OT: How about those Twins?

[tbob]

Todd- At 5-9 and 160 lbs. Ben Revere will never be more than a .300 hitter who hits singles and doubles. He is a quick Jason Kubel with no power. Unless he morphs in to Kirby Puckett the Twins will continue to fashion the worst power hitting outfield in MLB. Span, Gomez, Young, Cuddyer and possibly Revere. Revere is also a lefty and Lord knows the Twins need right handed hitting. Morneau, Maurer, Kubel, Span, the core of the team all struggle against good lefties.
Bill Smith is way in over his head. You credit Smith for winning or almost winning the division the last 2 years. I'm sorry to see you have drunk the Kool-Aid. The AL Central was the weakest this year in all of baseball. The players who carried the team the last 2 years were acquired prior to Smith getting the job. You can't give him credit for any of these players. The ones he brought here were disasters until he hit it lucky with Pavano and to some extent, Cabrera.
Yes the Twins are cheap. Yes they did overpay Punto whom I am convinced has a picture somewhere of Gardenhire and a farm animal, that is the only reason he plays. You mention his ALDS batting average. Good for him. What about his hitting barely .200 for most of the season and being ranked DEAD LAST among AL infielders when it comes to all batting categories.
I bet the Yankee pitchers absolutely trembled when they looked in the dugout and saw Casilla, Tolbert, Buscher, Redmond and Morrales on the bench.
Gardo is 2-12 in the post season since 2002. He is the most overrated manager in baseball.

[nolemmings]

I find this particularly laughable "Morneau, Maurer, Kubel, Span, the core of the team all struggle against good lefties."

Mauer hit. 345 against lefties. Span hit .330. Morneau hit higher against lefties than righties. Only Kubel struggled, hitting .243, so I guess you platoon a .300 hitting 28 HR 103 RBI guy. BTW, Cuddyer hit .307 and Young .310 against southpaws so yeah, I can see where we've got no chance there.

Here's what, tbob. I'm gonna cheer for the Twins again next year, and history says they have a better than 50/50 shot of winning their division. I'm then gonna hope and pray they don't leave double-digit guys on base, blow two ninth innings and fall to a lowly ALDS opponent that wins 100+ games. I'll even pray that you get the job as GM, so I know we will be unstoppable.

You, you will start your annual rant about June as to how such a pathetic organization should be allowed to exist, how their manager and GM should be canned, and how anyone with 2 IQ points could guide this team to annual World Series appearances. Along about now, regardless of how far the Twins go in post-season, the rant will re-appear, and, I suppose, if they win it all we will get a shoulda-swept post or something similar. Believe me, watching parts of 120 or so Twins games a year, I can properly be accused of having a biased perspective of things, but when it comes to drinking Kool-Aid, man that's you, not me.

[ChiefBenderForever]

It's very tough to win even if you spend big bucks. Team chemistry is the key and for some reason the Twins seem to gel very good when other teams don't. I think Gardy needs to get some credit for the clubhouse getting along, but at the same time you have to wonder how many careless errors happen if Tom Kelly was running the show. Girardi has done a great job this year keeping his players on the same page, especially with a headcase like Afraud and all the drama he brings. Derek Jeter is the best player born since 1960.

[calvindog]

And Johnny, last year Girardi was nearly run out of town on a rail.

[ChiefBenderForever]

Originally Posted by calvindog

And Johnny, last year Girardi was nearly run out of town on a rail.

Well if they don't get past the Angels I'm sure the lynch mob will be out as always, even here about half the people are calling for Gardys head ! What a fun series Yankees/Dogers would be !
Tbob what happened you seem more bitter than I am about the loss !

[nolemmings]

1. I never claimed to be a better Twins fan than anyone, nor is it close to correct to suggest I never criticize the team. I've called Nick Punto every vulgar name known to man (repeating most just last Sunday), and have blasted everyone in the organization at one time or another.

2. You've got about 5 years on me, that's it, as I started with the Twins in '66. Yes, I regularly read the Twin Cities papers online, and yes I follow the minor league system. Nope, don't regularly read Baseball America. Don't need to. Want a true confession? I can't tell you what 16 year old kid in South Florida is the next Albert Pujols or what Dominican scout has the most signees in MLB. Want another confession? I couldn't care less, nor does that make me less informed about the team, and no, you couldn't tell me things about the team that I can't fathom, unless of course you want to dwell on those under 18 year olds that you may feel the need to scout.

3. Seems to me you will never be happy. There is not a team on the planet--any sport--that couldn't use improvement or could avoid criticism. That being said, it is a complete turn off to constantly hear whining about things that are irrelevant or that will never change. The Twins will never be in the AL East, or West. They will never outspend the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels, ever. Read that as NEVER, NUNCA, JAMAIS. Still, that awful AL Central has represented the league in the World Series two of the past four years, i.e. more recently than the Yankees.

The Twins will not always get Nathan, Liriano and Bonser for AJ Pierzinski in every trade. And while I wish they could and sometimes delude myself into thinking they should, I don't ask that heads roll when things don't work out. The Twins are one of the most stable and consistent franchises in all of MLB--they are known for it, and it plays a large part in their success. There is simply no need to completely gut management or portions of the team every year because they can't seem to get out of the first round, oftentimes playing an extremely formidable opponent.

4. I see, it's just the "good" lefties we can't hit. You know, like the guys at the top that all teams have trouble hitting. Guess what? I'm betting they couldn't hit Koufax either, and that Steve Carlton would give them fits occasionally. Guess what else? Let's get those tough right handed batters just for such occasion, so we can sit Mauer, Span, Kubel and Morneau.

This grows tiresome, and I am done. So you root your way, and I'll root mine, and we'll both look forward to next season, me with an eye toward stability and you with one for change. GO TWINS.

[murcerfan]

If Gardy is such an awesome manager and teacher....why does his team run the basepaths like little-leaguers?

[Anthony S.]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

The Twins will not always get Nathan, Liriano and Bonser for AJ Pierzinski in every trade.

Still wake up screaming from that one.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

I find this particularly laughable "Morneau, Maurer, Kubel, Span, the core of the team all struggle against good lefties."

You, you will start your annual rant about June as to how such a pathetic organization should be allowed to exist, how their manager and GM should be canned, and how anyone with 2 IQ points could guide this team to annual World Series appearances. Along about now, regardless of how far the Twins go in post-season, the rant will re-appear, and, I suppose, if they win it all we will get a shoulda-swept post or something similar. Believe me, watching parts of 120 or so Twins games a year, I can properly be accused of having a biased perspective of things, but when it comes to drinking Kool-Aid, man that's you, not me.

Todd, Todd, Todd. My team right or wrong my team, right? I've been a fan of the Twins since 1961, their first year in the Twin Cities. I used to ride my bicycle to the old Met and watch them. I have suffered through more years than almost anyone and finally after 26 years celebrated that championship. The thing is that you can cheer for your team, even live and die with your team, but still criticize things and hope things improve.
I never said most of the things you said, I've never argued for contraction, I've never said they should win the Series every year or even get there regularly. What I do gripe about is the horrible trades and awful free agency pickups our moronic GM has made and yes I do believe I could do better and so could about 95% of the posters on this board who have any modicum of baseball sense.
I watched 155 Twins games this year. I read the Star Tribune and STPPP daily online. I read Baseball America and other publications too. I never claimed to be an expert but I know enough about the team and organization to understand things you can't fathom. Have you checked the ratings for the farm system the last few years and how we have slid from near the top to near the bottom? Have you followed the Red Wings, Rock Cats, Ft. Wayne, etc?
I am glad you find it laughable that I stated that Morneau, Span, Maurer and Kubel struggle against GOOD lefties. The key is GOOD. You can throw out the statistics but whenever the game is on the line and the opposing team needs an out, they trot out a GOOD lefty reliever and our guys are punchless. Granted Maurer can hit about anyone, lefty or righty, but GOOD lefties like CC, Petit, Cliff Lee, etc always gave them fits. You know that.
OK, this is my last Twins post because I am sure most posters here are not Twins fans and we can always take it to email but I always find it interesting in life that people who never criticize a team think they are a "better" fan than someone who offers up his opinions when he sees something which can be improved, changed or removed. Go Twins in 2010!!!

[dwr11]

Originally Posted by tbob

Gardo is 2-12 in the post season since 2002. He is the most overrated manager in baseball.

That might be the funniest quote I have read on here. Gardy is somehow winning with Punto & Tolbert in the lineup on a regular basis and a bullpen of nobodies other than Nathan. If Gardy isn't AL manager of the year something is wrong.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by dwr11

That might be the funniest quote I have read on here. Gardy is somehow winning with Punto & Tolbert in the lineup on a regular basis and a bullpen of nobodies other than Nathan. If Gardy isn't AL manager of the year something is wrong.

I didn't say he was the worst manager in baseball, I said he was the most overrated. The key is that the Central Division is the worst division in baseball. Cleveland and Kansas City are horrible, Minnesota, Detroit and Chicago are the epitome of average. Someone has to win the division. If the Twins were in the east they would have finished 5th behind NY, Boston, Toronto and Tampa Bay. Luckily we get to play KC and Cleveland and the others so often we can usually manage to get above .500 and get in the playoffs where we have fallen flat on our faces 12 of the last 14 times.