Thrylos

Few thoughts: - I think that TD should a. figure out what problem it solves for its audience and b. focus on its strengths and not focus on trying to fix weaknesses, unless there are some really glaring ones. Figuring out why we all are coming here and staying here and returning here, and base-lining your audience should be the first step. - About writing and this blogging thing: It has it's ups and downs. If you look at the blogging industry these days, it is definitely a down time. Look at writers like LaVelle and Howard Sinker. LaVelle used to write daily pretty much. Sinker twice a week. Even Gleeman does nor write much any more. Podcasts, vlogs/youtube, twitter etc are the thing now. - Writing just to write every day it does take its toll, esp. if you are doing it as a hobby. Looking back to my blog the last 10 years: in the beginning I was at 170's post/year, peaking at 242 posts in 2013 and then sticking around 70 each of the past 4 years. And from those, about 10-15 are daily reports from ST, and 10 more prospect count downs, so my comfort zone is about a post a week. Or so. When I have something to say. - I think that (and that is an opinion that should probably be checked) audience comes to a sports blog site not to get informed about something as soon as something happens (twitter is wonderful for that) or to find what happened in yesterday's game (can't beat beat writers for that), but to hear a particular point of view, find out stuff that cannot find out anywhere else (like Seth's minors info, prospect interviews etc, or Parker's breakdown of particular individual tendencies etc) or (and this is a particularly strong point for TD) to vent (in the forums.) - The other thing I got to mention is that you all need to figure out what you are: bloggers or journalists. If you are the latter, with access, it is hard to criticize fairly the organization. If e.g. St. Peter is your buddy, you just cannot be critical about him e.g. hosting school football games and tearing up the ballpark for no reason. Or e.g. if Goin is your buddy, you just e.g. cannot celebrate that the Twins went another way, because based on the results, he was ineffective. - Find out what you can do and are doing different than others (hint: the forum, and specific exclusive content mentioned) and do it better and do more of it...

Can he pitch?

We are not. This was regarding the comparison of Santana's and Lincecum's peaks, and a peak cannot be more than 4-5 years, esp in a short career. Career-wise, Santana is 120th in fWAR behind Mike Mussina, Tommy John, Curt Schilling, Kevin Brown, Andy Pettitte, Rick Reuschel, Jim Bunning, Juan Marichal, Dwight Gooden, Chuck Finley, David Wells, Frank Tanana, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, etc. and behind some contemporaries lilke CC Sabathia and Cole Hamels, who are short of Hall of Fame pitchers as well. If you got to get Santana there because of his "peak", at least Gooden (another pitcher whose career was cut short) and Lincecum should also be in the discussion. That' why the Lincecum comparison (who, of course, like Santana, I don't see as a Hall of Famer)

7 years is too long. 2008-11 Lincicum: 2.81 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 1.173 WHIP, 997 K, 23.1 fWAR, 2 CY 2004-07 Santana: 2.89 ERA, 3.14 FIP, 0.990 WHIP, 983 K, 24.6 fWAR, 1 CY I'd say that they are pretty darn close.

Any thesis supporting someone for induction to the HOF, which has 'what ifs' as its major arguments, it is a detriment to that player's candidacy. Johan Santana and Joe Mauer were dominant for about 5-6 seasons each. That's not a hall of fame career. Santana's and Mauer's career kinda mirror Doc Gooden's and Dale Murphy's / Don Mattingly's. With those guys out of the Hall plus others like Dave Parker, Mike Mussina, etc out of the Hall, Santana and Mauer, just does not deserve it. Tim Lincecum is another interesting comparable to Santana as well. Even more dominant than Santana in his peak. Does he deserve to be in the HOF?

Sano, Gibson, May, Escobar, and E. Santana need to be in the list and are more realistic than several of the above names; the first 4 should be untradable.

Great to have those in one place for future reference. Thanks! bit of nitpicking. It is Ramon Borrego not Borrega

I am not sure what they have seen in Kinley because he is the devil you don't know. But I am impressed that they have not seen enough of Buddy Bo (esp) and Slegers to give their spots to Burdi and Bard. Those are both replacement level (and below) devils they should know by now. On the other hand, there must have something against Burdi because they tried to trade him to Atlanta last summer.

Not the place they need to upgrade, but they got to be opportunistic and do their due diligence. Also Yelich wants a trade and the Twins should see if they can have a package. That said, baseball is not football and contracts are binding for both sides. I suspect that Miami would like to build on these two instead of trading them.at this point. And they do not have any choice. They either show up and get paid or not and don't play and don't get paid until their contract ends.

The Angel grade is conditional on Otani not having Tommy John surgery and sitting most of 2018 and part of 2019, which is a possibility that should not be discounted. Kinda silly to assign off-season grades before ST starts, IMHO

I beg to differ. If Rodney implodes, the same way that Perkins imploded the second half of 2015, and has the same leash, it will cost the Twins potentially the post-season, like Perkins did back then. Crappy relievers cost ballgames. That's the risk here. Not the $. Allegedly the Twins are competing.

Referring to Otani and the Angels?

Buddy Boshers begs to differ

I sure hope that he is not the closer. Won't mind him as a 7th-8th inning guy, but the Twins need better and younger end of the pen arms. And I hope they make a rule about wearing ballcaps the proper way.

Rodney's ball cap

Before he threw a pitch for the Yankees he tore his labrum and had surgery. Was out all of 2012 and in the minors in 2013. In the DL with shoulder issues and short minor league rehab assignments in 2014 and 2015 and healthy finally in 2016 and 2017 until he got his elbow issue. Velo went down after the shoulder surgery and close to 2011 last season. They must think that the shoulder is fine to pull the trigger, but I see this more of a rink than the elbow. On the other hand, given the fact that he got less than Swarzak $, he can be in the pen if it does not work out.

Good move for 2019. Need at least one more top of the rotation starter for 2018, preferably 2

Which would have been 15th highest (smack dead in the middle) on opening day 2017. That's the minimum they need to be.

Stroman: 12.2 % K-BB%, 3.90 FIP, 1.31 WHIP/.310 BABIP = 1.23 normalized WHIP. Those are Berrios' numbers or slightly worse (14.4% K-BB% 3.84 FIP, 1.23 WHIP/.289 BABIP), and he is 3 years older. In order to compete deep into the post-season, the Twins need 2 SP better than Berrios, and Stroman is not one of them. That's what I am thinking. bWAR and all. Stroman might make a nice closer down the road for some team.

A. The Twins paid Joe Nathan $11.25M per year from 2009-11. In today's market, that's about $15M equivalent B. Those 3 names listed are kinda plan D to me. Rodney? Seriously? I would not mind the Twins bringing Nicasio or Kintzler back as 7th or 8th inning guys. That's where they fit in a contender. C. Wade Davis is still around. Also, there are better options in trades. And the Twins need at least 3 back of the pen arms to contend deeply. Long ways to go, but there still is time. And it does suck that they passed on Morrow and few others.

And Morrow, and Hunter, and Neshek, and Petit.

No way. The only Jay who is really intriguing is Roberto Osuna. Donaldson is over the hill and will be displacing a potentially better player. Romero might be better than Stroman as is. Just way too much

If they want to bring him back, he will come back. Or if they sign Darvish, they might bring him back. Garver on the other hand, needs to get an opportunity. Not a spring chicken any more.

Not.Quite.Everyone

After 2008. Yankees. CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett.