Article: Moving Goalposts

[bird]

75% shot of what, exactly?

 

And you're already counting an as-yet-undrafted guy?

 

I just eyeballed the top of this consensus prospect list, tossed out the rookie leaguers and Polanco, and added recent grads Pinto, Hicks, and Gibson I guess:

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2014/3/11/5492448/2014-minnesota-twins-consensus-top-61-prospects

 

That's nine "top" prospects.

 

As of now, the Twins basically have about 7 of 9 lineup spots, and 3 of 5 rotation spots, unclaimed for 2016. (And that's being pretty generous to Mauer, Dozier, Nolasco, and Hughes). That's 10 starting positions to fill.

 

Looking at it closer, I guess that means we'd have to go 9 for our top 9. And SS would still be open.

 

I hope to goodness that this kind of projecting isn't a driving force behind our FA decision making.

 

But the Twins aren't talking about improving the team strictly through the farm system, and I certainly am not. Yes, they have a boatload of holes. One of my favorite memories of all time was living downtown and savoring the 1987 WS championship. And that team had a lot of holes, so don't think in terms of complete perfection here.

[troyhobbs]

Twins waived Parmelee and Presley (claimed by Astros). Looks like Bartlett might actually make this team. Genius...

[Otto von Ballpark]

But the Twins aren't talking about improving the team strictly through the farm system, and I certainly am not. Yes, they have a boatload of holes. One of my favorite memories of all time was living downtown and savoring the 1987 WS championship. And that team had a lot of holes, so don't think in terms of complete perfection here.

 

If a team like the Twins, with ~2 decent position players under contract for 2015, is passing on free agents to hold roster spots for minor leaguers, then yes, that is counting too much on improvement through the farm system.

[cmathewson]

You can almost always trade people if you are willing to eat salary.

 

I disagree. A lot of times, you have to just release them. Even after Correia had a career year, the Twins couldn't find any takers, according to Ryan. I don't know if he was willing to eat salary. But it is not always easy. You have to find a team that needs the player enough to make the trade.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I disagree. A lot of times, you have to just release them. Even after Correia had a career year, the Twins couldn't find any takers, according to Ryan. I don't know if he was willing to eat salary. But it is not always easy. You have to find a team that needs the player enough to make the trade.

 

Pretty sure TR wasn't trying to give away Correia, they didn't need to clear his spot or salary. He was almost certainly looking for value back.

[Lakeside]

I'm a first time poster here but have read the comments for a long time. I'm a 45 year fan of Minnesota sports, but it is getting to be tough to be a Twins fan anymore. I live in Greater Minnesota but have purchased a 20 game 4 tix pack for the past several years and spent the time and effort to go to the games. I dropped it this year.

 

I just don't know what the administration's hang-up with the young players is. I understand keeping players under team control as long as possible, etc. such as when Washington waited 6 weeks into 2012 to bring up Harper which allowed them to keep him under team control for another year. However, the Twins don't seem to want to bring up anybody with the exception of Hicks last year.

 

The Wild are fun to watch this year with the excitement of young guys like Coyle, Granlund, Kuemper, Haula, Brodin, etc. They make mistakes, but they add excitement. The Twins just keep recycling the same old guys through the system which doesn't give me much incentive to buy tickets. I read on here that we fans were worried about which pitcher would be left off the team and we had to keep certain guys 'cause they were out of options. Face the facts, we have had the worst starting staff in the world. . who is going to claim Diamond and Worley, guys that cannot make that staff.

 

I did some checking, free agency aside, players that could play were brought up under former administrations and let play. Here are some ages and minor league At Bats (prior to being called up) of some prominent Twins of the past -- Wynegar (20-659ab), Hrbek (21-1100 ab) Gaetti (23-1400 AB), Carew (21-940 Ab), Gagne (21, 1900Abs) and pitchers Viola (22-156 minor league innings) and Blyleven (19 - 194 IN). Here's a couple from other organizations such as Bryce Harper (19-450ab) and Mike Trout (19-1100 AB)

 

Now we have guys in the minors who have already thrown their arms out such as Trevor May (677 minor league innings) and Kyle Gibson (425 minor league innings). Rosario 1400 abs, Sano 1400 abs) I say bring 'em up and let 'em play. I'm aware of the situations of Rosario and Sano now but when ready let 'em play see what they can do -- it can't be much worse than it is today.

 

Anyway, you get how I feel!

[bird]

If a team like the Twins, with ~2 decent position players under contract for 2015, is passing on free agents to hold roster spots for minor leaguers, then yes, that is counting too much on improvement through the farm system.

 

But I believe it's a fallacy to pass that off as the logic. Saying they passed on free agents to hold roster spots for minor leaguers, spycake, is at best simple not true. And also your "2 decent position players in 2015" is a bit ungenerous, don't you think? Of the 9 positions, I count 5 that may very well be held by "decent" (in most observers' view) players in 2014, let alone 2015, although I grant you that one or two might fizzle. I'm not sure who YOUR two guys are. Mine are Mauer, Dozier, Arcia, Hicks, and Pinto, so that's 5, with Plouffe and Willingham and Kubel being really long shots. And yes, I'm banking on Sano, Buxton and maybe Rosario in 2015, so I'll take my chances with Kubel and Willingham for 2014 and say no to the likes of Kendry Morales, who solves little in the long run. Next off-season? There'll be room for another addition or two that make sense like Nolasco does.

[ashbury]

I'm a first time poster here but have read the comments for a long time.

 

Not to divert from the thread-topic or anything, but: Welcome!

[Jerr]

Twins waived Parmelee and Presley (claimed by Astros). Looks like Bartlett might actually make this team. Genius...

 

And that, along with Kubel have got me not buying any tickets and I have been a fan since 1961 (10 yrs. old back then).

I believed the front office when they spoke of "no scholarships" any more....Bartlett and Kubel got exactly that:(

[Guest USAFChief]

But I believe it's a fallacy to pass that off as the logic. Saying they passed on free agents to hold roster spots for minor leaguers, spycake, is at best simple not true. ... And yes, I'm banking on Sano, Buxton and maybe Rosario in 2015, so I'll take my chances with Kubel and Willingham for 2014 and say no to the likes of Kendry Morales, who solves little in the long run. Next off-season? There'll be room for another addition or two that make sense like Nolasco does.

Am I misreading? Or did you contradict yourself within the same post?

[ashbury]

I believed the front office when they spoke of "no scholarships" any more....Bartlett and Kubel got exactly that:(

 

Graduate Student Emeritus, more like.