mikelink45

Since baseball is such a numbers sport I am always curious where our current players are on the list and what might happen during this next season that we can anticipate and root for. When it comes to all time batting averages I once anticipated that Joe Mauer would get onto the big list, but in the top 50 we have Carew at 30 and Kirby Puckett (318) tied for 48 with two others. No Mauer, he has dropped out of the top 100. I know it’s the concussion, but that is still too bad. Miguel Cabrera is t 317 after a disastrous year, can he come back? Altuve at 316 has only had 6 years so too early to anticipate while Joey Votto has 10 years now and is tied with Larry Walker (313) at number 66. In the counting stats there are some fun things to watch. Adrian Beltre is our only 3000 hit player right now but Pujols is only 32 hits away so he should join the list this year. Last year he had 143 hits so if he keeps that pace – May/June will have him in the club. Adrian is at 3048 between Lou Brock and Rod Carew. Last year he had just 106 hits and 2018 depends upon his health. If he only matches last year he will zip past Carew, Henderson, Biggio, Suzuki, Winfield, Rodriquez, and Gwynn and move just ahead of Robin Yount. Nice list. If Pujols just matches last year he will end up between Winfield and Rodriquez. In that very important category – Runs – where Rickey Henderson, Cobb, and Bonds lead the field there is only one players in the top 50 – Pujols who sits right behind Honus Wagner. Last year he only had 53 runs and if he does the same this year he will go from number 23 to number 21 right behind Paul Molitor. Beltre is in the next 50 but even if he were to get 100 he would still not catch George Brett who is number 50 and last year he scored only 47. We do not list doubles leaders in most publications – why not? Pujols is #12 all time (619) and Beltre is #13 (613). Both are just behind Hank Aaron - #11. Last year Beltre had 22 and Pujols had 17 which means Beltre could pass both Pujols and Aaron and move past David Ortiz into number 10 on the list. Cabrera is number 32 with 545. Robinson Cano is the only active player in the next 50 and should move into the top 50 this year. He only needs ten to do so. Jose Reyes is in the top 100 in triples and Curtis Granderson is number 198. This is a shame because I think triples are the most exciting hit in the game of baseball. We have two potentially great triples hitters in Rosario and Buxton, I hope they will go for it! If Pujols matches his 23 home runs from last year he will have 637 which will get him past Griffey and into 6th place. Beltre and Cabrera are tied with 462 and are in 35th with Adam Dunn and Jose Canseco. If Beltre hits 17 like last year he will move past Willie Stargell and Stan Musial for number 30. If Cabrera matches last year he will be in 31st place past those same to all time greats. Pujols is in eighth place in RBIS – 1918 and if he matches last years 101, which he should on his improved team, he would move to 3rd place behind Aaron and Rodriguez and past Bonds. Beltre at 28 would move past Frank Thomas for #21 if he matches last year and Cabrera at #32 could move to #26 by matching last years 60 and he would be between Sheffield and Sosa. Robinson Cano at 143 and Adrian Gonzales at 149 are the only other active players in the top 150. In walks Pujols at 53 and Cabrera at 94 are the only active players in the top 100 while Curtis Granderson (that all time great – just kidding) is 31 and Beltre 38, Cabrera 39 are in the top 40 in Ks. Justin Upton, Chris Davis and Matt Kemp join them in the top 100. What does that say about this generation of hitters? Jose Reyes at 34 is the only active player (barely) in the top 100 in Stolen Bases. Like the triples, I loved the stolen base – that really put excitement in the game and Henderson, Brock, Maury Wills were just a few of the great baserunners I got to see. Bring it back! In career WAR – Pujols is right behind Joe Morgan who is number 20 with 99.4 – Morgan has 100.3, Beltre is tied with Cap Anson (the worst person to ever play) in 27th with 93.9 and has Roberto Clemente just ahead of him. Cabrera is 73 and tied with Tony Gwynn at 68.8 WAR. Just ahead of him is Tim Raines. Robinson Cano is at 92 and right behind Buddy Bell and Goose Goslin (only great Senator) and the last current player in the top 100 surprised me – Chase Utley at 94 right behind Willie Randolph. No Twins, but plenty for the baseball fan to pay attention to in addition to the current team. Next time I will look at pitchers.

Wow and I thought the new front office had no plan. Did I read this wrong - is he another old wily vet to pair with Hunter, Cuddyer, Morneau... Great to have a retirement home team. -0.8 WAR last year! And that follows a -1.2 WAR so he is improving. My broken record keeps playing - use your young arms and quit picking up the homeless.

I agree with the options are bad, but I have faith in young people to meet challenges - maybe it comes from all my years teaching college, but some can really rise to the challenge and I say go for it.

Nope - of course Garcia is already signed, but even if not - I am not his fan.

I am ready to take a chance. What are our options? Do you think Slegers really has potential? It we do not get Cobb or Lynn is there anyone out there with the potential to make us better? I am not a believer in Hughes, Pineda is not ready. Put the young guys in. Like I said before they can be pulled when Santana comes back. I do not care if it is Gonsalves or Romero or both. But I want us to do something to move us forward - especially towards 2019.

I can understand your arguments and there are some good points, but I will retain my position and say that $10million - what the Jays paid, is over paying for a pitcher like Garcia. We seem to have different lens and through mine I see a subpar pitcher while you see an average pitcher. We might not be too far apart, but I maintain that if we are going to sign someone then a Cobb or Lynn has the potential to make us better and Garcia has the potential to make us the same.

I would love to see Mauer continue to rise and demonstrate that those poor years were all concussion caused, but I am skeptical of whether he can do it. In someways, his Minnesotan attitude has hurt him too. Unlike Hunter and the gang that the FO signed to be the cheerleaders and veteran leadership, Mauer does not fit into that category, he just has that "Lake Wobegon" personality. If he applies himself he could go until 40, the real question is whether he contributes what the FO thinks we need. He will go to FA because we cannot afford the contract at 80% of his current and I question what his value would be on the market when I look at this years FA market. Will they bring him back - I am about 50-50 right now.

If a 5 - 10 record, a 1.408 WHIP, a 4.41 era, a 6.03 runs allowed per 9 innings with the Yankees, a RAA of -5 for the Yankees, makes him average I will continue to say that we can use our rookies to equal the output of this 31 year old pitcher and we should.

Unless he falls apart this spring - put him in the rotation. Give him at least until Santana comes back then send down if needed, but hopefully he will have proven his value by then. Good pick for #4. Now for Romero to advance quickly.

I disagree. They can have Garcia - look at his record. Only 2015 was good. He is a filler, a replacement level. We can rotate minor league arms and be better off. I am pleased that he is gone. If we talk Lynn or Cobb fine, but Garcia is not an improvement.

Just keep track of some of the past observations. We all know about pendulums. Stats, and theories are great and can make a difference. Talent, ability, speed, and instinct still count.

They Played for the Love of the Game Untold stories of black baseball in Minnesota By Frank White This is the third book written about black baseball in Minnesota which might be an indication of how important this was to the history of Minnesota and the history of Baseball. Frank White, a St Paul native, is a perfect writer for this topic. His father, Louis Pud White, was an outstanding, if little remembered catcher in the baseball leagues as evidenced by Buck O’Neil, and he was a friend of Dave and Steve Winfield. This is a thoroughly researched and well written book that really uncovers some special experiences and beyond black baseball, shows how important baseball was in all the towns of the Midwest, if not the entire country with semi-pro teams gathering both press and audiences all over. These teams were lucky in one season because Major League baseball created one of the great injustices of all time by excluding blacks from all their leagues which meant that not only are the records suspect before Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers but gave the local semi-pros and eventually the Negro Leagues some real stars. And if you want a villain in this it would be Cap Anson, who deserves to be taken out of the Hall of Fame. If we question the veracity of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Shoeless Joe, Pete Rose, than this is the individual who committed the most grievous offense when he refused to let his White Stocking team play against the Newark Giants of the International League if their two black players played in the game – he set the town for the exclusion of black players in the majors. In the first decade the St Paul Colored Gophers were dominate, even winning the fictitious, but still accepted championship of Black Baseball in 1909 when they defeated the Giants of Chicago. Minneapolis had a top team too with the Keystones and great players who would not be recognized without this book entertained the ticket holders. In the 1920’s the Negro National League formed and even though the St Paul Colored Gophers were an established power Minnesota was deemed too far and too expensive and thus was left out. A second injustice, this one much more serious and reflective of the racism that still exists was The Association of Minnesota Amateur Baseball Leagues decision to ban colored players. African Americans had been part of many teams, but from 1927 – 1947 no African American was allowed to play. The idiocy of racism was such that catcher Lee Davis was a Ho-Chunk Indian and Indians were playing MLB, but his skin was too dark, so he had to play in the black leagues. While Billy Williams, who was black, was invited by the Baltimore Orioles to play on their Montreal team as an Indian. The more I read, the madder I become with the stupidity of racism. It is fun for me to look at players who came from my Alma Mater – Minneapolis Central, but it is also crazy to see teams in places like Pipestone, Des Moines, Bertha fielding excellent teams because racism forced these players to the outposts of baseball. After all the struggles of Jim Crow and blatant racism it is sad to see the switch to track, basketball, and football by many top black athletes, but it makes sense. Those sports offered scholarships and new opportunities. Baseball did not exactly open the major league floodgates after signing a few top players. The book captures that demise and baseball would to well to reflect on its missed opportunities. The story of black baseball in the 1950s shifted to three minor league teams – St Paul Saints, Minneapolis Millers, and the St Cloud Rox. With players like Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Orlando Cepeda, Ozzie Virgil, and Lou Brock among the many great stars that graced the Minnesota diamonds. But since Dave Winfield we have seen very few African Americans from Minnesota get a chance. Thanks to the author who works for the Twins in the RBI program – reviving baseball in the Inner City – maybe the future will take us a step towards the years of great African American baseball players. In the end, we find this most American sport is also a window into our own history and mores. This book is truly a history of African American people in Minnesota through the lens of Baseball just as baseball reflects our racial tensions, our addictions to drugs, temptations to gambling, the challenging aspects of war, and now our need for speed and quickness because of diminished attention spans.

I know that we have all obsessed over the pitchers, but one more thing jumps out - Garver does not need another year of full time minor league service. This is not a young man and he has done what he needs to do in the minors. He will not start here, at least let him gain service time in the majors.

Good question. He might prove himself in the first month by showing the agility that brought him to us in the first place. I am not concerned with the stats as much as the ability to show that he has not lost something during rehab. Until they get on the field they are suspect. Just like the listings of prospects that include newly acquired players who have not shown the mental adjustments combined with physical attributes. It is not a long time process and it is not stat driven so in a sense there is no real guideline, I just have my own mental system of processing. In the same way, I am fine with fast forwarding prospects, letting them get in above their head and see how they handle the challenges - I loved the aggressive promotions of players like Griffey and even Willie Mays who only got 35 games as a Miller before jumping to the majors. I hope that Kiriloff makes me look bad. If I were making the prospect list which is beyond my ability I would not have anyone in the top ten that was not in the field the previous year. I would make a note that if they come back with the same ability they would be ranked???

When you consider the innings you need to add the Japanese League innings. The joint does not care where the wear and tear took place. I am delighted that we did not go that far to sign him. Good essay.

I am the skeptic - as usual. Until he proves himself he is not a top ten prospect let alone #5 for me. I can only judge a player from time on the field and he has not had enough time to convince me that he should be at this level. All we have is the fact we drafted him #1, he had a great first year and then he blew out his shoulder. Rehabilitation is difficult and different for every person. I know as I am trying to recover from my knee replacement. I would love to see him be a star, but let him come back and earn his place back on this list.

It is not his strikeout rate that is impressing us. That can be corrected if he is willing (as I hope Sano will be too).

It's too early to be too excited since baseball does grind players down and injuries destroy dreams, but this player has really captured the imagination of so many that I am catching the Wander fever too and I am delighted that the FO seems aggressive in their promotions.

No they have not advocated that, I am suggesting the Twins be open to that. But the TD reports give me confidence that they might be ready.

If our TD writers are accurate, if their reports have considered all the trials and errors in their progress then I am ready to give them a chance.

Other than Blankenhorn I have to ask - who are these guys? Does that mean that we have a new and exciting group coming up or that we don't go this deep with the prospects that matter?

They have proven it in the minors, they have shown their ability so that they have ranked themselves as top prospects. It is like looking for a job and being asked what their prior experience is when they are looking for their initial experience. Give them a chance - see what we have.

I love his approach and his talent - put him at 1B, DH, get him in the bigs this season. Tony Oliva started hitting in the bigs at 23, Griffey at 19. Give this bat a chance.

Gonsalves and Romero have to be told that it is up to them whether they are Twins or minor leaguers. Its time to step up.

Yawn- Seth, I need you to convince me that I should disregard the things you have written about our prospects. I need to know that a 31 year old pitcher is actually better than what we have in our prospects and if you do my expectations of our young talent will take a big hit.