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jimbo92107

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Everything posted by jimbo92107

  1. jimbo92107
    Louie Varland looks like a fearless young MLB pitcher with excellent stuff. With he and Bailey Ober backing up the starting five, this is indeed the deepest group of quality starters I have ever seen beginning a season for the Twins. This team appears to have seven starters that would be #2's or #3's behind an ace. You really don't need a Cy Young contestant if all your guys are solid pitchers. It means that each time through the rotation, one or two guys will throw and ace-like game, six or seven innings giving up either no runs or one run. Varland today came about as close as you can get, considering the firepower of the Yankees hitters. If the next two starters can do as well, the Twins could take this series.
  2. jimbo92107
    One other good thing: Besides the shining outcome, we got to see Eddie Julien execute a couple completely normal fielding plays at second base. Maybe he's not quite the stumbling, bumbling, clumsy clown with a big rubber glove that the prospect descriptions seemed to indicate. If he can play barely acceptable 2B, then he's my new Eddie.
  3. jimbo92107
    After this, it goes without saying that the Yankees will be after blood tomorrow. Tyler Mahle should start with a lot of high fastballs and low change-ups. Let them chase junk for an inning or two. Meanwhile, Joe Ryan glided through seven innings of superb pitching. Like Jose Berrios and Ervin Santana, Ryan has a pitching style that doesn't look like he's applying max effort, but the ball does what he wants. Mostly... ;-)
  4. jimbo92107
    When your least dominant starter is Tyler Mahle, your rotation is pretty good. When your offense is...getting by without your star 2B and your top hitting prospect (Kiriloff)... Get well soon, Polo!
  5. jimbo92107
    The way Joe Ryan throws his fastball, I see two effects: 1) He will continue to get a lot of whiffs and weak pop flies under the ball. 2) When a batter gets around early and adjusts up, we may see some record-breaking velocities and distances. Yes, it is vital that Ryan develops and uses off speed pitches, especially ones that bend DOWN. His new sweeper is a good start. I hope he also develops a splitter and/or a change up that uses the same arm motion as his heater. That would really drive hitters nuts. Imagine the frustration of a batter that has worked his butt off to adjust up to Ryan's riding heater, only to get three splitters in a row. Joe Ryan today has the foundation of a great pitcher's arsenal. How good can he get? I love asking that question.
  6. jimbo92107
    I suppose they could try charging less for tickets and food... Oh, what am I thinking??
  7. jimbo92107
    Thing is, the Saints sounds like a lot of fun to watch. I'd love to go there and check out the atmosphere, baseball aside for a moment. It may just be AAA, but it sounds like you get an experience to remember.
  8. jimbo92107
    First five games were all good news for the starting rotation. Looks like there isn't a serious weakness among them, now including Kenta Maeda. What a wonderful problem to have, a staff so good that Bailey Ober, who gave up zero runs in spring, is stuck across the river, honing his pitches. I can't even seriously complain about the Twins getting shut out. Cy Young winners are pretty good at that. Let's hope their next starter isn't another candidate for top pitcher. In fact, I think they traded that guy to the Twins. Skol, Lopez!
  9. jimbo92107
    What a good problem to have. The other good problem is this starting rotation. Very stingy so far, although only Ryan has completed 6. We'll see how that goes with Mahle, who might get there, and then Maeda, whose pitch limit is probably too low to get there. Rocco wouldn't let him go more than about 60 pitches first time out, would he? I'm just hoping Maeda has decent command, so he can go at least four. Then...bring in Sands, heh-heh!
  10. jimbo92107
    He came sooo close to making the cut out of spring training. I bet he's been swinging out of his shoes the first couple games trying to hit the home run that gets him that cab ride across the river. Speaking of the ride across the river... It occurs to me that St Paul's close proximity to Target Field makes it possible to arrange a special form of transportation for rookie callups. Some candidate vehicles: - Luxury limousine - 1970's era van with wall to wall shag carpet - Multi-pedal circular bar - Parade float - Animal drawn carriage (horse or pig) - Ancient vintage firetruck or car ...or, just walk the whole way, surrounded by teammates, fans, friends and family. That would be a great way to see some sights, tell some stories, and connect with the public.
  11. jimbo92107
    Gallo is 1B until either he shows his bat is a flop, and / or Miranda proves he's an unacceptably bad fielder at 3B. I thought Miranda looked pretty good at 1B last season...he could do that again. Gallo with a good bat would still be valuable in the OF. I hear he has a very strong throwing arm.
  12. jimbo92107
    Is Jordan Balazovic working his way out of the doghouse? I don't see his name in the order of succession. He might be a bit of a hooligan, but he's a talented pitcher, I hear.
  13. jimbo92107
    I was sorry to see Arraez go, but once I heard what a good pitcher Lopez was, I understood the trade. Very few position players are worth a good starting pitcher, plus the logjam in the middle infield made sweet Luis expendable. Want a second baseman that can hit? Stick Ed Julien in there, or give Brooks Lee an early cuppa. Maybe neither one has the barrel rate of Arraez, but both have more pop. On the other hand, maybe more hits will come in game 2. As mentioned, Greinke is still a clever pitcher. He can make good hitters look foolish.
  14. jimbo92107
    This is the first season in a while where it seems like the positive 'ifs' are as numerous as the negative 'ifs.' That is, along with all the usual things that can go wrong, there are also a lot of things that can go right this season. For instance, it is not crazy to think that three or four of the current five starters will have decent seasons, while at least one of the backups (Ober) also has a good chance of having a good season. The probabilities taper off with Varland and Rich, but then you've still got Blaze in the wings. Same goes for position players. Good combo at C, lots of flexible players in the infield, plus Polo doesn't have to play a whole season on his trick knee. Meanwhile Buck and Taylor can juggle time in CF, and several guys can swap around the corner OF.
  15. jimbo92107
    Crossing my fingers and toes for Bailey Ober. I like pitchers with a little something funky in their stuff.
  16. jimbo92107
    Let's hope the new owners really do get it, that a Saints game is far more than just a baseball game - it's a happening. For that very reason I'd make some changes, starting with the baseball pig. Cute, yes. But people in the cheap seats can barely distinguish the pig from any old programmed bot, scurrying along doing some brainless task. If you want a more visible treat, how about training one of those hybrid hog monsters that are terrifying Canada? Catch one early enough, train it to the saddle, then have a monkey ride the pig to the ump, flinging a sack of balls like poop at the zoo. I'd buy a ticket just to see that! Granted, there is a risk factor here. However, tusks can be trimmed, hooves can be shod, and a well-treated monkey will do his job with grim regularity. Plus, it would provide a job opportunity for a couple rodeo clowns. We all love clowns!
  17. jimbo92107
    One note on Pagan: I watched a video about Randy Johnson a few days ago. Johnson was notoriously wild in the first half of his career, until he got a golden tip from Nolan Ryan, who told him, don't land on the heal of your landing foot; instead, land on the ball of your landing foot. Suddenly, Randy Johnson was a control pitcher with power. Could it really be just that simple with a guy like Pagan? I wonder...
  18. jimbo92107
    Definitely wouldn't trade Thielbar. He has succeeded only in the Twins system. The coaches? The bars? The water?? Whatever, he pitches well on this one, single team. What he brings in trade would be nothing compared to his value right here in the pen. The Monty Hall problem is limited to things valued in a very specific context, their estimated retail cash value. Problem is, the problem runs into further confounding factors when things like social microclimates and personal feelings are involved. Last season the trio of Thielbar, Jax and Duran caused the least heartburn of any in the bullpen. Lefty curveball artist, rightie with a nasty slider, then overwhelming velocity, with movement. The price is already just fine, thank you. Let's change the channel to a baseball game.
  19. jimbo92107
    Most of these assessments seem to converge on a common strategy: If Ober's pre-season stuff is shining while Maeda looks rusty, then it makes sense to make Ober the 5th starter while Maeda goes to the pen. Use Ober's innings at the MLB level so as not to waste them in St Paul. Let Maeda continue to hone his stuff as a long reliever. If Ober gives you half a dozen starts before something puts him on the IL, by then Maeda should be sharp enough to give the team some reasonable starts. By then, you're getting close to half a season, by which time somebody in St Paul could be ready for a callup. On the other hand, if Ober stays healthy... Then the Twins have a surprisingly good and cheap starter, maybe for a full season this time. Plus, if Maeda's time in the pen allows him to ease back into pitching well, then it becomes a relative embarrassment of riches. Here's to embarrassment!
  20. jimbo92107
    At least this season, the Twins are pretty well stocked with replacement players. Gallo, Farmer and Taylor should help prevent the team from depending on rookies and defense-only veterans.
  21. jimbo92107
    In the video example, Correa started on the dirt, then ranged onto the grass. Perfectly legal by today's rules, right? The back of the dirt is pretty far back, even now. His gun will continue to play at SS.
  22. jimbo92107
    You must have written this before we heard about Buxton's latest pain in his hip, the same place that put him on the IL last season. If Buck spends more time injured this year, then CF becomes another WAR weak spot.
  23. jimbo92107
    Dear Jordan, Pitch well, and stop hanging out in bars. You'll save a lot more than money. Jimbo
  24. jimbo92107
    Looks like a pretty solid, if unspectacular duo of catchers. Who is the next guy up, in case of injuries?
  25. jimbo92107
    Ober, Varland and SWR are three reasons I'm hopeful this spring. The fact that none of these three good young pitchers will break camp with the team means a lot. Do the Saints still deliver baseballs to the home ump with a pig? Much more relaxed atmosphere in St. Paul.
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