Kwak

I wonder if the Twins were using TD as a sounding board? Article on Liam Hendriks, then today I read in PRAVDA that DeVries will get the start against Oakland replacing Hendriks in the rotation. Hmmm.

I never saw any fire in the team (it's even worse now!) that suggested that they believed this would be a winning season. That must change! I repeat--there is way too much emphasis on pitch-count and walks. The hitters need to get more aggressive on the first pitch and not permit the opposing P an easy strike one. These young guys also have to dial-it-down with two strikes and focus on making solid contact rather than swinging for the fences. Twins pitchers need to use their off-speed pitches more frequently.

There are potentially several candidates for that DH spot--including Mauer. If Arcia doesn't become a ++ hitter, he's got to play a position or be traded. Evaluating Arcia from (ceiling) Kubel to (floor) Delmon Young (with which I agree) causes me to conclude the Twins should be including him in a bundle for quality starting pitching. One thing that must change in the Twins organization is satisfaction wih C+ players. They arent what was hoped for in the draft, they get expensive after in the arbitration years and obscure the need for a better player at his position.

Learn to pitch. Except the Twins don't teach pitching. The Twins preach promote (or punish) pitch-count and "attacking the strikezone". Sadly, pitching is short-circuited by throwing, and the results at the major league level show exactly that. In order for Hendriks to "learn pitching" he will have to do so for a team that actually teaches pitching. Given his age and baseball level (AAA) I am skeptical anyone will invest the resources for Hendriks. It seems his career will have to be as a relief pitcher.

Smith asked for $30MM--and was replaced! If Ryan asks for $30MM does he get a bonus? Or a cacphony of laughter?

Koneko's first AB last night illustrates the difference between a professional power hitter and the Twins hitters. Konerko attacked pitches up and over the plate, but layed-off those on the fringe--until he had 2 strikes. He kept his weight and hands back, and "reduced his swing" so that he was ready for anything low and away. If a FB (which he hit) he punched it into RF for a single. The same approach would have taken a breaking-ball up, to CF, yet allow him to "hold-up" on a breaking ball down. Arcia (and most other Twins hitters) just grip-it-and-rip-it on any count, including with two strikes. Hence, the Twins are striking-out at an alarming rate to try to hit HRs. Sadly, the Twins are only averaging a bit less than one/game, with way too many games with multiple HRs meaning a real dearth in other games. I like HRs too--and the Twins do need their share--but they need (in this thread read Arcia) to get them by attacking early in the count and cutting his swing down with two strikes to just make decent contact rather than the HR swing which he uses all of the time. A few less HRs but a much improved BAVG and OBA.

I am not completely convinced that the problem is not drafting good pitchers. I see improperly developed pitchers being the real problem (of course better command, faster FB, and stronger character would be a big help!), but rather Twins pitchers don't have a "finish 'em off pitch"--which I believe is the real problem. The insistence on pitch-count, and ground-balls (PtoC) short-circuits the development. It can develop a fine minor league pitcher but experience has shown that major league hitters hit these guys regularly. The development system must be crafted to produce major league pitchers the type the get strike-outs and cause hitters to swing the bat earlier in the count especially on pitches on the fringe of the strikezone. Until then, we will repeats of Hendriks' Monday night "inning".

You forgot to include a photo of that humongous block of cash for the Breakin Bad reminder.

About two months ago I thought Arcia was a White Sox OF in a Twins uniform. I still think that way. I don't see a big future for Arcia.

That was a routine play at 3rd, no kudoes earned.

This past homestand has illustrated: poor fielding, little hitting, and even less scoring. Basically an upgrade is needed at every position.

It's premature to say "The Twins Way" has been replaced--let's be blunt nearly all of those who crafted "TTW" are still in/running the organization. The active roster sure looks like the same sort who we have watched for years (except not as skilled). It will take much more than new buzz words to convince me that there has been real change.

If the Twins sign a FA that costs their 2nd round draft choice, that player must be substantial. I find it difficult to accept that such a high quality FA can be signed for less than 5 years.

How many of you watching at home "speak badly about players"? I do! How many of you post negative comments about players? I do! So if Gardy wants to trash somebody--well maybe that guy actually earned it!

Without knowing all of the details of any trade how can you assess it? I would think that a trade of Dozier would fetch more than Rosario--especially in a multi-player deal.

Most GMs go through baseball hell in order to even be considered for GM, so leaving is "unexpected"--unless it's a promotion like McPhail received.

Remember the comment about Ryan not spending all that was authorized? Do you think other teams hang their GM out to dry for "underspending"? I don't. I think it was an empty statement that was intended to obscure the spending issue and place it squarely on Ryan. Before the season started St.Peter was interviewed and stated that "[they]" were comfortable with a budget of $80-$85MM. So if Ryan "underspent" it was by about 3-4% of the plan--and not some massive amount that would have netted another "top" player. Yes, I believe that ownership is setting the spending parameters, but also that Ryan is in agreement with those parameters. I never truly accepted the "burnt-out" statement concerning his relinquishing the GM role either. Recall that when Hunter and Santana left there was a huge drop in payroll--and that it was no accident that there was no major free agent signing. Livan Hernandez (at $5MM) would not qualify!

Maybe Gardenhire wants out? Change is inevitable. Ryan is correct in pointing-out that the talent level is such that any manager would struggle--but let's not be deceived that Gardenhire was a helpless pawn with regard to the roster. The pitching philosophy, whatever catchwords you prefer, was a part of Gardenhire's input and was most definitely enforced to the detriment of any pitcher who disagreed. Twins' pitchers have a poor K/game ratio--and suffer because of it. But (at least this year) the Twins' hitters have an equally poor K/game ratio--and suffer just as much. Any baseball manager (field or general) should see these deficiencies and seek to correct them--but I haven't heard a peep from either Ryan or Gardenhire! They can all they want about getting ahead in the count and getting ground-balls, but if there is darn little threat of being struck-out the opponents just cherry-pick the pitches. Inversely the hitters strike-out so often that scoring is made really difficult--the OBP of a K is less than .01!

The Twins made a big deal about Jim Thome's 600th HR--and he spent very little of his career at Minnesota nor was he "home-grown" ala` Molitor and Winfield for their fetes. My question is why aren't the Twins making a big deal about Gardenhire's 1000th win? My guess is that he is "on the outs" with the FO [those above Ryan]. I combine that with Gardenhire selling his MN home and conclude--he's gone after this September.

The premise of this thread Why the Twins Will Spend This Offseason has raised the question to the doubters: Why do you think they won't? I shall try to be brief. 1) They don't have to do so. Minnesota fans have demonstrated considerable tolerance to lack-lustre results. "There are certain places where there's more latitude on the part of management to deal with the issue of competition. Places like Minnesota..." Sandy Alderson former A's GM. Quote taken from The Extra 2% by Jonah Keri, 2011. I sat in the Legend's Club on a beautiful Saturday night. These are expensive tickets held by season ticket holders--but it sure seemed to me that most there has acquired these seats [somehow]. No one talked baseball. Mostly people ate, drank, and soaked-up the atmosphere. Except for the 7th inning stretch and when there was two outs in the 9th one might have thought this crowd was watching Shakespeare in the Park instead of a MLB game. But everybody seemed happy and glad that they spent their time and money to go to the game. Winning or losing was simply incidental to their evening of enjoyment. 2. The Twins have little to even negative incentive to spend That particular game was very nearly a sell-out. A better team would not have sold enough extra tickets to cover the added cost of a better team. Revenue sharing is a substantial % of gross revenues and doesn't have to be earned on the diamond. But revenue sharing does have a hook--"poorer teams benefit less from revenue sharing when they start winning more games."--The Extra 21/2 %. "Win more games--and get less money from the league." 3. Safer and cheaper to not shortcut the process It pains me to write this stuff because I'm one of those paying for Target Field. But many feel that by "going slow and taking your turn" (building through the draft) saves money, allows a better opportunity to build a stronger and longer-lasting-winning team. Given the huge disparity in revenues between the top markets and everybody else, the smaller (not just the small!) market teams probably have to concentrate their talent in a shorter window in order to "have enough" to overcome all of the big market teams to win a World Series. 4. The Pohlads have shown a keen interest in paying-off the short-term debt. I don't know why, but apparently they do. The Twins provided information for a newspaper article to discuss this issue--an issue that very few, if any, other teams would be willing to even mention.

I don't think they will make a big splash--unless you think re-signing Pelfrey to a 2-year contract a "splash". They will sift the discard bin just like last year to sign one SP. The Twins have an abundance of "SPs" who have "been there" to shuttle between Rochester and Minneapolis and will use the draft(s) to rebuild from the bottom-up. The plan is slow and steady. Experience has shown that attendance will bounce-back quickly if a contender is assembled. Twins fans have been way tolerant of losing (even for extended periods) and with a low payroll combined with the way generous revenue sharing of MLB makes slow and steady plan very profitable and safe.

The vitriol over this "lost asset" was amazing. Who knows maybe he will be 2015's Clete Thomas?

With all of the money saved by not improving the rotation maybe they can spend some on hitters?

If Buxton develops close to expectations he will move past Hicks on the CF depth chart. A .700 OPS for a premier (if Hicks actually is that good) CF defender might be acceptable--but it isn't for a corner OF. Thus Hicks must improve his hitting considerably or he will be limited to a bench OF. If the Twins don't think he will hit better than that, they should bundle young players and acquire someone that they really do need. If the Twins wait too long on Hicks, the rest of baseball will see him as a failure and he becomes a mere "throw-in" to a larger trade.

A very good post--one flawed assumption--that the Twins are trying to build the #1 team (for a season) to be the World Series favorite. Actions from 2000-present indicate that the Twins' plan is to have an average rotation, good bullpen (far cheaper than the inverse), good enough to make the playoffs, --followed by a "ya' never know" attitude--and hope they catch lightning in a bottle during the playoffs. It would require a complete change in management to alter that philosophy.