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the_youngster

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Everything posted by the_youngster

  1. the_youngster
    My bad. While in the mind set of thinking of possible coaches, I forgot about Bruno. I am all in favor of keeping Brunansky as hitting coach. He has gotten very good reviews from current players who are now showing results, and he should definitely be a part of next year's staff. So i guess I would be very supportive of Molitor as manager, Bruno as hitting coach, Glynn as bench coach, Mauer as third base coach, an outsider as pitching coach, and maybe retain Steinbach for first base coach? I really don't know what I would do with Steinbach right now.
  2. the_youngster
    As far as manager goes, I also believe that Molitor will be the next skipper. What's more intriguing, in my opinion, is who the new manager will have as to work with as coaches. Personally, I would love to see Gene Glynn as the bench coach, Jake Mauer as the 3rd base coach, and then bring in from the outside for pitching and hitting coaches. From hearing how Mauer has been as a minor league manager, I strongly believe that he has the ability to be a MLB manager, and likely one for the Twins. Might as well give him a Gardenhire-like entrance to MLB at third base.
  3. the_youngster
    If Hicks has really turned a corner after his last disappointment, then I want him in centerfield and Santana at shortstop. Another left fielder who can keep Schafer as the 4th outfielder would still be nice to have. That's why I like Van Slyke. Left field to start off, but as soon as another outfielder like Buxton comes up, Van Slyke can move to the role he has had with the Dodgers, a back up outfielder who can still get 200-300 at-bats and fill in nicely for an injury.
  4. the_youngster
    Best fit for any trade with the Dodgers really is Pinto. They don't have any realistic everyday catcher now or in the near future via prospects. They will want to improve. They have an excess of outfielders, but I don't want to pick up an older one in their decline via trade. An older player possibly in their decline from free agency is better than a trade. Then there is only a loss of money instead of players. I'll take Cuddyer/Span/Hunter and spending money over Kemp/Ethier/Crawford and the potential loss of prospects or major league contributor. Keep Nolasco for now because if he is needed by another team during the season (which pitchers always are) then there's a better trading situation. Pinto for Van Slyke and Carlos Frias. Throw in a mid level prospect if needed and thus we have a LF for next year and a flame throwing reliever who could be a steal if converted into a starter (and a little bit of luck of course).
  5. the_youngster
    I view Pinto as the best trade option, really. The team has committed to Suzuki at catcher, and instead of worrying about his playing time, just let Suzuki catch / Mauer play 1st / Vargas DH. Pinto is not an ideal backup catcher, so might as well try to capitalize on another team's immediate desire for offense and a catcher (i.e. the Dodgers or Rays). We don't need a prime prospect in return, but an upgrade in left field to allow Schafer to be the 4th outfielder is entirely reasonable.
  6. the_youngster
    A trade option could be Scott Van Slyke of the Dodgers (.283/.379/.520). They already have Puig, Kemp, Crawford, Ethier, and now Pederson for next year. At catcher this year, they've been using Butera, AJ Ellis (.193/.326/.260), and Tim Federowicz (.116/.151/.203). The Dodgers lack any real catching prospects that are even remotely close to helping the ML club. Instead of worrying about Pinto's playing time, I would be fine with trading him for Van Slyke and a pitcher, cause the Dodgers have an excessive amount of those too. Personally, I'm thinking Carlos Frias (has hit 99 as a reliever) and Van Slyke.
  7. the_youngster
    Denard Span really does seem to be the best option. Batting almost .300 again with plenty of doubles and stolen bases. He will also be only 30 next year. I highly doubt Washington picks up his option since in the outfield they have Harper and Werth long term, 3 of their top prospects are outfielders (2 at MLB in Taylor and Souza, and another who finished at AAA in Goodwin). Ryan Zimmerman's days at 3rd base may also be over, as he has already been tested out in LF earlier this season while Harper was injured. Slot Span in CF, Arcia in RF, and maybe even Hicks in LF and there's a significantly better defensive outfield (compared to Santana, Arcia, and another infielder). Have Schafer as the 4th outfielder and no more infielders in the outfield.
  8. the_youngster
    Thus why I advocated for Span. Cuddyer has better production and leadership of the two, but just for that reason regarding his health I would not do anything more than one year with a possible option.
  9. the_youngster
    If Hicks needs a veteran to guide him as a professional player, and that veteran is going to be a FA acquisition, the two best options really are Cuddyer and Span. Fans have grown weary of bringing back old names after the Bartlett and Kubel disappointments, but Cuddyer is productive when healthy and Span has put together a very solid year (thus far 179 hits for a .298 avg with 38 doubles and 31 stolen bases). Personally, I think Span would be a very good addition for next year (still will be only 30).
  10. the_youngster
    By August 31'st this is all gut based hypothesizing, but enjoyable and intriguing nonetheless. C- Chris Herrmann (just a small gut feeling he takes the job for a while) 1B- Joe Mauer 2B- Brian Dozier 3B- Trevor Plouffe SS- Danny Santana LF- Chris Colabello CF- Sam Fuld RF- Oswaldo Arcia DH- Josmil Pinto Bench: Escobar, Nunez, Fryer, (Parmelee, W. Ramirez, E. Farris, D. Ortiz) Rotation: Hughes, Gibson, Nolasco (just back from DL), May, Darnell -Note: Kris Johnson/Logan Darnell start in place of Nolasco while on DL Bullpen: Perkins, Fien, Thielbar, Swarzak, Pressly, Tonkin, Johnson Traded: Willingham, Correia, Morales, Duensing, Burton, Suzuki, Deduno Gone somehow: Guerrier Call-Ups: Farris (if not already on the bench), Polanco, Achter, Romero, Vargas, Hamburger/Thompson/Pino, Ibarra -Note: I would like to see Beresford, Guerra, and Gilmartin, but 10 call ups is far more than likely. Also note that there is no Meyer, because I believe he will get a look before August 31'st and reach an innings limit/is shut down. If he is around by the end of the season I don't belive he will be used much at all.
  11. the_youngster
    Michael Cuddyer's has a long history with the Twins. As one of the favorite players of fans and teammates alike in Twins territory, he will be a free agent once again following a season which has seen him placed on the 60 day disabled list. As Willingham will likely be traded, Hicks unable to adjust to MLB, Buxton missing most of 2014, and Rosario also missing a lot of time along with general ineffectiveness, there will likely be holes to be filled for the 2015 outfield. Really the only virtual lock for the outfield next season is Arcia. At the beginning of the season there were hopes of a 2015 opening day outfield of Arcia, Hicks, and Buxton. That is quite unlikely now. Thus a Cuddyer reunion could make sense. A contract that could last at most three seasons, whether by options or not, could be of great use for the Twins. A leader and mentor for the young outfielders, a leader in the clubhouse as a whole, a fan favorite, a veteran who could help transition a club to its future as his career begins its finale, Cuddyer would be a pleasant upgrade for 2015, in my opinion. Thoughts on the subject?
  12. the_youngster
    Any of Rodon, Aiken, Kolek, Gordon, Jackson, or Nola would be quality picks in reality. All have very reasonable chance to be very good prospects and eventually contribute to a major league team. Honestly, however, I am warming up to Nola. His fastball and changeup combo remind me of Michael Wacha, only Nola has better control. At this point in their college careers, Nola is the better of the two with better stuff. But any prospect can either "find it" or "lose it" during their path to the major leagues. I'm less worried about who the Twins take 5th overall than who they miss in the draft as a whole. I would like see a plethora of quality prospects who have the ability and aptitude to become good contributors to the Twins in the future.
  13. the_youngster
    I am a really big fan of Sean Reid-Foley, but I dont see him going to the Twins. I think he gets picked late first round by a team like the Rays or Cardinals. If he doesn't get picked in the first round, I could see him easily going to college and becoming one of the top college pitchers for his next draft. For pick 46, I would definitely look towards Foster Griffin, Mac Marshall, Keaton McKinney, perhaps Scott Blewitt, and Grant Hockin. However, I would rank Sean Reid-Foley above them all. Jacob Bukauskus, Michael Kopech, and Spencer Adams are also good options, but may be trending too far up for the Twins in round 2.
  14. the_youngster
    Hopefully the days of consistent inadequacy at shortstop will end soon, which it very well might with some promising signs from Vielma, Santana, Mejia, Michael, and Polanco. All could be the eventual SS of the future (or second base if they keep getting moved).
  15. the_youngster
    I also am a big fan of Marshall, but in my first mock through round 2 (first 69 picks) I predicted him to the Marlins at 36. I do feel that the second round is a good spot to try and get one of these fringe first round high schoolers. I also like Jacob Bukauskus, another RHP with a plus fastball and is receiving some high praise recently.
  16. the_youngster
    Three high schoolers that I think are good fits for the Twins in the second round (if they last) are Killer's grandson Grant Hockin (a solid and upward trending pitcher with a pretty sound delivery and build), Keaton McKinney (great changeup), and shortstop Cole Tucker (also upward trending and a new favorite of mine due to his contact ability and good chance at sticking at SS).
  17. the_youngster
    Thus far my hypothesizing has the first 11 picks going: Astros-Brady Aiken Marlins-Tyler Kolek White sox-Alex Jackson Cubs-Carlos Rodon Twins-Tyler Beede Mariners-Jeff Hoffman Phillies-Nick Gordon Rockies-Grant Holmes Blue Jays-Kyle Freeland Mets-Bradley Zimmer Blue Jays-Touki Toussaint Touki Toussaint seems to be a good fit for the Jays and their #9 or #11 pick. Can afford to take the risk and try to get him away from Vanderbilt. Things are fluent, but as of right now this is how I see it.
  18. the_youngster
    Personally I like Ryan Eades, but he is ranked where he is not necessarily based on his status as a prospect, but due to the other prospects that many value more than him (actually a testament to the depth of the organization as a whole). Eades hasn't put much time in the organization yet, but I am not down on him as a prospect. A season to gauge him a bit more and he could gain real value in the eyes of many.
  19. the_youngster
    Thrylos, I like how you ranked Zach Larson at 36. He is a guy I really look forward to seeing grow. I wanted to rank him higher in my full list (ended up at 61), but with another season to gauge, I think he could reach up there in future lists.
  20. the_youngster
    Yeah I try to balance my evaluations by accompanying all of the major focus pints: results, upside, proximity to MLB, with a dash of gut feeling (I also will acknowledge guys with lower floors who likely will reach the majors, ala Gilmartin).
  21. the_youngster
    With the season coming up and everyone getting excited with the new prospect rankings that are coming out, I am curious to see how the insiders and non insiders alike rank the Twins prospects (or even top prospects around baseball). The lists could be top 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, whatever floats your boast really. I was bored the other day and made a top 65 list (which ended with just a lot of gut feeling for the second half of the list), saw mistakes and forgot Lewen Diaz, thus I created a new top 66. I will only post the top 30, because anything after that is really up in the air for all we know. There are also some notes and explanations in the parenthesis. 1. Byron Buxton 2. Miguel Sano 3. Alex Meyer 4. Kohl Stewart 5. Eddie Rosario 6. Jorge Polanco (watching video of him hitting is a beautiful thing) 7. Jose Berrios 8. Lewis Thorpe 9. Max Kepler 10. Josmil Pinto 11. Stephen Gonsalves 12. Travis Harrison 13. Jorge Felix 14. Trevor May 15. Danny Santana 16. Stuart Turner 17. Sean Gilmartin (proximity to MLB & a relativley high floor) 18. Michael Tonkin 19. Kennys Vargas 20. Zach Jones 21. Ryan Eades 22. Amuarys Minier 23. A. J. Achter (Proximity to MLB & recent success on this one) 24. Adam Brett Walker 25. Mason Melotakis 26. Fernando Romero 27. D. J. Baxendale (high floor) 28. Logan Darnell (proximity to MLB) 29. D. J. Hicks 30. Yorman Landa Note: Randy Rosario was just out of the top 30, Diaz/Bard/Navaretto need more playing time to judge, and Niko Goodrum was just out, but a good season would shoot him up the list.
  22. the_youngster
    What excites me is the supposed state of his current delivery and mechanics. I remember hearing on multiple occasions that he has solid mechanics in his delivery (however I cannot seem to remember where) and after watching him throw on YouTube, to my untrained eye, he looks solid and fluid with no "herky-jerky" action. His fast growing body coupled with his delivery/age/succes (albeit short lived thus far) have me eager to observe how he develops from now on. He currently sits at #8 on my list, in between Berrios and Kepler. However upside is a key aspect to my personal rankings (along with my desire for unique international players to help assist baseball cross borders around the world). I am also interested in following fellow Aussie pitcher Sam Gibbons.
  23. the_youngster
    I like these ideas. I truly feel as if the Rangers would love Arcia (he just seems like their kind of player), and who knows, perhaps thats helps for a good return. I forgot about Billingsley, but I like the idea. It is important to pay attention towards the attitudes teams have towards their own players, and it could be the perfect concoction for a steal. And based on the recent history of American pitchers coming back from Japan, I would really like one of Lewis, vogelsong, or Messenger (I would rank them Messenger, Vogelsong, Lewis). It's not a rule that they play well upon return, but it has been a good trend recently nonetheless. Hughes just makes too much sense. The pitchers to target (realistically) IMO have to be Hughes, the Santanas, the aforementioned trio, Kazmir, and perhaps Haren. A lot of injury and ineffectiveness in the past from those arms, but we do have to look towards the future of the team while thinking of the future of these players. There are quite a few more elderly pitchers who might have one last burst left in their careers (Carpenter, Hudson, Halladay, and of course Johan). As a faithful Minnesotan, I do want a flier to be taken on Johnson, not a guaranteed spot in the rotation, but a look nonetheless (perhaps he becomes a reliever to protect his body). He could be a nice story, which fan bases love to have (although winning comes first of course). There are pitchers out there, high risk ones, but they're out there.
  24. the_youngster
    Andrus is a nice shortstop, but both would just be a pipe dream. Honestly, I would love to also nab Kozma as some insurance for Florimon. Let the best one survive as the SS, while the other is on the bench.
  25. the_youngster
    Yeah I have a personal affinity towards Miller, so when his name comes up in the mill I definitely would try to act. It seems like a trade which could be done, but would need to be negotiated right. Maybe send cash to STL (the Pohlads are willing to use money, granted this would be an odd way). But a rotation at the end of 2014 with Miller, Meyer, and Gibson sounds pretty enticing. Add in a free agent signing (perhaps Hughes) and thats an actual solid rotation, not just a passable one.
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