HitInAPinch

On this day in history, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead. And Brian Dozier is still with the Twins.

Joe Smith? Well, he had a nice resurgence with the Cubs, albeit a SSS. So, why not? A side-armer mixed in with some of the young, power arms? Seems like a nice mix.

Link?

Umm, yes and no?? Yes, I'm disappointed in a Dozier trade not going through. Could have used a couple/few good, new arms. I'm not really all that impressed by the starters the Twins have in the MiLB for the near future. For Pete's sake, they were changing Berrios' windup in September! That and the whole, you know, no back to back winning season since 2010, the 3rd season in a row! But, I know what the Twins situation is: The new FO is a bit behind on things: i.e. Cleveland stretching out their season and Falvey and Levine interviewing their FO, coaching and development staff during the Winter meetings. I'm pretty confident that the former players whom Falvey signed to special-project-somethings will could help prevent the young hitters from completely wilting. Starting pitching. Ummm, after seeing the late season work with Berrios, I can't help to worry what else can we expect for any other starter called up. OTOH, I like what we saw from the young RP's last year. A better set of SP's would be very helpful. Those young RP's were really overworked. And this: http://www.startribune.com/byron-buxton-embracing-simplified-approach-to-2017-twins-season/411603295/So, could this year be a real train wreck? Maybe, but I kinda doubt it. Give me: A nice learning curve from Buxton, Kepler, Polanco and Sano at the plate and in the field. Give me a nice return on a fully built and functional new Baseball Research, headed by Jack Goin. A nice learning curve from the current young RP's at the MLB level and some more of those young, hard throws from the Twins MiLB. And, finally, when everything has been put in place, I can't wait to see what Falvey and Levine really have up their sleaves.Yep, I'm a baseball romantic. So is the whole InAPinch family. Except for SwingAndaMISSInAPinch. He's a putz.

I would expect a professional organization have a confidentiality agreement in place.

Cleveland and Texas letting Falvey and Levine walk away with their league-wide scouting and other reports. Absolutely not. And I say that in a nice way ;-)

still waiting for..... http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/pictures/vonraschke.jpg

So, we LOVE Danny Santana again??

I don't know if I really trust Rosenthal much anymore.

I guess what I'm waiting to hear is Falvey's review of what Goin has done over the years in anonymity. I like hearing Jack talking about the future of metrics in players injuries. Should be nerdy fun!

I do have my moments. And that was probably it for 2014

Hughes' career had already fallen into something of a pattern: record number of innings, injury, bullpen time and back as a starter. The Twins were incredibly stupid for allowing Hughes to pitch 209 innings just to get 6 stinking wins. If he recovers from the surgery, he'll be in the bullpen.

Good stuff today. THANKS!

Even tho he's been an average .267 hitter over the past 3 years, his lifetime BA is .307. I think the HOF voters will remember him as an elite catcher for a decade. And they also won't forget the concussion and blurred vision after 2013.

The Coochie Coochie Girl! http://media.sdreader.com/img/photos/2013/07/18/97631_CHARO_122_137lo_t670.JPG?b3f6a5d7692ccc373d56e40cf708e3fa67d9af9d

Falvey's response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vwHLMs04XA

It's damn well about time! And from your Twitter report, it was the Dodgers that pinged the Twins. I like that even more!

There was an article in the Strib that had the boys saying that there would probably be more activity later this month. Also, Jim was saying: “They never said they were going to make splashy moves. There was no expectation or instruction to make splashy moves just for the sake of change,” Twins owner Jim Pohlad said. “It’s more important to evaluate how to make the team more consistently competitive over the long haul, and I’m confident that’s what they’re trying to do.” http://www.startribune.com/twins-new-bosses-derek-falvey-thad-levine-take-the-guarded-route/410597805/

Turning around a team that has a few could be's, some wanna be's and some never will's ain't gonna happen overnight.

That's kinda the thing with Calhoun, isn't it? If he has the arm for 3rd, then I'd be all-in. Just read in the Pleskoff Scouting report @Knuckleball on Calhoun: he played 3rd in college, but has limited arm strength. Otherwise, I think the Twins have plenty of DH types. Overall, I think I'd like to see Willie's stats after a 2nd AA season. And I can see why the Twins wouldn't backoff from Bellinger. From different websites, DeLeon is somewhere between a #2-3 to #3-4 starter. Any report with a 3 in it, yeah I'd want more, too.

I think people should remember that this new management team got a late start because of the playoffs. During the Winter Meetings, Falvey and Levine were just starting to interview current off-field staff. And they needed to add/change that staff to modernize baseball operations.

Les Straker, Mike Smithson and Joe Niekro of the 1987 Twins would beg to differ

Succinct.

1B Mauer/Park DH Park/Mauer/Sano I must be missing something on Palka. Can he play 3rd? Oh, wait. He's left-handed. So it's a definite yes? Probably an upgrade to Sano's defense

Rosario was called up because the other possibilities [Arcia, Vargas and Sano] participated in a Home Run contest during Spring Training, instead of standard BP drills. Molitor doesn't like that kinda stuff...