Just finished a big four game series with Toronto. Toronto exposed several weaknesses. One that stood out to me was a single hit from each of Mauer and Hunter. A big void from two guys who need to lead with their bats.

 

Hunter was praised for his leadership when his OPS was over .800 in May. That same leadership isn't very useful with an OPS well below .600 since July 1.

 

The Twins need to find two guys at these positions to put in the middle of the line up that can lead with their bats.

Mauer is a much bigger issue than Hunter, and it's not even close.

 

Mauer is a much bigger issue than Hunter, and it's not even close.

only cuz Mauer has a longer contract. Just you wait, Hunter will be resigned in the offseason to a two year contract and we'll curse them both till 2017

only cuz Mauer has a longer contract. Just you wait, Hunter will be resigned in the offseason to a two year contract and we'll curse them both till 2017

Thanks, now I won't be sleeping tonight.

To be honest. Hunter can be explained away. Mauer is much harder. His scenario makes my heart feel heavy, It makes me somewhat depressed. This team will be lesser going into the future with him at the 1B helm.

 

I had great dreams, I had the utmost optimism about the guy. I truly routed for this man. But now he a an open sore almost as bad as Nolasco.

 

I hope he retires and let's this era dissipate from our minds. For Mauer it went away quick. It is a great area of sadness for me.

 

It shreds me apart saying this.

Hunter should not, under any circumstance be offered an extension.

 

Mauer's situation is going to get ugly in a hurry. The contract is what it is. Question is will Molitor make the tough decision and transition him to a platoon/bench role in the future?

I don't think Hunter will be re-signed.  Not only has his performance plummeted I think he may have "voiced some discontent" with the results of the July trade deadline.  Besides, the Twins have many OF options that didn't exist last fall.  Hunter is gone!

Cut Mauer. That's my solution.

 

Hunter should not, under any circumstance be offered an extension.

Mauer's situation is going to get ugly in a hurry. The contract is what it is. Question is will Molitor make the tough decision and transition him to a platoon/bench role in the future?

+1,000 on Hunter. Though I think there's a 75% chance they'll bring him back.

 

On Mauer, he needs to be told in no uncertain terms that he needs to work on playing LF and RF. Put Sano at 3B, Mauer and Plouffe can platoon at 1B, while also getting time in the corner OF/DH/3B (in Plouffe's case)

Only hope for Mauer is that Boston takes him because all his fly balls to left are singles and doubles at Fenway.  Otherwise, it will be a long slow motion death of a baseball player.  Sad and eventually destructive of the team that made him a star.

Only hope for Mauer is that Boston takes him because all his fly balls to left are singles and doubles at Fenway.  Otherwise, it will be a long slow motion death of a baseball player.  Sad and eventually destructive of the team that made him a star.

Playing in Fenway would have little if any effect.

 

He would gain a handful of doubles and lose a handful of singles.

Mauer  can't drive the ball anymore so hitting at Fenway won't help him.

 

 

Mauer. isn't. getting. traded. or. cut.  Get it through your heads.  It's not like it isn't brought up every couple of days on TD.  

 

Just finished a big four game series with Toronto. Toronto exposed several weaknesses. One that stood out to me was a single hit from each of Mauer and Hunter. A big void from two guys who need to lead with their bats.

Hunter was praised for his leadership when his OPS was over .800 in May. That same leadership isn't very useful with an OPS well below .600 since July 1.

The Twins need to find two guys at these positions to put in the middle of the line up that can lead with their bats.

 

The Twins All-Star 2B also went 2-17 with 2 singles, zero extra base hits, zero RBI and 7 K.  It was a bad series for almost everyone on the roster.

Dozier hasn't done much since the break but hit solo homers. It comes and it goes for all hitters. Mike Trout isn't great every night and lesser players have longer lulls and shorter hot streaks.

 

That said, Torii is 40 and at some point the decline is due to accelerate. I wasn't a fan of his signing, but his performance and his effect on young players has won me over a bit. Goodness no, please don't re-sign him, but offer him a job on the coaching staff.

 

The Twins are stuck with Mauer and that contract. It is ridiculous to consider moving him to another position, given the young talent available at third, left and right. For the past year and two-thirds, he just hasn't been very good. I thought he would hit .330, with 20 homers and 100 RBIs, when relieved of catching, but it is becoming more and more likely that we've seen the end of All-Star Joe Mauer and will see a diminished player at first until he decides to hang 'em up.

 

To be honest. Hunter can be explained away. Mauer is much harder. His scenario makes my heart feel heavy, It makes me somewhat depressed. This team will be lesser going into the future with him at the 1B helm.

 

I had great dreams, I had the utmost optimism about the guy. I truly routed for this man. But now he a an open sore almost as bad as Nolasco.

 

I hope he retires and let's this era dissipate from our minds. For Mauer it went away quick. It is a great area of sadness for me.

 

It shreds me apart saying this.

Age and injuries took away Joe Mauer's greatness. It wasn't that long ago, just a handful of years, that he really did look like the best player in the majors. Now, he's an afterthought relegated to first base because they don't know where else to put him.

 

The experiment to convert Mauer into a power-hitting first baseman appears to have failed. For whatever reason he doesn't seem able to change his swing and approach to fit the position. At some point Twins management will be forced to acknowledge this truth and make a change. Mauer should also recognize this, and move aside for the good of the team's future.

 

It really is sad, but baseball remains a game mostly for men in their 20's, and few survive beyond that. Even great ones like Joe Mauer are subject to the march of time.

 

And now, here's a photo of puppies and kittens.

 

http://www.allcreatureshospital.com/images/puppies_kittens_1_1.jpg

If Mauer would have retired after his concussion year, he would have been a lock for the Hall of Fame, I believe, even with his shortened career. With every game he plays at first, he is getting further and further away from that honor. If he plays now just to play out his contract, it will be a certainty that he will not get in.

 

I don't think Hunter will be re-signed.  Not only has his performance plummeted I think he may have "voiced some discontent" with the results of the July trade deadline.  Besides, the Twins have many OF options that didn't exist last fall.  Hunter is gone!

 

Where did you hear that?  Jack Morris implied Plouffe did, and I guessed Hunter wasn't happy about the inactivity considering he didn't like the inactivity the last time he played here, but I didn't hear about any complaining and I figured he'd keep his mouth shut.  If he does want to work in a front office, and he is big on improving the team with meaningful mid-season trades, he must have had amnesia coming back here.

 

Mauer. isn't. getting. traded. or. cut.  Get it through your heads.  It's not like it isn't brought up every god damn couple of days on TD.  

 

I agree, doesn't make it right that he won't get cut, but I agree. They'll basically be playing with below replacement level at 1B for the foreseeable future.

It's pretty simple:  even without the trades, Toronto has much better players than the Twins.  Toronto bought their way to success; the Twins are in, what is it now, year 6 of rebuild-mode.  I think 2 things should happen:

 

1.  Take up the Pohlad's offer that they will "spend what is necessary" to make the Twins successfull

2.  Have a chat with Dan Duquette, if he's still available.

 

Building via the MiLB is a crap-shoot. You need to supplement them.

 

It's pretty simple:  even without the trades, Toronto has much better players than the Twins.  Toronto bought their way to success; the Twins are in, what is it now, year 6 of rebuild-mode.  I think 2 things should happen:

 

1.  Take up the Pohlad's offer that they will "spend what is necessary" to make the Twins successfull

2.  Have a chat with Dan Duquette, if he's still available.

 

Building via the MiLB is a crap-shoot. You need to supplement them.

 

Year 6!?  Where you coming up with this?  Were they rebuilding when winning the division in 2010?  Hell they weren't rebuilding in 2011 when injuries and everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  The max you could say is they are in year 4 of a rebuild.

 

Spending what's necessary doesn't always work.  Toronto has been spending for 10+ years.  The Pohlad's aren't just going to change they way they think and say...."screw it, let's pump an extra $100 million into payroll this year."  It just doesn't work that way.

 

Year 6!?  Where you coming up with this?  Were they rebuilding when winning the division in 2010?  Hell they weren't rebuilding in 2011 when injuries and everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  The max you could say is they are in year 4 of a rebuild.

 

Spending what's necessary doesn't always work.  Toronto has been spending for 10+ years.  The Pohlad's aren't just going to change they way they think and say...."screw it, let's pump an extra $100 million into payroll this year."  It just doesn't work that way.

 

4 consecutive 90 loss seasons and this season make it year 5. 

 

 

4 consecutive 90 loss seasons and this season make it year 5. 

 

The first year wasnt a rebuilding year though it was just a disaster. 

Let's get Torii signed for next year!

4 consecutive 90 loss seasons and this season make it year 5.

2011 was not a rebuilding year. It was a disaster year that forced a rebuild.

 

Going into the 2011 season, the Twins were expected to contend.

Mauer should be working out with football trainers in the offseason to get his legs back in shape. Adding a little arm strength would help his power too.