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Platoon

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Everything posted by Platoon

  1. Platoon
    If you want to enjoy the average Twins season, it's not raisins you need in brownies!
  2. Platoon
    Well if you had said that in the first place............ Geez I wish I could tell that Ole and Lena joke!
  3. Platoon
    I read Brian's piece twice. The only thing I can equate it too was trying to use 3 live traps to trap a squirrel in the house. The squirrel ate the peanut butter and left the trap wide open..... Yes a cat would have worked, but who wants a squirrel laying on the kitchen floor. Speaking of mice and cats and cheese, I have a wonderful Ole and Lena joke that would touch on this topic, but I know there are Norwegians on here and I dares' nt tell it! :)
  4. Platoon
    I was not at all suggesting that Mitch Garver did not work on his defense over the off season, nor that he is unawares of his weaknesses. I would opine that he is 28 (which btw surprised me), and that his lack of receiving abilities must have been evident since before he was drafted. And while they may have well improved since his high school days, the level of improvement has not reached the status of a plus dish defender. Nor is it logical that it ever will. I can't say Garver wont improve back there, but the thought that he will be considered a catcher who can hit, v a hitter who can catch, is remote. He is no doubt an MLB player. But given my druthers he wouldn't be my idea of my catcher.
  5. Platoon
  6. Platoon
    Polanco could always hit, and likely always will. It's his tool. But if he doesn't start puttimg Some air under his throws to first base his error totals will increase dramatically. Our new first baseman (fill in the blank) will not be able to pick them like the previous occupant. Not even close!
  7. Platoon
    The problem with Garver is he plays a premium defensive position. And, while some can argue that some premium defensive position's importance has been impacted by shifts and thus diminished, such as SS, the same cannot be said for catching. Metrics have instead shown the importance of how the ball Is received. Today there are numerous statistical explanations and evaluations of Garvers lack of talent in receiving the ball, on all fronts. But prior to the metrical revolution he would have simply been described as having "bad hands"! There are two questions to ask about Garver. 1. Exactly how much will he have to hit to carry that cast iron glove he uses. 2. If MitchGarver is your starting catcher, can you have a good baseball team?
  8. Platoon
    Or some serious concerns over the decision making process? A team going nowhere uses a Mendoza line veteran catcher versus a younger one with a tempting hit tool, and an adequate glove at the least? Baseball may have an influx of numbers oriented management, but they still struggle when faced with a player who doesn't look the part, and can't or won't fit into a prevailing view. Some players fail there entire careers with evaluators wondering why the guy doesn't succeed? And some, like Astudillo, succeed there entire careers while evaluators wonder why they don't fail, like their supposed to? It's sometimes an insurmountable hurdle.
  9. Platoon
    92 wins is quite a jump. The Sox may eat into a couple of those at the least. I agree the team has made some strides, mostly on the fan pleasing offensive side. But they may need that offense. The pitching remains a questionable average. And, inside of the OF grass, it's backed by some very mediocre and potentially damaging defense. I know baseball has become a fly ball/strikeout style game, but the IF and catching situation is as cringe worthy as the excellence of the OF defense is laudatory. Be that as it may, the foregoing analysis is all somewhat moot. Sano and Buxton. If they thrive the division and 92 wins is easily in reach. If they don't, we are probably baseballs polar vortex!
  10. Platoon
    Oliva in a landslide. just plain a great natural hitter, both average and power. Proof positive that good, bad ball hitters can excel. Was a see the ball, hit the ball guy. Great arm, and turned himself into an adequate glove man. Brings back fond memories of their lineup in those years.
  11. Platoon
    To me Kepler did several sensible things here. First and foremost he set himself up for life, he took the money and ran. Secondly, he seemed to view that times, they are achanging. Free agent bidding is not as robust as it had been, and there really is no way a new CBA can guarantee that. It could change the contract structuring, but the days of paying for what you used to do are over. Thirdly, he could have "bet on himself". He may have won that bet, or one of his ACL's might have lost it for him. And last(ly). There is something to be said for a 'bird in the hand is better than two in that fondly remember center field batters eye!
  12. Platoon
    The catching dept. is yet again an interesting black hole. Castro theoretically should be the primary catcher, but his knee is a bending time bomb. Garver is a catcher coming off a concussion, something that for some reason seems vaguely familiar. Trying to get a handle on where I have seen this scenario before? Astudillo? I don't know how his bat will hold up over a season, so far it seems to be just fine. As for his defense? After having watched Garver catch a baseball last year, or should I say attempt to, the Twins catching defensive bar is set very low. Basically if you can't out catch Mitch Garver, they should remove the 'C' from behind your name on the position list.
  13. Platoon
    The anti tanking rule would be really a pain to enforce. Some teams aren't really tanking, they are simply incompetent over lenghtly periods of time. (no names will be mentioned to protect the incompetent). A note to remember. MLB is a franchise, not dissimilar to McDonald's. All the teams (Restuarants) want to win more games (sell more burgers) than the others, but are also required to follow the rule of the franchise. This doesn't increase competition, it impedes it. In a truly competitive environment, parity would be a dirty word. Most major league sports are operated for the franchises benefit, not the benefit of a particular franchisee.
  14. Platoon
    You can't have an operation philosophy the Twins currently seem to be using, of waiting to see how their best on the MLB roster pan out and make the Kirilloff/Realmuto trade. It doesn't mesh. An extension helps, but clubs who are going to try and develop their own talent, can't trade away the top of the list. They need to make develop the major core of their talent, and then spot fill as the seasons progress. What's more concerning here is Grandal turning down a multi year offer for a one year deal for that difference in dollars.
  15. Platoon
    Polanco has always been able to hit, and likely will continue to do so. But he has never been, is not, nor ever will be a SS around whom you could build an infield if you intend to be a competitive baseball team. In a normal environment, those types of SS's end up at second base. I hope that's what happens with Polanco, since that also means we have improved the quality at the SS position. A win win. It's issues like this that allow me a little extra patience with the FO. Polanco is just one of many players on this team that need to move from prospect to player. Until that happens, adding a reliever and say, and OBP guy, isn't going to make us a truly competitive baseball team. But it could make us the second WC entry! Fodder for the Yankees or Red Sox.
  16. Platoon
    There doesn't seem to be much excitement regarding any signings by the team so far, and I am not sure what would move the needle for the fans but a Harper or Machado level signing, the Twins are in an odd situation. The analysis of Sano and Buxton should be complete. For various reasons, well documented, it's not. So in a manner, the Twins are in a sort of time warp. It's spring 2017 all over again. They know little more now than from that time in history about their two franchise altering players. Hopefully this year both will be healthy and progress. Until that happens, and hopefully they show progress, there just doesn't seem a way to competently finish a competitive roster. Take a Correa and Springer away from Houstons lineup. It's not the same. To me the pressure on the FO will be this: Once the season is in full swing, they will be forced to make a decision on how Sano and Buxton will pan out earlier than one would normally do so in a season. In that manner I agree with those who say "times a'wasting". No doubt the Twins have some holes to fill/improve. But it won't make any difference to, for example, improve our defense at SS or behind the plate unless Buxton and Sano produce as hoped for and expected. For better or worse the eggs are in those two baskets.
  17. Platoon
    You may not know when it will be, but you will know when you see it. But the core has to be in place and therein lies the problem. We have never built the core. As CB above points out we still do not know what we have with our core of Buxton, Sano, and Kepler. We should, but we don't. Adding a Machado to the level that group played at last year won't make us a winner. Adding a Machado to the level that group is capable of quite likely would. Now al I need to figure out is which Sano and Buxton, et al, will show up this year. And if I am wrong in my analysis, the Mauer Contract Haters can easily morph into the Machado Contract Haters. They won't even have to change the initials on their caps!
  18. Platoon
    In the free agent arena, everything is relative. Meaning, the Twins signing of Schoop, Cruz and Cron and last years free agent gets, is no different than the signings they have made in the past. Relatively speaking. In the 'old' FA days these players would haver garnered more interest, and the Twins would have been outbid. In today's market, the fact of the matter is the players costs have sunk to the Twins level, not vice versa. This FO is not berift of good doings. In the old regime, Molitor is still our manager. For fans who are of an analytical bent, this FO has increased that focus numerous fold. They have moved some pending FA at the breaks getting something what was to become nothing. It ain't perfect, but what is. My feelings or hope (Somedays the two terms get confused) is that they are playing the long game, that they realize that they can't buy a winner, it's going to have to come internally. Are they? Can they? Will they?
  19. Platoon
    And he provides us exactly what over Mejia?
  20. Platoon
    Lost in all these discussions on how the players are going to make the FA situation return to the days of yesteryear, on how ineffective their union was, and how to make the next CBA an advancement for players salaries, working conditions, and security is one overriding fact. Unions are dead. If they aren't, they are on life support, and a hand is on the plug. This isn't coming from some anti Union guy,I had 13 years vested in a national union, before circumstances caused me to become self employed. That worked for me, it doesn't for everyone. Anti union comes from many areas. Shareholders in public companies being the worst, then management, and some sides of the political spectrum. But the oddest, most confusing and the most damaging anti union mentality comes from the workers who would benefit from union representation. Union workers who want the benefits but don't want to pay the dues. Workers who vote in elections against representation and their economic security. Workers who vote for right to work political candidates. But, back to baseball. If the current majority opinion in the country holds, that being that unions are not needed to represent the average worker, then I see no path for the union representing MLB players to win any significant changes. The average fan has little sympathy for a player making more money in a week, than he will make in his life. His appreciation of a unique athletic talent doesn't extend that far. See Mauer, Joe! Thus, trying to get a public to sympathize with MLBPA's effort to improve the players lot, when said public Isn't interested in collective bargaining to improve their own seems something past a daunting task. Without the backing of the fans and public, it's likely an impossible one.
  21. Platoon
    Most owners are businessmen. Apparently they have decided to implement a fairly standard business practice, albeit using larger numbers than usual. This practice is called "I'll keep as much as I can, and give you as little as I can get away with, minus 10%" One of the reasons this works is the playoff format, the extra WC teams and games. And the fans! The secret to this is that in late September and through October you don't have to be that talented a team to be a 'contender'. Simply competent suffices. Teams can trumpet their chance to grab that second WC ring even while touting barely a .500 record well into October, and the fans will spin the turnstyles. Why pay mega bucks to exceed that level. And while this lack of competition for a big time FA allows an ego driven large market owner to still garner the top flight talent, he can now do so at a much lower cost per year. The limited lack of leverage that employees now 'enjoy' is catching up to MLB. It's on a much higher economic level, but it's coming. This could be the seed for a CBA that would generate more income earlier in a players career, but also take away the big pot at the end of the rainbow. But that will require a long drawn out battle waged between corporations with endless resources versus young employees with limited leverage, a time constrained window to reap the fruits of their talents, and evaluated on an extremely subjective basis. Add in an endless stream of teenagers who would love to take away your job, since their training program is in effect legalized slavery, and it's not a recipe for success. It's going to be very difficult for players to succeed in this battle, in this sport particularly.
  22. Platoon
    Thanks, I had to go to the Google to find out what 'toot sweet' actually meant. Being from So. Mn. I could have given you a definition of "gel" and "plug it out"; but toot sweet was out of my geographical range apparently? .
  23. Platoon
    While you definitely have a point, in both the beating u while not hitting, and his need to recognize the down and out stuff, I must admit I have never been called, "toot sweet" before? :) .
  24. Platoon
    Buxton is the most important Twin. His impact is magnified by how many facets of the game he brings. His defense allows pitchers to make mistakes. It allows the Twins to possible move A more bat first player into a corner OF spot. Kepler as a fourth OF'er? His arm restrains the running game. On offense, he does need to hit to at least a replacement level. But remember this. His walks become a double. He scores from second on any single. He moves IF in, and distracts pitchers while on base. There are few MLB players with his impact on the bases. He will be a straw! The one that stirs the drink? Or the one that broke the camels back? We will know by August for sure.
  25. Platoon
    I like Joe Mauer, he was a special baseball player, likely one of the top three catchers in the history of the game. The head injuries were not his fault. Judging him offensively as a first baseman is like judging Nelson Cruz as a left fielder. He deserves the number retirement, and a "day". But I do think the team needs to beware of overdoing a good thing. Too much diminishes the importance, and does indeed lend itself to the perception it's simply another way to sell tickets, like mini pine trees for a batters eye?
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