tarheeltwinsfan

The Twins need one of the consensus top three. Anyone else will be a mistake at the #3 pick.

Do you mean AAA?

This was the worst inning I have ever seen Joe Ryan pitch. UGLY.

La Tortuga?

I really like these articles, Cody. Thanks.

The Joe Ryan Experience in today's game will be a treat for us Twins fans. I really enjoy watching Ryan pitch. I hope he stays a Twin for a long time. My favorite game would be a Joe Ryan complete game shut out with Byron Buxton hitting an inside the park HR to win 1 to 0.

Not such a tough call. Trade Jeffers for as much as the Twins can get. He will be a free agent at the end of this season anyway.

Amen.

Where is La Tortuga playing now?

Peter your optimism is infectious. Thank you.

Kreidler has said this is his first fully healthy season in 3 years. Hmmm.

OK I agree OF may be a better position for Keaschall than 2B. But why not left field, where arm strength is not as important as right field? Oh yea, I forgot...Larnach. Larnach should bring a decent package in a trade at the deadline or in the off season, since he is having his best year at the plate this year.

To admit one was wrong is merely saying that one is wiser today. Congratulations Dman.

Chief, I don't understand. I like Miller Lite.

Keaschall has played a decent right field. I haven't seen him have to make any important long throws yet. Can you foresee an OF of Buck, Jenkins and Keaschall? Might be pretty good defensively.

Agree 100%

North Carolina is calling.

I think there is more to this story of low attendance, which TD writers and posters ignore. I don't think Minnesota and the surrounding areas are capable of successfully supporting a major league baseball team as well as other, warmer areas of the USA or other areas with a more concentrated population. 1) Minnesota weather is extremely nice in the summer. Open air baseball parks are very nice in the summer in Minnesota, but these parks often are uncomfortable, and sometimes brutal, many days and nights in April, early May, September and October. 2) The fan base is drawn from many areas which are located long distances to travel for baseball games in Minneapolis. People are reluctant to make hotel reservations and travel long distances to see baseball games, which may be postponed due to the weather or which are so cold at night that they are uncomfortable for the fans. A domed stadium would have solved some of these problems. But the owners, the city, county and state governments, and ultimately the fans, did not want to spend the money for a domed stadium. Instead they settled for short sighted mediocrity with a beautiful open air stadium. They said: "Baseball was meant to be played in the open air. They said, "Minnesotans are a hardy bunch and used to cold, damp weather". OK I get it. However hockey is played indoors and football does not require stadiums to be filled 81 games a season, mostly at night. Face it, players don't like to play in wet, cold weather. Especially players from warm weather areas like Latin America, California and Florida. It is dangerous to accurately throw a wet baseball 95 mph with cold numb fingers, especially in a drizzle. Wet grass can cause unnecessary falls, embarrassed players and injuries. Most fans don't enjoy sitting in the cold weather to watch baseball. That is why the game is played most places in the US only in the warm weather months, and played year round only in warm weather climates. Paraphrasing Apollo 13 Commander James Lovell, "Ah, Minneapolis, we've had a problem".

I told you so. Marek Houston is hitting .294 and has stolen 2 bases since being promoted to AA. I told you so. Hendry Mendez continues to do what he has done at every level of his professional career...HIT for a high average. He is hitting .339 at AAA. I told you so.

I'm pulling for Ricky Castro to get a look in the majors this year. He has moved up steadily by striking out more than 1 per inning consistently. He has struck out 30 in 20 innings so far this year at AAA after being promoted from AA. this year. His ERA is high and he walks too many, but he is a bulldog.

I think Joe Ryan has trouble with the unexpected.

Kreidler is not the only option. There are Culpepper and Houston.

I hope Rickey Castro gets a shot with the Twins this year. He's one of my favorites.

Jamie, Your articles are informative and very detailed. While it is difficult to predict the future, that is the task which the MLB draft requires. It is true that history does repeat itself. Some of the variables which exist in deciding which player to select are predictable and some are just plain luck (injuries, illnesses, girlfriends, life challenges outside of baseball). It's almost like being in combat. Sometimes the best soldiers do not survive due to no fault of their own.

Great posts and great discussions of the options here. Thanks to everyone who posted.