Richie the Rally Goat

TD loads well in Safari, and is fast. I've had some bad luck with formatting in the text box while posting, but it's unusual.

It has been written several times this season, that this Twins clubhouse is the quietest any of the beat writers has experienced. During Spring Training Rob Antony came out with a fired up speech denigrating lackadaisical players and imploring for someone to please step up and be the man. Is this "The Twins Way"? Is this the new "Twins Way"? Where's the coaching staff in all of this? Where's Joe Mauer? While I'm sure the listed parties provide leadership in their own way, it seems that the front office has taken notice that this type of invocation isn't coming from the individuals closer to the players that need it most. I'm sure we've all seen the prank Gardy pulled on Pelfrey with the aid of Perkins. Is this Good Cop/Bad Cop, or a passing of the guard? Are the M&M boys being replaced by Perkins and/or whom? Who is the standard bearer of "The Twins Way"? What does the Twins Way now look like?

I'm with you Thrylos. At the end of the day, Bartlett is the emergency backup. He isn't going to be on the field much, so I'm not so worked up about him or his position, so much as what he means to the team as a figurehead. Do you think there is something to the notion that the reason Kubel and Bartlett are on this team right now, is to teach the kids "The Twins Way" kind of player life-coaches? I don't have a problem with Kubel or Bartlett so much as what they could represent. If this roster remains somewhat intact throughout this season, I'm disappointed because it points to nostalgia and apathy. Just waiting for reinforcements to arrive in 2016, then 2017... If those two are on this team because management sees them as player coaches, and a significant number of veterans on the opening day roster are planned to be traded (ie, Willingham, Florimon, Plouffe, Dozier, Duensing, Correia) and we successfully see a big youth movement this season, I'm all for it.

September 28, 1995 Kirby Puckett gets hit in the face by a pitch, breaking his jaw. Spring training brought hope anew as my childhood hero tore the cover off the ball until March 28, 1996 he woke up blind in one eye and retired later that season. It would be 5 long years until the 2001 season when the Soul Patrol brought new life to my favorite team.

I'm not certain Gardy is the reason Bartlett and Kubel are with this team. At the end of the day it was Rob Antony and Terry Ryan's call. Gardy didn't send Presley packing, and if I were Gardy, I would be furious to not have a quality 4th outfielder on the roster. Presley might be easily replaceable, but so far has not been replaced.

Bartlett and Kubel have no business on this or any major league roster, but I don't care. What's scary is there is no CF depth with the active roster, and no defensive sub, no pinch runner. Add to it, left field is as statuesque as right field, and this is currently one bad fielding outfield. I hope there is a trade in the works, otherwise RA is banking on Arcia, Kubel, Willingham, and Mauer to hit home runs every at bat. on the bright side, I wanted Arcia and Hicks to play every day, looks like I will get my wish.

I've loved the game and the Twins since I was little. I grew up watching Hrbek and Puckett play the game. I watched or listened to many games with my father and grandfather. If it was a day game we'd listen while doing chores in the barn, night games were frequently watched on TV if the farm work permitted, and listened to if it didn't. Today I listen in my office to day games, watch a couple night games per week. I still love to have the game on the radio while I'm puttering around in the garage on the weekend (usually brewing beer, yeah I love beer and am from Wisconsin, sue me if I fall into a stereotype) and I hope my daughter loves the Twins the same way I do when she's old enough to understand what's going on. Some of my love is from tradition. Some of it nostalgia. I love a lazy summer day at the ballpark, having a couple bears and watching the game. Most of what I love about Twins baseball is anticipatory. I love that feeling of waiting expectantly for the next pitch, because any pitch can become a game changer, but most are not. I love the intensity of a playoff push. I love the offseason and all of the anticipation for the future with the chess maneuvers and roster changes. That's why these last couple off seasons have been so trying on my soul. The immediate future has been bleak, and the future out a season or two, is becoming two or three. But I am heartened by this off season. The Twins front office has been active, and with some of the activity today, I am hopeful for an impactful trade. Because isn't that what this is all about? Waiting for the next move is the best part.

Toronto is supposedly shopping Colby Rasmus for starting pitching. Crossing my fingers.... Please?

If I were GM, not certain how realistic, but here goes... Trade Correia, Willingham, and Duensing to the Bluejays for Colby Rasmus. Resign Rasmus for as close to 3 years 25 mil as i could get move Hicks to Left keep Rasmus in center make Arcia every day DH make Parmelee RF put Deduno in Correia's spot in the rotation. bring up Tonkin and Hoffman to fill out the bullpen. If I were manager... Lineup Rasmus CF Dozier 2b Mauer 1b Arcia DH Plouffe 3b Parmelee RF Pinto C Florimon SS Hicks LF Escobar Util Presley 4th outfielder Colabello PH 1b Suzuki C Rotation Nolasco Hughes Pelfrey Deduno Gibson bullpen Perkins Fien Burton Theilbar Tonkin Swarzak Hoffman

Or the movie studio

Thanks Nick, I'm trying to be more in the optimist camp and less in the pessimist camp, but man it's rough. Gibson being in the starting rotation, and the possibility of Hicks, Pinto and Arcia being starters helps, but the big names are further away than I'd like.

I think you hit the nail on the head, the pitching is vastly improved over last season. The hitting is about even trading Morneau for Pinto+Suzuki so bad, but by no means historic. Fielding was bad last year, and the Twins took at step back, and I think fielding was a significant part of how bad the season was in 2013. Not having Mauer behind the plate will hurt. Mauer will need time to become a first baseman, he won't be Morneau's quality defensively right away, but might get there by ST 2015. Plouffe is still at 3rd which isn't horrible, but certainly not good either. If Willingham and Arcia are in the same outfield (and I've heard speculation about letting Presley go, yikes) it's still terrible. Hicks could be a very good center fielder, but can't make up for the Hammer. It sounds like Kubel will get a lot of time in the outfield as well. If Kubel or Parmellee are your defensive substitutions, that's ugly.

That's exactly my point, this organization gives up on no one. Bill effing Smith is still in the organization for crying out loud. Why do you hold on to a 35 year old SS who is 1 for March this long unless you think you can coach him up enough to be viable? Why would you bother shopping Diamond who's had a season that wasn't horrible in his entire career, but throw out Worley who granted had zero value today, but had several fairly successful seasons before coming here? I'm sure Worley asked for a trade/release but that doesn't mean you wash your hands of him in two days.

I think this is the most drawn-out blockbuster trade ever where the Twins send two reclamation projects who turn out to be superstars and Pedro Florimon over three seasons to the Pirates for PTBNL which will end up being Alen Hanson SS in the a West Virginia Affilliate.

Obviously Worley had little value when they traded him, but you don't "fire" a guy just because you don't like him. This is a team who is trotting out Scott Diamond, Jason Bartlett and Kurt Suzuki instead of going full on rebuild because they see value in them for some reason.

Best wishes to Frank and his family. I hope it all goes well.

Arcia needs to play every day with the big league club. Period.

Maybe Worley asked for a trade and this was all TR/RA could muster? Just befuddling....

Me too!

This one and USAchief's about Kubel being only 31 are two things that are importantly ignored in many posts. I for one want as much youth as can be put on this roster, but truthfully, none of the players at the end of ST were keys to the future.

I would trade Diamond for Ichiro straight up, but why would the Yankees want Diamond?

I would be better with Kubel in the outfield than Willingham, but not at the cost of Arcia's at-bats. I think Bartlett is insurance for Florimon since he's just off surgery. JB has a point. It may be the Twins Front office is taking notes from the St Paul Saints front office ALA Daryl Strawberry.

I'm not the best person to answer but here goes. Anyone who can correct or clarify for me would be appreciated. The difference is major league service time. Players reassigned are minor league players without using an option. Major league players with options are optioned to the minors, using an option. Major league players with all of their options used, are designated for assignment or released. DFA'd players can be claimed by other teams, or passed through waivers.

The pitching is improved, but that improvement is limited by poor fielding behind them. I don't think the hitting is significantly worse than last year. 70 wins

You and I were on the same page Thrylos as far as who the guy in the picture is. I'm not sure how the system works with Steil and Rantz, but the Twins' minor league system has been producing really well over the last few years. Whatever works.