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mikelink45

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Everything posted by mikelink45

  1. 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!
  2. 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?
  3. 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?
  4. 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?
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. mikelink45
    Nice essay. I sure hope this is as good as it sounds. On the other hand, I think that their judgment of the pitching development and coaching is flawed. Duffey needs a third pitch, Berrios is not harnessing his talent...those are jobs for coaches to straighten out.
  9. mikelink45
    Well at last I see something positive for this season and the reason the pundits give us a better win-loss record than last year. It is because there is only one team in the division that is truly worthy of post season so we will be better because the teams we play the most will be better! Positive energy is flowing now. All we need is for Cleveland to underestimate us again and relax and let us play near .500 against us for the season. This is a good summary of the Indians and I enjoyed the insights and thoughts. But I would add one more thing - Terry Francona. His managing both player and game was really good and if there is a WAR for managers he has a high one.
  10. mikelink45
    Why does every article on Twins pitching make this season seem so depressing - everytime I look at one of the rotations with so many replacement level and below starters, hangers on like Vogelsong and Tepesch, returning injured arms like Perkins and Hughes, head scratchers like Santiago, and statements about all that Berrios has to learn (who is teaching him) - I am looking for some light somewhere. Then we justify Haley because we are admitting our rotation is so inept we need a mop up guy, maybe two to just soak up innings - would not matter if the era was in double digits. Where is the hope? Wait until next year? Its only been five years, what's one or two more? Something has to change.
  11. mikelink45
    It is the ability to be close, but also to be unpredictable. When they assume a ball and you throw a tough strike - that is pitching.
  12. mikelink45
    Thanks for the update. I did not know this, but it is false hope for me since I would love to see Santiago packed and gone. I think Escobar is better than Ehire for the bench. Gibson has one more year to show that he has more than one good year in him. He would be next after Santiago to be moved to clear the deck.
  13. mikelink45
    Nicely done. I hope you did not tear a rotator cuff typing this.
  14. mikelink45
    This is a bad reflection on the new FO. Santiago is no mystery and he is no salvation. Getting him last year to get rid of Nolasco was smart. Keeping him this year is not.
  15. mikelink45
    I cannot judge this, I only think of all the injuries over all the years where we have waited and delayed and then finally did what was needed. I hope that this was not poor judgment, but there have just been too many instances where we wait and wait and suddenly the player is lost for a longer period.
  16. mikelink45
    This is a depressing column. Not that it is wrong, it's just that a 103 loss team should be adding quality not questions.
  17. mikelink45
    I would have to say that based on this Tweet the new design is the best ever. Now I have to go and look at it.
  18. mikelink45
    Garver is my pick - this line "He might be the best combination of offense and defense of the group." says it all for me. He is 26 - its time to move on and see him in the majors, this is not a young man like Ben Roverdt who needs time to develop. Giminez as a replacement level player is not moving the bar, but I suspect that FO and Molitor will lean to the vet despite our cries for open competition and the future.
  19. mikelink45
    Nice synopsis. We have been commenting on the individual rankings, but in reality what counts is the big pitcher and the ability to develop at all the positions as needed.
  20. mikelink45
    Nicely done. Unlike some of the more informed I had no idea who would be number one and this is a really fun way to kick off the new season of hope and give me someone to try to follow. Lets hope the Twins can get the right pitching coaches to bring along the potential new rotation. I would say that 1965 and 1970 were our two best rotations when we try to look at a complete rotation and not just the stars: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/staff.shtml Lets hope these young guys in the 1 - 20 rankings can join Berrios and get near the top of the list.
  21. mikelink45
    As a person who was at the first game as an usher and has now 55 years of watching and reading I can say the Twins have hardly ever had a good rotation. Maybe two top guys, but look at the 87 world champs - that rotation was scary. If this group can come through and we can push out the old and mediocre it would be wonderful.
  22. mikelink45
    I like the variation in speed - it is not just speed, but the ability to affect timing and I hope I have not misread the description, but it seems like Gonsalves has a lot of things that are working for him. I just hope the coaching can get a strong third pitch. Just as they should have done with Duffey. I look forward to seeing him in the rotation and I hope they move him quickly. My only concern and it is a big one - the shoulder pain. These warning signals are serious.
  23. mikelink45
    Nice to see a good looking hitter moving in to the lower levels. A strong minor league would not have someone this raw at number three, but at least we are seeing talent here. Our excitement has to be on hold for a year or two - injuries and personal factors are always a bane to young players. It will be very exciting to watch him progress and it would be great to see him advance quickly like the Griffey's and other phenoms. Maybe he should play both left and right - who would he replace Kepler or Rosario?
  24. mikelink45
    No. Mauer was a HOF catcher and I have no criticism of that. I am not trying to stretch every decision to be a poor one.
  25. mikelink45
    Polanco is just part of a thought process that, I hope, is in the process of being rectified. Most blatant last year was Sano in RF. In some ways, even the Mauer to 1B decision was handled similarly. The team attitude seemed to be that we should fill out a line up and then just stick them in any available hole in the field. I hope that is changing. Polanco at SS this season does not bother me, when we have someone ready to take his place hopefully he can slide to 2B or take Escobars utility position and we can start moving towards a glove first infield as it should be. I remember well the old 59 White Sox, the latest hitless wonders with Aparicio and Fox in the middle of the lineup and Jim Landis in Center with Sherm Lollar behind the plate - they defined up the middle defense - http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/1959.shtml and their pitching staff prospered because ot them. The other team that figured out that field wins games and improves your pitching was the Oriole's under Earl Weaver - in 1970 he played Belanger at SS even though his pitchers could outhit him. Brooks Robinson at 3B and Davey Johnson at 2B with Paul Blair in CF. His reputation was great starters and wait for a HR, but defense was his secret weapon. http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1970-fielding.shtml
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