Steve Lein

@_2244 - q;) I didn't take it as being "out of line", you were explaining your viewpoint, which though maybe misguided, is perfectly fine and what these discussions are about!

shanewahl - For me, it's all about the approach that needed to be taken (aggressive), which is different from his usual (uber-passive), and he didn't do it. He watched 5 pitches go by before swinging. I was bothered by it. If you weren't, great. Would he have done anything better if he swung at any of the earlier pitches? Who knows, but I'd rather he take a cut at a borderline fastball earlier in the count than a 3-2 curveball heading for the dirt. @_2244 - The game was tied, you need that run to win. I'd tell Mickey Mantle to try and hit a fly ball there. If something falls for a hit, great, but a "hit" wasn't needed to get the go-ahead run across the plate -> situational hitting.

As for Mauer's at bat with Carroll on 3B, to quote myself: "Is it bad that Mauer is the last guy I want up when #Twins need a fly ball?!". In my opinion, and I might be being harsh, but Mauer has to change his approach in that at-bat, and make sure he hits something in the air. Instead, he does the same old and takes some pitches he could get under, and isn't able to get it done. Situational hitting has been lackluster (to put it lightly) thus far on the season.

Kevin Goldstein answered the "strength of this draft class" question on Twitter a few days ago. On the 20-80 scouting scale, he had last years Draft class as a 65-70, this years as a 40-45, so it's a below average class according to him. Also stated that this years potential #1 picks wouldn't have been picked in the top 5 last year.

Since Max Kepler's name came up, check out this thread: http://www.twinsdaily.com/showthread.php?612-Max-Kepler&highlight=kepler I was impressed by him at Spring Training more than anybody else.

I'd really like to see the Twins do some fastracking with Sano ala the players he gets compared to, like Miguel Cabrera and Hanley Ramirez. He's already showing more power than either of them did in their MiLB career at the same ages (a lot more, actually), and his average has been better than Cabrera's and pretty much the same as Ramirez's. Cabrera debuted and stuck at age 20, Hanley debuted at 21 and stuck the next season. Neither played at AAA. I think he sticks in the Midwest League this whole season as there's much more to his game that he needs to work on, but next year it's not out of the question he spends time at AA, then in 2014 challenges for a MLB callup/debut before he turns 21. THE DFC - He's by no means "stellar" at 3B at this point, Big-time arm, but not very good fielder, yet. People say the skill and drive to improve is absolutely there, but he's still just so young (still 18 for another month). Everyone is saying Luke Hughes got DFA'd because he's a bad defender. Well, he owns a .989 career fielding % in the MLB (.953 at 3B), and Sano right now has a career .892 fielding % in the MiLB (is at .960 at 3B so far this year). For another comparison, Danny Valencia has a career .959 fielding % at 3B in the MLB, so take those for what you will.

I agree 100% with everything you've stated here. Raw deal indeed.

Yyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuppp.

I was hoping Terry Ryan would be much smarter about supplementary roster moves than Bill Smith, but this is evidence to the contrary. 13 pitchers on the staff? Why exactly? Quantity is not better than quality, and there's not much quality there for pitching already. There are players with options, like Parmelee, who hasn't been getting into the last few games anyway and has never played at AAA, and Luke can play 1B too, as he did yesterday. Jeff Gray on the roster still? who cares if he's gone. Matt Maloney? Who cares if he's gone. Alex Burnett? There's no harm in sending him to AAA for a little while, and I'll believe Nick Blackburn doesn't go on the DL when I see it... I do believe Hughes had a role on this team, and a greater one than Sean Burroughs, who also remains. I just find this very strange when there so many other options, including ones that don't risk anyone to another team. But I digress. Favorite Luke Hughes moment? Home Run in first career at-bat is pretty hard to beat.

It appears we all have the same question, been waiting to see another game stat line from him...

LaVelle says Liriano has been in the league long enough that he can reject an assignment to the minors (5 years of service time). Not exactly sure what happens if this were to be the case in this scenario, but I'm guessing it'd be like DFA-ing him - anyone know for sure?

I understand fully the "Take the best player available" argument, and agree that 99% of the time this is the route that an MLB team should take in the draft. BUT, I also 100% believe that this season, with the #2 pick, that the Twins have to use that 1% exception, and go for a pitcher with ace ceiling no matter what with their second pick. They aren't going to spend the money on a free agent or trade to bring one in, so they HAVE TO do it in the draft. Theoretically, they're likely never going to get a better opportunity than this, so they HAVE TO go with the "Best Pitcher", not necessarily the "Best Player". Also consider, that the sooner they draft an (hopefully) Ace type pitcher, the quicker he gets to the big leagues to help Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau out during their prime...

MWW - I saw only 4 or 5 Sano at-bats in Spring Training, but it was very apparent he was being pitched around. In those at-bats, he walked twice, and I don't think he saw a single decent pitch to hit. If he's discovering that's what they're doing to him, and he's taking those walks, that is him learning patience.

I don't find the increase you're citing as being "increased noticeably" to be significant, the numbers just aren't big enough in difference, and all of them were considered "sellouts", or just short of. I think much of the increase can be attributed to them starting to sell SRO tickets. But the main point I'm making is the one you agree with. If the attendance increases by maybe the 2,000 max you're referencing as it gets warm, that's still just 33000+ people in the seats, which is not good. That would mean they likely average something like 32,000/game if this season follows the same curve as 2011, which equals an overall attendance of 2,592,000. A difference of almost 800-thousand fans through the gate. Average ticket price at Target Field is $33 dollars. So, that's basically $25 MIL in revenue right off the bat the Twins wouldn't get this year compared to 2010 and 11.

Look at the links I provided for attendance numbers, I don't find this statement to be true. Very minimal, at best, compared to the amount that was there yesterday. And sorry, I wasn't cold there yesterday, so to each his own (and I was NOT wearing long-johns).

Highly doubting it doesn't change the fact that it's true. Lowest attendance # last year was 34,228, here are the numbers: 2010: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2010-schedule-scores.shtml 2011: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2011-schedule-scores.shtml 2012: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2012-schedule-scores.shtml

Oswalt has said he'd need about 60 days to get ready to pitch in the majors after signing. 60 days from now, is June. So he has to sign soon with someone. Also, he's not going to get Edwin Jackson money, he'll get Andy Pettitte money so it's not like they'd be wasting a big pile of it. Ya, he might not be interested, but it seems other teams whom would be those "contenders", have become uninterested as well. I can hope, right?

It wasn't that cold, CDog. We're Minnesotans for christ sake, break out the long-johns. The teams play last year and the attendance at the end of it, are already carrying over. If not going to the game because it's cold is affecting the 2nd home game of the year, attendance is going to be bad all year (relative to most of the first 2 seasons). Yes, there was the non sellout in year one, but there were still over 37,000 fans at the game that wasn't a sellout. There we're 31,000 there yesterday. Believe it or not, that's a significant difference. Several upper-deck sections were empty, and a few on the 2nd level. Empty rows of seats absolutely everywhere.

I think the replacement should come from outside the organization. Put a little urgency into the plan that needs to be endorsed as suggested by LaVelle E. Neal III, here: http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/146905625.html This likely means trading away a good prospect or two or three, which I won't necessarily like depending on whom it would be, but it's something that just might have to be done. While I'd like to see Roy Oswalt signed (go ahead, bash me for that), it sounds like it's not very likely. But he's about the only "free agent" at this point whom would be worth anything. I think they have to do something though. There were a lot of empty seats at the game yesterday already (in fact, on the radio this morning it was said it was the lowest attendance ever at Target Field, even worse than September last year), and it was only the 2nd home game of the year. That doesn't bode very well for the Pohlad's bottom line...

Ya, Buxton is playing very weak competition, and with that weak competition, he still hasn't hit a HR yet this season...

Torii's faceplant was one of the most epic I've ever seen. Super slow-mo on the Target Field scoreboards was pretty hilarious.

Watching him play in Spring Training, it wasn't that hard to notice that pitchers didn't want much to do with him. Saw him take a few walks where not a single decent pitch to swing at was thrown, but this also seemed to be causing him to force it as he also took a couple horrendous swings on a few of those pitches because he obviously wants to hit. Seems to fit with the whole batting well when pitchers have to throw to him vs. not doing much when they're trying to avoid him. He is taking some walks early on though too, so that's a good sign.

I'd have to say I'm always in the middle. I wholeheartedly believe some moves were 100% correct (Signing Willingham/Doumit to replace Kubel/Cuddyer/Butera). But I wholeheartedly also go WTF?! to some moves (Jason Marquis, Capps). Since they should be rebuilding, but haven't yet actually embraced that philosophy, I'll probably settle in at a 4 right now.

Kevin Goldstein was at the game, couple tweets from him: "Sano oppo bomb into the wind. Wow moment." "second home run for Sano. He's hit neither squarely." "If not, awfully close QT @MnkysThrwngDrts: That's 80 power, right? RT @Kevin_Goldstein: second home run for Sano. He's hit neither squarely."

Also, the "fall" of the farm system is very easy to diagnose. In the past 10 years, the Twins have only had 1 draft pick that was above slot 20 (was Aaron Hicks at #14), and they've also been very against drafting elite players that fell due to signability concerns, or in other words, who wanted a lot of money to keep them from their college commitments. As an example, the Pirates drafted OF Josh Bell last year in the 2nd round, and then shelled out $5 MIL to sign him (that's top 5 pick money). If you're not picking in the Top 10 for that long of a period, are unwilling to go significantly over slot $ amounts (which is no longer a concern with the new CBA), and you have failed in using your best assets (Santana, etc...) to restock it, it should be pretty obvious that your farm system will suffer to churn out talent. But unfortunately, that farm system talent is what the Twins need to count on to be successful, and it's now fallen into a rebuild mode, which is a shame as we're in the middle of the last wave of talents prime (Mauer & Morneau). It won't be a quick rebuild for the Twins either, as they don't have that elite player that can be moved for a haul. No Ace looking for his first big free agent deal, no stud veteran hitter without concerns or an unmovable contract. There's only 2 trade pieces I see on this team that could bring back something worthwhile, but both also have questions that will stunt their value, they being Francisco Liriano and Denard Span. But even then, you're not exactly going to reload a farm system by moving those guys. And this made me laugh: Um, have you SEEN what the Yankees charge?! -> http://mlb.mlb.com/nyy/ballpark/seating_pricing.jsp