David HK

Jeepers, the ghost of Clarence Darrow nearly talked me into it... Nearly.

Gee, what a surprise. Diddle around, miss out on the top free agents to address our #1 need, scrape the bottom of the burned-out dumpster for shot-in-the-dark vets, and call it a day. Well, maybe they're making an actual run at Donaldson, but last I heard, he's not a starting pitcher, so... We bludgeoned teams with the long ball last year. That may not be the case with next year's baseball. And I don't know if anyone informed the FO, but it's pitching that wins in the playoffs. If we get there again.

Not long. Never as long as you think, especially with less $ than the yanks or dodgers. It's open now, but we've already p*ssed away the chance to fill our #1 need. Watch out for those white Sox, and I mean already this year, not the next ones to come.

Good thing buzz words will ignite this front office. Obviously, obtaining quality starting pitching doesn't.

Hm. Young nucleus of offensive production, major rotation needs in order to compete. Sounds like another team I know. Except one team takes the risk and rolls the dice to improve, and the other doesn't.

Welp, nothing like consistency. This sucks. Ryu was the guy I really wanted, and was in our means without breaking the whole bank. What happened in those playoffs last year was an embarrassment, with the guys we threw out there on the mound, and eveyone knows what our- and many other teams''- #1 priority has to be. But hey, at least we kept to the script. The Minny Way- the same script we always follow- build a competitive team over time,1st round playoff greasing, (nearly always to the Yanks), keeping with the script. An opportunity to follow up on a good season and pick up some help, but when when it's time to bite the bullet, we don't, keeping with the script. Dragging our feet, hanging on for dear life to an abundance of prospects that may or may not pan out, while even the 2nd tier guys get locked away, keeping with the script. Then, most likely, scraping the bottom of the barrel for yet another reclamation project, keeping with the script. Heh... even the Vikings kept with the script today- a totally uninspiring, embarrassing performance when it's all on the line. The O doesn't capitalize on what the D hands them, time and again, and get spanked in a big game by the Pack, right in front of the home fans. Now, we may be on our way to another meeting with them, in their park on a wintry day, and yet another Minny One-and-Done. Again, keeping with the script Ain't it time to get a new damn writer?

Tommy Milone's still out there. Just sayin'.

You know, this is the typical story. Yes, you're overpaying. Yes, you may not even get a year 4 out of the guy, maybe not even a year 3. But, you're not overpaying a guy like Ryu because you need him 4 years down the line. You're doing that overpaying because you need him NOW. THIS year. When does this team ever just bite the effing bullet? You know, the way a real contender does.

Well, there are in-house options, but still years away. The point is, the window is here right now, and no guarantee that it will be open at any point in the future- WSox, Cleve, all getting set and reloading, too. You gotta throw those dice now. Get the 'aciest' guy you can, bite the bullet, and get rolling.

Dammit. I need to adjust my tinfoil. Somebody is peering into my mind.

I don't mind it. I've always hated team names that are uncountable nouns. "Wild," you're next.

I'm fine as long as we don't sign the guy with the Satanic ERA....

Yes, most definitely. That thumb injury really did his season in. He soldiered on, but was not the same player for sure. His D was a welcome surprise, and those lazers that he hit in the 1st half of the season, wow. He's under team control next year anyway, and I'd love to see Sano get worked into 1B slowly, while Cron mans it on a regular basis. Then, the following year, (or next yr. 2nd half if it happens), when one or another of those young sluggers forces his way onto the roster, there'll be Cron's spot to be taken.

Royce has been spending some time at 3B in the AFL... I'm good with Sano (and his bat) at that corner. I grew up watching Harmon go back and forth between 3rd and 1st. He gets more experienced over there all the time, and as mentioned above, his positioning and his weight are issues that can be worked on. I'm also fine keeping Cron over there- and next year... move Sano over, and let Royce take the hot corner. But......... I'm NOT fine not holding on to Jake, and perhaps Mike, and getting at least 2 quality starters to add to the mix!!

Gray is the only intriguing one on this list for me. Maybe Ray, too, and we have some history of dealing with AZ. I still want them to keep Jake and Mike, and make a run at MadBum, Ryu or Wheeler tho. I think Cole is out of our reasonable range.

Just tuned in to the Nats-Cards game 1. Wow, some guy named Anibal Sanchez is baffling the Cardinals, barely reaching 90 on the radar gun. No hits through 7 efficient innings- less than 90 pitches. Jeepers, that's about 4 innings worth of Berrios and Odorizzi. And, he's doing it with a different catcher than Kurt Suzuki behind the dish. Why can't we get a guy like that? Oh, wait....

I'm not opposed to keeping Cron around, either. He did OK, and hit some clutch dingers when healthy, but he really dragged in the 2nd half with that injury. I kind of see him as a Schoop-style stopgap, until one of those young sluggers (can Kiriloff-Larnach-Rooker play 1B?) forces his way onto the squad.

Well, I kind of have to like Gibson's section beginning with the words, "Moving on..."

Heh... FTFY.

Well, sure is illuminating to see Tampa employing a BP game ON THEIR HOME FIELD, with their season on the line. Including Minnesota's own, the sublime Nick Anderson (he of the 17Ks/9 innings) shutting Houston down for 2+ innings. Gee, wish we had a guy like that to come in and put out fires. Oh, wait....

I agree, he could use more seasoning. Really impressed with how he's handled himself up here so far, though. But I really really really hope they stretch him out as a starter going forward.

Whether it was #1 or 2, no question he should have gotten the ball in NYC. He's the guy with the most experience pitching in that place, by far. (OK, well, other than Pineda, but that's kind of different. God, we could have used him in this series.) Then we could have a BP game at home, where those guys are more comfortable and confident.

I'm just sick of it. And I'm old. '65 World Series is my first baseball memory. I grew up with those power-hitting and power-pitching Twins of the mid-60's, suffered through the 70's and especially early 80's, before our brief moments in the sun. Then, those 2000's, where we bent over for the Yanks and others every dang first round, save once. This season took me, and lots of others, pleasantly by surprise. What a wonderful ride, even through the tight days of late Aug- early September. But just playing meaningful games that late in the year was such a gas! And now, we're one step away from tarnishing that whole year. Having it rendered meaningless. I'm also a massive rugby fan, and still and active player. Right now, the Rugby World Cup is going on, and the USA is once again a 'guest.' Cup after Cup, the US has been involved, but on the receiving end of horrid beatings that would make the Yanks' dominance seem mild. This year, I thought, they've been coming on since the last Cup, have a pro league now in the US, and tons of players overseas in prestigious leagues- this year, maybe we won't be beaten like a drum by everyone. Nope. Blasted away by England, torched by France, about to be smacked down by Argentina, then Tonga, probably, because we get them on a short turnaround. Just like the Twins, a long road of bright play and good results all thrown away under the hot lights. It's like all that progress over the past years didn't even happen. When the time comes to show what you can do, too many guys show what they can't do. Yes, this season will be a good memory. But unless we make a massive sucking-up and come out on a mission from God, it's just another remake of the same crappy movie.