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Platoon

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Everything posted by Platoon

  1. Platoon
    I have never understood why a team would announce a move like this in the first place. If there can be any rationale it can only be to light a fire under Buxton, or to comfort EE, neither of which I think is necessary. That said, Santana's current value seems best suited to a utility role. He is a better fielder than Nunez, and a far better OF than eithe Nunez, or Escobar. In a normal world, Nunez would be gone, but this is Twins Territory. So either they trade/release Arcia, or the bench looks set. Arcia, Murphy, Nunez, and Santana. If we enter the year with Nunez as our only spare IF, that will be too bad. Given all the scenarios, I still think Buxton is headed to Rochester to start the year. I don't think he should, but I think he will.
  2. Platoon
    I think this is the first step in Buxtons trip to Rochester in late March. The only thing that would prevent that is a lights out spring. And I assume they save service time, but I am not sure. There is no other reason to "convert" Santana to an OF. He can play there as a utility man also. The Twins often start the season in experimental mode, I prefer the term extended spring training. Then about May they seem to get serious and tweak their lineup. Everyone know games in April don't really count in the standings. You can always make those up after the ASG!
  3. Platoon
    That would depend on the definition of "rebuilding"! This would assume/require that Kepler stays in Rochester for two years? And per the scenario, this year Sano invests in rumbling around in RF, and within a year of having "perfected" that he moves to third? Where we invest a year getting re-acclimated to the IF. Then when that's done what next? When the Mauer contract is up after 3 yrs he moves to first? Is it possible the Park signing was almost a fluke? Did they throw a number out there, really never thinking they had a chance? I know that's an odd thought, but two things bother me about the Park signing. 2. We didn't need a DH! 1. We just have no history of outbidding other teams for a player who is widely desired (talented)!
  4. Platoon
    That would depend on the definition of "rebuilding"! This would assume/require that Kepler stays in Rochester for two years? And per the scenario, this year Sano invests in rumbling around in RF, and within a year of having "perfected" that he moves to third? Where we invest a year getting re-acclimated to the IF. Then when that's done what next? When the Mauer contract is up after 3 yrs he moves to first?
  5. Platoon
    That would depend on the definition of "rebuilding"!
  6. Platoon
    Used to? You mean those Lenten battered fish frys (all you can eat) are not healthy? This is gonna put a serious crimp in my winter culinary options!
  7. Platoon
    You could have given them an incomplete! Because the grade will be determined by whether their decision makers promote young talent with an upside, or come north with this years version of Tim Stauffer, et al. After the inexplicable purchase of a DH, I would have traded Plouffe, preferably for a catcher. If I couldn't have gotten a suitable catcher for Plouffe, then I would have made the Hicks trade, and traded Plouffe anyway. Bottom line, someone should have gone after the Park deal. As for the SP, Ryan made his bed, and he's stuck with it. And I have no problem with the BP, we have the arms coming along. Let's use them. Whether they do, and the Buxton decision will determine this years outcome, and likely next years as well.
  8. Platoon
    I agree with your point. To clarify my point, the Twins have an inordinate amount of not only young talent, but highly projected young talent. Talent that they are hoping and hyping to be the next playoff level core for several years to come. These players have to perform at an above average level. The Twins have no plan "B"! Teams in bigger markets, or with more aggressive ownership and a FO to match will be able to cobble together a very expensive competitive team. For numerous reasons, well documented on these pages, that ain't gonna happen in Twins Territory!
  9. Platoon
    While I doubt this will happen, if none, or only a few of the Twins young talent pans out, it will make little difference who they sign for FA's. They spent years losing to accumulate the current list of prospects. They either produce, or its back to the Dark Ages!
  10. Platoon
    We have no track record of promoting anyone, who walks anyone. To expect that from high velocity pitchers is not reasonable. One can argue an "acceptable BB rate for that type of pitcher, but applying our PTC standards to that style arm, will mean a long career in Rochester for anyone who breaks 97!
  11. Platoon
    The Twins seem neither to sign top flight FA's, nor agressively promote in house talent. Instead they diddle the first two months of the season away feeling out mediocre veterans, hoping that one will turn from a pumpkin to a gilded carriage. Whether this is the result of financial constraint, or a desire for Ryan to prove he can find his annual needle in a haystack, it puts the team in the worst possible spot. It leaves them losing valuable games, with no real chance of upside. Essentially a nice high floor, and a very low ceiling. A guarantee of not being all you could have been. And, whether intentional or not, allows an escape from the kind of all or nothing decisions that a conservative clan like the Pohlads abhor. Safe solid investments, eschewing risk is a great investment strategy. But used as a philosophy for running a competitive MLB team, it will always leave you looking both up, and down, on what could have been!
  12. Platoon
    I know there is a scintillating discussion going on in another thread about whether the Twins are small or mid market! Ed Thoma has an interesting piece on one of the results of the Twins making the mid market level. http://fpbaseballoutsider.blogspot.com/ The Twins are around the 48% level on spending. They will never outbid the big boys for the top FA. Nor, with a rare exception keep a player just reaching free agency that the rest of the league desires. I have long ago made peace with that. And while one can wish that the Pohlads should open the vault and spend "personal" cash to achieve the above that is not going to happen, despite Ryan's never ending tall tale that he operates under no salary cap. My problem with the FO relates more to their seeming paralysis when it comes to moving forward. They become comfortable with players, past and present. They won the lottery when they picked up the Suzukis and Willinghams of the world. And kept them when they had attained their peak value, and are doing the same with Plouffe, and likely Dozier. While I am sure the attached article is not the sole explanation regarding these issues, it's points are well thought out.
  13. Platoon
    Some say, with I am sure a degree of speculation, that the lack of this trait led to Bill Smiths demise.
  14. Platoon
    So to say all the money was pocketed since Target Field is indeed inaccurate. Should more be spent on payroll? Probably, and I think we'll see it as young core starts getting paid. My hope is that you are correct. But sadly I have no idea what would make that hope realistic. Short of a major change in the FO, what would make anyone think the Twins are going to start shelling out truly competitive cash? I don't have to list the reasons Mauer is an abberation to this, they are well documented. If a Buxton, Sano, or Berrios reaches the level of success their talent suggests, there is nothing in Twins History to suggest that the Twins will make a realistic bid to keep their services when free agency rears its attractive head.
  15. Platoon
    I don't think the balls hitting the right field overhang is as much of an issue, as that they might hit it. It seems to cause OF to get caught in no mans land. Visiting OF included, and some pretty decent ones. Since 3B was excluded as an answer, I will go with RF. His arm would play well there, after he catches up to the ball. As for the Molitor/Ryan confusion. I am sure that after Molly said LF, Terry called him and said, "Hi this is Terry Ryan. Surely you remember me? Just wanted to let you know you mistakenly said that Sano was going to LF. It's easy to get the R and L confused. I should know, I have such a difficult time spelling Mientkiewicz!"
  16. Platoon
    That was a great TV show! I only bet on things I understand, like Newtons law of gravity, John Nash's zero sum theory, and Sarah Palin! The Twins FO rationale would be way too complicated for me.
  17. Platoon
    I am as far from a TR apologist as exists. But was Darnell over Jones a LH v RH consideration? Of course that still begs the next question, is Strong over Darnell yet another "we will make a silk purse out of someone else's sows ear" decision? All I can say is I hope the aforementioned confusion is with us, and not the FO. I hope they really do have a plan, and aren't just winging it.
  18. Platoon
    I will go with "something". Remarkably, or sadly, it makes sense in this context! Logan Darnell? That names familiar. Was he available?
  19. Platoon
    I will go with "something". Remarkably, or sadly, it makes sense in this context!
  20. Platoon
    Can they save time on Buxtons "clock" by holding him back until May? If they can, and he doesn't really perform at a very high level in ST, I still think he ends up in Rochester. I also note that you, and someone else have listed Sano in LF? I thought Ryan wanted him in RF. I have heard Ryan and Molitor have different views on this topic. Has a winner been declared? Lastly, am really looking forward to Nolasco in the pen. His stuff, history as a SP, and overall mindset of doing anything he can to help the club, should really play well there!
  21. Platoon
    I might not have stated it not quite as bluntly, but you are correct, sir! You can draft all the velocity you want, and can talk about how important it is, but until you actually start putting them on the ML field, it's meaningless. This will be interesting. Guys who throw that hard tend to have higher walk rates, and it's no secret that the Twins abhor the BB. It is not a fluke, or bad drafting luck that has caused the paucity of SO arms in this orginisation, it's been their philosophy. Changing that will be done eventually, but it's gonna be slow and painful to watch!
  22. Platoon
    Is the lack of confidence amongst the fans, or the FO? If it was me, he would start, if for no other reason that they painted themselves into a corner with the "Sano Experiment"! They need coverage out there. I love Arcia, but even I would not put an OF of him, Sano, and either DanSan or Rosario out there. Not with the SO rate of Twins pitchers! As for trading Hicks, I personally think the logical thing to do would have been trade Plouffe, have Hicks for insurance on the OF. If as it appears Buxton is a question mark that would have made sense. The Twins needed a catcher. So someone was going to have to go. The choice to trade Hicks, instead of Plouffe, smells more like Ryan getting rid of a player the orginisation was frustrated with, than by trading from a common sense non prejudiced position. Hicks drove them crazy for two years, and that never bodes well in Twins Territory.
  23. Platoon
    I probably should, but don't know what Buxtons situation is regarding control. If they leave him sit in Rochester for awhile, do they save a year. If thats the case, he either over impresses in ST, or I would imagine you could see the return of DanSan to CF. otherwise it could end up Arcia, Samo, and Rosario. In which case they would have to petition the league to allow a pocket man, ala slow pitch softball! As for what's told to the press/public, that and $4.86 will get you a up of coffee.
  24. Platoon
    He broke down the last two years, and is 33. Do I see a trend here? Aside from that, there appears only two ways this will work. He is either the closer, or injured. He doesn't seem the type to quietly accept a "demotion" to the 7th or 8th inning guy. Plus he always has seemed to struggle in non close situations, even when he is at his best. It's almost like he loses motivation or concentration? His history is not to go quietly into the night?
  25. Platoon
    Spoiler alert! This will be intentional, not inadvertent! :). This will be a better rotation than in the past. But the danger in that thought is using the past as a comparison. No one wants to use the recent Twins SP as a baseline for success. One other thought. Teams spend millions and millions in an attempt to win? Or in some intstances placate the fan base. Yet the Twins won't spend the money it costs to clear a blocking contract from the roster. There are numerous better SP combinations with Nolasco out of the picture, but he is going to end up tipping the entire pitching roster on its ear! No one wants to admit a mistake, but he is eating up too big a spot on the roster.
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