Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

mikelink45

Old-Timey Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    10,236

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    27

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by mikelink45

  1. mikelink45
    I listened to John Bonnes on the last Off Season Live make his choice for the person to start the year in LF and I was pleased that he not only chose Kiriloff, but made many similar arguments to mine. I do remember and I was wrong about Berrios, but that does not make the case against every other player - look at Soto and Acuna, Tatis, and Graterol all making their jump to MLB before they were 21. Kiriloff gets ratings that Berrios never had and when the Twins put him on their playoff roster I think they told us that he is ready.
  2. mikelink45
    Every wee is essential in a tight race
  3. mikelink45
    As usual, Gardy is under rated and Hinch is lucky to have Gardy pave the way for him. The White Sox are real and we should not plan on a sophomore slump. KC is not a challenger, but they have been sneaky good in their off season work.
  4. mikelink45
    I have to disagree. The White Sox are delighted with Anderson - what do you value more - offense of defense? KC deserves a B and Detroit and Cleveland are being undervalued. Is this an attempt to make the Twins look better? I give the Twins an A, but I am not satisfied with the other team ratings.
  5. mikelink45
    Once again we differ - yes the teams plan for the future where they can, but when a WS is possible the team jumps at that, signs players it might not sign otherwise and makes moves like the A's just did with Rosenthal and Moreland. That is why we see the angst in July for a team to make a trade and get that one piece that can get them over the hump. As someone who loves prospects more than FA I am often frustrated and we seem to be having a discussion where our parallel lines just won't merge. I do like a lot of what you say, but I also remember a run of playoff appearances from 2002 - 2010 when we were eliminated in six playoffs and the fans were going nuts. Just like our 18 game losing streak that six time losing in the ALCS made such frustration and people wanted something that would put us over the top - right now.
  6. mikelink45
    I have to take Ramirez - aging and bad legs is a terrible recipe and I fear that Donaldson will be off the field too much this year. I hope not, but I know how injuries diminish quality of life. I wish him the best. What I might worry about most is who fills in for Donaldson. Is Arraez capable at 3B? I ask because I don't know. I am always interested in the next level. Blankenhorn is the 3B in the prospect list (or utility on the Twins). He is ranked #18 by Keith Law, but if Donaldson really went down I would love to see Royce Lewis step in. KC has Bobby Witt as their number one prospect and everyone expects big things. There is no 3B prospect in their top 20 (Keith Law), but a SS could cover the base. Detroit has Spencer Torkelson as their number 2 ranked prospect (Law) and they are expecting him to rise quickly - maybe this year. The White Sox have no one in their top 20 (Law) unless Madrigal can move to third and I do not think much of that. Their other prospects at 3B are too far away to fill in. Cleveland has Nolan Jones who will probably move to RF because Ramirez is blocking him, but if Ramirez is traded or lost Jones can cover the base. So who has the most protection for the hot corner?
  7. mikelink45
    You point our the weaknesses of the team - Donaldson and Buxton staying healthy. Now we have two starters in Happ and Shoemaker who also need to stay healthy. We might need to add Cruz to that list and wonder about Arraez' knee. Health is the unknown for all teams, but the Twins have a big list of worries.
  8. mikelink45
    I would choose to put them both in next years rotation - two young arms, two different styles - it should not be either or. The Dobnak, Smeltzer, Thorpe group better get their act together, the future is breathing down their necks.
  9. mikelink45
    I think I must turn over my debate to Explaining Alex Kirilloff’s Service Time to Your Child Feb 19 2021 07:15 AM | RandBalls Stu in The Lighter Side on today's site.
  10. mikelink45
    Please see Explaining Alex Kirilloff’s Service Time to Your Child Feb 19 2021 07:15 AM | RandBalls Stu in The Lighter Side on this same site for more insights.
  11. mikelink45
    I need to reference you in a running debate on another TD article. Not a child, but who knows at 75 I might be entering a new childhood because I do not accept or understand the logic - that is until you gave us this excellent primer. Just like the LF before him we can not have an extra year of service - oh wait, we got rid of that LF because he was getting too costly even though he had not reached the extra years. Please Mr Stu help me understand this nuance because I believe Mr Kiriloff will also be really expensive before the seventh year too.
  12. mikelink45
    Good points, I love a debate like this. Boras is really the sticking point. I want Kiriloff on the team if he is considered the best at the position. I am all for having the best player at each position. Too many things happen - injury, agents, trades, failures, pandemics, CBAs - for me to worry about six years away. When a team is in position to win I want to go for it and not worry about six or seven years down the line. Since every publication including this one has said Kiriloff will be the LF then I am ready to put in him.
  13. mikelink45
    Boras is the best counterpoint to my premise. Good job.
  14. mikelink45
    Wonderful interview. What a pleasant person.
  15. mikelink45
    Wow, how insulting - I guess I will send your response to the White Sox who extended Luis Robert's and Eloy Jiminez before they played in the Majors. https://www.mlb.com/news/earliest-contract-extensions-in-mlb-history-c269677352 Guess they did not know the rules.
  16. mikelink45
    Some good points, but then there is the White Sox signing Luis Robert's to an extension before he played in the majors. Also Eloy Jimenez - White Sox. Guess the WS didn't read the rules about what teams are supposed to do. https://www.mlb.com/news/earliest-contract-extensions-in-mlb-history-c269677352
  17. mikelink45
    I will say the same thing that I told Nick Nelson, Maeda has had one great season and it was a short one. Ryu has a longer history. Ryu 17 WAR, Maeda 7. Do we judge players on just one year? Is Maris the greatest HR hitter because of 1961?
  18. mikelink45
    I have seen Maeda have one great season - is it an outlier or is that who he is now. I am always worried about the career year, especially when it is a short season. Not ready to crown him the ace we all want. Glad we have him, but let's see another season of similar production. Ryu 17 WAR, Maeda 7 WAR. Who has proven the most? And I do not claim Ryu is an ACE, but I am not ready to claim Maeda is either. I wasn't thinking Bassit, but he had 2.1 WAR last year and Maeda had 1.5. I am not against Maeda, but I worry about overrating our players versus the rest of the teams.
  19. mikelink45
    And amazingly the prevalent theories change over time.
  20. mikelink45
    The crazy thing about the playoffs is that everyone has good pitching, good hitting and usually good fielding. The Twins won in 87 and 91 with all those attributes, but more important because they had attitude - Puckett, Hrbek, Morris, Gladden and others would not accept losing. We had some good teams with Mauer and Morneau and a Minnesota Nice attitude. Last two years we had good players and matched up with teams, but who stepped up and said - I am not going to lose? So looking to this year, who has the fire, drive and leadership. Don't say Cruz, he is a great DH, but he has been on the last two playoff teams.
  21. mikelink45
    Cleveland, Chicago, A's, Blue Jays https://www.mlb.com/news/best-starting-rotations-heading-into-2021
  22. mikelink45
    Darius wrote a comment I really like and stole much of what I would say. So I will just second his post and say that they need to get him up and use him during the year. I want him in front of the Dobnak, Thorpe, Smeltzer trio. And Duran will bypass them too. 2021 - Berrios, Maeda, Balazovic, Duran and ???? I look forward to it.
  23. mikelink45
    It has always been a business, even in the Negro Leagues where it was actually the best business for African American entrepreneurs. But the new CBA has to address the Bryant rule - it is one of the silliest things in sports. No other professional sport has anything similar.
  24. mikelink45
    I am not anticipating that the GM will give me a call, but I will stay with my take anyway.
  25. mikelink45
    A lot of home town bias in the voting. You really presented Polanco with a lot of question marks. In some ways I am very disappointed that Arraez is moved to utility, but anxious to see how the two of them work out.
×
×
  • Create New...