Blake

Crud, my edit needs editing but, that's work, so, nah.

I think the FO is still trying to figure out if any of the assets inherited from the previous regime are going to work out. Two people who are supposed to be cornerstones had lousy years last year, Buxton and Sano. Add Kepler to the mix, though, he was healthy all year. I think the FO has decided they need to find out if these three are the future. Makes no sense to spend a lot of money on free agents if Buxton, Sano and Kepler are unable to perform at the MLB level.

I'm all for this signing, as I think he carries a great name that should be read in a hushed almost reverent voice.

I thought we agreed never to let that picture out in public. I'm telling mom!

I haven't seen you use your words like this for quite a while. Excellent, and thank you for the information.

I think my concern, better expressed elsewhere, is that these are players are better suited for a team that's making a push for the playoffs rather than filler/bridge for an evaluation year. I also think "dumpster diving" because the players mentioned are on the other side of thirty and the Twins could easily see a dramatic drop off in production. And, I freely admit, I may be jaded after the disappointing results of last year.

I said dumpster diving because of the age of all the people mentioned. I know I could be way off base but this just seems like more of the same that has gone on in the past. Last year, I think, was a lost year for the new FO, in that too many things went wrong for them to really find out what kind of players they have. I just can't see the Twins competing this year and I don't see how these signings help the Twins going forward.

No. Tired of dumpster diving. Arms, arms and more arms. Either core gets its act together next season or the team is blown up and the management team starts over. The core players need to prove they are core players, otherwise these signings are lipstick on a pig.

I don't envy the new FO. After the results of last year, they have to be questioning the talent they inherited from previous management. I suspect Kepler and Sano need to show they belong this year or the FO starts looking in a different direction. (I think Buxton gets a pass this year.)

Maybe it's an "every other year" thing with Grossman. Grossman 1.0 was bad in 2016 and Grossman 2.0 was decent in 2017. Last year, Grossman reverted to Grossman 1.0.

Sort of looks like a cost controlled Dozier type. Hits for power, streaky and is an adequate defender. Need to replace Dozier's bat somehow and this might be the way to go.

Unfortunately, I see disaster looming on the horizon. Baseball is still played by the people on the field. Putting people in a position to succeed or fail based on analytics is to completely ignore the real time "eyeball test" a manager needs in order to succeed. Analytic trends are all well and good, in the course of a season, but it's very possible to lose a game using analytics rather than astute assessment of what's happening on the field in real time.

Not unexpected and I'm glad he's hanging things up. Every time he dove for a ball, I got nervous. I think he could have had a roll on the bench, but, his long-term health comes first. You were fun to watch, Mr. Mauer. Enjoy retirement.

A lot of turmoil in the Twins organization. Coaches are being let go throughout the organization plus the FO just hired a new manager who is probably going to bring in some of his own people. My take, anyway.

It could very well be that the right team could get Machado to get over himself. However, I don't think the Twins have the necessary culture, for lack of a better word, for turning someone like Machado around. So, maybe I'm arguing against signing Machado at least partially because I don't see the team as being a good fit. Well, that and I just didn't like what I saw on the field.

Yep.

Carole, I have to argue against signing Machado. His on-field antics during the series were the stuff of someone who's very immature maybe even spoiled. I overlooked a couple of things during the playoffs, because I thought Machado was just pushing things. In the end, though, the amount of bush-league nonsense just became too much for me to ignore.

Interesting.

Well, maybe it was wish-casting on my part, but he looked every bit the punk he's been billed as. I would hope teams won't sign that kind of stupidity to a long term deal. Plus, he looks to me like clubhouse poison. Wait and see. I was hoping the Twins would take a look at Machado until I watched him. No thanks.

I will be shocked if Machado is offered anything long term. Watching Machado "play" during the Series really soured me on him.

Maybe we can start with players the Twins should avoid? I suggested the Twins look at Machado. I completely rescind that suggestion after watching him play in the World Series.

I don't see why the Twins need to settle on one color guy. Why not rotate Smalley, Morneau and Hawkins?

Salary? No. But you get the benefit of constant criticism of your on air ability.

Yeah, the Sox seem to have rediscovered the "2 strike" approach. Put the freaking ball in play and make the other team field it. It's really that simple. Also, I think the shifts are/have killed the Dodgers. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen a ball go right through the classic position for 2B because the infielder was shifted.

Yes on the non-formula hire. Hard to change the culture going forward by bringing in people of the past.