spinowner

Still rarer because there are 18 batters in a game at any given time but only 2 pitchers.

I agree about being interested to see the correlation, but I wouldn't think that 4 hits has a high correlation to winning.

Dicknjack were talking about Rosario being a single away from the cycle. The cycle is probably the most overrated accomplishment in baseball. People sometimes cite that it's rarer than a no-hitter but a no-hitter is a much more significant accomplishment because teams almost never lose no-hitters. The cycle is an unusual statistical quirk but that's all it is.

At the beginning of this season I'd have been happy with .260 on July 30.

Ozzie Guillen supposedly said, "If AJ is not on your team you hate him. If he's on your team you hate him less."

With Arcia as the fourth outfielder when he's not DH'ing. (I hope.)

Hicks is becoming Torii Hunter v 2.0.

It's time to relocate this commercial.

That pitch to Rosario was about a foot inside.

The Mariners are doing us a favor tonight. His name is J.A. Happ.

Pitcher didn't even need to turn his head to know.

Grrrrrrr.

Winnah!

No Cano. No Felix (in a 4-game series!) So much the better for us.

I asked Phil Miller about this at a recent Strib web chat. I said that I loved Torii but we better not sign him next year. He told me I should try to get used to the idea. I just hope TR just says no. I get the impression that he has been a positive influence on Hicks but I think after this year that's no longer a needed function. Wish he could have had more time with Buxton, but I think that young man should do well without Torii's help. We have at least four young outfielders who are or should be ready for the bigs. We should thank Torii profusely for his service, throw a big party and wish him well in his retirement.

I think the hole in CF formed with the Revere trade, not the Span trade. I think when Ryan traded Span he planned to have Revere be the placeholder in CF for a year or two until Hicks was ready, and later Buxton. But when the Phillies initiated the trade talks and agreed to overpay for Revere I think Ryan decided to accept since pitching was sorely needed at the time. I think he knew it would be a stretch to think that Hicks was ready offensively but you don't turn down a good deal, especially when your team is unlikely to go far for another couple years anyway.

Does that include "dinger"?

Smith's biggest blunder by far was Hardy for Hoey coupled with signing Nishioka to take Hardy's place. We gave away a very solid SS for nothing. I hope the scouts who evaluated Hoey and Nishioka have long since left the Twins' employ.

Bingo. That's why I don't complain about how TR has rebuilt this team. And since the rebuild is not yet complete I don't think it's time to replace him. And I think he deserves a chance to adapt to the modern way of running a good team.

This thread should really be named "Things that make me go AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!"

Nor is it your job to fire Ryan but that doesn't stop anyone from advocating for that. I'm just saying that choosing a replacement for Ryan is a far more important decision than deciding to fire him.

And may I add that anyone who advocates removing Ryan now or in the near future needs to have a specific excellent available successor in mind. The only names I've read are Molitor and not Antony.

Seemingly minority opinion coming: I think the decision whether Ryan should continue as GM should be based on two things. First, on the big picture of what he has accomplished so far. (Not on whether he did or didn't make a trade during a particular 1-week period of the 3+ years of his current tenure.) I have been saying ever since I came to this board and I will continue to say that at this juncture this team is still rebuilding. There are no shortcuts in rebuilding a baseball franchise the right way. (Unless you're one of about five or six teams with essentially unlimited resources, and even then it's a difficult job. If you don't believe that look at the Red Sox and the Phillies.) Given the state of the organization when he took over in 2011 I think he has been successful in what he has done so far. Ryan may have said that his goal was to win this year but very few GM's are going to say publicly during March that trying to compete is not their top priority. In spite of that statement almost everyone, including almost everyone on this board, knew that contention for the postseason this year was a very long shot. The interesting occurrence of being hot for one month while performing as expected during the other three months should not distract management from the job of rebuilding this franchise. Second, on whether he is the best person to run the franchise after it has been rebuilt to the point where the major league team is a solid contender. I don't think the franchise is at that stage yet but I think there are many indications that we will be in two years or less. I certainly think there is legitimacy to the opinion that he may not be. And if ownership makes the decision that he is not the best person for that job the questions are, first, who is that person, and, second, when should the change should be made. So my answer to this thread's question is no, not now, but I think Jim Pohlad should start being proactive about evaluating possible future GM's because who is hired is the most important decision he will make. He needs to be ready to move when it's time.

Here's another one that I find ARGH!-worthy: We should trade (3 players with low value) to (certain team) for (good player).

It's been said before and it bears repeating: the difference we are seeing in Hicks reminds me strongly of the difference we saw in Torii Hunter when he returned to the Twins after his last minor league stint in 2000. I think he's our primary right fielder beginning next year and for the foreseeable future.