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jimbo92107

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Everything posted by jimbo92107

  1. jimbo92107
    I blame Dick Bremmer. Mid-game he starts going on about Minnesota's "smothering defense..." I yelled "Nooooooooo!" at the screen, but it was to no avail. The rest is history. Where is a duck? We shall use my largest scales!
  2. jimbo92107
    Agree with Darwin's comment about Jeffers calling for yet another big, slow vertical curve from Megill, when his heater was popping in at 97 to 99. In comparison, Megill's curveball had a nice, gradual bend and a big hump. When a pitch like that doesn't wind up in the second deck, I wanna know why. I feel kinda bad for Pagan, who clearly has very lively stuff. Wouldn't surprise me if somewhere down the line he becomes a total shutdown reliever. However, right now he's an inconsistent mess. Walks two, then a homer. Gives up a single, then a homer. Then he shows sizzling pitches that mow down the opposition. That's the guy we like, but his Evil Twin keeps showing up in the same inning. Hey, if you don't care who wins, this can make for some very entertaining baseball. But darn it, we're Twins fans, so we don't like the Pagan Sacrifice. This game was full of fun. Like a roller coaster, but at the end you find out lost your wallet. Well, maybe not that bad... At least Chicago's fans had a good time at the end. You can't always win, but sometimes you can make your opponents very happy.
  3. jimbo92107
    Players whose bats are dominating the high minors usually can hit at the mlb level. No magic required, just look at the stats. Plus, read the descriptions from pundits. Both guys are predicted to hit at the top level. Your point should be that there's usually a time lag before a rookie "figures it out" at the plate, and that's true. No problem there for Nelson Cruz. On the other hand, you could still bring up Spencer Steer, then platoon him with Kirilloff at DH and 1B. Another super-sub won't hurt, especially if he figures it out fairly quickly. Then you would have Steer and Gordon for IF, and Gordon and Celestino for OF. Three subs that can hit.
  4. jimbo92107
    When you have Spencer Steer in AAA and Matt Wallner in AA, why go outside for Nelson Cruz? Right now the team is practically overflowing with power potential. Both Kirilloff and Miranda are starting to pound balls over walls. Buxton is slamming. Polo is pouncing on paltry pitches. Kepler is heating up. Correa continues to bang line drives. Sanchez is hitting bombs. Garlick is hitting lefties and righties. Even Jeffers is waking up at the plate. Oh, I forgot Arraez. He's okay. Pro: Cruz is a veteran slugger, a dedicated DH that allows the rest of the position players have real days off. Con: Cruz ain't what he used to be, to the point that either Steer or Wallner could probably do his DH job, plus provide backup for IF or OF, respectively. Plus pinch running and hitting. I don't do this deal. As mentioned, acquiring at least one solid veteran relief pitcher is far more important.
  5. jimbo92107
    Nick Gordon is a gradual learner and a late bloomer. Some of that is due to physical ailments, which are now behind him. As a player, we initially expected Lewis to be an All-Star level shortstop. Then, injuries and sickness derailed his career for a few years, to the point where most of us figured he was just another Twins first round flop. Then a funny thing happened: The flop woke up. He made the team, and somehow stayed on the roster. Then he got a little better the next season, and a little better after that... Now he's being compared to Royce Lewis, whom most of us think is a potential superstar. Like Gordon, Lewis's early career is on hold due to an injury. Like Gordon, Lewis will need to heal and rebuild himself into the superior athlete he is. Gordon's "ceiling" may not be as high as Lewis's. However, Gordon today is a valuable member of this team, a super-sub with a respectable bat. Thing is, I expect Gordon to continue improving gradually. I expect him to get a little choosier at the plate, because he does keep working to improve. Don't be terribly surprised if his K's go down about 20 percent while his BB's go up about 20 percent between now and September. Gordon does keep getting better.
  6. jimbo92107
    Woof, I just read a few blurbs about the top 15 guys in the draft. Felt my enthusiasm deflating like a popped tire. The only one that sounds like a sure bet is Druw Jones. The rest sound like good to middling prospects, with no guarantees among them. As for Jacob Berry, I'm not sure what's the problem. Is he turtle slow? Hands of stone? Is there some reason he could not learn to man the hot corner if he worked with demon intensity, day after day for a couple years? Twins have drafted project fielders before, including Cory Koske and Justin Morneau. They're grooming a guy (Miranda) right now that needs a lot of work to be average at 3B. They draft the bat, then teach the glove. My only fear is, as mentioned in these comments, that they'll wind up with another Aaron Sabato. However, it sounds like Berry is already a pretty refined hitter. Okay, draft him, unless one of those pitchers falls to their spot.
  7. jimbo92107
    Zero, of course. Sano would be part of a package (plus a prospect or three) for a good RP from a team that has no chance to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh?
  8. jimbo92107
    Best thing for all parties would be: Sano belts some mammoth homers in St Paul, then gets traded in a package that gets the Twins a solid relief pitcher. Sano needs a fresh start on a team that needs a big bat and an okay 1B. He's still fairly young, immensely strong, and can hit those crowd-pleasing 450-footers...between all the KO's. He's just not going to be Frank Thomas 2.0, which was what some of us thought maybe he could become. But he'll always be a scary hitter, at 1B or DH. On this Twins team, Sano's place has been taken over by Miranda and Kirilloff, both of whom are better fielders and much higher average hitters. The Twins today are doing well with hitters that keep the runners advancing, stretching those 2-out situations into RBI's. They won today's game with just that - a line drive single to walk off the win. Miranda didn't need to knock one over the fence, so his good, flat swing was plenty to get the final run over the plate. Not ignoring Polanco's long ball, but even that was a calculated choice by a high-average hitter. Polo swung for distance because he knew at 2-0 the pitcher needed to throw a strike. This year's Sano might have swung at the first two pitches, trying to hit a home run from the get go. If Miguel Sano ever learns proper plate discipline, watch out world...
  9. jimbo92107
    Winder was a stud horse today. Looked like his future, which is an excellent MLB starter for years to come. Stood tall, good poise, Bert's "downward plane" mixed with high heat, excellent mix of pitches, stayed away from the middle, used a slow curve, a couple change ups, Also, he did a great job of executing from the wind-up and the stretch equally well. A lot of young pitchers look good from one, but not the other. Winder executed well while checking baserunners. On offense, well... wow. This lineup is capable of exploding for ten or more runs on just about anybody. So odd that they've been shut out completely a few times, but great pitching does happen sometimes, too. I know it's unrealistic, but six runs seems like a minimum for this offense.
  10. jimbo92107
    I think he helped revive the careers of a few Twins pitchers, including Duffey and Thielbar. Got a few more ticks on Jax's heater, too. He knows how to teach that specific kinetic chain required to throw a baseball in the mid to upper 90's. Maybe he even taught Duran to throw 103 without his arm falling off, I don't know. Anyway, a good pitching coach, but there are others. Not too worried. Good luck to Johnson at LSU.
  11. jimbo92107
    I am not so concerned with steals as I am with missed opportunities to advance after the catcher drops a ball in the dirt and it dribbles ten feet away. Any average speed player should be ready to break for the next bag after every pitch. Instead, I see guys just standing there, not even trying to take advantage, unless the ball goes all the way to the backstop. All I ask is that every player, even the catchers, do their three hops, landing the third hop just as the ball gets to the catcher. If the ball dribbles away, take off! Yes, guys like Buxton can steal on a clean catch, but a ball dribbling away gives you about two seconds to churn those feet. If you have any kind of respectable athletic speed, you should make it to the next base. That means everybody on the current Twins roster. No, I'm not saying a 270 pound, 40 year old DH should do this, or your player with a bad knee. Three skips is just what every kid in little league does, and it should work even better in the bigs.
  12. jimbo92107
    Perfect observations, sound conclusions, logical suggestions. If we all yell at our computers, will the FO hear us?
  13. jimbo92107
    I didn't predict it, but it's satisfying to see that Devin Smeltzer has become the team's most reliable starter. Ryan and Gray may have more impressive "stuff," but Smeltzer has command and a plan every time he toes the rubber. Once again, hitters were unwilling to offer at his first pitch slow curve. So, he kept doing it. Cleveland's lineup clearly was getting more and more frustrated by this soft-tossing lefty moving the ball all around the zone. The only thing they could do is hope the umpire missed more strike calls. That blown strike on the outside change-up cost Smeltzer a strikeout, a hit, and about 15 extra pitches. Bring on RoboUmp! Good dinger by Gordon. I like having him on the team, and I'm pretty sure Baldy does, too.
  14. jimbo92107
    Pagan is a little like a roulette wheel. Stupid to play at all, but if you must, then bet once, and if you win, then get the hell out. Go buy a nice dinner on the house. Instead, Rocco bet twice on Pagan, and wound up with the Pagan Sacrifice. I'm trying to get across the extreme swings of the guy's pitching. If you get a nice box of chocolates, enjoy them and move on. Don't open the next box, because... Those might not be chocolates! Remember Samuel Deduno? Incredibly live arm, his heater would bend two-and a half feet. Hitters could barely touch him but Deduno could barely find the strike zone, and if he had to throw a "get it over" pitch, they tended to sail over the fence. Pagan is a little like that. His stuff is electric, but he's just barely got it under control, and he can implode just as fast as he can burn through three batters. Ultimately, you can't have guys like that in your bullpen. Sometimes you can't afford to see a reliever blow a lead.
  15. jimbo92107
    When the Twins signed Dylan Bundy, I thought it was a low-risk, low-reward gamble. Hadn't heard news about Bundy for quite a while, but what I did hear sounded like a guy whose arm was pretty much shot. First few games, I thought the Twins lucked into a mature pitcher with a new repertoire of dink and dunk off speed stuff. Then he had a spell where it looked like the league read his book and was beating him with it. Finally on Saturday Bundy showed that he can still be the pitcher from the first few games, and even a little better. Eight innings of one-run ball. He was getting first-pitch strikes with a slow curve, and AZ wasn't sitting on it. Bundy appears to be using a "just enough" approach. Just enough velo and command with his heater. Just enough bend and command with his curves and sliders. An occasional change-up, just enough fade. The common factor was command. He threw 70 percent strikes, and most of his off-zone pitches were sucker balls. It was a command performance, and it may have rescued the bullpen for the next series. Great job by Dylan Bundy.
  16. jimbo92107
    The big comeback year from TJ is 2 years after, not 1 year after. Takes a pitcher about a year to find his game again. Don't expect a lot from Kenta. Love him for trying, but don't bet on it.
  17. jimbo92107
    This isn't shaping up to be a Twins win-it-all year, but if they want to get as close as possible without selling the farm, they need to add one good reliever, then bring up every hot bat in St Paul. DFA Duffey and Smith Bring up Canterino and Balazovic Bring up Kirilloff and Spencer Steer In the playoffs, your #4 and 5 rotation pitchers become relievers, because you're trying to win each 3 of 5 series. Bringing up the hot bats puts a little more pressure on opposing pitchers. We have seen that pressure rise close to the breaking point lately, but not quite bubble over into bunches of runs. Steer and Kirilloff add just enough pressure to blow the lid off some games.
  18. jimbo92107
    There's only one commonality between Arraez and Astudillo: Both rarely whiff. However, where Tortuga could barrel up just about any pitch, he did not have a plan for where to hit the ball. Arraez actually picks his spots to hit the ball depending where he sees gaps in the defense. Also, Arraez is perfectly willing to take a walk, which El Cherubo considered an insult to his manhood. Or something. It's almost like Astudillo was more concerned with looking like a hero than with doing whatever he could to help the team win. I still liked Astudillo, because he was a gamer all the way. But Arraez is fully engaged in winning games, whatever it takes. Both are fun to watch, but Arraez is a more effective ballplayer.
  19. jimbo92107
    Soto is getting his pro forma cuppa coffee because he's a long-time minor league veteran, so they are doing him a bit of respect. The only way he doesn't get DFA'd pretty quickly is if he hits home run after home run, a Twilight Zone scenario where he does a deal with a mysterious stranger in a darkened hallway. I hope he at least gets to play in a game or two... Meanwhile, deep within the lead-shielded confines of their sanctum sanitorium, the FO's hivemind is bubbling over the same issues we are. After exhaustive statistical analysis and billions of computed probability scenarios, they will conclude on the previously mentioned platoon of Kirilloff, Larnach and Arraez. This will give the team plenty of DH's, and bats on the bench, while saving Sanchez from DH duties. Don't be surprised if Kirilloff is called back up within the week. Certainly in the next couple weeks...
  20. jimbo92107
    Kirilloff's bat will give him at least a decade in the majors, IF his wrist issues don't drive him out of the game. Baddoo was unforgivable. The kid was clearly dynamite, and should have been protected. Tyler Wells was just another tall, lanky minor league pitcher among several we heard about at TD. Their success goes up and down, and Baltimore grabbed him after a downturn, I assume. Anybody's guess which tall, lanky minor league pitcher will actually make it. Jax could be a solid middle reliever for years to come. Gotta like that guy.
  21. jimbo92107
    Tony Gwynn seems a better comp to Arraez. One of my favorite features is how Luis will stretch an at-bat out for several extra pitches, making the pitcher run up his count. Then he strokes an easy single, right where he aimed it. Remember Carew's advice, right before Arraez's hot streak? "Crouch a little lower."
  22. jimbo92107
    I think Cole Sands has a good chance to be a solid mlb pitcher. We have all seen his good innings, where his heat rides low and his curves bend right near the edge, also low. That stuff will definitely get a lot of guys out. Regardless of age, it takes a year or two of experience for a rookie to figure out how to plug the holes in his game. Sands may not be quite ready to dominate, but what he needs to learn will not come at the AAA level. Twins should consider moving him to the bullpen, maybe replacing one of several weak links there. Let Sands cut loose with a hotter heater and fewer pitches for the remainder of the season. Then build him up physically and mentally to get back into the starting rotation.
  23. jimbo92107
    Listening on radio, I heard Dan Gladden repeat what I said a few days ago, that Duffey's curveball has lost its bite. Since spinning the ball has been his bread and butter his whole career, losing the spin is a very bad sign for Duffey. Possible that he's hiding some muscle or tendon pain, but without his curve, Duffey's other stuff is delicious cookies for hitters. At this point, if he needs to seriously reinvent himself (again), I think it's time Duffey did that somewhere it won't hurt the team. Twins desperately need to pursue a couple of veteran relief pitchers, so they can DFA Duffey. Not saying he can't come back, but his tricks aren't working anymore.
  24. jimbo92107
    Keep Sweet Luis at First Base all season to save those knees. When he gets a day off, either rest him or DH him, depending how his knees feel. He will win a batting title. Farewell to Chi Chi, we barely knew yea, except by your inflated ERA. The Twinkies have very modest requirements for their starting pitchers, beginning with, don't give up three runs in the first couple innings. The team appears to have a better bet with other arms on the roster or emerging from St Paul. So it goes. Meanwhile, good win for the "B team" of position players. Good plate discipline to draw a couple walks before Arraez walked up. Yes, he can hit for distance. Normally he does not, because he's so good at advancing runners, and swinging for homers would lower his average drastically. Arraez is more valuable than a typical power hitter for a couple reasons. First, he can very quickly dispel the notion that the opposing pitcher has "unhittable stuff." Second, he shows the rest of the team how to work counts, draw walks, and induce pitches down the middle. Today we saw the ultimate example of the result of plate discipline. Two walks to load up the bases, pitcher opening up his chest too soon, balls sailing arm-side. After six straight balls, he could not afford to walk in a run, so at 2-0, Arraez knew he could load up and sit on something pretty much right down the middle. Boom, there it is.
  25. jimbo92107
    Smeltzer further cements his rightful place in the starting rotation. Who else on the staff goes that deep into a game, more than once? Pagan was used properly this time. Five runs ahead, and his worst implosion was for two or three runs. With little pressure, he worked his stuff the way he's supposed to. Very live arm, just needs to get his confidence back.
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