LimestoneBaggy

In 1987 and 1991, I was seven and eleven respectively. Download attachment: twin-celelbrate.jpg 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 downside 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 hope 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 with a future as 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 trips 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 passed 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. 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 share in the glow of a good team. I sat through the 90s. 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………. Click here to view the article

About five years ago (in beer league softball), I did the exact same thing. Dove, missed, came up throwing, and spiked the ball right into the ground. Threw my elbow out. I can't laugh at this only because this clip has been forwarded to me by multiple teammates....already.

It's great to see JB's thoughts being reasonably addressed by the mods.

Man do I ever share in this frustration. Personally, if I disagree (unless I really feel like I can add something...which is rare...) I give my head a little shake, disagree and move on to the next point (even if I have to skip a few). As my boy says "one, two, skip a few, thirty-hundred". That boy really takes after his dad (poor kid).

JB, your counterpoints are fair. I just fall on the side of an "ounce of prevention". Dman's reflections are a good example of how easy it can be to fall into the trap of "blasting". I feel the need to warn has been fairly attributable, and the warnings are more frequent during hard times.....I wish the times were better and I had a better attitude myself about the current state of affair but alas "The drinking will continue until morale improves".

While I appreciate your thoughts and can understand the frustration, the results of the moderation are astounding. For this alone, I applaud the reminders. I feel them to be the sort of gentle redirection you give to a child who is acting out due to frustration rather than actual bad nature (please do not take this example as relegating anyone here to that of a child; it was just a good analogy). I also read (but often do not post on) most of the threads. Besides TwinkieTown, it is the only Twins comment section I will read due to the fact that it's not a dumpster fire of asinine commentary (even when things start to go south for our team of choice). I may not agree with everyone, but I can usually see where the thoughts generate from. Frankly, I'm quite amazed that it is what it has become and has avoided the fire. I somewhat envision collective moderator e-chats on what should be allowed to be a more detailed and nuanced conversation than simply "warn or ban". In addition, I don't believe you should feel any more stifled by the reminders or thread starters than you do by the ground rules established by the owners. If you understand the rules, than a reminder of the same should no more stifle you than a reminder not to put pine tar on your neck

At the risk of starting a dumpster fire, I was having a water cooler discussion with some friends and I let this beauty fly (in relation to Mauer moving to third base or the outfield): "I just don't see it guys, based on the eye test, I don't see Mauer as an overly athletic type". Now what I meant was, he seems stiff, not very fluid, lacks a quick first move instinct, etc. (purely in relation to his play at first, not at catcher). To a point where I'm not convinced he would be a good outfielder. To disclaim, I am aware of his potential quarterback status and I've read considerably on his preparation (athletically and mentally). I'm also a total Mauer homer and I'm holding on to a mini-bat whispering curses to the left field line. With that all said, begin the onslaught of ridicules. I probably deserve them, but when you've made the statement, own it.

Or something went really right

Perhaps a comparison study with Randy Ruiz would change KLaw's mind? But seriously, it would be fantastic if Vargas could develop into a everyday major league-caliber player. Would go a long way to developing a contender.

It's quite a pleasure to agree/disagree with the community here, and know that I'd enjoy a beer and a lively conversation with members here.

It would be unfortunate if the players were compelled to arbitration or if this suit falls under an exemption. Quite frankly, the gentleman are being exploited for their desire to live a dream. A fair salary wouldn't hurt MLB's bottom line in the least.

I'm thinking the discount with Trout was not losing him to the Yankees, Dodgers, etc. when a bidding war took place. I suppose that is a calculated risk based upon his abilities

The Twins sell more than $23 Million in pink Mauer jerseys every year. His contract has no effect on the Twins.

I started to write a joke about you not knowing what I do for a living, and thus you can't possibly evaluate this position...and then I remembered I'm at work right now writing forum comments, and that's when I became my own joke.

You are 100% correct on this. I am very pleased that Escobar has received an opportunity to take the position and run with it. I was directing that more toward Florimon's inability to hit the ball and Nunez being Nunez. While I'm at it, I'll exclude Santana from my rant as well.

Never mind that our pitching is below average, that most of the lineup is below average, that our outfield defense reminds me of that "Delmon Young on Ice" show I brought my kids to last week, that we've had less power hitting in the month of May than the collective efforts of Jason Tyner and Ben Revere [subtracting one recent hit], that we've had shortstops in the outfield and minor league filler at shortstop.... but if Mauer would show some enthusiasm, boy howdy would that turn this team around....

The Dozier/Chucklehead piece is brilliant. Accidentally spit coffee on my computer screen....then had to play it off as if I was outraged by an e-mail I got....

If you are saying replace Pelfrey with Meyer in the pen, yes please. However, even running with the assumption that he is comfortable with throwing out of the pen, and discounting any Slowey-esk arguments, I don't believe I'd make this move now and replace the current relief staff.....dare I say even Burton....for now. Please remember my Pelfrey exception above.

I can agree with this if he makes it that far, I'm just hopeful the options are not necessary.

I'm not sure I follow the reasoning of why this is a straw man argument? While I don't see the arbitration-related service time as a huge issue, planning out future expenditures to separate them in spacing seems to be a valid part of the decision making process. To draw a relationship between sports, the best run football teams have very well managed cap decisions based on this (although we know baseball has no cap, luxury valuations notwithstanding). Seems to be reasonable to separate out the potential big payouts as much as possible to keep the band together, so-to-speak.

If I had to guess, the Twins may pull the old "spot start" move. When an opening comes, in time, Meyer gets a spot start. Thus, the Twins get to evaluate his MLB status and create little pressure on the team to remove an incumbent starter (assuming no one else has imploded). If he struggles, you can move him back to triple AAA and still keep the status quo, if he succeeds, you've got some decisions to make.

I really don't see the issues with leaving him in the minors based upon the information available. We know he's had health issues and is working on a new pitch. He was likely left in the minors to demonstrate he was healthy and could meet the challenge of AAA. I think he's certainly shown enough for most to agree he's ready for the majors (understanding his arsenal of "stuff"/talent). Since he's refining a pitch (I have no idea where he's at with that or any other pitch), I'm assuming he's building a level of confidence in the same, and I believe in the validity that confidence in "stuff" changes good to devastating. I'm sure that the Twins know what they have in Meyer, and are looking at maximizing the asset based upon years, salaries, roster building, and maybe what kind of bobblehead/Perkins-included commercials they could make (and a myriad of other factors). To me, they made a valid decision based upon the factors, and it makes sense to hold off a bit, let him dominate and get really hungry....he'll get his taste if he keeps going. I put zero credence in anything a GM (assistant or otherwise) says is the reason for a decision, in contrast to what they have relied upon in making a decision (think Spring Training stats).

I once had a Russian chemistry professor explain stoichiometry with cheeseburgers as an example.......it was glorious; I was the only one awake.

Perhaps this: http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-02/pot-performance-enhancer But mostly society is likely not ready for our athletes (purported role models) to be sitting around smoking pot in any venue. Hypocritical in relation to alcohol and thickburger abuse, possibly, but if you reasonably (societally) curb bad press in one area of your players personal lives and get away with it, a professional sports organization is going to do it.....possibly any organization.

Hit this one and you can name it.....