SDFan

Seth, thanks for all the time you invest in following the minor leagues. I have followed your work for many years, and you are a wealth of information. You also conduct yourself very well on-line and seem to be a gentleman in how you interact with others. Whenever there's a question about a minor leaguer, I believe you'll be a reliable source of information. Thanks for being a huge part of the appeal of this website for me.

I'm happy for him - he's going to a team with tons of talent that is likely going to the playoffs. Maybe he'll get a World Series ring. He seems like a good guy, and I wish him well.

I'm coming around to the idea of re-signing Suzuki. He's not exactly over the hill at 30. Maybe Turner or Garver are ready in a few years, but at this point I'm less bullish on Pinto as a catcher than most.

I have to think that simply restoring some confidence will do him a world of good. I would love to see the Aaron Hicks story with the Twins have a Part 2, where he turns into a great player for many years. Kind of like Perkins, who was pretty awful as a starter and also had some dust-ups with management, as I recall.

Fantastic research on a very interesting topic. Thanks!

I'm not trying to be critical here. The All-Star game is set up to let the fans pick the rosters. I get that. I don't want to upset or insult anyone with my comments. But look at the perspectives being communicated. Sentimentality . . . not voting for someone because they play for a team I don't like . . . a good story . . . an underdog. Rarely is ability or performance cited. We should forever quit talking about the All-Star game as any objective measure of ability or greatness. And yet writers who have HOF votes commonly refer to how many times a player was an All-Star. I doubt the sentiments being expressed here are any different that those held by baseball fans anywhere else. I don't mean to be critical of anyone's opinion and how they base their votes. I just cringe when I think that these All-Star ballots have an impact on how many fans - and more importantly HOF voters - view players historically. They are popularity contests, not objective measures of greatness.

It's nice to see Hicks hitting well at AA. I haven't given up on him at all. I hope the organization hasn't.

"he reminds me of a young John Fogerty" This made me laugh. So I guess I can actually say "lol" here.

I was a very serious mountain biker for about a decade. I don't ride much anymore (I'm 43), and still have my 26" bike for rides with my kids. I have a Santa Cruz Blur LT, which is the best bike I've ever owned. At the time it was worth more than the 14-year old 4Runner I drove. That definitely sounds like the right frame size if you're 6'1". I'm just a shade shorter than you - about 6'1/2" - and also have a 21" frame. I think the consensus is that 29" wheels are smoother over rocky terrain, and the perceived increase in rolling resistance isn't even an issue. Almost all my serious biker friends who still ride have gone to 29" wheels, and wouldn't go back. If I was in the market for a bike now, it would absolutely be a 29". Of course, it depends on your terrain. We have a ton of rocks here in the Black Hills of South Dakota, so the larger wheel is a real plus as it can roll over terrain where a smaller 26" wheel will have trouble. If this is your first bike, I would recommend going to a dedicated bike shop (a lot of forums refer to this as an LBS - local bike shop). You'll pay a little more, but you'll get a bike that's the right size for you and will have access to tuneups, maintenance, and quality safety gear (a good helmet is the most important thing, of course). If you're not planning on riding really aggressive terrain (lots of rocks, big drop-offs, etc.), you can save money by going with what's called a hard-tail. This means there's only suspension in the front - the fork. The rear tire wouldn't have a shock. You can get a lot more bike for the money if you can fore-go that rear shock. Of course, if you're planning on riding more aggressive terrain, you'll likely want that shock. The terrain where I ride is extremely rocky, so pretty much everyone rides a full-suspension bike. But for a first bike, especially, I would take a serious look at a hard-tail. If you fall in love with the hobby, you can always upgrade to a FS (full suspension) bike later. Ok - enough already. Biking was my consuming passion for an entire decade, and I still get pumped just talking about it. My time is now spent with my wife and kids, and I don't ride much anymore - but it's an incredible hobby and I only wish I'd started riding at 20 instead of 30. By the way, biking probably saved my life. At 32, I had a severe blockage of my LAD coronary artery - they call that the "widowmaker". I weighed about 180 pounds, was in fantastic shape, ate right, didn't smoke, didn't drink, and rode my bike hard several days a week. And there I was, in the emergency room at 32, hearing the doctor tell me he was amazed I was alive. He said I had developed "collateral arteries" from all the mountain biking, and those collateral arteries are likely what saved my life. Without them, I'd probably have died of a massive heart attack. So, good luck with the bike purchase. I hope you enjoy the hobby as much as I have.

In the past I've been very critical of the Twins - Gardy in particular - in how they call out young guys publicly while seeming to give under-performing veterans a pass. In this case, however, nothing that was said in that article bothered me. I thought Gardy and Antony were pretty diplomatic, considering that Hicks apparently sometimes doesn't even bother to find out who's taking the hill that day. That was a startling bit of information. Maybe behind the scenes the Twins have an attitude that I've heard Nick Saban express more than once. If you work on the process and get that right, the results should take care of themselves. If they don't, then you've done what you can with the talent you have. If Hick's isn't working on the process of being a professional hitter with that preparation and tape study, then he's just hoping the results work out. I can understand why that would frustrate them. It would frustrate me also.

This brought a smile to my face this morning. Since I'm at work, and I hate my job, that is no mean feat.

I also believe there is a physical problem with Pelfrey. I hope it's nothing serious, because he seems like a very decent guy and when healthy can be a contributor.

I totally agree. I enjoy watching exceptional performances even for the other team, unless it's the Yankees.

Other than the quote from Verlander, which appears to be a foolish position on his part based on their head to head numbers, I don't think it's clear at all that pitchers hold this perception. Mauer ranks highly year to year in both intentional and unintentional walks. Maybe some/many fans have that perception, but I don't see any evidence in the numbers that indicate pitchers feel that way. Maybe I misunderstood your point.

Is there a hall of fame for posts? I nominate this one.

I wouldn't necessarily equate "chemistry" with "boisterous" or "loud". If most of the team like things more quite and laid-back - or perhaps they would consider it more "serious" - then that's just as much a legitimate "chemistry" as a team full of jokers taking batting practice in nothing but a jock strap. Both vibes can be called chemistry - as long as it's an atmosphere where the players feel comfortable with each other, supported, appreciated, motivated, etc. It depends on the personality of the players, not what Souhan wishes it was.

That is my sentiment as well. I really enjoyed this interview and hearing more about Stuart Turner. I am very impressed with the way he handles himself.

I'm just curious - why Hicks in left and not right? From what I've read, his arm is better than Arcia's. That may not be true; it's just the impression I have going back even to when he was drafted. I haven't been to Target Field; does LF play a lot bigger than RF, so that range is a big factor? In any case, count me in the group who is really pulling for Hicks this year.

Good stuff Seth - thanks to you and Coach Henderson.

I thought McCann went to the Yankees?

One of my favorite articles on TwinsDaily. I love the sense of humor.

I love your sense of humor. Really enjoyed this article.

I hate to even bring this up - but reading this article I just kept thinking to myself "Are we really sure he's only 19?" Would he be as big a prospect if he were 23?