This Season Is a Culmination of the Front Office's Successes

[IndianaTwin]

 

This doesn't even talk about the smart extensions for key performers like Polanco, Kepler, and Sano. This FO has put the Twins in a position to win not just this year but to be a consistent winner. Hopefully they'll be able to get deals done with Berrios and Buxton to lock in a strong core for the next several years...and I'm not going to bet against this group....

 

 

 

Agree.

 

And because it's never too early to start thinking about the Off-Season Blueprint, I was looking at the Roster and Payroll file. Not only have they made what appear to be good extensions on the three you mention, but I'm impressed that they are regularly tacking on an option year at minimal cost.

 

The three you named all are smart extensions with the guaranteed years, but they've given themselves the flexibility to make them even better with the option year. The Cruz signing was great for 2019, but with just a million dollar commitment, they had him for this year as well. The Perez signing was all-in-all good for them in 2019, but they were able to bail on 2020 at minimal cost.

 

Even with the big-dollar Donaldson, they have the ability to extend one more year. There's some Romo-disliking going on these days, but my initial reaction is to bring him back at $5M. And if not, it's only $250K.

[jmlease1]

One more thing on this topic generally: this FO has done a really good job of raising the floor on the team. While you do need to have top-end talent and performers in order to win a title, one of the best and cheapest things you can do to improve your team is to stop giving AB and innings to bad players. Making sure that you have depth to replace your best players when they need rest or go down with an injury with at least adequate players, or guys that you can slide into platoon kinds of roles and not get them exposed is really important. And that's something this FO has really worked on.

 

That's why you sign an Alex Avila: he's a great platoon fit for someone like Garver (or even Jeffers). It's not a move that moves the needle in an obvious way, it's not flashy...but it gives you depth and options. It's why the Marwin move was so good: he wasn't signed to start, but to be the super-utility guy who can plug in and fix any problem you're having at like 4-5 spots on the field.

 

That depth is showing in the rotation this year: we haven't had to hope and pray that Lewis Thorpe or Smeltzer or Littell could figure it out in the rotation and hold things down despite having injuries to starters; instead it's been a spot start not handing them the job. Homer Bailey wasn't bad...and got designated for assignment. But he was an insurance policy. It's a big change to have legit options battling for a 5th spot in the rotation, instead of needing an unproven guy to step up and fill the 3rd spot.

 

Raising the floor has been something this FO has done very well, and it's something that will continue to pay dividends down the line if/when young players become stars.

[Twins33]

 

The only question is how is Jeffers considered a top framer?  I'm a definite fan of his, and have followed him from Elizabethton on up and have been impressed with his drive, determination, and improvement (especially defensively).  That being said, when you watch him frame, he is lifting and pulling that ball back into the zone that any amateur umpire could recognize.  If what he's doing constitutes a great framer, so be it.

I’ve had the same thoughts. Garver used to do something similar (among other things) and would lose strikes for the pitchers and then they got him to mostly stop doing it. With Jeffers it seems to be the opposite 

[Twins33]

Wes Johnson, Levine, Falvey: Clearly the pitching has improved greatly from their pitch to contact days. Taking a gamble on Wes has so far paid off. I’ve liked the FO drafting bats over pitchers. That’s what I would do if I were running it (though not in every case, BPA matters). I wanted pitching in 2017 (Wright/Gore) and 2020 and in 2019 I wanted a different SS. As long as they trade for pitching or sign FA’s...

 

That brings me to Maeda who I absolutely wanted especially for only Graterol. I’ve been thinking Graterol is a reliever only for several years and was going to continue that until he proved otherwise and it seems like he was never going to prove otherwise.  I get having a good/great BP is important, but I would always ALWAYS trade a reliever for a number three or better starter. Good starters are way harder to find than relievers especially for the Twins. The fact that Maeda has been even better than I expected, and I had pretty high expectations, makes it even better. 
 

Cruz: I used to be in the camp of “don’t clog up a spot with a guy who can’t play defense, even the DH spot.” It made sense to me to give a good regular some rest but not a full day of rest to keep his bat in. Then when the Twins signed Cruz I saw a graphic (May have been MLB Network) that showed the Twins DH stats within the last so many years vs Cruz’s stats in the same time frame. The Twins DH production was absolutely pathetic. Yes, comparing it to Cruz was probably a little unfair as he’s been a stud for years but maaaaan it was bad. I will never think like that again. Always have a consistent great bat at DH even if it means he doesn’t play defense. 

[Battle ur tail off]

I like what you are getting at. I agree with almost all of it. It would be nice though to win the playoffs ever. That part is the last thing that needs to come together.

 

Also, Jack Morris cannot be argued against by anyone in being the best FA Twins signing. I don't know if you recall, but he pitched the most important and best game in baseball history. Literally a 10 inning gem that hasn't and won't be closed to replicated ever. 

 

I LOVE Cruz, but that one game alone makes him the best FA signing in Twins history. 

[Joey Self]

 

From what I can tell, there's a telltale sign that separates the good and bad framers.

 

Bad: Glove starts in the zone, moves out of the zone, then pulls the ball back into the zone.

 

Good: Glove starts outside the zone, moves towards zone while catching the ball. 

 

For the bad framers, the umpires see the glove move out and back into the zone, suggesting the pitch was a ball. For the good framers, their movement makes it appear that the pitch was in the zone. 

 

I feel this is most noticeable with low pitches, especially breaking balls at the bottom of the zone.

I welcome the use of the electronic strike zone.  I don't want to hear "it's not perfect yet."  What I want to hear is "it's more accurate than what humans are doing," and that's an improvement. 

 

JcS

[Joey Self]

 

Nick wrote a very good article. The front office has created a good product both on and off the field.  The one thing I question is Morneau as an announcer. Probably the worst that I’ve listened to...too much non-stop talk and too much analysis. Bert had some humor and color. I put the sound down so that it is mumbled.

This would not be a problem for most people but when you watch all the games........?

Yeah, I tend to watch them after they have started, and that 10 second advance feature on MLB.TV on my computer is great.  I get to see all the pitches, but don't have to listen to all the jabber. 

 

JcS

[USAFChief]

Today was a culmnination of the front office's failure.

 

In the 9th inning of a 1-1 playoff game, the Twins threw out a 37 year old junkballer and the Augustana University pitching coach.

 

 

[Danchat]

This front office has improved the squad leaps and bounds over the past regime, and has entrenched this team as a very good team the last two seasons. The farm system has been fixed, we're seeing a trend in consistently improving pitchers' potentials, and they've made some smart moves on the market. 

 

That being said, we ain't in this to win divisions. We need to be a World Series contender. Underachieving in the playoffs should not be tolerated. I'm hoping to see some more willingness to trade prospects for players who can be difference makers in the postseason. I hope Rocco can improve his abilities as a manager and learn from the mistakes that have happened in the past.

[h2oface]

Before the this apotheosis goes too far, let us remember after game one loss in this year's Wild Card round, Falvey is now 0-5 in the postseason. Baldelli is 0-4. So they are becoming a pretty substantial part of the 17 game record postseason losing streak - Falvey 29% of it and Baldelli is attached to 23.5% of it.

 

[Battle ur tail off]

 

Before the this apotheosis goes too far, let us remember after game one loss in this year's Wild Card round, Falvey is now 0-5 in the postseason. Baldelli is 0-4. So they are becoming a pretty substantial part of the 17 game record postseason losing streak - Falvey 29% of it and Baldelli is attached to 23.5% of it.

 

Mid level picks. Cheap signings, never trading for top talent, being safe. 

 

This all leads to good regular season teams. But when it's your studs vs their studs, the Twins continually fall short. At some point they need to identify guys that can get it done in the postseason.

 

[Twodogs]

So the post season failures is also a culmination of the front office?