TWINS

[tbuck]

Re: TWINS

Doug is the best defensive first baseman in the major leagues, and the best i've ever seen, but i'm not sure how heavily the Twins should lean on him for leadership. He has a habit of whining and complaining, and those aren't leadership qualities. Morneau isn't ready yet, so i think this was a good move by the Twins. They get incredible D, decent clutch hitting, and some trade bait if things change with the team or Morneau.

[dust247]

Re: TWINS

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Twins re-sign Doug Mientkiewicz! 2 year deal worth $7 million with an option for a third year

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

thank you, thank you, thank you. Terry Ryan actually did something right. Thank you, thank you, thank you

[dust247]

Re: TWINS

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Twins re-sign Doug Mientkiewicz! 2 year deal worth $7 million with an option for a third year

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

thank you, thank you, thank you. Terry Ryan actually did something right. Thank you, thank you, thank you

[dust247]

Re: TWINS

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Twins re-sign Doug Mientkiewicz! 2 year deal worth $7 million with an option for a third year

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

thank you, thank you, thank you. Terry Ryan actually did something right. Thank you, thank you, thank you

[RandyMoss84]

Re: TWINS

jeez i never saw this twins topic, i love em. great news we signed doug again

[RandyMoss84]

Re: TWINS

jeez i never saw this twins topic, i love em. great news we signed doug again

[RandyMoss84]

Re: TWINS

jeez i never saw this twins topic, i love em. great news we signed doug again

[tbuck]

Re: TWINS

Terry Ryan finally did something right? What has he done that was wrong? Let our aging closer go to Seattle for more money than he's worth? Traded our strike-out king catcher for some top level prospects? Not bringing back an ancient Kenny Rogers? As far as i'm concerned, the only player i'd like to see back here is Latroy Hawkins, but if you let Eddie G. go, do you make Hawkins the closer? That's what he would have expected. He had to let him move on. Hawkins is not a closer. Terry Ryan can't make a splash in the free agent market. He's limited by a tight budget, and he's done a great job. The team has questions going into the spring, but we're strong, and in my eyes, the frontrunners to win the Central.

What was Eddie G. before he was our closer? A set-up man.
Whom did he replace as closer? Hawkins.

Nathan is ready to close, and neither Hawkins nor Guardado are elite players. They're good, not great. They can be replaced.

[tbuck]

Re: TWINS

Terry Ryan finally did something right? What has he done that was wrong? Let our aging closer go to Seattle for more money than he's worth? Traded our strike-out king catcher for some top level prospects? Not bringing back an ancient Kenny Rogers? As far as i'm concerned, the only player i'd like to see back here is Latroy Hawkins, but if you let Eddie G. go, do you make Hawkins the closer? That's what he would have expected. He had to let him move on. Hawkins is not a closer. Terry Ryan can't make a splash in the free agent market. He's limited by a tight budget, and he's done a great job. The team has questions going into the spring, but we're strong, and in my eyes, the frontrunners to win the Central.

What was Eddie G. before he was our closer? A set-up man.
Whom did he replace as closer? Hawkins.

Nathan is ready to close, and neither Hawkins nor Guardado are elite players. They're good, not great. They can be replaced.

[tbuck]

Re: TWINS

Terry Ryan finally did something right? What has he done that was wrong? Let our aging closer go to Seattle for more money than he's worth? Traded our strike-out king catcher for some top level prospects? Not bringing back an ancient Kenny Rogers? As far as i'm concerned, the only player i'd like to see back here is Latroy Hawkins, but if you let Eddie G. go, do you make Hawkins the closer? That's what he would have expected. He had to let him move on. Hawkins is not a closer. Terry Ryan can't make a splash in the free agent market. He's limited by a tight budget, and he's done a great job. The team has questions going into the spring, but we're strong, and in my eyes, the frontrunners to win the Central.

What was Eddie G. before he was our closer? A set-up man.
Whom did he replace as closer? Hawkins.

Nathan is ready to close, and neither Hawkins nor Guardado are elite players. They're good, not great. They can be replaced.

[bender_over]

Re: TWINS

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
tbuck said:
Terry Ryan finally did something right? What has he done that was wrong? Let our aging closer go to Seattle for more money than he's worth? Traded our strike-out king catcher for some top level prospects? Not bringing back an ancient Kenny Rogers? As far as i'm concerned, the only player i'd like to see back here is Latroy Hawkins, but if you let Eddie G. go, do you make Hawkins the closer? That's what he would have expected. He had to let him move on. Hawkins is not a closer. Terry Ryan can't make a splash in the free agent market. He's limited by a tight budget, and he's done a great job. The team has questions going into the spring, but we're strong, and in my eyes, the frontrunners to win the Central.

What was Eddie G. before he was our closer? A set-up man.
Whom did he replace as closer? Hawkins.

Nathan is ready to close, and neither Hawkins nor Guardado are elite players. They're good, not great. They can be replaced.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Although I agree with you that Terry Ryan has done a great job given the circumstances, I don't agree with your assessment that AJ and Eddie had to go. AJ was, in my opinion, the second best catcher in the AL last year and should have made the All-Star team in place of Ramon Hernandez. As for your comment about Pierzynski striking out all the time, Pierzynski ranked 22nd among major league catchers (with #1 having the most strikeouts). In fact, he had half as many strikeouts (55) than Jorge Posada (110). As for Eddie, he ranks 3rd in the Majors in saves over the past 2 seasons with 86 saves. Only Eric Gagne (107) and John Smoltz (100) have mor over that time. Guardado is one of the top closers in the AL and will be missed. To go along with his AL leading number of saves over the past 2 years, he's maintained a 2.93 ERA.

But despite all of this info I just spit out, Ryan made some very tough decisions that were probably necessary in order to stay under the $55 million cap imposed by Pohlad. Ryan's done an outstanding job given the circumstances, but if the Twins could afford to keep the players they let go this offseason (especially Guardado, Hawkins, Milton, and Pierzynski) I'm sure they would have.

[bender_over]

Re: TWINS

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
tbuck said:
Terry Ryan finally did something right? What has he done that was wrong? Let our aging closer go to Seattle for more money than he's worth? Traded our strike-out king catcher for some top level prospects? Not bringing back an ancient Kenny Rogers? As far as i'm concerned, the only player i'd like to see back here is Latroy Hawkins, but if you let Eddie G. go, do you make Hawkins the closer? That's what he would have expected. He had to let him move on. Hawkins is not a closer. Terry Ryan can't make a splash in the free agent market. He's limited by a tight budget, and he's done a great job. The team has questions going into the spring, but we're strong, and in my eyes, the frontrunners to win the Central.

What was Eddie G. before he was our closer? A set-up man.
Whom did he replace as closer? Hawkins.

Nathan is ready to close, and neither Hawkins nor Guardado are elite players. They're good, not great. They can be replaced.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Although I agree with you that Terry Ryan has done a great job given the circumstances, I don't agree with your assessment that AJ and Eddie had to go. AJ was, in my opinion, the second best catcher in the AL last year and should have made the All-Star team in place of Ramon Hernandez. As for your comment about Pierzynski striking out all the time, Pierzynski ranked 22nd among major league catchers (with #1 having the most strikeouts). In fact, he had half as many strikeouts (55) than Jorge Posada (110). As for Eddie, he ranks 3rd in the Majors in saves over the past 2 seasons with 86 saves. Only Eric Gagne (107) and John Smoltz (100) have mor over that time. Guardado is one of the top closers in the AL and will be missed. To go along with his AL leading number of saves over the past 2 years, he's maintained a 2.93 ERA.

But despite all of this info I just spit out, Ryan made some very tough decisions that were probably necessary in order to stay under the $55 million cap imposed by Pohlad. Ryan's done an outstanding job given the circumstances, but if the Twins could afford to keep the players they let go this offseason (especially Guardado, Hawkins, Milton, and Pierzynski) I'm sure they would have.

[bender_over]

Re: TWINS

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
tbuck said:
Terry Ryan finally did something right? What has he done that was wrong? Let our aging closer go to Seattle for more money than he's worth? Traded our strike-out king catcher for some top level prospects? Not bringing back an ancient Kenny Rogers? As far as i'm concerned, the only player i'd like to see back here is Latroy Hawkins, but if you let Eddie G. go, do you make Hawkins the closer? That's what he would have expected. He had to let him move on. Hawkins is not a closer. Terry Ryan can't make a splash in the free agent market. He's limited by a tight budget, and he's done a great job. The team has questions going into the spring, but we're strong, and in my eyes, the frontrunners to win the Central.

What was Eddie G. before he was our closer? A set-up man.
Whom did he replace as closer? Hawkins.

Nathan is ready to close, and neither Hawkins nor Guardado are elite players. They're good, not great. They can be replaced.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Although I agree with you that Terry Ryan has done a great job given the circumstances, I don't agree with your assessment that AJ and Eddie had to go. AJ was, in my opinion, the second best catcher in the AL last year and should have made the All-Star team in place of Ramon Hernandez. As for your comment about Pierzynski striking out all the time, Pierzynski ranked 22nd among major league catchers (with #1 having the most strikeouts). In fact, he had half as many strikeouts (55) than Jorge Posada (110). As for Eddie, he ranks 3rd in the Majors in saves over the past 2 seasons with 86 saves. Only Eric Gagne (107) and John Smoltz (100) have mor over that time. Guardado is one of the top closers in the AL and will be missed. To go along with his AL leading number of saves over the past 2 years, he's maintained a 2.93 ERA.

But despite all of this info I just spit out, Ryan made some very tough decisions that were probably necessary in order to stay under the $55 million cap imposed by Pohlad. Ryan's done an outstanding job given the circumstances, but if the Twins could afford to keep the players they let go this offseason (especially Guardado, Hawkins, Milton, and Pierzynski) I'm sure they would have.

[tbuck]

Re: TWINS

Ryan DID have to trade AJ. If he keeps him on the team for one more year, he becomes arbitration elgible, and the Twins aren't going to give him the large contract he'd be awarded with Mauer waiting in the wings. Other teams know that as well, thereby decreasing the Twins' leverage in any trade talks. Trading him this year allows Ryan to negotiate with numerous teams, drive up the price, and bring back quality talent in return, which he did.

As for AJ's strikeouts, comparing him with Posada doesn't work. Posada's strikeouts come with large homerun and RBI totals. AJ's 7 HR's don't justify all the swings and misses. He is a good catcher and probably should have made the all-star team last year, but his loss won't mean a thing to the Twins this season. Mauer is already better defensively, and while he may not hit .300, he has much better plate discipline, and will most likely have a better on base percentage, which is more important.

Ryan traded AJ for our new closer, and 2 top level pitching prospects (Liriano is a lefty that hit 98 on the gun this winter!!). The trade brought us more than AJ could have on the field this year.

As for Eddie, he will not be missed. I expect him to have a sub-par year in Seattle this season. He does not have GREAT stuff, which is fine when you're closing games in the weak AL Central. We'll see how his numbers look trying to shut down teams in a tougher division. Nathan has 3 quality pitches and can get a strikeout in a tough spot. He's a veteran who has had success in a tough division, and has pitched in the playoffs and a pennant race. He's an unproven closer, but i expect him to excel in that role.

[tbuck]

Re: TWINS

Ryan DID have to trade AJ. If he keeps him on the team for one more year, he becomes arbitration elgible, and the Twins aren't going to give him the large contract he'd be awarded with Mauer waiting in the wings. Other teams know that as well, thereby decreasing the Twins' leverage in any trade talks. Trading him this year allows Ryan to negotiate with numerous teams, drive up the price, and bring back quality talent in return, which he did.

As for AJ's strikeouts, comparing him with Posada doesn't work. Posada's strikeouts come with large homerun and RBI totals. AJ's 7 HR's don't justify all the swings and misses. He is a good catcher and probably should have made the all-star team last year, but his loss won't mean a thing to the Twins this season. Mauer is already better defensively, and while he may not hit .300, he has much better plate discipline, and will most likely have a better on base percentage, which is more important.

Ryan traded AJ for our new closer, and 2 top level pitching prospects (Liriano is a lefty that hit 98 on the gun this winter!!). The trade brought us more than AJ could have on the field this year.

As for Eddie, he will not be missed. I expect him to have a sub-par year in Seattle this season. He does not have GREAT stuff, which is fine when you're closing games in the weak AL Central. We'll see how his numbers look trying to shut down teams in a tougher division. Nathan has 3 quality pitches and can get a strikeout in a tough spot. He's a veteran who has had success in a tough division, and has pitched in the playoffs and a pennant race. He's an unproven closer, but i expect him to excel in that role.