ewen21

I am going to address position players to start and then in another post this weekend I will talk pitching. Moving Buxton or Sano or both isn't going to bring us much at this point because they have such diminished value right now. The only people who feel Buxton is potentially one of the best players in the game are Twins fans and employees trying to maintain a rosy outlook. Baseball minds with nothing invested in him emotionally can think freely without being beholden to a "positive outlook". It is pretty much just AN outlook based in what we have seen in over 1,000 plate appearances. This is not too soon to sound the alarms. I see red flags galore. If he can't hit and these injuries add up he could have a very short career. Not saying that will happen and we certainly don't want that, but can we at least acknowledge the very real possibility that he can veer off onto that track moreso than guys like Kepler and Rosario? We like to talk about his boundless potential, but there are another set of possible outcomes far less pleasant and all too real. I am looking at Sano and Buxton as such.... Anything they do is gravy at this point. I have very little expectations for them at this point. I will try to hit the reset button next year, but that will be the last time I will. By then it is almost too late for both of them. Another blech year from either next year and people need to stop making a case for their potential, imo. To me, the team revolves around Rosario, Escobar and Kepler. Escobar is a leader by example. He can move around the field, can hit pretty well and with surprising pop, and has EVERYONE's respect. Not a "face of the franchise" kind of guy (whatever the heck that is), but the the true definition of a ballplayer and the kind of veteran you want when you are trying to bring along young players. Dozier and Mauer are out of the equation going forward as far as I am concerned. The Mauer concussion saga is not something the Twins want to wonder about and answer to for 2019 and it just is unwise for Mauer at this point. Period. Stop. I liked the Morrison deal, but I have already moved on from him as well. I think guys like Royce Lewis and Alex Kiriloff are the guys to be excited about. I had a very positive view of what Polanco could do this year and beyond, but that took a hit with the suspension. I still think he is a solid seasoned hitter. As far as the Realmuto talk goes, if we were close then it makes lots of sense. I am going to guess the Marlins will want too much for him because he is under team control and they already sold off half the team anyway. They can just sit back and wait for a desperate offer from a bigger market team that is still in the mix. We need a catcher, though, and Realmuto makes the lineup better INSTANTLY. Castro is terrible. Never have I seen such a weak hitter quibble with the umpires about the strike zone as much as he does. I think his defense and catching intangibles aren't all that special. At least not to the point where you can live with his bat. And there is the problem with this ballclub. There are so many players who just do not do their fair share of hitting. I guess Sano figured he would be the slugging cleanup hitter in the middle of the lineup that hit dingers and everything would be peachy. It has not worked out that way as he seems to not be interested in shortening his swing and using the gaps. I am not prepared to make any moves nor do I think we should be heavily into the market during the trade deadline. We need to find a catcher for sure. Possibly we could have a catching tandem with Cameron Rupp and someone else. We can let Dozier walk and install someone else in the leadoff spot. Someone that makes sense. Lot's of thoughts but no crystalized plan yet. Still watching and wondering how things are going to shake out, but I have to say it is time to move on from Dozier and Mauer at this point.

YEs, but have you met Maverick, Goose or the Iceman?

YOu are telling some people "we don't know". You seem to know exactly why his play tailed off though and it is because of concussions according to what you say. You acknowledge that seriousness of concussions and say that he suffered their affects for three years. He has another one now, will be 36 next year, his contract is up and yet...….you want him back on the field?

A lot of people have been adamant about the concussion symptoms affecting his play for nearly three years. Shouldn't these people be equally adamant about him packing it in at this point? To insist he had a traumatic brain injury with a profound impact for years, no timetable for a return now but to still talk about extending him makes elsewhere makes me shake my head. Why the hell does he need to keep going through all that?

I am sorry, but I am getting tired of reading that. His defensive WAR rating last year might very well be the best one he will ever post at that was 2.8. HIs oWAR was 2.7 and that was because he slugged fairly well and hit for average over the last two months. If you are saying he can be this guy and his defense still makes up for it then you are sorely mistaken. No player can be absolved from hitting. Not a player that plays everyday. It is too costly to the team, stellar defense notwithstanding.

This is from yesterday and I have heard nothing since: https://www.twincities.com/2018/06/06/twins-mulling-rehab-assignment-for-joe-mauer/ There is no timetable for Mauer’s return, and it appears likely he will make a rehab assignment with a minor league affiliate before returning to the majors. “I think that’s possible,” manager Paul Molitor said. “Of all the things that he’s tried to introduce himself to, in terms of stimulus and environment, playing a nine-inning game will be different than anything he’s done up to this point. So, I think it would make a lot of sense to have that as an option, to make sure that we don’t go backwards in some form.” But, Molitor added, that might not be close. Mauer's only comment in the article" “Another good day,” he said. So we get "another good day" from Joe and no timetable for a return and a rehab assignment "might not be close" from Molitor. One thing about Mauer is he cannot be pinned down. Good for him

It assumes there isn't even a 1% chance weight or conditioning is a PART of the cause.

And the Twins decide if they resign him.

Even AFTER the season is done and the contract is up? Do the Twins not decide on how the roster shakes out for next year and beyond or not?

My thing is if we extend the timeline out far enough it opens the door for the potential for something bad to happen and that should be a concern for any fan.

NO, I am mostly concerned about the compounding effects of concussions at this point. For Joe's sake he should weigh his options because he is in a good place if he decides not to play after this year. Do you believe he should risk his well being and play on after this year? At this point, I don't see that as a good move. Not for anyone. Does anyone want to see his career end being taken off the field for (God forbid) something bad? I know I don't. NO one does.

Was going to post exactly that but Esco did his thing. SO agree

Esco is the man

Sanosy Claus!

Where's Tom Prince hanging out these days?

Ultimately, whether he plays for the Twins isn't his decision to make. He doesn't run the team. He might want to keep playing, but it comes down to management. Joe has a mysterious past with concussions so they are going take this one very seriously. According to Joe he played with symptoms for over three years. If you know something about concussions the more you get them easier it is to get them. If this lasts a month or so the decision should be made for him.

You are rephrasing and mischaracterizing what I said and I think you are doing it intentionally. Please stop. I am pretty clear in what I said. I said I would not endorse him playing if I were the Twins. Afterall they do employ him so the final say is theirs, not Joe's. The other thing is, the concussion symptoms lasted several years according to Joe although that slipped through the cracks and he never informed the Twins. If anything is bizarre there it is.

Once again, he can play if he wants to play but no team (the Twins included) must feel compelled to take a risk on him. I am not telling him not to play. I am saying his wish to play doesn't have to be honored given the circumstances

I never said they were morally negligent to allow him to play further. Your words, not mine. I said I would not endorse him playing anymore. You want to tell me we don't know enough? That isn't consistent with what I read here when people talk about Joe's traumatic brain injury and the effects of which lasted over three years. Now he has symptoms again and he doesn't even understand how it happened. Everyone seems to know enough to say the effects of concussions had a profound impact on his performance the last almost five season, but no one knows enough to be more concerned about his personal well-being than his right to keep on playing? How can the prevailing wisdom here be that the concussions wiped him out on one hand and on the other insist that Joe should keep on playing so long as he feels like it, even after this latest episode? Someone is going to need to tell me how Joe getting back on the field is actually a good thing for him and the Twins. Are we expected to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best? There are no brain transplants last time I checked.

You don't understand what I am saying. I am saying the decision doesn't have to be his to make. The Twins have veto power over him

Why does the decision need to be based on what Joe prefers? If I am the Twins I cannot endorse him playing anymore. It ignores some very real risks and the possibility of some big time regrets. He has gotten everything he needs out of baseball. Playing again really benefits no one, not this least of which his wife and children. At some point people need to let go of Joe the ballplayer.

Boy Lynn is tough to watch sometmes. Lord knows I wanted him and was pleased with the signing, but....

You seem more antsy than anyone I have seen around here. Almost 100% of your posts are about blasting other posters for criticizing the team. At least the critics discuss the team. Your agenda seems to be to talk about posters. I suggest you not react so emotionally to posts. Calm down.

Doesn't make me wrong.

At this point, to not retire is insane. The Twins need to sit him down and tell him that it was a good run, but we are finished here. No way the Twins should endorse him going back out on the field. Not if stuff like this can happen without even knowing how. I know some people care a lot about Joe's legacy as a baseball player and would like to see him play a few more seasons so he can accumulate more hits so that his case for Cooperstown is stronger. Anyone who gives a rip about Joe would let go of that and I am talking mostly to the Twins organization here. Now is the time to take him aside and tell him it is time to move forward into another era. There willl be no extension or no new contract. If he wants to keep on playing then let the blood be on the hands of another franchise. Game over, Joe Mauer