Doug Y

Wow! The Pohlad’s are going to lose so much money again after this upcoming 60 win season, they will have to put the team up for sale again, then take it off the market again, and then find investors to pull them out of the debt because no fans will come to watch the games

I think that is why they also need a salary floor.

A salary cap and a salary floor should be implemented immediately. Every other major sports league does it. But that is not what the commissioner wants. He wants the top seven biggest metro area teams in the playoffs and World Series every single year. He doesn’t care about small market teams. And it is pushing fans away in small markets.

It is too hard to draft, develop, trade for, and certainly acquire top end pitching talent by free agency. I would certainly not trade it away and hope the return players develop. You can’t compete without high end starters.

Maybe the subtitle of this article should be why OPS is not the new batting average. It’s a useful stat, but it favors high slugging over contact. We keep looking for the one perfect stat to define all hitters, but so far it doesn’t exist.

If they trade Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan, it’s a 3-4 year rebuild. The Pohlad’s are terrible owners, but don’t you think it’s about time for a salary floor and salary cap?

I would stop watching!

Please stop trying to Pull every pitch!

The 2 biggest words you said in this article are “TV Contract.” You simply cannot step back now with tv contract negotiations looming. You need to to have a competitive team with as many eyes watching your games as you can going into the negotiations. A good TV contract can be a game changer for the future success of the franchise.

My first instinct is No to all of them. I want someone better, but I know how the Twins operate.

This thought that Batting Average is an over-rated stat is only if you are looking outside in. From the outside, there are stats that better express how much a hitter helps his team, and who is a better hitter overall. If you are a player, there is absolute value in Batting Average. Stats don't tell the human story of a baseball game. Intimidation or worry of a pitcher who can see that Luis Arreaz is coming up next and knows he is a tough out. That can make the pitcher press harder to get out of the inning before Arreaz comes up, and he may end up making a mistake. Or in a late game clutch situation, do you want the high OBP guy taking a walk, or do you want Luis Arreaz getting a base hit. Same with bunting and stealing. Math can tell us they aren't always the best ways to score runs, but math doesn't show you the human element. After a successful steal or sacrifice bunt, that pitcher has a lot more stress and potential for a mistake worrying about the runner on 2nd. I love analytics and stats, but stats are only a chapter in baseball's book, but they don't tell you the whole story.

No, Stay away from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and most shoulder injuries.

Do these young pitchers with high 90s fastballs, really throw high 90s? Or do they throw mid 90s with the occasional high 90s. We hear of so many young prospects throwing high 90s in the minors, and then when they get to the majors they are never throwing that hard.

I hope you are correct with all 5 predictions!

Hi Travis! I played college baseball, but never made it any farther. I would have loved the chance to play even the low levels on minor league baseball, except I couldn't hit the slider. What would you say is the biggest adjustment going from high school/college to the pro game?