savvyspy

The difference between these two teams is stark. The Jays made deals to shore up flaws and their fans are excited. There is tons of baseball to play but they look like a team making a run. The Twins sat on their hands and look like a team that is dangerously close to quitting. They couldn't even be bothered to start their highest paid player in a key series with a team they are in competition with for the playoffs. If that's not mailing it in I don't know what is.

They are 2-8 in their last 10. That's no where close to a .500 team after the All Star break and officially in free fall for what was a playoff team no matter if they had overachieved or not prior.

I disagree on Arcia. I think he's being mismanaged by the front office. There are about 3 people in the league with power that don't strike out a lot. He has more offensive upside than almost anyone on the current Twins roster. I also this the "attitude" issue is something this front office floats when they aren't successful getting players to change their approach. The Twins have a storied history in this area with guys like D. Ortiz, K. Loshe, and Garza. There are talented players out there that resist changing their approach especially when the alternative is an unproven and HIGHLY unsuccessful Twins way. Other teams know the Twins try to turn everyone into an everyday player that is able to hit to all fields. Not every team is designed this way. A team that is looking for a power bat that can hit RH pitching in a platoon situation would be highly interested in Arcia. He's young and has a plus bat against RH pitching. That has value in this league if you focus on what he can do and not focus only on what he'll never do.

I am starting to wonder the same thing but I'm trying to stay positive. Realistically I think Meyer is a solid MLB bullpen arm and part of the future. The team needs to let go of him ever being a starter. I think Tonkin needs to be up for good. You have to stop yo-yoing him back and forth. He's proven to be better than 2/3rds of your bullpen as it is. I think he's part of the solution. Barrios probably is a number 3 starter in the majors along the lines of Gibson. Buxton, Polanco, and Kepler are legit MLB talents. Its too early to know early if Burdi, Gonsalves, Thorpe, Adam Walker, and Gordon can't be MLB players. Beyond that you have a bunch of guys that could contribute. Basically, I don't know if that makes them Top 5 after graduating Sano and Rosario and Stewart falling off but they are still probably in the top 10-12 which is pretty good.

At least its been established beyond a reasonable doubt that the Twins are sellers at the deadline. Did that ever turn around in a hurry.

Zobrist is ALREADY great. Top 5 WAR since 09 for a position player. Solid defensively at multiple positions and a steady bat. I LOVE this trade for both sides. The Royals window is open now. Zobrist and Cuetto have to make them the favorites in the AL.

You are on thin ice here. I suggested that MAYBE Mauer could take some ABs in RF to free up some ABs for Arcia (having Sano or Plouffe play 1B sometimes) coming up and it was treated like I had suggested throwing me out there. Even though that is literally one of the most common position switches in the majors. I mean the Twins had Chris Colabello do it last season but having a better athlete do it makes zero sense?? As you said, the team carts utility infielders and backup catchers out there like its their first option and Mauer couldn't do it? Then you wouldn't have to carry a well below replacement Shane Robinson on the roster and you could get Arcia's bat (but avoid his awful OF defense everyday) back on the roster. He has nothing to prove at AAA anymore and the team needs bats.

I don't think standing pat is a huge deal. This team isn't good enough across the board to make noise in the playoffs this year. If Ryan can get a guy that's part of the future in the pen, SS, or catcher then go for it but a rental makes no sense. The team has overachieved their talent so far and that's great. They are fun to watch and some of the young guys like Rosario and Sano have helped. I would bring up Arcia, Tonkin, and any other viable bullpen arm they have internally and see how they handle this slump. If they collapse then you know what you have and can fix it in the offseason. But maybe they learn to overcome adversity and it helps them down the line.

I am far from a Mauer apologist but until this front office figures out how to manage a roster, Joe is the least of our problems. Mauer's OBP is only behind Dozier (having a great season) and Nunez (Playing way over his head) and exactly the same as Torii. So until there are ANY viable options Joe is the best player we have. As long as the Twins continue to show an epic disdain for rookies, Joe's job is going to be pretty same for years to come.

Which is why you use him as a platoon player against LH pitching instead of Schaffer and Robinson who both are HORRENDOUS against lefties. Its like this team doesn't get that its not mandatory for a player to be equally effective against different pitchers. That's why platooning works for small markets because the guys that hit everyone are expensive and the Twins refuse to spend money on elite talent. So you have a philosophy that demands its players to be elite while not giving its young players the leash to play in the majors and refuse to sign elite free agents. A real solid plan. But maybe next year we can do the exact same thing and this time it will work.

The thought that this team is suspect of defensive metrics and not only watched yesterday's dumpster fire but the dreck they've been tossing out there the last 4 season but are actually ok with it leaves me absolutely dumbfounded. Dozier butchering the double play was a mistake. You have to turn your body, plant, and throw the ball to Santana not backhand it from 25 feet. That stuff is fixable. Sending Hunter and Arcia out there to lumber around the outfield not getting to routine balls in the gap, miss multiple cutoff men, and drop pop ups is malpractice by Terry Ryan. Both are DH only at this point period. The arrogance Ryan of prioritizing teaching Hicks some sort of BS "Twins Way" lesson in favor of going north with TWO center fielders that absolutely cannot hit LH pitching is fire able in my mind. Its just Terry Ryan being a stubborn old man at the expense of fixing this mess. Until that behavior changes this team has nothing but the #1 pick to look forward to.

On the bright side, Terry Ryan didn't recall Eric Fryer.

I'm almost buying into the conspiracy theory that TR made the bullpen this bad to cover up the fact that he has the worst outfield in the 50+ year history of the team. The starting staff, Mauer, Dozier, and Plouffe are going to need to have MONSTER years for this team to even be in the same zip code of .500. This is really the most disappointing roster of the last few years. They did nothing to improve from outside the organization, don't trust any of their young guys, had a little bad luck (Pinto), and are going into year 5 of a rebuild by not starting the rebuild for the 5th straight year. This front office is really a mess right now. No strategy, no plan, and they frankly are inept at managing a major league roster. This is like a random draw of players. None of them fit a specific plan. You could make a VERY strong argument that none of the four outfielders should even be on the team. Arcia should be on a roster as a DH. He is a horrible fielder. Shaffer is going to be exposed playing everyday. He's a decent platoon player but they can't platoon because Robinson is a worse hitter from both sides of the plate than he is. But instead of finding suitable platoon opportunities Ryan needs to punish a young player, Hicks by sending him down to AAA again even though he hits lefties better than either one of your CF options. You would think they'd be embarrassed to head north with that bullpen but nothing surprises me with this team anymore.

Nothing screams that you are committed to a rebuild more than stockpiling 30+ year old national league castoffs with ERAs north of 4.50 in your bullpen. Eye roll....

You seem to be implying the reason they performed worse than the pyth w/l number last year was chance. If we are going to rely on chance then I must yield they could get to 75 wins. I think this FO has a materially negative impact on why they continue to under-perform every single year. I just don't think its too much to ask after 4 years of this garbage that expectations for this team could be raised above "if it all comes down to chance we are going to be terrible but not historically awful" It just doesn't seem to be the point of fielding a team at the major league level. Guys like Stauffer and Boyer and Robinson and Nunez and Herrmann and Fryer and the list goes on and on have no business being on a major league roster for a team with a strategic plan of getting better at some point. Its like they make every single decision in a complete vacuum. Is Trevor May may better than Malone on some random day in spring training? No?? Then send him down and we're taking so replacement level junk pitcher north again even though it NEVER works and we have years of actual proof its a failed strategy. Milone is never going to be part of the solution for this team. It makes no sense to have these types of guys on a team like this. Its like Terry Ryan thinks they are going to magically get better without rebuilding the roster. This is the worst rebuild in sports history. This roster is littered with guys with no upside that serve no other purpose than they are blocking more talented younger players that might ultimately be part of the turnaround from getting a chance. There isn't one place in professional sports that operates this way except here. The decision to send Hicks to AAA is Exhibit A: 1. Molitor comes out and says he open to platooning players which would bring the Twins out of the dark ages after years of adhering to this obsolete failed philosophy. 2. You have two players in Hicks and Shaffer who are solid platoon players. Hicks hits lefties at a mid to high .260s clip and Shaffer is better against right handers. 3. The Twins decide to demote Hicks in favor of something called Shane Robinson who honestly can't hit either lefties or righties well but is slightly better against RH pitching at .240 lifetime. 4. So now against lefties your choice is two guys that bat below .225 against LH pitching and against RH Robinson should never play either. So what is his role??? And they accuse the Twolves of tanking.........

Aside from the fact that represents an incredibly low bar, I think the answer is an heart felt YES!! There is nothing about this roster that is an improvement over any of the past 4 seasons. Where are they improved? Starting pitching? No. Defense? No. Offense> They stood pat with a slightly above average lineup. Bench? Probably the worst bench in the majors and it not close. This is the same MO of the Twins. Bring retreads north every year and watch them destroy the season every single year. Boyer is a replacement level player. That's what he is. Chris Herrmann doesn't make any other major league roster. Something called Shane Robinson is going to play center?? Good God. Yet EVERY SINGLE young player they've been touting is back to the minors until they prove they are Hall of Famers. Its time to realize the Twins are the ONLY team that operates this way and it been an absolute utter failure at every turn. So if you are asking if things can get worse, I will not only tell you it can but will take it a step further and tell you the numbers would suggest its almost a guarantee it will get worse. This is a 66-96 roster.

Aaron described the Twins front office philosophy to a tee. They are in LOVE with replacement level players and prefer these players to their supposed top prospects at every turn. This is just further evidence either they don't know how to build a major league roster or their minor league system is VASTLY overrated. I've always held that the former was the case but I'm now in the camp that they are so inept they couldn't develop top prospects if they even wanted to give them a chance which they obviously do not.

Why I ever believe anything will ever change with this team is beyond me. The core competency of this front office is punishing younger players every year until they prove they are Hall of Famers while NEVER giving them the opportunity to ever crack the lineup. Now we are going into the year with Fryer, Hermmann, Nunez and this Robinson guy while NONE of the rookies "are ready" yet. This is a 95 loss roster as it sits today. You could hope luck shines on them and they only lose 85 but there is nothing about this team that suggests they are better today than in any of the past 4 years.

I'm not sure if the White Sox approach is the perfect one to emulate. But when you are on pace for your FIFTH 90+ loss season in a row, haven't won a playoff series in the better part of a decade, and haven't sniffed a World Series since the first Bush was president, I don't think it's too much to ask that they start emulating ANYONE other than themselves.

What's stopping them from ridding the team of the roster filler (Colabello, Hermann, Fryer) AND not tendering players like Nunez and Duensing?? I think my favorite part of this discussion is someone rationalized the Nunez decision by saying he plays 5 positions. Nunez only plays 5 positions because the Twins are the only team dumb enough to play utility infielders in the outfield. We heard the same thing about Bartlett last year. He plays a lot of positions!! Ummm, no he doesn't. He plays one position and has his entire career until the Twins parked him in the outfield with predictable disastrous results.

A bigger question is why would any FA pitcher want to play with this horrendous defense behind them?? Its embarrassing and Terry Ryan owns it. Can't wait to listen to Ryan's blathering and blasting young players in the media when these guys are 15 games under .500 in June like he has nothing to do with it. Hunter will be batting 4th on opening day. That should tell you all you need to know about how useless this FO is.

On the "Terry Ryan Patronizing Front Office Moves Scale" I'd put this in between: Not making a move at the trade deadline because he didn't want to make a trade just to make a trade and starting Jason Kubel opening day last year.

Duensing is just another replacement level bullpen arm. Hes not terrible but why pay him above market to lose 91 games instead of 93? Bring up the young guys and let them play.

The answer is as follows: 2010: Anderson 2011: Anderson 2012: Entire staff 2013: Entire staff 2014: For the love of God the entire staff This team is a dumpster fire pure and simple.

Mauer has A LOT of work to do to become an average first baseman. He is not even close to a plus defensively. With his arm he may have a better chance of being better defensively in the OF than he ever will be at 1B. I would use Pinto as a C/DH, Vargas as a DH/1B and Mauer as a 1B/OF. Suzuki is likely to revert back to his mean and shouldn't be catching as much as he has. Eric Fryer is a AAAA option at best.