KirbyDome89

But it's not though. If you set a single strike zone and apply it to every player you're actually giving an advantage to guys like Aaron Judge. As it stands right now every player has the "same," strike zone proportionate to their body size. Judge may have a larger zone than Altuve, but in terms of the % of the body each much cover they're zones are equivalent. If you eliminate that you'll have players like Judge getting to hit in essentially a shoe box while the shortest players at swinging in a zone the size of a fridge. Obviously that's a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is that setting a standardized zone doesn't solve an existing imbalance, it creates one.

Huh?

If this FO is making franchise altering decisions based on only 3 games then this team is in serious trouble. There is a lot more that should (and certainly does) go into deciding whether to buy or sell.

They shouldn't suddenly sell after a 3 game sweep in LA, just as they shouldn't remove themselves from the sales floor if they win 2 or 3 in Oakland. I'm pro sell, but I'm also not entirely opposed to buying if they're willing to get long term pieces for the pitching staff. I think the worst thing they can do is exactly what they've done so far; add a rental pitcher and nothing else. Either sell veteran players at peak value, or sell of some of the younger guys to bring in pitching help, but enough of the half in half out stuff. I don't have much faith in them acquiring much help at this point, so hopefully they buck the trend of the past and actually move Ervin and/or Kintzler rather than watch their value depress to preseason levels.

Really this is the evil you know vs. the evil you're still not 100% sure about. I'm not a fan of Colon, and I don't know how the Twins can pretend they haven't seen enough of him this season to know he shouldn't be starting games. I think both pitchers have about the same floor at this point, but "Good Gibson," has a higher ceiling. That isn't a strong push to have Gibson back, or a defense of him in any way, but if I was forced to choose between the 2, which the Twins are right now, I think I would've moved Colon or just let him retire if chose to.

Pat yourself on the back then. There was an entire thread devoted to earlier in the season.

I think at this point he's just holding out for that contract extension everybody wanted to give him in early May...

"Jason Castro’s overall impact can’t be overstated." It can, and it often is. Removing Sano and Grossman from the OF and replacing them with Buxton and Kepler is HUGE. Polanco has surprised a bit at short, and we already knew Mauer could play above average defense at 1B. Castro can be solid behind the plate and that plays a part in the equation as well. However, there is extreme dissonance between the "Castro has brought this staff out of the depths," narrative and reality, which is that the staff is still horrible, and without a career year from Ervin it would've already imploded.

LMFAO true...and probably for good reason but hilarious nonetheless

Of course they don't, the 15' Twins are a prime example of banking wins. This team has surpassed my expectations so far this season, and I'm a believer in a good amount of what we've seen. True, it's unlikely to be static the remainder of the season, but I could just as easily argue it could get worse as the innings begin to pile up. The point wasn't just about run differential though. They're at or near the bottom of almost every team pitching statistic. Kyle Gibson and a soon to be retired (?) Bartolo Colon make up 2/5 of the starting rotation right now and the bullpen needs serious help too. Jaime Garcia can't exactly hurt at this point, but I'm not sure how much help he'll be either.

So they can be used to gauge every team's performance except the Twins? I understand some teams will overperform, some will underperform, and some will hit the mark exactly, but the Twins have overperformed at a ridiculous rate in some of those categories. Certainly some of that can be attributed to young players that weren't accounted for, but there is more to it than just that, and the "more to it," part is what scares me. You don't have to look very far beyond an average offense and horrible pitching staff to see why there is skepticism about playoff odds for the rest of the season. Those metrics reflect that view. "Their record is exactly who they are," sounds fun to say, but it just isn't true. To me, being dismissive of the bleak statistical outlook and ignoring the very apparent weakness the team has because their record is barely above .500 feels like being a prisoner to the moment. I agree, I enjoy the back and forth regarding differing opinions. Ignoring the obvious hypocrisy of using a thread to post negative comments about the amount of negativity on the site, the issue I had was the failure to realize that just as some may find criticism "tiresome," over the top optimism is just as grating.

Using a W-L record to measure pitching performance is thrown around as a joke on this site. I'm not sure why the overall team record is immune from same breakdown and scrutiny. And LOL at making negative comments about disliking the negativity of others. Hilarious....

"Golf Clap" I'm not sure if they'll even have a chance to get another look in the spring, but at least we won't have to watch him again this year.

It's comparable when the success each had was 3 seasons ago. The Twins are claiming pitching precisely because of players like Hughes.

They're 2 players who have/had performed poorly for years and hurt the team. Seemingly the only reason for keeping either was/is to fill a role on the team that in the worst case scenario any waiver claim could perform at the same level. They each lived/are living off one good season in the distant past. Hopefully the new FO handles the Hughes situation as proactively as DSan's.

Huges has been bad/injured/recovering for 3 seasons now.... Why do we need to "monitor his recovery," for another offseason? Saying the Twins should keep him to mop up sounds eerily similar to the "keep Danny Santana because he can pinch run," argument.

"Minnesota can expand their opportunity to take over by supplementing what they already have going. At some point, top Twins prospects close to making an impact will be called upon. Nick Gordon, Stephen Gonsalves, and Fernando Romero all look like difference makers for a big league club. If that means spending big on a top tier starter, making a splash to get a superstar in return, or rounding out the 25 man with some A-list pieces, it would seem that now appears the time to do so." Any trade discussion for pitching is going to start with those three. I don't see any way in which they're able to bring in talent and hold onto their top young players. Actually spending $$ in FA would be great, and it would save this team prospect depth that it desperately needs, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for it to happen. "Whether the Twins operate on the trade market in 2017, or look to free agency prior to the 2018 season, there hasn’t been a time in recent memory that looks more like a “go for it moment” for the organization. Asking the Twins to spend money at any point since at least 2010 seems like an avenue for wasting dollars to improve by a marginal value at best. Now however, one or two big additions could be enough to have this group take the next step." There NEVER is a perfect moment to "go for it." The post above said it best, building is a constant process, and acquiring talent is a massive part of that. If the Twins had gone the route of slashing payroll for a few years, trading off all valuable veterans, drafting smartly, and cornering the international market (they did do this to an extent,) and then signing proven MLB players supplementing the team with the youth acquired then I would've been behind withholding on signing FAs. That clearly wasn't the case. We've watched the payroll drop over the course of 6 season now but the team has been filled with AAAA players and washed up veteran signings over that time period. I guess they get credit for dabbling in the mid level FA pitching market even if it didn't come up roses. Honestly, there is no excuse for being that bad over 6 seasons; and they're still dealing with the same issues in the 7th season!

Not a "need," to do so, it's an objective view. In < 2 years of smart trades and drafting the Sox have acquired the type of pitching talent that wins divisions. Yes, it's sad to see Houston doing so well, and Chicago basically following their blueprint to success thus far, while the Twins have struggled to reach mediocrity. That isn't "ripping," them, it's pointing out the obvious.

In less than 2 years the Sox have put together an enviable group of SP prospects and rebuilt a farm system. The Twins haven't been able to put together even a mediocre amount of pitching talent in 6+ years....SAD Oh, and are we still convinced that pitching isn't overpriced at the deadline?

There is also risk in holding onto an aging player, and value lost by not moving him at his peak. Ervin is far from a sure thing to put up another 3 months performance like this. To me it sounds like everybody willing to let Ervin go is comfortable with a prospect(s) return. How comfortable are you with hoping the Twins spend real $$ in FA? They can put together a package of prospects and snag a pitcher, but is it reasonable to expect multiple moves like that? Probably not, so now you're looking at trading away major league players. Apparently Dozier is worthless, and Santiago never cashed in on the promise of that 4 game stretch in April. Either way the team is hurt, but I would rather have 4-5 years of Buxton/Kepler/even Polanco instead of 1-2 years of Ervin in his mid to late 30s. IMO it makes the most sense to trade an aging veteran having a career year.

It's at least dealing from some depth so I can stomach it depending on the pitcher coming back. If they're shipping out prospects then I would rather see them go all in and get at least a 2 starter with multiple years of team control. It was said earlier but if they're dealing high end prospects for a mid to back end rotation starter to "shore up," the staff in an attempt to limp into the playoffs I'll be very disappointed.

Honest question. If they aren't willing to move guys like Santana then where are the Twins finding pitching? They won't be big spenders in FA and the minor league system isn't exactly stocked with upside arms. What players have the necessary combination of value and expendability to bring back mid rotation or better starting pitching? Hopefully Ervin's July looks more like his April/May than his June, and the Twins can sell at or over market value.

I agree he shares a good part of the blame for the lack of hitting thus far, but if Buxton needs to figure this out himself isn't the fact the Twins won't leave his swing alone part of the problem then?

For sure extend Hector Santiago....he had a couple good starts in April right? With what's left over the Twins could probably sign to a minor league deal every single FA pitcher that is a question mark or can't latch on anywhere else and continue the carousel that is the pitching staff.

How poorly does this guy need to pitch before we're OK with him leaving? Have no fear, the Mr. Hyde version of Gibson will show up in short order.