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Platoon

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Everything posted by Platoon

  1. Platoon
    There are only two ways to end up with an "ace". Acquire one or develop one. So does Ryan's definition of the term ace, go towards answering the question of how a team like the Mets can have 4 young 95 plus studs, and we struggle to get someone that tops out at 93? While velocity isn't everything, it does tend to make mistakes in the zone less damaging. And the fact that a team targets that style indicates a very different philosophy. Could Blyleven be the last home grown product with actual league wide ace material? And if so, why? It can't be all bad luck? Or can it?
  2. Platoon
    It's very doubtful the Twins are going to be contenders next year. Their key youthful pieces did not get enough experience last year, with the possible exception of Rosario. And while they have a seeming over abundance of players in some areas, they woefully lack talent in quite a few others. This isn't a situation of turning a sows ear into a silk purse, it more like turning a silk purse into a silk handbag! A lot of the parts are there, but too many are standing in the same place. The starting pitching solution is going to require somebody eating some contract money. There doesn't seem to be an alternative to that scenario. And the BP improvement may revolve around how much trust the orginisation puts in some of the younger power arms that have been drafted in the last few years. Drafting them is one thing, putting them on the mound with the associated learning curve is entirely another. It's going to be a fun winter! Will we accelerate the rebuild, and find out whether all this minor league talent is real? Or will we take the somewhat safer approach, sign a couple of middling vets, and hope that lightning strikes Target Field (metaphorically) two years in a row? Tune in next March.
  3. Platoon
    I would not retire his number either. It's already too easily done. And this would lower the bar further. That's not particularly a shot at Hunter. It's more of a call to keep the standards higher. Hrbeck? Lifelong Twin, although I still think a bit of an underachiever. But also, face of the franchise, and leader. Blyleven? In the HOF, nuff said. Hunter? Great Twin, but also took the money and ran. Had a very convenient and profitable 10.5m epiphany at the end.
  4. Platoon
    I think the article referenced Hunter's decision as saving the Twins from themselves. But who am I to quibble, I withdraw the comment in an attempt to promote harmony and good will!
  5. Platoon
    I was never sure which Hunter was the real one. The one with the views I don't agree with and the accompanying attitude displayed to Bernadino, or the smiley friendly one displayed on the field? Likely a composite of the two. Whichever, it's mostly irrelevant as he is not paid to be my ideal male sports personality, he was paid to play baseball. Which I think he can still do to some degree. So did he retire because it was time, because he thought it best to go out on the higher note? Or because the Twins would not guarantee him a full time gig? If the Twins truly wanted him back with a regular lineup spot, it speaks reams about FO decision making, and the likelihood that any significant improvement is forthcoming. That said, while it can be argued pro or con that Hunter helped the Twins on the field in 2015, his biggest contribution will likely be his retirement, saving the Twins from yet another mind boggling roster decision!
  6. Platoon
    Yes, but it is a well known fact that consistency is one of the hallmarks of any great orginisation.
  7. Platoon
    I would agree with trading Plouffe and Dozier to get a catcher, and maybe even a young defensive middle infielder. I really hate the thought of trading Gibson. It would have to be for the proverbial "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse" in reverse deal. So why trade Plouffe and Dozier? Plouffe because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sano has to play third, as first is unavailable for 3 yrs, for this whole rebuild to work. It's one of the starting pieces to the whole project. Dozier, while a slightly above average defender, has shown no inclination to adjust to the way he is being pitched. Once teams got really serious about avoiding fastballs up in the zone to him, he became virtually an offensive liability, especially that high in the order. It's a rare chance to sell somewhat on the high side. The reason I advocate some of these moves is I don't believe this team, as constructed, can do anything better than compete for the second WC spot. If that's sufficient, then stay the course. Otherwise something out of the ordinary TW should be attempted. Do I think it will? Not a chance in hell. But it's nice to consider. Ryan said he needs a catcher to "take some of the load" of Kurt. Sounds like he has an agrssive plan for the off season in place already.
  8. Platoon
    I agree St. Peter is not the go to guy for roster decisions. It was the eeery similarity to Molitors views that made me mention it. And since they were so in tune, I used the term "company line". And if reading between the lines is required, this is what I read. Only Hunter can save the Twins from Hunter. Our starting pitching will not include Berrios, i.e., it will remain static due to long term contracts. Plouffe ain't going nowhere. Our first decision on the pen affirms our long term belief in low SO rates. If Sano is the DH, Arcia is gone. If Arcia is the DH, and Buxton is wowing the norther NY fans, Hunter or Sano will roam RF. (At least Sano can still run) That's just a few of the lines, but the last one is: We still think we can get people to buy tickets by working feverishly to acquire that last WC spot. To some this may sound sarcastic? Sadly it was not meant that way!
  9. Platoon
    Most of this thinking does not seem as much Molitors, as the "company line". A post on TD referenced Dave St. Peter telling season ticket holders much of the same things. An interview with Ryan would likely sound like a replay of talking points. Is it just me, or does this sound like Gardy never left? Keep Cotts? Agonize over whether Torii returns? Worry about a roster spot for Nunez? Don't trust Hicks? Sano to the OF, having to the best of my knowledge never playing an inning there? The only one I can agree with is Berrios and Buxton, and that only if someone just plain says that it's service time. Which I imagine they can't, even though it is. So you keep Cotts, you have Sano stumble around the OF, but ditch Arcia because he couldn't field, you bring up Berrios and Buxton in late June, and waste a month or two on ML acclimation, and then at the end of the year, bemoan how very close you were to that one and down WC game. Now that truly is the "Twins Way".
  10. Platoon
    Extra years of rebuilding are the cost of leaving your youth in the minors to marinate to a level past what others might. After 4 yrs of 90+ losses, most teams would have started the rebuild in earnest in Nov of 2014. Are we in rebuild mode? I would like to think so. But does the FO? Either way, the question of whether they should sign a $?00,000,000 ace to a ? Yr contract is a moot point. It ain't ever gonna happen.
  11. Platoon
    The conflict of opinions in this post point out one inescapable truth. The Twins roster situation is an incredible mess. Way to much money tied up in contracts to mid to low level 30+ yr old pitchers. And a batting order that lacks a clear #1 or #3 stick. Throw in a soft tossing bull pen, and you complete the picture. The Twins will not and cannot acquire a Price level FA pitcher. There is no reason for them to come here. Market size and chances of winning "now" are not a match. And the thought of the FO going in search of yet another tier 3 type pitcher is scary enough to be featured as this years Halloween theme.
  12. Platoon
    I really was not comparing AJ to Hunter as to talent or disposition. I was strictly referring to the Twins status as a team that should be rebuilding from within via youth. As to Turner specifically, I like most others here have not seen him play. All I can go by is that more than one analysis has his defense as major league ready, and his offense as not. Based on that, as long as Suzuki is in the mix, having a good defensive catcher a couple times a week would not hurt. Having an AJ/Kurt kombo should not preclude a younger catcher surfacing, but it will in effect do just that for the duration of their contracts. I base that opinion on what the Twins history of dealing with veteran FA has been, not what I, or anyone else, thinks it should be. There are a few rare rentals they have been let go in mid season, but as a rule a winter FA is here for the duration. Ryan has made his position clear on that quite often. I agree totally that catching is a problem, but would prefer that we keep the number of veteran catchers well below 2!
  13. Platoon
    I think this decision would depend on whether one thinks the team is going to proceed as a legitimate contender next year, or still be in a youth/rebuilding mode. Some will say both. IMHO they are still strictly in a youth movement. Adding yet another 40 yr old seems a step backward. And it will effectively block a Turner for coming up in mid season. The Twons just do not acquire a FA and then move him in season. Trade Kurt in mid season? Possible, but it would be out of the norm. I have no idea what the real status of Pinto is. But it seems the Twins have catchers who can either catch, or hit, but not both. While AJ can do some of each, this team does not need to delve further into the geriatric ward for players. I would rather a Turner gets his feet wet, or a Pinto be able to return to catching than sign yet another stopgap.
  14. Platoon
    I would think that Gardy, after all these years in baseball, can handle NL rules. If I had to make a decision on Gardy as a manager, it would be based on my roster. Is it stable? Veteran? Huge egos? Yes to the first two questions and no to the third, would be more important to me than the league rules.
  15. Platoon
  16. Platoon
    I don't think the smoking gun memo is forthcoming, but a correlation is. My local high school coach, and my sons, coached 40 yrs. Extremely successful, with the aberration that for the first 39 years he did not win a state tourney. Despite going there numerous times. And despite having a few players Achieve a cup of coffee appearance, to a solid MLB career, I do not recall a ML pitcher coming out of the system, just a couple middling D1 guys. His pitchers were all virtual clones. Strike throwing, breaking ball, control type pitchers. In 40 yrs there were big arms went through the the program, with the attached control problem young velocity type pitchers have at that age. They were always passed over for the control guy, because even a 2-0 count practically threw him into an apoplectic fit. His choice of pitchers was his prerogative, and worked very well during a long regular season. But it left him short on talent needed to finish the job. Again, his choice. Never once did he tell me that this was a "philosophy. Not did he have too. 40 yrs is enough time to discern a trend, as is 17 yrs.
  17. Platoon
    The Twins have not, nor will they ever say anything like that. You may call this an opinion if you wish. I prefer it to be an observation from a long time viewer of Twins Baseball. They don't purposely go and tell their scouts, "hey, find me some guys that top out at 87". They don't take velocity into such esteem as other teams, and they do prefer polished control type pitchers. In young pitchers this by definition precludes velocity. It's akin to me getting ten speeding tickets in a year. I can deny that I drive any faster than anyone else, and assure you that the only times I did, I got caught. But the reality is I was likely a lead foot all the time, and my driving record reflects it!
  18. Platoon
    Nice article. And very informative. And you are correct in that velocity is not as important as location, changing speeds and ball movement. But every tick on the radar makes all of the preceding that much more effective. The upside to velocity is K/9 rate. The BABIP avg is .000 on a K. So the ability to be able to increase your velocity for a couple batters, stress pitches thrown, is important. Further, a Tommy Milone lives and dies with the size of the strike zone that day. Give him a big outside corner and he's Cy Young. Squeeze him and he's Cy Done. While this is true to some extent for all pitchers, a lack of velocity reduces your ability to overcome that small zone. As to the Twins, their low K/9 rates over the years are not due to poor scouting, bad luck, or a statistical fluke. It's an orginisational philosophy, and has been for years.
  19. Platoon
    When I saw the post header my first thought was "what offense"? Then I saw the date. The Twins were presented with a gift wrapped in a bow early last summer, and did not open the box!
  20. Platoon
    Thanks for all the info. Do you have any stats on the Twins number of called 3rd strikes, vs swinging. And how it compares with MLB averages?
  21. Platoon
    Sounds like town ball in the good ol days!
  22. Platoon
    Discussing Hunter as a 4th OF is similar in wasted time as discussing trading Mauer. Torri has been clear, crystal, as to the chances he signs without a guarantee of a full time job. If you think he's kidding ask Buxton and Arcia. Not sure if you meant Berrios was coming north, but he won't be. They will never burn service time on him next spring. As for Kurt, Ryan has already offered his support. And if I had a dime for every time TR said, "if there's a [player] there who can help, of course we'll look at him" I would be retired, and reading TD at 4 pm......... Oh wait.......
  23. Platoon
    This is going to be one of the most interesting off seasons in years. I just hope it does not turn into one of the most frustrating? Your comparison to the Cubs is interesting, and fairly relative. Some of the same opportunity lies in front of the Twins, but it's going to take some really proactive movement. Will we grab the opportunity, or be satisfied with the more traditional "tweaking" that has become the "Twins Way"?
  24. Platoon
    I don't know whether Mays comments on his hip being a problem when relieving vs starting is factual, or the opening salvo in an attempt to talk the team into moving him back to the rotation, but it is factual that he was not healthy in the pen, and missed some important games. They should trade Plouffe, hopefully for a catcher. But trading Gibson, probably there steadiest young arm, and keeping middling veterans with spendy contracts, would mean it's business as usual at One Twins Way. It's gonna be a fun winter!
  25. Platoon
    I don't remember Butera dominating at several levels below the majors, I don't think he was a #1 pick, and it takes about 4 years to accumulate 2500AB's. Trout wasn't Trout at the 120 AB level either. Patience, patience patience!
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