entire picture, guys like me look at his advanced stats and splits. Yes, his splits against RH pitchers aren't the greatest. However, he is suffering from a very unlucky BABIP (against both LH and RH) considering he has pretty good peripherals like almost a 20% LD rate for the whole year. Right now, his BABIP sits at .261, and his AVG .259. So, I think his numbers can get even better. I don't think his HR pace will continue, but at this point the sample size is just too small.
     
    Plouffe is a big reason why myself, and many others have watched this team this year. I'm even impressed with how his defense has progressed at 3b. The fielding stats don't show it, but he has passed the eye test IMO. Needless to say, I'm pumped to see him back and hope he can pick up where he left off. Thumb injuries are tricky though, and it remains to be seen if he can play through it.
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