AceWrigley

That's interesting. It kind of supports my dislike of the DH rule. I wonder if other people feel that a player who is considered a DH is somehow not really HOF worthy? Seems rather contrary that you would create a "new" position for players to play, and by playing that position said player isn't really a "Baseball Player" and not to be considered for enshrinement, even if he is the best at it. At best it was a contrived rule to keep some slow, aging "greats" in the game longer, thus maintaining/increasing fan interest/revenue. But they just created a weaker variety of baseball in my opinion. Sure ,watching a pitcher hit is sometimes futile and painful, but it's also entertaining too. A good hitting pitcher has an advantage, and the variety of strategic options makes the game more interesting. Years ago I created the "Free Hitter" concept as a way to eliminate the DH but keep the idea somewhat. I tried, but it seems to not have gotten any further than a Baseball Weekly article. Pitchers hit, and a team has one opportunity per game to us a "Free Hitter", a pinch hitter who can bat and the player he hits for can stay in the game. We use it some when playing table top baseball games and its' pretty cool. You can have a bat-first bench player who effectively can bat twice in a game, once as a Free Hitter and once as a pinch hitter, both strategically placed. If he did this all year, thats 324 plate appearances and probably mostly at opportune moments. How many DH's get more?

Dump the DH.

Good question. A quick BBref rough comp: Mark Belanger - Career OPS+ 68, Def Runs total/Yr +19 Alcides Escobar - Career OPS+ 73, Def Runs total/Yr -3 So yeah, as much as you can value the defense performance vs the offense level, I think he does play. Not to pick on Mr. Escobar, but maybe he shouldn't be given a regular MLB gig, eh?

If he can cut down on the throwing errors he will be fine.

1- Nathan - For me 2nd to only Mariano Rivera as a closer 2- Aguilera - We got Aggie & Tapani for Viola from the Mets . . . suckers 3- Guardado - Every day Eddie 4- Perkins - Found his groove in the pen 5- Worthington - Old reliable And though I love me some Mike Marshall, Doug Corbett, Ron Perranoski and Bill Campbell, they just weren't here long enough. Ron Davis. Acquired from the Yankees (with Boris & Gagne) for a popular Roy Smalley. Quipped, It’s the owner (then Calvin Griffith) who should be traded . . . or put in an old folks’ home. I don’t want to be here." Nice. Saved 108 games in 5 seasons with the Twins. Won his arbitration case in '83, Griffith replied, "When I heard he won, I wanted to puke." Spring '85 on an east coast swing he gave up some 9th-inning dingers for losses. He was pretty broken up about it and felt he was letting everyone down, his confidence shot. He said he should change his name to Boo Davis so he could feel some love from the home crowd when they returned home and Tom Brunansky tried pumping him up. First time back at the Metrodome he gets called into the game, and the fans gave him a standing ovation (Twins fans, gotta love 'em). He told his wife we're buying a home here. Went on to have a pretty good year too (25 saves, 3 blown).

Ron Davis has the most win shares (38.0) for Twin's relievers in the 80's, yikes. Davis - - - - - - 38.0 Reardon - - - - 36.2 Corbett - - - - - 35.9 Berenguer - - - 27.1 Filson - - - - - - 23.0

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a complete re-appraisal of the whole organized baseball universe. Probably starting with the "new" value of franchises and down through attendance figures and ticket prices. Who knows if media/broadcast contracts get redone. It might end up with a smaller universe (smaller minor leagues) where teams leverage their cheapest assets (younger players) with less development time and earlier promotions and smaller, shorter free-agent contracts. Who knows, maybe we get a better baseball experience out of this. Go Twins.

Don't know Berrios' pitch count here, but I gotta think Rogers should be in to start the ninth in a one-run game.

I think suspensions should be adjusted to match a shortened season. Half a season? Cut the suspension in half. Not doing so over penalizes the suspension recipient in my view. 39 / 162 X (number of season games) should be Pineda's suspension length. A 4-man rotation does look rather tempting in a short season, with your 5th starter/long men available for double header duty, assuming an increase in double headers to get more games in.

Wait . . . Twins beat the Yankees in a playoff game . . . fake news.

Hey, I resemble that comment. People ask me if I was in the military, and I say no, I was in the Air Force.

I don't like the empty stadium concept, but if we could get in at least an 80 game schedule I think a season is doable.

Bench: Don Mincher 1B/PH Bernie Allen 2B/3B Jackie Hernandez SS/PR Lenny Green OF Jerry Zimmerman C

Hmmm... and now that Syndergaard has a "Thor" elbow (thorry), not making that trade looks awesome.

Lewis probably wasn't included because he is a shortstop and the article is about outfielders, but he is a great prospect. It looks like both Kiriloff and Larnach have the ability to make the adjustments needed to have success at the MLB level. I think Lewis has a little ways to go yet, but he has the tools and makeup to make an impact for the Twins.

All things baseball = no things baseball right now. I'm getting to the point where I'm not even excited reading about the non-season we're going to have. I know, baseball is "out there" somewhere, but with no starting date and questions whether there will even be a starting date, it's getting rather remote feeling. The season will be short and the stats will be a mess. And really? Starting the season with empty stadiums? Please, just no. Gonna just play ping pong ball soccer with the cats.

just not soon enough.

Ha ha. Actually, no. But give it time.

New entertainment: tossing roasted peanuts in the shell out on the lower patio and watching the squirrels, chipmunks and bluejays battle for their prize.

Went to BJ's today. From paper towels to toilet paper ... nothing. Nada. Zip. Gone. Bare shelves. People's carts were filled with the worst collection of junk food, sweet drinks and candies that i've ever seen. What the heck? What's with the run on toilet paper? I guess if you're facing the apocalypse and have to kiss your A** goodbye, at least it will be clean. As a baseball and hockey fan, this is usually a great time of year. Now, this sucks. Time to dig out Ken Burn's Baseball and 61.

The Expanse.

I think it's important to push velocity in the pursuit of command.

I have to agree with the other comments here and say our top young hitters have looked good at the plate this spring. Lewis took Wheeler downtown like right now.

Gil was signed as a free agent by the Twins, Chalmers was a 3rd round pick of the A's. Gil is almost 2 years younger and has performed better on the mound so far. They are the same size. Gil probably projects as a major league pitcher better than Chalmers, while I think Chalmers is a valid prospect with electric stuff. Gil might end up as an upper-strike zone flame thrower where Chalmers, if he can command the fastball better, can carve through a lineup all through strike zone and really gives righties a fit. No trade happens in a vacuum and having Cave has really helped, so I guess I'd choose Cave and Chalmers over Gil. Just don't ask me again tomorrow.

So . . . he's day to day like the rest of us. Edit. Forgot to say good article. Hopefully Swiss-G has better results than Dustin Pedroia (thanks again Manny Machado).