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Kwak

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Everything posted by Kwak

  1. Kwak
    Which was implied in my post. There are (at least) two problems with this philosophy: signing a mediocre veteran delays the required learning curve of the "prospect"--he will have to overcome the transition to the majors anyway; and if the "veteran" is half-decent--he gets extended, often for multi-years. But the veteran is still only mediocre and the prospects are stacking-up in the minors. If the "prospects" are always "not quite ready", maybe part of the fault is in the management in charge of the system--and that's where the change is required. Buying the safety blanket is a CYA device, ownership has to remove the training wheels and demand results.
  2. Kwak
    Why on earth acquire players who aren't/won't project better than the top OF prospects in the Twins system? It makes far more sense to play the prospects, take lumps for this season (maybe?), and get serious in 2017. Mediocre players aren't what this team needs so it doesn't lose 90--it needs top quality players so it can consistently win 90+ games.
  3. Kwak
    Too bad, the Twins could have another aging, declining, veteran catcher to a long-term expensive contract.
  4. Kwak
    The Twins should definitely be cycling their top RPs from the minors into the Active Roster. People are stacking-up and those who were "selected" as "top prospects" must demonstrate that projection now. If a guy can't cut it, then he gets passed on the "prospect list" and someone else gets their chance.
  5. Kwak
    NO. The Twins are lacking talent, they need to clear-out the marginal guys (especially those that are fan-favorites!) and replace them with quality. Short-cutting the process to be a "playoff team in 2016" (which is a long shot) diminishes the potential of being a dynasty-team in the ALCD and having true potential to beat the NY's and LA's of the future in the playoffs--instead of being the one-and-dones of the previous decade. Would Sanchez be a good acquisition? (Yes!)--Was he even offered? And for whom? I promise it would be for a lot more than an Aaron Hicks. Quite likely multiple players that the Twins will be/are counting on to be the future. I don't think the Yankees believe Hicks will be anymore than a solid hole-plugger--but they have (and especially after some gigantic contracts are cleared-out) the resources to buy some stars--the Twins can buy but one. To act as you just suggested (playoff-now) involves "Settling for Mediocrity". Or, are you choosing to be on both sides of that issue?
  6. Kwak
    There comes a time when a team has to pull-the-plug on a favorite, there are others constantly refilling the pipeline. There is a limited amount of time for a player to "make his mark"--and Hicks is 26. Reciting the old saws about how so-and-so blossomed at 27 when there is a wealth of evidence of top players having "proved themselves" several years younger than 27. A consistent winning team must set high standards--and rigorously defend them. Being soft and squishy because a player is "well-liked", a "great-teammate", and/or a 1st round draft choice, unnecessarily lowers said standards and sends a message that performance isn't key.
  7. Kwak
    Or, they could just promote from within (Meyer) and put their reputations on the line. GMs will gladly spend somebody else's money on an insurance policy (veteran from another team) than promote the prospect they drafted or acquired in a trade.
  8. Kwak
    Plouffe is the next trade. Wishin' and a hope'n. Seriously, there is no reason to continue to cling to Plouffe like he is some Rare Earth Mineral. I think the Twins take prospects for Plouffe. The Twins need to learn to say "Au Revoir " to their OK players when they get too expensive and try to replace with higher quality. There definitely is a perception that "home-grown" is better and that's all too often not the case.
  9. Kwak
    Cheapshot! Puck hasn't posted here for years--and most of his posts were reasoned. I forget his name, but another guy from Mexico (frequently sent to the penalty box)--well if you were referring to him..., that would be different. Puck didn't suffer fools, especially those who posted to claim they were a "better fan" than others. During this period the Twins were nearly wretched and many were downright angry about that. I'm curious as to why you chose to "pick a scab" that had disappeared years ago.
  10. Kwak
    One to fly to a major league team, one fly to a minor league team, one to fly to Ft. Myers and a whirlpool tub, the 4th is punished and stays in Minneapolis.
  11. Kwak
    Did you forget his stint in the OF before he was moved to 3B?
  12. Kwak
    It has been both amusing and frustrating reading 200+ posts about this trade. They fall into the boxes "is this all [we] get?" Really? It's Aaron Hicks, get real. "Good! Now they start Buxton in CF." You mean after the DSP quote about beginning in Rochester, and 2015's lackluster? Not to worry, Buxton will be given the CF job sometime in 2016 simply because too much praise has already been said about Buxton to leave him in Rochester for all of 2016. The price of catchers has gone up. Consider what a part-timer like Herrmann fetched. Also, despite all of the self-congratulatory about the Twins ability to draft and develop (egads!), they are far from being a "catcher factory". In short, they addressed a need at catcher--and perhaps for the next 4-5 years too. The fact that Murphy won't be the next Johnny Bench--well neither was Mauer. There was a comment about an outfield of Sano, Rosario, and Arcia being brutal--yes, definitely--and in both implied definitions of brutal!
  13. Kwak
    The price of catchers is stiff. The Twins drafted several catchers a few years back--but their utility has been marginal. CFers? The Twins draft them and trade them like BB cards. Hicks didn't develop the way they wished--take pitches, work the count, get walks, long ABs, and still hit above league batting average. Then they changed--put Dozier at the top, and say "let 'er rip! Brian". Get HRs, doubles, and forget taking pitches to work the count, build pitch count/get walks. Hicks might have had more success if he had such "swing freedom" but we'll never know. The Twins are loaded with OFers (and added one in a trade!). The job is waiting for Buxton (while the FO prays he doesn't become Hicks II. I think Rosario begins in CF and is flanked by two wide-bodies unless Plouffe is traded--which is probably best for the Twins because I don't see Plouffe as a foundation stone of a long-term winner.
  14. Kwak
    So many posts needing a response--too many to ID: Compare Park with Nishioka--yes if using the context of brand extension. It's no secret that the business world has been "globalizing" for some time--and for the Twins to adopt a strategy along this premise is to be expected. Will Park be a huge asset? I don't know, time will tell. It is possible for this to be a very sound business decision but a poor baseball decision--so measure your responses accordingly. To the comments about DSP's fingerprints on Nishioka and now Park? Sure, why wouldn't they be? The Twins are a business not a horse-farm-hobby. The defense of reputations concerning "whose fault" concerning Nishioka, gag me. Smith was never a scout, and didn't choose them. When he replaced Ryan there wasn't a cleansing of the organization--just a simple change of titles--but Smith never had the same power that Ryan held (how could he?). To me the real issues are: does this team's FO believe that the assembled core (sans Hicks as of today!) still believe that they only needed a bit better hitting, another relief pitcher, and good luck to win the World Series--or is this team still building and that the many of 2015 team need to replaced with better players in order to win the Series? In short is average starting pitching, slightly above average position players (collectively) and a good measure of luck (the strategy of the previous decade) enough to "win it all", or is the team still transitioning to meet the a different type of team in order to "win it all"?
  15. Kwak
    So what the difference between Bak and ABW? Lots more money? A massive brand identity in ROK? They must be planning on selling jerseys by the boxcar to justify this investment. Hey, maybe a 2 for 1--tossing in a free Nishioka jersey when buying Bak's at full price?
  16. Kwak
    One must take these lists with a block of salt. Example: what is the gap between prospect #n and #n+1 ? It could be a lot more than meets a simple eye test suggested by simply one more integer. Ergo, Take a sequence of numbers (for prospects 1-10): are the relative values 87, 85, 82, 80, 77, 75, 74, 72, 68, 67, or, 91, 85, 82, 77, 71, 64, 56, 48, 45, 39 ? All are top ten prospects, but "Whoa! Nellie! " A huge difference in value. The letter grades attached (A, B, C) aren't as useful as one might think. This could explain why Travis Harrison is #16, yet could be miles behind the top three.
  17. Kwak
    Or, maybe it means exactly what it says "...we need a place to play Sano [in the field] and OF is a need for the team." 3B is not a long-term position for Sano (1B might be though), and OF may well be a good parking spot for 3+ years. The Twins could be (are right now) in a strong position to trade OFers for real needs elsewhere. If Sano can be at least as effective in the OF as Cruz (and for that matter most of the over-sized sluggers past and present in the OF) this "experiment" is a viable option.
  18. Kwak
    This article is part of the fallout from Hunter's retirement. The geniuses believed Hunter would stay to be a "hole-plugger"/safety blanket. When Hunter refused panic ensued and "stuff" gets thrown-around for a "solution" to a non-problem. A sportswriter gets a whiff of the stench--voila`--a story is written.
  19. Kwak
    Twins are assuming Robinson has no other options. I think he signs elsewhere.
  20. Kwak
    It's much easier to find a good 2B, than a good catcher. Or, why Dozier was moved to 2B from SS, and Murphy (Mets) was moved to 2B.
  21. Kwak
    The Mets will be looking for a 2B. Perhaps there is a catcher (or 2) that could be obtained?
  22. Kwak
    The Minnesota background isn't helping Gardenhire. The Twins are noted as being very "clubby", basically closed to outsiders. Gardy's experience suggests--"a 'yes' man", a good soldier who follows orders. That will work in some organizations/situations but not in others. Gardenhire's public proclamation that "...re-signing Nick Punto was the twins #1 priority..." illustrates he might "speak out of turn". There is also something to be said for hiring a "younger" guy as manager versus the "old guy". Lest anyone say "Dusty Baker", consider that hiring a Black Man as Manager (and in Washington D.C. !) would be considered "smart".
  23. Kwak
    Not to worry Gardy fans, if the Twins stumble I predict Ryan will do his utter best to replace Molitor with Gardy.
  24. Kwak
    I concur with everything you said until "...putting May back into the rotation...". May has consistently short starts and comparatively ranks behind the rest of the rotation--in short the Twins have better starters than May. But, May could be a consistently very good relief pitcher (which could not be said of some of the starters). The Twins require six full innings from the rotation else their bullpen will be shredded in the Summer; May all too often is gone before the end of the sixth inning. More good news--there are even more good options for the rotation coming soon, so there is no need to "settle". KC has clearly demonstrated the value of a top-notch bullpen, so it's not like May isn't fully utilized in the bullpen. I reflect on how KC built this winner. First they made a statement that they would spend to build a competitive team. Gil Meche may not sound like much to Twins fans, but he (at $11MM/year) represented a huge change for KC at the time. The Twins finally matched that change with the acquisition of: Hughes, Nolasco, E. Santana, and Hunter--the Twins would spend to eliminate their losing. So far, so good. Both teams have drafted early for "hoped for" top prospects. KC's are there (well, they did start earlier), Minnesota is still "building and waiting" for most of their prospects. But KC, went farther--which the Twins typically never do--trade top prospects for proven veterans (James, Cueto and Zobrist) to win now. Time will tell with the Twins.
  25. Kwak
    Kris Bryant struck-out 199 times for the Cubs (and he missed the first two weeks!)--and no one was complaining, or recommending he return to AAA!
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