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KirbyDome89

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Everything posted by KirbyDome89

  1. KirbyDome89
    I've always pushed back against the notion that great players make poor managers because the game came naturally to them. I think that reasoning cuts both ways. Couldn't we just as easily say that great players should make great managers because they're able to perceive/understand aspects of the game that are beyond the scope of the average player? For the record I don't subscribe to either school of thought. IMO teaching is a skill, and some are just better at it than others. I don't think success during a playing career necessarily grooms or precludes anybody from being a great manager. I certainly agree that managers who were fringe players may have an advantage in relating to current players in a similar position, especially since a good chunk of every roster is made up of guys who have to wring out every ounce to stick in the big leagues. I would file that under interpersonal skills, and reiterate that success during a playing career isn't and indicator one way or another of an individual's ability to communicate.
  2. KirbyDome89
    I think the bullpen criticism of Molitor is more than fair. It's one part of the game he directly influences and IMO his management of the pen has been suspect during his tenure. The poor base running, defense, situational knowledge, bunting, ect is much more difficult to pin on him. I've said it in other threads but I don't think it's the job of a major league manager to teach fundamentals that these guys learn in rookie ball, if not before that time. That doesn't mean he can't reinforce those fundamentals or impart his own knowledge in those areas but I have a hard time believing that isn't being done. If Buxton, Sano, Dozier, Morrison, ect. weren't imploding this thread doesn't exist. It's really that simple. Molitor has had largely the same warts throughout his tenure with the Twins. I don't consider myself a big supporter, and I won't shed any tears if he's gone at some point during/after the season. If things continue as they have been change is inevitable. I get that the manager is always the fall guy for the players, I just don't think we're suddenly seeing a worse version of Molitor than the one that won 85 games last year.
  3. KirbyDome89
    Agreed, the system failure comment was more of a joke. Ultimately the bulk of the responsibility lies with Sano and Buxton, but I don't think the Twins are entirely without blame.
  4. KirbyDome89
    I wasn't suggesting the move was nothing but a punishment. IMO it's obvious the Twins aren't happy with Sano's current direction, and haven't been for quite a while. I can't imagine Sano is happy with his performance either. Disgruntled seems like a fairly apt description of each side. If the quibble is over the word itself then feel free to plug in unhappy, disappointed, ect.
  5. KirbyDome89
    His performance on the field justified being sent down. His highly touted counterpart has struggled even more yet we've never seen Buxton move all the way down to A ball. He's clearly struggled with mechanical issues yet the Twins had him working on them in AAA Do I have hard evidence to say that there's more to the demotion than performance/mechanics, or that the Twins weren't happy with the direction Sano was going? No, but I don't think it's a stretch to say the move to send him all the way to Ft. Myers suggests each of those scenarios.
  6. KirbyDome89
    Do you think sending Sano to A ball is purely about mechanical adjustments?
  7. KirbyDome89
    https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-make-a-myriad-of-roster-moves-alex-colome-arrives-nick-vincent-to-the-dl-and-taylor-motter-is-designated-for-assignment/ "While Motter is younger, cheaper, has more power potential and probably more value, the Mariners like Romine because he was a switch hitter and “low maintenance” as a teammate by comparison. Motter had reputation of grating on teammates and coaches when he was with Tampa, he did little to change that it in his time with the Mariners, possibly making it worse."
  8. KirbyDome89
    Motter doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation as a teammate/clubhouse guy. It's far from a guarantee that he contributes to or exacerbates what's reportedly a poor atmosphere in the locker room, but I do find it interesting that part of the solution is removing a disgruntled player, while simultaneously adding a different player with a history of becoming disgruntled.
  9. KirbyDome89
    It's crazy to say, but Morrison's awfulness is flying under the radar thanks to all the other drama going on. He looked like he was picking it up through mid May but he's been flat out terrible for a month since then. I get that if the Twins sat everybody who wasn't hitting they couldn't field a team but damn, Morrison in the middle of the order is a black hole. Also, I'm not big on the intangibles or "light a fire," thing but after the home plate ump got in Kepler's face and then proceeded to ring him up on 2 consecutive horrible strike calls, the last of which was clearly retaliation for Kepler saying something about the first, it would've been nice to see both Kepler and Molitor go at him. Neither has anything to lose in that scenario and the ump was blatantly crossing a line, I wish they would've checked him rather than lying down.
  10. KirbyDome89
    Total system failure part II? AAA or AA would have been nice so he could at least see some MLB - esque pitching...
  11. KirbyDome89
    Wow....
  12. KirbyDome89
    Part of that is giving some of those minor league relief arms an actual chance, even if that chance results in failure. Busenitz has thrown all of 4 innings this year, and Curtiss has logged 2/3 of an inning. It's hard to earn anything with limited amount of work.
  13. KirbyDome89
    "Matt Belisle likely isn’t going to be a difference maker for the Twins bullpen (which, frankly, has been pretty solid most of the season). The Twins have pitchers at Rochester who are just as talented, if not more talented, and younger. What we keep hearing is that the Twins are bringing in Belisle for his leadership in the clubhouse." That's where it starts and stops for me. I'm not tuned in to the clubhouse atmosphere but if it truly is toxic to the point where change is necessary, maybe that change should be directed at the root of the issue rather than wasting a roster spot on Belisle. At this point "veteran," is just code for not good.
  14. KirbyDome89
    Washed up relief arms are the Danny Santana/Nick Punto of this FO. Maybe every FO has "their guys," but I was hoping that trend would end.
  15. KirbyDome89
    Baseball is in full swing and the NBA finals were still going on but a recent "top story," detailed how Brady and Gronkowski skipped mini camp to train on their own. I tend to avoid ESPN as much as I can (I'm partial to Russillo's podcast and I like to catch SVP late night every so often) but you're spot on, the NFL is shoved down our collective throat all year long. I probably get more tilted about it than I should, but I really don't understand how the fatigue factor hasn't set in for more people.
  16. KirbyDome89
    Yes, you should be confident. Team physicians aren't mad pharmacologists concocting miracle drugs.
  17. KirbyDome89
    No doubt some players probably are able to successfully mask banned substances.
  18. KirbyDome89
    Sure, you can beat the tests, but increasing the frequency of testing won't aid in discovering substances that aren't currently detectable. What you're saying about the level of concern MLB and the union have for PEDs is no different than when others question the work ethic, ect pertaining to players. There's no misapplication here; you're saying more can be done, and until it is neither side cares. I'm telling you that logic starts to unravel outside of this thread. If you spend X hours on an experiment but you could have squeezed out Y hours that doesn't mean you didn't care about ensuring the viability of your results. You can plug in an infinite number of other examples to see that the proposition "can do more," = lack of concern just isn't true.
  19. KirbyDome89
    Why not bring in Duke last night instead of Reed? The Twins are down 3 runs going into the bottom of the eighth, Duke has thrown all of 1 inning in the last 4 days, yet Molitor again opts for the overworked Reed. I don't have an issue with bringing in a better albeit more tired arm in a high leverage situation, but it's these types of innings that are needlessly adding to the wear and tear on important pitchers. Of course if starters were all going 7 deep the bullpen would be better off, but that isn't the way the league works right now. The Twins are carrying 13 pitchers, they have enough arms to absorb 5-6 inning starts.
  20. KirbyDome89
    That was my hope when I saw the pick.
  21. KirbyDome89
    People were antsy last year after signing Lewis under slot. I'm not concerned at the moment, we have to see what they do with the next few picks. That said, if losing that bonus money forces the Twins into reaching across the early rounds then color me even more disappointed with the Hughes move.
  22. KirbyDome89
    It doesn't benefit the team unless it's spent. It's already been said but unless they match or exceed payroll next season, this move is purely about the Pohlad's lining their own pocket, and harming the team in doing so. I'm not putting much stock into the monetary value of a draft slot, especially when that assigned value doesn't consider team needs, developmental philosophy, opportunity cost, ect.
  23. KirbyDome89
    Results are a weak argument now? Ok. We know exactly how many tests MLB performed, how many exemptions were granted for medical reasons, how many tests were positive, what part of the year tests performed, and how candidates were selected. We can gauge effectiveness based on those numbers. Are you of the belief that MLB is actually targeting players? Short of some nefarious motives or falsifying the information that is released, I don't know how you can say that 2 positive tests in 10K+ attempts is "weak," or not a measure of effectiveness. Again, this idea that anything short of "doing more," is a lack of commitment just isn't true. If we apply that logic to our own lives for one second we see the massive flaw in that reasoning.
  24. KirbyDome89
    "Maybe it's just a coincidence, but of that quartet, Littell is also the only one who was acquired under the Derek Falvey regime." I don't think it is.
  25. KirbyDome89
    I'm really not conflating anything. IMO the idea that anything short of a substantial increase in testing means the players and MLB "don't care," is rather extreme. The same goes for the notion that the testing "doesn't do much." I realize those are two different opinions you have, but I've addressed them separately. The numbers just don't support either claim. When only 2 players test positive for PEDs in over ten thousand attempts, I would argue that the testing is working, and there is serious consideration from both the players and MLB. I really don't understand this integrity angle, especially when such an exceptionally small number of tests turn up positive. To answer your question, apart from an almost certain MLBPA struggle, added annoyance to the daily lives of players, and dumping more $$ there isn't a massive downside. The real question is whether the efforts are worth it. It's at the point where the returns don't justify the investment. The current system is working. If Gomez and other players want to complain, then let them. Who cares? How many more complaints will be heard when players are tested every week or every other week? Does the system need to be changed then too? If the best argument for changing the testing system is that players don't like the lottery, or the perception can be unfavorable then so be it. I care about whether the testing is effective, not popular.
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