With the Twins deciding to renew the contract of manager Ron Gardenhire for another two years through the 2015 season, many Twins fans have expressed a lot of negative feelings toward the decision. Based on the recent track record of the club, those negative feelings are more than justified.
In an era of "What Have You Done For Me Lately?", the Twins front office has decided to make Memory Lane their permanent home. After three consecutive 96-loss seasons, what fans receive as an explanation for why the current coaching regime remains in tact is nothing short of a campfire story about how good the team was between 2003-2010. Unfortunately, reputation alone doesn't win ball games.
Ron Gardenhire may be the nicest guy around. He may be the best "players' coach" in the game. In fact, he still may be one of the best managers in all of Major League Baseball. But not for this team. Not anymore. In order to succeed in the future, you can't rely on the successes of the past.
The role of the manager can be both undervalued and overhyped at the same time. The sad fact is, managers often take the heat for the failures of a ball club, even if it's not necessarily their fault. Many believed that the 2012 demise of the Boston Red Sox wasn't Terry Francona's doing, but rather that his players quit on him. The same could be said for countless other managers who lost their jobs over the years. But, regardless of the sport, there does come a time where, no matter how nice a guy, and no matter what the past has brought, that a manager or coach's message becomes stale and lost.
To many Twins fans, that time was after 2012. The Twins' front office, however, has a different opinion.
On Monday, while Gardenhire was being notified of his two-year extension, another manager was being given his walking papers. Dale Sveum, the first-time manager for the Chicago Cubs, was fired after two seasons, in which he went 61-101 in 2012, followed by a 66-96 campaign in 2013. Two seasons. That's all it took for the Cubs to pull the trigger. Now, it's understandable to say that Sveum doesn't have near the track record that Gardenhire has with the Twins. But that is really where the comparison should stop.
For the last three seasons, Twins fans have been force-fed the excuse that Gardenhire "hasn't had much to work with." That statement should be an indictment on both the General Manager as well as the Owner, but instead, by most accounts, the Pohlad Family and Terry Ryan are given a pass by most members of the media. Not all...but most. The players Gardenhire "has to work with" are players drafted and/or signed by Ryan and the ownership. These are young, "talented" players we were told a couple of years ago would be the future of this Twins franchise. Players like Aaron Hicks. Players like Chris Parmalee. Players like Kyle Gibson. Now, the sample size for the likes of Hicks and Gibson are only a small portion of the 2013 season, but these were guys we were told would help bring this team to prominence again.
One of the reasons given for the Cubs making the decision to fire Sveum as their manager was that they felt that he hadn't developed their young talent the way they'd expected. Couldn't that very same thing be said for Gardenhire? Now, I have not heard this suggested by anyone else, but I personally feel that Gardenhire is solely responsible for stunting the growth of Aaron Hicks.
How, you ask?
I have absolutely no problem with the Twins bringing Hicks up to start the season on the big-league club. I have no issues making him the starting center fielder, even though he skipped right over Triple-A. Where my issue lies is that an experienced manager, a manager who is touted as one of the best in baseball, should have realized that beginning the season with Hicks as your lead-off hitter, with no real experience against Major League pitching, was something that could mentally hamper the young man from Day 1. In his first 10 games, Hicks was 2 for 43 at the plate, striking out 20 times during that stretch. Something as subtle and simple as positioning someone in the lineup is not something that can be blamed on the player, nor can it be blamed on the GM or the Owner. That falls on the manager.
Had Gardenhire done the responsible managerial thing, he would have started the season with someone more equipped to possibly lead off. Someone like Brian Dozier, whom Gardenhire eventually put into the lead-off spot later on, and watched him flourish. But for 10 games, Hicks struggled, trying to impress out of the gates, when he may have been more comfortable hitting in the bottom third of the order. This seems like a logical thought, but one that seemed to have eluded the manager. There are no doubt other examples.
It could also be debated whether or not Sveum had even less with the Cubs to work with than Gardenhire had with the Twins. But, regardless of the tools in his toolbox, Sveum was let go, while the Twins front office continues to make excuses for their fledgling manager. But as I've said many times, it's important to note that, if you're going to place most, if not all, of the blame on the roster for three straight 96+ loss seasons, then the roster is what brought the Twins to the playoffs six times in nine seasons from 2002 through 2010. But, we don't hear that. We always hear what a great job Gardy has done with this team. We heard during his first few seasons as manager, what a terrific job he did given the payroll he was given. How are the last three seasons any different. One word: Reputation.
As I stated earlier, the manager's role isn't a glorious one most of the time. People continue to say that "Gardy isn't the problem," or that "manager's are overrated." If the latter is truly the case, then why not make a change? Even if he's not the problem, but the role itself is overrated, what harm would it do to bring a new voice into the clubhouse? It's worked for many other teams over the years. Why should the Twins be any different, or be the exception to this rule?
Showing posts with label Joe Mauer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Mauer. Show all posts
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Is The "Twins Way" The Definition Of Insanity?
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
- Albert Einstein
Technically, Einstein's definition of the word insanity isn't actually correct, however, it does make one think about various situations from time to time. Whether it be for personal or professional reasons, many people actually ask themselves that question when they are not getting the results they're looking for.
Twins fans have been banging their heads against the wall throughout the first week of the 2012 season. Some have been optimistic about what lies ahead, while others are looking at this first week as a harbinger of things to come. But, are the Twins becoming the collective poster child for Einstein's famous definition? The evidence points to a resounding "yes."
The "Twins Way" is something all Twins fans have learned to accept over the last ten years. It started with the "Get To Know 'Em Boys" in the early 2000's and continued with the "Piranhas" a few years later. Those collections of players had distinctive identities. Fundamental play, timely hitting, and consistent hustle were traits those teams shared; traits this 2012 bunch appears (at least early on) to be lacking. So given what transpired last year, and what has been seen early this season, it truly appears this team might be headed down the same path it took in 2011 unless something changes.
That "something" isn't one thing in particular. In the offseason, everyone considers themselves a better General Manager than whomever is holding that title for the Twins, in this case, Terry Ryan. I, myself, am guilty of it, as many of you are. I still contend there was more that could've been done this past offseason with regard to bringing in players to plug a few key holes. Quite frankly, in my opinion, just because the Twins didn't spend their money wisely last year doesn't mean they shouldn't continue to spend money on talent; they just need to be wiser about how they spend it and who they spend it on. Regardless, the roster, at the moment, is what it is, and we know who the key players are. Unfortunately, the biggest issue this year appears to be depth within the pitching department, and that's something the team will have to continue battling through.
The "something" I referred to centers around the offense, and isn't just one thing, but perhaps a series of things. Things meant to potentially alter the insanity that currently is the 2012 Minnesota Twins.
- Switch Up The Batting Order
This is by no means an exact science, but perhaps changing up some of the roles in the lineup might do a few people some good. For starters, it's very evident by the fan reactions of late that the honeymoon period for Joe Mauer being the "Hometown Hero" may have run its course. Fans are expecting much, much more for Joe than they're seeing. Is it possible the responsibility to the team coupled with the expectations of the fans has become a bigger burden on Joe than he's able to take on right now batting third. Although Jamey Carroll has had a few good at-bats thus far, drawing six walks from the two hole, is it possible he might be better suited as the eighth place hitter? Might someone like Danny Valenica see better pitches hitting before Justin Morneau? The answer to all of these questions is...who knows. The point is, at what point does Ron Gardenhire decide to try something a little different in order to potentially get a different result?
My thought here is a simple one. When healthy, Denard Span has been one of the best lead-off hitters the Twins have had in recent memory, so he stays put at the top of the order. Move Carroll out of the second spot, and shift Mauer up. Now, Joe's responsibility has shifted from driving in runs to getting on base, thus allowing him to swing a little more freely. Over his career, speaking strictly percentage-wise, his numbers are better batting second than they are third.
So, with Joe now out of the third spot in the order, who slides in? This may get a few laughs, but I'm being completely serious when I say...Danny Valencia. Valencia has the ability to drive the ball and hit for a bit of power at times. Better yet, he's a right-handed bat separating Mauer and Morneau, which could prove to be potentially beneficial in later inning situations. Plus, anyone who has supervised or managed employees knows that sometimes, you have to empower unrealized talent in order for that talent to realize it in themselves. Give Valencia an opportunity to take the next step in his maturation process as a hitter and as a player.
Similar to Span at the top of the order, no changes need to be made to the four and five spots. If Josh Willingham continues to pound the ball as he has during the first week, Morneau will no doubt begin to see a few better pitches, and will begin to start hitting them hard again. After Willingham, I would move Chris Parmelee into the sixth spot in the order and drop Ryan Doumit to seventh, rounding out the bottom of the order with Carroll and Alexi Casilla. Here's what the lineup card would ultimately look like:
1. Denard Span, CF (L)
2. Joe Mauer, C (L)
3. Danny Valencia, 3B (R)
4. Justin Morneau, DH (L)
5. Josh Willingham, LF (R)
6. Chris Parmelee, 1B (L)
7. Ryan Doumit, RF (S)
8. Jamey Carroll, SS (R)
9. Alexi Casilla, 2B (S)
- Consistency Is Bliss
This one won't take long to explain. Through eight games of the 2012 season, Gardenhire has trotted out six different lineups. Knock on wood, but there are no injuries of any kind to any position players that we're aware of, yet the same lineup has not been brought out to home plate in two consecutive games thus far. Quite honestly, this high school mentality of "everyone needs to play" is a bit absurd at this level of ball. All nine guys I listed above in the ideal lineup should be coming to the ballpark each and every day EXPECTING to be in the starting lineup, regardless of who's on the mound for the opposition. Now, I understand getting guys a day off here and there, but there needs to be some consistency if this thing is ever going to gel.
- Make It Happen On The Bases
In their first eight games of this season, the Twins have stranded a total of 60 runners on base. If we're being realistic, it would've been more had the Twins been able to muster more than two hits in the finale against the Orioles. Ultimately, the offense is relying more on trying to advance runners by just moving station to station. In the past three seasons, the team has ranked no better than ninth in the American League in Stolen Bases, and no better than 18th in all of baseball. With their speed, there is really no reason both Denard Span and Alexi Casilla shouldn't steal at least 30 bases a season. Putting those runners in motion may bring a great deal of risk into the equation, but could also yield a hefty reward to a struggling offense. Think of it this way; the Twins are tied for the Major League lead having grounded into 11 double plays this season. They also lead baseball in the groundout to flyout ratio. If you decide no to straight steal them, utilizing the hit and run could get opposing fielders out of position and open a few holes in the infield. This was the type of hustle exhibited by the original Piranhas, and is something that could prove to be just what the doctor order this season.
Again, these suggestions are probably a little drastic, and maybe even unrealistic. However, there might be something even more unrealistic than my thoughts...
...The idea that Twins fans will continue to support this team if something...anything...doesn't change.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
"The Miz's" 2012 Minnesota Twins Predictions
There's really only one direction to go after a dismal 2011, right?
Coming off the franchise's worst season since 1982 (102 losses), there is a lot that Twins fans could feel optimistic about going into 2012. For starters, could it possibly get any worse than last year? Significant injuries to significant players, shaky defense from a typically solid fielding ball club, and sub-par pitching from...well, let's face it...a barely par staff, all led to a barely watchable season of baseball for fans of our local nine. One would hope, however, that the injuries, poor fielding, and inept pitching could not repeat themselves in 2012.
With Terry Ryan back in the saddle, Twins fans should at least be comforted with one thought: At least we'll be competitive, as most Terry Ryan-fielded teams are. The Twins may not win the division, but at least fans won't flock in droves to Stub-Hub to unload their tickets, as appeared to be the case in August and September of 2011.
Knowing that a major part of the Twins' success centers around health, getting through Spring Training appears to have been a major success, with the exception of Scott Baker. Baker has been hampered by elbow problems again this spring, which will keep him out of the rotation for a few weeks, especially given his setback on Thursday evening. Regardless, injuries occur, and are not often something that can be planned around. So, given that fact, for the sake of these predictions, we're going to assume 100% health, or at least what we know now going into the Season Opener against Baltimore on Friday.
1.) The Twins will raise their team run total from 619 runs in 2011 to 725 in 2012.
With the re-additions of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau into the lineup, coupled with the integration of Chris Parmelee as a full-time first baseman, the Twins will have a solid core of potentially high average hitters. Having two veterans in Denard Span and Jamey Carroll setting the table at the top of the lineup, the team should be able to sustain quite a few more longer-than-normal innings on the offensive end, which will lead to more run-scoring throughout the season. Because of the uncertainty with the pitching staff, however, this won't necessarily translate into more wins for the team. The offense won't be as anemic as 2011, which will no doubt help their cause, but don't be surprised to see the Twins lose a few more 8-7 and 10-9 games this year.
2.) Chris Parmelee will win American League Rookie of the Year.
This would be considered my "bold" prediction of the 2012 season. To be honest, I haven't been this excited for a Twins rookie in quite a long time. During the final few weeks of 2011, Parmelee showed he could no doubt hang with the big boys, if given the opportunity to play. Unfortunately, with Justin Morneau occupying first base, that didn't appear to be something that would happen any time soon. With Ron Gardenhire's decision to move Morneau permanently into the DH spot in 2012 (or at least for the foreseeable future), the path was paved for Parmelee to take the reigns at first base. For a young hitter, he has tremendous vision at the plate, can work the count deep, and can also deposit the ball over the fence. Look for this kid to garner a lot of attention from fans, and the baseball media alike, as the season progresses.
3.) Glen Perkins will become the team's closer by the end of May.
I really want this to be more of a reflection on Perkins' talent as a relief pitcher than a shot at Matt Capps, but unfortunately, that will be hard to justify. Capps will be the team's closer entering the regular season, and all signs should point to him rebounding from a difficult season in 2011, which saw him booed mercilessly by Twins fans. The fact of the matter is, regardless of how great a guy he is, or what he brings to the clubhouse, Capps' style of pitching will become more of a liability than an asset. With a mediocre fastball, and really no "go to" pitch to get hitters out, Capps has decided to bring a split-finger fastball into his repertoire. If, and when, this new pitch begins to falter, Capps will find himself going back to what he's been accustomed to, which is the fastball. As that happens, hitters will be ready, and Twins fans will find themselves pulling their hair out a couple of times in April and May. Perkins will be given the opportunity, and will run with it. By season's end, look for Perkins to have more saves than Capps.
4.) Francisco Liriano will set a career high with 18 wins.
We all know he has the talent. We all know he has the right stuff. It's just time for Frankie to believe it himself, and go out there with confidence. If his spring was any indication, it seems like he may just have figured it out. In 27 spring innings, Liriano had a 2.33 ERA, allowed only 27 hits, surrendered only 5 walks, and struck out 33. Obviously, the hitters one faces during a spring game are potentially much different than one might face in the regular season, so the hits and strikeouts could be a bit deceiving. The walks, however, are something that can be looked at with great excitement. What Liriano appears to have figured out is that the devastating slider he has (and yes, it is nasty) does not need to be thrown three or four times an at-bat. He's begun to realize that locating the fastball and getting ahead of hitters will allow him the ability to drop that slider in when it's actually needed. That type of control is exactly what he needs to be successful. As always with Liriano, only time will tell, but from the signs we're all seeing, this season looks like a promising one.
5.) The Twins will be relevant in the American League Central race through August.
OK, so, this one's a little vague. Having lost 99 games in 2011, many people around baseball, as well as many fans of the Twins locally, have already written the 2012 team off as being too similar to their 2011 predecessor. As I stated early on in this post, assuming they're not struck down by the injury bug once again, this team, although appearing similar, is actually different. The lineup, in my opinion, actually got stronger. With the additions of new left fielder Josh Willingham, and back-up catcher/right fielder Ryan Doumit, Parmelee at first base, and a healthy Mauer and Morneau, this Twins lineup should a.) hit for a higher average, b.) hit more home runs, and thus c.) drive in more runs than the 2011 club. Defensively, the Twins brought in Jamey Carroll to solidify the middle infield with Alexi Casilla. Again, injuries were a huge driving force behind the poor fielding seen during 2011, with many players playing positions they may not have been accustomed to. Lastly, if the pitching staff can keep the team in ballgames, (which obviously sounds very cliche, but true), the team will have a chance to win quite a few more games than last season. My second "bold" prediction is that your Minnesota Twins will actually improve their win total to 86 games (up from 63 in 2011). Unfortunately, 86 wins won't be enough to overtake Detroit in the division this season, although it will be much closer than people think. The Twins will, however, finish second in the AL Central, just ahead of the Cleveland Indians.
All told, the 2012 Minnesota Twins should be much more interesting to watch, be a much more exciting team to cheer for, and frankly, be more of a contending team than many are expecting.
Friday starts it off. As of now, it's a clean slate. 0-0. My prediction: 86-76, second in the American League Central.
Coming off the franchise's worst season since 1982 (102 losses), there is a lot that Twins fans could feel optimistic about going into 2012. For starters, could it possibly get any worse than last year? Significant injuries to significant players, shaky defense from a typically solid fielding ball club, and sub-par pitching from...well, let's face it...a barely par staff, all led to a barely watchable season of baseball for fans of our local nine. One would hope, however, that the injuries, poor fielding, and inept pitching could not repeat themselves in 2012.
With Terry Ryan back in the saddle, Twins fans should at least be comforted with one thought: At least we'll be competitive, as most Terry Ryan-fielded teams are. The Twins may not win the division, but at least fans won't flock in droves to Stub-Hub to unload their tickets, as appeared to be the case in August and September of 2011.
Knowing that a major part of the Twins' success centers around health, getting through Spring Training appears to have been a major success, with the exception of Scott Baker. Baker has been hampered by elbow problems again this spring, which will keep him out of the rotation for a few weeks, especially given his setback on Thursday evening. Regardless, injuries occur, and are not often something that can be planned around. So, given that fact, for the sake of these predictions, we're going to assume 100% health, or at least what we know now going into the Season Opener against Baltimore on Friday.
1.) The Twins will raise their team run total from 619 runs in 2011 to 725 in 2012.
With the re-additions of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau into the lineup, coupled with the integration of Chris Parmelee as a full-time first baseman, the Twins will have a solid core of potentially high average hitters. Having two veterans in Denard Span and Jamey Carroll setting the table at the top of the lineup, the team should be able to sustain quite a few more longer-than-normal innings on the offensive end, which will lead to more run-scoring throughout the season. Because of the uncertainty with the pitching staff, however, this won't necessarily translate into more wins for the team. The offense won't be as anemic as 2011, which will no doubt help their cause, but don't be surprised to see the Twins lose a few more 8-7 and 10-9 games this year.
2.) Chris Parmelee will win American League Rookie of the Year.
This would be considered my "bold" prediction of the 2012 season. To be honest, I haven't been this excited for a Twins rookie in quite a long time. During the final few weeks of 2011, Parmelee showed he could no doubt hang with the big boys, if given the opportunity to play. Unfortunately, with Justin Morneau occupying first base, that didn't appear to be something that would happen any time soon. With Ron Gardenhire's decision to move Morneau permanently into the DH spot in 2012 (or at least for the foreseeable future), the path was paved for Parmelee to take the reigns at first base. For a young hitter, he has tremendous vision at the plate, can work the count deep, and can also deposit the ball over the fence. Look for this kid to garner a lot of attention from fans, and the baseball media alike, as the season progresses.
3.) Glen Perkins will become the team's closer by the end of May.
I really want this to be more of a reflection on Perkins' talent as a relief pitcher than a shot at Matt Capps, but unfortunately, that will be hard to justify. Capps will be the team's closer entering the regular season, and all signs should point to him rebounding from a difficult season in 2011, which saw him booed mercilessly by Twins fans. The fact of the matter is, regardless of how great a guy he is, or what he brings to the clubhouse, Capps' style of pitching will become more of a liability than an asset. With a mediocre fastball, and really no "go to" pitch to get hitters out, Capps has decided to bring a split-finger fastball into his repertoire. If, and when, this new pitch begins to falter, Capps will find himself going back to what he's been accustomed to, which is the fastball. As that happens, hitters will be ready, and Twins fans will find themselves pulling their hair out a couple of times in April and May. Perkins will be given the opportunity, and will run with it. By season's end, look for Perkins to have more saves than Capps.
4.) Francisco Liriano will set a career high with 18 wins.
We all know he has the talent. We all know he has the right stuff. It's just time for Frankie to believe it himself, and go out there with confidence. If his spring was any indication, it seems like he may just have figured it out. In 27 spring innings, Liriano had a 2.33 ERA, allowed only 27 hits, surrendered only 5 walks, and struck out 33. Obviously, the hitters one faces during a spring game are potentially much different than one might face in the regular season, so the hits and strikeouts could be a bit deceiving. The walks, however, are something that can be looked at with great excitement. What Liriano appears to have figured out is that the devastating slider he has (and yes, it is nasty) does not need to be thrown three or four times an at-bat. He's begun to realize that locating the fastball and getting ahead of hitters will allow him the ability to drop that slider in when it's actually needed. That type of control is exactly what he needs to be successful. As always with Liriano, only time will tell, but from the signs we're all seeing, this season looks like a promising one.
5.) The Twins will be relevant in the American League Central race through August.
OK, so, this one's a little vague. Having lost 99 games in 2011, many people around baseball, as well as many fans of the Twins locally, have already written the 2012 team off as being too similar to their 2011 predecessor. As I stated early on in this post, assuming they're not struck down by the injury bug once again, this team, although appearing similar, is actually different. The lineup, in my opinion, actually got stronger. With the additions of new left fielder Josh Willingham, and back-up catcher/right fielder Ryan Doumit, Parmelee at first base, and a healthy Mauer and Morneau, this Twins lineup should a.) hit for a higher average, b.) hit more home runs, and thus c.) drive in more runs than the 2011 club. Defensively, the Twins brought in Jamey Carroll to solidify the middle infield with Alexi Casilla. Again, injuries were a huge driving force behind the poor fielding seen during 2011, with many players playing positions they may not have been accustomed to. Lastly, if the pitching staff can keep the team in ballgames, (which obviously sounds very cliche, but true), the team will have a chance to win quite a few more games than last season. My second "bold" prediction is that your Minnesota Twins will actually improve their win total to 86 games (up from 63 in 2011). Unfortunately, 86 wins won't be enough to overtake Detroit in the division this season, although it will be much closer than people think. The Twins will, however, finish second in the AL Central, just ahead of the Cleveland Indians.
All told, the 2012 Minnesota Twins should be much more interesting to watch, be a much more exciting team to cheer for, and frankly, be more of a contending team than many are expecting.
Friday starts it off. As of now, it's a clean slate. 0-0. My prediction: 86-76, second in the American League Central.
Monday, September 26, 2011
This Twins Downfall Started In 2007
With the Twins' season coming to a close this week, there have been some positive discussions and quite a few negative ones. To be fair, I've been one who has chosen to see more of the negative aspects of this club than the positives, after all, there have been almost twice as many. We've beat the injury excuse to death already. I've hinted that perhaps it's the coaching staff who should be to blame, although I'm beginning to back off that idea a little bit. Just this past week, I heard the ultimate reason for the Twins demise this season: The Curse of Wally The Beer-Man.
In all reality, the Twins' demise this season, their ineptitude in postseasons of the past, and the potential struggles yet to come in future seasons, can be traced back to one fateful day back in September of 2007. It was then that Mr. Bill Smith accepted a promotion from Vice President, Assistant General Manager to Terry Ryan to become the new Senior Vice President, General Manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Smith was immediately handed a difficult task: Finding a way to either keep center-fielder Torii Hunter and two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana, or to make the most out of their departure. It was clear from the start that it would be impossible to hold on to both players. Hunter was a free agent after the 2007 season, and Santana would be after the 2008 campaign. If Smith opted to throw the necessary money at Hunter to keep him, then Santana would be lost. If he decided to let Hunter go and focus his attention on Santana, he'd risk losing both without getting anything.
The Twins made an offer to Hunter in August of 2007; a three-year, $45 million offer. The offer was made by then GM Terry Ryan. Smith took over the reigns in mid-September as the GM, and failed to make another offer. Whether it was something lost in the shuffle of the transition, or just a decision that they couldn't go any higher, the Twins lost Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels for a five-year, $90 million contract. Although disappointing to lose someone of Hunter's character and talent, it opened the door for Smith and the Twins to focus their attention on keeping the best pitcher in baseball, Santana.
Smith turned his attention to Santana, knowing it would either be a "re-sign him or trade him" outcome. The club offered him a five-year, $96 million deal. Santana's people countered with a seven-year, $126 million deal. It quickly became clear that Santana's price would be too high, and the club's best chance would be to trade Santana and get some good value in return. In hindsight, Santana has missed the entire 2011 season and part of the 2010 season with elbow injuries, so signing him may have proved to be a mistake, however, I'm not sure that mistake would compare to the colossal blunder that was about to happen.
Deciding to trade Santana, the Twins put everyone on notice, entertaining offers from the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox. As you would expect they would, the Yankees and Red Sox began battling with each other to try and land Santana. The Dodgers, seeing what the Sox and Yankees were offering, quickly decided to pull out of the running. Smith had exactly what he should've wanted: a bidding war of sorts between the Yankees and Red Sox. First the Red Sox upped their offer, and then the Yankees threw in another stud, which caused the Sox to make another change. In the end, the offers sat there for a couple weeks.
They sat until Smith had done the impossible. He'd actually annoyed the Yankees enough by not making a decision that they'd lost interest and pulled their best offer off the table. That offer included outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitcher Phil Hughes. That left the Red Sox and Mets. The Red Sox began to lose interest, as well, having waited long enough for an answer. Smith continued to push them for more and more, even after they'd improved their original offer dramatically. In the end, the Red Sox offered a trade with one of two centerpieces: either left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, or center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, coupled with two young prospects, pitcher Justin Masterson and infielder Jed Lowrie. Smith asked for all four. The Red Sox said no. So, Smith did the only thing he could do.
He accepted the Mets offer.
The Mets offered outfielder Carlos Gomez and three pitchers; Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. Gomez had played a few games for the Mets in 2007 and showed some promise, but was very rough around the edges. The three pitchers had little to no big league experience, and would be projects. Hindsight, again, is always 20/20, but taking a look at the cornerstone players involved in the deals with Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets since 2008 (the year they would've been Twins), it's clear that Smith's run as General Manager of the Twins would be nothing short of disappointing.
If you want more proof, here you go:
In all reality, the Twins' demise this season, their ineptitude in postseasons of the past, and the potential struggles yet to come in future seasons, can be traced back to one fateful day back in September of 2007. It was then that Mr. Bill Smith accepted a promotion from Vice President, Assistant General Manager to Terry Ryan to become the new Senior Vice President, General Manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Smith was immediately handed a difficult task: Finding a way to either keep center-fielder Torii Hunter and two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana, or to make the most out of their departure. It was clear from the start that it would be impossible to hold on to both players. Hunter was a free agent after the 2007 season, and Santana would be after the 2008 campaign. If Smith opted to throw the necessary money at Hunter to keep him, then Santana would be lost. If he decided to let Hunter go and focus his attention on Santana, he'd risk losing both without getting anything.
The Twins made an offer to Hunter in August of 2007; a three-year, $45 million offer. The offer was made by then GM Terry Ryan. Smith took over the reigns in mid-September as the GM, and failed to make another offer. Whether it was something lost in the shuffle of the transition, or just a decision that they couldn't go any higher, the Twins lost Hunter to the Los Angeles Angels for a five-year, $90 million contract. Although disappointing to lose someone of Hunter's character and talent, it opened the door for Smith and the Twins to focus their attention on keeping the best pitcher in baseball, Santana.
Smith turned his attention to Santana, knowing it would either be a "re-sign him or trade him" outcome. The club offered him a five-year, $96 million deal. Santana's people countered with a seven-year, $126 million deal. It quickly became clear that Santana's price would be too high, and the club's best chance would be to trade Santana and get some good value in return. In hindsight, Santana has missed the entire 2011 season and part of the 2010 season with elbow injuries, so signing him may have proved to be a mistake, however, I'm not sure that mistake would compare to the colossal blunder that was about to happen.
Deciding to trade Santana, the Twins put everyone on notice, entertaining offers from the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox. As you would expect they would, the Yankees and Red Sox began battling with each other to try and land Santana. The Dodgers, seeing what the Sox and Yankees were offering, quickly decided to pull out of the running. Smith had exactly what he should've wanted: a bidding war of sorts between the Yankees and Red Sox. First the Red Sox upped their offer, and then the Yankees threw in another stud, which caused the Sox to make another change. In the end, the offers sat there for a couple weeks.
They sat until Smith had done the impossible. He'd actually annoyed the Yankees enough by not making a decision that they'd lost interest and pulled their best offer off the table. That offer included outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitcher Phil Hughes. That left the Red Sox and Mets. The Red Sox began to lose interest, as well, having waited long enough for an answer. Smith continued to push them for more and more, even after they'd improved their original offer dramatically. In the end, the Red Sox offered a trade with one of two centerpieces: either left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, or center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, coupled with two young prospects, pitcher Justin Masterson and infielder Jed Lowrie. Smith asked for all four. The Red Sox said no. So, Smith did the only thing he could do.
He accepted the Mets offer.
The Mets offered outfielder Carlos Gomez and three pitchers; Philip Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. Gomez had played a few games for the Mets in 2007 and showed some promise, but was very rough around the edges. The three pitchers had little to no big league experience, and would be projects. Hindsight, again, is always 20/20, but taking a look at the cornerstone players involved in the deals with Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets since 2008 (the year they would've been Twins), it's clear that Smith's run as General Manager of the Twins would be nothing short of disappointing.
| Jacoby Ellsbury | Melky Cabrera | Carlos Gomez | ||||
| Avg | .298 | .274 | .244 | |||
| AB | 1902 | 2012 | 1412 | |||
| H | 566 | 552 | 344 | |||
| HR | 48 | 43 | 22 | |||
| RBI | 215 | 234 | 132 | |||
| XBH | 168 | 164 | 101 | |||
| SB | 165 | 46 | 81 | |||
| Justin Masterson | Phil Hughes | Philip Humber | ||||
| G | 146 | 105 | 48 | |||
| W | 28 | 31 | 11 | |||
| L | 38 | 20 | 10 | |||
| ERA | 3.92 | 4.49 | 4.05 | |||
| IP | 613.2 | 369.1 | 202.2 | |||
| SO | 485 | 310 | 138 | |||
| BB | 238 | 125 | 58 |
If you want more proof, here you go:
- November 29th, 2007: Smith trades pitcher Matt Garza (career 51-54, 3.84 ERA, 761 SO) and SS Jason Bartlett (career .275, 31 HR, 282 RBI) to Tampa Bay for outfielder Delmon Young (career .287, 69 HR, 402 RBI) and SS Brendan Harris (career .260, 29 HR, 158 RBI). Although this trade happened before the Santana trade, it's significance wasn't known until the Twins failed to acquire a legit replacement for Santana at the top of the rotation. Garza had potential to be a top tier starter, and proved so in Tampa Bay's run to the World Series in 2008.
- December 9th, 2010: Smith trades SS J.J. Hardy (who was acquired a year earlier from Milwaukee for Carlos Gomez) and SS Brendan Harris (who was acquired for Garza and Young) and $500,000 to Baltimore for pitcher Brett Jacobson and relief pitcher Jim Hoey. The move was made to clear room, both under the cap and on the field, for the Twins to bring in SS Tsuoyshi Nishioka from Japan. No need to say anything more on that.
- July 29th, 2010: Smith trades prized catching prospect Wilson Ramos to the Washington Nationals for closer Matt Capps. With Joe Nathan missing the entire 2010 season with Tommy John surgery, it was important for the Twins to get someone to seal up games at the end. Although his 2011 was less than desired, Capps filled the critical role perfectly last season. The issue with this deal, you ask? With the health of Joe Mauer a question even last season, to trade a valuable back-up catching option like Ramos for a closer in the heat of the moment was a terrible decision. To put it in perspective, Ramos' 2011 season: .269, 15 HR, 52 RBI, 38 XBH, and a On Base+Slugging % of .784. The Twins two back-up catchers, Drew Butera and Rene Rivera combined in 2011: .160, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 16 XBH, and a combined On Base+Slugging % of .436. A decision that no doubt affected the Twins this season.
Unfortunately for Twins fans, I don't think we've seen the last of Mr. Smith. This offseason will prove to be an interesting one, to say the least.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Twins Cannot Repeat History
After reading a great article from Star Tribune sports writer Patrick Reusse ("This has all the earmarks of a lengthy Twins dive"), I realized how familiar this Twins season is becoming. Reusse is spot on with his observations, and quite honestly, it's scary to truly see the similarities between the Twins of the mid-90's and the current iteration.
Hopefully, however, this current version of the Twins, both players and front office alike, will learn from the mistakes of their predecessors, and re-write history.
As fans, we have to believe that what we're seeing in 2011 is nothing more than the anomaly. The debacle that has been the 2011 season is nothing more than a season filled with incredibly bad luck, right? I mean, the injury issues alone couldn't reproduce themselves again in 2012, could they? There's really no way possible that the Twins big guns can't get back to their usual MVP selves, is there?
The problem is that, unless the organization decides to be proactive and do something, what Reusse speaks about will become gospel in 2012 and beyond. So, what can the team realistically do?
For starters, let's assume the major injuries of 2011 resolve themselves this offseason. Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, and Denard Span will all be back at 100% at the start of Spring Training. Let's just pretend, for a moment, that the Twins are able to re-sign both Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel to solidify the core of the lineup, as well as come to terms with Joe Nathan on a multi-year deal that will enable Joe to end his career with the Twins, as it appears he wants to do. And lastly, let's also say, for argument's sake, that the banged up starting rotation returns from their myriad of arm issues. Assuming all of these things, where are the areas for the Twins to make significant changes to ensure that 2011 was nothing more than a minor speed bump?
One glaring hole needing immediate resolution going into the 2012 season is the middle infield, specifically the shortstop position. After choosing to not bring back J.J. Hardy after the 2010 season in favor of the unknown and unproven Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins took a major step back. Oddly enough, the Twins front office felt Hardy's injury problems were too much to invest another year in, opting instead to let him go in trade to the Orioles. Should they feel the same way about most of the injured 2011 roster, we may be in complete rebuilding mode. In 2009, the Twins made a late-season trade to acquire Orlando Cabrera to bring some veteran stability to an important position, but decided his price tag was too high for 2010, instead signing Hardy. The problematic pattern presenting itself in this case seems that the Twins are unwilling to pay for stability at a very important position. The current options at shortstop are Trevor Plouffe and Nishioka. Plouffe has shown some signs of being a viable offensive solution at short, but his defense leaves quite a bit to be desired. Nishioka needs a major overhaul, both offensively and defensively. Until that happens, "Nishy" should be relegated to nothing but utility duty. Finding a solid veteran shortstop, either through trade or on the free agent market, should be a priority for the Twins to give themselves at least a couple of options going into spring.
Another hole needing attention is that of the bullpen. Middle relief was a major hurdle to overcome for this squad, particularly from the likes of Jose Mijares and Alex Burnett. Combined, the two relievers had an ERA near 5.00, striking out 61 batters while walking 51. Not the poster children for reliability, that's for sure. Mijares lost his late inning specialty role to Glen Perkins, who was seemingly the only bright spot in the bullpen this season. The middle relief roles, both right and left-handed, occupied by Burnett and Mijares respectively, need to be re-cast. Given the free agent market for relief pitchers in 2012, this might have to occur through trade. Regardless of how it gets done, the Twins need to address this pressing issue before pitchers and catchers report in February.
The last area needing to be seriously looked at in order to avoid a long spell of sub-par seasons is one which wasn't considered back in 1993. It's not an easy option to consider, but it should be something at least discussed. That option is a change in the coaching staff. Back in 1993, Tom Kelly was in his seventh full season as the manager of the Twins. It was hard to argue with two World Series titles in five seasons, so it seemed understandable that a change at the helm didn't need to be made right away. The coaches, however, could've possibly been shaken up a bit. With Tony Olivia retiring as the Twins' hitting coach after the 1991 season, Terry Crowley took over. Again, it might've seemed a bit rash to replace Crowley after only two season as the team's hitting instructor. Dick Such remained the team's pitching coach through the 2000 season. It's possible that a change there might have sparked something with the pitching staff, but it's difficult to say.
Fast forward to 2011, and we have a different coaching scenario than we had back in 1993, when the run of losing seasons began for the Twins. Now, we have two members of the coaching staff, hitting coach Joe Vavra, and pitching coach Rick Anderson, who have been in their positions six and eleven years, respectively. With the exception of an increase between 2007 into 2008, the Twins, as a team, have seen declines in batting average, hits, and runs under Vavra. Vavra is the second-longest tenured hitting coach in all of baseball, behind only Mickey Hatcher of the Los Angeles Angels. Similarly, Anderson has the third longest tenure amongst pitching coaches behind Dave Duncan of the Cardinals and Dave Righetti of the Giants. Before things get too out of hand, as they did in 1993, it may be wise for the Twins front office to decide to take the leadership of the team into a different direction.
2012 does not need to be the "end of the world" for the Twins, pun intended. It will only end up that way if the team decides to allow it to happen. Let's hope, for the sake of the players and fans, the decision is to erase 2011 from our memories by repeating the feat of the 1991 team, that being to finish in last place the year before contending for the title.
Hopefully, however, this current version of the Twins, both players and front office alike, will learn from the mistakes of their predecessors, and re-write history.
As fans, we have to believe that what we're seeing in 2011 is nothing more than the anomaly. The debacle that has been the 2011 season is nothing more than a season filled with incredibly bad luck, right? I mean, the injury issues alone couldn't reproduce themselves again in 2012, could they? There's really no way possible that the Twins big guns can't get back to their usual MVP selves, is there?
The problem is that, unless the organization decides to be proactive and do something, what Reusse speaks about will become gospel in 2012 and beyond. So, what can the team realistically do?
For starters, let's assume the major injuries of 2011 resolve themselves this offseason. Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, and Denard Span will all be back at 100% at the start of Spring Training. Let's just pretend, for a moment, that the Twins are able to re-sign both Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel to solidify the core of the lineup, as well as come to terms with Joe Nathan on a multi-year deal that will enable Joe to end his career with the Twins, as it appears he wants to do. And lastly, let's also say, for argument's sake, that the banged up starting rotation returns from their myriad of arm issues. Assuming all of these things, where are the areas for the Twins to make significant changes to ensure that 2011 was nothing more than a minor speed bump?
One glaring hole needing immediate resolution going into the 2012 season is the middle infield, specifically the shortstop position. After choosing to not bring back J.J. Hardy after the 2010 season in favor of the unknown and unproven Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins took a major step back. Oddly enough, the Twins front office felt Hardy's injury problems were too much to invest another year in, opting instead to let him go in trade to the Orioles. Should they feel the same way about most of the injured 2011 roster, we may be in complete rebuilding mode. In 2009, the Twins made a late-season trade to acquire Orlando Cabrera to bring some veteran stability to an important position, but decided his price tag was too high for 2010, instead signing Hardy. The problematic pattern presenting itself in this case seems that the Twins are unwilling to pay for stability at a very important position. The current options at shortstop are Trevor Plouffe and Nishioka. Plouffe has shown some signs of being a viable offensive solution at short, but his defense leaves quite a bit to be desired. Nishioka needs a major overhaul, both offensively and defensively. Until that happens, "Nishy" should be relegated to nothing but utility duty. Finding a solid veteran shortstop, either through trade or on the free agent market, should be a priority for the Twins to give themselves at least a couple of options going into spring.
Another hole needing attention is that of the bullpen. Middle relief was a major hurdle to overcome for this squad, particularly from the likes of Jose Mijares and Alex Burnett. Combined, the two relievers had an ERA near 5.00, striking out 61 batters while walking 51. Not the poster children for reliability, that's for sure. Mijares lost his late inning specialty role to Glen Perkins, who was seemingly the only bright spot in the bullpen this season. The middle relief roles, both right and left-handed, occupied by Burnett and Mijares respectively, need to be re-cast. Given the free agent market for relief pitchers in 2012, this might have to occur through trade. Regardless of how it gets done, the Twins need to address this pressing issue before pitchers and catchers report in February.
The last area needing to be seriously looked at in order to avoid a long spell of sub-par seasons is one which wasn't considered back in 1993. It's not an easy option to consider, but it should be something at least discussed. That option is a change in the coaching staff. Back in 1993, Tom Kelly was in his seventh full season as the manager of the Twins. It was hard to argue with two World Series titles in five seasons, so it seemed understandable that a change at the helm didn't need to be made right away. The coaches, however, could've possibly been shaken up a bit. With Tony Olivia retiring as the Twins' hitting coach after the 1991 season, Terry Crowley took over. Again, it might've seemed a bit rash to replace Crowley after only two season as the team's hitting instructor. Dick Such remained the team's pitching coach through the 2000 season. It's possible that a change there might have sparked something with the pitching staff, but it's difficult to say.
Fast forward to 2011, and we have a different coaching scenario than we had back in 1993, when the run of losing seasons began for the Twins. Now, we have two members of the coaching staff, hitting coach Joe Vavra, and pitching coach Rick Anderson, who have been in their positions six and eleven years, respectively. With the exception of an increase between 2007 into 2008, the Twins, as a team, have seen declines in batting average, hits, and runs under Vavra. Vavra is the second-longest tenured hitting coach in all of baseball, behind only Mickey Hatcher of the Los Angeles Angels. Similarly, Anderson has the third longest tenure amongst pitching coaches behind Dave Duncan of the Cardinals and Dave Righetti of the Giants. Before things get too out of hand, as they did in 1993, it may be wise for the Twins front office to decide to take the leadership of the team into a different direction.
2012 does not need to be the "end of the world" for the Twins, pun intended. It will only end up that way if the team decides to allow it to happen. Let's hope, for the sake of the players and fans, the decision is to erase 2011 from our memories by repeating the feat of the 1991 team, that being to finish in last place the year before contending for the title.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Twins Face Tough, But Necessary Choices
Since this is a topic I've already covered once within the last month, I'll try to keep it a little short this time around.
With the Twins being shut out for a 13th time this season, there is a question that needs to, not only be asked, but quite frankly, one that needs to be answered sooner rather than later. That question is: Who will be held accountable for the Twins' offensive struggles this season?
I've contended for most of the season, even before the offense went from mediocre to sub-par, that the Twins' front office needs to take a serious look at changing some of the major "players" in order to make a significant change going into 2012. When I say "players," I'm not referring to those that take the field on a day-to-day basis (or a day-to-every-third-day basis, as is the case with one Mr. Mauer). I'm referring to the coaching staff. As the saying goes, the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. With the Twins scoring one run or fewer for the 40th time this season, I would say that constitutes doing the same thing over and over again and waiting for a different result, wouldn't you?
Quite honestly, the three coaches who have the most impact on the team itself are pitching coach Rick Anderson, hitting coach Joe Vavra, and the manager himself, Ron Gardenhire. In any organization, sports or otherwise, when the employees are unable to get the job done, the "bosses" are looked upon to determine if the proper training and coaching was given to allow them to succeed. If the answer is yes, then the employees are let go and replaced. If the answer is no, the boss is deemed to be inadequate, and often times replaced.
Take a department store, for example. When a particular department is not succeeding, the Store Manager would look at the supervisor of that department to determine if he/she has been giving their employees everything they need to be successful. If they have, the Manager would ask the the employee be fired. If the Manager deemed that the supervisor was not providing the best leadership to those employees, then it would be the supervisor who would find him or herself replaced.
What Gardenhire needs to do is take a long, hard look at his staff. That look needs to take into account the overall season's performances, and not allow personal friendships to interfere. After all, this team is actually a "business". What he needs to realize is that, although they may have been great at getting results in the past, their message may now be stale. The results both Vavra and Anderson attained in years past may have ultimately been the pinnacle of what they were capable of attaining. It may just be time for someone else to take over the reigns to take this team a little further going forward.
As with any sport, the goal is to win. Plain and simple. As with many sports, that goal is attained by outscoring your opponents. In football, if a team gives up 40 points, but scores 45, they win the game. In hockey, if a team gives up five goals, but scores seven, guess what? It's still a win. The same theory can, and should, be applied to baseball. Unless you are a team fortunate to have the likes of a Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, or a Felix Hernandez at the top of your rotation, the likelihood of you needing only a run or two to outscore your opponent is slim to none.
That being said, it would be imperative for a team like the Twins, with the inconsistent track record of their pitching staff, to put an emphasis on the offensive side of the ball. This season, the Twins have more games of four or fewer hits (20) than any other team in baseball. How have the Twins decided to address this issue thus far? They've decided to fire both Tom Nieto and Floyd Rayford, their Triple-A manager and hitting coach. But those 20 games of four or fewer hits took place at the Major League level, not Rochester. Of those 20 games, the big four of Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, and Kubel each played in at least nine, so, to say that the lack of hits came as a result of the injury bug would be a stretch, considering even the "big guns" were unable to hit their ways on base.
The Twins' front office needs to consult Gardenhire and allow him to make the correct decision for the ball club, which is to remove Joe Vavra from his position as the hitting coach of this team. Vavra has served the team well over his almost six years as hitting coach, but as with many things, it's time to move on. If Gardnhire is unwilling to make that difficult decision, or doesn't see it as an option, then perhaps the front office needs to look long and hard and making a different change; that being at the managerial position.
With the Twins being shut out for a 13th time this season, there is a question that needs to, not only be asked, but quite frankly, one that needs to be answered sooner rather than later. That question is: Who will be held accountable for the Twins' offensive struggles this season?
I've contended for most of the season, even before the offense went from mediocre to sub-par, that the Twins' front office needs to take a serious look at changing some of the major "players" in order to make a significant change going into 2012. When I say "players," I'm not referring to those that take the field on a day-to-day basis (or a day-to-every-third-day basis, as is the case with one Mr. Mauer). I'm referring to the coaching staff. As the saying goes, the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. With the Twins scoring one run or fewer for the 40th time this season, I would say that constitutes doing the same thing over and over again and waiting for a different result, wouldn't you?
Quite honestly, the three coaches who have the most impact on the team itself are pitching coach Rick Anderson, hitting coach Joe Vavra, and the manager himself, Ron Gardenhire. In any organization, sports or otherwise, when the employees are unable to get the job done, the "bosses" are looked upon to determine if the proper training and coaching was given to allow them to succeed. If the answer is yes, then the employees are let go and replaced. If the answer is no, the boss is deemed to be inadequate, and often times replaced.
Take a department store, for example. When a particular department is not succeeding, the Store Manager would look at the supervisor of that department to determine if he/she has been giving their employees everything they need to be successful. If they have, the Manager would ask the the employee be fired. If the Manager deemed that the supervisor was not providing the best leadership to those employees, then it would be the supervisor who would find him or herself replaced.
What Gardenhire needs to do is take a long, hard look at his staff. That look needs to take into account the overall season's performances, and not allow personal friendships to interfere. After all, this team is actually a "business". What he needs to realize is that, although they may have been great at getting results in the past, their message may now be stale. The results both Vavra and Anderson attained in years past may have ultimately been the pinnacle of what they were capable of attaining. It may just be time for someone else to take over the reigns to take this team a little further going forward.
As with any sport, the goal is to win. Plain and simple. As with many sports, that goal is attained by outscoring your opponents. In football, if a team gives up 40 points, but scores 45, they win the game. In hockey, if a team gives up five goals, but scores seven, guess what? It's still a win. The same theory can, and should, be applied to baseball. Unless you are a team fortunate to have the likes of a Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, or a Felix Hernandez at the top of your rotation, the likelihood of you needing only a run or two to outscore your opponent is slim to none.
That being said, it would be imperative for a team like the Twins, with the inconsistent track record of their pitching staff, to put an emphasis on the offensive side of the ball. This season, the Twins have more games of four or fewer hits (20) than any other team in baseball. How have the Twins decided to address this issue thus far? They've decided to fire both Tom Nieto and Floyd Rayford, their Triple-A manager and hitting coach. But those 20 games of four or fewer hits took place at the Major League level, not Rochester. Of those 20 games, the big four of Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, and Kubel each played in at least nine, so, to say that the lack of hits came as a result of the injury bug would be a stretch, considering even the "big guns" were unable to hit their ways on base.
The Twins' front office needs to consult Gardenhire and allow him to make the correct decision for the ball club, which is to remove Joe Vavra from his position as the hitting coach of this team. Vavra has served the team well over his almost six years as hitting coach, but as with many things, it's time to move on. If Gardnhire is unwilling to make that difficult decision, or doesn't see it as an option, then perhaps the front office needs to look long and hard and making a different change; that being at the managerial position.
Monday, August 22, 2011
It's Time To Change It Up A Bit, Ron!
If you've been reading "The Sporting Mind" since I started blogging back in May, you know that I tend to not hold anything back with regard to the Twins. There isn't a team I root for more in sports than the Twins. I consider myself a die-hard fan. The great thing about being a fan is that you're entitled to opinions.
Opinions can be about anything, really. They can be about individual players or they can be about individual plays. They can be about aspects of the team, or just aspects of the game itself. Regardless of what the opinion is, we as fans are entitled to those opinions. They may not be right, they may not be wrong, but what they are is our voice.
As with anyone who follows a team, you have players you really like and some you just don't. If you've been reading this blog for a while now, you know that I was never a huge Delmon Young fan, and I'm definitely not pro-Tsuyoshi Nishioka. I've been very hard on the likes of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, but have been very complimentary toward both Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel. That being said, just because I might take issue with players like Mauer and Morneau doesn't mean I don't think either are good ball players, so let me be perfectly clear on that.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way...
As I watch the Twins' season quickly unravel, I start to wonder what the game plan actually is for these next six weeks. The team has been so ravaged by injuries that it's been difficult to get a good grasp on what they actually have going forward. Assuming the news on Monday that the Twins had placed both Kubel and Jim Thome on waivers means that neither will be back with the team next year, and assuming the Twins might not get anyone Major League ready in return should both be dealt, what do they have in store for DH and right field? With Nick Blackburn hitting the disabled list on Monday as well, who might they give an opportunity to replace him in the rotation? And, with the inconsistent play up the middle, might there be other options to fiddle with to try and put the pieces together to make a run next season?
It would be very difficult to get answers to all of these questions in just a few weeks. Realistically, the team has no chance to climb back into the divisional race, which should provide Ron Gardenhire a unique opportunity to experiment a bit with what he does have. As with any company, sometimes it's not so much about the personnel one has, but more about how that personnel is used and where that personnel is placed in order to get the most success from that individual.
So far this season, we've seen Cuddyer playing right field, first base, second base, and even pitch. We've seen Mauer take his first ground balls at first base, as well as his first fly balls in right field. Alexi Casilla made the move from short stop to second base, and Nishioka the reverse. These are the types of alternatives Gardenhire needs to continue exploring. Would Mauer potentially be able to play third base in the event he doesn't catch and Morneau is in the lineup at first? Does Danny Valencia have the necessary range to be a short stop? Might be worth a look.
Another thought would be to juggle the lineup a bit. Looking through all of baseball, it's clear that the major run producers throughout the league find themselves hitting third, fourth, or fifth in their team's lineup. Typically, these spots in the order are reserved for the big guns, the guys that hit the ball out of the park and drive in runs. With the Twins, however, this isn't always the case. Without taking away too much from Joe Mauer, it's evident that he is one of the best contact hitters in all of baseball. Unfortunately for Twins fans, it appears both Mauer and the team are content with a high average, but little "production". This isn't the type of hitter that belongs in the number three spot in the batting order. Again, that's not to say he isn't a great hitter, just not a great hitter for that spot in the order.
Looking at Mauer's numbers this season, and understanding that he was hurt early on, it is a concern going forward, at least for this Twins fan. If you compare the number of extra-base hits Mauer has and the frequency in which he has them to other hitters batting third in their respective lineups, you would see that he falls way behind the average. Joe slugs something other than a single once in every 17.86 at-bats. The top 20 run-producers (RBI's) in the American League average an extra-base hit once every 8.63 at-bats. Seven (7) of those top 20 hit from the third spot in their lineup. Those same 20 guys also average an RBI every 5.50 at-bats. Mauer's average? One RBI every 10.42 at-bats. A high batting average is great, but it doesn't always translate to runs if the majority of those hits are singles.
Taking those numbers into account, it might be worth an extended five-week look for Gardenhire to see what either Cuddyer (an RBI every 6.9 at-bats) or Kubel (one in every 6.62 at-bats) could do in that number three spot in the order, and perhaps move Mauer down to either the fifth or sixth spot in the batting order. If Denard Span is able to come back this year, and the Twins decide to play both Span and Ben Revere in the outfield, and bat the two of them first and second in the order, having either Cuddyer or Kubel hitting third might be a better thing, given their ability to hit more extra-base hits than Mauer. If Span and/or Revere get on base with a single, it's difficult for them to score on a Mauer single, which has been the tendency for Joe this season, which explains his minimal 25 RBI output thus far.
So, let me hear from a few of you out there. What are some other "experiments" you believe the Twins should try over the next few weeks to try and prepare themselves for an offseason of change?
So far this season, we've seen Cuddyer playing right field, first base, second base, and even pitch. We've seen Mauer take his first ground balls at first base, as well as his first fly balls in right field. Alexi Casilla made the move from short stop to second base, and Nishioka the reverse. These are the types of alternatives Gardenhire needs to continue exploring. Would Mauer potentially be able to play third base in the event he doesn't catch and Morneau is in the lineup at first? Does Danny Valencia have the necessary range to be a short stop? Might be worth a look.
Another thought would be to juggle the lineup a bit. Looking through all of baseball, it's clear that the major run producers throughout the league find themselves hitting third, fourth, or fifth in their team's lineup. Typically, these spots in the order are reserved for the big guns, the guys that hit the ball out of the park and drive in runs. With the Twins, however, this isn't always the case. Without taking away too much from Joe Mauer, it's evident that he is one of the best contact hitters in all of baseball. Unfortunately for Twins fans, it appears both Mauer and the team are content with a high average, but little "production". This isn't the type of hitter that belongs in the number three spot in the batting order. Again, that's not to say he isn't a great hitter, just not a great hitter for that spot in the order.
Looking at Mauer's numbers this season, and understanding that he was hurt early on, it is a concern going forward, at least for this Twins fan. If you compare the number of extra-base hits Mauer has and the frequency in which he has them to other hitters batting third in their respective lineups, you would see that he falls way behind the average. Joe slugs something other than a single once in every 17.86 at-bats. The top 20 run-producers (RBI's) in the American League average an extra-base hit once every 8.63 at-bats. Seven (7) of those top 20 hit from the third spot in their lineup. Those same 20 guys also average an RBI every 5.50 at-bats. Mauer's average? One RBI every 10.42 at-bats. A high batting average is great, but it doesn't always translate to runs if the majority of those hits are singles.
Taking those numbers into account, it might be worth an extended five-week look for Gardenhire to see what either Cuddyer (an RBI every 6.9 at-bats) or Kubel (one in every 6.62 at-bats) could do in that number three spot in the order, and perhaps move Mauer down to either the fifth or sixth spot in the batting order. If Denard Span is able to come back this year, and the Twins decide to play both Span and Ben Revere in the outfield, and bat the two of them first and second in the order, having either Cuddyer or Kubel hitting third might be a better thing, given their ability to hit more extra-base hits than Mauer. If Span and/or Revere get on base with a single, it's difficult for them to score on a Mauer single, which has been the tendency for Joe this season, which explains his minimal 25 RBI output thus far.
So, let me hear from a few of you out there. What are some other "experiments" you believe the Twins should try over the next few weeks to try and prepare themselves for an offseason of change?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Money Isn't The Only Difference Between The Twins And Yankees
With the exception of a few teams in baseball, such as the Red Sox or the Phillies, most teams think of themselves as being different than the Yankees because they don't spend as much money as the Bronx Bombers. The Twins are no exception to that. There are those Twins fans that believe they can't compete against the Yankees because their payroll is twice that of the Twins. The money argument is a stale one, considering the success of teams like the Cardinals and Giants over the last couple of years. The truth of the matter is that it doesn't have as much to do with the amount a player makes, but more with the talent he has and what the team does with it. Right now, it doesn't appear the Twins have done enough with the talent they do have, and continue to feel sorry for what they don't have.
With the Twins now 13 games back in the Central Division, 2011 has quickly become a lost season. Injuries ravaged the team from the start, and made it clear that if they were to succeed this season, it truly would be a total team effort. For the most part, the Twins and their fans tend to be a bunch that lives in the past, rather than a bunch that looks at what's going on in front of them or in the future. You'll hear statements such as, "we've won six division titles under Ron Gardenhire," or, "he's a three-time batting champion," or, "he was the MVP back in 2006."
It can be said that teams like the Twins or like the defending World Series Champion Giants have to make the most with what they have. This is very true. At the same time, teams like the Yankees and Red Sox do the same, making the most of the players they have, and in many cases, making them better than they were. People can complain about them buying all the "great" players, but what matters is what those "great" players do for the Yankees when they're there.
A prime example of this is evidenced by the breakout season of Curtis Granderson. Granderson was always a fantastic player for the Detroit Tigers, but seems to have taken his offensive game to a new level with the Yankees. Upon arriving in New York, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Granderson, an already proven big-league hitter, on his stance, calming his movements down at the plate. The result has been noticeable, with Granderson leading the league in Runs, RBI's, and Extra-Base Hits, and currently sitting second in Home Runs.
What the Yankees don't tend to tolerate is mediocrity. If a player isn't getting the job done, the Yankees will find a solution, either through a trade during the season, or the free agent avenue after it. Yes, often times that requires the check book to come out. But, what it does show, to both the Yankee players and their fans, is that the team is willing to do what it takes to win.
When the Yankees come to town, boos can be heard throughout the Twin Cities. Those boos are for Alex Rodriguez. Those boos are for Derek Jeter. Those boos are for Nick Swisher. Those boos are even for Mariano Rivera. Sadly, those boos are incredibly misplaced. OK, maybe the boos for A-Rod are placed pretty well.
When a team continues to allow its star player to average an extra-base hit in every 17.9 at-bats, that should be booed. When a team allows its rookie shortstop to struggle immensely at the plate and in the field without even an attempt to find a better solution, that deserves to be booed. When a team's "power-hitting" first baseman sits out a game because he fouled a pitch off his foot the night before, while his counterpart in the other dugout who fouled three pitches off his feet in one at-bat in that very same game plays, that should be booed. When a team continues to accept mediocre-at-best performances from its starting rotation, as well as pathetic displays from its bullpen during important close games, that needs to be booed.
Just because a team comes into town with the willingness and desire to actually succeed, regardless of the financial cost, they shouldn't be booed. They're doing only what we would want our own team to do, and that's be as competitive as possible. If people think that booing the opposition for wanting to be the best is something that helps their own team, they're mistaken. It really only shows how little respect those people have for the game. If you're booing that, then you're accepting the very mediocrity that your own team continues to march onto the field, which only means that you can expect to continue seeing that level of mediocrity in the future.
But hey...you've won six division titles in the last 10 years, so, it's not that big a deal, right?
With the Twins now 13 games back in the Central Division, 2011 has quickly become a lost season. Injuries ravaged the team from the start, and made it clear that if they were to succeed this season, it truly would be a total team effort. For the most part, the Twins and their fans tend to be a bunch that lives in the past, rather than a bunch that looks at what's going on in front of them or in the future. You'll hear statements such as, "we've won six division titles under Ron Gardenhire," or, "he's a three-time batting champion," or, "he was the MVP back in 2006."
It can be said that teams like the Twins or like the defending World Series Champion Giants have to make the most with what they have. This is very true. At the same time, teams like the Yankees and Red Sox do the same, making the most of the players they have, and in many cases, making them better than they were. People can complain about them buying all the "great" players, but what matters is what those "great" players do for the Yankees when they're there.
A prime example of this is evidenced by the breakout season of Curtis Granderson. Granderson was always a fantastic player for the Detroit Tigers, but seems to have taken his offensive game to a new level with the Yankees. Upon arriving in New York, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Granderson, an already proven big-league hitter, on his stance, calming his movements down at the plate. The result has been noticeable, with Granderson leading the league in Runs, RBI's, and Extra-Base Hits, and currently sitting second in Home Runs.
What the Yankees don't tend to tolerate is mediocrity. If a player isn't getting the job done, the Yankees will find a solution, either through a trade during the season, or the free agent avenue after it. Yes, often times that requires the check book to come out. But, what it does show, to both the Yankee players and their fans, is that the team is willing to do what it takes to win.
When the Yankees come to town, boos can be heard throughout the Twin Cities. Those boos are for Alex Rodriguez. Those boos are for Derek Jeter. Those boos are for Nick Swisher. Those boos are even for Mariano Rivera. Sadly, those boos are incredibly misplaced. OK, maybe the boos for A-Rod are placed pretty well.
When a team continues to allow its star player to average an extra-base hit in every 17.9 at-bats, that should be booed. When a team allows its rookie shortstop to struggle immensely at the plate and in the field without even an attempt to find a better solution, that deserves to be booed. When a team's "power-hitting" first baseman sits out a game because he fouled a pitch off his foot the night before, while his counterpart in the other dugout who fouled three pitches off his feet in one at-bat in that very same game plays, that should be booed. When a team continues to accept mediocre-at-best performances from its starting rotation, as well as pathetic displays from its bullpen during important close games, that needs to be booed.
Just because a team comes into town with the willingness and desire to actually succeed, regardless of the financial cost, they shouldn't be booed. They're doing only what we would want our own team to do, and that's be as competitive as possible. If people think that booing the opposition for wanting to be the best is something that helps their own team, they're mistaken. It really only shows how little respect those people have for the game. If you're booing that, then you're accepting the very mediocrity that your own team continues to march onto the field, which only means that you can expect to continue seeing that level of mediocrity in the future.
But hey...you've won six division titles in the last 10 years, so, it's not that big a deal, right?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Stay Positive, Just Don't Get Your Hopes Up
It's pretty hard to stay upbeat when you're 13 games under .500 and nine and half games out of first place in the division, but getting too negative and uptight isn't good for anybody.
With what we've seen over the last three weeks from the Twins, there's seemingly been very little to be positive about. Sure, they've started to get some of their injured players back (Span, Kubel), which is a plus. Sure, they're closer is back in the saddle again, and throwing almost like he did before having Tommy John surgery. But, there's nothing really positive about a team that considers itself a perpetual contender, to go over three weeks without winning a series against some of the better competition in the American League.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more up and down Twins season than this 2011 campaign. Most of troubles have been due to numerous injuries, which have ravaged the team. The struggles, however, can't all be blamed on the injury bug. Even with some of their bigger stars on the shelf, the Twins had players who'd had major league experience filling in. They may not have been the most talented players, but guys like Matt Tolbert, Trevor Plouffe, and Drew Butera have all seen fairly significant time in the big leagues. If we're honest about it though, the utilization of those players isn't totally to blame, either.
When a team is struggling at the plate, and is having a hard time getting runs on the board, it's absolutely vital that pitching keep them afloat. Therin lies the key to the 2011 debacle. With inconsistency in the starting rotation, a bullpen that couldn't maintain the minimal leads the offense was giving them, and a closer in Matt Capps whose fastball rivals that of some of the kids pitching in the Little League World Series this month, it's no wonder the Twins found themselves looking up at the rest of the American League Central.
The offensive struggles have come primarily from three sources: Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Joe Mauer, and Delmon Young. Since returning from his leg injury, Nishioka has struggled mightily at the plate, proving that the Twins may have made a mistake, not just in signing him, but in not pursuing that which they already had in J.J. Hardy. So far, Hardy is hitting .275 with 21 HR and 40 extra-base hits. He currently has more extra-base hits than the primary Twins middle infield (Nishioka and Casilla) combined. Hardy is making $5.85 million this year, with Nishioka making only $3 million, however, if you count the $5.4 million bid the Twins spent to just speak to Nishi, they're into him for over $8 million this year. Hardy seems like the better investment at this point, wouldn't you say?
Mauer and Young have vastly underperformed this year. Mauer is riding the injury excuse, at least for another couple of weeks, but with Young, what you see is truly what you get. Both players were handled poorly during the offseason, with the Twins needing to take more of a hands-on approach with Mauer's rehab, and also a more aggressive approach trying to find a better home for Mr. Young. The result has been a combined 5 HR's and only 30 extra-base hits. And remember, J.J. Hardy has 40 himself. I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'.
All is not lost, however. The Twins do have some positive things to take from this season thus far. Michael Cuddyer has shown this team that he truly does have the heart to be the team's leader, on and off the field. Jim Thome is on the verge of making history with his 600th home run, which couldn't happen to a better guy. Jason Kubel has emerged as the Twins' best overall hitter, hitting for both average and power. Danny Valencia has shown some of the pop in his bat that the Twins expected when they called him up last year, sitting second on the team with 12 HR's. Ben Revere came up and proved himself to be a tremendous fielding outfielder, albeit with a tremendously weak throwing arm. And Glen Perkins has seemingly found himself a suitable role as the set-up man for Joe Nathan.
All of these things are very positive, and should be looked at as such. If the starters can improve their performances, and the veteran hitters like Mauer and Young can help to produce a few more runs, coupled with the positives mentioned...there's no reason the Twins can't still make a run for the division crown.
I just wouldn't hold my breath.
With what we've seen over the last three weeks from the Twins, there's seemingly been very little to be positive about. Sure, they've started to get some of their injured players back (Span, Kubel), which is a plus. Sure, they're closer is back in the saddle again, and throwing almost like he did before having Tommy John surgery. But, there's nothing really positive about a team that considers itself a perpetual contender, to go over three weeks without winning a series against some of the better competition in the American League.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more up and down Twins season than this 2011 campaign. Most of troubles have been due to numerous injuries, which have ravaged the team. The struggles, however, can't all be blamed on the injury bug. Even with some of their bigger stars on the shelf, the Twins had players who'd had major league experience filling in. They may not have been the most talented players, but guys like Matt Tolbert, Trevor Plouffe, and Drew Butera have all seen fairly significant time in the big leagues. If we're honest about it though, the utilization of those players isn't totally to blame, either.
When a team is struggling at the plate, and is having a hard time getting runs on the board, it's absolutely vital that pitching keep them afloat. Therin lies the key to the 2011 debacle. With inconsistency in the starting rotation, a bullpen that couldn't maintain the minimal leads the offense was giving them, and a closer in Matt Capps whose fastball rivals that of some of the kids pitching in the Little League World Series this month, it's no wonder the Twins found themselves looking up at the rest of the American League Central.
The offensive struggles have come primarily from three sources: Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Joe Mauer, and Delmon Young. Since returning from his leg injury, Nishioka has struggled mightily at the plate, proving that the Twins may have made a mistake, not just in signing him, but in not pursuing that which they already had in J.J. Hardy. So far, Hardy is hitting .275 with 21 HR and 40 extra-base hits. He currently has more extra-base hits than the primary Twins middle infield (Nishioka and Casilla) combined. Hardy is making $5.85 million this year, with Nishioka making only $3 million, however, if you count the $5.4 million bid the Twins spent to just speak to Nishi, they're into him for over $8 million this year. Hardy seems like the better investment at this point, wouldn't you say?
Mauer and Young have vastly underperformed this year. Mauer is riding the injury excuse, at least for another couple of weeks, but with Young, what you see is truly what you get. Both players were handled poorly during the offseason, with the Twins needing to take more of a hands-on approach with Mauer's rehab, and also a more aggressive approach trying to find a better home for Mr. Young. The result has been a combined 5 HR's and only 30 extra-base hits. And remember, J.J. Hardy has 40 himself. I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'.
All is not lost, however. The Twins do have some positive things to take from this season thus far. Michael Cuddyer has shown this team that he truly does have the heart to be the team's leader, on and off the field. Jim Thome is on the verge of making history with his 600th home run, which couldn't happen to a better guy. Jason Kubel has emerged as the Twins' best overall hitter, hitting for both average and power. Danny Valencia has shown some of the pop in his bat that the Twins expected when they called him up last year, sitting second on the team with 12 HR's. Ben Revere came up and proved himself to be a tremendous fielding outfielder, albeit with a tremendously weak throwing arm. And Glen Perkins has seemingly found himself a suitable role as the set-up man for Joe Nathan.
All of these things are very positive, and should be looked at as such. If the starters can improve their performances, and the veteran hitters like Mauer and Young can help to produce a few more runs, coupled with the positives mentioned...there's no reason the Twins can't still make a run for the division crown.
I just wouldn't hold my breath.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Twins Have Some Tough Decisions Ahead
After the Twins left the field on Sunday following a 7-0 loss and three-game sweep to their arch-rival White Sox, it became clearly evident that this team is not ready to compete this season. I know that sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but with a couple of promising weeks, it truly seemed like this team had turned the corner in June. Given what we've seen over the past two weeks on the road, and then their return back to Target Field this past weekend, there is no question that they need to begin looking at 2012, rather than trying to look at the remainder of 2011.
The Twins need to focus on a couple key areas over the next six months. In nor particular order:
With Cuddyer, the Twins need to find a way to bring him back to this team for the next couple of years. There's no doubt his price tag has gone up, but given his value to this team, both on the field and in the clubhouse, it's imperative that they not lose the heart and soul of their team...AGAIN. This happened before with Torii Hunter...not the greatest player they've had, but the face of the franchise and the best guy in the clubhouse. Michael Cuddyer deserves to succeed in Minnesota, nowhere else.
Given their inability to perform this season, Liriano, Capps, and Young all need to find new homes, sooner rather than later. Next season, the three combined will require about $20 million. Their level of production this season warrants more along the lines of about $8 million. Liriano lacks control, and doesn't seem to be paying much attention to Rick Anderson. Capps lacks an overpowering array of pitches, which leads to him being knocked around all over the park. Young is the biggest underachiever, having only one good season in 2010, and struggling at the plate in 2011. The $20 million that would be occupied by all three would be better suited for other free agents.
The Nishioka experiment has been a failed one thus far. Uncomfortable, over-matched, and lacking confidence. Those adjectives are the most applicable to Nishi. There seems to be a stigma with Japanese players that, once they're here, they have to remain in the majors. Unless there's something we're not aware of in the contract that Nishioka signed with the Twins, there's no reason they shouldn't send him down to Triple-A for the remainder of the season to try and build up his confidence and comfort level with the American game. What we're seeing right now is the equivalent of having a high-school junior quarterback into an NFL game. It's too fast, everyone is too big, and the offenses run are far different than high school. The same can be said for Nishi to the Majors. The game moves faster, the players are bigger and more athletic in America, and the game has different nuances here than in Japan. The better place for him to learn these things would be at the minor league level, as opposed to be thrown to the wolves at the Major League level. If the Twins wish to turn the experiment into somewhat of a success in 2012, they need to consider this as an option, and not worry about hurting his feelings.
The last seven weeks of the season would be the perfect time to mess with the lineup, after all, what's the worst that could happen. When you look at guys like Joe Mauer, Jason Kubel, Danny Valencia, and Delmon Young...would they be better suited hitting somewhere different in the lineup? When the Twins get Justin Morneau and Alexi Casilla back, the lineup will probably look like this: Span, Casilla, Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, Kubel, Valencia, Young, Nishioka. There are a couple of issues, in my opinion, with this lineup. The first is the third spot in the order, customarily held by Joe Mauer. Again, we understand he's been hurt, but what people don't get is that Joe is not a third-spot hitter. When you look around the Majors, the likes of Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun, Jose Bautista, Evan Longoria, Joey Votto, Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, to name a few, are the guys you're seeing in the third spot in their respective batting orders. Looking collectively at the other 29 guys in MLB this season hitting in the third hole, they sport the following numbers: .288, 16 HR, 57 RBI. Joe's numbers this season: .286, 1 HR, 21 RBI. Number three hitters should not be "table setters". Those roles should be reserved for your lead-off and second hitters. Joe's mentality at the plate is that of a table-setter. His focus seems to be to get base hits, not to drive runners in. If that's the case, then the Twins need to address the issue. Either turn Mauer into an RBI guy, which means they should look at batting him 5th or 6th in the order, or have him be the single-slapping table-setter he seems to want to be and move him into the #2 hole permanently. Coupled with that, why not put someone like a Jason Kubel or Delmon Young into the #3 spot in the order? Kubel has been one of the better run producers on this club over the last couple of years, so maybe he is more fit for hitting third in the order. Experimenting with the order now is the best time to do it. If you happen to catch lightning in a bottle over the last seven weeks and make something happen...great. If not, you've got a better understanding of what you can do next season with the guys you have.
With this weekend having been the reunion of the 1991 World Series Champions at Target Field, it brings to light a very glaring weakness the Twins have, and that is starting pitching. What helped the '91 team succeed was the strength of their starting rotation, namely Jack Morris, Kevin Tapani, and Scott Erickson, who combined for a total of 54 wins during the regular season. If the Twins' starters this season keep their current pace, they too will win 54 games this season. The only problem: they're doing it with five starters, not three. The "big three" in '91 won no fewer than 16 games. The Twins might be lucky to have two 10-game winners this year. The fact that the '91 team knew they had a great chance at winning every time those guys took the mound was crucial! It's amazing what that feeling can do for a team. With this team, you really have no idea what you're going to get. Are you going to see the Francisco Liriano that blows people away, or are you going to get the one that walks six guys in four innings? Are you going to get the Nick Blackburn that picks his spots and effectively works the strike zone, or are you going to get the guy that appears to be lobbing beach balls at opposing hitters? When the offense doesn't have confidence in pitching, it brings a feeling of "how many runs are we going to have to score today in order to win?" That's a feeling that won't get a team into the post season, let alone win a championship. The Twins need to show a sense of urgency this fall and throughout the offseason, with regard to trying to land a front-line starter or two. Yes, the bullpen has been a mess this season, but when you look at when the pen was at its collective best, it was in the month of June...when the starting rotation, for even a brief couple of weeks, looked dominant and had the ability to work deep into games. When they can't, the bullpen struggles. The starters the team currently has, Carl Pavano included, seem to be inconsistent with what you're going to see. Finding a true ace this offseason should be near the top of the Twins' "to-do" list.
Sadly, the team isn't far off from being a contender. They've been down this road before. They need to put together a game plan, and execute, no different than anything else. If they can take care of a couple of these glaring issues, there's no reason this team shouldn't lock up the Central Division, and look towards playing into October next season.
The Twins need to focus on a couple key areas over the next six months. In nor particular order:
- Figure out how to bring Michael Cuddyer back.
- Look at unloading a bit of salary, namely through Francisco Liriano, Matt Capps, and Delmon Young
- Make a decision on Tsuyoshi Nishioka
- Make a few lineup changes
- Find a way to bring in a front-line starter
With Cuddyer, the Twins need to find a way to bring him back to this team for the next couple of years. There's no doubt his price tag has gone up, but given his value to this team, both on the field and in the clubhouse, it's imperative that they not lose the heart and soul of their team...AGAIN. This happened before with Torii Hunter...not the greatest player they've had, but the face of the franchise and the best guy in the clubhouse. Michael Cuddyer deserves to succeed in Minnesota, nowhere else.
Given their inability to perform this season, Liriano, Capps, and Young all need to find new homes, sooner rather than later. Next season, the three combined will require about $20 million. Their level of production this season warrants more along the lines of about $8 million. Liriano lacks control, and doesn't seem to be paying much attention to Rick Anderson. Capps lacks an overpowering array of pitches, which leads to him being knocked around all over the park. Young is the biggest underachiever, having only one good season in 2010, and struggling at the plate in 2011. The $20 million that would be occupied by all three would be better suited for other free agents.
The Nishioka experiment has been a failed one thus far. Uncomfortable, over-matched, and lacking confidence. Those adjectives are the most applicable to Nishi. There seems to be a stigma with Japanese players that, once they're here, they have to remain in the majors. Unless there's something we're not aware of in the contract that Nishioka signed with the Twins, there's no reason they shouldn't send him down to Triple-A for the remainder of the season to try and build up his confidence and comfort level with the American game. What we're seeing right now is the equivalent of having a high-school junior quarterback into an NFL game. It's too fast, everyone is too big, and the offenses run are far different than high school. The same can be said for Nishi to the Majors. The game moves faster, the players are bigger and more athletic in America, and the game has different nuances here than in Japan. The better place for him to learn these things would be at the minor league level, as opposed to be thrown to the wolves at the Major League level. If the Twins wish to turn the experiment into somewhat of a success in 2012, they need to consider this as an option, and not worry about hurting his feelings.
The last seven weeks of the season would be the perfect time to mess with the lineup, after all, what's the worst that could happen. When you look at guys like Joe Mauer, Jason Kubel, Danny Valencia, and Delmon Young...would they be better suited hitting somewhere different in the lineup? When the Twins get Justin Morneau and Alexi Casilla back, the lineup will probably look like this: Span, Casilla, Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer, Kubel, Valencia, Young, Nishioka. There are a couple of issues, in my opinion, with this lineup. The first is the third spot in the order, customarily held by Joe Mauer. Again, we understand he's been hurt, but what people don't get is that Joe is not a third-spot hitter. When you look around the Majors, the likes of Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun, Jose Bautista, Evan Longoria, Joey Votto, Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, to name a few, are the guys you're seeing in the third spot in their respective batting orders. Looking collectively at the other 29 guys in MLB this season hitting in the third hole, they sport the following numbers: .288, 16 HR, 57 RBI. Joe's numbers this season: .286, 1 HR, 21 RBI. Number three hitters should not be "table setters". Those roles should be reserved for your lead-off and second hitters. Joe's mentality at the plate is that of a table-setter. His focus seems to be to get base hits, not to drive runners in. If that's the case, then the Twins need to address the issue. Either turn Mauer into an RBI guy, which means they should look at batting him 5th or 6th in the order, or have him be the single-slapping table-setter he seems to want to be and move him into the #2 hole permanently. Coupled with that, why not put someone like a Jason Kubel or Delmon Young into the #3 spot in the order? Kubel has been one of the better run producers on this club over the last couple of years, so maybe he is more fit for hitting third in the order. Experimenting with the order now is the best time to do it. If you happen to catch lightning in a bottle over the last seven weeks and make something happen...great. If not, you've got a better understanding of what you can do next season with the guys you have.
With this weekend having been the reunion of the 1991 World Series Champions at Target Field, it brings to light a very glaring weakness the Twins have, and that is starting pitching. What helped the '91 team succeed was the strength of their starting rotation, namely Jack Morris, Kevin Tapani, and Scott Erickson, who combined for a total of 54 wins during the regular season. If the Twins' starters this season keep their current pace, they too will win 54 games this season. The only problem: they're doing it with five starters, not three. The "big three" in '91 won no fewer than 16 games. The Twins might be lucky to have two 10-game winners this year. The fact that the '91 team knew they had a great chance at winning every time those guys took the mound was crucial! It's amazing what that feeling can do for a team. With this team, you really have no idea what you're going to get. Are you going to see the Francisco Liriano that blows people away, or are you going to get the one that walks six guys in four innings? Are you going to get the Nick Blackburn that picks his spots and effectively works the strike zone, or are you going to get the guy that appears to be lobbing beach balls at opposing hitters? When the offense doesn't have confidence in pitching, it brings a feeling of "how many runs are we going to have to score today in order to win?" That's a feeling that won't get a team into the post season, let alone win a championship. The Twins need to show a sense of urgency this fall and throughout the offseason, with regard to trying to land a front-line starter or two. Yes, the bullpen has been a mess this season, but when you look at when the pen was at its collective best, it was in the month of June...when the starting rotation, for even a brief couple of weeks, looked dominant and had the ability to work deep into games. When they can't, the bullpen struggles. The starters the team currently has, Carl Pavano included, seem to be inconsistent with what you're going to see. Finding a true ace this offseason should be near the top of the Twins' "to-do" list.
Sadly, the team isn't far off from being a contender. They've been down this road before. They need to put together a game plan, and execute, no different than anything else. If they can take care of a couple of these glaring issues, there's no reason this team shouldn't lock up the Central Division, and look towards playing into October next season.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Non-Identical Twins? I Think So.
With the Twins and their fans celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the 1991 World Series Championship team this weekend, it got me thinking a bit about the differences between that squad and the current incarnation of the team. Interesting, really, but frustrating nonetheless.
When you look up and down the lineups, there are a few similarities, a few surprises, and a few no brainers. To start with, let me call out a couple of issues before I continue:
On paper, this seems like an obvious no brainer. Joe Mauer is a three-time American League batting champion, and a former MVP. He has been the face of this franchise since taking over as the full-time catcher almost seven years ago. Brian Harper, however, had a grittiness to him that was unmatched. A career .295 hitter, Harper hit over .300 as a Twin over the six seasons he played. His stats during the 1991 season: .311, 10 HR, 60 RBI. Mauer's stats this season: .293, 1 HR, 20 RBI. EDGE: Looking at just the season, it could be argued that the edge would have to go to Harper.
First Base: Kent Hrbek ('91) vs. Michael Cuddyer ('11)
With Justin Morneau hurt for the better part of the last three seasons, Michael Cuddyer has stepped into the first base role as if he'd played there his entire life. Back in 1991, Kent Hrbek owned first base. Getting him out of the lineup was a chore, just as it is trying to get Cuddyer a day off, regardless of the position he plays. Hrbek was one of the vocal team leaders of the '91 team, and an obvious inspiration to many of his teammates. Cuddyer could arguably be the glue that has held this 2011 team together, albeit by a thread. Hrbek's stats in '91: .284, 20 HR, 89 RBI. Cuddyer's 2011 stats: .301, 18 HR, 60 RBI. EDGE: Toss Up. Both players were integral parts of their own teams.
Second Base: Chuck Knoblauch ('91) vs. Alexi Casilla ('11)
Chuck Knoblauch, despite his strange and erratic behavior later in his career, was probably one of the most important pieces of the '91 championship run. As a rookie, he batted second for the Twins, and played outstanding defense in the field, making a terrific combination up the middle with Greg Gagne. Speaking of erratic, Alexi Casilla seemed to have finally come into his own this season, maturing in a matter of weeks to be a solid fixture at second base, before recently getting coming up lame with a hamstring issue. His impact to the team, however, is nowhere close to that of his '91 predecessor. Knoblauch's '91 stats: .281, 1 HR, 50 RBI. Casilla's stats in '11: .259, 2 HR, 21 RBI. EDGE: Easily Knoblauch, if for no other reason than the "deke" in Game 7.
Shortstop: Greg Gagne ('91) vs. Tsuyoshi Nishioka ('11)
Really, there isn't even a point in discussing this one. Greg Gagne was an invaluable player for the Twins in the late '80's and early '90's. His defense alone was something to behold, despite never winning a Gold Glove. Tsuyoshi Nishioka has been the disappointment of disappointments, having what could arguably be the worst season for a Japanese position player in history. Although"Nishi" broke his leg in the seventh game of the season, it has been clear that he's far from being a Major League-ready player, both in the field and at the plate. Gagne's '91 stats: .265, 8 HR, 42 RBI. Nishioka's stats in '11: .211, 0 HR, 14 RBI. EDGE: Gagne, without question.
Third Base: Mike Pagliarulo ('91) vs. Danny Valencia ('11)
Mike Pagliarulo was one of two third baseman used by the Twins during the 1991 season, with Scott Leius being the other. Pags hit one of the biggest home runs in Twins postseason history in the '91 ALCS against Toronto, which helped the Twins best the Jays in five games. Danny Valencia has shown in his first two seasons that he has the potential to be a great hitter for the Twins, displaying the ability to hit for average (as he did in his rookie year of 2010) and showing that he can also put the ball over the fence (as he is doing in his sophomore year). Valencia's problems come in the field, where he leads the Twins with 15 errors. Pagliarulo accounted for only 11 errors in 1991. Pags' 1991 numbers: .279, 6 HR, 36 RBI. Valencia's numbers in 2011: .244, 12 HR, 57 RBI. EDGE: Valencia. If you combine Pagliarulo and Leius' offensive numbers in '91, they hit 11 HR and drove in 56 runs. Valencia has topped both.
Left Field: Dan Gladden ('91) vs. Delmon Young ('11)
Dan Gladden defined the Twins attitude, both in 1987 and in 1991. His hard-nosed style set the tone for both teams, and it's no coincidence that the Twins' only two World Series titles came with Gladden leading the way. Delmon Young continues to under-achieve, and shows a far more minimalistic effort than his 1991 counterpart. It would be hard for anyone to confuse what Delmon does as "hustle", which is truly what defined Gladden. Gladden's stats in 1991: .247, 6 HR, 52 RBI. Young's 2011 stats: .266, 4 HR, 30 RBI. EDGE: The edge goes to Gladden, if for not other reason than his hustling double in Game 7, which ultimately led to Gene Larkin's bases loaded walk-off single in the 10th inning.
Center Field: Kirby Puckett ('91) vs. Denard Span ('11)
Truly, this isn't even a fair fight. Kirby Puckett WAS the Twins. Had it not been for Puckett putting the team on his back in Game 6, there never would've been a Game 7. His amazing catch of a Ron Gant blast to left center, followed soon thereafter by his incredible walk-off home run to send the series to the best finale ever, single-handedly puts him on a pedestal above all others. Denard Span has proven to be a terrific player for the current Twins, batting lead-off, getting on base, hustling, and playing great defense in center. It's unfortunate, because no matter who you would put here, even Torii Hunter, Puckett wins out. Kirby's numbers in '91: .319, 15 HR, 89 RBI. Span's '11 stats: .284, 2 HR, 15 RBI. EDGE: Puckett, without a shadow of a doubt!
Right Field: Shane Mack ('91) vs. Jason Kubel ('11)
It's safe to say that Shane Mack could possibly have been the most underrated player on the entire 1991 championship roster, and that's not to take anything away from anyone else on the team. His overall contribution that season was incredible. Although he had a less than stellar World Series, the Twins couldn't have gotten to where they were in '91 without the likes of Shane Mack. Jason Kubel has been the Twins' best player in 2011, when he's been healthy. He's shown more discipline, great power, and far better range in the outfield than could've ever been expected. Mack's 1991 statistics: .310, 18 HR, 74 RBI. Kubel's '11 campaign: .307, 7 HR, 39 RBI. EDGE: Shane Mack, for his "out of nowhere" performance throughout the entire season.
Designated Hitter: Chili Davis ('91) vs. Jim Thome ('11)
The team's leader in home runs and runs batted in for the 1991 season, Chili Davis stepped into the DH role as if he'd been doing it for the club for years. His bat in the lineup allowed players like Kirby and Herbie to see better pitches, and more than likely helped to contribute to the numbers Shane Mack put up as well. Jim Thome is a class act, and is on the verge of an incredible accomplishment, hitting 600 home runs this season. His health has been somewhat of a concern, with a couple trips to the DL this season. All told, his career has been amazing, but his season thus far could've been a bit better. Chili's numbers in '91: .277, 29 HR, 93 RBI. Thome's '11 stats: .252, 9 HR, 30 RBI. EDGE: Chili Davis, despite the incredible career of big Jim Thome.
Starting Rotation: Jack Morris, Scott Erickson, Kevin Tapani, Allan Anderson ('91) vs. Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn ('11)
The 1991 starting rotation featured three pitchers with more than 16 wins, capped by Scott Erickson's 20 win season. Collectively, you knew you were getting a solid start from each of the top three guys, each and every time they took the mound. The 2011 staff has shown nothing but inconsistency, led by Francisco Liriano. When each member of the 2011 rotation takes the hill, you never know if you'll be getting a quality start, or if you'll have to dive into the bullpen by the fourth inning. EDGE: Clearly the 1991 staff, with a 20-game winner and an 18-game winner, not to mention the best pitching performance of all time in the World Series, Jack Morris's 10-inning shutout in Game 7.
Relief Pitching: Notable names include: Carl Willis, Mark Guthrie, Steve Bedrosian ('91) vs. Jose Mijares, Glen Perkins, Matt Capps ('11)
Considering the numerous blown saves given up by the 2011 bullpen, it's safe to say that the better of the two bullpen staffs goes to the 1991 team. EDGE: 1991 Twins
Closer: Rick Aguilera ('91) vs. Joe Nathan ('11)
The Twins' all-time save leader for now, Rick Aguilera was a sure-fire lock when he came into games. Part of the reason the starting staff succeeded as well as it did was in no small part because of Aguilera. That being said, Joe Nathan is about to pass Aggy on the all-time Twins' saves list with his next saves. The Twins struggled early on in 2011 when Nathan pulled himself from the closer's role after coming off Tommy John surgery in 2009. Matt Capps had blown eight saves before Ron Gardenhire pulled the plug on him and put the ball back into Nathan's hands at the end of games. Unfortunately, Aguilera's impact on the club is far greater than that of Nathan currently. EDGE: Rick Aguilera, although both men have set the standard for closers in Minnesota.
Manager: Tom Kelly ('91) vs. Ron Gardenhire ('11)
Considering Ron Gardenhire would probably not be managing the Twins had it not been for Tom Kelly bringing him onto the staff in 1991 to coach third base, I would say that the overall edge would have to fall with T.K. His management style has often tried to be imitated, but rarely ever duplicated. Gardenhire appears to be more passive, and as a result, seems to be late regarding certain moves. EDGE: Tom Kelly
There you have it. As I said, on paper, you might actually think the 2011 Minnesota Twins would be far superior to that of their 1991 brethren, but as you look more in depth, the 1991 team had many things this current version does not. Based on some of those things, it's no surprise why the Twins are celebrating the 20 year anniversary this weekend with such pomp and circumstance. Hopefully, with a few tweaks to this current roster, Minnesota fans could see another magical run to the World Series trophy.
When you look up and down the lineups, there are a few similarities, a few surprises, and a few no brainers. To start with, let me call out a couple of issues before I continue:
- As I look at the 2011 Twins, I've considered the best lineup available for most of the season. With the fact that Justin Morneau has been injured each of the last three seasons, I've taken him out of consideration at first base, since the Twins have done most of their winning over the last three seasons without him.
- I've chosen only one player from each position, despite the fact that there are a couple of instances (1991 third baseman and 2011 center fielders) where there has been more of a platoon due to injuries or what have you.
- I've taken only the best four starters from the 2011 team, since teams actually used only four-man rotations back in 1991. God, I miss the good old days!
On paper, this seems like an obvious no brainer. Joe Mauer is a three-time American League batting champion, and a former MVP. He has been the face of this franchise since taking over as the full-time catcher almost seven years ago. Brian Harper, however, had a grittiness to him that was unmatched. A career .295 hitter, Harper hit over .300 as a Twin over the six seasons he played. His stats during the 1991 season: .311, 10 HR, 60 RBI. Mauer's stats this season: .293, 1 HR, 20 RBI. EDGE: Looking at just the season, it could be argued that the edge would have to go to Harper.
First Base: Kent Hrbek ('91) vs. Michael Cuddyer ('11)
With Justin Morneau hurt for the better part of the last three seasons, Michael Cuddyer has stepped into the first base role as if he'd played there his entire life. Back in 1991, Kent Hrbek owned first base. Getting him out of the lineup was a chore, just as it is trying to get Cuddyer a day off, regardless of the position he plays. Hrbek was one of the vocal team leaders of the '91 team, and an obvious inspiration to many of his teammates. Cuddyer could arguably be the glue that has held this 2011 team together, albeit by a thread. Hrbek's stats in '91: .284, 20 HR, 89 RBI. Cuddyer's 2011 stats: .301, 18 HR, 60 RBI. EDGE: Toss Up. Both players were integral parts of their own teams.
Second Base: Chuck Knoblauch ('91) vs. Alexi Casilla ('11)
Chuck Knoblauch, despite his strange and erratic behavior later in his career, was probably one of the most important pieces of the '91 championship run. As a rookie, he batted second for the Twins, and played outstanding defense in the field, making a terrific combination up the middle with Greg Gagne. Speaking of erratic, Alexi Casilla seemed to have finally come into his own this season, maturing in a matter of weeks to be a solid fixture at second base, before recently getting coming up lame with a hamstring issue. His impact to the team, however, is nowhere close to that of his '91 predecessor. Knoblauch's '91 stats: .281, 1 HR, 50 RBI. Casilla's stats in '11: .259, 2 HR, 21 RBI. EDGE: Easily Knoblauch, if for no other reason than the "deke" in Game 7.
Shortstop: Greg Gagne ('91) vs. Tsuyoshi Nishioka ('11)
Really, there isn't even a point in discussing this one. Greg Gagne was an invaluable player for the Twins in the late '80's and early '90's. His defense alone was something to behold, despite never winning a Gold Glove. Tsuyoshi Nishioka has been the disappointment of disappointments, having what could arguably be the worst season for a Japanese position player in history. Although"Nishi" broke his leg in the seventh game of the season, it has been clear that he's far from being a Major League-ready player, both in the field and at the plate. Gagne's '91 stats: .265, 8 HR, 42 RBI. Nishioka's stats in '11: .211, 0 HR, 14 RBI. EDGE: Gagne, without question.
Third Base: Mike Pagliarulo ('91) vs. Danny Valencia ('11)
Mike Pagliarulo was one of two third baseman used by the Twins during the 1991 season, with Scott Leius being the other. Pags hit one of the biggest home runs in Twins postseason history in the '91 ALCS against Toronto, which helped the Twins best the Jays in five games. Danny Valencia has shown in his first two seasons that he has the potential to be a great hitter for the Twins, displaying the ability to hit for average (as he did in his rookie year of 2010) and showing that he can also put the ball over the fence (as he is doing in his sophomore year). Valencia's problems come in the field, where he leads the Twins with 15 errors. Pagliarulo accounted for only 11 errors in 1991. Pags' 1991 numbers: .279, 6 HR, 36 RBI. Valencia's numbers in 2011: .244, 12 HR, 57 RBI. EDGE: Valencia. If you combine Pagliarulo and Leius' offensive numbers in '91, they hit 11 HR and drove in 56 runs. Valencia has topped both.
Left Field: Dan Gladden ('91) vs. Delmon Young ('11)
Dan Gladden defined the Twins attitude, both in 1987 and in 1991. His hard-nosed style set the tone for both teams, and it's no coincidence that the Twins' only two World Series titles came with Gladden leading the way. Delmon Young continues to under-achieve, and shows a far more minimalistic effort than his 1991 counterpart. It would be hard for anyone to confuse what Delmon does as "hustle", which is truly what defined Gladden. Gladden's stats in 1991: .247, 6 HR, 52 RBI. Young's 2011 stats: .266, 4 HR, 30 RBI. EDGE: The edge goes to Gladden, if for not other reason than his hustling double in Game 7, which ultimately led to Gene Larkin's bases loaded walk-off single in the 10th inning.
Center Field: Kirby Puckett ('91) vs. Denard Span ('11)
Truly, this isn't even a fair fight. Kirby Puckett WAS the Twins. Had it not been for Puckett putting the team on his back in Game 6, there never would've been a Game 7. His amazing catch of a Ron Gant blast to left center, followed soon thereafter by his incredible walk-off home run to send the series to the best finale ever, single-handedly puts him on a pedestal above all others. Denard Span has proven to be a terrific player for the current Twins, batting lead-off, getting on base, hustling, and playing great defense in center. It's unfortunate, because no matter who you would put here, even Torii Hunter, Puckett wins out. Kirby's numbers in '91: .319, 15 HR, 89 RBI. Span's '11 stats: .284, 2 HR, 15 RBI. EDGE: Puckett, without a shadow of a doubt!
Right Field: Shane Mack ('91) vs. Jason Kubel ('11)
It's safe to say that Shane Mack could possibly have been the most underrated player on the entire 1991 championship roster, and that's not to take anything away from anyone else on the team. His overall contribution that season was incredible. Although he had a less than stellar World Series, the Twins couldn't have gotten to where they were in '91 without the likes of Shane Mack. Jason Kubel has been the Twins' best player in 2011, when he's been healthy. He's shown more discipline, great power, and far better range in the outfield than could've ever been expected. Mack's 1991 statistics: .310, 18 HR, 74 RBI. Kubel's '11 campaign: .307, 7 HR, 39 RBI. EDGE: Shane Mack, for his "out of nowhere" performance throughout the entire season.
Designated Hitter: Chili Davis ('91) vs. Jim Thome ('11)
The team's leader in home runs and runs batted in for the 1991 season, Chili Davis stepped into the DH role as if he'd been doing it for the club for years. His bat in the lineup allowed players like Kirby and Herbie to see better pitches, and more than likely helped to contribute to the numbers Shane Mack put up as well. Jim Thome is a class act, and is on the verge of an incredible accomplishment, hitting 600 home runs this season. His health has been somewhat of a concern, with a couple trips to the DL this season. All told, his career has been amazing, but his season thus far could've been a bit better. Chili's numbers in '91: .277, 29 HR, 93 RBI. Thome's '11 stats: .252, 9 HR, 30 RBI. EDGE: Chili Davis, despite the incredible career of big Jim Thome.
Starting Rotation: Jack Morris, Scott Erickson, Kevin Tapani, Allan Anderson ('91) vs. Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano, Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn ('11)
The 1991 starting rotation featured three pitchers with more than 16 wins, capped by Scott Erickson's 20 win season. Collectively, you knew you were getting a solid start from each of the top three guys, each and every time they took the mound. The 2011 staff has shown nothing but inconsistency, led by Francisco Liriano. When each member of the 2011 rotation takes the hill, you never know if you'll be getting a quality start, or if you'll have to dive into the bullpen by the fourth inning. EDGE: Clearly the 1991 staff, with a 20-game winner and an 18-game winner, not to mention the best pitching performance of all time in the World Series, Jack Morris's 10-inning shutout in Game 7.
Relief Pitching: Notable names include: Carl Willis, Mark Guthrie, Steve Bedrosian ('91) vs. Jose Mijares, Glen Perkins, Matt Capps ('11)
Considering the numerous blown saves given up by the 2011 bullpen, it's safe to say that the better of the two bullpen staffs goes to the 1991 team. EDGE: 1991 Twins
Closer: Rick Aguilera ('91) vs. Joe Nathan ('11)
The Twins' all-time save leader for now, Rick Aguilera was a sure-fire lock when he came into games. Part of the reason the starting staff succeeded as well as it did was in no small part because of Aguilera. That being said, Joe Nathan is about to pass Aggy on the all-time Twins' saves list with his next saves. The Twins struggled early on in 2011 when Nathan pulled himself from the closer's role after coming off Tommy John surgery in 2009. Matt Capps had blown eight saves before Ron Gardenhire pulled the plug on him and put the ball back into Nathan's hands at the end of games. Unfortunately, Aguilera's impact on the club is far greater than that of Nathan currently. EDGE: Rick Aguilera, although both men have set the standard for closers in Minnesota.
Manager: Tom Kelly ('91) vs. Ron Gardenhire ('11)
Considering Ron Gardenhire would probably not be managing the Twins had it not been for Tom Kelly bringing him onto the staff in 1991 to coach third base, I would say that the overall edge would have to fall with T.K. His management style has often tried to be imitated, but rarely ever duplicated. Gardenhire appears to be more passive, and as a result, seems to be late regarding certain moves. EDGE: Tom Kelly
There you have it. As I said, on paper, you might actually think the 2011 Minnesota Twins would be far superior to that of their 1991 brethren, but as you look more in depth, the 1991 team had many things this current version does not. Based on some of those things, it's no surprise why the Twins are celebrating the 20 year anniversary this weekend with such pomp and circumstance. Hopefully, with a few tweaks to this current roster, Minnesota fans could see another magical run to the World Series trophy.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Unwritten Rules Need To Be Erased
Every sport seems to have its "unwritten rules". You know which ones I'm talking about. The rules that say you can't run up the score, or that you can't steal a base when you're winning by a lot, or even that you have to "defend" a teammate by going after one on the other team. Unwritten rules need to virtually erased!
Sunday afternoon, after Carlos Guillen of the Tigers stared him down following a no-doubter home run, Angels pitcher Jered Weaver, clearly upset by being shown up by Guillen, decided to pay him back by throwing the very next pitch almost into the ear hole of Alex Avila, the next Tiger hitter. I've heard many people over the last 48 hours saying Guillen was completely wrong by admiring his handy work, rather than heading toward first base immediately, thus saying Weaver was entitled to either throw at the next batter, or to throw at Guillen when he got up next. I have a better idea for Weaver: Keep the ball off the center of the plate next time.
What drives me up a wall when it comes to professional sports are the "codes" or the unwritten rules that teams and players are supposed to abide by. As far as I'm concerned, if you're being paid to play a game, anything goes. Jered Weaver makes $7.37 million this year. That ought to be enough money to keep someone from Carlos Guillen from driving the ball out of the ball park. The fact that you couldn't accomplish that shouldn't give you the right to get ticked off and throw at the next guy, just to show both Guillen, and the Angels, that you mean business. After the game, Weaver was quoted saying:
You were trying to prove a point? What point was that? You threw at a guy who you supposedly had gained a little respect for, not the guy who supposedly disrespected you. And the pitch was only two feet over his head because he ducked down as it was nearing his helmet. Seriously Jered, you might want to bring a box of Kleenex out to the mound with you in case someone decides to disrespect you with a five-hit game.
The troubling thing to me wasn't just the fact that Weaver decided to throw at Avila to avenge the home run Guillen hit. The fact that a second unwritten baseball rule was supposedly broken later that game. With Justin Verlander in the midst of his second no-hitter of the season, and the Tigers leading 3-0 in the top of the eighth inning, Erick Aybar of the Angels attempted to lead off the eighth with a bunt single. How could he possibly consider bunting in a 3-0 game, especially off a guy who has no-hit kinda stuff? How inconsiderate of Aybar, to try and break up a no-hitter with such a cowardly act, rather than try to reach base like a man and just get a hit. Forget the fact that the Angels just needed base runners in order to try and come back. He was probably more interested in showing up Verlander and preventing the no-hitter than he was trying to win the game.
Verlander was clearly upset after the inning, despite the bunt attempt resulting in an error on his own throw to first base, thus not breaking up the no-no. Motioning to Aybar as he took the field in the bottom of the inning, Verlander indicated that the next pitch Aybar saw from him would be square in the middle of his back. Kinda childish, actually. Perhaps if the game were more than a grand slam away from being an Angels win, say maybe an 8-0 score, then I could understand the "cheapness" of what the Tigers and their fans considered Aybar's act of bunting to be. But, that wasn't the score, and as far as I'm concerned, Aybar was doing everything in his power to keep his team in the game, not to bust up history in the making.
Professional athletes shouldn't be allowed to have "hurt feelings" in situations like this. When an NFL team is leading 35-0 at half-time, that shouldn't mean that they take to strictly running the ball in the second half to preventing running up the score. NFL teams pay their players quite well, actually, so, if a team is paying its defense $50+ million collectively to stop the other team's offense, then by God, they better be able to stop the other team's offense. If they can't, then that's too damn bad. Now, if we're talking high school, or even college, then we're talking about something different entirely. But, we're not talking high school or college. We're talking about professional athletes getting paid very lucrative professional contracts to perform.
The same could be said for baseball as a whole. If a team is up by nine runs in the fifth inning, should that mean that the team leading shouldn't be allowed to steal bases? Last I checked, Joe Mauer was making $23 million this year. If a team is leading 9-0 and chooses to steal on him, and he can't throw the guy out, then that's tough luck for Mr. Mauer and the Twins. Does that mean a hitter who drives a ball into the gap for a sure-fire double in a 12-2 game should hold up at first so he doesn't appear to be "rubbing it in"? That's an absolutely ridiculous notion!
The sooner sports decide that the unwritten rules or the unwritten code aren't what keeps the game going, the better. Is it embarrassing when your team gets shellacked by 10 runs? Absolutely. Is it any more embarrassing when they get beat by 15? It shouldn't be, but for some reason, that's what we make it. So...let's get these unwritten rules unwrittenly erased.
Sunday afternoon, after Carlos Guillen of the Tigers stared him down following a no-doubter home run, Angels pitcher Jered Weaver, clearly upset by being shown up by Guillen, decided to pay him back by throwing the very next pitch almost into the ear hole of Alex Avila, the next Tiger hitter. I've heard many people over the last 48 hours saying Guillen was completely wrong by admiring his handy work, rather than heading toward first base immediately, thus saying Weaver was entitled to either throw at the next batter, or to throw at Guillen when he got up next. I have a better idea for Weaver: Keep the ball off the center of the plate next time.
What drives me up a wall when it comes to professional sports are the "codes" or the unwritten rules that teams and players are supposed to abide by. As far as I'm concerned, if you're being paid to play a game, anything goes. Jered Weaver makes $7.37 million this year. That ought to be enough money to keep someone from Carlos Guillen from driving the ball out of the ball park. The fact that you couldn't accomplish that shouldn't give you the right to get ticked off and throw at the next guy, just to show both Guillen, and the Angels, that you mean business. After the game, Weaver was quoted saying:
"He caught me in the All-Star Game (referring to Avila), and we gained a little respect for each other there. So I'm not here to hurt nobody. I just felt like I needed to prove a point. I think if I wanted to hit him, I could have hit him. I just threw a fastball up and in and it got up and away. It probably looked a little worse than it was, but it was clearly about a foot or two over his head."
You were trying to prove a point? What point was that? You threw at a guy who you supposedly had gained a little respect for, not the guy who supposedly disrespected you. And the pitch was only two feet over his head because he ducked down as it was nearing his helmet. Seriously Jered, you might want to bring a box of Kleenex out to the mound with you in case someone decides to disrespect you with a five-hit game.
The troubling thing to me wasn't just the fact that Weaver decided to throw at Avila to avenge the home run Guillen hit. The fact that a second unwritten baseball rule was supposedly broken later that game. With Justin Verlander in the midst of his second no-hitter of the season, and the Tigers leading 3-0 in the top of the eighth inning, Erick Aybar of the Angels attempted to lead off the eighth with a bunt single. How could he possibly consider bunting in a 3-0 game, especially off a guy who has no-hit kinda stuff? How inconsiderate of Aybar, to try and break up a no-hitter with such a cowardly act, rather than try to reach base like a man and just get a hit. Forget the fact that the Angels just needed base runners in order to try and come back. He was probably more interested in showing up Verlander and preventing the no-hitter than he was trying to win the game.
Verlander was clearly upset after the inning, despite the bunt attempt resulting in an error on his own throw to first base, thus not breaking up the no-no. Motioning to Aybar as he took the field in the bottom of the inning, Verlander indicated that the next pitch Aybar saw from him would be square in the middle of his back. Kinda childish, actually. Perhaps if the game were more than a grand slam away from being an Angels win, say maybe an 8-0 score, then I could understand the "cheapness" of what the Tigers and their fans considered Aybar's act of bunting to be. But, that wasn't the score, and as far as I'm concerned, Aybar was doing everything in his power to keep his team in the game, not to bust up history in the making.
Professional athletes shouldn't be allowed to have "hurt feelings" in situations like this. When an NFL team is leading 35-0 at half-time, that shouldn't mean that they take to strictly running the ball in the second half to preventing running up the score. NFL teams pay their players quite well, actually, so, if a team is paying its defense $50+ million collectively to stop the other team's offense, then by God, they better be able to stop the other team's offense. If they can't, then that's too damn bad. Now, if we're talking high school, or even college, then we're talking about something different entirely. But, we're not talking high school or college. We're talking about professional athletes getting paid very lucrative professional contracts to perform.
The same could be said for baseball as a whole. If a team is up by nine runs in the fifth inning, should that mean that the team leading shouldn't be allowed to steal bases? Last I checked, Joe Mauer was making $23 million this year. If a team is leading 9-0 and chooses to steal on him, and he can't throw the guy out, then that's tough luck for Mr. Mauer and the Twins. Does that mean a hitter who drives a ball into the gap for a sure-fire double in a 12-2 game should hold up at first so he doesn't appear to be "rubbing it in"? That's an absolutely ridiculous notion!
The sooner sports decide that the unwritten rules or the unwritten code aren't what keeps the game going, the better. Is it embarrassing when your team gets shellacked by 10 runs? Absolutely. Is it any more embarrassing when they get beat by 15? It shouldn't be, but for some reason, that's what we make it. So...let's get these unwritten rules unwrittenly erased.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Enough Is Enough! It's Time To Be A Man, Joe!
The Atlanta Braves have played a total of 88 games thus far in 2011. Brian McCann has played in a total of 76 of those games. With the Braves playing in the National League, McCann hasn't had the luxury of playing any of these games at the Designated Hitter position. He's played each of those games behind the plate as the Braves' catcher. Only three times this season has he taken two days off within the span of five days. His season totals thus far: .314 BA, 14 HR, 48 RBI. After six seasons in the big leagues, there are no stories out of the Atlanta area asking for McCann to shift down the line to play first base.
Joe Mauer came into the league with high expectations, primarily because of his hometown hero status amongst those in the state of Minnesota. He's been one of the best catchers in baseball over his seven year career. As we all know, Joe's biggest challenge has been to stay healthy. That's always been the big question in Minnesota. But, when you see numbers like those put up by the Braves' Brian McCann, the bigger question in Minnesota should be, why can't we expect those kind of numbers from Joe?
Joe's knee problems started early, so it's not a surprise that the Twins, namely Ron Gardenhire, are trying to protect his body by giving him days off. No one is angered or outraged over that fact. As I just stated, McCann has had 12 days off thus far throughout the first half of the season for the Braves. What many like myself are irritated with is how many days off behind the plate Mauer seems to get. Here are Joe's last 10 days:
So, here's my next question: Understanding the idea of giving Joe a day off behind home plate every now and then, why was he given three days off from catching (28th, 30th, 2nd) in a span of five days? If he's not able to catch five days a week, then why is he off the disabled list? That would indicate to me that he's not fully healthy. I think we'd all be very happy if he caught five days a week, and then was given a day off. Instead, he's catching two days, then either DH'ing or being taken out of the lineup all together. Gardy might be making out the lineup card, but if a player of Joe's caliber wants to play, he finds a way to play.
Some are saying part of the reason Mauer is struggling this season after returning from his stint on the disabled list is because the Twins rushed him back when he wasn't ready to return this spring. What people should be more angered and outraged over was why he wasn't prepared to start the season in the first place. Mauer's thought process from the beginning after he had his knee operated on was to "be ready for Opening Day," rather than to be ready for Spring Training. What that meant was that, rather than using Spring Training to fine-tune his game like most players, he was using Spring Training to more or less rehabilitate his knee. It's been stated by some that Mauer was conducting his own rehab during the offseason after the surgery. As we can see, that meant "taking it easy" and not pushing anything too hard. In fact, he didn't start playing in games until half-way through the Spring Training season. The question is, had the Twins been running his rehab, would he have been ready to do that fine-tuning in Spring Training instead of trying to get healthy? We'll never know that answer.
Joe needs to take a lesson from Brian McCann and keep himself in the lineup, whether that be catching, DH'ing, or playing first base. For the record, I don't agree with moving him to a different position permanently, but on a one-off basis, it makes sense to keep his bat in the lineup. But again, if Gardy is telling Joe he's not playing today, Joe needs to tell him, "Yes, I am," and get himself in there. His teammates deserve it, the fans deserve it, and, for $23 million a year, the Twins as an organization deserve it.
The talk of Mauer and his three batting titles as a catcher being the foundation of a solid Hall of Fame-type resume is valid. But, looking at the following...what does that make McCann? Right now, I can tell you where I'd rather spend my money.
Career Stats
Joe Mauer came into the league with high expectations, primarily because of his hometown hero status amongst those in the state of Minnesota. He's been one of the best catchers in baseball over his seven year career. As we all know, Joe's biggest challenge has been to stay healthy. That's always been the big question in Minnesota. But, when you see numbers like those put up by the Braves' Brian McCann, the bigger question in Minnesota should be, why can't we expect those kind of numbers from Joe?
Joe's knee problems started early, so it's not a surprise that the Twins, namely Ron Gardenhire, are trying to protect his body by giving him days off. No one is angered or outraged over that fact. As I just stated, McCann has had 12 days off thus far throughout the first half of the season for the Braves. What many like myself are irritated with is how many days off behind the plate Mauer seems to get. Here are Joe's last 10 days:
- June 28th - DH
- June 29th - C
- June 30th - No game
- July 1st - C
- July 2nd - DH
- July 3rd - C
- July 4th - C
- July 5th - C
- July 6th - PH in 9th.
So, here's my next question: Understanding the idea of giving Joe a day off behind home plate every now and then, why was he given three days off from catching (28th, 30th, 2nd) in a span of five days? If he's not able to catch five days a week, then why is he off the disabled list? That would indicate to me that he's not fully healthy. I think we'd all be very happy if he caught five days a week, and then was given a day off. Instead, he's catching two days, then either DH'ing or being taken out of the lineup all together. Gardy might be making out the lineup card, but if a player of Joe's caliber wants to play, he finds a way to play.
Some are saying part of the reason Mauer is struggling this season after returning from his stint on the disabled list is because the Twins rushed him back when he wasn't ready to return this spring. What people should be more angered and outraged over was why he wasn't prepared to start the season in the first place. Mauer's thought process from the beginning after he had his knee operated on was to "be ready for Opening Day," rather than to be ready for Spring Training. What that meant was that, rather than using Spring Training to fine-tune his game like most players, he was using Spring Training to more or less rehabilitate his knee. It's been stated by some that Mauer was conducting his own rehab during the offseason after the surgery. As we can see, that meant "taking it easy" and not pushing anything too hard. In fact, he didn't start playing in games until half-way through the Spring Training season. The question is, had the Twins been running his rehab, would he have been ready to do that fine-tuning in Spring Training instead of trying to get healthy? We'll never know that answer.
Joe needs to take a lesson from Brian McCann and keep himself in the lineup, whether that be catching, DH'ing, or playing first base. For the record, I don't agree with moving him to a different position permanently, but on a one-off basis, it makes sense to keep his bat in the lineup. But again, if Gardy is telling Joe he's not playing today, Joe needs to tell him, "Yes, I am," and get himself in there. His teammates deserve it, the fans deserve it, and, for $23 million a year, the Twins as an organization deserve it.
The talk of Mauer and his three batting titles as a catcher being the foundation of a solid Hall of Fame-type resume is valid. But, looking at the following...what does that make McCann? Right now, I can tell you where I'd rather spend my money.
Career Stats
- J. Mauer
- 6'5", 235 lbs, 7 years pro, .324 Average, 81 HR's, 479 RBI's, .996 Fielding %
- B. McCann
- 6'3", 230 lbs, 6 years pro, .291 Average, 126 HR's, 513 RBI's, .989 Fielding %
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