Kwak

Pelrey's 2013 stat line: TBF Hits BAVGA OBAA BB K 680 184 .300 .358 53 (7.8%) 101 (14.8%) Does this look like a candidate for the bullpen? I don't think so.

Gardy should be gone irrespectiveof any issue with Pinto. Playing Fryar does permit more data points to assess his "future with the Twins", which might be the actual reason why Fryar is in the lineup.

Were you one of the advisors to the Wilfs? You know, ignore the public and "do it our way."

There's always someone looking for a cheap SP--find them. Cut a deal even if it involves some Twins money. Many posts have been made extolling Ryan's ability to build a bullpen--so let him! It is imperative to not dig the 2015 Twins in a hole (like just about every year) with the "April Experiments" that typify Gardenhire-teams. The rotation should be made of "starting pitchers" (which may include rookies), the bullpen with experienced relief pitchers, the OF with outfielders, the IF with infielders in their normal position, and real catchers.

I agree with you--but it will be with the Capitals.

Gardenhire could have made this statement weeks ago. Saying it now seems a bit self-serving. Wagons are circling at 1 Twins Way (and doesn't that address shed light on the entire organization's character?) concerning who gets blamed for this season's disaster. I certainly hope the Pohlads learn from the Wilf's mistakes concerning "ignoring the fans" when making decisions.

Yes, Twins fans are hurt when someone point-out that things aren't as warm and fuzzy as fans perceive. Consider: Span wasn't even afforded the "trial run" in '07 on a team that had been written-off (Casilla got his "trial-run" when the respected Castillo was dispatched for (Butera and another MiL catcher); the announced "competition" between Span and Gomez for Spring training with Span seemingly winning--only to be dispatched to Rochester; Span's promotion to play for the injured Cuddyer (and Span's clearly superior peformance compared to Gomez) only to be (yet again) dispatched to Rochester when Cuddyer returned. No, Gomez wasn't better than Span during Gomez's time with the Twins--he was raw, had poor mechanics (recall his "crow-hop" before his OF throws?, and his wild swings at breaking-balls low and away?). True, Gomez did have more upside--but the Twins couldn't develop him--so Gomez was traded for J.J. Hardy to fill the huge hole at SS. BTW, the Gomez for Hardy trade a quite good for the Twins--until Hardy was thrown away for garbage. Summing up, yes, it's easy to see why Span has "hard feelings about the Twins". If Meyer doesn't provide years of quality service in the rotation, the "Span trade" will be yet another misstep.

"The Real Brian Dozier" is sort of like "the real Trevor Plouffe" and "the real Joe Mauer" and so on. We really need to see next season to firm up the conclusion. As a hitter, I suspect he will resemble Plouffe more than any other Twin. As a fielder, he resembles a Nick Punto but with a "better arm".

Good news, Arcia not in the OF, bad news, Hicks will be batting for him. Things depend on which Nolasco pitches tonight: the guy paid $12MM or "Little Ricky"?

This the proverbial "trial run". My eyes see his FB as rather flat, but it fast. My needs to throw more curves in the K zone, work both sides, and stay confident. There will be plenty of set backs next year how well he handles them will determine his success.

Replacing any (all) of this management team is "change for the sake of change". I find that offensive. Ignoring the fans and combining such to retain anybody runs counter to what the entertainment industry is all about (maybe all industry?). No one is going to prison or Siberia for goodness sake. I have posted many times that this team's failures is not one person's fault but rather the fault of many. Replacing one (or more people) doesn't mean those removed were "the only one's to blame." A large fire generally rejuvenates the forest (or prairie) to an even higher level ofvibrancy. Organizations have to purge themselves occasionally and since we can't turn back the clock, the best time to purge is now.

The four games at Detroit might be meaningless--assume Detroit has already clinched the division. On the humorous side, Swarzak is like the tethered goat at a picnic that the Twins invited the Tigers.

I want to hear the story told after the season is over explaining that free agent contracts for over $30MM, just for the 2014 season, were let and the end result isn't much different. Last year, Ryan "fell on the spear" stating he hadn't provided enough quality in the players for Gardy to win. So, did Ryan "fail" to improve the team, or did Gardenhire misuse what he was provided for 2014?

Nolasco has 3 years remaining on his contract--he will get a spot in the rotation.

May starting and a wind to LF, there will be runs scored. We don't want a repeat of last Sunday's 1-0 game. On a different front, perhaps the baserunning can be improved for today's game?

There is concern. When Dozier was hitting like he was a 30HR/year guy, the Twins could overlook the low BAVG (his BB rate was sound) and his defense was better than any other regular on the team. But if the Dozier we now see is what we should expect is his normal performance, then the team needs to keep its mind open to MiLers in the system as a replacement/upgrade. Dozier could soon become quite expensive--and the Twins still need pitching. Summarizing, the post-July 22 Dozier is not a long-term keeper.

+1 You hit the nail on the head. The Twins spend too much time (especially playing time) trying to weave silk purse's from sows' ears.

1) Joe Mauer wasn't, isn't, nor should be considered "the straw the stirs the drink". True, if his BAVG improves 50 points the team scoring will improve. But that statement works for every position. Mauer isn't what's keeping this team from winning 90+ games--but his salary suggests that he should be! 2) Substandard defense has demonstrably hurt. But how many changes will the Twins make? Expecting Arcia to improve is wistful. Better positioning would help--but this management team has yet to tinker much with OF alignment. CF--who? We need to remove the rose-colored glasses here, none of the present candidates will defend to the level Twins fans have come to enjoy. Buxton won't be spending much (if any) time with the Twins next year. 2016, well that's not this thread. Santana is fast but doesn't have an OF "knack". Plus his throws, while strong, are far too often inaccurate. Hicks is just plain overrated. Schafer can play the field, but has no arm, and is likely the best defensive option--but will the Twin opt for defense or offense? Or perhaps neither (Hicks). Anybody would be better than Willingham. There will be improvement--but how much is TBD. A top free agent would help--but how likely is that to happen? 3) The amount of improvement to tough to gauge--it will improve but how much will depend on defensive improvement. Earlier scoring by the offense would probably help too. I don't think they will be 29th next year, but 19th is in the cards. I firmly believe that a relaxation of "the pitch count rule" will help and also help the bullpen. But can/will the Twins be flexible on this issue? 4) Probably reflects that Twins really were a weak team. Improve the team, improve the home record. 5) Fundamentals. It seems to me you really mean playing situational baseball rather than "playing to impress". Players that "feel secure" of their job (and compensation) [read veterans] are more likely to do this. Guys looking to "secure a job"--or "a big pay raise" tend to play to impress. Attitudes are difficult to control.

If they only knew what that guys name--maybe they would.

1K/inning (a very good rate!) still requires two more outs to finish an inning and nearly all of them occur on a batted-ball-in-play. Allowing a "4th out" in an inning generally leads to more scoring--it is also deflating to the pitcher. Tht "4th out" will happen, and the pitcher must learn to work through them, but if that "4th out" becomes a frequent occurance things will get ugly. It is way too early to consider Arcia a fixture in the OF, he just hasn't put up the hitting numbers that permit overlooking all of the hits/runs he allows by his "defense". He will be the starting RF next April because there isn't enough competition for a major league position right now--but that competition will soon emerge. If Sano doesn't "cut it" as a 3B (a real probability) he likely would be moved to the OF. Plus, there are OFers in the system on their way up--and very soon.

Removing infielders from the OF should help, so will the "moving on" of some Twins OFers. But, I detect too much of a "fatherly attitude" towards players ("he will make it if we just give him more time...) ignoring that there are others in the organization (not far behind) waiting for their opportunity. Management has to "cut throats" from time to time. Take Arcia, there are hitters coming up that are challenging for a major league job he can't receive the favorite son treatment for much longer. Arcia has to demonstrate that he is a keeper, and soon. Then there's the need for starting pitching... . That's why there are trades. Management can't complain about pitching while playing substandard fielders and boasting of their MiL system for long.

"... from the outside...". Absolutely!--But won't happen without a change at the very top. There is very good reason why the wins are run like a cult--the Pohlads like that system. I'm not holding my breath waithing for an explanation why, or for that matter someone from the outside. A new executive will demand control over the entire organization within the constraints of budget and cosmetic issues. I just don't see that happening.

Garver, 4th yr college and starts in very low minors? Next year Ft. Meyers? The staircase treatment really doesn't make sense.

Actually, the rebuild started before 2011. Many of the players the team is building with were acquired before then--but they were young. Sano, Santana, Vargas, Arcia (and more) were signed as teenagers (I could add Plouffe ['04]). Gibson and Dozier (from college) in '09. I will point out that most of these guys were signed during the period of the much-maligned Bill Smith was GM--so perhaps the cupboard wasn't as bare as some contend.

It was only 2-3 weeks ago Bremer was announcing "that you can still buy season tickets"! He should have added: "...from the present owners of season tickets."