tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post8382909038912637066..comments2023-12-19T20:25:36.069-06:00Comments on Nick's Twins Blog: Pulling Out All the StopsNick N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-11538530082655584292011-07-05T10:40:47.507-05:002011-07-05T10:40:47.507-05:00I like how you go "all out," Nick, in yo...I like how you go "all out," Nick, in your speculations, they're nice to read.<br /><br />My only take is that they sell and look forward to the future. This year is a wash, even though they theoretically have a shot.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10984504525577892812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-24914908510000485152011-07-05T04:27:54.888-05:002011-07-05T04:27:54.888-05:00Nick, your stance on Duensing has been a repeat tr...Nick, your stance on Duensing has been a repeat track all season. It's almost as if you wait to replay that same line again.<br /><br />Duensing has been a staple in the Twins rotation. One start doesn't prove he's amazing, but he had a good outing after you wrote this, maybe he reads your blog.<br /><br />Plouffe isn't an everday SS and has zero upside as an everday SS.<br /><br />I don't see why we have an eager desire to trade Thome. Unless the price is higher than I expect, I doubt we'll get much for him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-29591958560078689792011-07-04T20:09:23.837-05:002011-07-04T20:09:23.837-05:00Re: Previous
Replace "effective" with &q...Re: Previous<br />Replace "effective" with "consistent".mgravesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-47590556414843931712011-07-04T18:40:28.691-05:002011-07-04T18:40:28.691-05:00Two points/questions:
A. TT--speaking of math ch...Two points/questions: <br /><br />A. TT--speaking of math challenged: the Twins have the worst run differential in the League, and this is with 35 one run games. They spend a lot of time not even being close. Their expected winning percentage, based on their run differential, is under .400. What makes it likely that they will be able to go from that, to over .600 ball?<br /><br />B. Duensing is tied with Baker for the best Quality Start percentage on the team. Why move one of your most effective starters to the bull-pen? The bull-pen is not good--although Perkins gives hope for the future--and moving one of your most effective starters from a role where he throws 6 or 7 innings into a role where he throws 2/3 of an inning seems to be a rather poor use of personnel resources.mgravesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-54232989855337159292011-07-04T15:16:14.208-05:002011-07-04T15:16:14.208-05:00Funny he posts this yesterday and today Nishi driv...Funny he posts this yesterday and today Nishi drives a 2 run single to the right field wall and Duensing goes 8 effective shutout innings. Tomorrow post that we need to trade Mauer and maybe he will hit a home run!rhunt2323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-51732400471040386712011-07-02T03:50:43.377-05:002011-07-02T03:50:43.377-05:00Couldn't agree with numbers 2 or 3 more, i'...Couldn't agree with numbers 2 or 3 more, i've been thinking this for weeks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-16083014428755081022011-07-01T12:34:33.361-05:002011-07-01T12:34:33.361-05:00I actually agree with Nick on all counts, not that...I actually agree with Nick on all counts, not that any of them will happen. I believe Nishioka will be better than Plouffe, but it sure seems that he's flustered mentally and it seems some time in Rochester would settle him. <br /><br />The problem I have with the idea of selling is that with Smith our odds of improving our team for the future as a good as our chances of winning the division this year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-17757439912153328632011-06-30T15:28:03.803-05:002011-06-30T15:28:03.803-05:00@anonymous (again)- I don't think my assessmen...@anonymous (again)- I don't think my assessment of Nishioka is unfair at all, even given the small sample size. His tremendous play from Japan has resulted in bad fielding and abhorrent hitting. <br /><br />Sure, he played well in Japan and I'm sure he has a lot of potential. But right now he's a black hole and looks totally overmatched. I don't think the Twins should have to watch him mess up in the field and fail to produce at the plate all year before letting him catch up to MLB style of play in AAA. It isn't like he's hitting the ball fairly well and is just about to turn the corner- he's all about the weak grounders. <br /><br />And if we need to cut him some slack because of the leg injury, then maybe he needs to get back into form somewhere where he isn't hurting the parent club. If he's physically ready for the MLB, he can be here. If he isn't, send him to AAA.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-89409483923924498922011-06-30T11:21:09.406-05:002011-06-30T11:21:09.406-05:00And one more correction - it should be "Swarz...And one more correction - it should be "Swarzak" not "Hatcher (whoever that is)" who would need to go to AAA.TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-22219833814987913932011-06-30T10:37:01.510-05:002011-06-30T10:37:01.510-05:00"It reduces the the bullpen in order to ...&q..."It reduces the the bullpen in order to ..."<br /><br />Something got lost in that sentence It should say: <br /><br />"It reduces the depth in both the rotation and the bullpen in order to..."TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-20787618580384980712011-06-30T10:33:35.402-05:002011-06-30T10:33:35.402-05:00For Nick and the other math-challenged fans, if De...For Nick and the other math-challenged fans, if Detroit and Cleveland play at their current +.500 rate the rest of the year they will end up with 86 wins. If, over the rest of the season, the Twins win at rate the Phillies have so far, they would end up with 86 wins.<br /><br />And Frank, if the Twins win at that rate the second half their chances in the playoffs are going to be pretty good. There are plenty of reasons to think this team can be pretty good if they just get and stay healthy. <br /><br />Plouffe has played 25 games in the major leagues at shortstop, 10 last year. His problems at shortstop may be correctable with more time at AAA, but I am not sure the Twins believe that any more.<br /><br />Far from "pulling out all the stops", the suggestions here are just rearranging the furniture to no purpose. Sending Duensing to the bullpen, releasing Dumatrait and sending either Hatcher or Mijares to the minor leagues in order to make room for Slowey and James is just plain stupid. It reduces the the bullpen in order to make at most marginal improvements in long and middle relief. (Hoey is already in the minor leagues.) <br /><br />As for right handed relievers, Burnett has had a .556 WHIP in June and Nathan just got back. Obviously if the Twins think they can get a good, cheap right handed set up guy for a marginal prospect they should make that deal. In fact, they should ALWAYS make that deal. Unfortunately, most teams don't trade good pitchers away at all, much less for next to nothing.TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-70142849244330490112011-06-29T19:35:35.928-05:002011-06-29T19:35:35.928-05:00I agree with 2-4 but after putting all their eggs ...I agree with 2-4 but after putting all their eggs in the Nishioka basket, I think he needs more of a chance. Unfortunately the organization's best SS happens to be their starting 2B. I would move Casilla back to short and then platoon Hughes and Nishioka at 2B. Or just let Nishi be a utility or bench guy for a while. Get rid of Tolbert. He gives them nothing. And then bring up Plouffe to pinch hit and fill in at the infield positions. He might be a good option at 3B if Valencia keeps sucking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-2685386324231307722011-06-29T17:37:47.953-05:002011-06-29T17:37:47.953-05:00Ed Bast,
I do agree with you that we shouldn't...Ed Bast,<br />I do agree with you that we shouldn't be buyers and I do think we probably should be sellers, but not radical sellers. I think you sell Thome, regardless of if he gets to 600--someone will give us something for him. And then you toss up between who to sell: Kubel, Cuddyer or Young. When Span comes back I would like to see them move him to RF and keep Revere at CF, you can't move Revere at this point, he's been WAY too important to this team's success. So then we have just an overflow of OF's, not to mention a few guys in our system (Aaron Hicks, who's turned it around big time as of late) that will be getting a call in the next couple years. I don't think they'll move Cuddyer, but Kubel and Delmon could both be shipped.. I wouldn't cry about that.<br /><br />What we should really do is see what it would take to get Jesus Montero from the Yankees, I'm willing to bet it's not much.Joshua Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15958563009520010999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-21496244134997760362011-06-29T17:26:33.741-05:002011-06-29T17:26:33.741-05:00Correction - 4 not 2 hits. But same point. He do...Correction - 4 not 2 hits. But same point. He doesn't have enough ABs to show anything not to mention coming back from a broken leg and playing across the World. Might give him a few more games instead of sending him to Rochester.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-50790857052163423382011-06-29T17:21:13.191-05:002011-06-29T17:21:13.191-05:00Mike - All Year? He has played 19 games. But you...Mike - All Year? He has played 19 games. But your analysis is that he can't play? Put this in perspective Nishioka has 62 ABs if he had two more hits in his 19 games he would have a 260 average. But no under 200 average it's obvious. Several years of excellent play in Japan. No he can't play. Revere would have been walked for a lot of guys this year. The Twins have been bad at hitting their major problem. With a guy in scoring position and a hot hitter up you pitch to the guy struggling. That doesn't mean he can't play or should go to triple A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-12280014009919007842011-06-29T17:02:04.958-05:002011-06-29T17:02:04.958-05:00In response to the last anonymous post- Revere was...In response to the last anonymous post- Revere was intentionally walked because Nishioka has been awful all year. That wasn't a decision based on one game. The guy isn't hitting .200, looks like he can't compete at the MLB level, and hasn't shown any indication that that will change- obviously it might, but it doesn't look like it's coming any time soon.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-19264454459916958342011-06-29T16:03:38.550-05:002011-06-29T16:03:38.550-05:00I only compare errors because that’s what you did ...I only compare errors because that’s what you did in your actual column! Except I show a massive amount of errors. Plouffe’s UZR in a handful of games in the majors I didn’t point out. I pointed out that he is -13 runs under in his minor league career which is a huge sample. He can’t field at SS. Ben Revere was intentionally walked today because he was 2-3 on the day and Nishioka was 0-3 with Revere hitting well in the series. That’s a no brainer and it doesn’t mean anything. Some people rank Nishioka as a top prospect for the Twins (Aaron Gleeman for one) and he has proven himself in what you could call the minor leagues. The only point I concede is the fact that it’s very possible the Twins overvalued and overpaid for Nishioka. You give more than 19 games to Nishioka thought to find that out especially if there is nobody to replace him, which there is not. <br /><br />SeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-43876919107799542202011-06-29T15:57:36.716-05:002011-06-29T15:57:36.716-05:00Sean, I think I am gonna have to chalk this one up...Sean, I think I am gonna have to chalk this one up to Nick. <br /><br />- GardyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-29384068561010248192011-06-29T15:46:30.499-05:002011-06-29T15:46:30.499-05:00People complained that there was too much talk abo...People complained that there was too much talk about JJ Hardy at the beginning of the season, and I'm most over it, but still. That was an awful trade by the Twins and it still ticks me off.<br /><br />I'm not sure how he got the injury label when he played 151 and 146 games respectively in 2007 and 2008 (without the benefit of DH'ing) and played 115 at the MLB level (while playing a month or so in AAA) in 2009. The only real time he missed due to injury was 2010 with MN when he played 101 games, even with a wrist injury in 2010. He did miss about a month earlier this year as well, but everyone spends some time on the DL eventually.<br /><br />Anyway. The guy's a good defender, and despite a somewhat slow start to the year, he's hitting .303 with a .367 OBP and .548 slugging. Throw in 11 homeruns and just 1 error, that's someone you want on your team.<br /><br />That's someone the Twins could have had on their team and should have had on their team instead of worrying if an unproven and overpaid Japanese player was ever going to develop in the majors or if their weak farm system infielders would amount to something. I'm not writing off either Nishioka or Plouffe, but I haven't been impressed by either in the slightest.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-55539520031027016132011-06-29T15:17:00.264-05:002011-06-29T15:17:00.264-05:00The difference is that Nishioka makes 3 million a ...<i>The difference is that Nishioka makes 3 million a year and is a prospect. He needs to play.</i><br /><br />Yeah, in Triple-A. I couldn't care less how much the Twins mistakenly overpaid him during the offseason. He doesn't belong in the major leagues right now.<br /><br /><i>Or how about 153 errors at short in over 677 games at short plus a nice -13 runs below average at the position in the minor leagues.</i><br /><br />No one said Plouffe is a good defender, but his UZR score in a handful of MLB games is meaningless and it's amusing that you'd point to his error total in arguing that he's a worse option than Nishioka.<br /><br /><i>It's NOT clear Plouffe can hit.</i><br /><br />You're right, I'm sure his consistently strong offensive performance this year is nothing but a fluke, because lord knows no minor-league player has ever turned a corner at the ripe old age of 24.<br /><br />I don't think Plouffe is a very good player and he's almost certainly playing over his head in Triple-A, but he also had the highest slugging percentage of any Twins hitter when he was up earlier this year and he's been in Triple-A for three seasons. <br /><br />Even if you haven't taken notice of what a massive liability Nishioka is at this point, other teams have, as evidenced by the Dodgers' decision to intentionally walk the mighty Ben Revere to get to him in a big situation today.Nick N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-36570826658393202982011-06-29T15:06:11.635-05:002011-06-29T15:06:11.635-05:00Or how about 153 errors at short in over 677 games...<i>Or how about 153 errors at short in over 677 games at short plus a nice -13 runs below average at the position in the minor leagues. Not even at the majors. That doesn’t count his total of 172 errors when you add in his horrible play at 2B or 3B </i><br /><br />Without even bothering to look it up, I'm going to go out a a limb here and say I don't believe Plouffe has 325 errors in his career.USAFChiefnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-89314775304381008882011-06-29T14:42:11.926-05:002011-06-29T14:42:11.926-05:00I want to emphasis once again. It's NOT clear...I want to emphasis once again. It's NOT clear Plouffe can hit.<br />AAA Ball – 4 Seasons! <br />AVE 259<br />OBP 312<br />(Yeah you should get a chance with those numbers! You can hit!) Which those numbers are inflated by his unsustainable AVE303, OBP 374 line this year.<br />Or how about 153 errors at short in over 677 games at short plus a nice -13 runs below average at the position in the minor leagues. Not even at the majors. That doesn’t count his total of 172 errors when you add in his horrible play at 2B or 3B in case we really wanted him as a utility infielder. <br />No… I apologize you are right we need this guy to turn the season around, or maybe you were just goofing and meant we need him to help the Twins get the worst record in the Majors so we can get the 1st pick in the 2012 draft? Yeah I can dig that. Even with all of that, yeah I’d take him over Tolbert.<br /><br />SeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-60936573713877184912011-06-29T14:31:01.333-05:002011-06-29T14:31:01.333-05:00Ha, The difference is that Nishioka makes 3 millio...Ha, The difference is that Nishioka makes 3 million a year and is a prospect. He needs to play. They paid him to play and he was a solid player in Japan which would probably be AAA ball in the United States. <br />Plouffe is not a prospect and has never played well at any level. Plouffe doesn't even play short in the minors anymore and he CAN'T hit. 50 games at Rochester compared to 4 other years of him not hitting doesn't make him a hitter. Nishioka has proven on a professional level that he has the ability to hit and play well. If Plouffe continues to hit well for more than a lucky period of time then maybe he will get another shot as a utility guy or maybe a 4th ourfielder.<br /><br />SeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-5231267963503285672011-06-29T13:31:06.752-05:002011-06-29T13:31:06.752-05:00Not sure why Nishioka should get replaced by Plouf...<i>Not sure why Nishioka should get replaced by Plouffe who can't field the position. Nishioka hasn't even played 20 games.</i><br /><br />Plouffe played 15 games at SS. The hypocrisy of your statement is rich. I don't really trust either of these guys with the mitt but unfortunately the TWins traded one of the league's best shortstops for peanuts during the offseason so they'll have to make do.<br /><br />This much is clear: Plouffe can hit. Nishioka cannot. The Twins need offense.Nick N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00848574337121154690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11215059.post-50109306381769940052011-06-29T13:05:23.792-05:002011-06-29T13:05:23.792-05:00either ride (Nathan) to the playoffs as your close...<i>either ride (Nathan) to the playoffs as your closer or ride him to a high pick next year and write this year off.</i><br /><br />Minor point, but there is zero chance the Twins get draft pick compensation for Nathan next year. You have to offer arb, and be turned down by the player, to receive compensation. <br /><br />1) The Twins would never offer arb to Nathan and expose themselves to that salary and 2) they have an option on Nathan for 2012 anyway. They can't decline the option, pay the buyout, and then turn around and offer arb.USAFChiefnoreply@blogger.com