ThePuck
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Everything posted by ThePuck
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'speak out on behalf of the team members (see, e.g., Michael Cuddyer and the batters' eye)' Pretty sure that was Morneau.
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In the case of Boston, Dodgers and Tigers, those percentages would get a lot higher if they lower their payroll down to where ours is...even the Cards. But then you also need to look at the #2 and #3 paid players on their teams and see their percentages... Mauer's contract isn't hurting us...we need to get off that myth.
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With the exception of the 'ludicrous' comment, this post, IMO, is spot on.
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No chance at all we get Cano...
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Our relief staff had 33 more Ks than our rotation.
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Sorry, that doesn't even make sense. This ONE player is giving you a value that is 2/3 the value of EIGHT players. That's what make him, and pitchers like him, so valuable.
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Whether it's true or not, seems the Twins have often favored pitchers who have a lot of balls put in play to make outs, as opposed to pitchers who strike out more batters, because those type of pitchers are less expensive. Those kind of pitchers also require players who are glove men first...they are also cheaper than offense first type players. A combo necessary when we were truly budget crunched.
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IMO, he's been an under-rated defender for a few years now...I don't believe 2012 was flukey at all. Again, IMO.
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Sickels: Brian Dozier: Breakthrough???
ThePuck replied to Seth Stohs's topic in Minnesota Twins Talk
I've been a supporter of Dozier since 2011...I never doubted him even when he had his struggles last season. -
The Doumit, Willingham trade challenge
ThePuck replied to Shane Wahl's topic in Minnesota Twins Talk
That's good only of they actually do it on like one FA...or even do it at all. -
Or we could just keep Dozier and trade Rosario who may fetch more than Dozier.
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Melvin has only been on the job in Oakland for 2 1/2 seasons, and in both of his full seasons (2012 and 2013), they won the division after not having a winning season since 2006, jumping over a team that had gone to the W Series the previous two years (2010 and 2011). They also haven't been swept in a ALDS in that time frame. I know losing is losing, but for me, getting swept three series in a row...and 12 playoffs games in a row...yeah that hurts. Anyway, this is about whether or not the CARDINALS are the team to emulate.
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What was flukey about Span's defensive numbers last year? His UZR this year and 2011 were better than 2012 and 2010 and 2012 are pretty close. Are you just talking DRS?
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I was just asking for clarification on what you meant. You mentioned their revenue being a bit more, and all I'm saying is if their revenue is only 25M more than ours, the spending should only be a difference of 12M+. That 12M advantage for payroll is only there if both teams spend the same percentage, but if the Twins choose to spend say, 40%, now the gap in payroll advantage is artificially larger than it needs to be. And it goes both ways. If the Twins are spending their 52% but the Cards go nuts and spend 60%, that 12M+ difference will get artificially larger. Does that make sense? I'm not making it about payroll, that was the last place I was going with this when I posted it, but I was looking to get clarification on something you wrote.
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Last year the Cardinals had 25M more in revenue. Haven't seen the numbers this year, but in baseball terms, is that considered a big gap, especially if they go by around the 52% rule? We're talking about an ability to spend and additional 12M+ difference in payroll. If we aren't AT our 52% spending anyway, does that difference actually matter?
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Some interesting parts: 'The amazing thing to me is the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 and the only two players left from that roster are Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina (plus the injured Chris Carpenter). ' 'But the rest of the roster has completely turned over, and it's been done without the luxury of high draft picks, usually the surest way to developing stars.... ' 'What makes the Cardinals so smart, however, is that they don't necessarily fall in love with their prospects. They're very good at evaluation once these guys start playing in the minors. Daric Barton, Brett Wallace and Zack Cox were all first-round picks traded away before reaching the majors. The team traded Colby Rasmus back in 2011 to help bring in reinforcements for a playoff run, believing in Jon Jay in center field. ' The best organization in baseball - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN
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This point has been brought up many times, perhaps just not on this therad, but it's a good reminder. I'd make an adjustment to that though. I think the Twins have, most of the time under Ryan, built the team to be competitive within the division...then if we win the division, yeah, 'anything can happen' is the rally cry. I think this was more acceptable during the times where we really had to be on a low budget, but now I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the team to be build not only to win the division, but built with enough pitching to go far in the playoffs.
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I don't think we'll only sign our own guys, my doubt comes from the belief they will sign 'legitimately good players instead of filling a bunch of holes with marginal older players.'. I don't think they'll spend the money it needs to get those kind of players in FA. And yeah, I think it'll be awhile before they reach 100M again. The guys they are counting on to take us to the promised land won't be due any kind of real raise for a few years, seeing as how most of them aren't in the majors yet...and then Mauer's contract comes off the books..
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Yes, there is still a PR issue, but now they can say they are rebuilding...now the can say attendance is down...now they can say we have a big payroll guy, even if the other three payroll guys are gone...and, you know, we're going into season five now at the new stadium. It's not right after the new ballpark got approved and moved into. Your argument is sound, but now it's a matter of degrees the PR hit threat is, IMO. And, again, even if the ownership is willing to live up to what they said, the GM has to make the moves...and ownership has made it clear, it's all in Ryan's hands...and Ryan thinks a 3 year 21M FA contract is a very big contract. That is not to say Ryan won't change...he may...but I think he'll build this team up to where he wants to, and then bail if/when the really big contracts need to be done.
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The willingness was there because, at least in Mauer and Morny's cases, that was something that had to be done. Look at the timing of the spending and when it started taking effect. When we moved into the new ballpark. Would have been a HUGE PR hit if at least those two weren't signed...I mean HUGE. That's not the case now...and it's not the same GM either...the owners have to be willing and so does the GM they entrust to spend.
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In Smith's first two years as GM, payroll was lower than Ryan's last year as GM before he stepped down. Would you say Ryan spent money poorly for 2007 because it was higher than any other year before 2010 and we had a losing record after having a fantastic record in 2006? The big money spend by Smith was due mostly to Mauer's pay raise (an additional 10.5 million form the 2010 team payroll). Heck 2011 was the really big spending year, who did he got get that wasn't on the 2010 team that cost a lot? Nishi? That pay was countered by getting rid of Punto. In fact, when did Smith go out and get a pricey FA? What poor spending are we talking about? Re-signing Mauer, re-signing Cuddyer, re-signing Nathan or re-signing Morny? Which one of those were bad signings when they were done?
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I absolutely loved it when they got Hardy and Hudson. I was excited, especially for Hardy. I predicted 94 wins before the season started. A couple friends of mine didn't understand the excitement over getting those two guys...both of them being fans of teams who shop in a different department than we do, but for me I was like BAM! We made a couple really solid moves there that will help the pitching. Seemed Smith was going for it. Saw some glaring holes from a division winner and filled them.
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To be 100% honest, I don't know too much about the Reds' needs to give a real answer. I'm sure there are others in here who can give a more informed opinion on the subject, so I'll have to defer to them. Sorry :-)
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From a pure fun fan experience, I enjoyed the winning the Twins did. Obviously disappointed with the playoffs, but I enjoyed the Twins winning all those games for those years. I didn't look at the winning, during the season, with a skeptical eye. I just enjoyed it. I even liked the playoff system before this new one and I like this new one as well. I even enjoy interleague. I think all of the additions add excitement to the game, at least for me. Having said that, I wish we had a balanced schedule throughout the AL and another throughout the NL.