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nicksaviking

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Everything posted by nicksaviking

  1. nicksaviking
    This year's free agent class of relievers might be unprecedented. Also unprecedented: the Twins available payroll. If they can't get two or three excellent-to-elite BP arms then they're not trying hard enough. Buy the relievers, trade for the other areas of need. This team can afford even the priciest reliever, if they try to do similarly with starting pitchers or elite bats they have to settle for 3rd tier guys.
  2. nicksaviking
    No way. You know how bad a classic early century wool suit is going to smell after doing wind sprints? He would have been paying his dry cleaner more than any of his players.
  3. nicksaviking
    I wouldn't think so, new managers are quite often a catalyst for a quick turnaround. I couldn't say why, it's perhaps intangible, but it happens very frequently, including with Molitor. I was in favor of a new manager if for no other reason than to kick-start this club (but there were other reasons also).
  4. nicksaviking
    I want someone who is creative. I want someone who has new ideas, not someone who has to be taught all the new ideas. I want someone who is as foreign as possible to this organization so as not to have been burdened with our specific Upper-Midwestern mores and modest expectations. But mostly, I want someone who the young players can relate to and feed off of.
  5. nicksaviking
    OK folks, Mike's putting $100 up against anyone that the Twins will sign Machado. Looks like his bookie has them as the runaway favorite.
  6. nicksaviking
    I can't 'like' your post with the inclusion of that last team. I'd fear the 'like' would be misconstrued. Thankfully, everything the White Sox touch these days turns to dust, so hopefully Machado and his agent have been paying attention and are superstitious.
  7. nicksaviking
    From the sound of it Machado doesn't want an opening at SS or 3B, he just wants an opening at SS. I don't see the Dodgers moving the defensively superior Seager, who is also a really good offensive player, off of SS to acquiesce to Machado. I'd guess the Twins couldn't get him, but I'd also bet the Dodgers don't make a huge effort as long as he continues to state that he only wants to play SS. My money would be on the Phillies; with their defensive experiments of Rhys Hoskins to the OF and Carlos Santana back to 3B and mid-season trades for both Jose Bautista and Asdrubal Cabrera, I'm not reading them as a team that is overly concerned about defense.
  8. nicksaviking
    The Twins have money and prospects (supposedly) coming out of their ears. Free agency isn't the only avenue to improve.
  9. nicksaviking
    This could be interesting. All of us seem to want Machado and none of us actually think the Twins can get him. But in this age in which defense is heavily analyzed and prioritized, what does Manny do if none of the big market teams will commit to him at SS, but the Twins or another similarly unattractive market does?
  10. nicksaviking
    Yeah, I'd prefer to bring in Neil Young than to keep letting Graham Nash write filler songs.
  11. nicksaviking
    Expected doesn't mean correct. Those publications expected Jay to go to the Twins because they'd been talking to him a lot and they'd had a history of taking relief pitchers way too early. Most of us expect Eddie Rosario to throw the ball ten feet over the cut-off man's head too.
  12. nicksaviking
    I hope Kyle Gibson has a nice long talk with Stewart this off season about the dangers of getting too comfortable with being a sinkerballer whilst having shaky command. They're very similar pitchers as far as repertoire, velocity and control goes. If they follow the same trajectory, it sure would be nice if the Twins could simply avoid a few of those wasted years and just cut to the good part.
  13. nicksaviking
    While I'd love for the Twins to nail the science on these kinds of discoveries, I don't think it's logical to expect it. I Max Muncy could just as easily have been Jordan Schaffer. Scooter Gennett could have been Taylor Motter and Blake Treinen might as well have been Brandon Kintzler. No one's ever too thrilled when they get these guys off of the scrap heap and their success rate has to be 25% tops. And by success, I mean barely justified in sticking on a 40-man.
  14. nicksaviking
    I actually like the momentum shift that so often accompanies a new manager. It seems to me "surprise" teams commonly have new managers. I'm not even necessarily saying it's the old manger's fault or the new manager's doing, it's just that all-to-often something intangible seems to take place unexpectedly and in a positive direction. It happened with Molitor's first year on the job in fact.
  15. nicksaviking
    Perhaps I could use a history lesson, but wasn't Greinke pushing for a trade out of KC and then wasn't thrilled when it turned out to be Milwaukee? After spending the better part of the last decade in LA and Pheonix I might suspect that mid-western teams make up quite a bit of his no-trade list. But if that's all a load of baloney, cool, I'll take him and his salary, even at that age. They won't be able to spend that money anywhere else. I still want to spend good money on relievers though, and not the kind that have to wait three months to sign and become "bargains" because the other clubs are all weary. They seem to like to sign in groups lately to form a nice back end block, so go get two of Familia, Herrera, Allen, Kimbrel, Britton, Miller, Robertson or Soria. Then get an Adam Warren, David Phelps or Bud Norris for good measure.
  16. nicksaviking
    Tangibly, I think they need to identify a reliable big RH bat. I'm not giving up on Sano or Buxton, but they need someone else they can be reasonably confident won't falter. And go crazy on free agent relievers, but unlike last year, get the high velocity variety this time. Intangibly, they need new energy. This team never looked like a confident contender at any point of this season. They need to get someone or do something to kick-start the enthusiasm again. Not with the fans, just with the players. Winning is all you need to breed enthusiasm with the fans.
  17. nicksaviking
    The team seems to have a higher talent level than they are playing up to. Disappointment seems to be becoming a self fullfilling prophecy. 2019 can't come soon enough.
  18. nicksaviking
    I think the good strikeout pitchers have stuff that can miss bats while staying in the zone. The pretender strikeout pitchers constantly try to get guys to chase.
  19. nicksaviking
    I guess I'd suggest next year is the prove it year now that they are looking at about $80M in available payroll and plenty prospects available to trade. I'm not sure what you mean about the AA/AAA comment though. Personally, I'm really looking forward to seeing Thorpe, Romero, Rooker, Wade and Wells. Gordon's still giving other people the warm fuzzies too I believe.
  20. nicksaviking
    I wouldn't like that kind of employer either, and I loved the comfortable and history embracing atmosphere the team created through most of the early part of this centrury. But I'm tired of this club being soft and rolling over every time an Alpha team comes along, and I have a hard time not seeing a corolation. A lot of players probably wouldn't like that atmosphere, but really, I don't want those players either. I want the ones that are also cutthroat and will always put winning ahead of comfort. My previous affinity for the constant deferring to the team's history and family-first atmosphre always stemmed from the old World Series teams. Once they get there again I'll soften up and embrace that stuff again. But it's just been too long; time for business, not hugs.
  21. nicksaviking
    Honestly, I want a Terminator in the front office. This organization has for so long put emotions ahead of sound baseball decision. I'm not saying our current Terminator is making sound baseball decisions, but I wouldn't have approached Dozier about an extension just because he was asking for one, I'd only do it if I actually wanted him back. Decisions on Mauer and Buxton should be based on what's best for the team, not the individual players (not saying they got it right, just that I don't want the players dictating the decisions). All this century we've been doing the "we are family" "aw-shucks" "let's just go out there and have fun" underdog bit. I've had enough. Maybe I'm a monster, but I want to win and at any costs. I don't think that starts with making concessions to players who aren't pulling their weight or aren't in the team's future. Let the field manager handle the human emotions, the motivation and the pep talks, that's supposed to be his job anyway. I want the guys actually running the show to make the best baseball decisions, even if it seems cutthroat.
  22. nicksaviking
    I think there are two main issues, one old school, one new school. As far as analytics go, I don't think this team is practicing what they preach. I just can't see any possible scenario where an in-depth dive supports giving players with no upside like Matt Belisle, Robbie Grossman, Johnny Field, Jake Odorizzi and so many of these other replacement level players so many looks. Maybe that weighs into Nick's last point, things are still coalescing, or maybe it speaks to the second to last point that there's a disconnect. My other main issue is the absolute lack of energy and enthusiasm. I know it sounds like a cheap shot and it is in no way measurable, but I'm putting that on Molitor. I don't believe the stereotypical stoic and emotionless Minnesota demeanor is appropriate for managing a baseball team in this centruy I wouldn't be excited about coming to work if my boss looks like he just put his dog down every day.
  23. nicksaviking
    I like how they put Kirilloff's face in the CF spot. Even if he's not CF material that suggests that his prospect status shouldn't be held back by his position seeing as Tucker and Jimenez's aren't.
  24. nicksaviking
    I really don't care where these guys start, I think most of us just get frustrated when vets who aren't playing well get a longer leash at the expense of a prospect and we can only assume it is due to some combination of salary, experience, loyalty or fear of the unknown, none of which in my opinion should extend a struggling vet's stay in the lineup. If the youngsters need seasoning, season them. Don't keep them down because there's a below average vet currently holding his job.
  25. nicksaviking
    I agree, Odorizzi was basically just a placeholder for that example and my money is on the team moving him to the pen next year regardless of free agency. We can instead use whomever is 2019's free agent version of Lance Lynn.
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