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Strib's Howard Sinker: Twins are the Nishiokas of MLB

Jim Crikket

By Jim Crikket
in Minnesota Twins Talk

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Jim Crikket First Round Pick

Jim Crikket

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Are the Twins the Nishiokas of Major League Baseball? Howard Sinker writes in a new "Section 219" blog post that he believes that's what they've become. http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/179406521.html?uccb=1352991646248&cr=1

 

He's also cutting back his season ticket package. Anyone else doing so? Since I'm an out of stater, I'm not a season ticket holder, regardless of the talent on the field. That said, I made zero trips to Target Field in 2012 (after making several trips a year for the prior several years) and unless the Twins do something to convince me they are willing to try to compete in 2013, I won't waste my money on trips in 2013 either.

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James GCL Twins

James

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It was a good read. I did not cut back on my season tickets this year. I actually got more games. That has more to do with other people in the group that I buy tickets with dropping out and taking less games than me being really excited to go games though.

 

Yes, the Twins were bad last year, and 2013 might not be much better, but even watching a bad baseball game in person is better than most things I could be doing. I completely agree with and understand the frustration though.

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Rosterman Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

Rosterman

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Not renewing season tickets. Will this keep me from getting into TwinsFest? I'm not sure if there will always be a lot of cheap tickets on StubHub in 2013, as that is a result of unused season tickets. The Twins, if they play better, will sell more tickets at face value, perhaps. Last year, they couldn't sell their own unsold tickets for most games as the stub-hubbers filled that need.

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JB_Iowa Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

JB_Iowa

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My big problem with the Twins is that they are "neither ... nor". They are neither willing to tear it down and really do a rebuild in anticipation of the talent they have in the system (but with adding even more depth especially pitching prospects) NOR are they willing to do as Howard (and JC himself) has suggested and spend more than their 50% rule of thumb (if they even spend that) to field a team that is above mediocre next year.

 

While my personal preference is for a rebuild, I don't really have a problem with the latter. I just wish they'd pick a course and pursue it wholeheartedly. Instead, I feel like they are just idling along in same old, same old.

 

Management has a lot to prove this off-season.

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John Bonnes MVP

John Bonnes

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It seems like Howard is advocating spending in the short term as a patch. That's fine to say, but harder to do, and impossible to do earlier in the season. The names that will sign now, at least as far as pitching, are going to want long-term deals. If we want to wait for the 1 and 2-year deals, then we aren't going to see many before Christmas.

 

I'm not saying it's a bad strategy - I lobbied and lobbied hard even last season to not penny-pinch. But I think we're jumping the gun here.

 

Of course, one way to appease fans now would be to be forthright about just how much money the Twins have to spend this offseason. Because we automatically (and justifiably) assume the worst when the management won't commit to that.

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Riverbrian Cooperstown

Riverbrian

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My big problem with the Twins is that they are "neither ... nor". They are neither willing to tear it down and really do a rebuild in anticipation of the talent they have in the system (but with adding even more depth especially pitching prospects) NOR are they willing to do as Howard (and JC himself) has suggested and spend more than their 50% rule of thumb (if they even spend that) to field a team that is above mediocre next year.

 

While my personal preference is for a rebuild, I don't really have a problem with the latter. I just wish they'd pick a course and pursue it wholeheartedly. Instead, I feel like they are just idling along in same old, same old.

 

Management has a lot to prove this off-season.

 

You just on-the-nosed my biggest fear. Floating in no mans land. The return to competitive baseball could be delayed further by hanging around in no mans land.

 

I don't know if my fear is worth having and I believe we have people working hard to avoid it but its a deep dark fear of mine and I admit it lives in my closet. I try not to feed it. I want it to go away.

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Jim Crikket First Round Pick

Jim Crikket

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Seth, I don't think any of us would expect the Twins to give fans an exact figure. But even last year, Ryan publicly stated a range shortly after he took over for Smith. I remember it because it was well below what all of us had assumed it would be when we did our various "blueprints." The way Ryan talks now gives no reason for any of us to expect they plan to open the checkbook at all.

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Cody Christie MVP

Cody Christie

Twins Daily Contributor
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After being a season ticket holder for seven years, I decided not to renew my season tickets. Some of this came out of the fact that my wife and I don't live in the Twin Cities anymore. But even when we did live there, we had cut back our season tickets at the beginning of last year. It was easy to find people for my tickets in the first couple years of Target Field but it has been a nightmare since the end of the 2011 season.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Gernzy Draft Eligible

Gernzy

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I'm predicting what no one else seems to be: the Twins will sign Kevin Correia to a two year deal with a team option for a third…

 

Can I get any props please?

 

Wow...thats one hell of a call.

On topic I'm not changing my season tickets. I plan on going to all the All-Star activites in 2014.

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Alex Draft Eligible

Alex

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I'm predicting what no one else seems to be: the Twins will sign Kevin Correia to a two year deal with a team option for a third…

 

Can I get any props please?

 

I'm not convinced you aren't Terry Ryan with that prediction...

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Tjwalsh65 Prep Ball

Tjwalsh65

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I have given up my season tickets. I had 6 tickets for 20 games. I shared this with Family and friends but found last year was very diffiucult to find takers. I live in the Rochester area so travel is also an issue.

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ashbury Cooperstown

ashbury

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Since I'm an out of stater, I'm not a season ticket holder, regardless of the talent on the field. That said, I made zero trips to Target Field in 2012 (after making several trips a year for the prior several years) and unless the Twins do something to convince me they are willing to try to compete in 2013, I won't waste my money on trips in 2013 either.

 

Does the visiting team still get a percentage of the gate? I usually try to make it down to Oakland when the Twins visit, and I don't expect my policy would change just because of a rebuilding pattern. OTOH, it's just a couple of tickets, depending on who comes with me. If the Twins get 10% of my sixty bucks, that's what, enough to pay for a third year of Correia, right?

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  • 4 months later...

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