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yarnivek1972

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Everything posted by yarnivek1972

  1. Really? They also played 81 games on what was essentially a concrete surface that was less than a foot below the astroturf. How do you figure Buxton would have done after a handful of diving catches?
  2. Probably has more to do with Gonzalez being better at 3b than Astudillo. A far more important position defensively.
  3. He made it to the wall at the same time as the ball. So, he was playing deep enough to get to a catchable ball.
  4. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t LF the larger field at Target Field? So, if you were going to do this, he would logically play there.
  5. How do you know he wasn’t on a count? Maybe he had not reached it when he was pulled. How many did he throw in his last ST outing?
  6. What “history” tells us Kepler isn’t the right guy? Through the first four games his BB and K rates were both team best among qualified hitters. Yes, Polanco would be a good lead off candidate. But, he is the prototypical # 2 hitter. Rosario isn’t nearly patient enough for the top of the order.
  7. Garver’s not that young, but he really doesn’t have that much catching experience for his age. John Ryan Murphy has caught over 5700 innings as a professional. Mitch Garver is 5 months OLDER than Murphy but has caught just 3400 innings as a pro. Garver seems to be showing solid improvement as a receiver and certainly seemed to buy in to the new techniques for his set up to help him frame better.
  8. That would have been an option too. With a LHP, it’s generally considered easier to steal third. I have no idea how good a thrower the Indians’ catcher is, however. The biggest risk is leaving too early. I remember watching a game where Eric Milton picked a guy off who was trying to steal third. Regardless, Buxton absolutely needed to be at third when Kepler’s at bat was over.
  9. My understanding of run expectancy is that it is a formula based equation, not an analysis of real life data. That is to say, you input factors and get a number. I think knowing what has actually happened over the course of hundreds of thousands of actual games would be more useful. Run expectancy is a tool, but that’s all IMO. Polanco was the batter after Kepler. Other than Astudillo (SSS), there is no one on the Twins who puts the ball in play with more regularity than Polanco. With Buxton at third, that’s all you need. IMO having a contact hitter changes the likely outcome in a way that as far as I understand the run expectancy formula can’t fully account.
  10. I don’t mind not pinch hitting for Kepler against Hand. But down one run in the 9th with a speedster on second with no one out is an automatic bunt situation. The only way it isn’t is if your batter is Mike Trout because he would get IBB anyway. If the opponent is pitching to your hitter, your hitter needs to bunt. If Kepler isn’t good at bunting, pinch hit someone who is. Adrianza is probably the best of the bench players. Castro didn’t start that game. He’s probably a good bunter. Berrios maybe or maybe some other pitcher with bunting experience. Not sure who that would be on this staff. Bottom line: Buxton needs to be on third base when that PA is over.
  11. I count 6 pitches on or in the box called balls and 2 more that were a hair off. Only one outside the box was called a strike. That’s either horrible umpiring or horrible framing. If those 8 extra pitches are called strikes, I suspect Perez’ day goes much better.
  12. “Even just beyond the numbers, is Mejia really the guy you want pitching in a tie game with the go-ahead run on base when you have a fresh bullpen?” Absolutely! It’s called showing confidence. Mejia isn’t going anywhere. He’s probably going to have to pitch some important innings. If the manager isn’t going to use him, he shouldn’t be on the team. The LAST thing I am going to do is criticize Baldelli for using a “lesser” reliever against the lower part of the order of a bad offensive team when I CRUCIFIED Molitor for using the same two or three guys all the time the last three years.
  13. If Polanco steals second, the Indians walk Cruz. In a heartbeat. And stealing bases isn’t something Polanco is terribly good at. 25 SB in 40 attempts forhis career.
  14. It surprised me to learn that one of the previous record holders for opening day strikeouts (with 8) was Brad Radke. Bert had that many on opening day twice, which was not surprising. I don’t know what Radke’s career game high is but it can’t be much higher than 8.
  15. No, I suppose he doesn’t “have” to play everyday. But, the Twins want to try to win, right? He’s very likely the best overall hitter on the team. Why wouldn’t you want him in there as much as possible?
  16. If not Austin, what other hitter would you rather have, even if only a couple weeks? Torryes? Wade?
  17. I guess I had forgotten about Gibby being a little behind when I posted a theoretical rotation in the roster prediction thread. But I am glad that Falvine decided to be “bold” and go with “only” 11 pitchers to start the year. I remember when going with 11 was considered having an “extra” pitcher...
  18. Rodney blew 6 of 31 save opps. That’s almost 20%. And while that is technically in line with his career save percentage, it really isn’t. The first few years of his career he wasn’t a closer. So, what shows up up as blown saves are “blown holds”. Like I said, the 9th inning is different. There are different standards. Just eyeballing Rodney’s year by years, it looks like his save percentage when he was actually the closer is upwards of 90%. Which would make 80% pretty bad.
  19. The 9 th inning is simply different. Just ask LaTroy Hawkins. Great reliever. Great stuff. Melted under 9th inning pressure. Fluorished setting up Eddie, who had nowhere near the raw stuff of Hawkins. Some guys just don’t have it upstairs. Some do. That’s why the ones that do are still going to get theirs.
  20. It is. But part of getting into scoring position involves getting on base. Until Buxton shows some ability to do that, he should not hit lead off. Kepler’s career obp isn’t very good either, but his BB rate is team best aside from Cruz. The skills are there to be a successful leadoff hitter. It remains to be seen if he can actually do it. Personally, I feel it is far more likely that Kepler will increase his .236 BABIP from 2018 (and in so doing increase all his slash numbers) than Buxton will significantly increase his career obp from .285.
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