savvyspy

If Hicks is on the roster he's playing center.

What's frustrating for this 8 year season ticket holder is back to back 90 loss seasons and being told we should keep a $14 million "ambassador" rather than trade him for young talent that will ultimately lead the team back to 90 WIN seasons. Unfortunately this team can lose 90 games just as easily with Morneau as the can without him. I'd like to at least see a payoff down the line. There was NOTHING ryan could do to make this team a factor in 2013 anyway. They have taken the exact correct approach.

I guess my purchase of the Nothing Runs Like A Revere t-shirt 2 days ago was the Kiss of Death. Great trade but love Revere.

This team has lost almost 200 games the last 2 seasons. There shouldn't be a massive anything even if Ryan were to trade the entire roster. This roster needs to be completely rebuilt. There isn't one guy on the major league roster right now any other team would choose to build around as a core guy. They have a few nice pieces like Revere, Perkins, Plouffe, Willingham, and maybe Burton & Parmalee but no guys you are definitely building a nucleus around. Those guys are still a few years away. I would trade Mauer, Morneau, and Willingham and just get as much young talent as you can. It would allow you to play Plouffe, Parmalee, Florimon, and even Mastroiani everyday and see what you had. They could also end this dumb act that they are honestly pursuing free agent pitching. They aren't looking at anything but roster filler. You want to take anything to the bank bet your friends that Jason Marquis will have a better year than any of the dregs Ryan is going to sign to fill the rotation. Its easy money. If they would just firesale the thing we could finally admit what everyone already should know. They are going to lose 90-100 games again next year and they should do it with Diamond, Walters, Devries, and Deduno. See what you have and bring up young guys when these guys falter. If you arent going to sign free agent pitching (the Twins refuse to) then you are going to have to get lucky than 1 or 2 of these guys pan out and can tide you over til Gibson, Meyer, and the younger minor league guys catch up.

Its not just money which the Twins refuse to commit to on a consistent basis to be a championship team but the lack of talent evaluation to make what money they do spend pay off. All you need to know about this is Miguel Cabrera made $2 million LESS than Joe Mauer. Cabrera only hit 13 points higher, hit 34 more HRs, and knocked in over 50 more runs. Prince Fielder makes the same as Mauer hits about the same for average and pitches in 20 more HRs and about 25 more RBIs. Until the Twins stop having $37 million tied up in Mauer and Morneau, who combined to only hit 29 HR (less than either Fielder or Cabrera) and knock in 162 runs it doesn't matter what the budget is. Neither Mauer or Morneau make this team better whether they play or don't yet 40% of the payroll is tied to these guys. That makes no sense. I mean this front office gave Nick Blackburn $5 million and he's the worst starting picher in 25 years. The Tigers win because their front office knows what it takes to win. You need an ace at the top of the order and 2 big bats in the middle of the lineup and you build around that foundation. The Twins have made decades of excuses why they won't trade or sign for an ace or why they always draft starters that scouts say have #4 starter ceilings. The Tigers draft well and they spend on things that win you games, dominate pitching and big bats. The Twins spend money on a decent defensive catcher who hits a ton of singles and 40% of the rotation demands a "personal catcher" that's not him and $6 million set up guys that the manager likes not because he pitches well but will "take the ball" when he asks.

Guys coming off multiple rotator cuff surgeries aren't improving the pitching staff. If you aren't serious about competing just go with Deduno and Blackburn. Webb makes zero sense.

There has never been a more honest assessment of the Twins organization. Kudos for speaking the truth as depressing as it is.

So we can't expect Mr $23 million to repeat the monumental achievement of hitting 10 HRs again?

Any team that wouldn't entertain moving Mauer after back to back 90+ loss seasons is crazy. Mauer's contract is only justifiable if you are getting elite offense (sorry 75 RBIs from the #3 hole isn't elite), defense (not even close), or at least superior performance in one of these catagories teamed with intangible benefits (highly questionable). Breaking down the offensive performance, Mauer really isn't significantly more productive than Austin Jackson or David Murphy. He walks more so his OBS is higher but he's really not that productive otherwise and he's batting in the heart of the order. Defensively Mauer is VERY versitile but isn't an elite catcher. He's valuble because, when healthy, he can play C, 1B, OF, & DH. This alone makes him an above average defensive option but not elite. The intangibles are interesting. He obviously is a local guy with a huge fan base (even though it skews 16-34 and female) but he isn't a beloved figure like Puckett was nor would he be considered a clubhouse leader at all. The other thing that's hard to prove given the various factors is he doesn't seem to make the team better. He's kind of like Kevin Love in that way. He's a great player but the team isn't more successful when he plays versus when he doesn't. Overall, I by no means think Mauer is horrible or shouldn't be the highest paid player on the team but, I think at $23 million per season you should be getting elite production somewhere and the Twins aren't. I think they need to be open to moving just about anyone on the roster and Mauer is no exception.

I always laugh at the zeal Twins bloggers and fan rip Nishioka. Honestly his numbers in Rochester were probably better than most of the middle infielders in this organization. I just dont get how Alexi Casilla can get a free pass for what?? 5 seasons?? of complete and total ineptitude but the 3 games Nishioka played this year are supposed to be what I'm supposed to be so upset about. Whether its Butera being the worst hitter in the majors the last 2 years or Nick Blackburn this organization has way more issues than Nishioka who basically was like every other middle infielder (save JJ Hardy) this team has run out there in the last 4-5 seasons. Any honest assessment of this team would lead you to believe Nishioka had nothing to do with how horrible this team has been the last 2 years. I guess people are going to need a new scapegoat when they lose 90 games again next year.

Scott Diamond is a #5 starter on 90% of major league rosters. Hendricks is Kevin Slowey with an accent. He won't be in the league anywhere in 2 years. The Twins need to stop wasting time on #5 starter types and try to find an ace and #2 & #3 guys. That's all that matters. There hasn't been anyone that's won the title in my lifetime where afterwards anyone said, "Yeah that #5 starter was key". You hear the Twins talk about it because they have nothing else. It an interesting point about the pictching angles but in reality the Twins probably already have seen this and didn't have him make the change for one of two reasons. 1. It didn't change anything or more likely, 2. He stopped throwing strikes. Basically you keep him in Rochester so you don't have to waste time signing someone to AAA this winter and hope you never have to call him up or if you do its because you are chasing a Top 5 draft pick for the 3rd straight season.

I disagree. Scouting is an in exact science too yet the Twins are worse at it than almost every team. Pitching is an Inexact science yet the Twins are historically bad. This medical staff as botched almost every arm injury at every level of the organization. You DO NOT see this in other organizations. To chalk up continued failure of this team to address injuries and misuse of the DL process to basically chance makes no sense.

Just another example of the rudderless Twins front office chasing this fantasy that "there are no scholarships". That obviously only pertains to rookies who they feel the need to humiliate publicly to mask the fact that they have no plan and can't manage a roster. So its totally fine to trot Blackburn and Deunsing out there but you are drawing the line with Dozier??? That's ridiculous. Especially since you have NO ONE to replace him because you refuse to sign productive free agent or trade at the deadline to make your team better. The only thing guaranteed by this move is Florimon won't come close to batting .230 and isn't going to be an upgrade by really the only statistic that matters, wins. This isn't Dozier's fault. This is purely an organizational failure.

I'll get bent out of shape and join the unhinged hysteria and angst about Nishioka when the Twins stop running Nick Blackburn out to the mound every 5 games. Until then, they can put a traffic cone out at short it won't matter. No one is good enough anyway. They've run every decent shortstop off the roster and Gardy continues to throw Dozier under the bus after every game too. I guess the manager that's won exactly ZERO playoff series in the past decade who fashions himself a poor man's Tom Kelly won't be satisfied until he can pencil 9 Drew Butera's into the lineup.

Its fun to speculate but the reality is this team BY CHOICE won't spend on free agent pitching, won't make trades at the deadline that meaningfully improve the roster, and have ZERO pitching prospects within 3 years of the majors that would rate as anything higher than a #4-#5 starter on a playoff team. Given that, the only choice is to firesale the whole thing. Stock up on prospects, draft wisely (last 2 years have seemed better), and start making a run in 2-3 seasons. To do that you MUST trade Mauer. He's the only guy with the kind of value where you can get the level of prospect you need to rebuild. I'd keep a core of Plouffe and Revere and build around that. They have some nice complimentary pieces like Mastroianni and I think Dozier will be fine. As was pointed out, when the bats arrive the lineup is going to be very good. It all comes down to can you draft and trade for enough pitching for it to matter.

Scott Klingenbeck (Mostly because I have his game worn jersey!)

Just another meaningless deal by a team that has shown zero interest in getting better. There is no point in even discussing who is better between Valencia and Nishi. They both have VERY limited value and aren't going to make one bit a difference in whether or not this team is going to be in the bottom 5 worst teams in the majors. Nishi is a sunk cost so why not? Valencia is addition by subtraction. That's about it. Bigger question is how does Alexi Casilla still have a roster spot??

But I want to know what your definition of "when the Twins are strong" is. If you are talking about winning playoff series and going to a World Series then I will gladly eat crow on Youtube. If you are talking about patching together a team that edges the Tigers at the end of the season to win the weakest division in baseball and gets swept by the Yankees, then we don't agree on what a "strong" baseball team is.

"No trade is better than a bad trade" is the weakest defense of this mess. By definition when you are the worst team in the majors doing nothing is malpractice. You can't be worse than this team is from a pitching and player development standpoint. You can't continue to say we aren't going to do anything at the trfade deadline because we're afraid we're going to make a bad trade then turn around and say signing free agents is "chasing your tail" like Ryan said yesterday. This is nothing but incompetence. Pure and simple.

The Twins did exactly what they set out to do. Sit on their hands and prepare to ditch payroll next year. There is still a majority of fans who believe the fantasy that this team is competitive while ignoring the fact that they've been horrible for 2 years. Why would anyone named Pohlad invest when the fans don't even demand it??? They didn't make their money being stupid. If people are willing to make excuses for the front office, the manager, the hometown "superstar", and the rest of the organization why not see how much more salary they can get away with cutting?? Its still a nice semi-new ballpark and a great place to watch a game but don't fool yourselves into thinking this team is interested in competing. They've done nothing to suggest that's the case. Let the excuses begin the rest of the way on why none of this is Gardy's fault and how Anderson really is the greatest pitching coach of all time if anyone bothered to listen to him. I'm sure they "aren't going to make changes for the sake of making changes" again next year. Good times.

As you watch other teams improve rosters today the Twins will be left with this overpriced underachieving junk heap of a roster that wouldn't contend if you contracted half the American League. The most ridiculous thing ever written has to be, "If not for a horrendous 6 weeks." This is one of the 3 worst teams in the majors. You can't ignore all the losses and call them a contender. For 2 years they have proved their pitching is horrible, Mauer doesn't make them better, Morneau is never going to be the player he was, they don't have infielders that can bat over .250, they have a glut of outfielders, they can't develop players, get worked at the trade deadline, and they absolutely REFUSE to spend money on what any championship team needs, an ace starting pitcher. It is what it is. They are no more a contender than the Vikings are. the only difference is it doesn't appear the Twins even understand what their plan is to get better.

Maybe the front office waiting until these assets have no trade value before exploring the trade market is the big issue.

What is this organizations strength????

Tommorow Nick is going to lay out how to get struck by lightning at the exact time you sank your 2nd hole in one of the round. And tune in Friday for a breakdown of which Victoria's Secret model is going to ask me to marry them!!

Liriano doesn't have the mental makeup to pitch in Beloit, WI. He's got Cy Young stuff and a Single A Ball head.