March 2, 20197 yr I'll try to update this thread anytime I'm able to grab some spring training highlights. Here are a few from today:https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1101645090605465600 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1101660961931489280 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1101672972023037952
March 2, 20197 yr It's just as I've heard, Pineda is a big boy. Yowza. How do you pronounce "Ryne"? Names that don't have obvious pronunciations bug me. And looking over his stats, he put up a 5.19 ERA in 26 AAA innings at age 29... I'll give the guy credit for sticking around in the minors, but I can't say I like his chances of cracking an MLB roster.
March 2, 20197 yr Encouraging about Pineda. How and when do the Twins approach him about an extension? If he kills it this year do we just offer QO to both him and Gibson?
March 2, 20197 yr Encouraging about Pineda. How and when do the Twins approach him about an extension? If he kills it this year do we just offer QO to both him and Gibson?Depends if the Twins are in the hunt this year. If we are not and they are doing well, we probably turn at least one of them into other assets. If the Twins do well the chances are good we QO them for one year.
March 2, 20197 yr What’s with Bens stance behind the plate? Can’t say I’ve ever seen that before. Is it just to go easy on the knees during spring training? Pitcher specific? Or is that how he typically plays?
March 2, 20197 yr What’s with Bens stance behind the plate? Can’t say I’ve ever seen that before. Is it just to go easy on the knees during spring training? Pitcher specific? Or is that how he typically plays?Yeah, I hope that was all with nobody on base. In the other game I saw him in briefly, he was dropping a knee down also. It's not like he's super tall (5'10"), but I assume he is trying to give the ump an optimal view of the pitch. Sometimes it's one knee down, sometimes both... not a real fan of this technique, but I'm willing to learn more. Some catchers (Junior Ortiz?) have been known for one leg splayed way out, which I always thought had to have some real drawbacks. "This is how you catch a baseball, son..."http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/files/2013/09/Minnesota-Twins-Joe-Mauer%E2%80%99s-Concussion-Could-Lead-to-Less-Time-Playing-Catcher.jpg
March 2, 20197 yr Author How do you pronounce "Ryne"? Names that don't have obvious pronunciations bug me.Rine. What’s with Bens stance behind the plate? Can’t say I’ve ever seen that before. Is it just to go easy on the knees during spring training? Pitcher specific? Or is that how he typically plays?Dan Hayes wrote about this for The Athletic. Twins catchers are trying to dominate the bottom of the zone, where the most missed strike calls are made. Getting really small and low helps the umpire get a better window to see what's going on and keeps the catcher from having to look like his stabbing to catch the ball. It's a really good article.
March 2, 20197 yr Pineda is the new Big Sexy I see... His belly is just as big. Yes, he is a large man. (but no, obvi, still like a 1/2 Bartolo)
March 2, 20197 yr Tom, thanks for this post. For those of us who follow the Twins closely but aren't at the games, we pretty much are dependent on box scores and your in-game highlights. I'm particularly interested in following our relievers, so your comments on Harper are quite interesting! A long shot but so far, lights out. It is worth mentioning that some of our bullpen returnees have not looked too good, at least in the early going. Magill and Moya have gotten rocked. Yesterday, Reed and Duffy were lit for home runs from the Sox traveling squad. May has been quite good, but has also given up a dinger(only hit allowed). Hildy has looked lights out so maybe rest is the cure for his second half blues? Yes, it is still early, but our relievers are all fighting for a spot on the 25 man roster and will not get a lot of innings to show their stuff. I hope the FO is keeping close tabs on these guys while Kimbrel is dangling in the wind. Just my opinion, but any team with a bullpen including Duffy, Magill and Moya cannot be viewed as an elite one, nor can a bullpen without a set closer be taken seriously either. Time will tell!
March 2, 20197 yr I saw a tweet yesterday that the Twins are in negotiations with Kimbrel. Has anyone else heard that?
March 2, 20197 yr I saw a tweet yesterday that the Twins are in negotiations with Kimbrel. Has anyone else heard that?I heard it was 13 years at $330,000,001, making him the highest paid player ever.
March 2, 20197 yr Yeah, I hope that was all with nobody on base. In the other game I saw him in briefly, he was dropping a knee down also. It's not like he's super tall (5'10"), but I assume he is trying to give the ump an optimal view of the pitch. Sometimes it's one knee down, sometimes both... not a real fan of this technique, but I'm willing to learn more. Some catchers (Junior Ortiz?) have been known for one leg splayed way out, which I always thought had to have some real drawbacks. "This is how you catch a baseball, son..."http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/files/2013/09/Minnesota-Twins-Joe-Mauer%E2%80%99s-Concussion-Could-Lead-to-Less-Time-Playing-Catcher.jpg I have no problem with it especially with no one on base. I wouldn't have even noticed it if it wasn't pointed out. Oddly enough it used to bug me watching Flowers catch for the White Sox. He would lean down and put his right knee on the ground to throw it back to the pitcher. Looked like a right handed bowler throwing the ball off his right leg or when the least athletic person in slow pitch softball was put at catcher would throw it awkwardly back to the pitcher. No impact on the game either but it bugged me way more aesthetically than what Ben is doing.
March 2, 20197 yr Rine.Is that to rhyme with the Rhine River, or a nice Rhine wine, or the Rhine province in Prussia?
March 2, 20197 yr Over the years I've seen several catchers catch like this. You have to be pretty athletic. With men on base his stance will be more traditional. This is the first time I've seen him. He has me interested.
March 2, 20197 yr Over the years I've seen several catchers catch like this. You have to be pretty athletic.What advantage does it bring?
March 2, 20197 yr I like the snippets of Marni’s play by play, she and Hawkins would make good broadcast booth post DickN’Bert
March 2, 20197 yr Buxton is on fire, he has 11 rbi already, dang I don't think he had that many rbis for the twins all last year? Nice to see him getting some confidence.
March 3, 20197 yr Never heard of Ryne Harper, ever, until the Twins picked up last season. ,(Of course, never heard of Magill before either until he was brought in). So I looked up the 29yo Harper's career numbers and I was honestly surprised! 2.56 ERA/ 1.14 WHIP/ .228 BA/ 10.97K per 9IP/ 4-1 SO/BA. I know it's ST and only the first week and all that, but the stuff he shows in that clip, with his career milb numbers and I'm confused. He's never even had a ML cup of coffee and is a non-roster invite?
March 3, 20197 yr Here's an interview with Harper from a few years ago which I just stumbled upon. Might be of interest. It was from 2016 when he was new to the Mariners organization and with the Jackson Generals AA team.
March 3, 20197 yr Author Here come a bunch more from today:https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1102299298404937729 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1102305845390524417 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1102310300265656320 https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1102314523569074178
March 3, 20197 yr Is that to rhyme with the Rhine River, or a nice Rhine wine, or the Rhine province in Prussia? He’s a baseball player so I assumed it was to rhyme with Ryne Sandburg. It looks like the Twins signed the right Harper this year too.
March 4, 20197 yr Author Here's a bit of Ryan Eades. He gave up just three earned runs over his final 30 1/3 innings in the minors least year (0.89 ERA) and struck out 34 batters while walking just five over that stretch.
March 4, 20197 yr Random observations: Andrew Vasquez doesn't even look like he's trying. It's amazing he has that velocity with what seems like such a casual delivery. Ryan Eades seemed to have success working up in the zone. Is that a thing he's emphasizing more now?
March 4, 20197 yr Andrew Vasquez doesn't even look like he's trying. It's amazing he has that velocity with what seems like such a casual delivery.I would like to see whatever a more deliberate delivery would accomplish, then. Too many of his pitches go nowhere close to the catcher's mitt.
March 4, 20197 yr Here's a bit of Ryan Eades. He gave up just three earned runs over his final 30 1/3 innings in the minors least year (0.89 ERA) and struck out 34 batters while walking just five over that stretch. https://twitter.com/TFTwins/status/1102405680819027969I watched this game on MLB Network yesterday. Dude looks pretty raw still... It looks like there's promise with the big bender though.
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