TheLeviathan

Really solid deadline for the Twins. Hopefully one or two of these players will really help the club in the long-term. Time to get a good look at some guys these last two months and hopefully gear up for a fun offseason.

It's time to start expecting him to be hurt all the time. He's brittle.

These are a lot of good points to ponder. I think people have always struggled with the dynamic of thinking and acting, social media has just made that phenomenon instant and global. The how question is tricky, but it's super important to discuss. Look at Roseanne - she said some offensive and awful, was castigated for it, and fired because it isn't her first time. Josh Hader? It seems like the level of condemnation is appropriate....but what should we say about people literally combing through twitter accounts looking for offenses. James Gunn had already shown contrition prior to someone doing that to him, that didn't seem to move the needle. If contrition and resolve to be a better person is irrelevant once one has said something offensive.....well what do we want then? Which would lead me to another example - August Ames. There were those in her mob that not only drove her to suicide but reveled in the result. What makes the social mobbing so dangerous is that it comes from those that are largely anonymous - giving them no reason to show caution, consider context, or display empathy. They can attack with impunity. And they do so over a medium that is impossible for many to escape. This is where the bullying parallel is apt - for some, once the ball gets rolling, there is no escape from it. There is only the relentless, aggressive attacks. And let's not pretend these sorts of mobs only form around the most egregious and obvious cases. They clearly don't. (I don't think you believe this, but clearly there are others in the thread willing to ignore this fact) This has become a fashionable way to tear down those you disagree with. It has basically been weaponized. So while I support the handling of Roseanne and I support (though am wary of how they were unearthed) the condemnation of Hader, I can also point to a lot of examples where this approach is not only unfair but outright dangerous. No one, of any political affiliation, would stand for violent mobs dragging these people from their homes and inflicting physical punishment. But somehow, because the hoods we wear aren't literal but instead the anonymity of the internet, and the punishment is emotional - look aside how visceral and dangerous it is. That, in and of itself, is pretty dangerous to me. I don't like it. I'm all about eliminating racism, but it seems to me we can slay King Kong without raising Godzilla.

It's a lot of money, I'm not sure I'd have done it. But as a fan? I can't complain. Plus, the Vikings really seem to know their stuff on the salary cap.

That post is so ridiculous. Jesus man.

We got live human beings for Lance Lynn. Trade win.

Perfect, this was perfect. It does seem like most of the people resisting the direction of the FO are stuck in this. And some of the justifications or arguments against it? Woofta. We're arguing about how great 8% odds are and how critical a blow it is that Ryan Pressley won't be on the 2019 Twins. I want to give some of you a hug. You're so far out of your rational minds on this I feel nothing other than the need to console you. Seek help. Go cry into a bottle of Tequila about April-July. But rejoin us when you've sobered up and gone through the stages guys. This is thte right call.

To me the value is in clearing a roster spot for someone we can look at going forward. The return is irrelevant to me.

Brian Dozier may just have gone permanent pumpkin. He's not at an age with middle-infielders that is very encouraging going forward. I would consider the QO if they can't find a deal, but I only do so hoping he can rebuild value again and deal him off. If he has gone pumpkin, that QO is the last dollar I pay him.

I don't think the two mobs hold the same degree of power and, in part, I think that stupid ovation in Milwaukee should be taken as a note of caution, not something to feel emboldened by. Was that ovation driven from support of racism or opposition to the mob mentality? I think it's the latter...and that's a problem. We have exceeded shaming in these twitter mobs. People have had careers ruined, people have committed suicide...I think it's really disingenuous to suggest that this has been held to shaming. In Hader's case...it seems that way. But not in many other cases. Make no mistake, the mob mentality is growing. Just because you happen to agree with the mob's intentions today, doesn't mean you will tomorrow. That's why it's so important to fight back poor tactics even if you agree with the larger goal. In the end, you undermine your own goal in the long-term for short-term self-fulfillment. These issues are too important for that.

My concern with the mobbing isn't the pressure for contrition or redemption, I think that's appropriate. It's when the pressure ramps up beyond that, when contrition and redemption are dismissed as even possible. I am a firm believer that zero tolerance approaches lead to spectacular failures. They often cause more damage to a cause than if they never existed and many innocents suffer in the meantime. These issues are too important, we should resist anything that looks like zero tolerance. Even if the intentions are noble.

Since this is about selling, I thought this was worth posting here.

I think you'll just see a lot more locked private accounts as opposed to real change. But, again, I'm well aware of my pessimism. I do think there are two separate but related problems here. The behavior itself is stupid and in need of improvement. I also think the reactions are not helpful either, at least in terms of the approach and the demands that accompany them. Racism and insensitivity are terrible and we should work to eradicate them. Social mobbing may not be as far behind as we thought. Especially if the worst of the right have also embraced it.

I guess I have a hard time seeing a team as a contender if they can't win more games than they lose over 100 games. And if you're not a contender....why act like one?

Is it that the Dodgers put their players at multiple positions or that they specifically targeted players to acquire who already possess that trait?

You're more optimistic than I. I'm not sure it will really have that outcome and even if it does change some...is it outweighed by the push-back that results? I don't know, I want to agree with you, I just don't have that much faith in humanity I guess.

That's a fair question, but he's also pushing to get players to have multiple positions under their belt. I wonder how many players can suck terribly at one position but offer solid play at multiple other ones? That seems counter-intuitive. (It might be true, I am skeptical)

I don't know that Eddie could. I feel like one of the best ways to trainwreck your season is to march out bad defenses.

You're supposed to. Get with the times man! Social media and calling out bad behavior in general has become really, really toxic to the basic concept of society/civility. I don't think it can be over-stated how negative this trend is.

RB....do you not remember how brutal Plouffe was at shortstop? Dozier wasn't much better.

Escobar was a free agent. Is Pressley the difference between contending and not contending in 2019? You don't think that seems a bit silly? We all want to see a pennant race, but we are sitting here on July 29th 8 games under .500. We haven't been .500 since April 22nd. Some of these complaints are really misguided - they come off as frustration with a lost season being leveled indiscriminately. The FO is making the right call, it's time to accept that. Or at least try and be a bit more fair-minded about your criticisms.

Totally fair also.

Maybe, I think we need more (and better) defensive data on this. While we might say "athletes should be flexible", there is also something to the fact that it's hard to get truly great at something if you're bouncing around the field. Maybe it can work for some players, but I'm hesitant to say more than that at this point.

Haven't we had a few infielders in the outfield the last few years that solidly debunked that idea? I mean, it was a running joke around here.

I think it's odd (but unsurprising) that people think Gibson is too valuable to let go of, but that no one else in baseball will value him that way. Maybe they don't....but then maybe there is good reason for that too.