MN_ExPat

Glad to see him bounce back. I'll take effective over pretty anyday.

Numbers make Hulk's brain hurt... Hulk get angry when brain hurt!!! Hulk SMAAAAASH ugly numbers!!!! I'm not going to even pretend to talk numbers (unless we start talking ballistics, and that's a whole different ball game - get it?.... sigh, nevermind). If he keeps up the play and the stats follow, sign him to an extension that works for both parties.

Baseball is ninety percent mental, the other half is physical. - Yogi Berra Baseball is a simple game, hit the ball, throw the ball, catch the ball. This is also what makes is exceptionally difficult. The simple things are never easy. Any of use who have played the game, or have children who play the game (or both) know this. Gibson... he has the physical tools to at a minimum, compete at the MLB level. Buxton... he has the physical tools to flat out dominate at the MLB level. Both players would not be here if they didn't have the tools to compete. I'm not defending the poor performances, far from it... but before some of you let your vitriolic hate flow and call them garbage or a waste of space, just remember this: They and other players are someone's child, brother, best friend, etc. How would you feel if that was your son out there?

So can we safely say that Santiago is the Bumble Bee of pitchers? He defies the laws nature of FIP (I.E. Flight).

I can understand when he says he can't tell what type of pitches he is hitting. I see that with a lot of natural, instinctive, shooters I work with. They can perform the functions and actions well, but have a difficult time describing what they are doing... they "just do it" or react to what is in front of them. Of course this often leads to being very "streaky", which is probably what most teams will see from him hitting wise.

Saw the game with Jacksonville last night. Felix looked sharp again, Gordon was as good as ever, Vielma actually had good, productive at bats. Burdi came on in the ninth. Ball was positively jumping out of his hands and consistently hitting 97-98. Overall a very good game by Chattanooga.

For God Sakes Man!!! That is simply to much power for mortal man to possess!! For shame Prometheus, for shame!

Great talking points Seth.

True, but I never said he was good at it. Just that he has played there

Don't forget about Gimenez... he has played 1B (and some 3rd?) as well.

Hey Blue... just to let you know, not bashing your opinion here. But I did want to use this to illustrate a point. Why are we (myself included) so quick to place "blame" on a player. Did he commit some egregious crime against humanity? Baseball is an exceptionally tough game even at the lowest levels and best days. Did Shaggy do well this spring? No, it is safe to say he struggled. But we don't know what is going on in his head or really much of what the coaches are telling him or asking him to do. I'm not defending his performance this spring, it could have been better (at least to the fan's perspective), but to say a player is to "blame" is... well it's wrong.

True... But have you ever tried to hit a high fastball (above the hands or letters)? It usually doesn't end well. Yes, number 20 will usually get hit on the screws, but that is more likely because the pitch comes in lower around the belt than because the hitter has learned to tomahawk a high one.

Vanimal, did you steal my Palpatine quote?...lol

Good... Good! (Cue evil chuckling laugher of Palpatine) Let the hate flow through you! Let it make you strong. Take up your weapon and strike me down! Ok, sorry about that one folks, couldn't resist. Not as vitriolic as some discussions I've seen, but I think I did feel the Dark Side flowing through some of the posts. I think that we (myself included) often loose sight of just how difficult a game that baseball is (a beautiful, glorious game, but still extremely difficult). We see the success that other franchises such as the cubs have had (cue the 'why can't we have nice things lament') and gnash our terrible teeth and roll our terrible eyes and roar our terrible roars. The grog-nards, long-beards and curmudgeons harrumph and say, 'See, I told you that our prospects wouldn't develop'. No other game in this world celebrates failure, or seems to, quite as much as baseball. Where else do we see a 30+% success rate (i.e. batting average) and call someone a hall of famer? What other sport lists failures on the score board? Still we come back. Why? Because all the silly personnel decisions, player drama and long-beard grumblings aside... Baseball is pure. The game at it's heart is joyous and fun. Filled with the highest of joys and the lowest points of anguish and heartache. So the Twins, like many other franchises, have oft made mistakes and poor decisions. So has every other team that has ever played the game. IF the Twins fall flat on their collective faces again this year and prospects again fail to develop or get injured, I will sigh, shake my head and go play catch with my son in the yard. I will take him to his travel ball practices and tournaments, continue to enjoy his journey, be reminded that Baseball is joyous and be thankful to God that we have this beautiful game to partake of, even if we are Twins fans and are consigned to wander the desert in search of the Promised Land.

Great stuff Seth. Having a son who plays, I absolutely love the glimpse into the human aspect/side of the game.

... and at the end of the day, baseball is a game. The greatest game ever invented by Man, but just a game. I would love to see Twins players dominate, but one thing I have learned from teaching the game to my son and watching him grow as a player, is to enjoy the small things. Thus I have truly learned to appreciate the game much more now than I ever did growing up.

Good point Sir. I hereby second the motion.

I have to wonder if ire we have displayed here today might be exacerbated by Kiriloff's injury as well. I was pretty bummed when I heard about May's injury. Another good guy, with a hard work ethic and well liked by many fans and his teammates goes down. It's hard to take. But I feel (IMHO) that we have to step back and take a deep breath. I think we all realize that injuries happen (**** happens). I am inwardly deeply terrified of any potential injuries my son might face playing ball (I cringe to myself every time he rolls an ankle, swings his shoulder and grimaces, runs full tilt into another outfielder, etc.). But in the end, I have to accept... no matter what he does, an injury could just happen. All I can do is encourage him and stand beside him. Casting blame on things we have little or no control over does us all no good. The Lord willing, May will come back and be a productive pitcher next year. If not, then He has other plans for him and I wish him nothing but the best and count myself thankful for being to able to watch and follow him, just as May's family and friends also do. This is also probably why I shouldn't post in forums though... I seem to have a marked tendency to vomit forth half formed, incoherent detritus as thoughts and ideas, and then look at what I just typed and go... "Wow, I really am an idiot".

Seems like we are seeing this more and more from Santana. Great athleticism... but, his head space and timing (IMHO) just create too many reoccurring problems. I agree... LF has right of way in those situations, Santana doesn't need to be calling him off.

I fully agree, there is no "universal fit" when it comes to hitting. As the score, base runners, defense, count, etc. all come together to dictate what the hitter needs to do. A hitter may have a goal in mind of what he wants to do, but anyone who has ever swung a bat knows, when trying to hit a round ball with a round bat being thrown by a person who doesn't want you to hit it correctly (or at all), really funny things can happen.

Keep in mind it's not how slow you throw the change that makes it so effective, but rather the split between it and the fastball (as well any additional movement the pitcher can add to it such as with the circle change or 3 finger change). A lot of pitching coaches (at least at the ones my son works with) usually want their pitchers to stay around 10 - 12 mph difference between the two on average.

"I'd put Hughes in the bullpen immediately if he's sitting at 90 in late March. Let him work out his issues in the pen and if he kills it, then consider giving him another shot at the rotation" Excellent point Brock. I really hope that Hughes can come back from this. I can't help but wonder if some of my (misplaced?) enthusiasm for a come back to his initial season with the twins stems from the heartache most of us felt when Kirby Pucket's career was cut short. I remember being crushed, but still holding out hope that he would overcome what even I knew at the time was a career ending condition.

I'd really have to agree with Doc. I'd love nothing more than for PH to succeed and come back healthy, and I think most of us would agree that you don't have to throw gas to be successful (Jamie Moyer anyone? I think he topped at 87-88 in his prime). Sure having the ability to rear back and immolate the hitters bat with righteous fury and vengeance is a nice option when you need it, but IF, he can locate his pitches, change speeds/arm angles and keep hitters off balance then he will have success. If I remember correctly, didn't Radke top out at around 91-92? I remember him being pretty good. So before the grognards and long-beards harrumph my widely optimistic hubris of Spring Training, there is a lot of baseball to be played this spring and I could still be proven to be widely wrong (which is known to happen quite often)... I for one will continue to hope and wish Phil Godspeed and good luck.

I must agree with you good Sir. I should really avoid posting at work when I'm still full of the "I'm with the Government, we're here to help" mindset.

I get Gimenez is a veteran presence that Falvey is really comfortable with, but how does keeping him on the major roster and sending the other two to AAA benefit Garver and Murphy. If Gimenez stays this means Murphy and Garver both share time at AAA. At what point is this getting either one of them extra ABs and playing time? Needless to say, these are the decisions that make me glad I'm not the GM. I have a hard enough time just being dad, and trying to stay out of the way and not "coach" a son who loves to play ball.