Doug Y

The 2 biggest words you said in this article are “TV Contract.” You simply cannot step back now with tv contract negotiations looming. You need to to have a competitive team with as many eyes watching your games as you can going into the negotiations. A good TV contract can be a game changer for the future success of the franchise.

My first instinct is No to all of them. I want someone better, but I know how the Twins operate.

This thought that Batting Average is an over-rated stat is only if you are looking outside in. From the outside, there are stats that better express how much a hitter helps his team, and who is a better hitter overall. If you are a player, there is absolute value in Batting Average. Stats don't tell the human story of a baseball game. Intimidation or worry of a pitcher who can see that Luis Arreaz is coming up next and knows he is a tough out. That can make the pitcher press harder to get out of the inning before Arreaz comes up, and he may end up making a mistake. Or in a late game clutch situation, do you want the high OBP guy taking a walk, or do you want Luis Arreaz getting a base hit. Same with bunting and stealing. Math can tell us they aren't always the best ways to score runs, but math doesn't show you the human element. After a successful steal or sacrifice bunt, that pitcher has a lot more stress and potential for a mistake worrying about the runner on 2nd. I love analytics and stats, but stats are only a chapter in baseball's book, but they don't tell you the whole story.

No, Stay away from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and most shoulder injuries.

Do these young pitchers with high 90s fastballs, really throw high 90s? Or do they throw mid 90s with the occasional high 90s. We hear of so many young prospects throwing high 90s in the minors, and then when they get to the majors they are never throwing that hard.

I hope you are correct with all 5 predictions!

Hi Travis! I played college baseball, but never made it any farther. I would have loved the chance to play even the low levels on minor league baseball, except I couldn't hit the slider. What would you say is the biggest adjustment going from high school/college to the pro game?

Players are definitely thrower harder in the last 15 years, because of better training techniques and an emphasis on velocity, but radar gun readings from 15 years ago can't be compared to today. There used to be fast radar guns, that would take the highest velocity and slow radar guns that would measure the slowest speed or the speed "over the plate," and then radar guns that would avg those 2 speeds. Teams, scouts, and stadiums could all be using different radar guns. A player might throw 90 at the Metrodome, and 95 in Fenway. Now the trackman and statcats data is all the "fast gun" speeds. The fastest speed of the pitch. This makes it seem like everyone is throwing harder today compared to past players.

.246/.353/.516/.868 .253/.323/.493/.816 .260/.378/.617/.995 .260/.332/.524/.856 These 4 players all had breakthrough seasons at 28 or 29 after having been very ordinary before hand. I think it is worth taking a flyer on Cron, because sometimes it takes 5 years in the majors for some guys to learn to hit MLB pitching. Nelson Cruz and Jose Bautista made adjustments/figured it out and had some very good years. Or he could be Logan Morrisson. For only $5 million her is worth a look.

If a minor leaguer had a .400/.535/.916(1.451) slash line with 72 home runs and 224 RBI in 138 games, everyone would be begging for him to be called up immediately. Anyone know the story of Joe Bauman and why he didn't make it to the majors?? Baseball reference says he was playing C level baseball in 1954. Not sure what level that would correlate with today?

Supplements in the United States are not regulated the same way as drugs. You do not need USDA approval or FDA approval before the supplement goes on the market in the United States. There are just way too many supplements on the market and coming out of the market for either organization to take the time to approve them. Most supplement companies do not have the funds to do the necessary research and scientific studies that FDA approval would require like a drug. In the US, the only way the FDA or the USDA will look at a supplement and test it, is if they start getting complaints about the supplements. Then they will start an investigation. https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/

If he does have a Plus-Plus changeup, that makes the low 90s heat seam like mid 90s.

Don't worry about Berrios weight lifting. It will not cause more pulled muscles. In fact he should have more flexibility. Lifting weights will not decrease flexibility, it actually will increase it, unless you are as big as the the top body builders.

The average MLB fastball has increased dramatically for both starting pitchers and relievers over the past 10-15 years. In 2007, 11 pitchers averaged 95+ on their fastball, in 2011 the number jumped to 35 pitchers, and in 2015 according to Fangraphs that number has increased to 87 pitchers. Check out the Velocity by Years charts from Pitchf/x. That is an increase in 2 mph for every fastball thrown in 6 years. What is behind this massive increase in velocity in such a short period of time? Here are some of my theories: 1. Statcast vs Older Radar Guns ~ Statcast measures the peak velocity of a pitch at any point from its release to the front edge of home plate. Older radar guns varied greatly. Some took the speed out of a pitcher's hand, others measured the speed as it crossed the plate, and others would average the two. This would give a wide range of measurements depending on which gun you used. 2. Max Effort ~ Most young pitchers have learned to pitch with max effort, meaning higher velocities, but less stamina. Max effort came about from trying to impress scouts in all the all-star type baseball leagues and tournaments, but also from more specialization in the bullpen. Starters are not required or needed to pitch as deep into games as in the past. 3. Specialization ~ Closers, Setup Men, left handed specialist, and in the last few years the 7th inning specialist has appeared as well. This bullpen specialization has allowed starters to be more max effort type pitchers and really strive for 6 quality innings pitched and then let the bullpen take over. Bullpen guys now have a more defined role, and are usually not required to throw more than 1 inning, allowing more max effort type pitching. 4. Muscle Strength ~ With new technology has come a better understanding of pitching biomechanics, and an increased knowledge of strength training and muscle building specifically designed for pitching. The 1980's ushered in an era where professional athletes finally realized that building muscle will not make you less flexible, and will improve performance. Hence the steroid era that quickly followed. Now technology and science and helped pitchers to know exactly which muscles to strengthen, instead of randomly lifting weights. They have learned that the deceleration muscles on the back side of the shoulder are just as important, if not more important, for adding velocity. 5. Time & Money ~ With the amount of money that even a below average pitcher can make, players have more time and better access to the highest quality training. Players can fly to any of the "performance institutes" that have propped up around the country and spend a few weeks learning new techniques and ideas, and quickly take them back home and apply them. Those are just some of my ideas of why velocity has increased so much, I would love to hear what everyone else thinks or knows?

Kurt Suzuki hitting .320 with 15 2Bs and 32 RBI, can he get picked over Norris as a backup for the All-Star game?