mikelink45

One of the least exciting AFL years in a long time.

I have no idea - if we think that trading three players with real value to get prospects that are going to lead us to the promised land we must not be watching the same talent evaluators who have led us to this dismal place. Teams like the Pirates, A's, Angels have been playing the trade game for years and their treadmills are going no where. Without a real plan and the people in place to implement it we just watch former players in the playoffs for other teams.

The answer is simple - No. What else can be said. Quality attracts quality. Chaos is where players go when they have no other choice. Rookies or nothing this year and next.

The issue isn't Shelton but rather the lackluster team from ownership on down. As a fan we wanted something new. The Nationals just took a risk in their hiring just as the Giants did. They may fail but there is a chance to dream on. Our retread may be comfortable for Falvey but feels to much like Ground Hog Day.

Swr did very well but it is not his rookie year.

That might be true, but the comparison isn't between them - it is about the draft strategy of Falvey and the Twins overall = here are the first round picks since Buxton: 2012 José Berríos Right-handed pitcher Papa Juan High School (Bayamón, Puerto Rico) 32§[s] [65] 2012 Luke Bard Right-handed pitcher Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia) 42§[t] [65] 2013 Kohl Stewart Right-handed pitcher St. Pius X High School (Houston, Texas) 4 [66] 2014 Nick Gordon Shortstop Olympia High School (Orlando, Florida) 5 [67] 2015 Tyler Jay Left-handed pitcher University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, Illinois) 6 [68] 2016 Alex Kirilloff Outfielder Plum High School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) 15 [69] 2017 Royce Lewis Shortstop JSerra Catholic High School (San Juan Capistrano, California) 1 [70] 2017 Brent Rooker Outfielder Mississippi State University (Mississippi State, Mississippi) 35 2018 Trevor Larnach Outfielder Oregon State University (Corvallis, Oregon) 20 [71] 2019 Keoni Cavaco Shortstop Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, California) 13 [72] 2020 Aaron Sabato First baseman University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) 27 [73] 2021 Chase Petty Right-handed pitcher Mainland Regional High School (Linwood, New Jersey) 26 [74] 2021 Noah Miller Shortstop Ozaukee High School (Fredonia, Wisconsin) 36§[s] [74] 2022 Brooks Lee Shortstop Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo, California) 8 2023 Walker Jenkins Outfielder South Brunswick High School (Southport, North Carolina) 5 2023 Charlee Soto Right-Handed pitcher Reborn Christian Academy (Kissimmee, Florida) 34§[s] 2024 Kaelen Culpepper Shortstop Kansas State University (Manhattan, Kansas) 20 2025 Marek Houston Shortstop Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) 16 2025 Riley Quick Right-Handed pitcher University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

Derek has a job - as the former Pirates mentor is options were limited. He is 55, looks older and will not get younger in this job! Good luck Derek enjoy another ride on the MLB carousel.

Skenes, Misiorowski, Tresavage, Sasaki - we see rookies come up and shine, the Twins prospects struggle and we are still waiting for Festa, and Mathews to reach into their potential. Our pitching pipeline is getting to be an old meme - when do we get the rookie who shines right away? Can Shelton change that? Isn't it the pitching coach that determines the strategy?

I cannot really rate managers or candidates but I can sense that fandom needed something new -something not continuing on the Path we have taken - this did nothing to meet those desires and this team needed something to boost fan morale (that is, if they want to sell tickets) and this allows the team to go through the off season with minimal excitement and expectations. I do hope Shelton does well and he might. That is not the issue. But look at some of the other hires - teams going out of the box - SF Tony Vitelloa college coach - talk about change); Baltimore - Craig Albernaz associated with Tampa and Cleveland and lots of minor league experience; Los Angeles Angels -Not exciting, but a new face and old friend Suzuki, 42, spent 16 years as a major league catcher and has spent the last three seasons as a special assistant to Angels general manager - good luck Kurt; and then there is another boring hire - Rangers hired Schumaker on a four-year contract Friday night, promoting him from a role as senior advisor to Chris Young.

Where will the Twins be playing when this WS happens?

Why not? They can clear half the 40 man and not suffer.

Who knows - Pohlads and payroll is getting old and boring. We have no influence, they have no clue. I am more interested in how many season tickets they are going to be able to sell! They should try to get the Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers and Cubs to play all the home games - that is the only way they can increase or maintain attendance.

He needs either a new team or a coach that can really help him unlock his potential - hire Rowson.

I have no problem with your framing your argument the way you have. Whether it's correct or not I will have to wait for a electronic determination

The biggest benefactors will be us old timers who believed a strike and ball were defined by the rules not by the quick movement of the catchers glove.

No one here to impact the Twins if they are looking to improve.

Give me Rowson - fresh start with someone who has been with a variety of teams and knows hitting which is our current weakest attribute.

I have been bothered by this posting all day long and the more I think about it the more I say no don't trade Ryan, don't trade Lopez, and try to give us some hope. Seth if I have any belief in your reporting I see Walker and Rodriguez and Gonzalez joining with Keaschall and providing us with the basis for a team that might make it into the playoffs. But subtracting our best pitchers is giving up.

I do not know the percentage of hits and misses over a ten year span and I do not know how it compares to the other teams. We have a poor overall success rate and we have made choices to keep players who were less productive than those we let go. But the reality of MLB is that Free agents, drafts, and trades are all essential tools and to judge what we got from one class needs to ask the question, what did we get in return for those we let go and who did we get outside the draft board. Based on results my expectations are low.

Your choice is as good as your spelling

second and third look weak, Catcher and 1B do not give a lot of hope and Winokur is limited. Not the best all-star minor league team except OF and DH look good as well as SS.

The ranking is close - I think Guzman and his six year 7.6 WAR needs to be on the list. I would take him and his speed and range over Polanco as a SS (I am not thinking about other positions for Polanco. I would put Cardenas 3 years and 11.1 WAR above all of them. Correa was good, but not what was advertised. I think Cardenas is number 1, Smalley 2, Gagne 3 Correa 4 (although on the short span Vesalles was better than him) and Guzman above Polanco. Meares and Barlett are honorable mentions.

Whatever they do - it will be an accidental good signing created by other circumstances or we will wait and wonder why they can't do the obvious. I wait and see.

this is the Angels - if there is any team that can make the Twins brass look like Einstein it is this Angel mess!

And thank you notes from France and Varland are in the mail.