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RJA

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  1. RJA
    I think you greatly greatly underestimate the value of mentors. Mentors don't replace coaches, they complement them. I think most people realize that Nelson Cruz had a positive impact on the young hitters--not as much in the mechanics of hitting, but in how to prepare for a game and how to deal with failure and success. You often saw Sano and others talking with him on the bench, and many actually were quoted saying how much they learned from him. The same is true of young pitchers. You often see them picking the brains of older pitchers, and they, too, learn about preparation, dealing with bad outings, etc. IF they go with a very young staff, they will need a mentor in my humble opinion. In that case, he could be a wise investment.
  2. RJA
    Thanks for keeping track of these signings, Nick. Out of curiousity, based on your research and experience in these things, what is your impression of this year's class as a whole?
  3. RJA
    I think the decision to add Greinke depends totally on what the Twins plan to do with the rotation. If the front office is planning to trade for a front line starter and add Pineda or a second starter by trade, then I don't think adding Greinke makes any sense. If the Twins plan to start the season with Ober, Ryan, Dobnak, and one of the prospects like Winder or Canterino in the rotation, then adding Greinke as a mentor would have some merit. Greinke knows how to pitch and would certainly be a good bench presence for the young arms, and would help them learn the ropes. I am not saying I want the Twins to go with the young rotation. I am simply saying if they do, Greinke would make some sense.
  4. RJA
    Good conversation piece, Cody. I would be interested in these options IF the Twins had signed a significant free agent and were looking to fill out the rotation. But as it stands, I don't think any of them would move the needle. As with all trades, it depends on what it costs to acquire someone, but frankly I think Pineda may bring as much to the table as these three in my humble opinion.
  5. RJA
    Interesting list, Cody. With one caveat, I would think your top two have the most potential to be impactful. I would opt for Duran as the one likely to be most impactful IF he remains a starter as he has 1/2 potential. He could be great in the bullpen, but 1/2 starters are much more difficult to find. But, If his injuries persist, I am intrigued by the power potential of Rodriquez so I would put him on top of the list. The thing is with young hitters, you never know when one of them will make a Miranda type leap and move up the charts quickly.
  6. RJA
    How many catchers end up with a lifetime batting average of .295? He would have been a better fit in today's game as his bat was good enough that he could DH when needed, and in a pinch could play first. He was a good player.
  7. RJA
    As I am looking at the list of prospects, and double checking the summaries of each, it is really amazing how much depth there is in the Twins minor league system. While we might not have as many top 50 prospects as some--and those lists are highly subjective anyway given the sheer volume of minor league players--we do have a large number of legitimate prospects. I wonder what that means for the 40 man roster decisions in the next couple of years. We might lose some excellent prospects. Or, maybe the front office might make some trades for pitching when the lockout ends. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
  8. RJA
    Great interviews and great summary--another chance to get to know these young players on a personal level. I think the only appropriate thing for the Twins to do is trade for Gus, and Tyler Rogers as well, so we could have all four of them in our bullpen!
  9. RJA
    Seth, I agree with all the other posters, fantastic job! I will be mulling all this over while I should be blowing the snow in my driveway. Two thoughts, Jordan Gore really intrigues me on the relief pitcher side. I can't wait to see how the year plays out for him. Second, the fact that you will actually admit to your mistakes, while they are not numerous, means you will never be President of the United States. Sorry.
  10. RJA
    I think we all share your frustration, Nick. You are right about one thing--TD has grown into an incredible community of baseball fans, and the passion and humanity demonstrated in the articles, together with the quality of the writing, make it a great experience. Thank you. And, just think how sweet it will be when the first "play ball" happens this summer. I cannot believe either side will risk losing any part of the regular season, at least I certainly hope not.
  11. RJA
    Interesting ranking, Seth. I think we all knew who the top five were going to be, but most of us didn't expect this particular order, thinking Martin or Miranda might be in the first slot. But, you always seem to put a little more emphasis on potential than other evaluators and that has certainly served you well over the years. My only question about Lewis is whether his potential ceiling is still as high after the injury. I pray you are right and we will find out for sure this summer. Who would be your all time top hitting and pitching prospects from all the years you have compiled lists? Buxton? Mauer? Morneau? Berrios? Liriano? Canterino?
  12. RJA
    I am in the camp that says why did it take so long. He was a Twin for 15 years as wsnydes noted and he excelled not only as a player but an announcer on the national scene. He was the best fielding pitcher I ever saw. Plus, he was a great pinch hitter and runner. He was a fantastic athlete. Are any of you old enough to remember how Halsey Hall used to love calling him "Kitty"? I read once that his nickname was not only because of the last name but also because he was as quick as a cat coming off the mound to make a play.
  13. RJA
    The Twins have always been very loyal to former minor league players and sometimes give them a second chance even if it is highly unlikely that it will work out. I think that is probably what is going on here unless he has developed a new pitch, or made some other kind of improvement that caught their eye. Then again maybe they see a coaching future for him.
  14. RJA
    John, one of my favorite memories of Brad Radke in the lean years including 2000 was how Tom Kelley responded whenever he was asked in the pregame show what his lineup was going to be that day. He would always say on the mound was going to be "Mister Radke". He always had great respect for Radke's professionalism and poise, and his stuff of course.
  15. RJA
    Seth, is Canterino a potential number one in your mind? I have not seen him pitch after the elbow problems. Is the elbow anything to worry about.
  16. RJA
    I agree with you, David, this kid is really an interesting guy. Seth's interview was great, and really allowed Drew's personality to shine. I will be rooting for this kid. Hopefully, he will put it all together this year and get a shot with the Twins. It is great to see players who have worked hard get rewarded.
  17. RJA
    I think Dman is spot on. I would not trade Martin who is a perfect replacement for Arraez--great on base ability, better power, better defensively, and better position flexibility which includes shortstop and centerfield which are the two most difficult defensive positions (togther with the tools of ignorance position) on the diamond. I would trade Arraez and Kepler before parting with Martin.
  18. RJA
    Interesting list. I confess I am most hesitant about Sabato given his performance last year. Yes, he does walk a lot, but my goodness he whiffs a lot as well. In younger players, like Rosario, I am less concerned, but with a guy who came out of college and whiffs this much at the A level, what is going to happen when he reaches AA, AAA and the majors? And, if he is currently slow on fastballs, as some suggest, that is really a concern. BUT, Seth, I trust your judgment so I am going to be patient, and maybe he will break out this year. He may be a Joey Gallo type but without as much defensive upside. Nice summaries, as usual.
  19. RJA
    I agree a rebuild is not in order for a couple of reasons. I think the window is still open, maybe not for this coming year, but clearly the year after. There is enough talent at the AA and AAA level to move the team forward in the near future--including Miranda, Lewis, Martin, Kirilloff, Larnach, and all the pitchers Seth has so artfully described in his recent series. If all the talent was at the A level, I might have a different opinion. Second, while the team has a solid core, only Polanco and Buxton would bring back any great return, and I am not sure any prospects in return would adequately compensate for their loss, especially in Buxton's case given his injury history. Donaldson, Kepler, Garver, Arraez, Taylor and others, while fine players in many ways, wouldn't get a great return given performance, injury, and contract issues. I confess, however, that I am still stunned by the FO's lack of action in signing a quality pitcher so as to have a building block for the rotation locked in for 3-4 years. They missed a great opportunity in my humble opinion.
  20. RJA
    Boy, this topic generated a lot of discussion. I think it is difficult to say "trade" or "don't trade" about any player except for generational talents who you clearly need to keep and mean a lot to a franchise, like Puckett for example. Otherwise, I think in the end it all depends on what value comes back in return. Trading Arraez (or Polanco) could be a great trade if what the Twins get back in return makes them a better team and the strengths the traded player brought to the team can be replaced by someone else. For example, could Martin bring the same on base skills to the team as Arraez? On the other hand, if the return doesn't make the team better for at least a couple of years, the trade is not a good one. Simply, it all depends on the specifics of the trade.
  21. RJA
    Wow, this was an interesting set of prospects. What is really encouraging about the four young guys is that they already have secondary pitches in addition to great fastballs, so if they can refine those and throw strikes, they could move quickly. The Twins seem to like spin rate data. Do you know how these guys rank in spin rate, Seth? Thanks for the great work.
  22. RJA
    Great story, David. Stories like this and Theo's on Joey Stock are what sets TD apart from so many other sports sites--you cover the human element of the game so very well. It makes our fan experience much richer when we get these backstories. Good work..
  23. RJA
    Dean Chance was also a very colorful character. His after baseball life was very interesting. Great pitcher though, and I remember this game well. I also remember the Colavito trade with the Tigers for Kuenn when the headline in the Cleveland paper was something like "40 homeruns for 140 singles". Nice article. Thanks.
  24. RJA
    I just hope the better angels of their nature come to the forefront and both sides do what is best for baseball and the fans. Even though it is a business, I really believe most players and owners love the game. Let's hope they negotiate like they do.
  25. RJA
    Nice job as usual, Jamie. I think we could really call this the year of the pitcher in the Twins minor league system. I think everyone is hoping this is the year that one or two guys break out and show they are healthy and ready to jump to the majors. If that happens, I think a lot of us will feel much better about the long term future of the Twins.
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