Bill Smith Appreciation Thread

[DaveW]

Bill Smith got a really really raw deal during his stint as Minnesota GM, however without him, the present and future would be much worse off more than likely.

Thank you Mr Smith for the following:

-Signing Miguel Sano (Most money ever spent by the Twins at the time)
-Signing Max Kepler (Genius move to look to Germany for talent)
-Signing Jorge Polanco (Gave him a good chunk of cash)
-Drafting Jose Berrios

-Drafting Byron Buxton (So so so so smart to go BPA instead of drafting for need: Gausman, Zunino, Appel etc)

Also it should be noted that Bill Smith also drafted Aaron Hicks, who has turned into one of the better OF in all of baseball thus far this season.

There also were other great great great INTL signings by Bill.

Hopefully when this team reaches the promise land they will bring back Bill Smith to celebrate somewhat.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Smith had already been deposed by the Buxton/Berrios draft, although I guess he was responsible for our draft position.

[DaveW]

 

Smith had already been deposed by the Buxton/Berrios draft, although I guess he was responsible for our draft position.

Actually I recall it being somewhat common knowledge within the org that when he was "demoted" to special assistant to Ryan at that point, Smith was left in charge of the draft for that transition year. Ryan was the "interim" GM at that point.

[Riverbrian]

I'm prepared to give Bill Smith applause for his aggressive work in the International Market. Terry Ryan did not seem to have the stomach for the same approach.

 

I also assume that Bill Smith gets kudo's for things that he did behind the scenes. I've read that he was the guy who put the Ft. Myers complex together. 

 

Everybody has good and bad to them

 

I'm also prepared to admonish him for his trades. They were Bad and that can't be denied in my opinion.

 

The Gomez Trade and the Ramos Trade still bug me.

 

All in All... I won't vilify the guy... I'm sure he tried his best and I appreciate that... but ultimately... I'm hoping for a GM that can be aggressive in the International Market... Make Good Trades and put a good staff around them that can draft and develop.  

 

 

 

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

I've always thought Smith was underrated in his international and free agent signings.

 

He was overrated in his trades because he was *that* bad. I'll never forgive him for Ramos.

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

I've always thought Smith was underrated in his international and free agent signings.

He was overrated in his trades because he was *that* bad. I'll never forgive him for Ramos.

Hmmm...

It's the Hardy trade that I'll never let him off the hook for.

But he also made some moves that are paying off for us now.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Hmmm...

It's the Hardy trade that I'll never let him off the hook for.

But he also made some moves that are paying off for us now.

He gets a wash for Hardy. The Gomez trade was good. The Hoey trade was laughably bad.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Actually I recall it being somewhat common knowledge within the org that when he was "demoted" to special assistant to Ryan at that point, Smith was left in charge of the draft for that transition year. Ryan was the "interim" GM at that point.

I doubt that Smith was given any authority over, or had any particular involvement with, the 2012 draft. He didn't even have a scouting background, I suspect Deron Johnson was mostly "in charge" of the draft under both Smith and TR.

 

http://m.startribune.com/bill-smith-s-new-twins-title-assistant-to-the-president-and-gm/135730998/

 

Among his tasks:

 

* He'll continue to work with Lee County, fostering relationships he's been building since the Twins spring training facility opened in 1991. The Twins hope to do some major renovations on the facility for 2013.

 

* Assessing the team's player development in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, etc.

 

* Smith helped lead a seamless transition from the Metrodome to Target Field, and the Twins will have him lead their efforts on developing and maintaining their baseball-related facilities (Target Field, Hammond Stadium, etc.).

 

* Smith, a longtime member of baseball's minor-league advisory board, will work with Twins minor league director Jim Rantz on maintaining relationships with the team's affiliates.

[DaveW]

I've always thought Smith was underrated in his international and free agent signings.

 

He was overrated in his trades because he was *that* bad. I'll never forgive him for Ramos.

At least Capps was good for a year or Sox

 

Murphy for Hicks is a guy who won't do anything in the majors for a guy who has a 1.100 OPS at age 28

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

At least Capps was good for a year or Sox

He was never Wilson Ramos good and that's the point.

 

Gomez for Hardy was a good trade from both sides. The Twins needed to win now, the Brewers needed to win later. That's how trades are kinda supposed to work.

 

Capps was a mostly mediocre reliever and the Twins traded a solid (and later great) catcher for the guy. That's not how trades are supposed to work.

[jimmer]

Ramos has had one good season (2011) and one very good season(2016).  He's been hurt a ton.  Still hasn't played this year.

 

The Capps trade was horrible, especially when our closer was doing his job well, but the idea that losing Ramos was a huge loss is exaggerated, IMO. Of course, that doesn't excuse how horrible the thought process was behind the trade.  Gardy, though, should shoulder some responsibility for the trade.  From what I remember, he was complaining about not having a true closer.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Ramos has had one good season (2011) and one very good season(2016). He's been hurt a ton. Still hasn't played this year.

 

The Capps trade was horrible, especially when our closer was doing his job well, but the idea that losing Ramos was a huge loss is exaggerated, IMO. Of course, that doesn't excuse how horrible the thought process was behind the trade. Gardy, though, should shoulder some responsibility for the trade. From what I remember, he was complaining about not having a true closer.

That's pretty much my point. The thought process of needing a "closer" when Rauch had been just fine in the role was bad.

 

If you need a closer, go and pick up someone like K-Rod, okay. But Matt Capps for Wilson Ramos? Oh, come on.

[TheLeviathan]

Miguel Sano alone may earn him a statue.  

 

And in that one signing Bill Smith badly beat any other addition Terry Ryan ever made with money and it isn't even remotely close.

 

Kepler and Polanco are just icing on that landslide of a cake.

[DaveW]

Part of the problem with the Ramos trade is that seemingly immediately after (and 3-4 years before anyone figured) Mauer suddenly got the concussion that ended his catching career.

Don't get me wrong, the trade was stupid at the time and remains stupid.

Not so much in the IDEA of trading Ramos, the problem is you traded him for a closer. They should have traded him for prospects etc at the time of the trade nobody knew that Mauer would be out so quickly as a catcher (and as others have pointed out: Ramos has had his share of injury issues himself)

I think in 2017 though, teams are going to be much much much more protective of young catchers that show ANY promise. 

 

[drivlikejehu]

Smith was "GM" but really part of a collective decision-making process. We don't have enough inside info to really dole out credit and blame, but without question the front office was out of its depth even if some good decisions were made.