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HitInAPinch

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Everything posted by HitInAPinch

  1. HitInAPinch
    Count me in on Tonkin. Is there any real reason to not give the young guys in the minors a shot?
  2. HitInAPinch
    So, I'm gonna be the one naysayer. I keep looking at his year to year stats and there's definitely a pattern: Starting in 2010, it goes good year, bad year up to last seasons good year. I also look at 2010 and 2012 and see those 2 years Hughes tossed his highest number of innings up to that time. Last year, his highest number of innings to date. In the previous down years, I believe he was injured. I still think the Twins were foolish to continue starting Hughes [and Gibson] when the season was already lost, by a WIDE margin. I would have held off on an extension until the middle of the new season. Sorry....
  3. HitInAPinch
    "He's left-handed and he has a pulse". :-) Reminds me of a scouting report I read years ago on Ed Vandenberg [at least I think it was Ed] "He has the continuing ability to remain left-handed".
  4. HitInAPinch
    The move of Mientkiewicz, by itself, is a move that makes more sense than moving him from A-ball to the majors as a bench coach. He can continue his work with, hopefully, the young players he has already helped. However, let's not forget that the AA position was made available when Jeff Smith requested a demotion to A to be closer to his home. To me, that shows a lack of commitment. If I were in charge, I'm not sure Smith would have a job right now.
  5. HitInAPinch
    Honestly, I don't see anything in Hicks' past or present that says he will ever be a major league player. Seriously, his swing from the left side is that bad and he got to the Majors? IF management actually signed Tori Hunter to mentor Hicks, that's a pretty big waste of $10mil. There are coaches to do that. At this point in time, Hicks belongs in the minors. Good defense does not makeup for the bad attitude, horrible batting skills and apparently not taking direction from the coaching staff, i.e. he decided on his own to stop switch hitting. He deserves to be at AA, where Doug M. can get him back on course.
  6. HitInAPinch
    I hate giving up on anyone who's only 22, but Niko's stats in 5 years at A-ball do not show progress you'd like to see.
  7. HitInAPinch
    Thanks for creating this list, Cody. Sometimes I think I like reading scouting reports more than actually watching a game :-)
  8. HitInAPinch
    1st of all, the human shoulder is not built to throw overhand. It's built more for a sidearm or under-handed deliver. You don't see too many of those in the MLB. Throwing 97-100 MPH, well eventually that will catchup with you unless you're a freak like Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. JR Graham is 6ft 195lbs. He should not have been allowed to throw 100mph at least until his are matured more. That being said: he's still only 24, has obviously gotten his pop back and the Twins are smart to move him to the bullpen. I'd say send him to any level in the minors where the temperatures are the highest. Get that shoulder loosened up and let's see what he can do!
  9. HitInAPinch
    Here's hoping they turn into a very good Major League rotation. Then again, if you're actually talking about the Major League rotation: Ouchie !!
  10. HitInAPinch
    At 25, Meyer should be in the majors. Or at least a mid-season call up. I was fairly surprised they called up May 1st. May and Meyer in the bullpen until a spot opens? Hmm, not at the cost of further stretching out their arms at AAA. I'd be cautious on both Hughes and Gibson. Both pitched more innings than they should have, especially Gibson. Hughes has a bit of a history of having one really good year of 30+ starts and something happening the next year. Signing multiple #3-4 type pitchers to 3+ year contracts seems like a bad idea considering they hype behind several of the Twins minor league pitchers. But then again, there's the whole 'hype' thing....
  11. HitInAPinch
    If attitude did not come from the manager and coaching staff, it's sure not going come from a 39 year old with declining skills. For $10mil, I can hire a lot of cheerleaders!
  12. HitInAPinch
    Personally, I would have chased after Brandon McCarthy before Santana. His starts after being traded to the Yankees were outstanding. Santana is just another middle of the road type pitcher who relies more on a breaking ball than fastball. And the Twins have a lot of those already. What this rotation really needs is a guy with a fastball that POPS! Maybe that's May or Meyer. If Molitor and Neil Allen can get more wins than loses from the starting 5, I'd call it a very successful year for the Twins.
  13. HitInAPinch
    I'd rather have McCarthy. The story is the Diamondbacks wouldn't let him use his cutter. Once he got traded to the Yankees, he started using the cutter again. His line with the Yanks was 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 14 starts after the trade.
  14. HitInAPinch
    Liriano's success with the Pirates is, and isn't an aberration. Liriano's success depend greatly on his slider. A slider that needs to be thrown with a tremendous amount of torque using poor pitching mechanics. With the Twins, Liriano made a stink about pitching late in games, just like Johan Santana. And then, Liriano broke down. On the other hand, the Pirates kept him close to 6-7 innings. It was easy: no built-in DH excuse. Pirates needed a hitter in, Liriano comes out. At what point did Liriano get hurt last year? After a string of 8-9 inning starts. Pirates returned him to the previous schedule and all was well. This is the secret to Liriano's success. So, the real question is this: can Neil Allen convince Liriano that to maximize his success, he needs to pitch less?
  15. HitInAPinch
    I watched McCarthy a couple times last year on TV. I would sign him in a heartbeat, if I actually thought he'd come to MN. Then again, the Yanks aren't the Yanks anymore. Maybe??
  16. HitInAPinch
    I wouldn't do anything that would take Arcia out of RF. He's gotta improve his defense and moving him around isn't gonna help a bit, just like the rest of the young planers. I just can't get over the $10mil contract. That's way over the top for a player/coach type guy.
  17. HitInAPinch
    Couldn't agree more. Dozier and Plouffe are major league average players. We're celebrating Plouffe playing better defense last year, when honestly, he could only go up. I'd wait until the bitter end before I contemplate extensions for either. Before they get to see the money, I need to see BA's higher than .242 and .258.
  18. HitInAPinch
    Here's the kid I'd go for: Dellin Betances of the Yankees. You've really gotta see this guy throw. He's a bullpen guy right now. I'd stretch him out and make him a starter.
  19. HitInAPinch
    Easy answer is a question: Will the Twins be better with Escobar SS and Santana CF or Santana SS and Hicks CF? Easy answer based on history is the first.
  20. HitInAPinch
    He showed the fire for the job I was hoping to finally see. I would say pitching coach is high on the list, followed closely by a re-adjustment of Joe Mauer's attitude. What he said, I did not like at all. I always have hope. Like "I hope the Twins can find another outfielder". Seriously, did they have no outfielders in the minors? 2 infielders had to play outfield on a regular basis? Shezzzzz.. :-)
  21. HitInAPinch
    Here's the problem I've had with Paul Molitor: He has never said he wanted to be a manager. Then there's this: "Two people who know Molitor well said this week that he is driven to become a great manager, and to resurrect a franchise he loves." Again, that's not Molitor. But during his Q&A after being named manager, he showed some fire. And he was pretty blunt: those minor leaguers everyone is raving about are not the answer, right now. THANK YOU! Next, bring in the biggest, ugliest coaches you can find. If one pitcher says "Gee coach, I've been losing so much because my shoulder has been hurting for a month" or repeats what Joe Mauer said yesterday: OFF TO THE WOODSHED! Ok, putting my coffee down.....
  22. HitInAPinch
    I could see Duensing as that guy. He has been successful, perhaps wearing out after all the innings he's been asked to pitch. A relative soft-tosser amongst power arms? No brainer....
  23. HitInAPinch
    Trade Perkins while you still can.
  24. HitInAPinch
    Plouffe is a serviceable player, now that his defense has improved. Who knows? Maybe his 40 doubles is for real. It's his BA that bugs me more than anything. But I know we'll be seeing him next year and maybe the one after that. I probably think higher of Nunez than most. He is more than capable at multiple positions. And if the Twins do get younger really soon, they will need the veteran presence.
  25. HitInAPinch
    Maddon is a known quantity. The amount of money is inconsequential.
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