bird

There's more to pitching well than a handful of stats. In the minds of the staff who watches him every day, Meyer most likely hasn't pitched as well as his statistics. But if you have to hang your hat on numbers and are honestly trying to figure out why he hasn't been promoted, perhaps his pitch counts are telling.

Oh, and Liriano's stinking up the joint again. Must be because he reverted to all the old habits that rubbed off when he was mishandled by Anderson, right? Geez.

First of all, I'm not defending Anderson. He's probably no better and no worse than the others. I'm blasting your argument because it has more holes in it than a hair net. For every pitcher, starter AND reliever, that you can put up some ridiculously specious claim that Andy is responsible for their performance, I can stack up two that improved once they got here or declined when they left. And think about how silly your argument is about Liriano. When he was exceptional with the Twins, was that in SPITE of Andy? And why would you argue that relievers don't count? Seriously, you want to NOT rip on Andy when a reliever fails? Like, lately, Burton? You can do better than that.

So predictable! But hey, really, it's that incompetent fool Marty Mason in Rochester that has got to go!! Diamond gets turned over to Powers in Louisville, and boom, you see what a GOOD pitching coach can do. Diamond's unhittable now, thanks to Powers. That Mason, what a clown! Well, except if he was still working for the Cards. Because in THAT case, just like every other coach and manager and FO guy with the Cards, Marty Mason is a genius. Especially when compared to that incompetent fool Rick Anderson. I mean, look at the shambles Anderson's made of....hmmm....Worley?.....um....Fien?....er, Thielbar maybe? Never mind.

This is an uplifting list for sure. A year ago, and especially two years ago, there were quite a few proclamations that the system was bereft of legitimate pitching prospects, and we can now see that the problem was well on the way to being corrected even then. Now, if only we could get some bats in the lower minors.

It's because they already know what they have and aren't going to care that we don't know what they have at this stage. Nothing's terribly broken in the MLB bullpen, although Burton's been more bad than good, but big deal. Perhaps they have concluded that Tonkin, Achter, Oliveres, Ibarra, and Thompson aren't better alternatives. They did bring up Pressly. Not sure what the complaint really is here, mike.

There IS some actual talent, and it's being tried right now. It just so happens that the best CF prospect in all of baseball is a year away because of injury, and they decided this guy was a better alternative right now than Farris or Wilkin Ramirez or Daniel Ortiz, who are manning the outfield for a Rochester team that's ten games over .500. To suggest that one waiver wire castoff move indicates a failed rebuild is nonsensical to me. If one wants to complain about losing Mastro and Presley due to sloppy roster management, fine. Some bitched about that awful waiver wire castoff Fuld too. And the Fuld acquisition said zero about the rebuild just like this move. Swapping him out for Milone, on the other hand, says something about the rebuild.

I don't think this move says a thing about the rebuild. Arcia, Gibson, Hughes, Santana, Polanco, Buxton, Meyer, May, Pinto, Hicks, Tonkin, Pressly...the list is much longer. Those are the names that say something about the rebuild, not some replacement for Fuld. And would you rather they not acquired Milone?

Trouble is, who do you replace to give Beresford a shot, and why?

Lester Oliveros.

The Astros did just fine by themselves. It would be patently unfair to criticise their decision.

Thanks for sharing! I guess if Rosario can progress, Polanco might serve as a decent replacement for Jamie Carroll.

Well said, badsmerf. Just two games ago, Mauer got a two-out hit and Willingham hit a homerun. I like our chances much better if we can have two guys with nice OBP's in front of the two sluggers.

Interesting read, thrylos. Thanks. Obviously, whether it's based on math or based on your sense of the energy at spring training, it's conjecture. I'll place more faith in the observations you and others have made, and in the comments from staff and players than anything else. The distinction I make is between being competitive versus contending. I'm optimistic that, from game to game, we are much more competitive, and your math supports this optimism. But I'm very pessimistic about the chances of us contending. Still, this team should be watchable much more often this year than last. We'll just have to occupy ourselves with a second ntertainment option to fill the void on nights when Correia is on the mound, right?

Fangraphs did an interview with Ryan O'Rourke, one of Rosario's teammates, who described Rosario as having the quickest hands he's ever seen.

Thanks for posting. But I have to tell you, I disagree with so many of your conclusions, and can very very easily give examples that completely contradict them. First of all Gardy and Andy don't have a thing to do with the draft, so the notion of them having a massive influence on "types" of players, from a talent, skill, personality, cultural, or racial perspective is preposterous. And please look in the mirror. Your generalization thet midwesterners are reticent to talk about race or culture is a bit insulting. And the notion that there is this overt attempt to jettison non-conforming players for reasons other than how they affect team performance (usually by failing to perform as individuals) and to pin it on racial and cultural dynamics fails all tests. you know, most of the most popular players among fans in the Twin's long history refute your argument. And frankly, when we talk about Carew, Oliva, Versalles, Killebrew, Tovar, Puckett, Pascual, Mauer, Tiant, Chance, Santana, Viola---we don't talk about culture, and race, and religion. We don't even talk about whether they were good or bad actors. It's about how much we loved their ability to play the game of baseball.

C'mon, readers! Where's your sense of humor? Please please please don't scare thrylos away! He's part of the fun. And kudos to the TD leadership. You guys are terrific! One suggestion, though: you don't tolerate readers bashing each other, and that's good. However, you have loads of tolerance for readers who bash the hell out of Twins management and ownership, and the occasional player. I mean, really harsh name-calling and character assasinations. You might want to tighten up that part of things a wee bit. There are so many intelligent, informed, rational, and civil contributors. The mean-spirited name-callers, if not called out by you guys, should be fair game. I call thrylos and others out on their inappropriate stuff, and so do others. But I still like his bizzare thoughts when he is simply arrogant but not hateful. So, come on back, thrylos. And Jim Rantz did a spectacular job even though he's never seen a laptop according to you....

This blueprint makes a lot of sense. I'd trade Morneau for a MLB #2-3 starter, not a prospect, if possible. I'd also trade Span, perhaps for a MLB MI, perhaps for a quality pitching prospect. I might quibble a bit with your RP choices. I'd argue that DeVries is a AAA injury backup and that Swarzak and Burnett still can improve their performances. Guerra can sit in AA until he shows some consistency. Carson is a AAA guy. I'd rush one of the prospects along and start them. If someone would take Carroll from me, I'd do it and live with some combination of Florimon, Dozier, Escobar.

I'll actually be surprised if they DO NOT secure a #2-3 type starter either via trade or FA this winter, and I'll only be a bit surprised if they trade for one #2-3 guy and sign a second. My guess id Gibson is ready to go at the beginning of the season. He's making great progress and looking sharp right now. Baker, Diamond, Hendriks next. Then Walters, Deduno, DeVries, Hermsen, an unknown minor league pick-up, maybe Bromberg to the rescue from AAA. Blackburn is a name that I have difficulty typing. The "change of behavior" from signing only bargain basement types to spending more aggressively has already taken place. They made sufficiently generous offers to a number of players last winter, including Cuddyer, Kubel, and Willingham, so it's not so far-fetched to expect an aggressive effort to improve the rotation this winter. I'll join the critics if they don't.

Looks like the most reasonable quick fix is a #2-3 type FA signing, clearly "overpaying" in the process.

Good post, Andrew. Unfortunately, A+ Fort Meyers has a team OPS of .671, 9th of 12 teams. Rochester: .665 OPS 12th of 14, New Britain: .675 OPS, 11th of 12. Looking at all three levels, Oswaldo Arcia and Daniel Santana are the only two players who have decent statistics. Two players.

Twins, please please PLEASE be sellers. ALWAYS be sellers, but only sell when you will be overpaid.

Classic thrylos garbage analysis to support his belief. Calling this crap "proof" is blatantly dishonest from an intellectual standpoint. Congrats, thrylos. Aren't you a genius!

This might be the most ignorant, snarky pile of garbage yet written out here. Just another small person without a charitable bone in his body....