ewen21

I feel you. I honestly do. However, we scored 7 runs in 3 games and that just isn't cutting it. This has happened time and time again against the Yankees. Go after pitching for sure....but until the culture changes we will continue to lay down like lambs against them. It was a hard thing to come to terms with, but that is what I did after the 2010 season ended. We had possibly one of the best lineups this franchise ever had that season and we STILL tightened up and played like weaklings I think we have lost against them not because we haven't pitched well enough. We have lost to them because we average less than three runs a game against them in the playoffs. Even if we had Strasburg, Cole, Frank Viola and Jack Morris we still probably would not win if we hit like that

If isn’t being talked about because it’s justified. The discussion only started because people feel he got screwed.

How are we talking about "service time manipulation" with Buxton? The guy hit .159 in 90 at bats with the big club, got injured a few tines and was hitting .235 in AAA going into August 26th. He didn't play well enough and he was injured. It was a lost season and that is all on him, not the Twins. He would only look silly if he tried to file a grievance. He needs to worry about his game more than anything else.

The discussion has gone off topic (although it has been an interesting read). No way in the world are these two players comparable. No matter how good Buxton is in the field he isn't good enough to counter the fact that he was beleaguered with injuries and migraines and hit .156 in his time with the team. As a matter of fact, he was hitting .235 in Rochester as late as August 25th: http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=621439#/gamelogs/R/hitting/2018/MINORS To assert that the Twins somehow screwed him by keeping him down is absurd. He had four good games in a row to get his average up to .272. Four good games is raking? Are we actually being serious? Too little, too late.....AND the Twins were playing meaningless games. With his luck that year he might have ran into a wall and nearly killed himself. It was best to just send him home and let him do some soul searching. Byron Buxton's 2018 was about as big a disappointment I have seen from a player who was supposed to be on the rise as I have ever seen. He needs to put the big boy pants on, learn how to hit more consistently and stay on the field. I think the desire for Buxton to do well is so great here that some folks are accentuating the positives so much it muddies the big picture.

This is eerily like what happened to a friend of mine. His little sister passed away a few years back and she was just 34. He set up a GoFundMe for his brother in-law. His sister Lisa left behind two small children and a husband. If anyone can look at that picture and not get choked up then you probably don't get me. My mom lost her dad when she was four and my dad passed 19 years ago on the 13th of this month. Good job on your part, Brock

YOu are advocating pretty hard for a guy who has class three felony charges leveled against him for child abuse. All of you have alluded to him "getting the right kind of treatment" What exactly is that? Make me understand what you mean with that. Try to articulate it for me and maybe it will make sense. As far as, "what's jail going to teach him"? Fear is one heck of a motivator. This guy has had plenty of treatment, therapy and support over the years. What has he learned from that? At what point does he exhaust that and deal with real consequences. This isn't about the guy being an addict. If he were busted for 5 grams of coke I guarantee you I would feel differently. This could be only the tip of the iceberg for all we know. These things don't tend to be isolated events. If what he did is true then three months in an orange jumpsuit in general population at a state facility is what I would like to see. Let him feel afraid and vulnerable for what he did. He violently assaulted a 14 year old girl. We are supposed to presume innocence, but if he isn't then I won't be advocating for his freedom. You guys can do that. I would only hope you would show tolerance in accepting an opinion like mine. I didn't say lock him up and throw away the key. I am saying something on par with what the law states for this class of a crime.

How about he's just not a good guy and a master manipulator? Is that entirely impossible or is that in the mix for this discussion? Seems to me that concept is tough for a lot of people to accept and I don't know why that is. Seems to me a lot assumptions are being made. I am probably guilty of it myself, but those of you who continue to cite mental illness are basing it on what exactly? Do you think substance abuse = mental illness? I don't. There is no consensus anywhere on either of side of that issue. Moreover, is it possible you and the others thanking you are making assumptions and judgments or does it only apply to those who don't agree with you in topics such as this. Food for thought What can probably agree upon is this guy has had an endless amount of chances and lots of help already. People who aren't baseball stars don't often get the chances and adulation he has received. He has been given help over and over again. It is up to him to listen and learn and he is still behaving like an overgrown child. That isn't too controversial, right? Additionally, this is not Josh Hamilton was found in the gutter somewhere. This is Josh Hamilton physically assaulted his 14 year old daughter. According to the report he threw things at her, threw her down, balled up his fists and punched her multiple times and then screamed: "I hope you go in front of the f*cking judge and tell him what a terrible dad I am so I don't have to see you anymore and you don't ever have to come to my house again." That is a brazen act from a guy who has been handed too many chances and feels like he is above the fray. You want to call it mental illness. OK, fine. But his actions--if found to be true in a court of law--should warrant jail time, in my opinion. I don't give a rip about him right now. I care more about his wife and daughters. I know a thing or two about mental illness because I worked in two different residential treatment facilites in upstate NY with some pretty violent teens, Being a NYS certified teacher for the last 23 years I have to idenitfy child abuse when I see it. i am what is called a mandated reporter. I am not being cavalier when I say what I say on this topic

I got your point. You feel badly for him because of the drug problem. Sorry, not me. I can't and I won't. If you beat up children then I am done with you until some serious consequences are dished out. Must EVERYONE feel the way you do or can we actually have a discussion with different views? TO answer your question I felt that Ben absolved him in his first post. As far as him "getting the help he needs" how about some historical context? He had an addiction purported to be so bad that he needed a minder to follow him around virtually 24/7 when he was playing baseball. This is a guy who lost it all found a measure of redemption and still continues to F-up in spite of all the support and help he has been given. This guy has been given so much help over the years, but that was for ADDICTION. Why are we talking about his addictions? That doesn't enter into this for me all. I am concerned about his children and hope THEY get the help they need. WHy in the heck is this about him getting help and not the child? I stand by what I said early on. If he is proven to be guilty of this then throw him in freaking jail a few months. Do you actually have trouble with that?

How about #3? There are lots of violent people doing terrible things

MY point is you essentially agree with what I said the only problem is you don't like how I said it. What he did was horrible.....and what? Do you have a problem with him going to jail if he's found guilty of what was said in the article? Please answer this directly.

his actions were awful and he should be held accountable YOur words, not mine

Exactly. Prisons are filled with people who had addictions and mental illness because they because they commited crimes against innocent people. This "he's an addict" doesn't absolve him of anything in books. He has had nothing but help and support for years. If he cannot get it together after all that (he actually had a minder follow him around during this time with Rangers) then maybe he belongs in a cage for a little while. Maybe that's the message he needs now. He has been given enough chances. He can seek out support group of some other kind of help after a few months in jail.

I’m sure that wasn’t easy, Brock. I, for one, appreciate the candor. Hamilton has received a lot of support being a high profile athlete. Literally thousands (possibly millions) have followed his story. When he came up with Cincinnati I was very excited for him to succeed. When he slipped a few times up I felt badly for him. This, however, crosses into another area. From reading that article it sounds like he really has fallen off after his retirement and that he has a rather nasty side that none of us knew about. If what was described (and it wasn’t just one event) is half true he will get no sympathy from me right now. My concern is with his children and the damage he’s done to them. Apparently this happened just a month or so after the Rangers gave him a spot in their HOF. He was celebrated that day with his family so he’s been getting tons of support and adulation over the years. Probably more than deserves and he turns around and does this? I worked with teens who were violent and had mental illness. The came from the ghettos of NYC and small poor town upstate. It took a whole lot of patience to deal with them and sometimes they would try to get physical. This is why they were in an an RTF and this is why most of them are in prison now. If you’re mentally and violent jail is a natural progression. Sorry, but if that report is proven to be true and more instances come to light during the trial, some jail time is necessary. This is a guy that ho has gotten more help and support for his “issues” than we could ever hope for. It’s probably time to change that. Enough.

I am now reading stuff where people want to tout their experience and expertise in this matter. I am not someone who needs a lecture on this I worked in an RTF in upstate NY for teenagers with “issues” for three years. As a NY state certified public school teacher I am what is called a mandated reporter. What that means is if I see signs of physical abuse on a child I am mandated to report that to CPS. This is more about child abuse to me than addiction I’m empathetic toward people with addictions and have had my own challenges with alcohol in the past. I don’t think I owe Josh Hamilton any empathy right now. I gave that to him for years. I thought he was a wonderful story of redemption. Just because I don’t empathize with him in this case doesn’t give anyone the right to assume I don’t empathize with people who have addictions I think crossed the line here and we ought to be more concerned and empathetic toward the child who is a victim. That’s the end of the line for me on this one. I can’t be any clearer about it. I believe in second, third, fourth, etc...chances, but there comes a time where a man has to face consequences. Have sympathy and empathy for Josh if you want. Just don’t tell me I need to because at this point I don’t, and I won’t. ....and not for a long time if I ever will again I now bow out on this respectfully

Empathy for Hamilton in this case? I’m sorry, but I empathize with the daughter and the wife. The first post said, “I hope he gets the help he needs” What sort of help might he be needing at this stage? He was surrounded with people helping him for a number of years when he was playing and spoke openly about his faith. Did he not find Jesus? No doubt he went to meetings and has been in and out of drug and alcohol centers. He’s been getting help and chances for almost 20 years. At what point does this change? Maybe when he assaults his daughter with a closed fist? Knowing how erratic this guy gets is it so surprising? And as some have noted already, every bad thing an addict or alcoholic does is not attributable to their disease. If you think that then you are making your own judgement. That’s ok with me, but I don’t need to agree with it.....unless you think I’m in violation of the policies here. I leave that up to you, but I’m done here with this one. This isn’t about a baseball player in need of help. It’s beyond that This is CHILD ABUSE above all else. Let the courts deal with it, but I don’t doubt that he did what he’s charged with here. If he is exonerated somehow then I will say I’m wrong

His record is similar to that of Jeff Dubay and I don't recall him garnering much sympathy. As soon as other people are victims of violence the buck stops there. This is a guy who was given unconditional support as a player and the Rangers bent over backwards for him in ways not commonly seen. Don't lose site of that fact

I get that, but at the end of the day people with addictions and mental illness should be held to the same standard as everyone else. I don’t think it’s right to excuse the action by saying he’s an addict. He needs help. He also needs to be held accountable for what he did. Not sure what is so wrong, insensitive or controversial that is. I think more of the victim in this case: his daughter. I already spent my sympathy for this guy and was behind him when he came back. I was excited for him that first stint back with the Reds, but this is ugly and dangerous It feels like what you are saying above is the opinion I expressed isn’t acceptable by Twins Daily standards. I don't understand why, quite frankly

This is a guy who has been given multiple chances, but he proves time and time again that he is a horrible person. I would be in favor him doing a few months in jail

I do not know what to expect from Garver in 2020 so he could very well be a one hit wonder. He's a 28 year old that arrived last year and then suddenly this past season he hits four times as many home runs. It would be rather silly for me to expect that his first real season (his 28 year old season) to be repeated because he has no history as a major leaguer apart from last year. We have to be careful assessing last season as the norm for him I respect you for allowing me to clarify. YOu will notice in my first post I said I like him so I was not disparaging him. I am just unsure about what he really is.

Please stop playing semantics here, Mike. I said "last year might be a one hit wonder" Last year was the first year he was a reasonably effective one and he turns 29 in January. Grandal is only a year and a little more than a month older and he has accomplished a lot more as a catcher AND he can hit for power as well. A seasoned catcher can do more for our pitching staff than you or I can even quantify right now. I love my offense, but one place I sacrifice a little would be at the catcher position. Stop trying to play AH HA with me. I am not by any stretch of the imagination disparaging Garver, nor do I think we should simply discard him. I am interested in having a solid, established catcher. Grandal fits the bill

Did not say he couldn't hit, but it is entirely possible that last year turns out to be his best year. He looked so exposed in the playoffs and his home run rate spiked massively last year. Power is his main strength as he doesn't particularly hit for average. Just saying I do not expect him to hit home runs at such a ridiculous rate. Maybe you do and that I just swell

Not sure what the big attraction about Wade is. He is a AAAA player in my estimation

Some people like chocolate, some vanilla and others strawberry...... Stu likes rocky road

If anyone wants to know why pitchers can't go deep into games like they used to look no further than the time it takes to play these games. How in the world can a guy stay warm to pitch for 3:30, 4:00 hours and more? I think there is a threshold somewhere around 2:30 where a guy just can't go further 9 times out of 10. It isn't because the players today work out too much.

He has to play a full season. He has been given four opportunities to do so and he has over 100 games ONCE. If he fails to do so again, or has a weak year offensively in 2020 I don't give a damn about his glove or his speed. The run should be over. This is it for me. I am tired of hearing about his potential and how his glove cures cancer. He is not around half the time (literally) and half the time he is around he is an offensive liability. He needs to be a more reliable player. THe injuries and prolonged bouts of offensive ineptitude is just too much to shrug off anymore. He is in his prime and that isn't going to last long if he keeps on getting hurt