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Kwak

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Everything posted by Kwak

  1. Kwak
    It is difficult to admit failure--but it is inevitable. The question is: do it in Spring training or wait until May/June? The write-up on these guys was oh so kind. "While no one thinks or expects to put up the numbers in 2014...". Since he isn't an OF ("...Hunter will spend a lot of time...") and now it is accepted he won't hit much--he should receive a spot on the active roster? At 25 he is no kid--and his ceiling is as a bench player who isn't much defensively and can't hit--why keep him? There are many better options on the team. Arcia--he can't play either corner--he can only be inserted there (like Willingham was) and hope they don't hit the ball his way. "He catches most of what he gets to..."--so do little league kids. As a hitter, he "disappoints" (to be gentle) and quite frankly there are many better options in the minor leagues for the OF. Tonkin--relief pitchers cycle in performance frequently. If he has a strong Spring--keep him. Else, cut him loose, there are lots of good candidates in the system. In short, very little time should be spent on bench players. If they don't quickly succeed--cut them!
  2. Kwak
    Neither Hicks nor Buxton were "rushed"--they simply learned one of life's lessons--success doesn't come easy! Virtually everybody stumbles in life (Einstein even flunked math once!) and adjustments must be made. Sadly most of life's success come with overcoming hardship, sailing calm waters just isn't possible everyday. Should Buxton start this April? Taken as a standalone problem of Buxton as the long-term CF--then yes. Ah, but Buxton and CF aren't the only issues that need to be addressed. There is LF and RF to decide. Where to put Sano? Is Arcia viable anyplace? Or is he destined to be DFAed? Rosario--a flash-in-the-pan (like Santana in 2014 or Scott Diamond in 2012)? Or is he 2016's version of D. Santana? Or, is Rosario a fixture in the OF? As a starter? or as a reserve? More time and information is required which includes the performance of other players in order to decide. Sano? OF, DH? Which? To say 3B is as much of a crapshoot as RF--DH is the only place where the Twins can safely deploy him. Thus, the CF decision is not as simple and straightforward as Buxton. These threads are woven with each other. The optimum solution for the team will likely not be optimum for one position or certainly player.
  3. Kwak
    Instead of cut and paste--I summarize: The entire first paragraph of the Rosario section supports why he is a viable candidate to be the Twins starting CF in April. Then a sentence fragment dismisses him as "less than ideal..." without any supporting evidence. Huh? If the ideal is Griffey Jr. or Trout, or Willie Mays clones--then at least say so--rather than leave us dangling with an empty "less than ideal". In that scenario, every Twins CF candidate is "less than ideal" (and everybody knew that) but still is a very good choice. Given that "a good look" is likely for certain players for the corner OF (before deciding said player belongs someplace else than in the Twins OF) Rosario is the best option to accomplish all of the following: have a viable CF to start the season, "season" Buxton in Rochester, give suitable "looks" to these "bat first" (IMO "bat only") players in RF and LF.
  4. Kwak
    Duffey uses two curveball speeds and he uses his pitch in two different ways--some are meant to be in the strike zone and some are meant to finish out of the zone. He has a sufficient number of pitches for long-term success. Duffey is not in the Radke mold--so a comparison is invalid. Duffey's plan is to miss bats, Radke was looking for weak contact/groundballs.
  5. Kwak
    I agree--you are an optomist. I am just hoping the Twins have one catcher to keep.
  6. Kwak
    D: The Twins love their guys to have their AAA card punched. E: The Twins have stated that he will spend time at Rochester. F: The Twins need Active Roster spots for "last looks" for multiple players who have "underwhelmed".
  7. Kwak
    Perhaps the reasoning to provide Spring training looks to: Quentin, Mastroianni, ...etc. is the same as the reasoning used for Pinto in 2015?
  8. Kwak
    Despite all of Suzuki's struggle last year--he was still the best catcher in the franchise! Hmm, sounds to me like there might be an elephant in the room.
  9. Kwak
    You summed up all of the frustrations of those wishing Plouffe was gone and/or Park was never signed--poster's fantasy baseball line-up has been destroyed. Sano is the "desired 3B"--because he's worth more points there than DH. Ignored is are the struggles Sano showed as a minor league player and his propensity to get injured. Arcia seems to be another fan favorite as "old hitting stats are cited"--yet his disaster at Rochester last year (and his foundering in the OF) is also ignored. True, Plouffe is "only average at the ML level"--unfortunately the only alternative comes with double question mark. Plus after Sano, is emergency substitute Nunez (Wow!) and then...crickets. People wonder why Plouffe wasn't just dumped to save salary and permit Sano to play 3B? Arcia? Another train wreck in the making. But Arcia has his fans on TD but I don't think Ryan is one of them. Park? It sounds as if posters wish he will fail, because he alters their fantasy team--Wow, what true blue fans!
  10. Kwak
    +1. "I don't want to trade [X]."--Don't waste my time with a BS offer. Take my breathe away in an offer or I'll ignore your calls forever." If you don't like the name Plouffe, insert Sano, or Buxton, or Berrios into the sentence "I don't want to trade...", if that is necessary to get those of you to finally understand things.
  11. Kwak
    I hearing the choir in chorus!
  12. Kwak
    I recall Sano was an "error-machine" at 3B as he progressed through the system, but [his fans] would remind all that this was a "new position", or "he's young", or "these are minor league fields" (and that his teammates are minor league players)--so he "will be 'fine' at 3B when he reaches the Twins". Combine this with Ryan's statement concerning Plouffe "not being offered"--and it's more than reasonable to conclude that the Twins (shall I say) were not "whelmed" by Sano's defense at 3B. But let's be blunt: Sano was not signed for his defensive prowess (at any position) but for his hitting and especially power hitting. The present plan is to "get all of the bats in the line-up" by shifting people around.
  13. Kwak
    "...that Quentin will need minor league time." For what? Instead of who--the real prospects that the Twins have (Kepler, ABW, Buxton, and many other names included in the OF "prospect" thread. Are these the guys that sit so Quentin "can play"? If Quentin needs "time"--let him play for the Saints.
  14. Kwak
    The Twins are loaded with real ML prospects in the OF--more than they can actually play! They need to be evaluated and separated into two groups--the future and those to be traded for help elsewhere (3B, C, and always pitching). Every inning, AB, fly ball, practice time used (wasted!) on guys like Quentin is one less opportunity to evaluate the prospects and make the necessary decisions. The "silver medalists" must be ascertained before the rest of MLB also determines that they don't "have it" and their trade value disappears. The Phillies decided Meyer didn't "have it"--and traded him for a useful ML CF (Span) while the Twins are still trying to determine what to do with Meyer. Similar logic applies to the Twins' MiL OFers--wait too long and you wind up with nothing.
  15. Kwak
    There is no connection between Park and Quentin. Maybe Park only has the skill level of a AA player--I don't know one way or the other. But that doesn't alter the (non)relevance of Quentin. It's decision's like this that make me conclude this Front Office is better suited for a team like The St.Paul Saints than for any major league team.
  16. Kwak
    A foolish waste of time. This indicates a lack of focus on the future. Use Spring training to prepare the regulars and evaluate the prospects--not waste time on yesteryear's rejects.
  17. Kwak
    Put any Twins player name (Active Roster) in January of 2015, in place of Danny Santana, and the answer really doesn't change very much.
  18. Kwak
    It shows Sano's mindset. He doesn't give a rip about defense--that's not what pays the big money as far as he's concerned--it's all about power-hitting. His future is as DH--and most likely his present.
  19. Kwak
    Amen on this. Santana will be replaced next year. Rosario will become the 4th OF, the cream from the middle INF prospects will rise leaving the dumpster for Santana. Somebody else will sign him and so what? The Twins need to move away from evaluating bench players as "wins" for the FO. Stars are needed from the system and the Plouffe's of the team grade about a C+ for the system's performance standard.
  20. Kwak
    Reread the thread on 3B depth--you will find there isn't any! Plouffe isn't much (average at best) but the drop-off in the franchise is frightening. Maybe someone can be converted to 3B from within, maybe one of the "no-names" listed will make a huge jump in performance and become a true 3B prospect (maybe pigs will fly) but until the Twins obtain another long-term solution at 3B--Ryan won't trade plouffe for less than a King's Ransom (and maybe pigs will fly). Sano at 3B? The decision to move Sano to the OF is a vote of "non-confidence" in his 3B ability. Oh and there is no one behind Sano (at 3B) in case he "has another injury"--evidence of which is growing. Twins need to address the serious need at 3B, either by trade or draft--even if they sign Plouffe to an outrageous contract. Maybe especially if they do so!
  21. Kwak
    I think it's an announcement that Santana is no longer in the mix to ever be the regular SS. The Twins are deep at this position so some pruning is necessary.
  22. Kwak
    There certainly are a lot of names listed--many of them who were touted as "top-of-the-rotation" pitchers. It seems that a very good bullpen resides in this group. I hope the FO doesn't panic, or get bogged-down in shibboleths like BB/9, K/9, or mph, but focuses on actual success on the mound. I find it curious that so many posters are certain that internal options (rookies, minor leaguers, ) in "starter" ranks (position as well as pitcher) will definitely succeed (often stated as excel) but that the one-out to one-inning guys must be premium-priced veterans.
  23. Kwak
    Keeping Plouffe--perhaps the Twins don't think Sano has a future at 3B? Consider that the Twins held tight to the idea that Plouffe was a SS for many years before admitting that he wasn't a SS.
  24. Kwak
    Leading off with: "They went from the worst starting staff in baseball to merely being in the bottom quadrant." Parsing this--merely in the bottom quadrant--like "hey, no big deal. We're good [enough]." Oh so many posters got bent out of shape because of the bullpen--specifically a LOOGY--yet here is a far more serious problem! Continuing with "...depth in AAA and AA..." The only "depth" I see (and smell) is the BS about what (who) are at these crucial levels. These guys were "glossed-over" with references to many who will be promoted from the A ball levels--presumably to replace those beginning the season at AAA and AA levels. At best, depth = placeholders. Then, we read in Summary: "...but there are a lot of #3's and #4's...". Are we to infer (considering the quote about the cost of pitchers) that this is "a good thing", or is the statement an explanation of why the starting staff is in the bottom quadrant (wretched)?
  25. Kwak
    I reject the entire premise: " ... have a glaring need for left-handed relievers." RP's aren't even the #1 need for the entire team, much less LHed ones. Scoring runs in key situations was far more important--putting an opponent away when having the lead. The throwing arm of a pitcher isn't key--it's whether he succeeded or failed. The top pitchers (RP or SP) succeed not because they are (or are not) LH. The "need" for LH pitching is simply a crutch (excuse?) posed by management--a "slippery slope argument". The Twins have lots of RP-candidates in their system--it's time to use them. I readily admit this argument is useful for a blog to elicit discussion--but little else. To recommend spending on mediocre pitchers because they are LH is self-defeating--read the discussions on certain Twins starting pitchers as examples.
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