LimestoneBaggy

Parker, In relation to the spray chart, have you looked at pitch location on hard/soft pitches. Are they correlating to hit location or are they divergent (are they pitching hard outside, and soft inside)? I'm wondering if the short scouting report was pitch the fastball outside, and he is simply beating the scouting, or whether he is "Twinsian" and uses the whole field in his hitting.

All, I don't post much, but I do read quite a bit on this site. Has over moderation happened? Perhaps. But ask yourself this. These gentlemen have been trying to build a flagship for Twins discussions that all can enjoy (young and old). If you put yourselves in the shoes of the founders, moderators, and admin, and read some of the posts with that effort in mind, it's not hard to write threads, blogs, and posts that reflect their mission. It's their ballpark people, and if you want the field, you're going to have to beat them and maybe get a few balls from old man Mertle's yard. I'm as dirty minded as the next, and quite frankly I listen to the Sportive to get my fill on that (and dear Lord those guys are hilarious and intelligent-witty), but I come hear to learn and laugh. From the time I've been involved, I've gotten to know most of you by reading your stuff, and I'm positive you can be hilarious without the cheap bathroom humor (but save it, one day maybe I'll meet you at a Twins Daily event, and we can unload it all). In the end, I haven't paid a dime (outside of Seth's book) since I've been following these guys (and you), and if they say the line is here...then the line is here. The real question I have is why does anyone care (off season notwithstanding)?

Just out of curiosity, even without Alex Meyer playing a single Major League Game, does anyone think Washington made a good trade?

Apart from the fact that I'm still applying the crazy rumor to this.... Doumit used correctly could have plenty of value. He stunk in 2013, but 2012 (and a shortened 2011) were what I would want out of a bench bat with positional flexibility on the field. Perhaps they are grossly overpaying for it, but so what, that's already done. Not quite sure I agree with the "release him" posters....not sure if hyperbole.....

If I was a GM, and I wanted AJ on a one-year deal, I certainly would be publicly kicking the tires on "Salty". Not that I believe that's what's happening here, but I would be doing it.

I totally agree with 70 on the policing of the trademark, and this is an opposition action not infringement litigation (so it's not like they are suing WWE). But the likelihood of confusion is so low here (even in the same entertainment category) that I would hope the examiner says "well that was a waste of 15 minutes" and then throw this one in the trash. I am more than willing to be corrected by the attorneys in the thread.

Other than River outing himself for me to throw popcorn at during hockey games. Doesn't this simply boil down to we can be better as human being than using names like Redskins, Indians, or whatever (be they caricatures or otherwise) if offends people. If we can't just be better to each other, let's think fiscally. The changes will come with a huge upswing in merchandising. We in the high northern area of Grand Forks can attest to the large demand for the old merchandise, and you better believe I'm buying a new ND polo with whatever logo we decide on. It's just a logo/mascot.

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=2412-On-Faith

I need some help on this one. His numbers are down (except for a decent xFIP), and his velocity has been steadily decreasing. I really don't follow Tim or the Giants. What am I missing as giving up a second round draft pick (and I agree with a two for 24-28M) for what appears to me to be a 4-5 guy?

My main point is that he appears to be a defensive liability (or a primary DH). Taking a risk is always good (and I would have been beyond happy if they would have taken a shot), I can just see the logic in passing at that price point with a low defensive upside. Seems to be half the player of Puig/Cespedes for more money. I hope that he stinks for the Sox, or you will be dead on.

I'm not saying this isn't disappointing, but the Twins would have needed to pay north of 11 (likely 12) million a year for a guy who projects to be a DH? The scouting I've read says at best, he may be okay. So, he may be a monster bat, with little defensive abilities. With the pitching needs, I'm not going to scream foul at this one.....unless we don't sign pitching.....or he's an absolute monster.......then I'll cry...a lot.

You're 100% right, it is. My take is against the media's portrayal of the problem. I don't necessarily buy it. From all I've read, it sounds like these guys are quality human beings, and I just don't buy that the fire isn't there. But I do believe it's pretty hard to be "rah rah" when your starting pitcher can't get you out of the second on a routine basis. That's pretty demoralizing. It takes its toll over a period of time. But I do see the validity in your points, and don't want to take anything away from that. Boston did a nice job of retooling their team. I would welcome (and, God willing, expect) new players with personalities to bring fire to the table. Some of the current youth may fit that role. But as a sub-par player myself, I've always enjoyed the scrappy, fired-up guys (and no I'm not Ron Gardenhire in disguise). Let me end with a question of polar opposites. Let's say Sano wasn't around and Buxton was ready. Buxton comes up and is what we expect with his (reported) soft spoken nature and humbleness. If they became a credible team based on that alone, would this be a talking point of the media?

Great link and point JB. I believe Kent Hrbek may argue with the position the writer and Red Sox took on efficacy of watching baseball from behind a chicken bucket, but to each his own. I'm all for obtaining gritty guys who want to grind it out and have motors that don't quit, I just find the actual correlation between losing and "loudness/leadership" to be tenuous. Don't get me wrong, good leadership is necessary, but it seems as if whenever I read about a losing team, the writer tends to go to "lack of leadership, too loose of a clubhouse, no drive" as, what appears to be, an easy article. Quite frankly I don't think many make it to the big leagues on talent alone. These guys are driven and don't like to lose. In my limited experience, playing on a losing team for a long period of time creates a sort of angered silence. Increase talent, and that silence changes...and all the articles tend to trend with how great it is in the clubhouse. My two cents.

In 1987 and 1991, I was eight and eleven respectively. 1987 was the first year I “followed” the Minnesota Twins, and I can still remember my father, an ardent Yankees fan, complaining about the Twins that year. It was a beautiful time to be eight and hate the Yankees. Memories of the World Series are not very clear, but for some reason I swear I remember an Ozzie Smith back flip (I hope that actually happened). Once they won that championship, I was hooked (still have a wall plaque of the 1987 championship team). The down side to this season was the advent of the Homer Hanky. To this day when the Twins have made a playoff push, I buy a load of these in the hopes of a World Series Championship gift to my kids, nieces, and nephews (these kids need a crazy uncle, don’t judge me). In 1991, I remember the Twins digging out of the cellar to get into a pennant race. I was an eleven-year-old baseball player with one tool, I was fast…and that was about it. Little did I know I was on a collision course to be a pinch runner on a mediocre Legion team. Looking back on those years I, obviously, had no idea what went into building the roster, or that the Metrodome was an albatross sucking the Twins to an eventual vortex of doom and despair for the remainder of the 90’s (much like silk shirts did to the male population around that time). Quite frankly, the two or three times I saw a baseball game in Minneapolis, I couldn’t believe that building was real. I came from a town of five hundred, and seeing Kirby Puckett live was a life changing experience through the lens of a particularly crappy set of binoculars. Too bad I had to pee when he hit a homerun, but those troughs were irresistible fun for an entire little league team. Now I am a father of three, and I get the best of both worlds. I get to troll through blogs, Podcasts, and forums discussing every aspect of the details of building a winning roster, and I get to watch baseball through the eyes of a five-year-old boy who watches the season a game at a time. No matter how much time I spend reading arguments, posting infrequently, and listening to Podcasts on long drives, watching baseball through a child’s eyes is one of my greatest joys. He doesn’t get the concept of a pennant race quite yet, although that is coming too fast for his old man’s comfort. Still, to him, each game is a championship. I’ll never forget our last trip to Spring Training. The Twins were playing the Cardinals, and in looking at my son, my mind’s eye took me back to the 1987 World Series, except I could smell the grass and see the players while my son eagerly watched in a sugar-induced haze. In this game, the Twins had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh and a rally was starting. I can’t remember who, but someone struck out with the bases loaded to end the game (my son still hasn’t seen the Twins win in a live game). As he cried in the concourse, other Twins fans past us by. They tried to console him….knowing in their hearts what it means to be a fan of a Minnesota sports team; they’ve been there. They could see, feel, and perhaps taste “one of us” being born and passing through the ritual. I picked up my then four-year-old son and tried to explain the concept of Spring Training; just one game; it’s just a game; and in the end, I carried him to the car (wife, other child, and two Grandmas in tow). We stopped for some orange juice and ice cream on the way back to our hotel. I could see the sting of that game in his eyes as he drifted off to sleep in his car seat. One day we will all share in the glow of a good team…. I too sat through the 90’s (even as a child). I see good things coming…good things through a child’s eyes. Later that night, I had a beer, he some milk (not chocolate or his Mom may have disowned me). I said, let me tell you about Puckett, Hrbek, Gaetti, Gagne…and let me tell you about Arcia, Sano, Rosario, Meyer……….

On a more serious note, I think the clubhouse leader is overblown in either direction. "The Twins are too quiet", the "Red Sox are too loud and drunk". They are just short on talent (cough pitching, impact middle bats, cough, cough). Mauer is not the problem, and neither is his contract.

After seeing the return for Drew, I no longer have a valid frame of reference for trade returns.

Parker, Any follow up on Vance's status in AAA focusing on developing a change? I was hopeful he was getting knocked around a bit learning a pitch.

I get where the countering opinions are coming from here, but my main point is that it's an acceptable risk to gamble into the waiver trade deadline to get a (potentially) better prospect during the next month if Justin can prove better value/someone gets desperate. Whether the cost is a sunk cost or not is laden with numerous other factors of PR/merchandising/ticket sales, etc, and maybe, just maybe a hint of my own sentimental feelings here...

Deduno as a fifth starter. I'm buying into that team. Even with some regression to the mean.

Someone help me out here. I'm not seeing the problem with letting the trade deadline pass for Justin in lieu of the waiver deadline. Crappy July, kind of crappy season, not much trade value, and I'm guessing the O's or any other team is offering a D level prospect (org filler guy). Personally, buying a D (or maybe even a C prospect) at 6M is overpaying. It seems to me that an acceptable risk is to wait it out, hope Justin turns it around and try to get better value in August. If he stinks in August, at least you didn't overpay for a bad prospect (of course this assumes the Twins would eat the entire salary remainder). Glaring assumptions aside.....

Couldn't help myself.

Points for Simpsons Quote. All other posters are number two or lower.

If the Pirates wanted a trade for Morneau, it's certainly time to "buy-a-prospect" and eat his salary. I just can't get by the feeling that's where the trade talks break down.