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mikelink45

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Everything posted by mikelink45

  1. mikelink45
    Minnesota Twins manager Tom Kelly famously derided Stanford-educated prospect David McCarty with the dismissive chant, "Stanford, boola, boola, boola" in 1994. I am not a fan of McCarty and he might not have become a good player, but when the manager starts with this attitude there is a problem.
  2. mikelink45
    The real issue is that the Pohlads are still in charge - Falvey is expected to change and be more productive as they continually cut payroll. We had the team on the rise when we finally won a playoff game and then it was cut - the Pohlads caused this. I do feel Falvey really made a mistake blowing up the BP. Ryan, Lopez and Duran were three stalwarts to build with. Ryan needs an extension and somewhere we need a new Duran. I agree with TJSweens when he talks about the slow footed sluggers we wasted time and draft picks on. It took Falvey too long to recognize speed and fielding and contact as positive qualities. So I am ambivalent, tough talking Tom, ten year Falvey and Zoll (I never here about him). Who is Zoll? What does he do?
  3. mikelink45
    I can only look at their comments and that is what I share. Personally I think we overrate Kelly, but that really does not matter. The key for the future is making sure we have personnel that can connect with those we draft and don't draft those who will not fit.
  4. mikelink45
    If you read the article I linked you will see that Hunter had a hard time adjusting. I liked Kelly, but I think he had a basic weakness with young players.
  5. mikelink45
    Interesting - because baseball draft is so difficult to project compared to NFL, NHL, NBA where draft picks make immediate impact. We pick, we wait. Boom or Bust is five years later. It depends so much on how we work with and develop the prospect. As we have seen prospects come up, show promise, regress - hopefully Shelton has a coach that will bridge the gap and help the prospect to improve throughout their first three years. I see David McCarty and I blame Tom Kelly for his lack of success. Kelly was resentful of McCary's academic background and press clippings coming into the Twins. Kelly was great at somethings but was not good at adapting to all players - like Ortiz “I don’t think he really liked me." “I don’t know why. That was his style, not just with me. He was hard on young players. He was the kind of manager who liked veteran players. He never liked me.” And Todd Walker “If a person doesn’t like you as a player, you can’t really say anything about it,” Walker told the Star Tribune. “You have to go with someone who does.” https://twins-time.com/2024/07/was-former-twins-manager-tom-kelly-too-hard-on-young-players/
  6. mikelink45
    You lost me when you started with this. Big News? What a bench mark. Yes, we have been a greenhouse for nurturing relief pitchers for other teams. But at least we have the bottom of the RP order in place and will not spend on anyone else. Impatience? We dropped Thielbar after one bad year and the Cubs are grateful. I have no idea which pitchers are best placed in rotation and bullpen. But I think we all know that BPs are the key to success in this evolving game. This article on MLB.com was in 2017, the beginning of the trend that is in place. https://www.mlb.com/news/bullpen-use-has-changed-greatly-over-time-c216982016 He listed five trends The amount of relief appearances continues to climb Long relievers are an endangered species Multi-inning appearances are a rarity Three is now the preferred number of out Closers in particular have become pigeon-holed check out this article on Bullpen evolution:
  7. mikelink45
    In answer to your headline - TOO MANY
  8. mikelink45
    Not with words. Actions, changes. We have had enough Pohlad doublespeak - now we are all skeptical and it is up to him to prove us wrong.
  9. mikelink45
    It is about time change happened - is this the right change? At least they have now bought some more fan time as we wait and see.
  10. mikelink45
    Let's see - the projections have us with a below average SS, LF,BP and there is nothing about RF. The best projection is for someone who will probably be in St Paul - Culpepper. And they want to believe that Ober will not be the pitcher he was last year - I hope that is true. Overall Zips provided talking points, but otherwise it does not really project hope.
  11. mikelink45
    With prospects nearly ready I still question the acquisition of Bell. Keaschall could end up at 1B. We have too many good OF prospects to put him there.
  12. mikelink45
    Let's see - who handles every ground out? Who covers for pulled balls down the line? Who has to handle pick off plays? Don't try to sell me on the idea that a first baseman's glove is not important. I love an article in Umpire Bible - "Adding up all of the putouts made at first base (1,754,733), we see that these account for 27.5% of all putouts, nearly a third, outpacing the next most frequent, strikeouts, and the third most frequent, catches in center fielder." https://www.umpirebible.com/ubBlog/archives/101
  13. mikelink45
    Both statements can be true and this can still be a poor signing and not an improvement.
  14. mikelink45
    This is from my previous posting - How much did we improve? Cody Clemens 213/281/434 Josh Bell 237/325/417 are you whelmed or underwhelmed? Clemens 19 HR in 348 AB - Bell 22 in 468 Clemens 1 WAR Bell 0.4 WAR Royce Lewis had one really good season and we continue to believe in him. I am not big on Clemens, but I am not big on Bell either!
  15. mikelink45
    Is this about hope or desperation? I can only wait and see - I think the quote covers it. Wait until spring - right now every player we bring in could be better, could surprise - but they also could fail, could stink.
  16. mikelink45
    Is he really better than Clemens - I posted their stats on another TD essay - I am not convinced we improved.
  17. mikelink45
    That is an understatement. Does this really make us better or are we back to the Gallo mode? I am not buying the statement that his bat speed is increasing. Let's see. And a good clubhouse guy is your bench coach not your 1B How much did we improve? Cody Clemens 213/281/434 Josh Bell 237/325/417 are you whelmed or underwhelmed? Clemens 19 HR in 348 AB - Bell 22 in 468 Clemens 1 WAR Bell 0.4 WAR Like I asked - does this make us better?
  18. mikelink45
    I needed another option in the thumbs up, laughing, crying, heart, thumbs down list - fingers crossed was the only thing that seemed appropriate.
  19. mikelink45
    Has anyone noticed the Tigers signed Jansen, traded for a Relief prospect from the Jays, and brought back RP Finnegan? They seem to be building around their core and filling their BP. BP pitchers have been seen in a lot of transactions - the Twins might like their core, but the BP was decimated and requires some reliable veteran arms that we do not have. For instance Cleveland sign RP Holderman and signed a Rule V RP. KC signed Lane Thomas and acquired Isaac Collins for their OF - not big news, but they too are building around their core - Bobbie Witt, Maikel, Perez. And they got RP Nick Mears in one trade and signed Kevin Newman and Jose Cuas for their BP. Building around their core is a AL Central strategy - not bringing in any help for that core is obviously only a MN Twins strategy.
  20. mikelink45
    It is really hard to judge the trades at this point. Yes, we got good value from Lopez, but with his injuries would we have been better off with Arraez getting on base? Prospects are no value until they rise to the majors and succeed. I think Harrison Bader was a terrific player and should do well as a FA. Duran is now considered the top RP in the NL. How do you replace him? Outman was not just bad for us, he was bad the previous year and looks like a one-hit wonder. Out BP looks terrible - would Varland be better than Roden who has not blossomed and plays OF where we have Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzales ready to move up. In modern Baseball the BP is at least as valuable as the rotation and we demolished ours. I need to see some strategy in our trades and so far, it is not visible to me.
  21. mikelink45
    So we are in the position to trade for rejects? The Orioles did not think they were that good, but we do? We should do better.
  22. mikelink45
    Thanks but I am just a commenter
  23. mikelink45
    What is DiamondCentric and why is that on TD?
  24. mikelink45
    I am always confused by changeup specialists. If there fastball is no good why is the changeup good? If that is his only good pitch - sit on it and have a nice slow ball to slug.
  25. mikelink45
    What I see is that this essay got me to make a post, my post has been quoted and commented on by quite a few which is fun for me, but also represents the dearth of materials to work with at this stage in the post season doldrums. Although I would enjoy articles that look at the signings and works of other teams and how that impacts the league and us. Even the speculation on Tarik Skubal is something to explore - how would it change our rival? How does that compare to the possible trade of Lopez or Ryan? Does the rule V choice of the White Sox matter - can they strike gold like last year? What does the gambling charges against Clase mean for Cleveland? How does the Twins manage gambling? KC lost Yastrzemski - does that weaken them? How does the signing of Finnegan impact the Tigers? Should we have signed him? Cleveland signed Colin Holderman for their BP, Does that make an impact? Those are the kind of stories I would like to see and read.
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