Kwak

Finally! People accepting that Parmalee isn't some sea lion in the OF.

I guess that Gardenhire's salary has escalated considerably from 2002, and to the point that he is likely in the top 10 of salaries for MLB field managers. IMO he could be replaced for a lot less salary and by a guy who will have a new perspective on everybody and everything. The Twins are in a cost-cutting mode, so replacing Gardenhire would conform to that strategy. Gardenhire repesents the past, and a transition is needed to the future--however far off that will be.

Mastroianni in CF can play everyday, he doesn't need to be rested like Mauer. Brutal? Hicks, Dozier. Oh, wait August 2011 to Oct '11 was brutal. April 2012? Brutal. Plouffe in RF and Valencia at 3B last April, brutal. usw.

If the twins were going to spend 8 figures (and then some), doesn't it make a lot more sense that it would have been spent in positions that were known to be way below ML standard--like pitching, SS, and power hitting--than for a skinny CF?

2013 was always a throw-away season. Play the newcomers and have them develop as best as they can. Twins lose, lose a great deal?--So what? The die was cast when the executivew committee went down the slash-and-burn road. Therefore, continue down this road and see what happens. Fundamental questions need to be answered--and folks it isn't about the players--it's about those who select, train and utilize the players. There has been precious little turnover in management. They not only use the same principles and guidelines that were used before--they proslytize them. OK. I say "make them work"--or get out! Hicks. I remember when he was drafted and it was proclaimed what a gifted (5-tools remember?) athlete--he coulda been a pitcher! Great! The next season I read he was in extended spring training to teach him how to hit. What? He can't hit? This after selecting him 1st round and proclaiming from the mountain tops about "his tools"? I wondered at the time (and still do now) was he mis-assessed (over-valued) or is this an example of making a square peg fit in a round hole? Should Hicks have remained (and perhaps return to) RH batting only? Considering Hicks was developed to be a "lead-off" batter (high OBP) type guy, his swing seems like it's much more geared to be a middle-of-the-order type hitter, who would enhance his OBP by a combination of high SLG and keen-eye-patience. To sum up, Hicks isn't the problem--he's a symptom of the problem. Borbon isn't the answer--he's just a blankee for some to grab when times get rough. If/when Hicks is demoted (and barring a Plouffe-miracle) he will be demoted, the CF answer is Mastroianni. Last, for all of you jumping on the "prospect bandwagon" that was so skillfully spun this Spring, let Hick's struggles serve as a warning that 2014 or even 2015 may not be wonderful.

A few points: The Twins showed considerable patience with Butera, Plouffe, Hendriks, and Dozier yet Hicks gets a week and a half--and "nuts to him"? A second point--if the Twins are ever going to get serious about building a winner they need to stop "dumpster-diving" and focus on those that have a track record of success. As was pointed out earlier the Twins have his equivalent in Rochester, there is no need to sift through the trash.

While I was surprised that KC began the 8th, it takes some real result-mechandizing to criticize that decision. Need a K? From what bullpen are you talking about? Perkins is the only RP (SP as well) to have something like a 50% liklihood of a K in that AB. I think, criticism should be directed at those swinging the bat rather than Gardenhire, KC, or any other pitcher used. There were plenty of innings that could have been used to "break open" the game. The Twins' staff can't be expected to hold every one-run lead.

My the left-handed compliments about Parmalee! It seems no matter what good thing he does, people wish it were done by someone else.

Gosh I hope a walk and a 2-run HR silences the Parmalee bashers.

Learn in AAA? You mean like Hendriks and Slama? and oh so many failures that the Twins have recycled between Rochester and Minneapolis? AAA isn't for learning--it's a wasteland for failures, and is sometimes used to show AA players on there way to "the bigs" that they had better not fail or they will be back in this wasteland.

Perhaps his role is: somewhere else?

This pretty much justifies my perception of why Ryan selected Gardenhire over Molitor when TK "stepped down". Ryan could bully Gardenhire into his philosophy [the Twins way] but if there was ever a dispute between Molitor and Ryan, Molitor would win the PR aspect--a huge problem! But when Smith became GM, the tables were turned, Gardy was the fan-favorite and Smith the stuffed-suit. W know how that ended. I also agree with dwintheiser about Pohlads calling the shots. Ryan made big promises about new pitchers before the end of the '12 season--but the executive committee had a different plan. When Ryan "agreed" to the new plan, the "interrim" tag was removed from his GM title. It's not a certainty whether Gardenhire will be retained or replaced yet, but I'm confident that this is his last year as Twins manager. I am skeptical that the Twins will hire a "ML-experienced manager" after Gardy leaves (whenever)--it will be someone who can be controlled easily to "manage right".

Speaking of wasting outs and Gardenhire his incessant use of SF bunts fits that to a "T".

I have to disagree! I had decided not to post my thought on the Who should bat #2 thread--but here is the gist of my point: After the first inning the Twins often build a threat when the bottom of the order finally gets "their base", and up comes the #2 hitter, some slap-and-dash, infield-hit specialist. The OF is brought in very shallow because this guy has zero-power, making it highly unlikely that a runner on 2nd scores. The infield hit isn't of more value than a BB. I would sure rather have Mauer batting with the big guns on deck, than the Casilla's, Castino's, Revere's or Jamie Carroll batting with Mauer on deck.

Slama 4G 4.1IP 7H 6R 4ER 7BB 6K .350 BAVG 3.23 WHIP 8.31ERA Spring Training 2013. What says "Major League" about this guy? There were scores of pitchers in camp, everybody gets a chance, but the starters and those expected to be on the Active Roster have to get "their innings". Slama got 4 chances to demonstrate he is effective at a "set-up" role--apparently he whiffed badly. How many chances should get?

Please include Spring Training results as part of the evaluation. Slama was given a good look this Spring--and he struck out.

I wouldn't be surprised to read later this season that Doumit is traded and Butera has been promoted to the alternate Catcher for the Twins.

I rate that right behind "pitch framing" for red herring of the off season.

There will be a revolving door between Minneapolis and Rochester.

He should catch as often as he can, with an expectation similar to that of other bona fide #1 catchers in baseball (more than 110 games). There is a logjam at 1B and DH (the only other plausible spots for him). Doumit at catcher and Mauer elsewhere is inferior, and to be as limited as possible. DH could be Doumit, Willingham, Parmalee, Morneau, or any of the reserves, serving as a rotating position for people. Plus, Mauer will need some actual "off days". If at a later date he becomes a DH with being a #2 catcher--so be it--but delay that for as long as possible, and capture as much value from him as possible.

Somebody refresh me about the % of the game is pitching? My memory says 70%. So, does this roster emphasize the quality of pitching required (with resources) that fits that % of the game? Not only don't I think so, I don't believe the FO believes that pitching is anywhere near in importance to the aforementioned %. Therefore, I conclude that this team will continue to struggle mightily until the pitching problem is solved.

A couple of curious things to me: 1) the assumption that Morneau wants to stay with the Twins. True, the Twins can make things difficult for Morneau ("Lohse him") if they don't trade him. 2) all the hate on Parmalee. He was "Gardyied" last Spring and didn't handle it. Whereas Plouffe also stunk-up the stadium but he was protected (Hughes whose Spring was comparable to Plouffe's got the axe) until his remarkable 5-week run saved him, but Parmalee got demoted. I sure don't recall a similar vitriol against Plouffe last Spring like there is with Parmalee now. Returning to Morneau, the Twins are making it appear that they are in a full-rebuild mode, with the intent to become Tampa North--$65MM payroll with one very highly compensated star and the rest youth at minimum or near-minimum salaries. Given that hypothesis, why would the Twins retain Morneau? Until a new core is established (with some experience), retaining Morneau adds payroll, with at best a modest improvement in Wins, but at the expense of earlier draft placement (which may be required to fully rebuild).

As I recall Harmon played 3B for 1 year--I'm guessing was likely the worst regular (for the year) 3B the Twins ever had.

Extra players, extra pitchers, multiple positions, etc. It really boils down to the concept of Field Manager as a super, hands-on, micro manager who is using his authority to try to convince others that "he" is responsible for the teams success. That, the Field Manager is "genius" at pulling strings, pushing buttons, to place his team in the most favorable (or least unfavorable) matchup thus "winning games" for the team as opposed to the tradition definition as the guy who fills out the line-up card (which generally wouldn't change anyway). In Gardenhire's (or any other like-minded field Manager) defense if the FO is going to evaluate him on the basis of W/L's then we should expect that said FM will attempt to control his own destiny as much as he can.

There will be 13 pitchers--none of the starters can be "deemed reliable", nor have they been "stretched-out" (as they should have been) due to the excessive number of pitchers in ST that needed "evaluation" and the overall disappointing results from the expected rotation. If there aren't any "injuries" in the IF, it will be Butera as the 25th man. After all his ST has been solid and he was tendered a raise through arbitration. Drew is "in tight".