Article: Are The 2016 Twins A Young Team?

[Seth Stohs]

There is a narrative right now that I hear often among some Twins fans. Some of the struggles that the 8-25 Minnesota Twins team are due to the team being young. However, as I look through the Twins current roster, it’s hard to deem the team as young at all.

 

So, I looked at a few things to try to decide whether it really is a young team or not. I looked at the weighted age for Twins hitters and pitchers so far this season. I compared those ages to every Twins team since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961. I also compared the individuals on the 2016 Twins roster to the teams they are often lumped in with, the 1982 team and the 1999 team. Are there any comparisons? Finally, I compared the age, right now, of the 2016 Minnesota Twins against the other team’s in the American League Central division.EXPLAINING WEIGHTED AGE

 

First, it is important to know what the term weighted age means. Basically, it is how Baseball-Reference measures the age of a team. For hitters, it is a formula using at-bats and games played. For pitchers, the formula includes (3 x games started) plus games plus saves. As you can see, the overall age is based on playing time. Joe Mauer’s age (32) bears more weight than Max Kepler’s age (23) because Mauer has many, many more at-bats and games played in 2016. Basically, playing time is used in conjunction with the age in order to determine weighted age.

 

What does this mean? The numbers that you will see below for 2016 are going to change. Should the Twins go into sell mode at some point this season and trade veterans and then call up young players, the weighted age will go down.

 

But the narrative that the Twins struggles are at least in part due to youth speaks to right now. And right now, the Minnesota Twins are not a particularly young team.

 

THE 2016 TWINS ROSTER

 

The average age of the Twins pitchers this year is 29.0. Ricky Nolasco and Ervin Santana are 33. 32-year-old Casey Fien still accounts for a percentage of this year’s age. Kevin Jepsen is 31. Fernando Abad and Phil Hughes are 30. Of course, if Glen Perkins (33) were healthy, the average age would be even higher. Kyle Gibson and Ryan O’Rourke are the eldest of the ‘below average-aged’ pitchers at 28. Ryan Pressly is 27. Trevor May and Michael Tonkin at 26. Of course, as Tyler Duffey (25) and Jose Berrios (22) make more starts, the weighted age for Twins pitchers will go down some.

 

The average age of the Twins hitters this year is 27.4. That is helped by 22-year-old Byron Buxton and 23-year-old Miguel Sano getting a lot of at-bats early in the season. Eddie Rosario (24) and 25-year-olds Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and John Ryan Murphy all factor into it as well. Eduardo Escobar (27) is right about the average age. Meanwhile 29-year-olds Brian Dozier, Byung Ho Park and Eduardo Nunez all have significant at-bats. Trevor Plouffe is 30. Kurt Suzuki is 32, and Joe Mauer is 33. At some point, Buxton will get back and that will lower the age. If eventually John Ryan Murphy or 26-year-old Juan Centeno take more at- bats from Suzuki, that will lower it. If the Twins were to do what some fans would like and trade Trevor Plouffe, Miguel Sano could move to third base and Max Kepler (23) could play right field. Eventually one would think Jorge Polanco (23) will also get more playing time.

 

TWINS HISTORY BY AGE

 

I looked at all 56 years of Minnesota Twins history. The 2016 Twins hitters (27.4 average age) rank 24th while the 29.0 year old pitchers ranked 50th of the 56 Twins rosters in age.

 

It is important to note that this weighted age is just a number. It isn’t any sort of direct correlation to winning or losing. Obviously the talent of the players, regardless of the age, determines the winning. Here is a quick look at some of the best Twins teams in history:

 

1965 - Hitters (27.4), Pitchers (28.5)

1969 - Hitters (28.9), Pitchers (28.9)

1987 - Hitters (27.8), Pitchers (31.4)

1991 - Hitters (29.1), Pitchers (28.6)

2006 - Hitters (28.2), Pitchers (26.9)

 

That 1987 Twins pitching staff was led by Frank Viola (27) and Bert Blyleven (36). They also had starts from 42-year-olds Joe Niekro and Steve Carlton. Their key bullpen guys were all over 31.

 

COMPARISON TO AL CENTRAL

 

Chicago - Hitters (29.1), Pitchers (28.2)

Cleveland - Hitters (29.8), Pitchers (28.1)

Detroit - Hitters (29.8), Pitchers (29.8)

Kansas City - Hitters (29.5), Pitchers (30.5)

Minnesota - Hitters (27.4), Pitchers (29.0)

 

So, compared to the division, the Twins hitters are a couple of years younger while the pitchers are right around average.

 

THE 1982 TWINS

 

Some compare this Twins team to the 1999 Twins team that contained more than a dozen rookies. Others like to think of the 1982 Twins team that developed the core for that 1987 championship team.

 

1982 Twins - Hitters (25.3), Pitchers (25.2)

1999 Twins - Hitters (26.8), Pitchers (26.3)

2016 Twins - Hitters (27.4), Pitchers (29.0)

 

The 1982 Twins roster ‘boasts’ the youngest hitters and youngest pitchers in the Twins 56 seasons. The roster was a good example of throwing people to the fire. Some were hits and a big part of the 1987 championship. Some are a good reminder that not all young players and prospects make it. Here’s a list:

 

Age - Name(s)

21 - Tom Brunansky

22 - Kent Hrbek, Lenny Faedo (SS), Brad Havens (LHP), Frank Viola

23 - Gary Gaetti, Randy Johnson (DH), Randy Bush, Jim Eisenrich

24 - Tim Laudner, Terry Felton (LHP), Jack O’Connor (LHP)

25 - John Pacella (RHP), Dave Engle (C/OF)

 

Larry Milbourne was a utility infielder who got 98 at-bats for that team. He was 31. Ron Washington was 30. He accumulated 451 at-bats. Fernando Arroyo (LHP, 30) pitched in six games.

 

The oldest pitcher who actually pitched quite a bit was RHP Albert Williams. He was 28 in 1982 and had already lived a very interesting life. He had signed with the Pirates in 1975 and pitched two years in the minors. He was released because the Nicaraguan government wouldn’t grant him a visa. He joined the Sandinista rebels and fought jungle warfare in the Nicaraguan Revolution. He was eventually smuggled out of the country and came to the States. He pitched for the Twins from 1980 until 1984.

 

Yes, the 1982 Twins were very young. That 1982 team took their lumps. They went 60-102. While they competed in 1984 until very late in the season, it was five years until the team made the playoffs and won the World Series.

 

SUMMARY

 

Part of what is so confusing about this 2016 team is that it has a solid mix of young, old and everything in between. There are veterans who have experienced success in the big leagues. Joe Mauer is having a tremendous season, but few other veterans are getting the job done to the level we would hope. That isn’t to say that they won’t, just that they haven’t yet.

 

The young guys are going through the somewhat-expected adversities. Miguel Sano isn’t hitting like he did in 2015. The league has adjusted to him, and now he will need to show that he can adjust back. That isn’t an easy thing to do. Just ask Danny Santana, Oswaldo Arcia, Kennys Vargas and Eddie Rosario. That doesn’t mean they won’t. It just takes time, and it’s different for everyone.

While there are several very young players on the Twins roster and there will likely be several more getting significant playing time as the season moves on (which will lower their average age over the course of the season), it isn’t accurate to call this a young team.

 

Click here to view the article

[nicksaviking]

Nice analysis. It looks like the off day allowed for some really quality research sessions yesterday.

[ToddlerHarmon]

The lineup is young and inconsistent. The rotation coming out of spring training was old and mediocre.

[clutterheart]

 

Part of what is so confusing about this 2016 team is that it has a solid mix of young, old and everywhere in between.

 

I think it would be more useful to compare the 2016 Twins to the Twins teams of 94 - 98 era.

 

In the late 90's they had vets like Coomer, Pat Mears, Winfield, Moliter, Tweksbury while mixing in players like Cordova, Lawton, Becker, Hawkins.  It wasn't a "solid mix" it was a freaking disaster.  - Just like 2016 is turning out to be.  The key difference is in 2016 a lot of the vets are signed long term.

 

It wasn't until 1999 when the Twins went full on youth (except for Terry Steinbach)

 

Hopefully, they start to move those vets and replace them with youth so by Late July the team resembles the 1999 team so we can accelerate the rebuild.

[Linus]

I think the whole age thing is overblown. You need good players not just young players. Remember the Stahoviak Becker era?

[Winston Smith]

I don't see how youth can be blamed for what we've seen this year. Maybe it's an easy excuse but that's all it is an excuse for failure. The reality, at least in my mind, is a lot of these guys just aren't consistently good. They can look good in a SSS but over time they can't maintain it.

At this point these guys need to "prove it" and if they can't we are in for a long and sad period of at best mediocrity.

[Riverbrian]

Personally I wouldn't call the Pitching Staff young... I would call them tragically average or below average but not young. 

 

However... the position players are by at least my definition... young.  

 

The Season began with Park, Sano, Buxton and Rosario in the starting lineup. That's 44% of your starting lineup that is a little wet behind the ears. 

 

On the Bench I would consider Arcia, Santana and Murphy to be pretty much wet behind the ears and that's 75% of your bench. 

 

Potential replacement call ups from the 40 man.... 100% Youth. Illustrated by the fact that Kepler and Polanco were the first players called up. 

 

The age and experience of Mauer and the other Vets can blur the overall weighted number but it won't help you 44% of the time. 

 

[Rosterman]

Yes, you have to bring in a wisend old vet for the bench or the bullpen to JUST be a team leader of sorts. But usually those are guys on the downside of their career (Nunez and Abad are good examples this year, but not necessary leaders). That 82 team did have a lot of youth who went on to play multiple seasons with the Twins. But practically no experience!~

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I think it would be more useful to compare the 2016 Twins to the Twins teams of 94 - 98 era.

You can do so yourself quite easily here:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/

 

So far, the 2014-2016 Twins pitching staffs have each been older than any Twins staffs since 2003 (Rogers and Reed) and 1988 (Blyleven, with a dash of Niekro and Carlton).

 

Our position players are indeed younger than the 1996-1998 teams, but older than the 1999-2003 squads.

[Brandon]

The biggest issues on the team this year stem mostly from the youth, Buxton, rosario, Sano, Murphy. Berrios and Meyer are still new and going through learnig curves while injuries claimed 2 vets Gibson and Santana. Suzuki,and Fien was terrible, and so was Millone. When 8 or 9 players on the team are awful. Solid players can't make up for that and win.

 

Also try doing the study off of average service time instead of age and see how we compare. Oroark is a 27 year old rookie

[dbminn]

By position player performance, the Twins are still a veteran team. Here are the slash lines by age grouping:

 

30+        .259/.330/.380  255 PA

26-29     .260/.320/.413  400 PA

<=25      .204/.264/.330  455 PA

 

The best hitters, by "weighted runs created" (WRC+, 100 = average) are:

 

>26        Nunez (147), Park (132), Mauer (130), Plouffe (108)

<=25      Arcia (118), Sano (98) 

 

The worst hitters are Suzuki, Escobar and every youngster not named Sano.

 

The Twins aren't quite ready to be a "young team". I'd say the Twins are in transition, getting younger as the season progresses. 

 

The OF will get younger once Buxton and Kepler prove they're ready. 

 

Centeno's playing time will increase if he proves he can handle it.

 

Nunez, Plouffe and Dozier should be on the trading block. They can be replaced by younger players (Sano, Polanco, Beresford). But trade them for a decent return. Dumping veterans under control would be incredibly stupid.

 

Even with limited trades, the starting position players should be 26 by the end of the year. 

 

Duffey and Berrios should stay in the rotation. The weighted average age of the rotation will decline quite a bit with these two getting regular starts. Move Hughes to the bullpen once Gibson returns (or DL if he has a chronic injury). Let Nolasco continue to start. Someone will take him before the trading deadline. His contract isn't unreasonable if he can prove to be an innings eater. 

 

The average rotation age should be 27 or less by the end of the year.

 

The bullpen is a disaster. May, Abad and Pressley will be okay. Maybe Rogers will work out. Hopefully, the Twins bring up some of the youngsters as the season progresses. This is the panic zone.

 

[Thrylos]

 

Part of what is so confusing about this 2016 team is that it has a solid mix of young, old and everything in between. 

 

That hits the nail in the head, and is not only confusing, it is the problem definition, and goes to the way Terry Ryan has been building teams since day 1:  With no plan, without riding the ebbs of bad times for true rebuilding like Griffith did in the 80s, which with a competent GM who could close holes with the right people and rebuild in a season, in Andy MacPhail, turned into 2 World Championships

 

Ryan has no plan.  Or his plan is schizophrenic.   Even in the years preceding contraction he was not rebuilding. 1997.  The team finishes with 94 losses.  What does he do?  He keeps 36 year old Steinbach, 41 year old Molitor, 31 year old Coomer, 29 year old Meares, 36 year old Aguilera, 37 year old Tewksbury, 33 year old Swindell and signs the following free agents:  38 year old Mike Morgan, 31 year old Orlando Merced, 39 year old Otis Nixon, after he trades Knoblauch for prospects.

 

I am convinced that the moderate success of the early 2000s was because no old bargain bin free agent (even the Minnesota-born) dared sign with the Twins with the fear of contraction over their heads and Ryan was forced to use the people he had who were all minor leaguers (and even then he couldn't help himself and signed cut players like 30 year old Sean Bergman who sucked.)

[tobi0040]

I am not overly concerned with average age. If this franchise is going to be good again it will be on the backs of Sano, Buxton, Berrios, Jay, Gonsalves, Rosario, Meyer, May, etc

[Seth Stohs]

 

I am not overly concerned with average age. If this franchise is going to be good again it will be on the backs of Sano, Buxton, Berrios, Jay, Gonsalves, Rosario, Meyer, May, etc

 

Correct, and the key will be to 1.) let them develop appropriately in the minors and get to the big leagues ready or very close, and 2.) surrounding them with  enough veterans to help them with the physical, mental and emotional ups and downs of a season. I also think picking the right "place holder" veterans is important too. 

[Mike Sixel]

I love how even though the author showed they aren't young, with facts, people are still typing they are young. Just another myth, excuse, frankly.

[tobi0040]

 

Correct, and the key will be to 1.) let them develop appropriately in the minors and get to the big leagues ready or very close, and 2.) surrounding them with  enough veterans to help them with the physical, mental and emotional ups and downs of a season. I also think picking the right "place holder" veterans is important too. 

 

Yeah, I just hope that second part about the veterans is punted until the first happens.  At this point we need fewer vets, not more.

 

Once we know what holes we have, move to the second phase.

[wsnydes]

 

That hits the nail in the head, and is not only confusing, it is the problem definition, and goes to the way Terry Ryan has been building teams since day 1:  With no plan, without riding the ebbs of bad times for true rebuilding like Griffith did in the 80s, which with a competent GM who could close holes with the right people and rebuild in a season, in Andy MacPhail, turned into 2 World Championships

 

Ryan has no plan.  Or his plan is schizophrenic.   Even in the years preceding contraction he was not rebuilding. 1997.  The team finishes with 94 losses.  What does he do?  He keeps 36 year old Steinbach, 41 year old Molitor, 31 year old Coomer, 29 year old Meares, 36 year old Aguilera, 37 year old Tewksbury, 33 year old Swindell and signs the following free agents:  38 year old Mike Morgan, 31 year old Orlando Merced, 39 year old Otis Nixon, after he trades Knoblauch for prospects.

 

I am convinced that the moderate success of the early 2000s was because no old bargain bin free agent (even the Minnesota-born) dared sign with the Twins with the fear of contraction over their heads and Ryan was forced to use the people he had who were all minor leaguers (and even then he couldn't help himself and signed cut players like 30 year old Sean Bergman who sucked.)

This has been my biggest gripe the past two seasons.  There appears to be no plan.  When this team was supposed to be on the uptick with young talent, they refused to play them.  This year, they bring in the likes of Ryan Sweeney and Carlos Quentin that did nothing but take away PT for young players to gain some experience.  Yes, ST experience, but experience nonetheless.  They've been stuck between rebuilding with a youth movement and signing veterans to try to contend resulting in a plan with no clear direction.  Now that this season is a mess, last weeks' moves and Molitor's reluctance to play the youth on the roster make it clear that a youth movement isn't going to happen.  That is what troubles me the most.

[tobi0040]

 

That hits the nail in the head, and is not only confusing, it is the problem definition, and goes to the way Terry Ryan has been building teams since day 1:  With no plan, without riding the ebbs of bad times for true rebuilding like Griffith did in the 80s, which with a competent GM who could close holes with the right people and rebuild in a season, in Andy MacPhail, turned into 2 World Championships

 

Ryan has no plan.  Or his plan is schizophrenic.   Even in the years preceding contraction he was not rebuilding. 1997.  The team finishes with 94 losses.  What does he do?  He keeps 36 year old Steinbach, 41 year old Molitor, 31 year old Coomer, 29 year old Meares, 36 year old Aguilera, 37 year old Tewksbury, 33 year old Swindell and signs the following free agents:  38 year old Mike Morgan, 31 year old Orlando Merced, 39 year old Otis Nixon, after he trades Knoblauch for prospects.

 

I am convinced that the moderate success of the early 2000s was because no old bargain bin free agent (even the Minnesota-born) dared sign with the Twins with the fear of contraction over their heads and Ryan was forced to use the people he had who were all minor leaguers (and even then he couldn't help himself and signed cut players like 30 year old Sean Bergman who sucked.)

 

I didn't have the mid 90's history, because I was 10 at the time.  But thank you for depressing me. 

 

The lack of a plan is the biggest issue. Going back to the veteran pool over and over again is frustrating.

[Seth Stohs]

I think there was a plan...

I think the plan for five years was to build up the farm system. Check.

I think they had no interest in going with a 100% young, sub-25 group. They wanted to mix in some reliable veterans. Check. (though the reliable hasn't really worked yet)

 

They do have a good mix for ages. You don't want all old veterans. You don't want all young players. The Twins have young, medium and more veteran players, so to me, that makes a ton of sense if they thought they could win this year, which I think they did. 

 

Of course, if you're not going to win this year, then it has to shift more toward what is best for those younger players, whether that's letting them develop in AA/AAA or MLB.

 

I definitely think there was a plan... it just isn't going very well, to say the least.

[alarp33]

 

I think there was a plan...

I think the plan for five years was to build up the farm system. Check.

I think they had no interest in going with a 100% young, sub-25 group. They wanted to mix in some reliable veterans. Check. (though the reliable hasn't really worked yet)

 

They do have a good mix for ages. You don't want all old veterans. You don't want all young players. The Twins have young, medium and more veteran players, so to me, that makes a ton of sense if they thought they could win this year, which I think they did. 

 

Of course, if you're not going to win this year, then it has to shift more toward what is best for those younger players, whether that's letting them develop in AA/AAA or MLB.

 

I definitely think there was a plan... it just isn't going very well, to say the least.

 

If the plan was to build the farm system up why didn't they actually try to do that, instead of just having the "good fortune" of picking in the top 6 numerous times.  IE; trading Perkins, Willingham, Suzuki, etc. 

 

Top prospects they currently have; 

 

Sano / Kepler / Polanco all in the system before your 5 year window

 

Buxton, Jay, Gordon, Stewart  top 6 picks

 

Berrios / Burdi - high 2nd round picks

 

Frankly I don't see one shred of evidence to suggest this was their "plan".  If it was, they would have traded veterans for prospects, not given up a draft pick to sign Ervin Santana, paid Ricky Nolasco, etc.  

 

 

Edited May 13, 2016 by alarp33

[dxpavelka]

If you want to make comparisons, compare the 2015 Twins to the 1984 Twins.  After years on not competing both teams broke thru and got a taste of what being competitive was like.  Then try to remember that between 1984 & 1987 they fired two managers and brought in a new GM.  Next move(s)?

 

[Comrade Bork]

From a purely psychological standpoint, the team feels young. The veterans haven't gotten it done in the last 5 years and our highly touted farm system is coming to fruition hopefully. Even with a fair amount of vets all the hope for the future lays on the young guys, which makes the team seem more youthful

[mikelink45]

 

I think there was a plan...

I think the plan for five years was to build up the farm system. Check.

I think they had no interest in going with a 100% young, sub-25 group. They wanted to mix in some reliable veterans. Check. (though the reliable hasn't really worked yet)

 

They do have a good mix for ages. You don't want all old veterans. You don't want all young players. The Twins have young, medium and more veteran players, so to me, that makes a ton of sense if they thought they could win this year, which I think they did. 

 

Of course, if you're not going to win this year, then it has to shift more toward what is best for those younger players, whether that's letting them develop in AA/AAA or MLB.

 

I definitely think there was a plan... it just isn't going very well, to say the least.

Seth your optimism and belief in the Twins is amazing.  You see plans where others see chaos.  And if you are right and there is a plan, I believe your conclusion is one of the biggest understatements of the Twins Daily year.

 

[Brandon Warne]

I believe this was spun off from the conversation Seth and I had. 

 

I called the team "young" because of the nearly inverse relationship between who was getting paid the last few years and who was providing the results. 

 

So maybe what I meant was "baseball young" or "inexperienced" rather than young. 

[Mr. Brooks]

I think there was a plan...

I think the plan for five years was to build up the farm system. Check.

I think they had no interest in going with a 100% young, sub-25 group. They wanted to mix in some reliable veterans. Check. (though the reliable hasn't really worked yet)

 

They do have a good mix for ages. You don't want all old veterans. You don't want all young players. The Twins have young, medium and more veteran players, so to me, that makes a ton of sense if they thought they could win this year, which I think they did.

 

Of course, if you're not going to win this year, then it has to shift more toward what is best for those younger players, whether that's letting them develop in AA/AAA or MLB.

 

I definitely think there was a plan... it just isn't going very well, to say the least.

Seth,

What part of the plan is calling up legit prospects to rot on the bench?

First Kepler, now Polanco.

[jimbo92107]

"Let us pause mid-stream, and make our stand here!" - Lt. Douglas "Sitting Duck" McKenzie, First Tennessee, killed in the battle of Turkey Shoot Creek, 1862. 

 

Whether fording a river or choosing a snack from a vending machine, it is best not to stop in the middle. The Twins cannot stop half way across this river. It is time to plunk down some money, push those buttons, and hope the results are nutritious. 

[DocBauer]

I think there was a plan...

I think the plan for five years was to build up the farm system. Check.

I think they had no interest in going with a 100% young, sub-25 group. They wanted to mix in some reliable veterans. Check. (though the reliable hasn't really worked yet)

 

They do have a good mix for ages. You don't want all old veterans. You don't want all young players. The Twins have young, medium and more veteran players, so to me, that makes a ton of sense if they thought they could win this year, which I think they did.

 

Of course, if you're not going to win this year, then it has to shift more toward what is best for those younger players, whether that's letting them develop in AA/AAA or MLB.

 

I definitely think there was a plan... it just isn't going very well, to say the least.

A very interesting article. To be honest, no offense Seth, but the comments left here are even more interesting and pointed than the article itself.

 

And I believe Seth is correct, and I don't think he is correct with any sort of excuses or Twins optomism. He clearly states in the last line that the plan hasn't worked to this point. Bingo.

 

IMO, Ryan's plan began with two key points:

 

1} Try to keep the team afloat, if possible, by trying to maintain some of the Metrodome days. That is, try to assemble a team that could compete on a budget. Some call it dumpster diving. But point #2...which I will get to in a moment...was going to take time. In the meantime, he was hoping for some short term and limited contracts to assemble teams that wouldn't stink, and offer at least some optomism for the fans and put butts in the Target Field seats. And if we're being totally honest, in years past, TR did find some nice pieces to help make teams work. Of course, this plan failed pretty miserably with 4 90 loss seasons. But again, to be fair, and I know it's an old and tired refrain, but one season was washed out due to injury, and the next was a tweaked roster that most felt had a run in it.

 

2} Ryan was clearly looking to rebuild the milb system, as Seth stated, and is so clearly obvious that we all know it to be true. NOTE: I am not referencing questionable use of young players coming up and not playing, or sticking around long enough. And for the most part, this has been successful. The Twins have a deep and talented farm system. There has been a change to power arms, and some interesting statistics from last year...no, I don't have them readily available...was that virtually all 4 full season milb pitching staffs ranked at or near the top of their leagues in SO and quality starts, along with other quality numbers/rankings.

 

But the problem is, no matter how badly we all want these young prospects up and playing, they absolutely need milb time and experience to hone their skills until they are ready. And even then, it's not unexpected to see growing pains. And while it is not an excuse, when your top two prospects, two of the best in all of baseball, miss a full season or most of one, it sets the timetable back.

 

Where the mistake was made, again in IMO, was banking too quickly on these youngsters. The prime examples being CF and the bullpen. Hicks may have been an athletic talent that was never going to work, we may never know, but to bank on him jumping from AA as a still raw talent straight to the ML was a huge miss of the dartboard. Worse, there was no other viable option. And this error has continued for 3 seasons now! Same with the pen, for the past 2 seasons, where Ryan tried to get cute, find needles in the haystack...which he had done in the past...and bank on his young RP power arms to begin to contribute. But again, it was a short-sighted and long shot gamble. I don't know if he was impatient or out foxed himself, but again, incorrect and short-sighted.

 

It would be trite and somewhat inaccurate to simply say, "better late than never" in regard to the recent moves to shuffle the roster. The experiences of 2014 and 2015 should have brought about a plan of attack that, right now, just looks like a hot mess:

 

* No return of the talented May to the rotation to see what he could truly be capable of because...

* No quality bullpen acquisitions to allow May to move, and protect against Perkins and Jepsen regressing.

* No CF option as a fall back to allow Buxton more time.

* No decent, veteran OF signed...and there many possibilities available...to work with Arcia, protect regression from Rosario, and offer up options for the Sano OF experiment, especially since he has shown he can play 3B.

 

So now we have a team that simply doesn't mesh or work well together.

 

This team is a mix of youth and experience to be sure. And what is so damn frustrating is that, for the most part, neither the young players or the veterans are performing. This team for 2016 was not expected to be world beaters. And there were gross mistakes of inactivity that did/didn't take place. Even still, this team just shouldn't be this bad!

 

As Linus stated early in this thread, any age factor is overblown. A quality, competitive team is desired. And if this team was 10 games over .500 with a primary core of 30-33 yo players, nobody would care, and we'd have a whole lot less to talk about.

 

No, the problem isn't age. The problem is getting from point A to point B...or 1 to 2...without a stable, planned bridge to get there. Right now, the Twins are crossing over a vine and rotted wood bridge that you would see in an Indiana Jones movie.

[Mr. Brooks]

Seth,

What part of the plan is calling up legit prospects to rot on the bench?

First Kepler, now Polanco.

Seth,

You didn't answer the first question, so I'll ask another.

 

What part of the plan is playing a whole season with basically a 24 man roster to carry a rule V guy, only to PTBNL him a month into the next season for no apparent reason?

 

No, this FO has no plan. It's all from the hip.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Mr. Brooks

[Riverbrian]

 

I love how even though the author showed they aren't young, with facts, people are still typing they are young. Just another myth, excuse, frankly.

 

Mike and Seth... With all due respect? I have a couple of  questions. 

 

1. How would you describe the MLB Experience level of these players? Rosario, Buxton, Sano and Park. 

 

2. Do you agree that they were they were all not only considered opening day starters but also considered to be the starter for the year 2016?

 

3. If you look at the opening day starting 9 for each American League Team. Name one team that had committed more than 2 starting spots to position players of equal or less MLB experience. 

 

Astros are the only other team that I can see and I personally think the Astros are a young team.

[Mr. Brooks]

Mike and Seth... With all due respect? I have a couple of questions.

 

1. How would you describe the MLB Experience level of these players? Rosario, Buxton, Sano and Park.

 

2. Do you agree that they were they were all not only considered opening day starters but also considered to be the starter for the year 2016?

 

3. If you look at the opening day starting 9 for each American League Team. Name one team that had committed more than 2 starting spots to position players of equal or less MLB experience.

 

Astros are the only other team that I can see and I personally think the Astros are a young team.

I don't think anyone is disputing that the position players are young.

The pitching staff is not young at all though.