kab21

Epic thread

I agree that the Gordon hype this year has outpaced realistic expectations. He is a very good prospect but he might not be an option next year for a significant role. I think Dozier remains with the Twins next year unless the new FO finds a way to get a blown away offer. I just don't think that they will downgrade the team at any position now that they have made the playoffs and many young players are stepping up (continued playoff contention). Trading Dozier last offseason made sense coming off a 100 loss season with questions everywhere. Now it doesn't really. The other factor is that the MI loses some of its depth if Escobar needs to play 3B due to Sano playing less there. We don't know the FO's plans for next year regarding Sano. Is he a 120 games at 3B player? Or more? Or less?

Nobody claimed that it was a reason for or against team success. Dozier has been a very good player on a bad team for awhile and now he is a very good player on a good team. And no I am not using runs scored as a measure of Dozier being a very good player. He has been a very good player according to almost all metrics although I am sure you can find something that says he hasn't.

This really isn't true. I don't spend any time in Minnesota but I still consider myself a Minnesotan. And winter sucks in Minnesota.

This is what I have been trying to get at with the roster issue of having both Grossman and Vargas. Even if you ignore Mauer at DH (let's say that Vargas plays every game that Mauer DH's) then Vargas and Grossman only play 60 games each at DH with Sano playing 30, Garver playing 10 and Granite 2 (just because...). There just isn't enough playing time until an injury occurs. I am fine starting the season out with both but after a month or two it is going to create some playing time issues. I don't think the Twins can add a full time DH to the roster since Sano and Mauer both need time there. Use Grossman or Vargas in a part time role and use the money elsewhere (pitching, pitching and pitching imo).

We must be missing each other on these comments. How do you split the DH between Grossman, Vargas and a likely 30-50 games of Sano (or Mauer with Sano at 1B) with a little time for Garver mixed in? We aren't talking about OF'ers getting days off here or there to get Grossman a little playing time.

I agree that there is no easy choice but the Twins are already rotating the DH with Sano playing there a fair amount and Garver likely getting a few reps there. Can you really rotate one more person at DH? Is that even possible? I think both Vargas and Grossman are very nice pieces to a decent team but I can't see as much of a path to keeping both of them for an entire season without roster shakeup elsewhere. I would start the season with both of them and perhaps the inevitable injury occurs or something but there are only so many DH AB's available.

I really don't see the downside of waiting. If he has another great year next year, is a different team really going to offer him 15-20M/yr? Very unlikely. He would still be a 35+ yr old 1B that hits 10 HR/yr. He is going to finish with about 2.5 WAR this year and this has been his best season since 2013 (a much better season).

The Tea Party actually stands for less government and regulations except when it is inconvenient to us. The current GOP has made a mockery of the state's rights argument by going the opposite direction on issues that matter to them.

The 40 man roster is the list of reserve players. It includes everybody.

Yes, I know how the bench works with Vargas on the roster. Where do you find AB's for everyone at DH/1B with Sano probably playing 50 games there? Why have Vargas on the bench if he (or Grossman) barely play? Yes, Grossman can play OF but do you really want him to and do you really want to bench Rosario or Kepler to do it?

I have no problems with the anthem but this whole mularkey about being angry with players for kneeling in protest of something very important to them is getting ridiculous. All that they have done is bring more attention to their protest and given them power. Kaepernick might be out of a job but this could not have turned into a more powerful message.

Yes, the Thunder have a tough offensive project to put together. But is what you say totally true? Didn't RW yield a bit when Durant was on the team? Would Carmelo accept a lesser role since he now has two definite top tier offensive options on the team? Does Carmelo offer anything substantial in a lesser role that doesn't involve handling the ball?

Of course there is room but where do you get AB's for the players mentioned and you create a lot of inflexibility by having a bunch of non-fielders on the team. For example, the nagging injury to a starter that doesn't go on the DL and becomes 3-4 days. Or a nagging injury to Sano that limits him to DH for a week. Now Grossman and Vargas are part of the bench. Or that cursed 13th pitcher because the bullpen is toast.

I still think it is really hard to keep both Vargas and Grossman on a roster that includes Sano getting 50+ games at 1B or DH and Garver (if?) getting additional AB's at 1B or DH. I think Vargas is worthy of a spot but there are too many 1B/DH types for too few AB's.

Great job at finding the actual clause in the CBA that was referenced a few times in this thread but either ignored or disagreed that existed. At the minimum it saves the Twins from doing anything stupid like signing a 34 yr old to an extension that guarantees money through the end of his age 37 season.

Carmelo to OKC for basically nothing. The Knicks will end up with cap room sooner and get rid of the distraction known as Carmelo. OKC becomes an interesting team. Interesting as in how to they put these things together to simply be the top western conf contender to the Warriors. They are better but still not good enough and they almost certainly can't be planning to bring back both RW and PG due to the luxury tax even if they would resign.

the problem only occurs when the team carries 13 pitchers or 2 utility infielders. The good news is that Adrianza and Escobar are both sort of capable of playing in the OF and fairly good at hitting. But how useful is Vargas as a bench bat if Sano also plays 50-60 games at DH/1B? If that happens that often then you have increased the bench with one of Mauer/Grossman on it (or Rosario/Kepler if Grossman is in the OF). The other factor is if Garver is the backup catcher and also getting 1B or DH reps. Vargas seems less necessary in that situation. I think Vargas's future is partly dependent on the plans next year for Sano and Garver unless Grossman is traded (hesitant to do so). Or pick one of Grossman and Vargas.

No, declining former stars must formally hit FA and then they can sign for whatever they want. This is specifically for extensions while under team control just like arbitration. Of course, they could have gotten rid of this clause in the 2+ new CBA's since I paid attention to this type of stuff.

Joe Mauer is signed for 2018. No reason to start talking about extensions right now. And I believe that extensions have to be worth 80% of the average yearly value of their previous contract so it might be impossible to do what is being suggested.

I can dig that. Just stop with this all yellow or all white from head to toe nonsense.

I think the important part here is to remember that Gibson is one of the best five SP'ers for the Twins this year. And I think everyone expects him to struggle at time. I am just thankful that he has managed to put up some good numbers (and get wins) against the bad teams.

It is nice to see that they can actually play football this year but are they going to wear horrifically ugly jerseys every week?

I would definitely consider signing him unlikely but the Twins are actually in a position to use him as part of a rotating DH since they are unlikely to bring in a full time DH. But nobody really knows what motivates him.

Agree. I might rag on his inadequacies as a player but he does fit better on other teams. I really thought that he would be getting 5-8M/yr from some team.