Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

mikelink45

Old-Timey Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    10,080

  • 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

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by mikelink45

  1. mikelink45
    Sometimes a new voice leads to systematic change and if the players believe in it the results can really be good. But if it is just an internal option I don't expect much to improve. I don't like Rocco getting in a rut like the Margot pinch hitting or the short leash on SP, but I am not looking at him as a villain. Bleacher reports has this interesting insight - "Since 1987, there have been 81 midseason managerial changes, one of which was in 1996 when Tommy Lasorda retired as Dodger manager after suffering a heart attack. Of those 80 changes due to firings, only 19 teams played better than . 500 baseball after the change was made, some just barely." Of course it is usually a bad team that changes managers so it is a really hard measurement. "Prior to 1987, there were 183 midseason changes (those not including the first or last 20 games of a season), with about 24 percent improving to a plus .500 team after the change." In a research paper by Beth Talentowski, '10 Illinois Wesleyan University the conclusions include this statement - "It would also be beneficial to look at other factors that influence team performance. Initially a third model was under consideration to assess which variable has the greatest impact on winning percentage. The additional variables under consideration are variables that are out of the manager‘s control yet are vital aspects of a sporting organization, such as salary cap, draft picks, slugging percentage, etc. The human capital theory suggests that proper use of inputs is enough for success, but what if the inputs are sub par?" Sometimes there are other factors that must be included like the owner and the Front Office, but that is beyond this essays parameters. However, the message to the players and the fans is that the team is at least looking for a change. And MLB is not the only place this solution is tried - look at this years NBA, the NFL, and even college sports. But the trouble is that we can analyze bat speed, ball spin and lots of other minutia, but we cannot measure leadership. Casey Stengel was a genius with the Yankees, not so much with the Mets. I look forward to another article where we analyze the entire system including those nameless analytic savants and that ever present Quality Control Coach.
  2. mikelink45
    Not only has Topa never started - he had pitched the day before. I still think this was a really bad decision.
  3. mikelink45
    The reflection on team play is also a reflection on the management - all the coaches. When I asked how many coaches the Twins have good old Google AI says, " The Minnesota Twins have 12 major league coaches for the 2025 season. This includes the manager, 3 hitting coaches, a bench coach, a third base/outfield coach, a first base/infield coach, an assistant bench coach/catching coach, a quality control coach, a pitching coach, an assistant pitching coach, and a bullpen coach. " While I am not a fan of Rocco I have seen a lot of lousy coaches (I think of Fred Haney and the 1957 - 58 Milwaukee Braves) who still win. And they did not have bench coaches assistant to the assistant hitting coaches, OF coaches, IF coaches, assistant pitching coaches and QUALITY CONTROL COACHES. What do this coaches do? Please do not replace Rocco with one of them. What is the Quality that is being controlled? Who is doing all the stat analysis? Does the pitching coach ever say - let's give him another inning or two (or maybe his assistant does)? So glad we keep getting new hitting coaches - wow three of them. And thanks to their combined efforts our line for the team (B/R) 211/282/338 621 OPS 16 HRs - so each one is responsible for .070 of BA and 207 OPS Looking at BR team stats we have lowest field average since 1981 - guess those OF/IF coaches are earning their money too. At least the bench hasn't collapsed so I guess the Bench Coach is holding his own.
  4. mikelink45
    Its too bad such a depressing report is so accurate. Your poll - who is more clutch is like a sad joke at the end of this summary. The real answer is - nobody. Yes it is already time to think about trades. The Sox and Angels must be looking at next week with some glee. Yes - it is imperative we come out with a winning week so this review can have a positive off week.
  5. mikelink45
    I got to believe the White Sox are looking forward to this series - they could get out of last place. Let's get some playoff excitement going - we will not slide to last!
  6. mikelink45
    Oh man, does this hurt. How about a six man rotation and get Zebby up - maybe a seven and get Morris up too. Don't hurry with the post game interview - who cares? Julien's hot streak is over. Keaschall - thank you, no matter what else the season gives us you have provided a spark - not to the team, but to the fans. The only player hitting over 250 - Bader is at 250 and the rest - I guess its Buxton's turn to be hot and look like an all-star now that Eddie is done. And I look at these three relievers who did their job and wonder why Topa who has never started would be the opener when Varland knows how to start? Oh well, that was yesterday's misery.
  7. mikelink45
    When Wallner, Lewis, Castro are back with health this story will disappear as will the two cast-offs. Desperate times for our struggling team.
  8. mikelink45
    I am not a fan of the opener. I really don't see how it makes it better. The starter isn't used to coming in and the second inning and the relief picture isn't used to coming in in the first.
  9. mikelink45
    The question arises again could the starter go further and depend less on the BP
  10. mikelink45
    I put 75% of the blame on owners, 10% FO, 10% Baldelli - 5% on players, but they are who they have always been and if they are not good enough that is not their fault. The smartest thing they have done is bring up Keaschall - some excitement factor. The next best thing is Zebby because he has caught the fans imagination.
  11. mikelink45
    This is the first time I have been excited by a Twins move this season. I hope they let him play through struggles and give him the support he needs. I just have not been impressed with the Twins handling of prospects so far.
  12. mikelink45
    I love it. This is my most exciting moment of this season. Now give him a number of starts so he can settle in and start making a difference.
  13. mikelink45
    The next poll for TD - How many games will Correa play over his six year contract? So far he has played 239/343 70%. He is signed through 2028 - that is 972 games - 676 games at current rate, but after a good first year he dropped significantly last year - the trend is not good.
  14. mikelink45
    I wondered who would be this year's pinch hit specialist and we have one hit Gaspar.
  15. mikelink45
    Or we can put Paddack in the paddock.
  16. mikelink45
    This is not about the tried and true Twin fans till death - there are not enough of us to fill the stadium. It is about TV, the general public and our choices. I have to admit I would rather be hiking, canoeing, skiing and I prefer radio. But I still watch and try to follow every day. BUT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> this team is not fun. They do not play with enthusiasm so how can the fans be enthusiastic. Bonehead plays like Miranda, pitchers unable to throw to bases (we do pay them to throw) and poor defense, no speed, no power, no real stars. Sorry but Buxton is okay, but not a superstar and never will be. It is not just his injuries. His power is offset by his strikeouts, his defense is not what it was and he just is not someone I count on. He is great a few games - just okay most. Correa is making the Giants and Mets look smarter as they turned him down for leg issues. And now the wrist is impacting him. Excellent play potentially, but another TD post showed how he has diminished each year and now we have to have Castro at SS. Lewis is like so many of our prospects. Can Kiriloff get him a job selling real estate? Power, speed. great pitching draws fans. We just don't have anything that pushed the envelop in any of those lanes. I think Zebby has a following - maybe it is just his name, but if I was the Twins I would get him up and promote him like crazy. Right now the Wild and the Timberwolves are in the playoffs and the Twins are in the doldrums. So what is the incentive for the noncommitted?
  17. mikelink45
    I agree - what can be done to reduce all these injuries - it just seems that with all the advances in medicine we should have some means to keeping these athletes healthy and on the field.
  18. mikelink45
    Injuries are the story this year if we ignore the bad play and losing record (hard to do). Still think SP need to go deeper or there will be no BP left by the end of the year and we cannot count on Alcala and Funderburk for serious situations - not sure about Topa either and we used our three best today.
  19. mikelink45
    I feel like McCusker has now gotten the Eeles position in my enjoyment of a minor league player. If Keaschall is not called up for DH, I would give Carson a chance. I do miss Eeles, when does he come back?
  20. mikelink45
    I would like to see Keaschall at DH - not impressed with Larnach this year. Buxton, Keirsey, Bader in OF at least means excellent defense. We will miss Wallner if he is out a while. I think they have to bring up Fitzgerald to back up SS if Correa is going to be out. Easy to make changes with 39 on the Roster plus Gaspar.
  21. mikelink45
    Did I miss something? Why is Wallner out?
  22. mikelink45
    Good for the Orioles – we messed up when we DFA’d Blewett and I resisted the obvious words when I write this – but I thought about it? It looks like half the Cedar Rapids team is on the IL. What is it with health and Twins prospects? Get Zebby up – put Paddack in the BP – he will be gone next year, let’s start working towards a better future. I am for Keaschall, Camargo, and McCusker to come up and give us a youth infusion. Give Mike Parades a shot at the Twins BP.
  23. mikelink45
    Alcala failed last year and each year we have brought him up. The team falls in love with his fastball, but I am ready to move on and give another pitcher that roster spot. I also think that pitchers should get an earned run charged to them if the player is on base or safe because of a pitcher throwing error. If a pitcher can't throw what is he out there for? And what makes 100 pitches the magic number? It looked like Ryan could have gone 6 and if he struggled they could change during the inning. All this protecting arms has not worked for him the last two years, so use him while he is healthy.
  24. mikelink45
    I would hope that Gaspar is the next to go, but who knows what Baldelli will decide. I would give Keirsey more starts - like five in a row and see what he can do. Since Bader has come back to his normal production, Keirsey can provide the fielding and maybe he can get his bat going. I am ready to see Keaschall pushed up to the Twins, and I would put McCusker at DH - these two push the envelop and that is what this article is about. And maybe put Carmargo at C for a week and give him a chance to push. But no more sitting like Keirsey, no ABs, just getting rust. Young players need to play and prove their value.
  25. mikelink45
    He fills the famous Margot slot - maybe he sits between the bench coaches and does nothing, just like them.
×
×
  • Create New...