wsnydes

Strategery question: you have a lineup with no lefties. You have a reliever that allows a opposing BA of .280 in the bullpen. Do you A) never even get him up off of the bench, or bring him in to face nothing but right handed batters?

It's also a huge risk relying on a 34 year old pitcher to continue to put up the numbers that he has. Not only for the whole of this season, but also for the whole of next season. For someone that looks at things that way, it's not terrible PR at all. It makes sense given the age of the core of the team.

I agree completely with your first point. For a variety of reasons, the FO never bought into a rebuild. Secondly, what I was trying to convey in my last paragraph, perhaps poorly, is that I don't believe the window is just next year either. I'm not even convinced that it starts next year. By keeping Santana, I do think you stunt the process some though. This is assuming they're able to bring in near ready prospect type pitcher in return. I feel that maximizes the potential if this team at the right time. This would also negate some of the need to bring up aaaa types en masse.

I certainly didn't feel good about the state of the franchise, and that hasn't drastically changed. Considering how much they rely on their farm system and with how much it was touted just a couple of years ago, a lack of talent in the farm system is a rather large departure from that supposed high water mark. This is part of the reason that I don't feel that they ever really started to rebuild to start with. They've been treading water for some time in my opinion. If the new FO is telling us that the cupboard is bare in pitching prospects, that means that we're going to have to wait even longer to have any sort of real seriously competitive team. I agree that Mejia is a nice find. I can't rely on Santana given his age, which is why I'd like them to deal him. I wouldn't give him away, but if you can get a near ready pitching prospect out of the deal I'd take it. But if the FO is telling us there aren't any reinforcements coming up from the minors, if you keep Santana you're window is one year - next year. They don't have enough pitching to be real even next year. Are they closer? Sure, but with the last 6 years that this franchise has put together, a one year window at a championship isn't good enough. I realize that AAA is relatively bare due to either injuries or the prospects haven't gotten there yet. I'd like them to throw a couple of the relievers into the fire now so that they're more polished come next year. Deal Santana for a ready or near ready pitching prospect if possible and bridge that gap. I do think 2019 should be a very good year and I hope they get a bit of a head start next season with as many of the lower level pitching prospects as possible. There is talent there, it's just not in AAA and what is in AAA is of bullpen stock and on mostly on the DL. I'm not advocating pushing guys that clearly aren't ready, but those that are on the cusp should be thrown into the fire at this point. Even the AAAA types should be brought up, given a chance, and then dealt with accordingly. Get them out of the system and push some of the prospects lower in the minors. All that said, I don't feel that the situation is as bad as what I describe in my first paragraph. My frustration is that the hitters are ready now and with the lag in pitching, I don't think they're maximizing their potential as well as they could. They need to find a way to get more pitching to bridge that gap without selling the farm. The FA class sucks, so the braintrust needs to get creative.

If that is the case, the state of this franchise is much worse than we think. They aren't going to be able to buy enough pitching and without cleaning out the prospects they do have, they aren't going to be able to trade for enough of it either. I do agree that that seems to be what they're telling us though.

A man of few words, I like it.

You don't say...

Unless you're into that sort of thing, of course. There's a fetish for everyone in MN sports.

Wait, you mean your college students actually went to class?

I'm right there with you. I'll try to stay up now and then on weekends, but I won't try during the week.

I think Montana is onto something there. I'm going to have to give that one a try. My waistline thanks you. I, for one, am tired of the west coast games. Because i'm too easily hooked I end up staying up all night watching the game instead of going to bed. My protocol for late games of any sport is simply not to watch. It sucks. Sleep has to take precedent on a "school" night though.

Of all of the things wrong with this team, it's Buxton's fault? The offense and defense are doing their jobs generally speaking, it's the pitching that is losing this team games. That has very little do with Buxton. I want him to hit better too, but he's not the problem.

With the young core that this team has, I'm not sure that a playoff berth is all that important. If they're still relevant into August, they're basically on the verge anyway. That's attractive to players.

Under normal circumstances where the team didn't just come off of a 103 loss season, I'd agree with you completely. I don't feel that this is a typical scenario. That's the difference for me.

The sentiment is that he doesn't do it unless he's basically forced into it. Playing those players now and then doesn't constitute typical usage. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again. We've had these discussions before and we're not going to agree philosophically, so I have little interest in rehashing past debates.

Randy Rosario has pitched in two games already, including last night where he allowed 5 runs in 1/3 of an inning. Let him get back on the horse soon and see what he learned from it. I agree with your greater message though. I don't think he wants to use younger players if he can help it.

I think Berrios can be that guy, but its far from certain at this point. You have one rotation proven commodity, that's it. I wouldn't consider any of the bullpen names you listed to be shutdown. A few of them are solid, but none are shutdown. I agree that there are no guarantees, but there's a point of maximizing your potential that needs to be weighed here. If trading Santana affords you greater possibility of seriously competing down the road and you get a deal to your liking, I don't know why you wouldn't take it. This is why many wanted Dozier traded last offseason.

You answered your own question. They don't have 3 good starters with Santana and they have zero shut down arms in the bullpen. In order to improve the pitching on this team, they're going to have to make trades. They're not going to spend money to acquire it and they don't have a full rotations worth of rotation prospects in the minors that are close or at all.

If you're insinuating that the Twins are in a position to make a deep playoff push, then we've been watching different teams. The Astros are in that position where another front line starter with the experience of a Santana would be a valuable piece.

And this is the manager that we're entrusting to develop young players? At this rate, the call ups are going to have to be prospect types and they're going to have to pitch at some point. I fear that you're on to something there though and it's discouraging.

If you're a playoff team needing another starting pitcher that might put you in a position to make a serious run, then yes I'd trade for Santana for a near ready pitching prospect. I need the experience now, the prospect doesn't give that too me.

The worst reason to trade Santana (or anybody) is because the FO hasn't made a signature move. That's just making a move for the sake of making a move. That's absurd and no way to run an organization. That said, I'm thinking long term and still see this season as an evaluation year. I'm not sold that this team will hold on to first place at the end of the season. Looking to the future, I'd trade him. Like Dozier, I don't want them to give him away, but I wouldn't hesitate if an offer comes that's to their liking.

If your suit goes in your garment bag and your garments go in your suitcase, what goes in your dopp kit?

2015 wasn't the issue. Last season, even as an injury replacement, he should have been playing every day. He played sparingly in his first call up. In what was supposed to be an evaluation year and considering how terrible last April was, having him sit so much very well could have contributed to his early struggles. While I agree that the progression isn't abnormal, this team isn't in a normal circumstance. The young players should have gotten playing time over stopgap veterans. That includes Kepler.

It is my recollection that Kepler had two separate stints with the big league club and spent most of his time sitting on the bench. I'm not sure how that's productive. If he was going to sit up on the big squad, he should have been in AAA playing every day. I think that's the part that people complain about. He should have been playing every day whether it be in AAA or with the Twins not sitting on the bench collecting splinters.