kab21

In fairness to the Pelicans they started a team with 3-4 players that wouldn't even make a majority of the NBA rosters but it must feel good for the Wolves to win 4 of the last 5 games. The coaching search officially continues with the names of Brooks, Thibodeux (damn his name for spelling) and Van Gundy being thrown out there.

Dieng is a very good player (not underrated) but he isn't a perimeter defender. Against certain teams that doesn't matter though.

Not to my recollection. The entire offseason was spent explaining why Rosario was different than Santana and how he had so much more raw talent. I was a little lukewarm on Rosario but let the kid play through it.

This board has really turned on Rosario fast.

Actually the farm system improvement has mostly been due to participating in the int'l market and hitting on lower draft picks. And yes trades. The high draft picks (top 10 overall) have helped but Buxton is the only one that is going to play this year while Rosario, Escobar (trade), May (trade), Sano, Kepler, Park (sort of a prospect), Polanco, Duffey and Berrios were acquired later in the draft, through trades or through int'l FA. And the other potential contributors weren't high picks either.

Yes, there are some decisions that should have been done differently but this team has been rebuilding for the last 3+ years. They went from a piss poor farm system with very few top prospects in the upper minors to a top 5 farm system with numerous top prospects in the upper minors or the MLB roster. Not every rebuild needs to be a burn it down 76'ers model rebuild but Sam Hinkie is available right now if that is what you want.

I think that is at least 90% the top 3 and then it is a bunch of interesting but lesser draftees. I still like Hield because he can step in immediately and be a contributor. A 2nd squad of Jones, Hield, Muhammad, Bjelica and one of Towns/Dieng (3 players rotating at the 4/5) has some potential and that doesn't include an FA's. The one big variable is whether or not Tyus Jones can be considered a 15+ min/game backup and injury replacement or not. Right now he is holding his own when out there. Murray or Dunn would be logical picks if the answer is no.

I don't drive a car using the rearview mirror. This Twins team has a lot of talent and making knee jerk reactions based on 6 games is silly.

6 games is clearly the end of the world. The Twins could move a couple of veterans if this continues but there is no reason to tear it down and rebuild.

I thought he needed some time to get back into playing rhythm after missing so much time. If Bjelica is a rotation player then the Wolves critical needs keep dropping this offseason. Before Towns was drafted I thought it would have been impossible for the Wolves to have 4 outside shooters on the court with Rubio. They barely had two. It looks like the top 3 players in the draft are separating themselves. I love that 7'1" Euro player that can play the 3/4/5. He sounds like a ridiculous 2nd big to pair with Towns. Those two would create some really big matchup problems.

I think you are expecting a lot out of Sano to be working at 2 very different positions all season. It would be one thing if he was a natural defender at any position but he isn't.

I wouldn't expect Sano to get spot starts at 3B. He wasn't a great defender there and he has been playing it very little if at all with his move to the OF.

Great job guys. It has been 5 games and you are ready to jerk around 2 young (and very talented players) for a shiny new toy.

Just great people are advocating a Sano/Rosario/Arcia starting OF on days that Buxton needs a day off. Did Sano play at 3B at all during spring training? I find it unlikely that Sano will be getting occasional spot starts at 3B this year.

You really haven't said how they are similar. Santana is on the roster because of his OF defense. Nunez is on the roster because he is a steadier player that can fill in anywhere (almost) and not kill the team. And is this really about Quentin who hasn't hit (and barely played) since 2013?

The better question should be how are they alike. Nunez is a better hitter and a very different kind of hitter. Nunez isn't nearly as good of a defender as Santana (at least Santana's tools) although he is capable at SS/2B. Santana fills the important role of backup CF but has never played 3B (and very little 2B).

Nunez and Santana are actually nothing alike and possess very different skills.

You can't just call up a player for a few games. Someone has to go on the DL or be optioned down. In Quentin's case you have to put the player on waivers since he can't be sent down. These little injuries are a fact of life in baseball. They happen all of the time. Nunez is the type of player that isn't great (he isn't a starter) but he can be plugged into the lineup at multiple positions and there isn't a catastrophic dropoff overall since he is adequate both offensively or defensively. Santana is a much better defender at all of the up the middle positions but the bat is a question mark. If it wasn't then he would contend for a starting job. The bench this year is actually fairly decent provided Arcia can hit in a part time role and Santana can hit at all.

There is a reason why bench players are on the bench. And are people really wishing that Quentin was the option? I think people underestimate how often players get dinged up and are unavailable for a game or two (or frustratingly longer). Having Quentin and Arcia on the bench is almost laughable when combined with a DH that only plays 1B.

Do you think that Molitor has so little confidence in his starting RH'd catcher that he is going to pinch hit him for a RH'd backup infielder? That is basically the same argument that you just made. Typically the Twins have a bench of 2 futility IF'ers and a futility OF so they have at least taken a step in the right direction. I am quite happy that they have one hitter (LH'd) on the bench. I really don't see a direction they could take with the bench to add more hitting without being really exposed to an injury.

But how is Gorgui going to box out a quick Harrison Barnes that is hanging out at the 3 point line. That is a tough task for him even in rebounding. There just isn't much potential for the Wolves to exploit a Gorgui vs small ball 4 matchup but they are at a big disadvantage in numerous facets. Now if the Wolves had a second Towns then they wouldn't have any problem.

But rim protection is the last thing the Wolves need against GS. GS takes the most 3 pt FG's in the NBA and makes the highest % of them. If you are going to defend GS then you need perimeter defenders out there and that is Dieng's weakest skill defensively (or at least a weakness). If you are going to play that lineup then you need to exploit it offensively. And you really need to exploit it offensively to offset the damage on the defensive end. Gorgui is a nice player but he isn't causing a matchup problem on the offensive end.

How long did it take Mitchell to figure out that a small ball Wolves lineup was a better match for the Warriors rather than a traditional two bigs? This is one of the problems with having 2 C's as the bigs. There just isn't any flexibility when different looks are thrown at them.

Except that when those guys are off the floor there is still a bigger wing that replaces them. It can work when the Wolves matchup against certain teams but as a general lineup I don't see how it works to have two guys that are 6'4" and 200 lbs on the floor together (with Rubio).

Do you have Lavine or Hield guard Durant, James, George or any of the other bigger wings that most teams have?