Building Dr. Taylor-stein's Twins Monster

Torii has to be faster than Knoblauch!

I'm on-board with Knoblauch being the 'speed' guy. He wasn't necessarily an absolute burner, but the combination of his superior on-base skills, his instincts, and his plus speed made him probably the most productive guy on the based the Twins have ever had.

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I definitely looked at Torii for that spot. While we don't have objective Statcast data, I used SB, SB% and triples as measures of speed. Knoblauch laps Torii in all three of these categories.

Also, OBP probably needs to be a factor or a threshold, as well, right?...lest we consider guys like Alexi Casilla, Ben Revere, and Carlos Gomez (or Buxton) here...all almost certainly "faster" than Knoblauch, but not accomplished hitters (yet), as was Knoblauch.

Actually, a good argument could be made for Knoblauch as the honorable mention for 'Intelligence'. During his Twins career, his OBP and BB% were basically identical to Mauer's career numbers (Mauer's peak years were better)...and Knoblauch's SO% was lower. The player that some might remember with the Yankees wasn't anything near the player the Twins had from '91 - '97.

I agree with gunnarthor on Mauer and intelligence. Obviously it depends on how you are defining it. From another perspective, Jonathan Scoop speaks/reads 5 or 6 languages. Mike Marshall was a doctor as well as one hell of a reliever. Craig Breslin was no academic slouch. Jason Castro went to Stanford and was praised for his defense. I suspect that Tony Olivia had as much baseball smarts as anyone who ever put on a baseball uniform. Selecting Mayer just seems like a hometown choice. He was a great ball player, but was he really the Twins’ Einstein of baseball? Not from my perspective. I will grant that was from your perspective.

I agree with gunnarthor on Mauer and intelligence. Obviously it depends on how you are defining it. From another perspective, Jonathan Scoop speaks/reads 5 or 6 languages. Mike Marshall was a doctor as well as one hell of a reliever. Craig Breslin was no academic slouch. Jason Castro went to Stanford and was praised for his defense. I suspect that Tony Olivia had as much baseball smarts as anyone who ever put on a baseball uniform. Selecting Mayer just seems like a hometown choice. He was a great ball player, but was he really the Twins’ Einstein of baseball? Not from my perspective. I will grant that was from your perspective.

The ability to speak a half dozen languages doesn't do much for the ability to play ball.

I'd go with Jason Tyner as the speed guy. Or Alex Cole.

Intelligence (baseball wise), think I'd have to go with Dave Winfield.

Alex Cole is a deep cut. I like it.

Dude could FLY. Like 80 steals in a minor-league season fly.

I'm not sure Mauer is the most intelligent guy you could have picked. If you were going with 'eye' or something, I could get on board. It might depend on how you view him but the two views on Mauer seem to be that 1) he was the greatest Twin ever, don't criticize him or 2) he was a bum who wouldn't change his swing to tap into his power or even after opposing teams figured him out. 

Agreed. If Mauer were the most intelligent player on the field he would have known to adapt his game from oppo field slap hitter. It takes intelligence to know when it's time to adjust your swing.

If I'm going with intelligence I'm going with Jim Kaat. His insight in broadcasting is second to none.

I agree with not using Mauer for intelligence.  Not only the lack of changing approach as pitchers and defenses changed, as that may not be that easy with 20 years of doing one swing to then change is not easy.  However, one of my biggest complaints of Joe was always his lack of situational batting IQ.  He had one plan always, get on base by any means.  Well when you in the three whole, you are supposed to drive in runs, so do not take a strike down the pipe and take a walk after than when runner on 3rd and 1 out.  Do not go out of zone, but how many times would he take a strike right down middle in that situation only to then walk, and get praise for working a walk, then hunter or cuddy hits into DP right behind him.  Well he let a good pitch that should have driven in the run go, not smart in my mind.

Remember when he got a ton of backlash for bunting.  I never minded him bunting for base hits, but the big time that he got most backlash and then did not bunt for like to seasons.  The situation was 2 outs runners first and second, tying run being on second.  So a single to outfield should tie it. Double gets you the lead.  Joe is supposed to be leader and hitting in three hole.  Then what does Joe do, he tries to bunt for a base hit, not getting it, but what if he did bunt for hit, now bases loaded and 2 outs, with go ahead run at second, little better situation, but he basically said, I am not going try to tie the game and let whoever behind me do it.

He just showed to me several times he lacked situational IQ and would never think about what would be best for the team to win.  I was too old school thinker for me. 

Sorry, I do not always want to bash Joe, I give him credit for being one of best hitters of all time, but I do not like when people over value him.  I also do not like when people undervalue him by knocking him for their want him to be something he was not.  That was mainly because the organization wanted him to be more than he was and forced him into being the leader and three hitter.