GoGonzoJournal

I am not aware but would like to know more.

Well I'd like to get a 4-channel field mixer with USB output. Have a Behringer Xenyx saved to my cart, but then I'd want a couple wireless lavaliere mics so the show's more portable. The mixer would make it easy to take calls. About $100 investment, but I'm making it a point to bootstrap it. I'll pick up what I think I need for calls tomorrow so I can test it before Thursday. If it works, I'll let you know so you can call in. I can always return it if it doesn't work. Chromebooks are a little difficult when it comes to recognizing hardware.

Well ask them if they'd be interested in calling games and putting together a show that helps and entertains. Otherwise, stay in touch and we'll find a way to get you on.

Eventually. Just waiting on some new tech. Get in touch when you're in town next and we'll get together for a show. Email fdickandbert@foulplaybyplay,com or DM @FoulPlaybyPlay on Twitter. Are the Twins your team or do you follow the Yankees too?

Cool. That would be perfect. Love your HIcks/Murphy updates, too. I take it you're not in Minneapolis, though.

Trying to do as many as possible, but my voice has been lost to a sore throat, so today's planned broadcast is cancelled. I'll be at the game tomorrow and how I feel will determine whether I do a broadcast. For away games, I like to go to a place where Twins fans congregate to watch the game. Plus it gives the place some exposure, and we get good ambient sound if there's actually people watching the game and reacting. Eventually, I'd like to turn my apartment into a studio for broadcasts, but that won't be until July at the earliest. I'm trying not to buy any new tech until I lock up my first sponsor.

You can listen to past broadcasts at the Awdio channel: https://www.awdio.com/fdickandbert

It's **** Dick and Bert, but I get from where you're coming. I've pondered a name change for marketability purposes. Puck Dick and Bert has been a consideration because I'd like to talk hockey during the broadcasts as well, given the love our listeners have of hockey.

It will likely be Thursday. I'll post it in here and also as a new forum topic, unless you think Twins Daily would consider that spammy. You can join the FoulPlaybyPlay.com community by following the link. Then you can join our **** Dick and Bert group, and we can chat candidly about the Twins. There are no filters on the site.

Hey there Twins fans. I'm looking for guest hosts to appear on a live, uncensored broadcast during select Minnesota Twins games. The name of the show is **** Dick and Bert, as it's meant to be a fun, helpful alternative to the Fox Sports North audio broadcast. I broadcast the show using Awdio, and it's available at FoulPlaybyPlay.com. Here's the channel: https://www.awdio.com/fdickandbert I think the last game I did, a 1-0 win over Cleveland, was the best so far when it comes to play-by-play and the best so far regarding listeners, but having another voice for even a few segments would be helpful, as I'm currently the producer and host of the show. The idea behind this project is to never go to commercial. We advertise products and services that are hopefully helpful to our audience throughout the broadcast, and do so using personal, humorous stories to which people can relate. Some examples of segments include the Second Inning Chef (share a game day recipe), Plead the Fifth Inning (free legal advice from my attorney once we get live phone calls hooked up), the Sexy Sixth Inning (we talk about sex and sex toys), and the Seventh Inning Stretch (we share a yoga routine that alleviates pain or improves overall health). If you have an interest in doing commentary during Twins games or want to give sports broadcasting a try, just reply here and we can discuss. Thanks, and go Twins!

I think this team could stay in the race up until the Trade Deadline. Only moves I expect would be for pitching, though.

After seeing the Minnesota Twins hold off USA Baseball 3-2 on Wednesday, a dangerous thought for any Minnesota sports fan crept into my head: these guys might not suck. The Twins are projected to improve more than any other team, but given last season, that’s not saying much. Many of the 14 more games the Twins are expected to win are due to an expected improvement in defensive runs saved. The addition of Jason Castro has a lot to do with it. He came through in an RBI situation in the second inning and coaxed two scoreless innings out of Trevor May after he surrendered three consecutive hits and two runs to open the game. May, nor any Twins pitcher, saw a Spring Training lineup, either. Craig Breslow managed to strand the tying and go-ahead runs at second and third in the ninth by striking out Christian Yelich, and getting Daniel Murphy and Alex Bregman to groundout. Those are no slouches. Byron Buxton made another run-saving catch, Max Kepler roped another double, and it was off Andrew Miller! The Twins’ biggest offseason addition had the game’s biggest hit. Granted, it came off Twins pitcher Drew Rucinski, who was one of many players on loan to USA Baseball prior to the World Baseball Classic. In fact, the only Twin who looked out of place was Danny Santana, who had a throwing error at shortstop (while Nick Gordon played second base?), and misplayed a foul popup that he really should have yielded to the left fielder. He also struck out in his only at-bat, but he is dealing with the death of his mother. Twins relievers were perfect. Matt Belisle got Jonathan Lucroy to ground into a big double play in the sixth. He then snuck some heat by Giancarlo Stanton of all people. Ryan Pressly struck out Daniel Murphy! I know what you’re thinking: it’s Spring Training. These hitters don’t have their timing. But there was a moment I felt a joy that most fans would find depressing. The moment I felt these guys might not suck was when Nick Gordon doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, and the Twins didn’t strand him. I know that’s a low bar, but Twins fans have low bars. Brian Dozier provided great commentary on the situation, praising Miguel Sano’s productive at-bat, moving Gordon to third on a long, fly ball to right. J. B. Shuck walked to continue the productive at-bats, and then ByungHo Park wasted no time scoring Gordon from third, lifting the first pitch he saw (a ball up in the zone) to right field for a sacrifice fly and game-winning RBI. “Good teams find a way to manufacture runs in those situations,” Dozier said. While I’m not ready to call this team good, I’m confident they’ll be competitive and could even be buyers at the trade deadline. Sano, Buxton, Kepler, and Park are all going to be better this season. The starting rotation will be better, albeit still probably one of the worst in the league, and the bullpen is going to be better than it lets on. Having Brandon Kintzler and Glen Perkins at the back end of your bullpen isn’t terrible, and Breslow and Belisle impressed on Wednesday. So instead of shopping Dozier at the deadline, the Twins could be in a position to add a pitcher…or maybe they’ll do both.

It would take a hell of a return for me to move Kepler. I'm talking a sure-fire ace. For Rosario, I'd take someone like Austin Hedges, a near-MLB-ready catcher, or a left-handed bullpen arm and a prospect.

What do you think? I honestly think a team anchored by Berrios, Santana, and Shields could win a World Series if Terry Ryan doesn't attempt to play Sano in RF and break up our go-get-it outfield. The potential addition of Park makes things very interesting.

Thanks for the heads up on the typo. I think you may be underestimating Terry Ryan, as you should, but there's more than a 5 percent chance Plouffe gets moved, and it'll be for an arm. The Nolasco, Hughes, Polanco trade is a long shot. AJ I'd say is a 90 percent chance, and Justin I'd rate at 25 percent, only because of Plouffe's presence on the roster.

The Minnesota Twins can win the World Series next year. They have the lineup, mostly. They just need a bat and more production from the catcher position. The pitching is on the way in the form of Jose Berrios, Tyler Duffey, and Trevor May, and they have the defense. They need a left-handed reliever, a bat, and more production from the catcher position, and hope that Byron Buxton becomes the player we all expect him to be. This blog was originally published at Go Gonzo Journal. Offseason Moves Trade Trevor Plouffe to the Angels for José Alvarez and a player to be named The Twins must make room for Miguel Sano, and the Angels did not extend a qualifying offer to David Freese because they are looking to avoid the luxury tax, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register noted. Freese will likely demand a multi-year deal at a higher rate than Plouffe’s arbitration figures for the next three years. They are both worth about 2-2.5 wins above replacement. The Twins should oblige the Angels and get their much-needed left-handed reliever. Alvarez pitched 67 innings last year, struck out 59 and walked 23 for an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 1.209. Lefties hit just .219 off him last year. Trade Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes, Jorge Polanco and a player to be named to the Padres for James Shields, Joaquin Benoit, and Austin Hedges The Padres need a shortstop of the future, and although a move to second base is predicted for Polanco, he’s already better than the entire Padres’ depth chart at shortstop. Clint Barmes will be 37 next year, and his option has been declined, but Alexi Amarista is not the answer either. The Padres will also have plenty of openings in the starting rotation, with Cory Luebke’s option being declined, and Ian Kennedy and Brandon Morrow becoming free agents. Petco Park is a pitcher’s dream, although the Padres don’t exactly have outfielders who can go get it. The money is nearly even between the two teams in this deal, so it should work from that respect. San Diego doesn’t need Hedges with Derek Norris in his first year of arbitration eligibility and just a year removed from an All-Star Game appearance. So the Padres end up with an MLB-ready shortstop under team control until 2018 and a couple of starting pitchers who can take advantage of the abyss that is Petco Park, and the Twins get a big arm out of the bullpen, a starter to take advantage of the Twins’ “go get it” outfield, and their catcher of the future to stash at Rochester for a year while he learns how to hit. Sign Justin Morneau to a one-year, $5 million deal Morneau isn’t worth much at this point given his injury history, but a reunion would be super cool, and he can still hit. I’d hesitate to put him in the field. He could trip and end his career, so a full-time DH role is likely best, as is a one-year deal. He could be the addition that takes us over the top, or the addition that allows Kennys Vargas to finally earn the full-time DH spot. Sign AJ Pierzynski to a one-year, $2 million deal This is a no-brainer. Kurt Suzuki’s OPS dropped 114 points from last year’s All-Star season. He hit lefties pretty well with an OPS of .658, but struggled mightily against righties (.587). He’s also a terrible defensive catcher, and AJ doesn’t fix that, but a righty/lefty platoon could keep both catchers fresh. AJ crushed righties, recording a .799 OPS in 2015. Starting Rotation James Shields Ervin Santana Kyle Gibson Trevor May Tyler Duffey Bullpen Glen Perkins, CL Joaquin Benoit, SU Kevin Jepsen, MR Casey Fien, MR José Alvarez, MR Caleb Thielbar, MR Tommy Milone, LR Lineups MIN vs. LHP (AL) Aaron Hicks, RF (.272/.360/.447) Brian Dozier, 2B (.267/.340/.487) Joe Mauer, 1B (.292/.362/.384) Miguel Sano, 3B (.284/.363/.519) Justin Morneau, DH (.253/.298/.410) Eddie Rosario, LF (.289/.311/.500) Byron Buxton, CF (Who cares?! He needs to play everyday!) Eduardo Escobar, SS (.277/.297/.492) Kurt Suzuki, C (.248/.311/.356) MIN vs. RHP (AL) Brian Dozier, 2B (.207/.301/.445) Joe Mauer, 1B (.264/.344/.374) Justin Morneau, DH (.297/.374/.520) Miguel Sano, 3B (.263/.393/.535) AJ Pierzynksi, C (.309/.342/.457) Eddie Rosario, RF (.260/.281/.445) Eduardo Nuñez, LF (85 runs saved above avg. in LF; .809 OPS vs. RHP in 2015) Eduardo Escobar, SS (.254/.314/.423) Byron Buxton, CF (.256/.297/.407) The addition of Shields makes things interesting. Berrios gives the Twins a really good chance in a Wild Card Playoff Game, and Shields isn’t a bad way to start an ALDS, with Santana pitching Game 2, and Gibson going in Game 3. Berrios will be ready for Game 4, and Shields will go again in Game 5. Sounds almost like a Playoff rotation.

The bullpen arms are literally only there to get one or two outs in big situations, allowing Molitor to better take advantage of matchups. They would transition to the second starter if needed.

Perkins doesn't have a slot. He would be used only in high-pressure situations (runners on none out, one out, etc.), although I don't know that he'll be that effective in those situations anymore. Neck issues are scary...

Is there a reason no one is commenting on this blog? Did I really hit it out of the park? Let's hear some feedback, Twins fans!

Couldn't agree more, John. Molitor has shown that he is incapable of not only making the right bullpen moves, but putting together a lineup. He allowed the slumping Brian Dozier bat leadoff for weeks while the hot Aaron Hicks was buried.

After the bullpen blew two leads in New York in as many days on the way to being swept by the Yankees, the Minnesota Twins’ playoff chances have taken a massive hit. Now with closer Glen Perkins leaving the team to have an MRI on his neck, it looks as though Terry Ryan sitting on his hands at the MLB Trade Deadline and using kid gloves with Byron Buxton, who is raking in Rochester and was Pioneer League Player of the Week, will be the difference between the Twins playing in October and fishing instead. This blog was originally published at GoGonzoJournal.com. If Terry Ryan thought this team would be competitive down the stretch with the addition of Kevin “Call Me Maybe” Jepsen, he doesn't deserve his job. I know he expected this to be a rebuilding year and couldn't believe he'd be battling for a playoff spot, but when you're in a playoff race, you try to win the race. You don't just stand pat and hope for the best. He also has a manager in Paul Molitor who has no idea what he’s doing when his starter gets fatigued, evidenced by his decision to bring in JR Graham to pitch to A-Rod with the bases loaded and none out on Monday night. Well, my F@*k Dick and Bert co-host has a solution for Paul Molitor and the Twins – a 10-man starting rotation. Before you throw your arms up in disgust, let me explain. By 10-man rotation, I don't mean 10 starters. I mean 10 starters swapping starts every five days. With a 10-man rotation, the Twins could pair starters based on ability while providing valuable experience to youngsters. Twins’ starters have been averaging just six innings pitched per start, and that number will fall as the season continues. The Twins also have a surplus of good starters in Rochester, and now with Perkins’ health in question, it would be best to have some arms in the bullpen that aren’t JR Graham, Brian Duensing, and Ryan O'Rourke. The 10-man rotation doesn’t require a closer, but Jepsen and Fien (and Perkins?) would be available in case of an emergency. This also makes Molitor’s job easier, as he can either call in the designated reliever paired with the starter, or call on Jepsen or Fien (or Perkins?) based on match-ups. It will also keep the relievers’ innings down. Righty Trevor May has been the most effective starting pitcher for the Twins this year, with a FIP of 3.26, which just goes to show how clueless Paul Molitor has been in his rookie season as manager. Aaron Gleeman has been saying May didn’t deserve a demotion to the bullpen for quite some time on the Gleeman and the Geek podcast – probably since his implosion in Milwaukee I was unfortunate enough to witness. But a lot of May’s success is due to the fact he’s been moved to a relief role and has experienced an uptick in velocity. He’s the pitcher I'd pair with my most inconsistent starter, Ervin Santana. You could swap spot starts or keep May as strictly a reliever, but each will be stretched out to 70 pitches or so. This way May can step into the starting rotation if the Twins make the playoffs and Santana’s postseason suspension goes into effect. Since Pelfrey (ERA+ of 113) and Milone (ERA+ of 112) have been the most consistent starters, they would be paired with a couple of deserving call-ups — the righty Pelfrey with lefty Pat Dean (nearly a 3:1 K/BB ratio, 1.18 WHIP, 2.92 ERA in 157 AAA IP) and the lefty Milone with righty Michael Bowden (nearly a 3:1 K/BB ratio, 1.13 WHIP, and 2.57 ERA in 98 AAA IP). Then, if you fall out of the race, or just want to take advantage of a team who struggles against lefties or righties, you work Bowden and Dean into the starting rotation that day, with Pelfrey and Milone available in relief. It also provides a structure for unique mentorship. Gibson, who Molitor would call the most consistent starter, has actually been worse than his 3.99 ERA (FIP of 4.20). A good pairing for him would be Tyler Duffey (nearly a 4:1 K/BB ratio, 1.07 WHIP, and 2.53 ERA in 85.1 AAA IP), who’s seen a couple of Major League starts and can also be worked into the starting rotation. Then there’s the injured Phil Hughes, who has discovered how to give up home runs again. Jose Berrios should be pitching in his spot, and when Hughes returns, the Twins can move him to a relief role on days Hughes pitches. You'd swap spot starts between the two in order to protect Hughes and give Berrios experience in both starting and relief roles. Berrios is the best pitcher in the Twins organization, period. He deserves to be called up and should have been weeks ago when Milone went on the disabled list. So here’s your 10-man rotation and three-man bullpen: 1-2) Phil Hughes, Jose Berrios 3-4) Tommy Milone, Michael Bowden 5-6) Mike Pelfrey, Pat Dean 7-8) Kyle Gibson, Tyler Duffey 9-10) Ervin Santana, Trevor May 11) Kevin Jepsen 12) Casey Fien 13) Glen Perkins The only problem with this is if you have a starting pitcher in a groove and you don't want to mess up a good thing. Granted, that doesn't happen too often for the Twins, but when it does, it leaves your other paired pitcher with 10 days between starts, which would require more bullpen sessions in lieu of actual time on the field. So let them throw in the bullpen starting in the fifth inning regardless of the score. Get them good and warm, and if they don’t get into the game, let them throw 70 pitches or so to get stretched out. Eddie Guardado should be able to handle that.

Removing the GM does very little when the rest of the front office remains. It's well past time to replace members of the front office. Ryan has to get his information from someone. He doesn't scout every player the Twins acquire.

No one is considering a six-man rotation??

I meant defensively locked down center field. He's taking great routes and making plays. Makes it easier to put Hunter in right and platoon left.

I certainly don't pay him All-Star money and give him All-Star years after one year of good baseball out of three, and with plenty of starting pitching depth. And if I can get a couple middling prospects, yes, I would. Something's better than nothing. Fantasy leagues, except for keeper leagues, don't have any bearing on these types of decisions.