yarnivek1972

How does moving Dozier to left field (a position he has NEVER played as a professional) IMPROVE the defense. The Twins pitching staff has mainly guys that are fly ball pitchers. Kintzler and now Gibson would really be the only guys who tend torack up ground balls. There is no way you would move a veteran like Dozier to a new position midseason.

You can manipulate Belisle's numbers any way you want. It won't change his unacceptably high walk rate. No pitcher will do well walking 11 batters in 15 IP.

It isn't. Rosario has started 37, Kepler 35. Not including today, according to BR.

Lachlan Wells made his 8th start of the season for the Fort Myers Miracle yesterday in Dunedin. It went nothing at all like last week's complete game gem. 15 ground outs last week. Just 3 in this game. Overall, Wells' line was 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 94 pitches, 64 strikes. He drops to 2-6, with a still decent 3.72 ERA. Sometimes, ground balls find holes. Indeed, there were 3 ground ball singles off Wells. Lot of fly balls and line drives in the game. Last week's 15 ground outs were likely an aberration. For his minor league career, he's gotten more air outs than ground outs. As was mentioned in the daily minor league report, Lachlan Wells can also take solace in the fact that TWO of the hitters he faced were major leaguers on rehab assignments from the Blue Jays. Josh Donaldson had 2 hits, an RBI and a walk. Troy Tulowitzki took Wells deep on a solo shot in the 5th. Another positive for Wells to take from the game was retiring 9 in a row between the 2nd and 5th innings. He still has to shake that first inning syndrome. 3 hits and a walk (half of the baserunners he allowed in the game) led to the first inning run, which is actually a pretty good job of damage control. Go get 'em next time, kid. Maybe in his next start, he won't face hitters that have been in the majors since before he first shaved.

The Twins had a very strong series in Baltimore. It was IMO by far their most impressive series of the season. They went into the home ballpark of one of the best teams in the league (when the series began) and took it to them in every way. The Twins out hit, out pitched and out fielded the Orioles. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to label them title contenders yet. I am willing to believe that they should be able to, at the very least, stay with the Indians and Tigers all year barring catastrophic injury to Sano or Santana. One key ingredient is the game of "pick me up" that they seem to be excelling at. Miguel Sano is a budding superstar. Everyone know that. But it takes more than one superstar to win in baseball. Just ask Ken Griffey Jr or Ernie Banks. It's a team game. You need contributions from all 25 players. For the most part, the Twins are getting that. Well, probably more like 21-22. But, that's still pretty good and better than a lot of teams are getting. Case in point, Miguel Sano went 0 for 9 with 6 K in the final two games of the series. Yet the Twins won both games, just fine. It's easy to win when your superstar does the heavy lifting. But, sometimes the rest of the boys have to pick him up. Today, Kennys Vargas had two RBI to support a third consecutive quality start from Jose Berrios. The bullpen put the clamps down and it was game over. Yesterday, Ervin spun another gem. The bottom 3 in the order manufactured the first run with a walk and two singles. Dozier's HR provided insurance. I've been saying all throughout April and May that the Twins were feasting off bad teams. This series showed they can play with good teams. It was a critical test for a young team. They passed with flying colors. Next test starts Friday. The Rays are under .500, but they are a dangerous team. They are 4th in the AL in runs and 3rd in ERA. So, how are they sub .500? Well, 33 errors leading to 23 unearned runs probably hasn't helped. Only Oakland has allowed more unearned runs in the AL. Being in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox hasn't helped them either. But they are definitely a dangerous team. There really is no weak link in their rotation, although there is no clear ace, either. Archer is probably their best, and I believe he goes Friday. Three different Rays' hitters have at least 18 extra base hits already, the Twins have just one such hitter. There are two Rays that already have 12 HR. And neither one is named Evan Longorria. Definitely a powerful middle of the order to contend with. Twins players and fans: relax, kick back and enjoy tonight and tomorrow. There is still a lot of season left. And a lot of really good teams the Twins have to play in the near future. So, have fun, but not too much fun - as a coworker of mine says. The rest of the season starts in 48 hours.

What do you mean by that exactly? Yes, I know Kepler hasn't ALWAYS sat vs LHP. But if I'm reading the numbers correctly, Kepler has not started 7 games this year. I'm going to guess they were all started by LHP, because I don't feel like looking it up. 7 non starts in 42 games kinda seems like a lot to me. Maybe it isn't. It projects to 130-135 starts. I guess I'd like to see more than that. I get that there is some juggling going on to get everyone playing time. But if you think he's one of your key guys, don't you need to make sure his PA are enough to develop properly? Maybe I'm a little old school, but I don't think a guy his age needs to have one game every week off. More like every other week IMO. There needs to be balance between development and putting the team in the best position to win. I get that too. I feel with a guy like Kepler who is SO important to the future of the team, you risk an 0 fer vs a LHP even if it costs you a game here and there to continue that development. I think we all agree that the only way Kepler improves vs LHP is to face them. Not saying you never sit him vs LHP. Just not quite as often as he has IMO.

I'd say his success is less luck and more basic physical tools. Sure, luck is involved, as with every hitter. But the guy has some physical ability. As a hitter, his success kinda reminds me of Luis Rivas. Did well in his initial call up. But really never seemed willing or able to change his approach and as a result never got better. His physical tools simply allowed him to be successful enough to keep a job until a better option came along. As I indicated before, that likely happens when the Twins feel his productivity can be provided by a minimum salary player.

Platooning him at his age is probably a mistake. But that's an entirely different argument.

The approach has been pretty consistent. The results have not been. Pretty much same story with Dozier really, albeit on a higher plane.

He's been inconsistent. But he has shown life. With all the young guys on the team, it's sometimes easy to forget that he really is one of them at only 25. The first couple weeks were pretty bad. The last week or so also. But in between he was fairly productive. He's never going to be a high obp guy IMO. Not everyone is going to be a star. Some guys are merely good enough to play. That's how I see Rosario. Maybe in a year or so Wade supplants him. I think Granite's ceiling is 4th outfielder. I don't know that either will be better than Rosario, but the reality is that mid market teams often let the so so player go, gambling that they can replace him cheaper. That way they can afford to pay the players they want to build around.

His career avg is a tad under 3 per 9. That is why a 4 game stretch with 15 in 26 IP caught my attention.

Vargas' career OPS is .751. The BEST season Mauer has had since the start of Vargas' MLB career is .752. I'm too lazy to do the math to figure it out exactly, but overall since the start of 2014 it's lower than .751. So, please explain how that statement is incorrect. Perhaps you should check the numbers.

The only reason I was concerned was the 15 walks in his last 4 starts. That was something to keep an eye on. 2 last night. That's more like it.

I'm cherrypicking? This isn't personal. I don't "hate" Joe Mauer. I don't like that he's a shell of his former self and I don't like that he is, as far as I am concerned, taking at bats away from Vargas. I view Vargas as a better hitter at the respective spots in their careers. Many on this forum disagree, but the numbers from the day Vargas hit the majors up to today are on my side.

I'm trying to think who has hit behind him most of the year, but it doesn't seem like there has been much consistency in that regard off the top of my head. Mauer mostly perhaps? Sano quite a bit lately - the reverse psychology of NOT wanting to walk the guy in front of Sano means that you stress yourself into doing just that.

"Santana is on track for his lowest strikeout rate since 2006, and his highest walk rate ever. And he might start the All Star Game." Assuming his injury is in fact minor, my guess would be Dallas Keuchel. He beat out Ervin for pitcher of the month and is still undefeated. Of course, who knows. There's 6 weeks between now and then. Add the factor of someone possibly starting the Sunday before.

Considering that Vargas hasn't hit lhp this year yet, I actually doubt that will happen anytime soon. And given that Paul Molitor has apparently decided that Kepler is a platoon player, I'm not sure what the plan going forward will be. Most likely vs most lhp until something changes (like Vargas hitting lhp better for example) probably see something like: c Gimenez 1b Mauer 2b Dozier 3b Escobar ss Polanco lf Rosario cf Buxton rf Grossman dh Sano With Sano, Mauer and Escobar kinda rotating the DH/1B/3B spots.

That's the thing though. He's older and his body is simply breaking down faster now than 5-10 years ago. We old guys know all about that. Nagging injuries are the new normal for him.

Joe Mauer hasn't slugged .390 since 2013, let alone .440. Are you really convinced he's capable of that anymore?

Didn't the Jays throw in Bobby Korecky in that trade too, or am I just getting old? Best pinch hitter EVER.

Mauer has hit 3rd the overwhelming majority of his career, behind some pretty good table setters, at times. So, he does come up with runners on. He does possess very good numbers with RISP, which begs the question why so few RBI. My theory is his approach. He's more than happy to slap a single the other way. That doesn't always get the run in though. While RBI may not be the best number to judge hitters, nor is it the only number I use. I do not believe they are "utterly meaningless". Last time I checked the object of the game was to outscore your opponent. Would it help if I also note that Vargas' OPS is still higher than Mauer's? And also was in 2 of the last 3 years.

Wow. I guess we are just going to have to disagree there. Same number of RBI in half the AB. Just saying.

Yeah, probably not. Not unless Severino starts fading like now. Think they would go for Ervin? He's older, but he would be under their control for at least one more season and possibly two. Of course that would be predicated on Ervin getting over his control issues and having an ERA in the low to mid 3 range (or better). If you were to ask me if I would trade Berrios for Ervin. Under the previously mentioned circumstances, if I'm the Yankees, I would certainly consider it.

The problem is that the Twins have already seen a return to norm from Santiago and Santana. The Twins hot start was in no small part because of THEIR hot starts. Indeed, Santiago's season ERA is now basically right at his career ERA. Santana truly concerns me. Not so much the ERA, but the walks. He has walked 15 guys in 4 starts in May over 26 IP. That's not Ervin Santana and it's not sustainable if he is going to have anything resembling a decent year. Tonight is an important start IMO. If his control issues continue, my concern will continue. My point is that we would all like to believe that Berrios has "turned the corner" and is perhaps Francisco Liriano circa 2006 (obviously w/o the season destroying surgery). But to believe that after two starts is unwise IMO. And then what if Santana's control issues turn out to be some injury? Are we really prepared to literally "bet the farm" that Jose Berrios will lead the Twins to the Promised Land? Risky, to say the least. The core players are young, very young. IMO this team is more reminiscent of the 1984 Twins than the 1987 version. The pitching just isn't in place yet. Maybe the best option if the Twins are starting to fall out near the deadline is to trade Santiago and/or Santana for younger pitchers that are under team control for 3-4 more years. Would the Yankees do Santiago for Severino, almost straight up - assuming Santiago maintains his ERA roughly where it is now? Well, this is Severino's first full season at the MLB level. If the Yankees are concerned that he will fade down the stretch as his IP mounts, they might bite.

I don't agree with that. Sure, in terms of WAR he is. But WAR inflates his value because he was a catcher, but that isn't what the statement is saying. The statement is he is one of the five best hitters, to me that means independent of position. Killebrew, Carew and Puckett were clearly superior. I would make the case for Kent Hrbek and Tony Oliva. Hrbek had the plate discipline of Mauer, but power that Mauer only showed for one season in his career. Oliva had the elite level batting average and at times also showed upper echelon power. Both Hrbek and Oliva also were better run producers. At the end of the day the goal of the offense is to score runs. When people talk about all time great Twins hitters one name that often gets ignored is Bob Allison. His career OPS+ is 127, exactly the same as Joe Mauer's. One could also make a case, again POSITION INDEPENDENT, that Justin Morneau was a better hitter. Certainly more productive. Mauer has played 3 more seasons than Morneau did with the Twins but Morneau still has more RBI. So, in short, I would peg Mauer as the 7th best hitter for the Twins all time.