ShouldaCouldaWoulda

You're right about looking at the K% and BB% yes, but care a little less about GB% personally. It is nice to have a high GB%, but I really only see it as great when the guy also has a good K% otherwise you are just going to rely on good luck and bad luck days where everything is hit at someone, or just sneaks through or over someones head (Gibson and other non-strikeout gb pitchers.) I DO think that the FSL staff is doing well, but am just personally afraid to see what happens to them once they get brought up. It jus feels nice to look at their numbers right now and have some hope and I just don't want that to fade after their call-ups. Stewarts last four starts or so seem more of the FSL environment, than his early season high K% process. Seems to have fallen back a bit lately in the dominant ways and more relying on pitch to contact success.

I don't really want them to promote these guys up to AA until after the break. I don't believe in the FSL numbers at all, but at least they are building confidence for the time they are there.

Few weeks?

Can't call him that, as he actually has a teammate with that as his first name;)

It is a tough position for the Twins. If they bring him back to early it might just be a half-butted commitment to letting him develop his approach and contact ability. But, the longer they wait the closer they get to the date of gaining another year of S2 control. Would be foolish to bring him up within in weeks of gaining another year. Tough situation.

I wonder if might not be something to consider into hiring a minority manager, either Latino or African American. I say this for a handful of reasons. One, there really is not much diversity in our FO or coaching staff, but more importantly to mirror the composition of our core young players. We have 3 caucasian Americans in our starting lineup, and all are 29+ and have been often discussed in being traded or not part of our future (Mauer, Dozier, and Plouffe.) A caucasian American might not be the best choice for relating to this upcoming group possibly. On the other hand our pitching staff is mostly American, and our bullpen is almost ALL American, yet...that is our one Latino coach? Non-white or non-American Young position players that are considered part of our possible core: Sano, Buxton, Polanco, Rosario, Arcia, Kepler, Santana, Escobar, Park, Walker, Gordon, Wade, Javier, Veilma, Walker... Again, the pitching prospects are similar to our MLB pitching roster, in that they are almost all American born and white. Yet, just like our MLB position player roster, almost our our best hitting prospects are non-white or non American born. I think it would be wise to consider this when picking our next manager and hitting coach, as they deal more the with batters, and not as much with the pitchers. It would be a good thing for our organization to have more diversity and could possibly help our position players fell more connected and comfortable (it won't guarantee it, but might help.) This is going to reflect or position player roster for quite a while, so might as well try and make a hire that gives them the best opportunity to communicate and feel comfortable with their manager. Again, this is just something that I personally feel MIGHT help, so don't jump on me here please. I am just a small town white guy myself, but I think this might helpful if and when we look for a new manager. Go ahead and look at our MLB and prospect demographics both for hitter and batters and see if you think this might be a good idea to consider. *I do find it funny that the one Latino coach works with almost all caucasian Americans in the BP and almost all the BP prospects match that demographic too.

Is that not possibly what IS best for his development, and the Twins future? 2+ more months to focus on just hitting and approach, without having to worry about the pressure of the bigs? He'd also still get 2 months of MLB leading off to end the season (if you trusted Molly to bat him there for development.)

I was curious about Buxton's service time, so I did some searching. The first article I found that had the info was here http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/byron-buxton after his demotion. It said that he has 59 more days of MLB rostering and the Twins would lose another season, if I read right? So, would that mean if we kept him down until August, we'd gain another year? If so, I think this would be wise of them, even if he mashes down at AAA. The Twins are in no way going anywhere this year, so I don't think letting him get past those 59 days would be wise no matter the case. Make him work on his plate discipline and stealing down at AAA, which is a legitimate excuse, until August and then bring him up to bat leadoff...so he gets more at bats and chances to get his timing down.

I thought the slider was supposed to be his dominant pitch that was raved about before the draft and early on? Did the Twins screw him up somehow?

I have read criticism and questioning at both Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus of the Twins lack of ability to properly have their "toolsy" prospects reach their potential. It was brought several times as a concern for Buxton panning out at the plate. So, it is something that people outside of MN are noticing and that we might have to be concerned about. My biggest concern with their prospects has been with the way it seem that they do not seem to develop any plate discipline with their best prospects. Some have good approach, but it is also something that a hitter can develop on his own too.

I heard that Mauer was batting 1st while I was driving and I got a little exited that the team was going to start making smarter decisions, and then I looked at the overall lineup and scratched my head. So, they finally moved Mauer to #1, but have Dozie and Plouffe batting in front of Sano, Park, and Arcia- WTF?! I am okay with Dozier being in front of those 3 I guess, but probably at the #2 hitter I would think. With this particular 9 guys and Mauer batting #1 I think something like this would seem much more logical at the moment. 1. Mauer (L) 2. Sano ® 3. Arcia (L) 4. Park ® 5. Plouffe ® 6. Dozier ® 7. Nunez ® 8. Suzuki ® 9. Sanatana (S) ..But, think it would be better to get both or either Polanco and Rosario in there too. That is a lot of right-handed bats.

Meyer pitched better than just about every starter since his start, and better than most of the relievers since. That is not saying much, but if all are floundering on a bad team you have to keep trying to give the upside the chance...and NOT hoping that others can somehow regain what they no longer are, or only were for brief periods.

Doubling down on this call, even with more runs on the board for dirty sox.

Calling it now though...Twins win this game. Just feel it in my bones. Could be Zika though...it was near 90 today.

Well, I hope that Molly has a fitbit or iWatch to track his steps...he is getting some good walking in lately.

Yes, the Santana was mostly luck was shouted out by many in here during that season and after...and we were right. Then, this past year many of shouted the same thing about Rosario, and many homers got mad at that...but again, we were right. You can't succeed by swinging at everything! The only guys that can have much value doing that have to have 65-80 grade power, which Santana, Rosario, nor Buxton have. You need to be able to make contact and take some walks. All 3 of Buxton, Rosario, and Santana are guys that CAN have stretches of awesome results through bad process, but overtime...bad process is going to lead to bad results more often than not. Santana getting hot, but not taking any walks will ultimately lead to the lucky landings stop and back to low avg/obp, just like before and Rosario now. I am very disappointed in the Twins overall ability to develop better plate discipline with their prospects. I get that some guys are just going to be free swingers no matter what, but some guys with discipline are also doing that all on their own and without being coached it as well. Seems like almost ALL of our "TOOLSY" prospects have terrible plate discipline, as if they are simply allowing them to succeed off of their athleticism in the minors, but that doesn't work in the MLB and then its too engrained in them. I have actually heard that said about the Twins and Buxton last year at either Baseball Prospectus or Fangraphs and it echoed my opinion.

Even more nuts is the way he has treated D. Santana, Rosario, and Dozier. They get treated way better than they should from him. He seems to like the scrappy athlete type, and will give them every chance in the world and put them in the best of situations for success, though unwanted.

I can't imagine that Meyer pithes all that well tonight due to him pitching 1 inning in the last 2 weeks. If he does, that would be awesome, but assuming he doesn't...do they send him back down to get him back to starting or just keep him up and relegate him to the bullpen?

Thought he looked good, and even better as the game went along. Both HR's were decent pitches and just in a HR park, but were only solo shots, so who cares. He can strike people out! Wow, so weird seeing this from a starter. Honestly, I would have rather have a starter only give up 1-2 runs in 5 innings by striking guys out, than have a guy who can go 6 while giving up 3-5 runs by pitching to contact. He seemed less 'twitchy' as the game went on, but noticed from videos that he is always a Joe Nathon-esque in that sense, with the constant shoulder shrugging and jersey adjusting. Seems to have trouble with flying open and then the ball tails too far off the right- happened a lot early on and last start.

I think that most people on here were frustrated at how Meyer was left to rust. I also remember several others on here, including myself predicting him to pitch poorly when finally given the chance pitch after such a long mini-DL stint. It seemed so obviously poorly death with, and probably hurt other bullpen pitchers who could have used some rest as well. But, at least he is now getting a chance, albeit without being in stride. My question is, was there any word of how he was successful in his first 2 starts in AAA? What pitches were working or was he getting his K's with. Where was his velocity sitting? Curious as to "how" he was getting it done there.

Maybe, but my biggest worry is that IF he does get the start that it will be his last/only chance to prove himself. I fear that if he starts and falters that they will just automatically come to the decision he belongs in the pen (and maybe he does.) If he is only going to get one shot, I think he deserves it under better circumstances and opportunity to succeed. This does not seem like they are doing him any favors. Again, maybe none of this matters and he succeeds in any role they put him all year, and maybe the pen is the best spot for him. But, if they are really legitimately considering him as a starter...than they have an obligation to him and the team to develop him in the best way possible, which does not seem to be the case at hand here.

Sure, but pretty dang odd all things considered, there not being any hint of what their plan is, recent use of other brought up prospects, him being tall and having repeatability issues, confidence issues, the reason he was brought up was depleted pen but was not used over other guys who had just pitched, and so on. Oh, and we have a bad record already, so what is the caution of the unknown all about? I think the transparency on this issue and overall disappointment with FO and Molitor with roster decisions this year are factored into this frustration. It isn't just this isolated handling of guys.

I almost DON'T WANT him to start Sunday because I am worried he'll be too rusty, will struggle, and then they will just have the excuse of "that is why they didn't use him in the first place."

Seriously, are they going to give us something on what they heck they are doing with Meyer? Is he on the DL....might as well be.

4.1 innings, 10 hits, and ZERO K's?! Please tell me he was out on a bender last night or that they made him throw 100% changeups! Please, let there be some type of excuse for a disastrous start like that. Hey, no walks though;)