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cmathewson

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Everything posted by cmathewson

  1. cmathewson
    Different GMs. One has an idea about how guys learn and develop. The other is clueless.
  2. cmathewson
    Some right handers actually hit better against right handed pitchers. I know Gaetti was like that. I never hit lefties well myself, and I was a decent left handed hitter when I wanted to. But I had no power from the left side, so I only batted right, and I hit better against righties than lefties. I think that's typical for natural right-handed hitters like Hicks. I don't have the data in front of me, but it seems like platoon disadvantage is more of a left-handed thing. In other words, lefties struggle more in general with lefties than they do with righties. But they see so few lefties that they hit well overall. Jacque Jones is an example. On the other hand, righties who struggle against righties don't stay in the game, because nobody can justify a guy who can just hit right handed against lefties. Though righties hit better against lefties, they have to be at least competent against righties or they will not stay in the game. Matt LeCroy is exhibit A. Trevor Plouffe is on the cusp.
  3. cmathewson
    This. Gardy doesn't understand anyone who isn't a total hyper hypo. He didn't like Cuddy. He didn't like Kubes. He didn't like Bartlett. He he didin't like Plouffe. He doesn't like Hicks. He couldn't hate Mauer for obvious reasons. But if the performance is marginal, his go-to is to blame effort, or preparation or whatever. It's one of several unflattering traits for this manager. Antony is another story. At least Gardy is qualified to offer an opinion. Antony is the least qualified GM in baseball, so for him to publicly call out his players is just laughable. I wonder if he ever even talks to players privately.
  4. cmathewson
    I agree with this logic and always have. I just don't care for the way this organization has handled him. If they think he shouldn't switch hit, tell him to stop switch hitting, send him down to get used to hitting exclusively from the right side, and get on with it. Antony's attitude is to blame players for their lack of ambition or preparation or approach or whatever, and to do it publicly. In the process, the player feels like crap and Antony just comes off as a self-righteous jerk. Episode 1126 in the continuing saga of the PR intern who went to scout camp and became a Peter Principle Poster Child. I wonder how many times he had to wash Jim Pohlad's car to get this job.
  5. cmathewson
    I'm saying you can't look only at numbers. If he throws it a lot more than he normally would because he's working on it, it's not a good gauge of how effective it would be if properly used. He does have 49 Ks in 40 innings, so apparently a lot of guys are swinging and missing.
  6. cmathewson
    I think he should abandon switch hitting. But it was Antony who insisted he continue last spring. I don't know if Antony ever talks to players directly, or he just uses the media. But it's not all on Aaron Hicks that he continues to switch hit. He continues to be coached to do so. It just irks me that they blame players and fail to take any responsibility themselves.
  7. cmathewson
    I guess I don't see how he's struggling. Three out of the last four starts have been dominant. Maybe you mean he's been struggling to control it. But how important is change-up control? If he throws 10 of them in the dirt for Ks over a 100-pitch outing, I'm fine with that. You don't usually try to throw strikes with it. He's throwing it 40 times a game to get the feel for it, and guys are laying off. So he's walking more guys. Still, he had four base runners in five innings last night, all on walks.
  8. cmathewson
    This is what they should do, but I will believe it when I see it. This acting GM is a poster child for the sunk cost fallacy.
  9. cmathewson
    I think he'll have a taker or two for a low-level fringe prospect. If not, they'll DFA him after the All-Star game.
  10. cmathewson
    I honestly don't know what they see in him. He sits at 93 with a straight-as-an-arrow fastball and 83 with an ordinary slider. That might be enough if he had any control at all. But when he isn't wild out of the zone, he's wild in it. There have to be better relievers in AAA. Tonight, he gave up two walks, a hit, two runs and escaped only because of three loud outs. That's a good outing for him this year. His 7 ERA doesn't factor in the five inherited runners he has allowed to score.
  11. cmathewson
    This. I don't care how he does. He was worse than horrible. His release had nothing to do with signing Pelfrey or retaining Correia. He was DFAd and no one claimed him. He cleared waivers and was assigned to Rochester. He couldn't make the Rochester rotation or its bullpen. Only then was he released. He had every opportunity to make it here. He just sucked. Good Riddance Geranimal.
  12. cmathewson
    I actually think walking a lot translates better into MLB success. At least you know he didn't get his OPS by luck. But I don't expect him to hit batter than .280/.400/.420 or so. With his defense, I'll take it. He just needs to get there and he's not there yet.
  13. cmathewson
    Hicks has a career minor league OPS of .800 while being on average two years younger than the competition at every level. He's also rated among the top defenders of each league he has played in for his position. There is no reason to believe he can't eventually adjust to major league pitching. He just should not have skipped AAA.
  14. cmathewson
    Yes. My question is, where is the accountability for decisions like this? Someone said Gardy was the only one in MN who thought it was a good idea. I can say he was the only person in the universe. Bartlett could barely get the bat on the ball in spring training. He had never played professionally in the outfield. So why not give him the chance to play his way onto the 40 man in AAA? If he opts out, I guess he didn't want it enough. But why rush him back from nearly two years away from the game? And why risk losing the only back-up center fielder on the 40 man to do it? Gardy's response was "I don't need a back-up center fielder." If an employee of mine made such a bone-head decision, I'd fire him.
  15. cmathewson
    This is exactly what I've been saying, but more elegantly written and strongly argued. Great job.
  16. cmathewson
    Pay the man now before he gets crazy expensive.
  17. cmathewson
    I have a feeling we'll need his bat before the season is out.
  18. cmathewson
    I moved to NY and continue to wear my red TC hat with the blue bill from the 70s. I will never root for another team. I'm still a North Stars fan, but I can't bring myself to root for the Stars. I do root for the Wild, though. I was too young for the Lakers, but I'm also not a pro basketball fan, so I couldn't care less about the T-Wolves, aside from the desire for my home state to represent in the NBA for a change.
  19. cmathewson
    I'd like to say I expected this. But, the truth is, I didn't know what to expect. I thought he would be better away from the Bronx Band Box. I hoped he would be better as he hit his stride at the peak of his career. But there are warning signs as well. He doesn't have a great secondary pitch. He has wavered between the slider and the curve, settling on the curve and a cutter, and throwing the curve only as a "get me over" pitch to guys who never swing at the first pitch. It's a testimony to how good his fastball is that he can actually pitch seven shutout innings against the Tigers and throw two curveballs--none in tough situations. I'm not sure that's sustainable. But I'll take it, and continue to hope for more.
  20. cmathewson
    I wouldn't call him a top prospect, but he could be a useful piece, which is better than I thought in spring training--another washed-up former first rounder to add to the B.J. Garbe Memorial Bone Yard of Failed First Rounders , joining Adam Johnson, Matt Moses and (perhaps) Alex Wimmers. Surprisingly, he's hitting a little. If he keeps hitting like this upon his return from the 7-day DL, he should get a call up to AA, where he wouldn't be too old for his level. At that point, if he continues to hit like this and play decent defense, he becomes more than just roster filler. But supposing he does all that (best case scenario), he's still a low teens/upper 20s prospect in this system after the June draft.
  21. cmathewson
    I don't even want to speculate. They have a 30-year lease. I'll be dead before they move.
  22. cmathewson
    I don't know how Plouffe got added to a Santana thread, but since it went that way... People need to keep in mind that he is hitting with virtually no protection. When Colabello and Kubel were hot, Plouffe got some pitches to hit. Since Cola and Kubel became out machines, he's lucky to get one hitter's pitch per plate appearance. He's not missing them by much, but he is missing them. Let's see him with real hitters behind him before we jump to the conclusion that he isn't any good. MY POV: He'll never be an All Star. But he can be a decent bridge to Sano. Even after Sano, I can see him with a role on this team, either in LF or RF, or as a DH platoon and super utility guy. The only way he gets too expensive is if he finishes a season with a sustained period like his 2012 before the wrist injury. If that happens, he'll be a valuable trade chip.
  23. cmathewson
    I was going to post what Tobi posted. Raw OPS is not the only measure of tools. He has tools unlike any in the organization at his position. As long as he's producing, this is valuable learning time. If he struggles in a Hicksian fashion, he could benefit from more seasoning. Until then, watch and enjoy.
  24. cmathewson
    I'm taking the over. Last year at this time, there was no Hughes, no Nolasco, and Deduno was on a rehab assignment. Gibson was a possible reinforcement. Otherwise, starting pitching was grim. This year I see a brighter future with the starters. How many series have the Twins won in Detroit the last few years? They won that series because they got two quality starts against a great lineup. Reason for optimism.
  25. cmathewson
    Three errors in three games and three 0fers for the Red Wings. The spiral has yet to bottom out.
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