goulik

In his last 10 games since I adopted LaMonte, he has cooled off. He has only hit .265 with 2 homers on 9 hits and 9 walks for 8 RBIs and 7 Runs. His slugging has slipped to .497 and his OPS is under .900 (.899). He has only stolen two bases and he struck out 5 times in 34 at bats. I I guess I cursed him but hopefully he will recover and get those numbers back up where they were.

4 game win streak! Beginning with the Lookouts game on July 28th, Brett has been involved in 4 straight decisions, all of them in his favour but the last two seem most impressive. Since I adopted Brett, he has pitched twice going 15.2 combined innings (8 and 7.2) while allowing only 4 runs (3 and 1). He struck out 5 while allowing 7 hits with no walks on August 7th. Yesterday he only struck out 3 vs 5 hits and one walk.

We still struggle with the concept of sell high. When he was coming up, he was not predicted to be a front of the rotation guy so I don't know why TD followers suddenly thought/think he's a 2... Best I ever hoped for is a 3 and he still could/probably is that

I was also greatly disappointed with the trade deadline coming and going so quietly. I think there were opportunities missed here. Tulo for Gibson? Done! How did we not get more than one reliever? All the catchers available and no one to dance with? Hard to believe. And then there is San Diego... All that smoke and no fire?

Wade came to the Twins as a 9th round pick in the 2015 draft. The CF prospect signed a 163,800 signing bonus and has gotten right to work in Elizabethton. In his first 36 games he already has 42 hits. He's batting .307 with a .504 slugging and .904 OPS. He's hit 6 doubles, 3 triples and 5 home runs driving in 27 RBIs. He's patient enough to draw 19 walks to off set his 22 strike outs. I'm pretty excited about his immediate splash in the pros and look forward to seeing him emerge as a legitimate prospect.

Responses to Chiefs random thoughts included a lot of discussion about the line up especially Joe Mauer batting third which led me to look at the stats and think about what determines a lineup. I am going to explain how I would build a line up and then place our current players in that line up. If you don't like my ways or line up, feel free to criticise with this rule: you have to give your alternative. Here are some thoughts to get the topic started: My leadooff guy needs to have speed and a high on base percentage. He is patient and draws walks, sees a lot of pitches so the rest of the order has an idea what's cooking, and sets the table by getting on the base pads. When he gets there he is a legitimate threat to steal. No power is needed for this guy. Batting second is another speed guy but less elite. He should have some pop in his bat and needs to outrun the three and four batters. He also needs a higher OBP. Another table setter for 3-4 hitters. He can sacrifice bunt better than most on this team. Hitting third is my best hitter. This is probably the highest ball in play guy, is the highest average guy, and he has the ability to hit home runs. He chases those 1s and 2s around the pads. He can hit the sacrifice flies, advance the runners and get on at a high clip. Batting fourth is my RBI machine. This is the highest rated slugger on my team. Hrs, doubles, and RBIs are the result of this guy. He might be slow footed and he probably is one of my worst defenders because I pay him to drive in the runs. Fifth through seventh are my guys fading average and slugging abilities from the numbers threes and fours they are hitters that protect my number four from being intentionally walked while enhancing the lineup by batting opposite hand from the guy before, driving the ball, creating runs, etc... 8 is my worst hitter. He is on the team for his defence and is probably a catcher but maybe is a short stop. Hitting ninth is one of my worst hitters with the most speed. If he gets on he needs to be able to stay ahead of my first and second batter. Having said all this, where do I bat guys this year? Lets start with Sano in the 4th spot. He belongs there for the next eight years. (I hope) Mauer is not hitting well enough to be number three but looking at the stats and past history, I am not ready to put Hicks or Rosario (highest averages) third either. By the numbers, Hicks one and Rosario two looks solid but Dozier three? Nice power but not high enough average for me. To be honest looking at the numbers, this year I would have Mauer third too! I don't like it but it's what I got. Now with Mauer and Sano set I build around that. Hicks/Rosario leads off, Dozier second. Plouffe is fifth. Rosario/Hicks and Hunter are 6-7 and Suzuki is batting eight. That puts my short stop batting ninth which for now looks to be Escobar. On days Nunez gets the start maybe he is 6-7 and Rosario/Hicks is ninth. If Robinsons in the lineup that day, he's ninth.

Excellent post and points Chief. I agree with everything you said as far as this year goes and that is why I have no problem giving Duffey Milones spot in the rotation this year. We do need to learn what we have in Duffey. I also agree with all the responses saying May needs to be stretched out and put back in the rotation next spring and that is the only thing I disagree with you on. Relievers are inexpensive and we need to sign them this off season and cut bait with some as well. As for Ryan and his skill set, I had some additional thoughts. At my church I have taken on several leadership roles at various times. I have learned that I am a good at some things and not at others. Good leaders recognise what They are good at and what They are not. It is vitally important to find people to fill those gaps in your skill sets. No great leader does it alone. All great leaders know what and when to delegate certain roles. I believe We will see in the next year if Ryan is able to put the finishing touches on this rebuild. Hopefully, if he is not the man to finish it, he either hires an assistant or steps down.

In 2015, Brett has split his time between Chattanooga and Fort Meyers. He began the year back in high A. In Fort Meyers, he was 1-3 with 3.29 ERA on 6 starts. He pitched in 38.1 innings allowing 40 hits, and 15 runs (14 earned). He allowed 12 walks while striking out 20. His Opp BA was .272 with 1.36 WHIP and a career worst 1.59 GB/Fly ratio. He was promoted June 2nd. For Chattanooga he has a 2-4 record, and a 3.79 ERA in 10 starts (1 complete game). He's pitched 54.2 allowing 53 hits and 30 runs (23 Earned). He has also allowed 2 Home Runs. He has walked 20 with 21Ks (which is his career worst K/BB ratio). His Opp BA is down to .254 with a 1.34 WHIP and 1.62 GB/Fly ratio. That's a 3 -7 combined record with a 3.58 ERA in 16 games.

The following was copied and pasted from his 2014 Adopt a Prospect Profile written by DAM DC: Brett was born Sept. 20, 1990 in Pensacola FL. He is a lefty pitcher who misses bats (see stats below--high number of both Ks and BBs). He graduated High School in 2009 and was drafted in the 40th round by the Dodgers (about 1200th player selected--yikes.) He chose to go to junior college instead. In 2010 he pitched for Bishop St. JC in Alabama (I could only get fragmentary stats). In 2011, he went back to Florida and pitched for St. Petersburg JC. On a very mediocre team he went 4-8 with a 5.06 ERA pitching some out of the pen and making some starts. He totaled 80 innings pitched with 25 BB and 75Ks (yes missing bats). He was drafted by the Twins in 2011 (10th round) (better than 40th round I guess) still not heralded. He didn't pitch in GCL in 2011 cause he signed late. His career with Twins org. started in 2012 with E-Town in the Appy League (short season). Again mixing roles (both starter and pen but mostly pen). Brett's 2012 E-Town numbers 43.2 IP with a 2.68 ERA. He gave up 39 hits, walked 12 and struck out 48 (more than one per IP). His WHIP was 1.17 (good) his K/BB record was 4!!!! (impressive). In 2013, Brett spent the whole season in Cedar Rapids. He pitched out of the pen the first week (weather) and then became a starter the rest of the year. He pitched the only two complete games for the Kernels during the year (until the last week of the season when there was another one). Brett's innings were limited in August. He had a great year and pitched one playoff game. He got better as the year went on (until his innings were being controlled). His first half stats (weird start). 4-4 with an ERA of 4.44. He made 12 appearances including 10 starts--5 were "quality starts" (yes useless stat). He went 58.2IP, gave up 68 hits and 18BB but struck out 44. His WHIP was 1.47 and his K/BB record (his most impressive stat in career) was 2.4. His second half stats. He threw the two complete games mentioned above while going 57.1 IP (all as a starter). He went 4-0 with an ERA of 1.41!!! In the 57+ innings he gave up 42 hits and continued to miss bats with 8BB and 45K. That gives him a WHIP of 0.87 and K/BB ratio of 5.6. Both very impressive!! I don't have his ground to fly ratio handy--but it was also good--when hitters make contact--they produce grounders more often than not. This was added by me Using DAM DC's stats: Brett pitched 46.2 innings in the first half season of 2014 in the FSL giving up 48 hits (9 doubles, 39 singles), and 22 runs though only 12 were earned. He walked only 9 batters while striking out 26 which continued hi incredible K/BB ratios. He enduced 73 grounder vs 35 fly ball outs For a 2.086 ground/fly ratio. His K/9 rate was just around 5. His WHIP was 1.222. He finished the first half by spending June on the disabled list. In the second half of the season Brett Pitched 60.1 IP, allowing 53 hits 24BB, and posting 28K's. This slippage in K rate and increase in walks did not affect his 1.28 WHIP nor his ERA but was concerning to me. In the first half Brett went 5-1 with an ERA of 2.61; second half 5-4 with an ERA of 2.35. Brett pitched in the playoffs but that did not go too well.Game one he went 1.2 innings, allowed 7 unearned runs on 4 hits and a walk and struck out 2. The Miracle defense committed 3 errors behind him but the Miracle rallied and won for a no decision. His second game of the playoffs also went poorly. Form DAM DC "Brett went 5.2 innings giving up 5 runs (all earned), 8 hits and 4 BB. He struck out one, got 12 on ground outs and 1 via the fly." The game was tiied when he was pulled so another no decision. The Miracle went on to win the title so no harm no foul,but an inauspicious way to end a good season. Note worthy to DAM DC was that Brett in 107 innings didn't give up a triple or HR in 2014.

Since no one has claimed him, Lamont Wade keeps catching my attention. Since he became available I will also take Brett Lee

So today we are once again underwhelmed by the moves made by Terry Ryan. Lets look at the history here: In Terry Ryans first go around as GM, he built a solid team that consistently made the playoffs. We liked that we were the dominant team in the Central, and we really enjoyed being the nemesis of the Chicago White Sox. We enjoyed the rides but a series of one and dones, a growing hatred for the Yankees, and a sour taste in our mouths at the end of year after year was not enough for us. He left, he came back to rebuild what quickly had disintegrated and he began the rebuild. We went into off seasons looking at all the front line starters (Aces) we could have and ended up with the middling to back of rotation starters of Correia, Pelfrey, Hughes, Santana (Santana might be closer to the front but is not that Ace). Lets be honest though, many of those aces we hoped for did not pan out for their new teams and we were glad not to have many of them. We hoped for big impact bats to fill holes at catcher, short, outfield, third base, and DH. We ended up with Suzuki, Nunez, Morales, Hardy, Robinson, and Hunter. But lets be honest, some of those big names we really wanted havn't panned out either So here we are, trade deadline past and our bullpen (which we were comfortable with in past years but somehow fell apart) was only addressed meagerly with one underwhelming trade. Somehow, Plouffe emerged. Hicks and Rosario filled the holes in the outfield without Buxton and Arcia (who we thought would fill the holes) Pelfry was better than we hoped, we didn't trade Milone but he has been better than many expected and our rotation is NOT our major concern (though we all still want that Ace for the World Series run next summer). As I see it, Terry Ryans plan was this: 2013 Improve the overall talent in the system and build for the future. Check. 2014 Field an improved team, move prospects up the system, and win more games though still 2 years away. Nope, fired Gardy 2015 Field an improved team and be competitive through the all star break. Get the future starters feet wet and build the backbone of a very good 2016 team. Check 2016 Make a deep run and be the team that could win it all. We will see. My point is that there is a plan and you need to work your plan not change the whole thing because we over achieved or under achieved. We all have been looking at this as a bubble about to burst and we all want to be in the playoffs this year, but the job of the GM isn't to get over excited or overly pessimistic. He is supposed to have a plan and follow that plan to its fruition. TR has a plan and he is working that plan. He has rebuilt the team and we are having fun watching baseball again. The darkest days are over. BUT: TR has NOT gotten us to the promised land. He has not EVER built the World Series team. He has made comptetive teams in the past and he has rebuilt us into a competitive team. The plan needs to go further and when the sun sets on TR there will be a deeper judgement than merely rebuilding. The owner has to have a plan also. Here is mine regarding the GM if I were owner: Improve the talent and get us back to relevance in 2013-14. (Did not happen quick enough. Im ok with firing Gardy but Ryan's leash just got shorter) If not a 500 team through the all star break in 2015, Fire Ryan. (Were competitive so he is safe) If not a team that looks to make a deep run in 2016, Gently replace Ryan. (We shall see...) If 2016, 17, and 18 look like the early 2000 Twins with promising seasons ending in quick playoff exits, gently walk TR into the sunset and replace him with someone that will get us over that hump and to the rings before these young great prospects become all aging veterans. Plan your work, work your plan. This is baseball. We are patient in baseball because things are built with long term strategy and planning with no quick fixes. But the plan has to include something more. Somewhere we will have to dive in head first and plunge deep for a Jack Morris type signing. Trade for a spark plug like Danny Gladden. Bring in that aging big bat like Chili Davis. I think that is NEXT year and I will be patient for it. But it is time. This offseason, next summers trade deadline need to be different. We need to prepare to take that run DEEP into the playoffs. Plan your work, work your plan.

Exactly what I'm saying. My complaint about Ryan isn't that he doesn't make moves and I do like that when he says he's working on something, he is working on something. But often his moves are underwhelming. Eg. A week + ago we were dreaming of tulo and if we ended up with Reyes we would be underwhelmed but that is the likeliest way he will do this trade thing.

Your misunderstanding my statement. Ryan says at the beginning of the 2013 offseason he's trying to get a starter and he signs Nolasco and Hughes. The 2014 offseason begins and again he says he's trying to sign pitching and goes out to sign Santana. Now he says he's gonna make a trade if possible, I believe he will do it because he does what he says. That does not mean we will all like it...

Today is repeat myself day... I said it before, TR tends to do what he says he is going to do. He states we need more starting pitching in the off season, that means he will sign someone. Earlier this week, he made a statement about trying to make a trade. I am positive a trade will happen, possibly more than one. Feel free to Bash me hard if it does not happen. I am making a 100% in call on this one. Fairly confident the padres will be one of those partners but don't hold me too accountable if it is a trade with someone else instead...

And those veterans serve as mentors the young guys need. Sign winners used to winning so that they establish the culture for the new guys.

I said this before several times, now I will say it again. When you have a bad season, you find someone/something to blame. That blame moves up the chain of command and you make that decision then. I outlined it with these following steps: First 90 loss season-lame Bad luck, the injuries/concussions.We had a good run after all. Second 90 loss season-BS is gone, bring back TR.Time to rebuild this sinking ship. Third 90 loss season-Blame the players not the long time coaches and brand new GM, clean house. Fourth 90 loss season-Sack the coaching staff for not getting it done with the new players Fifth 90 loss season-TR needs to go, Time to rebuild the sinking ship Sixth 90 loss season- Blame the players, clean house. Seventh 90 loss season-Sack the failed coaching staff. But wait, we are not losing in the fifth season where you judge the GM. The Twins are better than anyone expected and next year we are expected to be even better... Awe Sack TR anyway. He should have done better? Really? There is no one to blame because we are over achieving. No, there is no firing going on when you do an honest assessment. Molitor is mentioned in some midseason Manager of the Year discussions and you want to fire the guy that built the house a year before what is advertised as the year we are building for? I don't get it. If we fail to contend next year, I will join you but until then, this is baseball not football, lets be more patient than that! Beides, we still have two days to make your trade...

I have pondered this topic many times and wondered if it was an inability to draft/scout or an inabiity to develop those you drafted/traded for or both. I am convinced that we are a club that does not develop pitchers well. Not only have we failed to bring them up all the way through the system since Viola, but there seems to be the problem that many pitchers we trade for fail to develop. Meyer most recently has struggled to be who we thought we were getting, but there are too many pitchers like Liriano who showed flashes but never fully blossomed for us. Neil Allen seems to be changing the MLB side of this equation, but this needs to be addressed top down. We need some advanced analytics on what levels are they seeming to develop and where are they failing to develop and consider replacing coaches where there are patterns of not deveoping. Then back to your topic starter, do the same for the scouts. Are the pitchers the scouts are grading consistently and initially showing for their first MiLB club the skills advertised by the scouts? if not STOP LISTENING TO THOSE SCOUTS ON PITCHERS!

To be honest I had expected Eades to be better than he has but he has been by no means bad...just not doing much to grab ones attention.

The concern is the heightened ability to take advantage of strike out prone players at the MLB level. I believe what Walker has done at AA will propel him into Twins top 10 and given the Buxton, Sano arrivals, possibly top 5 Twins prospects by next season. What Sano has stated he learned at AA this year is patience at the plate and it has shown at the MLB level (see ninth inning last night)

Not as exciting as Tulo but an upgrade. What would it take?

The article I read said Colorado was likely to try to flip Reyes. With what they took in the Tulo trade, I wonder if Meyer and Escobar/Santana would net Reyes?

Finally, a catching prospect that is coming around!

Im pounding the phones for an upgrade at Shortstop and Catcher. While I'm talking to GMs I'm saying, Oh yeah, you got any relievers there you're willing to part with for a PTBNL? I'm offering to deal any of our current Starters except Santana, May, and Berrios. I'm also pushing Vargas, Arcia, Plouffe, Escobar, Nunez, and Danny Santana as pieces they want. My ONLY Untradables are Buxton, Sano, Berrios, and Dozier. I'm really looking to rob some desperate fool blind while building next years championship team.

Trading Perkins now seems insane on the surface but teams have made ridiculous trades in the past that if offered, we would be foolish not to accept. Perkins for a Shortstop upgrade or catcher upgrade that was controllable for several years plus a top 2 prospect nearly MLB ready and a PTBNL? I'm listening especially if we could then turn around and trade for someone else's closer using lesser prospects. (there are a few out there) Never say never but only if I'm blown away with the offer

I left a lot of my thoughts on this topic unsaid as I like to leave things open for discussion on TD. I believe winning teams have Everyday players that become the clubhouse leaders/cornerstone of the offense, A starter who is the leader/sage of that group, and the bullpen cornerstone AKA the closer. For examples: Puckett/Viola/Reardon Puckett/Morris/Aguilera Hunter/Santana/Guardado In these terms, who are the cornerstones? Candidates seem to be Mauer, Dozier, Hunter, Plouffe offensively. (These are names thrown out) Bullpen is Perk Starters, Hughes? Santana? Someone will have to emerge! My guess is Santana will but the suspension has hurt us here.