DocBauer

TWINS WIN! TWINS WIN!

I miss situational baseball at times, and feel there is still a place for it in today's game. But agree today's game has it's own beauty. I really miss the SB aspect of the game. The runner jumping and the catcher exploding out of his crouch for the throw and those brief moments of safe/out are exhilarating.

The problem with this is that Radke should be #1. He was talented and the epitome of the "old philosophy" of pitching to contact. Not being a downer here, but for the 1,000 time, the "pitch to contact" philosophy was NOT about giving in to batters getting hits! It was about having a quality defense behind the pitcher, keeping the ball low in the zone to avoid power from the batter, and throwing strikes to avoid free passes. This was a standard and successful mantra for how many decades? Times change. The Twins changed slower than most. I think Trov is very accurate when he states that too few of the Twins pitchers had an OUT pitch to make a difference. Batters today are so grounded in launch angle that the high pitch/strike has become a best friend for pitchers who can pull it off. Witness Oddo. Santana and Liriano were extraordinary. It's just unfortunate Santana had to be moved and Liriano was injured as there was a flash of a window that could have been outstanding. The milb system showed increased K rate in TR's final seasons, indicating change was slowly taking place. But this FO is just so much more in tune with the changes in the game that it is like B&W vs color.

Very interesting! No offense to him, but Colabello should not be a benchmark for the Twins, or anyone else. Fact is, his career was something few ever achieve, but it was limited and short lived. Plenty of other teams passed on the guy before the Twins and after the Jays. What is extremely poignant is the changes within the Twins system to date with this new FO. Frankly, I am tired of TR being vilified for being incompetant. He was a great scout of talent and did a lot of great things for the organization. There was a time and place for what the Twins did and taught. The same things and ways most teams did things. The problem was the Twins were WAY LATE to adapt to change! And we've heard that from past players. The good news, as pointed out, is the the new individual approach we've been hearing about. It's not just the universal approach to power and launch angle, but each and every player finding their comfort zone. An example is Buxton, despite his shortened 2019, going back to what felt comfortable and right and having the best season of his career. Lest we forget Sano, Kepler, Polanco, etc. It wasn't just Rocco. It was his coaches and the new philosophy from the top on down. The Twins might have been one of the last teams to adapt, but they might also be one of the most progressive organizations right now. Who would have thought that 3yrs ago?

Thanks for that. Really like getting to know the prospects other than just being that. Enjoyed his comment about impacting people around him vs just baseball. Tells me the kid has his head on straight. While I would have loved to hear his answer to the final question, even a flippant answer, I totally get it. How many of us would be able to answer that question without feeling we were leaving someone out?

Understanding the principles here, I would have come up with a different name for the belt as "bomba", to me, indicates offensive performance. I also agree the more recent seasons make it hard to quantify recent winners or projected winners. And even under this context, did Mauer really hold the belt for 6yrs when he was playing with Morneau? Probably agree with Cruz for 2019 but would have penciled in Kepler or Sano for early entry in to 2020. Did Koskie get dissed in all of this? Again, I guess it's because we are really talking best player/pitcher and not just offensive "bomba" player in that regard.

Agreed. I'm also struggling with Cleveland's results here and in the simulation Nick is running. By no means do I think they are a bad team and aren't dangerous, but I do question their early season success thus far.

Funny how Adrianza's season is mirroring last year when he played sparodically and had bad numbers and everyone wanted him replaced, despite past success and a great ST. And then he just took off. Nick, I completely appreciate the game mode and the want to add speed off the bench, but maybe I'm just too old school that I don't know that I would make a move just yet. I clicked keeping it in house if a move is made and let the younger guys like Kerrigan or Wade be the option.

Forgive me if I don't recall all the details, but years ago teams used a "draft and follow" strategy for some of their selections. In other words, they could draft a player but keep them un-signed and let them play their next college season and maintain signing rights almost up to the next draft. No way to really establish any ground rules for college players at this point until we hear from the NCAA and how they are going to handle this. But if all these seniors go back undrafted, plus you have an influx of HS talent arriving, you are going to have a roster crunch, not to mention even more 2021 draft eligible talent. College, and maybe even for HS talent, I would think some sort of draft and follow scenario should be allowed over this next year. Teams could hold rights until maybe a month or so before the 2021 draft to get numbers worked out, and decisions made, or the player re-enters the draft again.

Someone needs to have a real heart to heart with the simulator. Just don't buy the numbers from Oddo and Hill.

Nice trade! Congrats to Sano!

In full disclosure, Cruz wasn't my initial choice only because there were other good bats available who could play a position and offer even greater roster flexibility. But I was very happy we signed him and am overjoyed now with the results. But I don't knkw that I'd rush to re-sign him at this time. With this season so up in the air as to when and how long, there are just so many unanswered questions we can only guess at. I have little doubt Cruz will have a fine season, though I doubt he can match 2019, (one of his best years). And while Rooker, Kirilloff and Larnach all seem very close, they have to prove themselves. (Betting they will). I just feel we should wait and see how Cruz, feels and performs and go from there. One of these days, he will give in to age or injury. Hopefully it won't be for a couple more years. But I'd hold off for now.

This is not the Morris or Harper I remember. Is Hrbek wearing a Superman T-shirt under his uniform? Hope it goes 7 games and the Twins win.

To be honest, I had forgotten today was to be opening day. I think part of that is just being distracted by all the events surrounding us. And partly, I think I wanted to forget so I wouldn't feel this disappointment. Baseball is such a part of our world from childhood memories, to the mark of spring, to simply adding to our vernacular. This will end and baseball will begin again. On THAT opening day, I hope we can all feel a great sense of relief and embrace all the good fortune that is in our lives, including baseball.

Hrbek is having a hell of a series! Why do I suspect this will go the whole 7 games? But where were the post game comments?

Very excited from everything I've heard/read about Urbina. But even as someone who closely follows the draft and the entire milb system, it's just impossible to get excited about a bunch of 16-18yo kids until they get stateside and we see them in the system here. Hope for the best and wish them all great success, just hard to follow them and know who is who at this point. But this is a great article and really appreciated!

Two of my favorite all timers. The precursor to the modern day offensive SS and the beginning of the "soul patrol". Smalley is a definite add. By OP context, much of a fan as I am, career WAR would leave Lawton out. But underrated, yes.

Sort of feel like Tapani was Radke before Radke came along. Very consistent and a stalwart for a few years.

I would include Knoblauch and Gagne for sure. Not sure about fWAR vs WAR...these things confuse me...but both had over 20+ WAR in their careers. I think we sometimes forget about Knoblauch because of his late career finish with the Yankees, and we dismiss Gagne because his offense was only OK, but each was a stalwart for many years.

Oh this could be fun! The fWAR of 20 could be tough as it may eliminate a few good candidates and also provide homework some of us just don't want to do, LOL. I really like your initial list and would make a couple quick comments. Mack: Really glad you mentioned him. He was just so good and did so much for the Twins in his limited time with them. Boy I wish we could have him, as he was, for another season or two. Tovar: He was before my time, but I've read enough and heard enough to know who and what he is and did. He needs to be in the Twins HOF. Koskie: We still lament, years later, about the concussions to Mauer and Morneau and what might have been, even though both remained quality ballplayers for a few years after the fact. But few mention Koskie. He was a virtual shell of himself and never really did recover. And it's a terrible shame because to those who watched him, he was beyond just good offensively and defensively. Radke: I think he is simply undervalued, not forgotten by any means. He was just so consistent, and meant so much on some good and not so good teams. While he wouldn't qualify as a true ACE, he just took the ball and delivered time and again until his arm fell off. Mauer: Making this simple as we have debated him already too often. He was a victim of circumstance, despite his greatness. It was never his fault his RBI numbers weren't what some wanted. You have to have guys on base. At times, he didn't have someone hitting behind him. He probably should have hit 1-2 much more in his career. Just because he was a strapping, athletic man doesn't mean he was born to be some 30HR power hitter. But so many wanted him to be that. It was never his fault, like Koskie, like Morneau, that concussions robbed him of some of his greatness. In all my years watching baseball I've seen some truly great catchers. I've seen Bench, Boone, Fisk, Pena, Carter, Piazza, Rodriguez and others. Some were great defensively, some great offensively, some managed to be both. There was a stretch of about 7yrs where Mauer did both, and put up numbers that are actually historical in the annals of MLB before he was injured. IMHO, he should be in the HOF. He may end up being the Oliva equivalent at catcher, which would be unfortunate.

Going to further trumpet that Morneau and Mienkiewicz should have been mentioned as well. Going to agree with jkcarew was, overall, the best 1B in Twins history. Had Justin escaped the dreaded concussion curse that some Yankee loving voodoo queen placed on the Twins, it might be a different story. Still feel Herbie was robbed of an MVP, at least a couple Gold Gloves and should have been selected to additional All Star appearances. To this day, 37yrs later I am still bummed and burning he lost the ROY award to the great Cal Ripken. Ripken beat Hrbek in doubles, homers, and had 1 more RBI. But he also did so with an addition 131 AB. Hrbek had him by over 37 points in BA, 46 points in OB, 10 points in SLG, and 56 points in OPS! And Kent did this for a 60W team while Ripken played for an Orioles team that won 94G. Now, at the time, both guys were rookies. But I've always felt there was a media and east coast bias involved. And being a life long Twins fan, I think I'm allowed to have my own bias. LOL Sano may never be anything more than average defensively at 1B. But with his offensive potential, I'd take that easily. At not yet 27yo, experienced, surprisingly athletic for such a big man, I see no reason why he can't be at least better than average at 1B as long as his new work ethic stays in place along with health. He's played SS and 3B dealing with line drives and choppers since he was a teen. Given time to adjust and work on his feet at the position, why on earth can't he become a solid 1B defensively?

I was born October of that season. Hopefully I wasn't the cause/curse of the loss to the Dodgers, lol. My father, who I often mention, was an instant Twins fan when they moved to Minnesota and remembers that team, and its stars, well. I became a fan at about 5yo, taking in a double header with my dad's little league team along, and slowly learning the game from that age on from his transistor radio while he worked around the house, or listening in the car. My greatest regret as a Twins fan is that while I know some of the names, and others that followed like Hisle and Bostock, etc, those early days didn't etch themselves greater in my memory at the time. My memory is pretty darn good from about the mj d 70's on, however.

BTW, the quotes are fantastic!

Really disappointed in Bedrosian and that grounder that Gagne didn't get to. But what about Aggie getting Cruz like that? Wow! But seriously, this is very neat! The only problem is, I'm rooting for both teams!

Knoblauch sprang to my mind originally because of the word/term "hitter". Not OPS leader, power hitter, most dangerous bat, etc. But Knoblauch would be in my 2nd 5.