Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

TheLeviathan

Old-Timey Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    21,580

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    49

 Content Type 

Profiles

Minnesota Twins News, Rumors & Analysis

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospect Rankings

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks & Signing Bonuses

Minnesota Twins Trade & Free Agent Rumors

Minnesota Twins Fan Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks & Signing Bonuses

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks & Signing Bonuses

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks & Signing Bonuses

2026 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks & Signing Bonuses

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by TheLeviathan

  1. TheLeviathan
    A lot of the negatives with him were pointed out this offseason: he's an NL pitcher who has spent much of his career in pitcher friendly parks. He's never been a top guy nor pitched well enough for long enough to earn that distinction. This is a mid rotation starter with the bar set too high.
  2. TheLeviathan
    Here is a nugget from Sid: What I really like about this quote is that it's an internal confirmation of what is being reflected on the field: things are different and the additions to the coaching staff have a big hand in that. Maybe the take-away here is that this is the first time the coaching staff has had long-tenured, successful players working with everyone. Gardy has always been a good players coach, but maybe his expertise was never in the details. On the other hand Molly and Bruno appear to have the experience and teacher's mentality to add a lot to this staff and the results are bearing that hypothesis out. Or maybe this was just bound to happen after three years of miserable play and no progress?
  3. TheLeviathan
    Does that say more about Hicks or about Mauer right now? Not sure that's a good example for your position.
  4. TheLeviathan
    Yesterday Randball observed the following in this story: Here's the thing, though: through the first 23 gameshttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png of the season, the Twins were leading the majors with 5.5 runs scored per game. They had walked 121 times, also best in the majors. It was a big part of the reason their offense was keeping the team afloat (12-11 record at that point) in spite of some pretty horrendous starting pitching.In the last 21 games, they've walked just 60 times.They're 11-10 in that time, but that's largely because their starting pitching has improved dramatically. They've scored 75 runs in those 21 games, an average of 3.57 per gamehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png. As the story notes, when Chris Parmelee got the call the team started to repeat some phrases we're used to hearing around here about "being aggressive" or has been jokingly dubbed "swing like a man!" And yet, the walks seem tied to our surprising early success scoring runs. A few interesting notes: The Twins Zone% in April was 21st, in May so far it has been 2nd. They have increased their percentage of swings at pitches outside the zone since April also, but still remain second to last in the majors. Is there a philosophical battle going on among the coaching staff or has the league simply read the scouting report and adjusted their approach to the Twins' offense?
  5. TheLeviathan
    Yeah, this thread wasn't fun to see initially.
  6. TheLeviathan
    22 million is the same we spent for Pelfrey and Correia. So, no, not far above replacement level. Shields at 11M is a bargain.
  7. TheLeviathan
    Finding guys like Fien is one of this organizations clearest and most consistent areas of strength.
  8. TheLeviathan
  9. TheLeviathan
    The concept is the same, it's about risk. I'd also point out that the Royals had a player in Cain they may have liked better (and so far this year has been better) and that you're judging this trade completely out of context for most deals. Teams often give up as much or more than this for LESS than 2 years of Shields. Hell, sometimes they give up more for 2 months of someone roughly equal to Shields. They didn't kill their franchise, they gave up a blue chip CF for two years of a blue chip starter. (When they already had a promising young CF) You're acting like this is on the same level as Babe Ruth for cash.
  10. TheLeviathan
    That's not what a contending team does though. We spent a decade doing what you suggested and we had some fun seasons and good division winning teams, but we also never went over the top and made a move to make a difference. You know I don't believe in the idea that big trades make for World Series wins, but I do believe big moves at the right time can catapult a team to the next level. The reason why you play Pokemon with prospects is because they often fail. So dealing one good one and some decent ones for a healthy, known commodity isn't the villainous move you are making it out to be. For all the bluster on this move you've put on here, you're advocating a system of doing thing that yielded less than a handful of playoff wins and eventually bled dry into the awfulness we know now. So the real risk here was whether the guys they believed in would pan out vs. continuing a cycle of hopelessness. That isn't so clear cut as you are trying to make it out to be.
  11. TheLeviathan
    No, Buehrle isn't a HoFer....
  12. TheLeviathan
    In two years if the Twins are in a similar boat - their top prospects haven't proven anything yet but they believe they will - I doubt many here would laud them for sitting on their hands and not adding a player of significant need to help the club. The Royals made this move as a way of showing faith in their young talent. Was it risky? Sure, but not as much as has been overblown in this thread. They got a proven, innings eating, ace for a prospect gamble. No matter how much risk it is that Shields will leave there is every bit as much risk that Myers goes Moustakas on Tampa. Was it REALLY aggressive? Sure. Stupid? No, not even close. As a counter example - Ryan did preach patience. And was patient. And how'd that turn out for us? We never even tried to make the move that might have been a difference maker until the bitter end.
  13. TheLeviathan
    Right. And my point Shane was that most scouts aren't watching these guys play defense every day. Most reports you hear aren't from the parent club or the minor league staff, it's scouts and sources who rely on scouts. There have been many players hyped for their defense over the last 10-15 years that have been flameouts in that regard. Delmon Young comes to mind for this as well.
  14. TheLeviathan
    I'm just struggling to find anywhere else to credit this team other than blind luck. It seems unfair to say they're blind lucky right now (they are to a large degree) but this feels like there is some method to it. It might just be there is a new set of voices with some new ideas and perspectives and that refreshing breath has been just what the team needed. I think it's fair to say also that Bruno and Molly were two players that maximized their skillset in their careers. It might be why we're seeing the same from so many players right now.
  15. TheLeviathan
    That's fair, but he did the same thing many Twins fans are doing. Sometimes you have to hope, otherwise what's the point of trying at all? To me it's more of a message about "best laid plans" and whatnot. (And hell, it's not like what he gave up is rubbing it in every day either)
  16. TheLeviathan
    This, by far, is the thing that bugs me most. This guy was supposed to be a plus fielder in center which would help offset his efforts to learn at the plate. But he's brutal in all phases at this point. It just goes to show that the scouts that seem him twice a month to gauge his defense aren't getting anything close to a clear picture.
  17. TheLeviathan
    Moose just can't seem to hit and all he did for his entire minor league career is go Ruth on the competition. It should be a sobering reminder.
  18. TheLeviathan
    This team is finding some unique ways to win. I keep waiting for the wheels to fall off but some scrub finds a flukey stretch to carry the team and they keep squeaking them out. A .500 month this month is (strange as this sounds to some) a real testament to the coaching staff. I think Bruno and Molly are adding a ton to this club right now.
  19. TheLeviathan
    I don't think he's getting a raw deal. Had the Twins better constructed their roster I'd guess most fans would agree some time in AAA to refine his game would help a lot. The kid just doesn't appear quite ready yet and that's not his fault. The option needs to be there to send him down so we do what's right by him, but unfortunately that isn't the case right now. We have to hope he plays through it, but there is nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade. Hicks has not been very good or encouraging thus far, but that doesn't mean we should give up on him either.
  20. TheLeviathan
    It's a valid thought. I have a hard time swallowing most defensive metrics because they pretend to have a great deal of accuracy and objectivity but they are still, fundamentally, based on a significant amount of subjectivity. They're nice to look at, they're interesting, but I haven't seen much reason to trust them.
  21. TheLeviathan
    There is a Cuban food joke in here somewhere....
  22. TheLeviathan
    Let it play out. It's May. He very well might be great to bring back for next year, but trying to make that decision now is really unnecessary. People were ready to crown Colabello a success and now he's got a nice indent worked into the bench. Just slow down and let things play out. It's two months before any of this has to be decided.
  23. TheLeviathan
    I'm just glad we didn't put ink on the Colabello extension back in April.
  24. TheLeviathan
    UZR has to be the most misused advanced stat in baseball. And of the top 10 I bet at least 9 of them are defensive stats. To this thread, I liked the trade at the time and still do. It was the right move and good value at the time, it's unfair to judge it much past that.
  25. TheLeviathan
    It's nice to see a tongue-in-cheek thread. We're all thinking it - the kid needs AAA but really, without better options, why send him down? Very similar to Dozier, so let's hope this intentional jinx works.
×
×
  • Create New...