Otto von Ballpark

I like Rogers, but I don't think it's right to invoke a Josh Hader comp for him right now. His K rate has peaked at 28.9% so far, with a big platoon split (36% vs LHB, 23% vs RHB). Hader was 46% against RHB last year, and 48% vs LHB. Then there's usage -- I'm sure Baldelli will make some changes in usage, but Hader has pitched 2+ innings, and thrown 30+ pitches, a lot more than Rogers, and basically came into that role at age 23 straight from starting in the minors. Rogers is 28 years old and 3 years removed from a notably larger workload. They might do some tweaking with his deployment here and there, but I suspect Rogers will be used like a more traditional top setup man more than a Hader type role.

That was a pretty good bullpen turnaround in 2002, although actually Guardado had been solid for quite a few years by that point already (it was partially masked by league run scoring being very high). Hawkins was effective in 2000 and the first half of 2001 too before collapsing, although credit to him for putting collapse behind him and kicking up his performance another notch in 2002. Mike Jackson was getting old by then, so he was on a minor league deal in spring 2002, but he was a pretty good reliever in his time and was probably a lock for the roster. Was the closer on some pretty good Cleveland teams, and even got MVP votes in 1998, apparently. Career 18.9 WAR which is impressive for a career spent mostly as a setup guy. Wells was pretty good in 1999-2000, but pretty bad in 2001-2002 too. I remember being puzzled when we gave him a multi-year deal covering those years. (And Wells wasn't much of a failed starter in his pro career -- mostly just an undrafted free agent who did some spot starting.) Rincon wasn't much of a factor until 2003.

I never thought of the Metrodome that way before, but it might help to explain some of my fondness for the place.

Duffey has only burned option years in 2016 and 2018 so far, so he still has one left. In 2017, he was on the MLB roster the whole season, and in 2015, he wasn't added to the 40-man until August, so he wound up spending fewer than 20 days on optional assignment.

Why do you assume that people complaining are still buying the concessions? Or at least buying them at the same rate they would if the prices were lower? Not only are my concession purchases limited, sometimes the concession prices discourage me from attending altogether. I also wouldn't assume that people are only complaining here and not directly to the Twins. (Although the Twins are high profile enough that I don't believe feedback necessarily has to be private and direct to the business. I suspect they can easily hear and consider general public feedback here as well as on social media.)

We're definitely in the weeds now. But don't you also have a choice to give feedback? Why is that choice pointless to you, but telling someone to find an alternative activity, or even move or shop away from Hennepin County, is valid? Especially when the choice to give feedback is not mutually exclusive from choosing not to buy either. Businesses get customer feedback all the time. And that feedback is not necessarily invalid simply because the service is "nonessential" or the feedback suggests a price lower than the current price. Heck, that feedback could actually be considered part of the equation for determining the market price -- I imagine setting optimal prices for concessions and tickets is rather complex. "Voting with your wallet" is important, but often unclear if it could be caused by a multitude of factors (concession prices, ticket prices, team quality, accessibility, weather, etc.). Especially for a business with a *direct* public subsidy (not just tax breaks), I think it's also fair to expect they'd consider public feedback, even if it runs contrary to maximizing profits. At some point, I'd agree with you -- asking for free Amazon Prime is definitely pointless. But is it pointless to ask for $2 hot dogs or sodas during events at a publicly owned facility? It's possible that feedback was even a factor in this new concessions pricing too. (Although I suspect the larger factor was testing this new kiosk ordering system.)

That might explain this play from the 2003 Vikings season:

Well, Hennepin County residents don't have a choice in subsidizing the Twins. Obviously we can choose not to watch -- and many do, particularly non-baseball fans. But for those of us who are fans, it would be nice to get some benefit to our subsidy beyond the Twins mere presence.

When the joint announcement includes clear benefits for the players (an extra roster spot), I think it has meaning. I don't think there is any evidence that the MLBPA was strong-armed into accepting the 3 batter minimum now, or that they plan to fight it at a later date. The MLBPA apparently flexed their muscle to fight the pitch clock, which has been tabled indefinitely. I suspect that, even if they didn't like the 3 batter minimum, they didn't oppose it that strongly, and/or they were willing to trade it for other benefits like the extra roster spot.

I'd rather see the 20 second pitch clock than any of these other moves, really. But we'll probably never see it (in MLB, anyway).

Bump! Phil Miller, Star Tribune: "Twins ace Jose Berrios says he turned down contract offer, waiting for bigger payday" http://www.startribune.com/twins-ace-jose-berrios-says-he-turned-down-contract-offer-waiting-for-bigger-payday/507121362/ (Open Strib links in a new private/incognito tab/window to get around the paywall) Here's MLBTR's summary too: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/jose-berrios-declined-extension-offer-twins.html Of course, no figures were mentioned.

Link to the new special pricing: https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/target-field-family-friendly-concessions-pricing The best "values" from that list are probably the peanuts/popcorn ($3, down from $5 normally), and the 16 oz. soda for $2 (normal price $6.50 for 24 oz.). Those two items could come in handy, if you don't have a chance to bring your own snacks or get the free soda coupon with the "designated driver" pledge.

Yup. The "value" priced offering this year is a plain Schweigert hot dog. $5 normally, but $4 at a couple select stands.

If you encounter that here, please point it out. But note that this particular tangent started not with someone using WAR as a "conversation stopper", but rather someone taking a generic swipe at "defensive metrics fans". Let's challenge misuse of any stat -- be it WAR, or defensive metrics, or batting average or ERA -- but challenge it *when we see it*, and not simply make broad characterizations about stats and the people that may use them.

Agreed, to an extent. I have some sympathy for concession price complaints because of the ballpark funding. I think the public gets a bit of a raw deal when we partially subsidize the activity, yet the team is allowed to set full "market price" for everything -- tickets, concessions, even TV broadcasts. Also, the combination of high concession prices plus longer games puts families at a bit of a disadvantage, compared to the average fan. The average fan can deal with those factors by bringing in a sandwich and a bag of peanuts pretty easily. A family has to either bring in a ton of snacks, pay the high concession prices, and/or leave the game early. (On top of paying full freight for kid's tickets too -- the Twins have pretty well ended the longstanding practice of kids ticket discounts over the last couple years.) So I don't mind a little grumbling about concession prices, although I usually focus my energy on spreading the gospel of outside food. If they ever try to ban outside food, though, I'll lead the revolt.

For some context, here are B-Ref's "Opposition Quality" ratings for these players this spring. I like it both as an estimate of opponent quality, but also quantifying how many "first team" reps each guy is getting. "Opposition quality refers to opponents level of play last year: 10 - faced all MLBers, 8 - avg of AAA, 7 - avg of AA, 5 - High A, 4 - Low A and 1.5 to 3 short-season players. Players who did not appear in a major or minor league last year do not affect opposition quality (Lackey in 2012 or Darvish in 2011)." https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2019.shtml Rosales 7.6 Duda 8.4 Wade 6.7 Gordon 6.3 Navaretto 6.6 Kerrigan 6.8 Harper 7.0 Eades 6.5 Guilmet 7.1 Morin 7.3 Nicolino 8.0 Reed (Jake) 6.5 Collins 6.2 Although at this point in the spring, even our projected regulars seem to be in the 7.5-8.5 zone.

I said there is "a class of prospect" for whom service time doesn't really matter. Obviously service time manipulation happens to some guys. I just doubt it applies to every player equally. Teams have incredible incentives to hold back guys like Bryant and Vlad Jr., and maybe even Buxton last year. 25 year old Lamonte Wade? Not so much.

Pretty sure Wade is in a class of prospect where teams don't really worry about service time with them.

Obligatory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOxex3gcoQo

Days prior to opening day don't count toward the 60-day requirement. So you can put a guy on the 60 day DL now to free up the roster spot, but that player would be ineligible to return before June 1st or so.

Every single method of baseball player evaluation since the dawn of time has been subjective. That's not unique to "new stats".

Collins signed a minor league contract. But he's got an April 1st opt-out (if he's not added to the MLB roster by then) according to this: http://www.startribune.com/twins-tim-collins-is-trying-to-climb-back-two-tommy-john-surgeries-later/506581342/

Pretty much anything but coolers: "Coolers and bags of any size with hard sides are not allowed in the ballpark. Soft-sided containers and bags 16" by 16" by 8" or smaller are permitted into Target Field." https://www.mlb.com/twins/ballpark/information/guide I've brought my backpack or a reusable cloth grocery bag. Also note that while you can bring in any food you want, the same is not true of beverages: "Sealed, bottled water 32 oz. or less, and soft sided single juice or milk containers for children are the only outside beverages permitted into Target Field." I bring an empty bottle to fill up at a drinking fountain once I am inside the ballpark. Also, if you pledge to be a "designated driver" at the booths behind LF (lower deck) or in the 3B/LF foul corner (upper deck), you get a free soda coupon. (And don't worry, it's just a pledge, you don't actually have to drive anyone )

The tricky part is that other teams are doing these kinds of things now too -- maybe not every team is doing the exact same things, but most are trying things in these areas. Not that it's bad that we're doing them, of course -- just that it's not as easy to gain a competitive advantage from doing them now, as it would have been, say, 10 years ago.

Ding ding ding! "Royals Reach Agreement With Martin Maldonado On One-Year Deal" https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/royals-reach-agreement-with-martin-maldonado-on-one-year-deal.html Although if this was "The Price is Right", you would have gone over, unfortunately ($2.5 mil guarantee, $1.4 mil incentives).