Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

nicksaviking

Community Moderator
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    25,019

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    126

 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 nicksaviking

  1. nicksaviking
    With the pretext that I'm interested in putting a winning club on the field next year, I'd have preferred to give Rooker, Thorpe and Wade some decent playing time this year so as if they take some adjusting they may do it in a losing season. Next year if they are contending they may be hesitant to rely on the young players. Let's say the team is contending, and those three are still behind a healthy Mauer, Odorizzi and Kepler and those three vets are still painfully under performing, I'm not sure the team has the stones to replace below average but not terrible vets with untested rookies.
  2. nicksaviking
    What about when they were Morneau, Mauer, Cuddyer, Kubel, Liriano, Perkins and Baker? Seems the fans were right then. I don't think the front office is moving prospects slowly, but I don't think it's unfair for the fans to want to see them either, especially when the team at the MLB level is awful.
  3. nicksaviking
    I'd bet a discussion about the possibility of a limited role in 2019 has been discussed and I think he retires instead. It would seem odd that there isn't going to be a farewell tour, but this is Mauer after all, he's never seemed too comfortable when a microphone is put in front of him. He'd probably prefer to go out quietly.
  4. nicksaviking
    They don't for the NFL but those guys only have to prep for one game a week.
  5. nicksaviking
    But starting pitchers don't tend to be good much past 32. Morneau started off really rough in the booth, but I agree, he's really turned it around lately; I like him too. I might agree with Tom though, I might put Hawk a hair ahead of him. Maybe because he's got the "I've been everywhere, man" feel to him. His anecdotes and experiences aren't almost exclusively Twins related.
  6. nicksaviking
    I don't mind the service time manipulation, this year is lost. I'm also impressed with the forthcoming nature that Lavine showed when discussing the situation; typically this would all be veiled and the statements would end with a wink wink. But I am concerned that the front office appears to have greatly miscalculated the temperature of the clubhouse. It doesn't sound good right now. I doubt this will have any impact on free agents coming here but I'm not sure that it's going to make signing current players to extensions any easier.
  7. nicksaviking
    If the decision on Buxton is coming in 24 hours, I'd think that means they're recalling him. Otherwise why do they have to make a decision in 24 hours? Couldn't they instead revisit the decision after the Red Wings season is over?
  8. nicksaviking
    He's got a whole set?!
  9. nicksaviking
    The downside isn't the player. The downside is not being able to remove that player from the equation if/when needed. People like 1 year deals because they aren't a commitment, we've seen plenty of times that a GM will cut bait with a bad one year deal mid-season. Unless he's a franchise icon. If the Blue Jays signed Joe Mauer and he was OPS'ing .700 and there were better or younger options that could take his spot they'd release him. Will the Twins?
  10. nicksaviking
    Or maybe the September snub is enough for him to turn it around. It seemed to work for Dozier.
  11. nicksaviking
    If this team is going to get a full time DH, he better be OPS'ing +.800. And if he's only DH'ing because the team has to use a 1B who can't OPS +.800 than it's still wasting a roster spot. If we were all cheering for a different team who was in the exact same position we find our Twins in now, let's say this was a Blue Jays site, would we be talking about bringing in Joe Mauer?
  12. nicksaviking
    This team doesn't now and shouldn't have a set DH, that era of baseball is largely over, everyone should be getting time there. Player #12's position isn't overly relevant when the roster already has a three deep depth chart for every position. And I really don't want to sign a free agent 1B. The team already has 3 guys who play 1B and they've already had 7 players play at 1B this year, anyone can do it. After the Twins win another World Series I'll maybe be more open to some of these legacy re-signings. Until then I'm taking my heart out of the decisions. Give me the best, most flexible, most modern lineup possible. I think this team can do way better with their roster than re-signing a below average 1B-only when they don't actually need another 1B. And as it is, the Twins just have soooo much money to spend this year. Free agent upgrades should be really painless if that's the way they wanted to do it.
  13. nicksaviking
    I"d prefer the front office surprise me with a 3B and/or SS and/or 2B and/or corner OF this year in trade or free agency but if this hypothetical is just Escobar, whom I'd also welcome back, I'd role with: C: Garver/Castro 2B: Escobar/Polanco/Adrianza SS: Polanco/Adrianza 3B: Sano/Escobar/Adrianza LF: Rosario/Cave CF: Buxton/Cave/Kepler RF: Kepler/Cave/Austin 1B: Sano/Austin/Kepler DH: Whomever's turn it is to have a day off from defense Out of those players, and under the hypothetical situation where Escobar is the only offensive addition, Adrianza and Castro would be the only ones who I could care less if they lose at bats. 12th bench bat who is internal in this exercise, I don't know, Austudillo? This is the spot I'd welcome Mauer back for, but it's very diminished and I'd think it might be a bit offensive to even offer it to him.
  14. nicksaviking
    Anybody. I don't care whom. Joe isn't a good offensive player anymore and he is an albatross if you can't bench him or release him. If he and the manager agree to the possibility of a largely reduced role, and if the fans are made aware of it at the time of signing. Great, do it. Otherwise, run away.
  15. nicksaviking
    No, no it is absolutely not about that. If you sign Joe, you're stuck with him at 1B, good or bad. If you sign, promote or move literally any other player to 1B, you are not stuck with that option because sentimentality and seniority won't be a factor.
  16. nicksaviking
    This is all speculation though, what if paragraphs 1,2 and 4 aren't true? You're stuck with a subpar 1B you can't move out of the lineup. What if Rooker is ready June 1? You think Joe is just going to go to the bench? I don't, I think Joe keeps his job and Rooker is more likely to bide his time in Rochester whether he's crushing or not all while TD burns down in frustration. What if Sano can't play 3B, maybe because of futility, maybe just because of physical limitations? Then what, clog up the DH all year? Mauer's played in 75% of the team's games this year. Why would we believe that he'd platoon with Austin or have reduced playing time?
  17. nicksaviking
    It's not about the upgrade, it's about the team not being able to fix a problem if Mauer is on the team. You can't fix 1B if he's re-signed because they'll have to play him there no matter what his production is. And free agents shouldn't have anything to do with it because there's still the strong possibility that internal options like Sano, Austin or Rooker will need the spot. But if they want a free agent, yes, sign Matt Adams over Mauer, he's a better hitter, can play OF and can be dealt or benched without anyone wringing their hands about it.
  18. nicksaviking
    But there wouldn't be organizational chaos if the front office were to bench, release or trade one of them should the need arise.
  19. nicksaviking
    Unless the front office is convinced that both Mauer and Molitor (or another manager, please) would put Joe on the Bench if better options emerge, you can't bring Mauer back if you're planning on competing next year. It's well within reason that Sano, or Austin, or Rooker or someone else will be both a better overall player AND need to play 1B next year. If the front office knows going into this offseason that Mauer's stature is going to prevent them from replacing him, they just can't re-sign him; it would be completely irresponsible. If all parties will agree to the distinct possibility of a greatly diminished role, great, re-sign him. But let La Velle know too so the news is broken to the fans long before that decision has to be made.
  20. nicksaviking
    I don't want to judge the front office as one entity. I know Falvey and Lavine were hired at the same time but I can't imagine they (and everyone else with responsibilities) make every decision as a hive mind. I'd love some clarity as to who has what responsibilities though that probably won't happen so as to best protect themselves. Opaqueness likely helps with job security. So thus far: Whomever is making free agent decisions - B- Whomever is making draft decisions - A Whomever is making 25-man decisions - D Whomever is making managerial/coaching decisions - C- Whomever is making trade decisions - B Whomever is making overall development decisions - B- Whomever is making external player evaluations - B Whomever is making internal player evaluations - C- These guys shouldn't be evaluated as one; if one of them is making poor choices or giving poor feedback that person needs to go, just like each and every other individual in the organization.
  21. nicksaviking
    I'm just tired of the inconsistency, not just year-to-year, but month-to-month. They hit some high points on occasion but I don't think well managed teams bottom out so deeply and as often as this one. And where the heck is the energy at? I remember when Vargas and Arcia and Danny Santana got up here and they were hanging at the top step of the dugout laughing and cheering every game even though the team stunk.
  22. nicksaviking
    Fantastic interview and article Buhr. I wonder if that BA would go up if he weren't so selective. Obviously trading walks for hits isn't going to impact the OBP but it might help with the strikeouts. Hard to say in the Midwest League though, there's probably significantly fewer strikes thrown on the first pitch at that level than there are at each level onward.
  23. nicksaviking
    I could get behind any kind of creative possibilities. Normally I'd say the Twins should wait until everyone has gotten a taste of the MLB before deciding down a path, but there are just so many corner bats lurking that they probably should make some pre-emptive decisions this offseason, even if they haven't seen everyone. Reminds me of early this century when the Twins had Hunter and Jones as locks and were dabbling with Mohr, Kielty and Buchanan while Cuddyer, Restovich, Kubel, Morneau, Ryan, Ford, Sears and others were all knocking on the door. Kielty and Buchanan were moved in quality trades and several of the others were long time fixtures.
  24. nicksaviking
    That's really encouraging, though Gardenhire probably liked the "lot of sink" more than the new front office does. I'm encouraged that a pitcher's height no longer appears to be a de facto disqualification for starting opportunities.
  25. nicksaviking
    Can anyone tell me how hard Colina throws?
×
×
  • Create New...