kab21
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Everything posted by kab21
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This seems to add about as much to the analysis as my mistrust of white non EU bigs. In this draft outside of the top 2 there are going to be a ton of question marks. Not really. Lavine should play 30+ m/g next season so Hield is limited to whatever Lavine doesn't play unless there is a team that has a really small lineup. My ideal pick would be a bigger wing that could back up both Lavine and Wiggins and then get 30 min/g. But I am not as interested in a multi-year project at this point so getting a guy that has a good chance to contribute right away but only plays 15 minutes isn't a bad choice.
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Making Sense Of The Final Roster Decisions
kab21 replied to Nick Nelson's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
I don't understand the willingness to let Tonkin go. He averages 94mph, has a 3.35 career MLB ERA, a 2.65 AAA ERA, gets a lot of GB's and hasn't actually given up a lot of hits.- 72 replies
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- ricky nolasco
- tyler duffey
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It is no doubt still a big jump but with an upperclassman you can hope to have moments where he is useful the 1st year and he should be solid in the 2nd year. Some of these guys at around the #5 spot seem about as ready as Tyus Jones. Kind of like how Lavine was regarded. He has progressed faster than expected but would he have gotten as many chances with a sort of competitive team.
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Does Kris Dunn interest anyone as a backup PG and a plan B to Rubio's injuries? Can Tyus become a competent PG? I continue to see project project players (Jaylen or Ellenson) or Hield (has to backup Lavine) as possible picks. Hield seems like he could step right into the 2nd unit and not only contribute but be one of the better players I was also just thinking of the trading down angle for Brice Johnson or similar lower upside but ready player.
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Bad teams have a plan B that consists of Pedro Florimon and James Beresford (I like him) types. When plan A fails (and it has repeatedly for the Twins recently) then they are stuck with an absolute disaster for the remainder of the season. Good teams have a plan B that consists of a Jorge Polanco level prospect and when an injury happens or complete ineffectiveness of a starter then they can plug in a guy and not take a big step back. Depth is not a bad thing. Jorge is 22 and his talent isn't being wasted by spending time in the minors when superior players are playing in front of him at the MLB level. Perhaps if he was 25 and he was in his 3rd straight year of AAA dominance but he has a total of 22 GP in AAA.
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Yes but one draft pick and one solid FA signing could completely change the 2nd unit. Of course there is a good chance that the Wolves end up with a project pick and a has been FA and neither help much next year.
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I think Horford is even less likely to come to MN but PF is an even bigger need than a wing. I haven't formed an opinion of Bender. Ellenson might be a good fit but I have a natural prejudice against white (non EU) bigs although that Kevin Love guy worked out. My main goal this offseason would be to add a PF that could rotate with Dieng and Towns at the 4/5 or to add a wing that could rotate with Wiggins and Lavine at the 2/3. Hield is a nice fit as a 15+ minute guy backing up Lavine and then Shabazz gets 15 minutes backing up Wiggins. The Wolves biggest need (other than experience/development) is a 2nd team that won't get killed out there.
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Seems like Hield is a safe pick if the Wolves stay at #5 and any true PF would be a reach. But that means that Hield and Lavine can't play together ever and Wiggins would have to guard 3's all of the time. Is it possible for the Wolves to trade/package the pick for something that can help. The team actually looks kind of good right now with Lavine blowing up in addition to Towns and Wiggins. And rubio is finishing the season really strong. They just need to fill out the 6th-8th man rotation spots or preferably find a starting wing or PF. Seems like signing Batum, Parsons or Barnes to a max contract would be perfect for them but it seems unlikely that any of them come to MN.
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You don't trade a really good player because you have a borderline top 100 prospect. Polanco could be an excellent player but that would be a really risky move.
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I think it is a pretty fair take and something people should keep in mind when they say 'better than Dozier'.
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I would expect Towns to be the anchor/center defensively and match up against the interior player but on offense it seems that he would be used in more of a perimeter role. And the bigger point - Is it worth it to distinguish between PF and C unless one of those guys is a classic C (Howard, Jordan, Whiteside, Drummond, etc...) that has no perimeter skills? The Wolves seem to playing a lineup with 2 guys that function as perimeter bigs. And truly Towns is almost like a SF/wing on offense that happens to be 7 feet tall and can guard the opposing big man. It is great to see the the 5 most talented players on the floor together. Despite the losses I am more confident in this team becoming a 50 win team within 2 years and could conceive them being a true contender. They still need to fill out a strong 8-9 man rotation but they have an awesome core of young players.
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Is Dieng actually playing PF? Is distinguishing between PF and C a futile distinction? I think the Wolves can almost look for the best player available in the draft/FA. Ideal pickup would be a larger wing player that can shoot 3's and play D. I am not sure how you can have any sort of opinion on Bjelica. He has been injured when he has played and has played a total of 37 minutes in a month and a half. He has the skillset that works really well for the Wolves and in the current NBA.
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Ricky Implies He Won't Go Quietly to the Pen
kab21 replied to nicksaviking's topic in Minnesota Twins Talk
Reality has not really set in for Ricky I guess. The reality Ervin Hughes Gibson Duffey Milone Berrios May* this is not a list of pitchers that are better than him but rather just the ones that will be in the rotation. May is starred because he could be. -
This article starts out rather negatively regarding Rubio but... http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14903208/minnesota-attempt-send-ricky-rubio-speaks-volumes
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I am not surprised that Kevin Martin had to be bought out in order to get rid of him. The Wolves have finally settled on a rotation of Wiggins, Lavine and Muhammad on the wings with Prince and Rudez picking up PT scraps. For better or worse this has opened up PT for Tyus at the point. They haven't necessarily improved but this is a lost season anyway and the players that need to develop are getting minutes where they need to be playing so I can't complain. It looks like they can't be worse than 5th in the lottery so they should be able to add a pretty solid player to their young rotation. The question remains of whether or not these pieces fit together as a whole and as a combinations (Gorgui/Towns and Lavine/Wiggins) but I am kind of excited that the Wolves actually have skilled young players. That is at least a start. Towns is AWESOME.
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And if you mention this type of criticism to a Trump supporter they will just go off on Benghazi. And if you push them to concede that this specific action is completely and totally wrong they will still filibuster about something else. The support that Trump is getting is absolutely absurd considering he has basically put forth zero policy statements with reasonable plans of action on how to achieve them. Besides the 'I am a great negotiator' and 'I am a winner' type of quotes.
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This thread is a whole lot about nothing. Sano was always going to be a poor 3B defensively and many had long predicted a move from the position. Just let him hit. That is all he needs to do. The more interesting dilemna will be if he plays 1B if mauer's injuries strike again and he is sidelined for a significant period of time. Park of course can also play 1B but would they want Sano in the field some instead of DH'ing full time. Let's say the OF is Buxton, Rosario and Kepler by that point and all of them are far superior OF'ers to Sano.
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We will have to agree to disagree. Barnes is probably more like #10-15 on that list because some players are either 35 or not going anywhere. 23 yr old wings are going to get big contracts even if they haven't played like stars yet. Mostly because absolutely stupid money is going to get spent this offseason. Pekovic's money doesn't factor at all with any moves the Wolves are going to make. Unless they need it to match a trade with another team. And that player would be off the books well before there was any concern about long term offers to Towns or Wiggins.
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I think you are going to have to recalibrate the type of player that is going to be getting near max money this offseason. I predict that Barnes is going to have multiple offers of near max money and one of them will be from the Warriors (unless they go in a radically different direction). I am all for signing a guy like McLemore but Pekovic's salary doesn't restrict the team from doing anything including a near max player and it could potentially be used to pick up a disgruntled and overpaid 2nd tier star. Instead of competing with 20 teams that can offer a max salary that player has no choice except playing for the Wolves.
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You want to replace Rubio with some random veteran because the Wolves haven't made the playoffs since Rubio arrived and things can't get much worse w/o him. That is dreadfully awful analysis until that random veteran (or draft pick) has a name and is on the Wolves roster. Things can certainly get much worse than having Rubio at PG. In a way this team is almost perfect for Rubio to run since there are some shooters all over the court especially if it is a Rubio - Lavine - Wiggins - Dieng - Towns lineup.
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It looks like you are sticking to your awful player analysis. Rubio's teams were bad so therefore he must have been bad. Keep it up. Yes, things could get much worse and I would rather not waste Towns and Wiggins best years with a black hole at PG.
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Worst argument ever. Until this season Rubio had Kevin Love, Pekovic (1/2 time) and a bunch of players that struggle to be in a good team's playing rotation much less the starting lineup. Stephen Curry (probably) would have made the playoffs with those teams but nobody is saying that Rubio is Curry (KAHN!). His shooting limits how good he is but unless you definitely have a better replacement picked up then you are playing a dangerous, dangerous game by getting rid of a good (but not great) PG.
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I didn't actually say that GS would offer Barnes a near max deal. This is an offseason where everybody has max money (20+ teams according to ESPN) to go after a limited number of FA's. Chances are the Wolves aren't the most desirable location to go to. And actually the Warriors can offer Barnes a near max deal. ESPN (and others) are figuring out ways that GS can sign Durant (losing Barnes and 1-2 other role players). http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14827602/should-warriors-make-move-sign-kevin-durant Pekovic's salary and its effect on the cap is essentially meaningless with the cap explosion. The only way it affects things is if the Wolves sign a max player and probably a second player which I think is really unlikely.
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I am not sure that the Twins are going to be able to sign a guy like Harrison even if they overpay. Next offseason is going to be crazy. The best way to acquire that type is to trade for them and they basically don't have a choice to come to the Wolves. In order to pull that type of trade off the Wolves will need an outgoing salary to include. That is Pekovic (and to a lesser extent Martin).
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It is about time that the 5 most talented players played together. 30+ minutes from Rubio, Lavine, Wiggins, Dieng and Towns with Shabazz chipping in 20 minutes. Now perhaps this lineup matches up well with the Celtics but they appear to have clicked together. The defense wasn't very good but play these guys so you know what holes need to be filled this offseason. You won't know until everyone has played together. I am not surprised at all that Martin has no trade value. Payne surprises me a little. He seems like that solid blue collar big man that can play 10-15 mins/game as a #8-10 man in the rotation. The only problem is that that Wolves have too many bigs and not enough roster spots. I don't care what happens to Pekovic but I would keep him if only to have a big contract available to trade (stupid NBA trade rules). I am convinced that the only way that the Wolves can land a good to great player is by taking a bigger contract from another team. Some sort of disgruntled minor star or player that doesn't otherwise fit on their team. FA's won't be signing here or they will be #3/4's getting overpaid (near the max) like Enes Kanter.
