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TheLeviathan

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Everything posted by TheLeviathan

  1. TheLeviathan
    He probably doesn't make those specific trades as constituted, but he also might have done absolutely nothing and watched Garza's injury issues and attitude problems turn him into a far less valuable player. Smith actually did very well building that 2010 team using FA in a way Ryan had never managed even a fraction of. The bang he got for his buck was simply outstanding. Not to mention the fact that we like to absolve Ryan of his failures due to "luck" - reports were that Cliff Lee was all but signed, sealed, and delivered for Hicks and Ramos before Ramos got hurt. (A pattern that has hardly changed in his career) Even still, Smith bungled some moves horribly, but I'd argue none of them were as impactful as stringing along Hunter and Johan into the debacles those turned out to be. Those were two premium talents that Ryan basically let get away by hard line negotiating tactics and low-ball offers. Ramos and Garza pale in comparison, talent-wise, to those two mistakes.
  2. TheLeviathan
    I think Ryan has always just been really good at seeming to be good at public relations. The guy knows how to say the right thing, in the right way, with the right timing that makes you think it's his true opinion when it's really little more than the same fluff anyone else in his position says. The longer he sticks around the less seriously I take anything he says. Which is to say nothing about his performance and there is a talent in what he does, but the longevity of his tenure here has exposed that seemingly honest approach for what it is.
  3. TheLeviathan
    The Twins should be in the market for a 15-20M dollar player, even if it takes a 7-10 year deal to do it. They can afford it and have set themselves up with staggered contracts to be able to afford it. Frankly, if they don't match the effort last year, it will be a serious step backward for the Front Office IMO.
  4. TheLeviathan
    Rats, I was going to guess a sordid VodkaDave fantasy.
  5. TheLeviathan
    Yup, that's why if you have a chance to land one of the top 8 (Charles, Lecoy, Peterson, Lacey, Forte, Murray, Bernard, Lynch) - you take them. There are receivers not even being taken in standard 12 team formats that I feel more comfortable about predicting than the rest of the RB field.
  6. TheLeviathan
    I don't think you can really look at this issue without laying out where regression is likely to take hold. So, from my perspective: Likely increases in production: 1B, RF, DH, SP (as a whole, but probably a marginal increase) Likely decreases in production: SS, CF, C, RP Likely similar: LF, 2B, 3B So, if I were the Twins I'd be concentrating on places to bring that production up. To do that I'd start by moving Santana to SS and looking for one placeholder OF and one permanent fixture OF. I'd also get into talks with a guy like Shields and try to land him. I'd trust that 3B and CF (in two years) will be boosted by our young studs. I wouldn't, however, start convincing myself we're about to contend. Some of these positions are tied up largely by the name in the spot and not the reasonable expectations for production. Just because the corner is looking turned doesn't mean the team is going to play any better. Young kids need time to struggle and adjust. (See: Arcia) Just be patient.
  7. TheLeviathan
    With the state of RB.....I'm not so sure about that rule. WR is the new RB and the rules have flipped IMO.
  8. TheLeviathan
    I'm just tired of watching college players stand around for 30 seconds every position before finally starting their play. It's obnoxious.
  9. TheLeviathan
    The officiating and pace to this game are atrocious. The college game needs a shorter shot clock.
  10. TheLeviathan
    I have to find the article, but I posted it awhile back. He was genuinely upset with that move (and probably rightfully so) but made a conscious decision to put the past in the past and turn over a new leaf with the organization and directly approached Gardy about that in a plea to stay with the club. It worked and he didn't look back.
  11. TheLeviathan
    I think Pek/Young and Bennett/Dieng make nice front-court combinations. Wiggins/Levine/Brewer/Martin should be able to man the wings. That leaves Rubio and Williams at point. I think the roster should work out ok - it'll be an interesting and entertaining group.
  12. TheLeviathan
    The Twins don't have to just use FA, they should also explore trades. Their first priority should be a left-fielder that can field the position well and provide some power.
  13. TheLeviathan
    The offense has been ok (far better than I expected, but that's largely been fueled by some guys jumping up to be producers out of nowhere), but we can't separate out how much the poor defense on this team may be hurting the pitching staff. I'd suggest one way we might be able to improve both is to target an OF that can play good defense and bring some improved offense. Victorino, as suggested elsewhere, may fit that bill well.
  14. TheLeviathan
    Thank you, I think this is helpful. For the record, when I'm referencing statistics it is of the descriptive type precisely because they are showing what has actually happened outside my particular bias. I find those stats more useful in this sort of discussion.
  15. TheLeviathan
    3. Stats are objective, at least the ones largely judging team play. The win-loss record is not subjective. The team's ERA is not subjective. (A few dumb error/not-error calls doesn't change this) The team's run differential is not subjective. I may employ those stats subjectively, but citing them as objective reinforcers of my position is valid. 4. I fully admitted we're getting better and we're on the right path. But when I said those good trees are still stuck in a "tough" forest - you took issue. Isn't that taking issue with the idea that, despite some good performances by some, it's still largely bad baseball? I would suggest part of the confusion is you seem to want to hold that you do believe it's still "bad baseball" but then everytime someone points out why it's "bad baseball" you have an argument against it.
  16. TheLeviathan
    Yeah, I don't know where the bickering accusation came from either, if this isn't a policy-approved exchange we should just shut this whole thing down. To your point, I'm not claiming to be objective. I know the play of this team has left a bad taste in my mouth and I judge it accordingly. None of that changes this team's record, run differential, and minimal improvement statistically. Those are objective stats that don't support your claim that good baseball is being played. You have to make your argument in direct opposition to the strong trend that this just isn't a very good baseball team yet. Some players certainly do not fit the overall trend of the team and I understand holding on to those beacons of hope as what you stress about going forward. But the original point was that we are so accustomed to awful baseball that even the slight perception of less awful play somehow makes the jump to "good". It's like your wife was trying to cook you the best damn steak you ever had. The last three years it's been little more than a pile of burnt ash on a plate. This year she managed to at least keep it at a stage that could be called "meat" but it's still burnt leather. But hey, she looked up a mean garlic butter recipe to pair with it and that stuff was great! Now we just need to get a little closer to medium-rare and we got ourselves a good meal. Calling that burn leather "good" to your wife might save you a trip to the couch, but no one here will send you to the couch for calling a spade a spade.
  17. TheLeviathan
    I never said I was objective, but the stats that are objective tend to better support the stance ive taken. And there are very, very few that dont. Things are pointed right, but we are and will continue to see bad baseball in the near future. Hopefully for not much longer.
  18. TheLeviathan
    You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but only opinion between us has a lot of statistical and factual information on it's side. I'm glad you're glass half-full, but it seems to me that particular perspective on the quality of good team play requires a lot of time with one's head in the sand. It certainly bucks a healthy amount of objective evidence to the contrary.
  19. TheLeviathan
    We heard the same thing prior to this season and he hasn't been healthier or better as a power producer. I expect him to regress to better performance levels again next year but most of this argument is dubious.
  20. TheLeviathan
    I have no idea. The problem isn't how substantive the reasons are, but how demonstrably false they seem to be.
  21. TheLeviathan
    It's not that there is a double standard or that the Twins are doing something wrong, but in recent years it seems hitters are more aggressively going from AA to the big leagues. There are a multitude of reasons for this and many quite justifiable and commendable. We just don't know why because all we hear are cliches that are often more puzzling than illuminating. And it's not that they need to share specifics for me, just be very general ("there are concerns in his approach you wouldn't find in a box score") as opposed to "consistency" or other demonstrably silly justifications.
  22. TheLeviathan
    These things have nothing to do with the product on the field for the Minnesota Twins right now. Nor does anything else, save Vargas and Santana, in your response. I think we're at an impasse because you prefer to talk about oranges in a thread about apples.
  23. TheLeviathan
    I think Arcia's season has gone as expected, he had a lot more to work on than some thought preseason and we're seeing the fruits of his struggles now.
  24. TheLeviathan
    With that I have no issue, but it doesn't entail they use that information sensibly. Particularly with pitchers I have no clue how they are making that promotion to MLB decision.
  25. TheLeviathan
    Look, I'm not banging the drum the Twins were wrong to not call those guys up. I just can't figure out how struggling rookie performances make someone "not ready" when it's entirely common for rookies to struggle. I can't make sense of how that argument works. May was likely just as ready then as he is now, so not sure that mounts much of a defense. With these two I tend to think it's largely been a combination of injuries and some as yet unexplained method the Twins have with young pitchers I can't make a damn bit of sense out of.
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