Thrylos

Direct flight from Minneapolis does not matter as much as proximity to Fort Myers and Elizabethton.

Alright. Let me give you a business analogy, maybe this might help get my point across: A person is hired as an independent contractor in a commission basis to sell cars in a car dealership. The dealership does not pay him salary or benefits, all the money he is making comes from commissions from cars he sells for them. The dealership also has a repair shop. How would the people who own the dealership feel, if the guy, along with every car he sold, passed out a discount book for car shop services from a competitor? THAT simple. And No financial skin? The Twins are trotting a mufti-million dollar investment every day in Beloit (player bonuses) to play. If they did not do that, then it is tractor pulls and all you can eat cheese curd contests for those guys...

With career years from both, this team might win the Central and then it will be 3 and out as usual.

Stuff that late 70s and 80s Rockers put on their face (See: KISS) Not to be confused with "eye black", even though for some people (See: Doumit, Ryan) has the same results. BTW, according to their criteria Frankie Viola, Randy Johnson and Dwight Gooden were not "number 1" pitchers.

The issue I have with those definitions is that they are all subjective. And every definition that uses "makeup" as a factor, really turns me off. About as good as Blyleven's (who called Diamond an "Ace" in last night's telecast.)

Exaggeration. First season they were testing for Steroids was 2005. Penalties got stiffer in 2006. But HGH testing is a different story and what they were testing for (and how) the earlier years of the policy was different.

Reality: This is a season that the Twins are having the second worst record in the AL (and are a couple games over the team with the worst record) after a season that they had the worst record. Shall we be happy about it and start talking about how great this team is? There are individual positive things, but overall, the last 2 seasons are there with the late 90s Twins teams.... Sad but REAL. And if anyone is happy with the way the Twins have been performing this season, he/she is probably a White Sox fan or something Not a matter of glass half full or half empty. The glass is on the floor shuttered in a million pieces...

THAT Jose Lopez? The one who had a couple stellar years with the Mariners, including hitting a bunch of HRs, before they started testing and then he has been trying to hit what Butera is hitting with 3-4 organizations and failed miserably?

Beg to differ Revere leads Span in wOBA, wRC+, WAR and each of AVE, OBP and SLG (and OPS of course). As far as WAR goes, 2.8 vs 2.7 (Revere vs. Span), there is a 4 point bonus Span's way because of the position (-2.7 for Revere and +1.3 for Span). Put Revere where he belongs (CF) and he would be leading the whole team in WAR. In other words we would be a 6-7 WAR Centerfielder. (Ain't that "elite" ?) Just sayin'

um.... MIL a contender? I guess as much as the Twins are The Phillies will be all out for a lead-off man/CF this off-season, and Span would be a perfect fit for them. Revere too, but Span and the Phillies will be a match made in heaven and the Twins could get a nice return back.

The regular season ends exactly 3 weeks from today (8/28) but the will make the post-season and have a couple of makeup games as well

Correct on my belief that Beloit will not be a Twins' affiliate next season. But A. Not A-. Just A (and I know a lot of people call the Midwest league -and the South Atlantic League- "low A" to distinguish from the "high A" Florida State and Carolina and California Leagues, but it isn't.) "A-" or "low A" or "short season A" is a totally different level of competition akin to Elizabethton and the other teams of Appalachian league because their seasons start after the draft. Teams in the New York Penn League and Northwestern League are low A teams. So 3 levels of "A" ball (as 3 levels of Rookie ball )

Revere matters and to make myself clear: Span has a higher likehood of backsliding than Revere based on: a. Revere is a better player right now b. Span's major medical issues (concussion and inner ear - yes they are asymptomatic now, but not sure for how long) c. Revere is before his prime right now while Span at 29 next season will be at the apex of his prime and will be downhill from then And yes Revere does matter and I think that he will give the Twins a better possibility of competing than Span.

I am saying that they will be in A ball in the season after they were drafted (which is next season). Mauer is the exception. He signed early so like those guys ended up playing Rookie ball the season he was drafted and A ball the season after he was drafted. (And he was Mauer and he was pushed). Most of the other High Schoolers singed around August 15 or so, so they did not have much time to play the season they were drafted and started in E-town or GCL the season after they were drafted.

Let me put it this way: Mandelaro and I have talked quite a few times on the subject And I kind of get the natives' point of view, but without the Twins (or other MLB teams), they would have no teams (or good luck at the Independent Leagues). And by pushing their history vs. the Twins' history (esp. when there is conflict) alienates Twins fans and it is not respecting their contract. And there are more Twins' fans than Beloit fans, who watch Beloit games. When let to their own audience (i.e. non-travelling Twins' fans) they have 140 people in the ballpark. Would it be wrong to give out a Sano bobblehead instead ? Past is past, but it is the Twins who are putting butts on the seats and players on the field right now. Of course, my point of view is that of a Twins' fan who does not live there and root for the MLB local team and not the Twins. Sometimes I kind of like what the Yankees do, which is call most of their minor league affiliates Yankees. Solves those type of problems and helps convert the natives...

and 2014. He was a September callup in 2011. He has 2 more option years. This was his first option season.

Because: a. he is younger b. he is cheaper c. he is better now d. Span will probably bring something more e. Span will be over the hill sooner (when the Twins will be competitive) f. unless the Twins get starting pitching what Revere does will not matter and g. by then Hicks/Buxton/Benson will be ready. Want more reasons?

You got to open up to minor and independent league ballparks. There is where the real fun is from the American Legion Post 325 Field in Dan Daniel Memorial Park, home of the Appalachian League Danville Braves to Classic Park, home of the Lake County Captains of the South Atlantic League to Florida Auto Exchange Stadium home of the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League, to Haymarket Park, home of the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association, to HoHoKam Park home of the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League to Home of the OWLZ, home of the Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League, to LaGrave Field, home of the Fort Worth Cats of the American Association,to Rent One Park, home of the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League and everything in between... Now if you look at extinct ball park names, it is even more fun...

I think that it is silly to even think about trading the younger guy who hasn't reached his prime yet and is making minimum and has a higher WAR and more years of team control than the older guy who is signed to a reasonable contact. They got to trade Span. Revere will be a better player (he is a better player now ) and Span's value will not be much higher (because of the contract and because of the risk)

There is a difference and has to do with moving up the signing deadline this season. For all of the guys you are mentioning, their first pro season was the season after the one they were drafted, unlike Buxton and Berrios. If these two start next season in A ball (won't be Beloit, but some other place), it would be the equivalent of Revere and Hicks (or another high schooler) starting their pro seasons in A ball, which just hasn't happened with the Twins.

I said this in an earlier thread too: This season Morneau has been an around 1 WAR guy. Will probably finish around 1.5-2 for the season. Next season if everything goes well, he will be a 2-3 WAR guy. Parmelee can easily cover at least half of that (realistic/pessimistic scenario, not optimistic. He had 1.3 WAR last season in a single month or so -WAR is an additive, not a rate stat btw; likely he will match it but I am not even going there). So, if the Twins can get a 2-3+ WAR SP either for Morneau or with his $14M for 2013, they will be ahead. This means that even if they get what they got for Valencia they will be ahead if they get a good pitcher with the cash... Just math and who is available behind Morneau and what the needs of this club are...

Interesting. Add this to the list of unusual for the Twins minor league moves this season. If I were to venture a guess, I'd say that I would not be surprised if Jim Rantz officially announces his retirement in September/October. These look to me like someone else's moves...

Originally posted at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- Here is this week's installment: The Danny Valencia trade to the Boston Red Sox last Sunday is old news, but if you have not checked it yet, here is a mini scouting report of Jeremias Pineda, the Dominican switch-hitting Center Fielder the Twins received in return. Speaking of the Danny Valencia trade, here. here are a couple of reactions on his trade by current Twins' players. Danny's reactions are here: part 1, part 2 and part 3. Here is an article by Tom Powels lamenting the Twins' inertia during the trade deadline and discussing Terry Ryan's stuck in the past methods. Can you believe that AJ Pierzunski did that and did not leave Target Field with a ball on the helmet? Reason is that he was too much of a coward to start in the Wednesday game. But the Twins are playing the White Sox again... The Twins have signed 18 year old Australian RHP Josh Guyer. He will join the team in Spring Training. This is what he looks like. Apparently he is pretty good with the bat also. This article is as close as it comes to talk about his skills. It is mentioned that he is throwing the ball at 150 kph (this is 93.2 mph), which is alright for a high school kid. On the organizational movement front: I decided that minor league transactions deserve their own space, so you can find them all here (most recent on top) on a weekly basis. I will be updating every Saturday. Listening to Bert Blyleven trying pronounce Samuel Deduno's last name, makes me think of If you wonder how glamorous team meals in the minors are, check this out RHP Lester Oliveros has been shut down and will have surgery to clear bone chips from his pitching elbow. And, speaking of MLB-ready relievers, Anthony Slama was assigned to the GCL yesterday for a rehab assignment. Chris Parmelee was named International League hitter of the week for last week. Here is an interesting article on him The Twins are about to be attacked (or at least some Twins' fans) by those of Leeds United a British Premier League Football (Soccer) Club Speaking of places that do not like the Twins, you might want to add Rochester, NY and Beloit, WI, which seem to have lost the priviledge to host a Twins' minor league affilate for 2013 and beyond. I expect announcements to this effect to come on September 1st (the first day franchises can announce new affiliations officially.) To add insult to injury, the Beloit Snappers were giving away bobbleheads of Price Fielder in a Milwaukee uniform. Last time I checked, the guy is playing for one of the major Twins' rivals. Not too good. Because I did not mention it before and I have not seen it mentioned widely: The Twins signed a 30-year committment to their Spring Training facilities at Lee County (Fort Myers) after the county voted to do the improments they required. On related news, Lee County is intensifying its efforts to get a third team in the area to occupy the old Red Sox' facilities. Another former Twins' player is reaching his potential. It is called entering his prime nad not giving up on players before their prime (something the Twins are not exactly great about.) Here is a contest where fans pick current AAA players who will have the most impact as September call ups. The Twins' AAA representative is Pedro Florimon. I think that speaks volumes The Twins' product of the week is the Minnesota Twins Slingbackhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=biowriters&l=as2&o=1&a=B005H14GZW; hey it's back to school shopping time. The parting shot today is of Tsuyoshi Nisioka (and his sidekick Ryo Shinkawa - never leaves home without it) who was recalled with the Twins Sunday, after Danny Valencia was traded to the Boston Red Sox and his made his MLB-debut for this season last night at Cleveland: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7720566978_a3c5fc2c4a_o.jpg

Originally posted at The Tenth Inning Stretch --- Here is this week's installment: The Danny Valencia trade to the Boston Red Sox last Sunday is old news, but if you have not checked it yet, here is a mini scouting report of Jeremias Pineda, the Dominican switch-hitting Center Fielder the Twins received in return. Speaking of the Danny Valencia trade, here. here are a couple of reactions on his trade by current Twins' players. Danny's reactions are here: part 1, part 2 and part 3. Here is an article by Tom Powels lamenting the Twins' inertia during the trade deadline and discussing Terry Ryan's stuck in the past methods. Can you believe that AJ Pierzunski did that and did not leave Target Field with a ball on the helmet? Reason is that he was too much of a coward to start in the Wednesday game. But the Twins are playing the White Sox again... The Twins have signed 18 year old Australian RHP Josh Guyer. He will join the team in Spring Training. This is what he looks like. Apparently he is pretty good with the bat also. This article is as close as it comes to talk about his skills. It is mentioned that he is throwing the ball at 150 kph (this is 93.2 mph), which is alright for a high school kid. On the organizational movement front: I decided that minor league transactions deserve their own space, so you can find them all here (most recent on top) on a weekly basis. I will be updating every Saturday. Listening to Bert Blyleven trying pronounce Samuel Deduno's last name, makes me think of If you wonder how glamorous team meals in the minors are, check this out RHP Lester Oliveros has been shut down and will have surgery to clear bone chips from his pitching elbow. And, speaking of MLB-ready relievers, Anthony Slama was assigned to the GCL yesterday for a rehab assignment. Chris Parmelee was named International League hitter of the week for last week. Here is an interesting article on him The Twins are about to be attacked (or at least some Twins' fans) by those of Leeds United a British Premier League Football (Soccer) Club Speaking of places that do not like the Twins, you might want to add Rochester, NY and Beloit, WI, which seem to have lost the priviledge to host a Twins' minor league affilate for 2013 and beyond. I expect announcements to this effect to come on September 1st (the first day franchises can announce new affiliations officially.) To add insult to injury, the Beloit Snappers were giving away bobbleheads of Price Fielder in a Milwaukee uniform. Last time I checked, the guy is playing for one of the major Twins' rivals. Not too good. Because I did not mention it before and I have not seen it mentioned widely: The Twins signed a 30-year committment to their Spring Training facilities at Lee County (Fort Myers) after the county voted to do the improments they required. On related news, Lee County is intensifying its efforts to get a third team in the area to occupy the old Red Sox' facilities. Another former Twins' player is reaching his potential. It is called entering his prime nad not giving up on players before their prime (something the Twins are not exactly great about.) Here is a contest where fans pick current AAA players who will have the most impact as September call ups. The Twins' AAA representative is Pedro Florimon. I think that speaks volumes The Twins' product of the week is the Minnesota Twins Slingbackhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=biowriters&l=as2&o=1&a=B005H14GZW; hey it's back to school shopping time. The parting shot today is of Tsuyoshi Nisioka (and his sidekick Ryo Shinkawa - never leaves home without it) who was recalled with the Twins Sunday, after Danny Valencia was traded to the Boston Red Sox and his made his MLB-debut for this season last night at Cleveland: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7720566978_a3c5fc2c4a_o.jpg

Is Morneau wearing his cup?