laloesch

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No.... i understand your post quite well and read the entirety of it. Much of what you are stating is contradictory and there are plenty of inaccuracies and generalizations backed up by nothing. First of all police do not prosecute ANYTHING. They enforce the law and make arrests based on laws broken. The judicial system prosecutes broken laws whether it's criminal or civil. Domestic violence IS a straight forward crime like DUI's, murder, etc in the eyes of the law. There are clear laws on the books AND criminal penalties for such acts. HOWEVER, in the case of domestic abuse (unless it's made in public in front of witnesses), it's up to the victim (in most cases and most states) to press forward with charges and provide timely proof of the act. Now some may see this as an unreasonable expectation, but the law is written this way to protect the innocent until proven guilty. Without it you have vengeance not justice. Remember, innocent until proven guilty. And what do you mean DV punishments aren't really a solution? Without laws enforced by punishment we have anarchy as a society. On a side note, I realllllyyyy don't understand people who object to capital punishment for serial murderers and people who commit barbaric heinous crimes. You are enabling their behavior because the penalties are not stiff enough. Jail time plus court ordered counseling is very common for such cases that are prosecuted. You obviously haven't been to a court room recently. Counseling is a legitimate treatment method, but obviously not everyone can be cured in every situation and it's not enough in many scenarios. It's also an impossible expectation for the state to cure all of these cases. If there are better solutions by all means state them here. #1 Don't act like the player's union has no blame here. For years if the league even hinted at toughening up on them regarding drug testing or labor conditions Ken Moffett and Donald Fehr had those guys threatening to strike. They are just as to blame as the owners themselves. But that's irrelevant. The league has to choose like any employer what is except able conduct on and off the diamond. If they are stupid like the NFL was with Ray Rice (what he did was absolutely appalling and disgusting), then they will suffer the consequences at the box office. My opinion, he should have been suspended without pay for at least a year as a minimum. In fact given the presence of such damning video evidence i would given him a multi year ban. #2 Actually a "heartless victimize" who violates a restraining order will be found in contempt of court and thrown in jail immediately for such acts. And when a judge issues a restraining ordering is also respects the victims children too. Not sure of your logic here. #3 Look harder. DV is the #1 police dispatch call. #4 What stats say 8 out of 10 never result in charges being filed? Please provide sources saying so. I think you meant to say 8 out of 10 charges filed were not prosecuted because the victim either failed to press charges or the perpetrator made a plea bargain in court with the prosecution. Who ever said that verbal and physical violence are not two different things? Now you are really getting lost in the weeds on this one. I don't think ANYONE here is arguing that "slamming someone's head off the wall" is justified because she was screaming at her significant other.

I don't agree with this post on many levels. Employers punish or terminate employees all the time for such crimes and it's not just because of PR pressure. However, MLB does appear to be the exception though and that is likely due to their obstinate Player's Union. Similar to the long time resistance to drug testing, etc. They are slow to deal with such issues because they feel they don't have to. "We have a logical set of punishments for DUIs but don't for domestic abuse because it's not as black-and-white of a crime. If we send abusers to jail, their families often suffer right alongside them. Mom might have to enter a workforce she is not trained for and children suffer without a parent around. And even if Dad gets out of jail a changed man (doubtful since prison is about punishment, not rehabilitation), he's going to have a hard time finding a job with a blemish on his record. That's a big reason why charges are so rarely pursued - everyone involved has an incentive to keep the abuser out of jail because jail solves nothing and can often create larger or different problems. The system society has set up actively promotes women to stay with abusers because they can't afford not to." I disagree with so many parts of this post. Not only is this a miscaricaturization it's simply not true much of the time. Domestic abuse is a crime clear as night and day. There are plenty of laws on the books including assault charges of various degrees, domestic abuse charges,etc. You can get a restraining order from ANY judge in Minnesota at the drop of a dime if you claim domestic abuse (especially if the perpetrator is male and the victim female). The #1 call that police dispatchers receive is domestic abuse calls. Some of the most commonly hear cases in court is typically domestic abuse or child abuse cases. Unfortunately, shows such as Law & Order romanticize such crimes and create the impression that KNOW ONE presses charges because the abuser is the "bread winner," and that the victim feels they will be left helpless if they pursue. This simply is not true much of the time. Most honest physiologists will also tell you that the relationship of abuser and victim is not always as simple as "black and white" or "right and wrong" as you put it. Often times police receive dozens and dozens of repeat calls from the same address and sometimes repeatedly arrest the perpetrator only to have the victim not press charges. The explanation is often times not a simple one like the "bread winner argument". More often then you think it's two people choosing to CONTINUE to engage / enable a tit for tat abusive relationship. Keep in mind that this is no justification for abusive behavior but it is a common scenario that takes place.

Why bump this thread?

Yeah..... but usually if your that good at one position you pick one or the other not both. I played sports in high school and college and that was very rare, at least the schools i went too. I mean if the team was a stinker it was much more common and it also depended on the sport too.

The other thing too is the lack of specialization here. He's a pitcher but also a potential shortstop or vice versa? This to me is red warning flags. I mean what is he? A pitcher or an infielder and why the dual tract? Has he not decided which direction he wishes to go? Just smells fishy to me. People are always wooooed and wowweeed by the the headline "elite prospect throws upper 90's!!! Potential 95-120 mph fastball", in flashing neon lights. To me this is hook line and sinker and really a sign that the prospect is a make work project that needs tons of time in the minors developing due to lack of control. The Twins have a very poor record of developing guys like this (Alex Meyer comes to mind).

I'm weary of another high school pitcher. Unless he absolutely knocks your socks off and you REALLY think he's the one, I would shy away from using the #1 pick on him. I'd be looking at the best college pitcher available . If the idea is to try and get better pitchers up here soon and complement the young core before they get to far along (Sano, Buxton, Polanco, Kepler, etc.) we need to draft college level starters that are more refined and could make it in the next two seasons. A high school pitcher (unless he's an enigma) is going to toil away in the minors for 4 or 5 years at least (realistically) due to age and maturity differences. That means your #1 draft pick high school starter will like not reach the bigs until 2020 at the earliest. Too long IMO. Go with either the best position player available or best college starter available.

"Derek Falvey will face as GM" Wait i'm confused. Is Derek Falvey also GM in addition to executive vice president and chief baseball officer?

I think it would be foolish to discard Vargas right now. He is one of the few youngsters who is showing more displine at the plate after going through the growing pains of a sophomore slump. I'd like to see what he could do with another full season under his belt in the role of DH/1B. If he could play almost everyday it would cue us into what our future needs might be.

Yep. Terry Ryan was a big big dumpster diver. Tire of it.

Yes! And this has always been a pet peeve of mine with the Twins. They almost ALWAYS wait too long to get guys up here even if they struggle at first. For years they have been like this. Pitchers shouldn't be getting their first taste of the major leagues at 26/27. That's too late imo.

Meh maybe. Garver has only played 22 games at AAA. Gonsalves 0 games played at AAA. Gonsalves would probably be a late season callup IMO.

And we are going to waste the first pick in the 2017 draft on a guy who would be used as utility reliever and infielder? NO FREAKING WAY! That kind of thinking is how a team ends up last place for a whole decade.

As much as I liked Kepler's hot streak he did cool off considerably after opposing pitchers figured him out. Polanco would have been my vote.

Agreed. Next June's #1 pick is the most important for this team in over a decade. Has to be the best starting pitcher available HAS TO BE!

I guess my thoughts are timing. This team's offensive core is young, like mid 20's. How does it make sense to hang onto players that are 5-10 years older (Santana) when the team is nowhere close to competing?

Agreed. I am getting tired of the "TYPICAL" Gibson routine which appears to be slow starter in April and May season after season. In 2016 he never got going at all. We've seen 3 full seasons from Kyle Gibson and this is by far his worst campaign ever. If he and Duffey had pitched half way decent this year, this team goes from 100 loses to close to .500 ball. I am not ready to cut Kyle loose yet, but if he pitches next season like this he's toast in my book. Same goes for Santiago. As others have said earlier, Duffey is a two pitch reliever and the sooner the Twins realize that and send him down to AAA to develop a third pitch or back to the bullpen the better. Besides Trevor May i think the next best option is Adalberto Mejia.

Meh....ivy leagues schools are packed full of snotty, ego maniacs who think their blank don't stink because they went to an ivy league school. I prefer actual knowledge and experience gained on the job. By the time someone reaches the level of being considered for GM their degree is pretty much meaningless.

I don't know what to think of Stewart or Gonsalves yet other than Stewart's low strikeout rate. The Jay conversion is still ongoing. I do foresee a May Duffey in the very near future (starting in 2017), unless Duffey dramatically increases his usage of the change-up and turns things around. The organization could also choose to move on from Santiago and Gibson but given the lack of depth right now that seems unlikely for both.

I don't buy it. A guy dominates the minor leagues top to bottom and suddenly upon reaching the majors can't pitch anymore. Smoke and mirrors if you ask me. Sure the sample size is still small and he needs to adjust to being a major league level pitcher, but IMO I see more of a similarity between Duffey and Berrios. Both have a great "out pitch", changeup for Berrios and curveball for Duffey. Problem is neither one can control that pitch enough to keep it in the strike zone on occasion and keep hitters honest. From the hitters perspective If its a fastball hack away, if you think it's a breaking ball don't even swing because it won't be close to the strike zone anyways.

I would reiterate what you said about Gibson. Bleh. Sure 2015 was a good year for him, but unlike last year's slow start he never got out of this funk. He's doesn't have impressive stuff, decision making or killer instinct. I wouldn't be in a hurry to get rid of him due to lack of talent on the current staff, but if someone offered the right chips for him in a trade deal I'd listen.

Amen to this post. Especially the last paragraph.

I agree if Dozier (who is near maximum value and replaceable, see Polanco) is the primary piece in a trade for a quality starter(s) by all means go right ahead. I'd applaud the move. I disagree though that Santana has no value due to his age and contract. He's really not that expensive given in comparison to starters of similar talent around the league and he's pitched exceptionally well the last year or so with a solid track record of history. Sure he's 34 in December, but he's still very useful to a competing team looking for a quality rotation starter for the next two seasons. Deal him. On the second part of your post. What do you mean blow up the pitching staff? Getting rid of mediocre underperformers (Milone, Nolasco, Santiago) and chronic slow starters (Gibson) is hardly "giving up" on a missed opportunity in my humble opinion. The process has already begun. It's because they FINALLY chose to get rid of Milone, Nolasco that there is an opening for Berrios.

What's the point of keeping him around to mentor young guys when we have no quality major league prospects to start with? Pointless. Plus he's 34 in December. He is quickly approaching mid 30's and the latter stages of a typical career. Trade him now at maximum value for a young starter or two. Bottom line the Twins DESPERATELY NEED major league ready quality starting pitching prospects and this should be a no-brainer decision in my opinion. This team is so bad and so devoid of pitching talent it isn't contending in 2017 or likely 2018. Aside from Mejia, Berrios and May (yes that irks the May opponents) what else is there to be optimistic for in the near term? Jay or Gonsalves? Stewart is probably at least two years away. What else is there?

Gibson is Scott Baker light. I've seen enough but are not in a hurry to get rid of him until other talent is in place.