TheLeviathan

Yes, but only our bloggers would count as "media". The initial reaction to this here was embarrassing. Like, STrib comment section embarrassing. But Nick is right that Reusse and others have stoked those fires. Plenty of blame to go around when it comes to Sano and Buxton, but I think that's what happens when you listen to a build up for a decade about two players, get glimpses of brilliance, but mostly disappointment. At that point it's all emotional reactions and facts won't matter. I appreciate that Reusse is trying to rise above emotions this time. It sounds like there is no blame to be had here. Just disappointment for the setback and hope it resolves as quickly as possible.

I'm not defending anyone, other than against the torches. I too, would like to see Sano stay a little safer in his choices to avoid injuries, but this sounds like dumb luck.

With all due respect, I'm not sure that is a fair characterization. I don't think there is one narrative here. LaBombo, Brock, Smerf, and myself are all clear independents. We have taken issue with all sorts of positions on both ends of things. I frequently buck the group here. While I agree there are a couple particular left-wing voices that are pretty unwilling to have dialogue, most are not in that group. The most common posters like Carole, Pseudo, Mike, etc. are pretty open to it. (Mostly, I'll admit lately that has teetered) What is asked for here is not necessarily facts as Smerf said, though those are always helpful, but good arguments based on good reasoning. Much of what we do is speculate and converse and sometimes there are not facts to be had. I think if you enter the discussion with good reasoning, there is room to have a wide range of conversations. I'd really like to see you pick something you think is counter to the narrative that you are hesitant to post. I can only speak for me, but I will happily try to engage you in without a harsh reaction but in the spirit of conversation. Also, I should point out, many times you get a reaction because that's all your entrance to the discussion warranted. If we're talking the wall on the southern border and I'm a lefty and I enter the conversation wtih "Anyone who wants border security is a racist"....well, there isn't much to understand or converse about there. Likewise with the flip side. I think the problem you cite about empathy has happened because we are so polarized that anyone who doesn't pass our purity test is shunned immediately and all discussions devolve into emotional outbursts. The first way to build an understanding and a dialogue sometimes is to stop and let the other person talk first. So, with that, if you so choose, I leave the floor to you.

Buxton's spring training performance was brutal last year but you dismissed that (and the equally putrid start to 2018) with injuries. Buxton struck out in one third of his plate appearances in the minors in 2018but yet, he "tore it up" and Sano was bad. (Despite, you know, better numbers). Buxton continues to have similar, reoccurring injury problems. Buxton has had long, crippling stretches of awful hitting. I hope all of those facts are included in that position breakdown as well. I dislike it when someone professes to be analyzing when they are actually doing something more like proselytizing. You are entitled to your opinion that Buxton is more likely to bust out for the Twins. But the amount of Ks he piled up in AAA, the amount of time he missed with injuries, and the putrid start he had last year should be parts of the analysis. I hope they are and it's not all rose-colored glasses and duckies and bunnies. Sano deserved criticism and optimism. Buxton deserves both too.

So the first page it's all Sano and the Twins fault? As Parker has told us more, those posts look apology-worthy. Sano had an accident happen and went to the doctor. Doctor took care of him. Twins check doctor's work and OK it. (So much so that plugged-in Reusse dismisses injury as irrelevant) A few weeks later the Twins re-check and healing isn't going as hoped. Que some of you losing your minds. You know what that scenario is? Bad luck. It happens in treating injuries all the time. No one is at fault. Should probably rethink how quick some of you grabbed the torches.

I'll be eager to see if this particular line stays the same for our other centerpiece player. Because it matches 100% for him as well. Also, no one is saying not to worry about Sano. I'm bullish on him but I'm still worried. Same for Buxton. Same for Kepler. Pointing out that there are positives with Sano is not saying there is nothing to worry about, that's a strawman you're creating.

It's not about focus, it's about how the numbers are interpreted. You called Byron Buxton's 2018 minor league stint with terms like "tearing it up" and then described Sano as "struggling". Which isn't born out by the numbers at all. (Especially if you want to look at strikeouts, because Buxton struck out at a higher rate than Sano did!) You have a personal perspective of optimism about Buxton and more skepticism about Sano. That's ok to say. But the analysis of their flaws/strengths need not involve that and it is clearly coloring this particular article.

I look forward to Byron Buxton,.600 OPS CFer, racking up WAR for us I suppose. World Series of WAR here we come! I would just prefer if your analysis on their offensive performances was more consistent. It's like watching someone taste test two glasses of the same pop and calling it Pepsi once and Whiskey the second time. We need significant offensive improvement from both players. And there are plenty of concerns and hopes to go around depending on what you cherry pick. I hope more analysis here weighs those pros and cons without the cherry picking or personal feelings is all.

It's disappointing to me that the party of strict constitutionalism thinks this is ok. But it would bother me even more if the judges that party put there to be strict constitutionalists would allow it to happen. At that point, any chance the Republicans can unburn the bridge to my vote might be gone.

This is a forum for discussion. If he'd like to PM people he can certainly do that, but the paragraph I quoted showed an interest, but reluctance to engage. If champ chooses not to answer my question, that's ok. I just offered the invite he felt was not open, it's up to him to take it or not. I would hope anyone who takes the time to post here will realize that people will respond to them here. If they would prefer for that not to happen, posting here makes very little sense.

Great post, while I agree that he was partially down to work on pitch recognition, there is definitely a glass half-full slant on Sano's concerns. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the exact opposite slant from Nick when it's Buxtons turn, with similar issues to face.

Before I ask this question, I'll preface it with this: I question the reasoning behind a number of left-wing positions. This forum is full of evidence for that. (I'm just equal opportunity is all) However, can you give an example of a Republican position or stance you're sympathetic to? One that you think would be unwelcome for discussion here?

I'm skeptical of bridging that gap. As you say, "vocational" is an ugly word and yet it shouldn't be at all. I think that's how deep the "you have to go to college!" branding has embedded itself in our culture. That's going to be a hard one to break especially since it almost requires an attack on what we call college today. The right is all too happy to do that (for the wrong reasons) but the left will be reticent to do that. (For some better reasons, but nevertheless problematic) I think I said it earlier, we almost need to force a hard break on what we know of as college today and pick up the pieces in more reasonable way. But, I'm even skeptical of that.

That is one problem, another problem is that people will not like the idea that their son or daughter is told they are not college material. Talk about a branding win....colleges have won the national conversation on the value of college to such a degree we view it as "essential". When, in reality, most careers could be done through vocational training or something much more akin to college-lite. I agree that minorities will probably get burned by such a system here, but I can't imagine the parents of many white kids will be particularly happy when the school basically tells them Johnny or Sally isn't smart enough for college. I think the answer lies along the lines of making 2 year, community, and vocational colleges free and make money available for actual college to a much narrower group of people with the skills and need.

Germany affords that with college because they do not let any Joe, Bob, or Sally go to college. Their educational system steers kids to or away from college at a much younger age based on intelligence. We have a lot of problems comparing ourselves to other countries because we are so unique. All of the countries Brock listed earlier are homogenous. When you don't have disparities of religion, race, ethnicity, etc......it's a helluva lot easier to craft social policy. Europe is getting a 1% bump from the Arab world and they are losing their **** about it. Just as one example. So I always hesitate when I see comparisons. Not that we can't learn from them, but we can't expect the same things to work the same way here.

Yup, that's why it's not what you sell that's important, but how you sell it. Dems have to resist branding their ideas as socialist if they want to win.

Nice, hard to be unhappy with this.

Guys, I consulted Youtube. Tide pods are food and Momo is real. Also, my kids are going to start opening toys for a living. If you disagree with me, don't bother, I will be plugging my ears with my fingers and saying "LALALA" really loudly until I pass out.

Totally agree a blocking TE would be helpful. I think Hockenson will be the best of a strong TE group.

I'm glad Hicks found himself, but as Ashbury notes: we dealt a pretty lost ballplayer at the time. I maintain the real issue wasn't the trade, it was the failure to help him reach this point. I wonder how many other talents we lost due to that and it gives me some hope we have righted those wrongs with this FO.

If you make the claim, proving it is up to you. That's how it works.

I love Hockenson. But we have to go o-line. I hope at least two of our first three picks go there. Josh Oliver out of San Diego might be around in the 2nd though.

Dozens of YouTube videos is not a trend. It's perhaps reason to look for trends with actual evidence but in and of itself it is a meaningless observation. Its not just "unscientific", it's far less than that without other corraboration. And perhaps worse, it shows a lack of interest in supporting claims with actual evidence.

When I think "accurate" I think likes on Youtube.

Assuming a CBA happens at all at this point....