Article: You're Being Very Un-Dude

[Shane Wahl]

The headline here is a reference--if you do not know, somehow--to a line from The Big Lebowski. It's the scene in the car where Walter has brought "the ringer" ("the whites") and The Dude loses it on him. The Dude is a very chill guy who smokes pot, listens to CCR, and bowls. But in this scene he yells (editing profanity) "You (screwed) it up! You (screwed) it up!" Walter responds with the quote in the headline.Well it's that time of year when the Twins opening day roster becomes finalized and many, including myself, are screaming what The Dude was screaming in the car. I mean it all seems ridiculous. Maybe not each individual move taken separately, but when looking at the totality--Milone, Pelfrey, Boyer, and Robinson as choices over May, Meyer, Tonkin/Oliveros/Achter, and Hicks/Rosario, on top of the additions of Hunter and Stauffer--it looks like a big roster mistake based on some strange notion of trying to compete with aging guys instead of rebuilding with younger guys.

 

That's all true. I don't think the truth is on the Twins side here. This seems like a bizarre way to approach the season, especially since this doesn't mean merely having the young guys "earn" a promotion to the Twins . . . they are now forced to compete with one another in AAA and even AA in some cases. It seems like a rebuilding team promotes the young guys to get a sense of who is going to be worthy of keeping in 2016 and beyond. I cannot imagine any of those six--Milone, Pelfrey, Boyer, Robinson, Hunter, and Stauffer--being on the team in 2016.

 

But screaming about this isn't going to do any good and it isn't good for oneself. It is indeed being very un-Dude. Here's a breakdown:

 

A. It's baseball. Baseball isn't like bowling . . . but watching baseball is like bowling in that you do it for fun and you drink beer while doing it.

 

B. There might be value in finding even one of those six guys who puts up a legitimate year that adds wins to the team this year. Stauffer and Hunter are the best bets there. ST stats mean very little. Stauffer is a good reliever.

 

C. Maybe this new focus on the change-up will improve the staff, including Boyer.

 

D. The young guys can all be together and work together and help each other out that way. Rochester suddenly has Rosario, Hicks, and Danny Ortiz in the OF. May and Meyer will be leading the rotation with the likes of Wheeler, Rogers, and maybe Duffey. Tonkin, Oliveros, and Achter are going to be in the bullpen with O'Rourke, Darnell (if I were Darnell, I would advocate for a full-time bullpen role), Hamburger and Pressly. Rochester actually should be full of prospects, which is rare. It should be good, and fun.

 

E. Nothing is really stopping a mass movement upward. This isn't Gardenhire's team, so we don't really know what to expect. If the oldsters aren't getting the job done, then I do think Molitor will replace them. And this could include a Schafer-Robinson for Hicks-Rosario swap. First, Rosario is going to get some time at second base in Rochester, and thus he still has that going for the himself as another backup for Dozier. Second, Hunter is going to need days off, as will Mauer, and younger guys like Arcia and Vargas. There are innings and at-bats there. Also, with each passing day the Twins are paying Mike Pelfrey less and less. Milone and Stauffer aren't making all that much, and Boyer is making very little. They are all replaceable and will be replaced with one wave from AAA and then another from AA.

 

F. We don't know what is going to happen, so let's just enjoy it. There are still a number of things to be excited about. First, a fully recovered Joe Mauer. Second, Santana and Vargas soph seasons. Third, Oswaldo Arcia is going to go ape this year. I guarantee that. Fourth, Eduardo Escobar is still going to get plenty of at-bats and be a doubles machine. Finally, a new manager and pitching coach. This is the most important thing. Those old, ridiculous days are gone.

 

G. Being un-Dude is a terrible way to be.

 

It's understandable that we are "not into the whole levity thing" right now. We have ideas about what should be done and the Twins make mistakes. But it is clear that this is still the beginning of baseball season and that is something to be quite pleased about. I do think that these problems are going to work themselves out. The September roster should be pretty sick. There will be trades made that will help support a minor league system that hopefully is seeing its last top 10 draft pick this year.

 

There are still plenty of good things occurring outside of the decisions regarding players 21-25 on the

 

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[NotTorii]

All very true - but after 4 years of this foolishness, one can take the time to be "un-dude" like.  I mean - how is this exciting?  Does the front office realize that they are seriously in danger of fans enmass leaving the team?  They are so predictable - every year they opt for older, more expensive, going no where players instead of young, higher upside, players.  Really?  Milone?  Schaffer?? Pelfry???  Why not Tonkin, Myers, Rosarieo, Buxton, Sano . . . and what happened to Thielbar?  I mean - a platoon in CF, and who starts against a lefty in the opener?  Yep Schaffer who couldn't hit a little league lefty!  AAAAARRRRGH!

[Mike Sixel]

I think, maybe, you are assuming some things here....I'm very dude like about the Twins. If the lose, whatever.....I'm HERE to have conversations about the Twins, mostly because I sit on lots of really boring conference calls that don't always need my immediate attention (and I tend to work a bit longer some days, so I get my work done). I think some people think that "negative" people are actually angry about this stuff.....I'm not. I can't speak for others, but I'm not. But, I am here to have conversations that are interesting. Saying "everything is awesome" doesn't really interest me. I understand not everyone agrees with that stance.

[gil4]

 

. . . and what happened to Thielbar? 

 

It seems I remember from last year he lost about 5 mph off his fastball and stopped getting people out.  If that has continued this spring, I'd rather have him hunt for the magic fastball pixie dust in Rochester.  If he finds it he'll get another chance (unless this team outperforms expectations in a big way, in which case we won't care if he gets another shot or not.)

[big dog]

 

All very true - but after 4 years of this foolishness, one can take the time to be "un-dude" like.  I mean - how is this exciting?  Does the front office realize that they are seriously in danger of fans enmass leaving the team?  They are so predictable - every year they opt for older, more expensive, going no where players instead of young, higher upside, players.  Really?  Milone?  Schaffer?? Pelfry???  Why not Tonkin, Myers, Rosarieo, Buxton, Sano . . . and what happened to Thielbar?  I mean - a platoon in CF, and who starts against a lefty in the opener?  Yep Schaffer who couldn't hit a little league lefty!  AAAAARRRRGH!

Walter, put the piece away.  Do you really think Shafer couldn't hit a Little League lefty?  It's only a game, man.  Don't shoot Smokey because his toe went over the line.  They're calling the cops, man.

[Brandon]

I expect the pitchers will get the call up sooner rather than later.  I am disappointed that May is not in the rotation right now.  But If Pelfry is healthy and does well in 5 starts then fine he can stay but I was looking forward to seeing him from the pen. 

[adorduan]

 

All very true - but after 4 years of this foolishness, one can take the time to be "un-dude" like.  I mean - how is this exciting?  Does the front office realize that they are seriously in danger of fans enmass leaving the team?  They are so predictable - every year they opt for older, more expensive, going no where players instead of young, higher upside, players.  Really?  Milone?  Schaffer?? Pelfry???  Why not Tonkin, Myers, Rosarieo, Buxton, Sano . . . and what happened to Thielbar?  I mean - a platoon in CF, and who starts against a lefty in the opener?  Yep Schaffer who couldn't hit a little league lefty!  AAAAARRRRGH!

 

Schafer got a hit off of Price yesterday, not exactly a little league lefty.

[Han Joelo]

Since movies are being referenced, I'll just mention I've always preferred movies that feature a band of rag-tag misfits fighting impossible odds (oftentimes their own immediate superiors) to save the Galaxy or Middle Earth at the last second, always in the face of doom.  Having legions of orcs, stormtroopers, and blog posters on the doorstep helps to keep that doomsday feeling immediate.

 

I'm sure there were a lot of posters on RebelsDaily that were pretty upset with how the star war was going.  I mean, sending an undrafted free-agent out of Tatooiene to blow up the Death Star?  They clearly rushed him.  He couldn't even hit the breaking blaster off the AA probe, and destroying that left-handed Tie-fighter from the Falcon's belly gun was too small a sample size.  By starting his service time clock with that hopeless attack on the Death Star, they risked losing a year of control in his prime, a year when they would need him to destroy the Emperor.

 

  Not evacuating the moon of Yavin and going into full rebuild mode was incompetent.  As was signing Porkens, an aging, no upside veteran, to pilot an X-wing.  Zed Rosabrio should've been piloting that fighter.

 

Course, on the other hand, you have to hand it to that area scout Kenobi for signing Skywalker in the first place, and to Yoda for forcing him to repeat dAgobAh after he missed time with that unfortunate cold injury and again (briefly) after that hand injury.  Those two old school codgers sure knew what they were doing.  Course, I didn't care for it much when sabermetrician figured out how to measure force ability as a co-efficient to mitochlorion levels in the blood.  Darth Maul was definitely a mito-juicer.

 

And don't get me started on Gandalf.  He expected to take down Sauron with a lineup that included four Hobbits???  Bush league.  The Architect of the Matrix would never have allowed it.

 

We all know it was statistically unlikely for Luke to blow up the Death Star, which is why George Lucas titled his next film Star Wars Episode V: Regression to the Mean.

[Monkeypaws]

Just goes to show that Walter out dudes the Dude.

 

BTW, if you love the movie and have never seen the abridged version, it does a pretty good job of telling the story in just one word:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXT0gOk1Ogw&spfreload=10

[Shane Wahl]

Do note that this was written several days before the Santana business.

[Craig Arko]

Do note that this was written several days before the Santana business.

Yeah, that kind of sends it in a different direction.

 

"Sorry don't get it done, Dude." - Sheriff John T. Chance, Rio Bravo

[h2oface]

 

I expect the pitchers will get the call up sooner rather than later.  I am disappointed that May is not in the rotation right now.  But If Pelfry is healthy and does well in 5 starts then fine he can stay but I was looking forward to seeing him from the pen. 

Well.... Pelfrey says he is healthy. I believe he said he was healthy last year at this time, too. Can he be trusted now? Once you start lying to your teammates, is it ever forgotten? I guess if he wins. Once you lie to The Dude, will he trust you?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

The Dude abides... But even the dude couldn't abide by letting that poor woman get killed. He's a pacifist when we need a Walter Dubcek to take action. As I see it, Pohlad is the Dude and Walter is the owner I want, ready to bring an mp5 sub machine gun and jump out of a moving vehicle that he is driving... Ok I got a little derailed, but the point is we've waited for 4 years, and year 5 looks just as crummy. When is the owner going to bring in a GM who will actually rebuild the team?

[blairpaul715]

Dude!!!!!! I want the Twins to be good, but now when i go, the ticket prices are reasonable for good seats even And i use Ticket King cheaper than stubhub and seat geek.

[troyhobbs]

"not into the whole brevity thing" - El Duderino

[jimmer]

 

Since movies are being referenced, I'll just mention I've always preferred movies that feature a band of rag-tag misfits fighting impossible odds (oftentimes their own immediate superiors) to save the Galaxy or Middle Earth at the last second, always in the face of doom.  Having legions of orcs, stormtroopers, and blog posters on the doorstep helps to keep that doomsday feeling immediate.

 

I'm sure there were a lot of posters on RebelsDaily that were pretty upset with how the star war was going.  I mean, sending an undrafted free-agent out of Tatooiene to blow up the Death Star?  They clearly rushed him.  He couldn't even hit the breaking blaster off the AA probe, and destroying that left-handed Tie-fighter from the Falcon's belly gun was too small a sample size.  By starting his service time clock with that hopeless attack on the Death Star, they risked losing a year of control in his prime, a year when they would need him to destroy the Emperor.

 

  Not evacuating the moon of Yavin and going into full rebuild mode was incompetent.  As was signing Porkens, an aging, no upside veteran, to pilot an X-wing.  Zed Rosabrio should've been piloting that fighter.

 

Course, on the other hand, you have to hand it to that area scout Kenobi for signing Skywalker in the first place, and to Yoda for forcing him to repeat dAgobAh after he missed time with that unfortunate cold injury and again (briefly) after that hand injury.  Those two old school codgers sure knew what they were doing.  Course, I didn't care for it much when sabermetrician figured out how to measure force ability as a co-efficient to mitochlorion levels in the blood.  Darth Maul was definitely a mito-juicer.

 

And don't get me started on Gandalf.  He expected to take down Sauron with a lineup that included four Hobbits???  Bush league.  The Architect of the Matrix would never have allowed it.

 

We all know it was statistically unlikely for Luke to blow up the Death Star, which is why George Lucas titled his next film Star Wars Episode V: Regression to the Mean.

BEST. POST. EVER!!!!

[old nurse]

I am starting to think that being a pitcher for the Twins is like being a drummer for Spinal Tap

[TheLeviathan]

 

I am starting to think that being a pitcher for the Twins is like being a drummer for Spinal Tap

 

That is one of the funniest things I've read in awhile.  Awesome.

[Shane Wahl]

There should be a Dude barometer. This season is starting out as full on pissing on the rug. We want to get to the CCR jam while smoking a joint Dude.

 

That will not happen until Sano, Rosario, Buxton, May, and Meyer are all up. Even if they struggle, at least they will be up.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

I think that the one thing that we need to keep in mind is the tendency for people in general to talk about things that are good/bad, and average does not worth speaking on. The Twins honestly objectively don't have a lot to positively speak about at the major league level, while there is plenty of bad standing out. That can be someone who is perfectly well adjusted, yet openly self-deprecating in a good natured way. Or, the way we are able to see the flaws or lacking areas in our most loved/liked ones, yet still like and love them.

 

I LOVE the Twins! It is the only MN team that I have never just stopped watching or rooting for in any season, even though I openly critique them. I do not feel bad about voicing their (glaring) faults these past several years. It is normal and healthy. I think that many of us who are negative at times, are or have also been very positive too, but just feel the "It is all going to be awesome very soon" is wearing on everyone, and maybe its time to even question if that looks to be so certain with the stumbles and injuries of our prospects and the competitiveness of the other teams in the division.

 

I am excited for baseball and I am excited to watch the Twins, but I was expecting a bad season this year. Honestly, there might be one or two more after this, unless all these young guys pan out. Thing is, these guys cannot expect to produce right away without MLB experience. The longer we keep these guys down...the further we push all of their learning curves back, which in turn prolongs the losing. 

 

May and Meyer are not young prospects, and they aren't just going to suddenly not walk guys with any consistency in AAA. They are who they are at this point, and anything they can adjust in AAA can be adjusted in the show. We are wasting their innings and risking injuries where they do not count for anything. 

 

 

We have too many decent young guys with similar profiles, in that they have big bats and big bodies, bad plate discipline and contact, with no range or gloves. Arcia, Pinto, Vargas, and Sano. Mauer is also blocking these guys at an ideal spot to place one of them, and Pino just isn't realistically ever going to learn to be a league average catcher...or anything close. I like, if not love, all of those young hitters, but they do not fit well together, and we need to recognize that is a problem.

 

 

SS? Santana and Escobar. Are they both young studs, is just one of them, or are they both over hyped by us homers and become busts? I don't know, but they are more likely to be both busts, than they are to be studs. I am hoping one of them pans out, and my bet is that Escobar gets his job back in mid to late May. Everyone knows regression is/was coming with Santana, but how bad will it be? I am thinking he might be moved back to CF the minute Buxton appears to be further away than thought...which, will coincide with that Escobar prediction above.

 

Which leads me to my final "young guy" worry...because I HATE separating MiLB and MLB young guys. I never understood the over emphasis on MiLB system prospects, while ignoring young players within a system as whole. BUXTON.

 

What do we have in him. I love this guys tools, and he seems like a great kid, with a great work ethic too. Totally rooting for him. But, I started to get a little worried when he struggled last year, and then got hurt, and then struggled in the Fall, and then got hurt. When was the last time he succeeded and at what level was that at? No, the sky is not falling with him, but it is maybe about time to start taking caution when assuming he is coming up soon, or that he will ever be an all-star, or even a good pro. Now, I think he will be a good pro at least. I really do. I just am pumping the breaks a bit, due to recent trends with him. I held these thoughts since he struggled and got hurt the first time. And then today I read this in a Dave Cameron chat at Fangraphs (dude isn't exactly an idiot either.)

 

12:26
Comment From Michael:
Of the consensus top 100 prospects who, after Baez, can you forsee being a bust at the MLB level

 

12:26:
Dave Cameron: I’m super low on Archie Bradley. And I’m not sold on Buxton, to be honest.

 

 

Yikes, that hurt, even though I was already harboring that fear. It just hurt more to read someone I liked to read say that, without being directly asked about him. It is just something we need to consider.

 

Now, on the positive! I do think that Sano WILL be a stud and I think it will be very soon. I also think that Berrios will be a stud and soon too. I think that May and Meyer will be decent to good in the rotation, or awesome in the pen. I also think the RP's like Burdi will be awesome, just rush them up before they lose velocity- It happens, so bring them up the second they are better than what you have.

 

I don't think we reach .500 this year, but I don't think it will be as bad. I will watch nearly every night. I will cheer on every win and comeback. But, I will also be honest and feel no shame in calling out the front office for 25 man roster. Which, with every passing day, I am carrying less and less about anyone who is not on the 25 man roster. 

 

Go Twins. I love you and I hate you, but mostly love you. And I will never leave you. Just for F's sake, speed up this whole process and move in the next generation faster than you should, rather than slower. I am begging.

 

 

[NotTorii]

 

Schafer got a hit off of Price yesterday, not exactly a little league lefty.

Yeah - Did you check Schaffer's lifetime gainst left handed pitching?

 

[PogueBear]

The award for "Best Use of a Big Lebowski Reference in a TwinsDaily Blog Post" goes to...

 

Nick Nelson

 

Whoa!! I didn't see that coming.  I thought you had that award in the bag.