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mikelink45

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Everything posted by mikelink45

  1. mikelink45
    This is an interesting group of prospects. My only disappointment is having Garver sent down this early. I would like to see him work with major league pitchers. If there is a possibility of having him up this year it would be good for him to be familiar with the pitchers he might see later on. I get the impression that Granite is far above Palka in the Twins thinking. Is this correct? Is Goodrum on his way to being a utility player?
  2. mikelink45
    I am here with my prejudice for young players. We once dipped in to the big payroll and extended years with a guy named Mauer and I have seen more whining and anguish over that than almost anything the Twins have or have not done. I look at the big contracts like Pujols and Fielder and Howard where teams go crazy paying for past performance with little expectation of getting what the contract is supposed to buy. The Cubs did not succeed because of Lester, they got there by developing players and if the TD rankings of prospects and reports from Florida are to be believed we just might have the talent ready to rise. Better we get the young arms producing and then let the other guys give them the big extensions for the end of their careers. The nucleus is there, the potential is there, even at SS where the pundits weep over Polanco's fielding we have Javier and Gordon coming along. This team is two years from going past contending to a real threat. Load up the young guys and get it going. No more Hughes, Nolasco, Santiago, Pelfrey, Correia, Pavano, Hernandez, Rogers... Get the talent coming up to produce, it is the only way this team can truly be competitive over the long run. I understand what you are saying, but I do not want any of these players. I would prefer the young potential prospects over guys who have already stressed their arms and have limited years ahead.
  3. mikelink45
    Many players have real country pride and we should respect, not condemn them for this.
  4. mikelink45
    I enjoy the analysis of the individuals along with their placement. I do wonder if the Twins will find a new approach to getting the starters to the MLB team earlier than in the past. Of course that entails dropping the older replacement players. I suppose Tepesch, Vogelsong, Stubbs, Paulson, etc will hand around since they can be placed or jettisoned at any time and fill up lineups when needed, but I do not feel any attachment to them and I hope the Twins do not either.
  5. mikelink45
    I can agree with your posting. I enjoy your comments and I wanted to get a second reaction from you. I have a little different take - not on stats, but performance in Spring, but like your comments and reactions.
  6. mikelink45
    One comment that struck me in this posting was about extra padding for the outfield. I do not know what is right, but with Million Dollar assets all over the outfield I believe it would be the responsibility of the league to find a safer method for padding the fences and protecting the players. It is in the leagues interest as well as the player. Stubbs in AAA is a good protection, not on the MLB roster and like most of the postings I would pull up Granite. He is 24 and most good players are in the majors by 25.
  7. mikelink45
    I have never felt as informed about the minors as I do with your reports. Thanks.
  8. mikelink45
    Perhaps Spring Training is a good time to learn how not to give up HRs when the wind is blowing out, or in Hughes case, not to give up so many under any circumstances. I understand he is returning from injury and I want to see him succeed, but I do not want to give gratuitous pats on the back when they are not earned. No "at a boys" for a performance like this and no balling out. Move on is the only thing to do, but realistically.
  9. mikelink45
    I like them 1 and 2 and even if Buxton raises his power numbers, I like the havoc on the base the most. I loved the 1959 Go Go White Sox with Aparicio in lead off and Nellie Fox batting second. They really set the stage for Landis and Klusewski and others, but they also upset the other team, and disruption is important. I prefer them on base before Dozier and Sano come up because they will score on almost any hit and perhaps take an extra base when the sluggers whiff. White Sox Lineup from world series scorecard: http://www.baseball-cards-and-collectibles.com/1959-World-Series.php Roster: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/1959.shtml#site_menu_link and a nice bio of Nellie Fox - http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/46572ecd
  10. mikelink45
    I am old school. I like speed. I like the disruption. I remember the Rickey Henderson, Maury Wills batters that distract and worry the pitcher, hurry up the defense and generally make the other team uncomfortable. Buxton Polanco Sano Dozier Park Kepler Mauer Castro Rosario
  11. mikelink45
    No, Haley did not do alright. He got all four pitches over the plate and they got all four into the outfield for hits. I am tired of hearing that people do well when it requires a suspension of thinking to believe it. He stunk. We know what good pitching is. They throw the ball, the other teams whiffs, grounds out, fails to score. Very simple.
  12. mikelink45
    Pitch the ball well, catch the ball well and call it framing. Okay. What this article said to me was that a catch should have physical control of his own body so that he doesn't allow his motion to follow the breaking motion of the pitch. Makes sense.
  13. mikelink45
    Unless Vargas catches fire or Park ends the spring poorly, I would bet on Park. Even if the FO is different, the investment in Park is still there by the Twins and the rest of the FO would like to see it pay off.
  14. mikelink45
    If this happens I will be finding another team to root for.
  15. mikelink45
    "Outside of the homers, it was mostly an encouraging outing." I am still trying to wrap my mind around this assessment. Other than losing 103 games last year the Twins looked pretty good!? 5 innings, 4 runs - I do not see the silver lining other than the fact his arm did not fall off.
  16. mikelink45
    It's the third time May has missed time with a back injury this season, as he also missed 23 games in June with back spasms. He saw a specialist at the Mayo Clinic before his return and thought he had found the root of his problem, but will seek another opinion and will see specialist Dr. Robert Watkins in California. "It's been tremendously frustrating [for him]," Molitor said. "At some point you even wonder when you can't find the exact source of the problem, you start thinking worst-case scenario. I think he's going to be OK over time, but we need to start putting together a program where his focus this winter will be on being healthy." May's back issues have only flared up when pitching in relief, so Twins interim general manager Rob Antony said he's hopeful May will start next year. "He'll be told as he was last year to go home and prepare to be a starter and hopefully he comes in and wins a spot in the rotation next spring," Antony said. "He didn't earn one this spring and he had success as a reliever so it was easy enough to put him back in the pen. But I'd like to see him earn a job as a starter next year." By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com | @RhettBollinger | September 13th, 2016
  17. mikelink45
    Why are we surprised? Last year May was hurt and we were told that he should go to the starting rotation for his physical well being. Pitching is a terrible difficult physical demand and if he was breaking down in the bullpen, how was starting going to change that? I hate to see any player go down, but disappointment, not shock is my response. Now, concentrate on the young pitchers. Help them to succeed. Push the mediocre aging pitchers out at the same time.
  18. mikelink45
    Good-bye been nice to know you. I think a part of the lyrics of Supertramp wrap this up: Goodbye stranger it's been nice Hope you find your paradise Tried to see your point of view Hope your dreams will all come true or Now some they do and some they don't And some you just can't tell like And some they will and some they won't With some it's just as well
  19. mikelink45
    I am definitely in favor of #2 and #3 which is why #1 is third on my list. Let a manager designate 4 pitchers for a 9 inning game. That's it. If it goes beyond 9 they can do what they want. But think of the strategy. Do you use all three relief pitchers in the 7th inning or do you have to wait and hold one in reserve? Get the relievers in a rotation and teach them to throw more than 1 inning. Get rid of the one LOOGY and other specialists who throw more warm-ups than pitches. The real issue is on the mound and these three address that. No one wants to watch a parade to the mound of catchers, pitching coaches and managers. Limit mound visits to 1 per inning, signal changes from the dugout. Left for intentional walk, right for I want a new pitcher!
  20. mikelink45
    I like your presentation in this article. I am unable to analyze and critique, but the essay and comments cause me to think about the variations in players natural abilities and I am pleased to see someone finding what is good for them even if it bucks the trend. Didn't our new batting coach say that he wanted to coach the individuals and not try to find one answer that everyone needs to follow?
  21. mikelink45
    I was reading this with some hope and satisfaction (the same thing I felt about Berrios the last two years) and the question came to me that maybe Seth can inform me on the historic success of pitcher promotions. When I look at prospects I also know that what is said and what happens in that huge jump to MLB don't always match. I think of David Clyde, or the Twins Eddie Banes https://coffeyvillewhirlwind.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/1973-eddie-banes-debut/. I like this article http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/161161/#PSGsmMmrjtSX6esB.97 but it does not answer my question. What are the real odds that the pitchers in this article, or a similar article for all the teams, will actually make the majors and the rotation for more than the old cup of coffee?
  22. mikelink45
    This was really an excellent presentation that filled in a lot for me. For one thing it appears that there are many Latino instructors in the low minors and I think that is really helpful for the young players trying to adapt to all the issues that surround them. I had no idea so many were signed for the minors. Is there a reason for this? I counted 30 on your two lists. Are we short on minor leaguers?
  23. mikelink45
    Love the bunt, Mickey Mantle was the master of the drag bunt, just between the pitcher and first base. It was really disruptive to the other team.
  24. mikelink45
    Sano is a great story and I look forward to having him get back on track which I think he will. Still - I hate strikeouts. I do not care about the sabermetric BS that K's are not a big deal - they are. Like other posts I still wish there was a Latino coach to work with our southern players and to communicate in the most effective way.
  25. mikelink45
    Not only do we agree, but I am a birdwatcher and ran an Audubon Center for 38 years, so where does your handle come from? Surely not the Orioles, Blue Jays, Cardinals.
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