IndianaTwin

Harry Carey would have called him something like Merle Zelaznog.

“...Andrew Vasquez is also here to serve up sliders at a rate that would make White Castle jealous...” I suggested elsewhere that 2/36 with a mutual option for an additional 2/28 has a potential for 4/64 with an opportunity for either side to opt out. But aside from making that suggestion, my primary purpose in commenting is to say that amidst a bunch of good lines, your one on Vasquez is an early candidate for Post of the Year.

Out of curiousity, what was Oakland's projection a year ago? After winning 75 in 2017, their roster looks like the type that would have entered last season with "average" written all over it and they won 97.

Steve Rushin once wrote it as: Yu-ni-es-ki Bet-en-court, Luc-as Du-da.

And if it's not a sore spot for people, I'd even let him bat leadoff and play 2B if he so desires and if he puts up Yount-like numbers.

He can play wherever he wants if he ends up with 77.3 career WAR as a one-franchise (ours) player.

Yes -- 18.

Half a career at short. Half a career in center. If he wants to turn into Robin Yount, I'd be okay with that.

Interesting in that four of the six Twins “legends” (in my book) spent significant time at 1B. (I’m considering Killebrew, Carew, Hrbek, Mauer, Oliva, and Puckett as the legends, though if you want to count Blyleven and make me qualify it as “position player legends,” I’m okay with that.)

Good stuff here. Another advantage the Twins actually have is that they have a better minor league system to use to for mid-season improvements, either from potential call ups or from using them for a mid season trade for MadBum or whoever.

Agreed that it doesn't have to be either/or. I get that people think of going from 146 to 165-170 this year, but let's not forget that 146 comes on the heels of 125, 90, 0, and 12. I'd also be into a plan that target last year's inning total. Another side benefit is that he'd get the year with the major league pitching coach that hopefully is going to be his buddy for the next 10 or so years.

Exactly -- that's why I'd like to hold him out for the first several weeks. In theory, that could give him up to 30 starts in a five-man rotation the rest of the way, but I'd also look to sneak in a strategic rest or two along the way, either by skipping him or perhaps using him as the opener a couple times. Averaging five innings over 30 starts or six over 25, either way he gets to about 150 innings, which I think would be a great season.

And as I've noted in a couple of other places, with five off days in the first 15 days, a fifth starter is not needed until April 14. Given that it will tough (I think) for Pineda to stay healthy for 32+ starts, I'd welcome finding a way for him to start on the DL and keep another position player for at least that long. With that many days off, they actually ought to be able to get by with a seven-man bullpen as well and have 14 hitters available.

Sending Diamondbacks Daily into a tizzy.

Could you start a "Reddit for Dummies" stream?

DH: It seems weird to have two different rules, but there's something unique (and quirky, in a good sense) about having to manage and play in different styles. If they maintain the current difference, I do wish they would flip-flop the pattern, however. Use AL rules in the NL park and vice versa. That would give NL fans the chance to see the Edgar Martinezes and Nelson Cruzes of the world and give AL fans the chance to see the supposed intricacies of the NL game. Pitch clock: From what I've heard at the minor league level, this seems to have worked with comparably little effort. It would be interesting to see the breakdowns of guys who have pitched in the minors since that rule started. Have they continued to pitch more quickly when they get to the majors, or do they revert to prior patterns? But I'm for this rule change. Mound visits: Having six didn't seem to mess with the game much. If the desire was to shorten things, the next logical step is to try five, it seems. Roster size: Currently, it seems like the dilemma in roster construction, at least for AL teams, is whether to go with 12 or 13 pitchers. With a change, my hunch is that in the short term, most teams would settle on a 13/13 balance. Who knows how the game will change over time, however. For September, I get the arguments. It's nice to give guys opportunity for September callups, but making big changes to the roster during the pennant race doesn't seem right, either. I have a friend who's a AAAA player, and it's clearly been a reward for him to get a couple September call-ups based on a job well done. Anti-tanking: Uh, there's always going to be a way to try beating the system, and I'm not sure what they can do. Three-batter minimum: One of the things I worry about with significant changes are the unintended consequences. The 10-day DL, for example, was designed to let teams put guys on the DL a little more easily with minor injuries, but it's turned into a tool for roster manipulation. On the surface, a three-batter minimum might make some sense, but who knows how it would play out in actuality. And unfortunately, there's not a good way to test it, since the minor leagues seem to rarely do one-batter outings.

Not sure I agree on your third paragraph, re: Kepler vs. Cave, but I think your first two paragraphs nail things precisely, particularly the sentence I bolded above. We all know that injuries are going to force adjustments to the plan somewhere, but taking advantage of the schedule seems like such an obvious way to buy time on Austin.

On Kimbrel, how about 2/36 with a mutual option for 2/30. Pitches great for two years, he opts out and we're not on the hook. Pitches poorly for two years (or in the second year) and we opt out.Somewhere in between and it turns into 4/66, not too far from what he's asking now.

Yes -- I managed to start collecting in earnest with the 1975 cards, so those two-color frame outlines were a favorite of mine as well. I also liked the 1976 set with the little figure for each position down in the lower left.

No, no, no, the other part. Reading TwinsDaily is part of the BEST things in American Life — so much so, in fact, that I was doing that instead of watching the Super Bowl.

With five days off in the first 15 days, I don't think Gonsalves makes the opening day roster unless at least two starters are on the DL. If all are healthy, it will be Berrios, Gibson, Odo, Pineda, Perez. If one is hurt, they should just go with four for the first two weeks. Frankly, even if all are healthy, I wouldn't mind finding a way to hold off Pineda's return a couple weeks. I think it will difficult for him to last the whole year, so a later start could be helpful. And if two are hurt, I actually think Mejia gets a shot as a starter before Gonsalves.

Looking down through them, I have to say that they have been consistently sharp. The only feature that I haven't really cared for is that trim that goes around the neck and down the front in Nos. 12-14. But like you're a sucker for pinstripes, I'm big into the powder blues. (And that goes for a whole lotta teams, actually -- perhaps especially the Cardinals.)

Oh, and reading TwinsDaily, of course.

I predict that I will spend the evening watching the MLB Network. As George Will said, "Football combines two of the worst things in American life. It is violence punctuated by committee meetings."

Nice. I’m guessing a lot of remember our first “significant” card. It was a 1974 Rod Carew for me.