Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Darius

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    2,085

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by Darius

  1. Darius
    Why is JRM still in the conversation? He can't get anything going offensively in AAA at age 26. His defense isn't good enough to carry him. I don't plan on getting anything from him going forward. What they need to do next year is bring in someone defensively competent from outside of the organization. Not sure what the free agent class looks like, but I don't even care if the guy knows how to hold a bat, as long as he can control the running game at a semi-high level.
  2. Darius
    I don't think it's an infield crunch at all. Plouffe isn't that good. Mauer needs more days off. Vargas hasn't shown he can sustain offensive competence (and isn't much to speak of defensively), and the same could be said for Park. That leaves Sano. A few warm bodies does not a crunch make.
  3. Darius
    I'd certainly do my best to move Milone, Plouffe, Suzuki, and Grossman. I don't think any of them will/would get any serious interest. I hope that they'd hang on to Vargas, Santana, Park, Escobar, Park, Kintzler, and Tonkin. They still have upside, and/or can be useful in the future.
  4. Darius
    Can't really argue with this one. I'm a big proponent of letting players figure it out in the big leagues, especially a guy with his physical tools. But, you just can't justify giving him big league at bats anymore. He isnt showing any signs of progress. At this point, you can only hope getting some confidence back will get him back on track in Spetember (he's already shown he can hit down there, that's not the issue).
  5. Darius
    I like the move, I guess, but it doesn't do a whole lot for me. Not the highest on Santiago, but it could be worse (and has been in the Twins rotation for years). Really just a mediocre/bad (generous, considering the FIP numbers) immovable rotation object replacing a slightly worse one (by immovable I mean from the rotation while on the team). The Meyer/prospect swap looks pretty close to 1:1, at best. I don't really care about dumping anyone's salary. There isn't a salary cap, and I could care less about the Pohlad's bottom line. If the money is put to good use next year, then I may start to care. Nolasco's salary should be a non-issue. It's kind of disappointing that fans of the team have been conditioned so thoroughly to think that it is. Or maybe people are confused with the NFL. It doesn't net a highly significant amount next year, but do they actually use the money for anything? Do they use it well, or hand out another terrible contract? Im not convinced we won't hear the same company lines next spring ("no takers on our generous offers," and "we think we'll compete with what we have."), and If that's the case, the trade effectively does nothing. Overall, I like that they're finally trying some things. It's refreshing. But, let's not get out of hand and say it's because Ryan is gone, or start a celebration over the turning of the worm. Its baby steps in the right direction, but I still need to see more. Too jaded at this point for it to move the meter.
  6. Darius
    Can't say anything bad about it. At least they're doing something. Nice return for a guy picked up off the scrap heap.
  7. Darius
    You can really make a case for any infield spot (outside of 1B and C, of course). Sano should be a DH/1B. Just let the guy hit baseballs. How long is he going to stick at 3B, realistically, at his size anyway. 3-4 more years at best? Mauer is to the point where his name shouldn't be on the lineup card in stone. More days off would do him good. He's very good defensively, but at 1B, that doesn't mean a whole lot (relative to other positions). Plouffe could be shipped out for peanuts in August. Polanco could then find a home at 3B. Escobar is a nice player, but he's not a potential offensive difference maker like Polanco could be. He's not a bad option to have off the bench to give Polanco days off/DH duty. Maybe start figuring out how to be a super-utility like Nunez. Whatever the case, unless you're prepared to say Escobar is the long-term plan at shortstop, there's no reason you can't pull the trigger and start him at short every day. With all that said about 3B/SS, I don't really want him playing either of those, if at all possible. He's a liability defensively. If his arm-strength is questionable now, and he has rock-hard hands, it's not likely to improve with better competition. Also, he hasn't been playing those positions regularly for some time now. Why throw him back there at the ML level? That leaves 2B. Dozier, IMO should be traded now. His value, whatever it may be, is as high as its ever going to be. You never know when he's going to go into one of his season-long slumps...and never come out of it. His defense is overrated by many, and wouldn't be missed as much as some think. Get some nice prospects for Dozier while you can (if you can), and slot Polanco at 2B.
  8. Darius
    I like it. Currently eating my shoe because I didn't think they'd make a trade like this. The return, being a decent LHP prospect, is great. Also, its not within the division, or even league. I think it's well done.
  9. Darius
    They'll do nothing of significance again, which is almost comical for me at this point. Wake up. Trade Santana for a decent return along with Dozier, Nunez, Suzuki, Kinzler, and whoever else can be shipped out. If you're serious about competing, don't be so Godawful cheap, take that 13.5 you ship out with Santana, tack another 15-20 onto it, and go sign a couple of guys like Moore, Cashner, Gio Gonzalez to go along with Berrios, Gibson, and Duffey. Go sign a Neil Walker, Prado, or Escobar for the infield. Sign some competent guys for the pen, (or get Chagrois, Hildenberger, etc up at the beginning of the year, instead of pinching another year of service). After you bring in a some decent prospects and adequately replace the departures you'll have more ammo to beef up the roster for a playoff run without raving your while system. If you're on your way to another 90-loss season, you unload this year's signed replacement for more prospects, and on goes the cycle until you find a winner. You have your main guys like Berrios, Buxton, Sano, Kepler, etc to build around. I'm of the belief that they have to maximize the value on some of these guys that have contributed to 5 years of futility, if at all possible.. By value I don't mean in terms of the Pohlad's bank account as much as what can be done to set this team up next year, and long into the future.
  10. Darius
    Those aren't bad moves, but they're certainly not going to help this team get back in contention anytime soon. It's still clearance shopping at Wal-Mart while others are are shopping the Galleria. Sure, every once in a while you'll find a decent pair of socks/underwear, that the public should never really see anyway, but your never going to find any Hammermade. I don't know if the these moves are a reflection of TR's exceptional skills as much as an indication that he couldn't properly fill out the roster in the first place. Nobody should be pulling guys off the scrap heap to close games in the middle of the season. The take-away for me: Sometimes, you can make terrible decisions, and cut corners, and you still may get really lucky and have it work out somewhat positively (even though I wouldn't consider a potential 100 loss club positive in any way).
  11. Darius
    I assume the title is a sarcastic/rhetorical question. They've been the worst franchise in baseball, and it's been the same group of people in charge for 25 years.
  12. Darius
    Wow, Bonnes. Wow.
  13. Darius
    All Walker does is deliver in the clutch. I don't care what metrics and ratios say about how he projects at the major league level, I think he'll end up being a valueable part of the major league club. I'd like to see him get some at-bats in September, if not sooner.
  14. Darius
    Unfortunately, Ryan is probably more likely to extend him than trade him. I've watched him operate long enough to have learned to never get my hopes up in these situations. We go through this every year, and nothing significant ever happens the deadline, whether he is running a winner (which is almost never), or a loser.
  15. Darius
    Gonsalves could replicate last nights game in every outing between now and next June and he wouldn't be called up. We're still talking about the Twins, here. Not saying he should be. But, if they wouldn't give a guy like Berrios a shot last fall, with awful starting pitching and a chance to sneak into the playoffs, what makes anyone they'll bring Gonsalves along any faster? That's just not the Twins style with starting pitching (position players have been a different story as of late....but let's be honest....it was pure desperation to our butts in the seats). They let it age in the minors like they're aging a fine wine. Look back at guys like Santana (different story in the bullpen, but also similar in that they kept him there longer than they should have), Garza, etc. With guys like Gibson and Berrios expected to be in the rotation next year, and Santana, Hughes (who will pitch again eventually), and Nolasco on big contracts, May possibly being moved back into the rotation.....we're not seeing Stewart, Gonsalves, Jay....insert favorite pitching prospect...anytime soon. I don't put any stock in TRs "trade" talk. It's the same story every year on that front.
  16. Darius
    Many would've still said it was a bad trade at the end of last September. A marginal reliever equates to a promising SO prospect in terms of value under no circumstances. We were never talking about Mariano Rivera, here. A guy like Abad could've came in and filled in equally well in the most overrated position in the game, in terms of value. The not way this can be defended is if the Twins thought the guy would never make it to the majors, which then brings into question their evaluation processes....again....
  17. Darius
    I like the fact that Jay is getting some starts (or start) in Chattanooga. I wouldve rather had him finish out his innings as a starter in FTM and shut it down early, then work with trainers, than be a mop-up guy in AA. Is it time to start giving Granite serious consideration as the Twins lead off hitter of the future? The guy has been unbelievable. Jaylin Davis has me intruiging. It looks like they may have found something there. Nick Gordon seems to be performing offensively well enough , which is encouraging (BA almost at .300, .750 OPS, showing some XBH pop--I know power was a concern). In his last 10, he's got 15 hits, 5 multi-hit games (.341 BA). I see his K:BB could use some work, but encouraging overall. Does anyone have any word on him defensively?
  18. Darius
    With the good number of solid SP prospects (Berrios, Stewart, Gonsolves, Jorge, Romero, Jay, etc), a guy like May who should be a starter, young guys like Gibson and Duffey in the rotation, and the Twins realistically not being anywhere near being a real contender for the next couple of years, it would be idiotic not to trade him of you can get some decent pieces in return.
  19. Darius
    If he has had a debilitating injury since May, the powers at be knew about it, and wasn't DL'd, I find that inexcusable. They could've given Arcia more ABs, and maybe not have let him walk for nothing. Apparently, your ability to do a job has nothing to do with you holding that position for as long as you'd like...,,in the FO or in the field (unless you're Arcia, Berrios, Rosario...or any other young Latin player not named Sano....or somewhat inexplicably, Danny Santana.
  20. Darius
    Kind of hard to blame anything on Jepsen. It's not like the guy sandbagged it. Terry Ryan, on the other hand, for riding him into the ground, should be rightfully criticized. Molitor deserves some also for not moving him into a lower leverage role months ago. I better not criticize too much, the mods seems to think that's unacceptable. Although, if I showed up to work and was doing my job horribly for two decades, should that not be criticized by the powers at be and my customers who aren't getting what they pay for (also in this scenario, those customers payed for my office building).
  21. Darius
    Are we really inserting Grossman into future plans here? The guy had a few good weeks, and will come back to earth (arguably, he already has). If he maintains that 1.000 OPS another month, I'll start getting serious about him. But, I'm not ready to have him block Rosario, Buxton, or even Walker quite yet. I know they can't....but if they could swap him for a serviceable veteran defense-only catcher for next year (hopefully in a back-up role), I would strongly consider it. This is one of the front offices major, and one of many, flaws. They keep these scrap heap guys who have a couple of good weeks around way, way, way, way too long, and block prospects. I'm guessing it all comes down to some ego-driven "we coached them up when nobody could" attitude, with a little Pohlad penny pinching sprinkled in.
  22. Darius
    I'm not so sure you can these prolonged stretches of ineptitude at the plate from Dozier "slumps." I think it's more accurate to say that's the player he always is, and that he occasionally gets hot when pitchers forget not to throw him inside. A "slump" carries implications of uncharacteristic struggles for a few weeks here or there. It's the opposite with him. He's bad the majority of the time, with stretches here and there where he is absolutely on fire. He brings some nice things to the table at all times (gets on base, runs the bases, isn't awful defensively), but I think he is wildly overrated by many Twins (thinking he's the guy we saw in the first half of '15, as opposed to second half of '15/first half of '16).
  23. Darius
    I don't think any of these guys are good enough to call it a "logjam." I mean, I guess you could say there is a "logjam" at every position on every team in the league of this is a "logjam."
  24. Darius
    They're not getting anything for Nunez.
  25. Darius
    I'd prefer they see what they can get for him. I would be surprised if this performance was sustained much longer. So, the sooner the better. That said, I'm not real optimistic that they could get enough to pull the trigger. Every team is aware of his track record. Maybe this is the new Nunez, but I'm not sure it's been a large enough sample for teams to justify parting with good prospects at this point.
×
×
  • Create New...