Hrbowski

http://www.post-gazette.com/image/2016/03/23/ca0,0,2589,1726/20160323MWHkirilloffSports11-10.jpg Image courtesy of Michael Henninger Alex Kirilloff is a 6'2", 195 lb. outfielder from Plum High School in Pennsylvania who has helium in this draft. Kirilloff is a raw player who has a lot of talent, yet he has not gotten as many opportunities to show scouts what he has compared to Mickey Moniak and Blake Rutherford, both from California. Kirilloff's best tool is his power, but he has a strong enough arm to play right field, and the rest of his tools will profile well as a corner outfielder. Although there are some concerns that his swing will get out of control and he may not be able to hit for a very high average in the majors, he has performed well against the top prep arms in this year's class. Alex is committed to Liberty University, so if he falls there should not be any issues about signability. A native of the Pittsburgh area, Kirilloff has impressed scouts with his makeup both on and off the field. The Twins could have interest in Alex Kirilloff because he is a fairly athletic prep player, and that seems to be their focus in this year's draft.

They are heavily scouting him, and most people in the industry believe they will go with a high school player.

"Urine trouble."

What does Melky Cabrera's mother say when she is mad at him?

http://s3.amazonaws.com/vnn-aws-sites/8161/files/2015/08/7dbd9321d5e32c89-image-600x338.jpg Joshua Lowe is a 6'4", 190 lb. two way player who is committed to Florida State University. Lowe will likely be drafted as a position player because he will hit for power as he physically matures, is an above average runner, and plays good defense. Josh will play third if he is drafted as a position player, and his great arm and quickness makes him the best defensive third baseman at the top of this year's class. As a hitter he uses a slight open stance and short stroke that helps him barrel up the ball well, with most scouts believing he will be an average big league hitter. The Georgia native is also getting some consideration as a pitcher, but his inconsistent secondary offerings limit his ceiling. The right handed thrower sits in the 91-93 miles per hour range with his fastball and tops out at 95. The Minnesota Twins are big fans of Lowe, who has a high ceiling as an offensive player, yet if he does not work out as a hitter they can always move him to the mound.

Hicks could end up better than Rosario, so I don't think that Hicks would have been a guaranteed bench player.

It doesn't make a difference if they don't add wins to the team. Hicks had over 400 plate appearances, which is definitely enough to judge a season. Murphy is being blocked anyways, and now just got sent down.

Two player trades that involve a prospect would fall under adding future value. Leo Cardenas for Jim Merrit was an ok trade, but Cardenas probably added only two wins to the team.

http://www.geeksandcleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/brian-cashman-geeksandcleats.jpg Throughout the offseason and up until July 31st of the regular season, Major League Baseball teams can freely trade any player who does not have a no trade clause in his contract, making trading an aspect that is very much focused upon. In the last decade, trades have had a huge effect on the baseball seasons, bringing key players to championship teams like the Kansas City Royals, or loosening payroll, which then allows teams like the Boston Red Sox to spend big during the offseason, enabling them to bring in star players. Trades involve professional players of all ages and capabilities, whether it is the San Francisco Giants trading for a veteran Marco Scutaro to help fuel a postseason run, or the Kansas City Royals trading their star pitcher Zack Greinke for prospects that will guide them to a World Series title five years down the road. Trades like these are a traditional part of baseball, and as long as they remain legal they will continue to be. Today I will look at the impact that two player trades have on a team’s value, including the Aaron Hicks for John Ryan Murphy trade, trades that do not have an effect on how many games you win, and swapping problems. The Minnesota Twins made headlines on November 11th, 2015, when they struck a deal with the New York Yankees, giving up center fielder Aaron Hicks in exchange for catcher John Ryan Murphy. At the time the trade did not bother me, yet looking back half a year later it makes me wonder why this trade ever happened, not because Aaron Hicks is having a breakout year for the Yankees, but because it did not add to or take away value from the team. Clearly both teams were well aware that it would not change their value, as the plan for both players was to have them spend the 2016 season on the bench, and they have essentially the same hitting skills. On the defensive side of the ball Hicks has a slight advantage, but the trade leveled out because of the Twins’ need for a young catcher, thanks in part to the trade of Wilson Ramos, who has not hit much, but has become one of the best defensive catchers in the game. As I mentioned earlier, Hicks and Murphy are pretty much the same kind of hitter; as can be seen in the graphs below, their batted ball and plate discipline numbers for the year 2015 are nearly identical. Hicks Batted Ball: Murphy Batted Ball: Hicks Plate Discipline: Murphy Plate Discipline: With these statistics in my mind, I started wondering why teams would trade two hitters who provided equal value with their bats because they could go out and grab a minor league player who would provide the same amount of value sitting on the bench that the player they were trading for had and still keep their original player. After expounding on this, I began wondering why teams would make trades that only involved two players as you would not be buying or selling; instead, you would only be making a trade that would have little effect on how many games you win. When teams are performing well enough to make a postseason run, they look at their weak spots and search for solutions to help upgrade, and when they make a trade to add immediate value, it is called buying. Meanwhile, when a team is performing poorly and is out of contention, they will look at their strong spots and try to trade away from them, helping them to accumulate value to dip into down the road. With this constant shifting of talent, we generally see waves of teams that will be good for a few years, bad for a few years, and then become competitive ball clubs again, but these changes in the standings are logical since there are thirty teams fighting for a trophy, yet it seems unreasonable to make trades that do not add immediate or future value. An analogy would be someone selling something they had and then buying an upgrade or a downgrade, whether it was a house, car, or even a lawn mower. A house, car, or lawn mower have significantly different value from each other, similar to Clayton Kershaw, Michael Wacha, and Tom Koehler. Also, there would be no point in selling something and then buying a replacement that had exactly the same value. Although you could be selling a house in Minnesota to get away from the cold and then buying a house with the same value in Florida, similar to the Twins trading a center fielder for a catcher that had approximately the same value, you would still end up with problems they have in Florida, which could be extreme heat, hurricanes, or sinkholes. The Twins and Yankees have had the same issues with the Hicks/Murphy trade, both ending up with hitters who have done relatively nothing at the plate so far this year, yet they do provide improvements in a few areas such as depth, but nothing you could not find elsewhere. To sum it up, trades that do not add either immediate or future value to a team are pointless because it does not matter which position is contributing to the team as long as you are benefiting equally. Some people will argue that trades involving two players that supposedly need a change of scenery would give both teams an upgrade over their previous roster, but even though you get rid of a problem, you just end up bringing in another one. Another common scenario is when a team has depth at one position yet is thin at another, they will trade from their depth to fill their need, but when you are still getting the same kind of production from your new player, it does not improve your team. Several of the trades the Twins have made would fall into this category, with the Carlos Gomez for JJ Hardy being the most famous, but also the Sam Fuld for Tommy Milone trade. These trades have no merit, and just end up with teams wondering why they chose hurricanes over blizzards.

I can't watch Tucker without thinking of his younger brother.

That was strike three!

What the umpire didn't want to hear.

Murphy has class. He was the one who chewed out the pimp named Carlos Gomez last year during the Yankees - Stros series.

I really like Murphy!

Apparently Adam Wainwright is a better hitter than pitcher.

http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/FLORIDA_A_M_FLORIDA_BASEBALL_35034752.JPG Image courtesy of John Raoux Logan Shore is a 6'1", 210 lb. right handed pitcher out of the University of Florida who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 29th round of the 2013 Rule 4 draft, but he honored his commitment to the Gators. Shore's fastball is good enough to be big league average, sitting in the low nineties, a slider that ranges anywhere from being his worst pitch to being a good out pitch, and a changeup, which is by far his best pitch and is probably the best changeup in this year's class. Logan repeats his delivery well and stays fairly loose, making him much more likely to stick in the rotation when he makes it to the big leagues, yet his tendency to snap his head hard as he delivers the ball could end up resulting in injuries. The righty has good control, walking only 1.46 per nine so far this season, plus he has improved his strikeout rate by 2.31 per nine this year. The Minnesotan has relatively few innings on his arm compared to a lot of pitchers from the south, and in this era of vast scrutiny of the health of pitchers it could help his draft stock. Contrary to popular belief, small pitchers have performed very well in the big leagues as their bodies do not breakdown as quickly compared to their larger counterparts, and Shore has a good build for a pitcher. The Twins will be keeping a close eye on Shore as the draft approaches, and they have drafted college pitchers who they drafted in high school, with Nick Burdi being an example.

Nearly had Kinsler.

There really isn't a catcher who you could do that with. Collins won't stick behind the plate, and there are still questions about Okey. The ones who will remain catchers should still be available with our second pick.

http://www.csnphilly.com/sites/csnphilly/files/ap-jason-groome.jpg Today is the first night of the NFL Draft, which means that it is time for us to start doing MLB Mock Drafts. Philadelphia Phillies - #1 Delvin Perez - Shortstop - IBA (Puerto Rico) The Phillies have a history of going with toolsy high school players, and Perez fits the bill. One drawback is that the Phillies already have the #1 shortstop prospect in baseball. Jason Groome and Mickey Moniak should be in the running here as well. Cincinnati Reds - #2 Nick Senzel - Third Base - University of Tennessee Senzel has shot up draft boards this spring and for now looks like a top five pick. Groome, Kyle Lewis, and Corey Ray could also happen right here. Atlanta Braves - #3 Jason Groome - Left Handed Pitcher - Barnegat High School (New Jersey) Groome is considered by most to be the #1 prospect in the draft, and the Braves are unlikely to let him drop past them. Georgia native Kyle Lewis and Florida lefty AJ Puk should be in play for #3 overall. Colorado Rockies - #4 Kyle Lewis - Outfielder - Mercer Lewis has been on fire this spring, and he will not fall out of the top six unless something unusual happens. Ray, Puk, Blake Rutherford, and Riley Pint will also be considered. Milwaukee Brewers - #5 Riley Pint - Right Handed Pitcher - Saint Thomas Aquinas High Schol (Kansas) Lately the Brewers have been going with prep players with high ceilings, and Pint's ceiling is as high as they come. Rutherford or Moniak would also fit the bill. Oakland Athletics - #6 Corey Ray - Outfield - Louisville Although it is a myth that the A's only draft college players, Ray is a solid college hitter who would interest the A's. Moniak or Miami catcher Zack Collins will also be of interest to the A's. Miami Marlins - #7 Blake Rutherford - Outfield - Chaminade College Prep (California) The Marlins have had success with high school players, and if they think Rutherford can stick in center he would likely be the pick. Moniak, Puk, or Joey Wentz could be picked here as well. San Diego Padres - #8 Mickey Moniak - Outfield - La Costa Canyon High School (California) The Padres could pick just about anyone here, but I am going with the South Cal kid. Detroit Tigers - #9 Ian Anderson - Right Handed Pitcher - Shenendehowa High School (New York) Anderson is the kind of pitcher that the Tigers love. Forrest Whitley is another pitcher who the Tigers could take here. Chicago White Sox - #10 AJ Puk - Left Handed Pitcher - University of Florida The White Sox almost always take the best college pitcher available, and they would love for Puk to fall to them. Seattle Mariners - #11 Josh Lowe - Third Baseman - Pope High School (Georgia) There is debate about whether or not Lowe should be a pitcher or hitter, but I think the Mariners would prefer a hitter. Boston Red Sox - #12 Dakota Hudson - Right Handed Pitcher - University of Mississippi As the draft gets thinner it gets much harder to predict, and a poor class this year makes it even more difficult, but Hudson seems like a pick that would fit well at #12. Collins, Wentz, or Connor Jones could also be taken here. Tampa Bay Rays - #13 Joey Wentz - Left Handed Pitcher - Shawnee Mission East High School (Kansas) Wentz has come out of nowhere this spring, and is only behind Riley Pint from a very strong class in Kansas. Other players the Rays could take are Alex Kirilloff and Buddy Reed. Cleveland Indians - #14 Buddy Reed - Outfielder - University of Florida The Indians have a history of going with college outfielders, and Buddy Reed is a player that will likely go in the middle of the first round. Bryan Reynolds could also be taken here. Minnesota Twins - #15 Braxton Garrett - Left Handed Pitcher - Florence High School (Alabama) Garrett is a polished lefty who is very similar to what Clayton Kershaw was when he was in high school, and I would love to see them go with Garrett here. Nolan Jones, Will Benson, Zack Collins, Logan Shore, and Will Craig could be taken here as well. Los Angeles Angels - #16 Connor Jones - Right Handed Pitcher - University of Virginia The Angels have not had many first round picks, so I am going with the best player available. Whitley, Matt Manning, or Kyle Muller could be taken here as well. Houston Astros - #17 Nolan Jones - Shortstop - Holy Ghost Prep (Pennsylvania) It has been a while since the Astros have not had one of the top two picks, but they usually go with prep players with high ceilings. Whitley, Kirilloff, and Manning could go here as well. New York Yankees - #18 Matt Manning - Right Handed Pitcher - Sheldon High School (California) The Yankees often go with pitchers, and Manning has moved up draft boards quickly this spring. If Cal Quantrill pitches well this spring he could go here. New York Mets - #19 Alex Kirilloff - Outfield - Plum High School (Pennsylvania) Kirilloff is another late mover, and the Mets have a history of going with prep players. Los Angeles Dodgers - #20 Cal Quantrill - Right Handed Pitcher - Stanford Last year the Dodgers selected two college righties who had fallen, and this seems like a mutually good fit. Toronto Blue Jays - #21 Jordan Sheffield - Right Handed Pitcher - Vanderbilt The Blue Jays have been taking college righties who have fallen down boards like Jon Harris and Jeff Hoffman, and Sheffield seems like a good pick. St. Louis Cardinals - #22 Robert Tyler - Right Handed Pitcher - University of Georgia Once again we have a team that takes college righties who have fallen, and Tyler should be a good pick right here.

Mollie's opinion of the Indians: http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PDlPpRvb--/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/1454256910232967594.gif

Twins Baseball is a generic term for, "We are losing."

When I first saw it I thought it was Dan Gladden leading off a game.

Is anyone surprised this hasn't happened yet? http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1697967/fat1373113539392.gif

Nate Eovaldi is throwing a no-no.

Twins should trade for Tyler Collins. He is one cool dude.