h2oface

As with my feelings on Gomez while others were slamming him, I think the Twins will have lost out on an outfielder that has at least one year as an all-star. It just won't be with the Twins. I really think this a personality mismatch more than anything else. I also think that because of that, he had to be traded for him to become what he will, even though I would have liked to see it here. At some point this year, the Twins will certainly regret their lack of outfield depth that this trade will be responsible for. Ryan should have at least gotten an additional minor league arm with the deal. Weiters was the catcher to add. Isn't it about time to set up the run, instead of treading water. Tick tock........ Can't wait to see Murphy in left or right field....

Playing center field for the Twins since Torii Hunter roamed, is like playing keyboards for the Grateful Dead - it doesn't go as far as you don't make it out alive, but it is the kiss of death to your longevity, and you are bound to be traded once you get ready to evolve or have evolved into becoming what you were brought here to do.

That is true. But I think the example you use only happens in politics. Usually, or more commonly, the bell does ring and it does work out, on the average, to most often tend toward the "common".

....but yet, the very reason they are classified as average is that they are the most common fruit, and their performances govern and establish the average-ness.

Not in my book. I love baseball too much to buy that, no matter how many loving fans become haters. Especially when in many cases, it was the management's inability to adapt that was the problem, and not the players. I don't think my children are my enemy when the leave either, and they did it by choice, and were not even involuntarily traded. I find the players that I follow for 4, 5 and 6 years in the minors way more family than guys like Phil Hughes and Nolasco, for example.

That is all fine for the couple of weeks at a time Buxton has shown that he can stay on the field. But when he goes down, and he will, he is replaced by who? Shane Robinson? Somebody playing out of position? Murphy getting some outfield time in? Time will tell. I will root for both Murphy and Hicks to succeed. This new Ryan splash did have a couple of rings around it, but no wake whatsoever. More like a tiny pebble in the pond than a boulder in the lake. Looks like Molitor never really jelled with Hicks. My bet is some team will, and he with them, and the Twins will have prepared another center fielder for a team that gets to go to the playoffs and Hicks with them.

The chances Ryan takes is for middling talent. I think trading a budding everyday outfielder for a platoon backup catcher is taking the wrong kind of chance. With the pitchers that Ryan collects, the outfield needs to be defensive, and not lumbering bats.

I can't wait to see Murphy in the outfield. Rumor has it, he will be working out with Sano and shagging fly balls......... Joe Mauer is jealous.

I agree. I like Hicks. I like many of the players the Twins trade more than the ones they keep or trade for. For example, I will never think of Mike Pelfrey as a Twin just because a GM I don't care for makes the mistake of signing him. I think Hicks will become a star, and I also hope he does. I also think that Ryan hasn't learned from the last gutting of a defensive outfield, and the Colabellos and Parmelees and Arcias that replaced them. All that minor league time to hope a prospect gets ready to take a spot in the show, and they continue to be traded or not signed once they get there. It creates teams of strangers instead of family.

Unanimously, eh? I am on the books as not in on that unanimous bandwagon group thought, so I guess it wasn't and still isn't.

Watching some of that way too long video of Park hitting his homers in 2015....... if he weighs as little as 230 then I am 7 foot tall. He could stand to get in shape for the MLB.

Never to manage a MLB club. Bench coach maybe, and he could be buddies with the team and add the "y" or "ie" on the end of all their names. Being buddies might be a stretch, though, as he seemed to make a lot of enemies of some fine players that took their talent and turned it to success elsewhere. But never to manage. AAA, OK. College, I might give it a try. Never to manage a MLB team. 13 years was already 8 too many. Time to sell cars or something.

Burdi seems to only be used for mop up duty in blowouts. I wish that would change..

futility infielder...... I love it!

Buying one on the free agent market truly is relatively easy. Trading for one has way to much down side. Greinke is a special case. He negotiates his own contracts. As consistent as he is, I would dangle a five year, 150 million contract with an opt out option for Greinke after year 1, 2, 3 and 4. Let him leave if he wants to after each year. That gives him security and a chance to make more money if he stays as consistent as he has been, and the market allows him to in his perspective. I would also try to negotiate a club opt out after 3 years. That gives the Twins a chance to move on with youth if desired, and the pitchers from within become something special. The Twins truly aren't limited for money. That is fiction. It is apparent that the stadium will fill if the team wins. This owner can spend any money he wants to at anytime, and it still won't be a losing proposition for him, he just might not clear as much profit. If Greinke has the option to leave, and takes it, then the Twins got a great pitcher to lead the staff for as long as he is here and wants to be here, and gave up nothing for it. Greinke gets to seek greener pastures and get an even better deal. Even if it just lasts one year, it would be super. It is time to think outside the box for the future. Trading is the worst option, in my opinion. Buying 4 ERA pitchers or worse for 4 and 5 years is the most terrible option of all, and that is what Ryan likes to do, or at least what he has done. That may get you around a .500 team, but not much past that. Genius prognosticators said Houston and Chicago were at least a year away. I guess they are not so smart.

Since these games are all about development, I think what Burdi, Walker, and Turner did in the rainout is as important as "official" AFL stats. What they do matters, even if it is rained out. Thanks for the summary of week one!

#43 – Niko Goodrum - 23 – IF/OF – Ft. Myers Miracle/Chattanooga Lookouts Goodrum was the Twins second-round draft pick out of high school in Georgia in 2010. A second round pick in 2010, and after 5 plus years, he is all the way up to a #43 top prospect on this list. Wow. Progress, eh? Looks like a wasted and misguided #2 pick in the draft to me. Many of these prospects have been ranked higher in many years before. Jason Wheeler: 2015 (21) Niko Goodrum: 2015 (27), 2014 (20), 2013 (27), 2012 (19), 2011 (26) Brett Lee: 2014 (27) Levi Michael: 2013 (30), 2012 (17) DJ Baxendale: 2014 (25) According to this ranker, they should have been much better than they became or are becoming. Or he is really wrong now.?Tough game, that ranking.

More than anything, this season screamed "out of shape" to me. These guys ran out of gas, collectively and individually. Even those that look to be in shape (Mauer and Dozier and Plouffe, for example) should take their career more seriously and put in the work that lets them last a whole season, instead of half a season - right Perk? With age, it means even more work and diverse workouts during the off season. Cardio, flexibility and strength. They should all hang with Berrios. He seems to get it, and at such a young age. As one ages, it is even more important. Right Perk?

I agree that Gibson was the best starter over the course of the year. That said, it is not a good reflection on the quality of the Twins' pitchers, and there is trouble ahead if this type of performance wins you the best pitcher award for your team in the coming years.

Act right? DON"T DO THAT? But sliding into someone at second with the intention to take him out and possibly hurt them ("but I wouldn't be meaning to....") when you are not even close to the base is OK? Throwing at someone is OK? No intent or malicious motive to hurt anyone there, eh? Bench clearing and fake fighting is OK? That is professional? Because it is clear that in baseball..... they DO DO THAT, and many fans here are wanting it to happen, expecting it to happen, or are OK with it happening. So many things are not done with the spirit of the game and rules in mind. I guess there are still many around that will support this continuing. Act right? The "consequences" don't seem like "acting right" to me. The Bully in the school yard never did like the quick witted comeback or the taunt, and always liked to hurt the guy that because he couldn't think of a more clever way to retort. To me, that is what throwing at someone that had nothing to do with the event is tantamount to.

I don't think I will ever think of Pelfrey and a Twin. Just a visitor here that stayed 2 years past his welcome, for me. I won't miss him, and will be glad to seem him pitching batting practice on a visiting team when he comes to Target.

I never trust anyone with a neck beard. It seems to look even worse and makes him even more untrustworthy when he is not pitching well.

Duffey has been wonderful. There would have been nothing wrong with both of them, Duffey and Berrios, both looking great.

I look at Alex Meyer last year.... and the times he looked like he was ready, but was suppressed. That would have been the time to get him up, but with Anderson, it might not have worked, anyway. It is just as good an option as a Graham. That might have changed everything in his progression. As it wasn't tried.... as Seth says..... no way to know.... it is impossible to know.

No..... I wasn't referring to anyone in particular. I can't say that I keep track that well of who says what, necessarily. Just a "if the shoe fits, wear it", I guess. I too would rather try it than not. Plus, with many young ball players, like Santana, some are ready for a while, and then they are not. But to just say that someone is not ready, like Berrios..... I find it is folly until you try and see. Many folks out here in LA said Corey Seager wasn't ready and needed more 'seasoning', but he is proving them all wrong for the Dodgers.