whitsbrain

I appreciate the video updates and assume they give Mr. Bonnes more time to relay as much news to fans as possible without having to reserve time to hammer away on a keyboard. I prefer to read, especially when stats are relayed, but understand it's most valuable to use the "right tool for the job". Keep those video updates coming!

And really, who can forget Alexi Casilla? When I think back to the legendary pairing with Tsuyoshi Nishioka in 2011...it's going to be tough to top that.

It's encouraging to see the Twins make this kind of move. They're signing substantial players to substantial contracts now (Correa, Buxton) and not just one-year deals on backend starters or giving washed-up players a second chance on the cheap. They are figuring out a way to manage risk. It's not my money so it would be nice if they would spend it like the Yankees or the Dodgers, but that's not reality. It will be VERY disappointing if Correa or Buxton go down for extended periods due to injury, but at least I have the opportunity to watch talent like this play for my favorite team.

I'm excited that Correa is back, I usually skew a little negative or cynical but think that this signing is great. Regarding Correa's preferring the Giants and Mets...why wouldn't he play for the team with the best offer? I know I would if in that situation and can't fault the guy for wanting the best deal he can get. I don't think it has anything to do with not wanting to play for the Twins.

The most frustrating thing for me isn't that the Twins are usually mediocre, it's that there are so many injuries. From Buxton to Kiriloff to Lewis to Larnach to Mahle, etc., it seems like we're always waiting for the team to get healthy. We hear for years about the prospects in the minors and how great they may become, only to have most of them wreck their knees, wrists, require Tommy John and on and on. We almost never get to enjoy the individual achievements of the players because they're having surgery on this or rehabbing that. Always waiting...

I guess I'd bring Balazovic into the rotation. That 5-point drop is large. It's worth a shot. What you really need is for Berrios and Bailey to get going. Buxton will likely start heating up, but offense isn't the issue.

Rajai Davis, if he's only going to pinch run. If Kerrigan has significantly better contact numbers, his speed is close. Stealing rating will probably be rarely used.

You nailed it. Yankees vs Red Sox...it's what MLB wants. I'm surprised they haven't moved Boston to the NL so they can have that potential World Series matchup every year.

I'm a big fan of Buxton but he needs to think about making the smart play for his team and his future and less about making ESPN Top 10 Plays. He can't keep slamming into walls. His brief history shows his body can't take the abuse.

The Twins need pitching. Of course I'd trade Nunez. The only players I'd keep right now on the 25-man roster are Sano, Buxton and Kepler. All of our veterans are disposable. If one of them is hot, trade them NOW to a team that's in the playoff hunt for anything that smells like a pitcher or a catcher.

Sano is the most valuable asset the Twins have. Why is he being shuffled around between RF/3B/DH?!? If his position is 3B, put him there and sit Plouffe. He isn't going to bring anything in trade, the FO blew that opportunity in the offseason. You got a few okay years out of Plouffe. If Sano is a big part of the future, start acting like he is. Trade Dozier while he's hot. Maybe you can get a decent middle of the rotation starter for him. If Polanco is waiting for an opening, he can hit as well as Dozier and is close defensively, why not get something for Dozier and open up 2B?

With how bad the Twins pitching staff is, you need players in the OF who can chase down all the balls hammered around. Arcia can't do that. Now, try to get something for Plouffe in a trade and move Sano to third.

Fantasy Football has increased the popularity of the NFL more than any other factor by far. It's not sack dances or end-zone celebrations. People care way more about their Fantasy teams than they do the NFL. The NFL poo-pooed Fantasy for years. Now they've embraced it and the League's popularity is through the roof. Fantasy Baseball isn't easy enough. Scoring is tougher and managing a 162-game season is a lot of work. I've noticed that people are mostly lazy with no measurable attention spans. Bat-flips or preening at home plate isn't going to make the game more or less popular, but I'd bet that putting helmets and body armor on players and letting them throw balls and swing bats at each other would. Give it a dash of UFC... And practically all of March Madness's popularity is due to people filling out brackets. Last year my daughter's friends were filling out tournament brackets and the only thing these girls showed any interest in to that point had been getting tickets to a One Direction concert. An hour ago, I switched on the TV and saw a perky female host on Good Morning America standing in front of a huge screen with tournament brackets on it, prepping her viewers for "Selection Sunday". I'm sure all the sports fans that watch GMA were grateful. Vegas...so next time I won't call it "gambling". Most people don't give others money to place bets NFL for them. They go to Vegas to get away from their kids for three days to get drunk and play cards and slots.

Um...it's simple. Gambling. NFL Revenues = Fantasy Football NCAA Revenues = March Madness All that MLB has to do is find a fun way for people to piss away their money and the popularity of the league will skyrocket.

Don't look now but Buxton hasn't had an at-bat since Wednesday. I thought he might have an injury that we hadn't heard about, but he did come in as a defensive substitution on Friday night. On Thursday and Friday's Chattanooga games, Max Kepler got the start in CF and on Friday, he slid over to RF as a late inning change with Buxton in at CF. You don't suppose with Kepler already on the 40-man roster that the front office is looking for a possible call-up/quick fix for the Twins using Kepler in Center? Especially given Buxton's early struggles and all the time missed last year.

Good advice! I got tired of waiting for prospects and decided to start watching them awhile ago when I subscribed to MiLB.tv. You can't see every game, and it's more Rochester than Chattanooga or Cedar Rapids, but it's a nice enough variety (no Fort Myers as far as I can tell). The picture quality and audio usually leaves a lot to be desired. Then again, I don't have to hear Bert drone on about pitchers "hitting their spots" or batters "taking it the other way".

I'd say Hunter is 100% about marketing. I don't even know where to begin about how pathetic it was yesterday watching the FSN broadcast repeatedly replay Kevin Garnett throwing the first pitch to Hunter. By my count, they showed it four times. Even my son scoffed at it after the third time. It's all about the hype. They even brought in Tyus Jones. It's the same thing with the prospects. Buxton and Sano are going to have to hit good breaking balls in the minors before they are going to win the Twins another World Series ::roll eyes:: Yet they are all we hear about. I'm not sure who is buying into this. I am a baseball fan and I have always followed the Twins, so I can't ignore them no matter how bad they are. Actually, I'm pretty certain that the majority of Minnesota sports "fans" have next to no idea, understanding or care about the product on the ballpark/field/court, etc.. They seem most concerned about saying "I was there when...". This season, enter Hunter. This also explains why Target Field has been filled for the first few years. When Minnesota residents see or hear that it isn't really "the place to be" anymore, there will be thousands upon thousands of empty seats. Everyone will be back at "da' lake" or "up nort'" again. That time probably starts now. But they'll be back once they find out the Twins are a hot property again, looking for T-shirt and bobble-head giveaways.

Um...I watched him strike out from the right side on three consecutive at-bats Sunday against Buffalo. But I guess he can catch the ball if he happens to be in the mood.

You want sad? Have you seen we have a new WNBA team in town? Yep, get to Target Center to cheer on your Minnesota Mayo Clinics! Advertising has been creeping into all major sports for years. It's only a matter of time until a NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB team starts wearing jerseys with ads. Eventually, they will look like NASCAR drivers. I've got nothing against making a buck but when that happens, I'm out.

I read Twins Daily religiously but never post. I'm just an avid fan enjoying what to this point has been an enjoyable season. The big surprises so far have been Colabello's & Suzuki's amazing April. The most encouraging things of note are Hughes' pitching, Plouffe's maturation at the plate and Dozier becoming one of the best second baseman in the game. The biggest disappointments have been the injuries to Buxton and Sano, Gardenhire's total botching of the defense in the outfield, the musical chairs at SS and Nolasco/Pelfrey/Correia. Things I'm looking forward to the most starting month number is the return of Arcia and Willingham, continuing to watch Pinto at the plate and whether Aaron Hicks' decision to abandon hitting left-handed will alter his quickly vanishing future in Baseball.

I'm a daily reader but never post, until now. This article makes an excellent case for trading Perkins. Given his contract and status as an All-Star, he likely brings more trade value than any other Twin (even more than Joey Baseball). The hesitancy to trade him because he's "one of us" is something fans have to get over. If you hold on to the hope of building a winner with local boys, you are going to be waiting forever. You want a winner, you can't sit on a roster that's losing. The Twins need starting pitching help that will prepare them for 2015 and beyond.

Um...I buy this game every year and play it with exactly the same frequency as you...but I'm 49. It's sad, really. 49 going on 30 I guess. The two things that stuck out to me about Sony's ratings were also DeVries and Vasquez. I started a season and had the game simulate Spring Training. It chose DeVries as my #2 starter with Vasquez as the #5 starter. Correia got sent to the pen as a long reliever (my $15 million dollar mop-up guy). After the real Spring Training is over, on or around April 1st, you can download and load the full major & minor league rosters (at least AA & AAA) that are created by some outfit called Operation Sports (OSFM). The OSFM rosters are far more complete and accurate.