It's Raining 40-Men: Oswaldo Arcia

Oswaldo Arcia led the Twins in outrageous swings, wacky outfield plays and amazing hair.  He also improved as a hitter in 2014 and he appears to have the potential to be a cornerstone offensive player.  He is currently a man without a real position, as he has not shown the ability to be a reliable outfielder and he hasn't hit enough to be the long-term DH.  Can Arcia harness his talent or will his Billy Mumphrey-esque unbridled enthusiasm be his ultimate downfall?

2014 Season Overview

Arcia was up and down in 2014.  He batted .231/.300/.452.  His batting average dropped about twenty points from 2013 and his OBP dropped about five points.  Arcia also continues to rate as one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball and the eye-test would confirm that data.  He struck out at a very high rate and some of his swings can be described kindly as "adorable" and "aggressive" or harshly as "wild" and "uncontrolled."  

But man, that .452 slugging percentage!  Arcia has power.  He hit 20 home runs in 410 plate appearances, a roughly 30-home run pace over a full season.  His power is more impressive within the context of his age.  Since 1995, only 75 players have slugged over .450 at age 23 or younger.  Last season, only five non-Arcia players 23 and under slugged like Arcia:  Mike Trout, Yasiel Puig, Nolan Arenado, Marcell Ozuna and...Danny Santana!  Santana isn't a power hitter, but the other four could be described that way.  So can Arcia.  He's got the potential for elite power and he's already flexing it as a very young man. 

2015 Role Projection

Right Field - Starter - Heart of the Order

2015 Season Prediction

I'm about as bullish on Arcia as one can be.  I see a blossoming star and a potential emotional leader in the dugout.  Arcia is about as exciting a Twins player as we've had in recent memory.  He's wild, exciting, sometimes careless and generally carefree.  I predicted 55 extra-base hits for Arcia in 2014 and I'll make that same prediction for 2015.  I might even push it to 60. 

Arcia will be entering his third season, he should be an unquestioned starter and he's just a lot of fun to watch.  That might be qualitative data, but I'm still going to use it.   His defense...will be fun when the Twins are winning.    

A 90s Song for Oswaldo

R.E.M. - "King of Comedy"

Long-Term Outlook

It's great.  It's relatively safe to say that Arcia will never hit .300 in the Majors.  He doesn't make contact like a .300 hitter.  He also is unlikely to be an elite OBP-guy, as he does like to swing.  However, he should continue to grow in those areas as he matures and his power will keep pitchers from giving him too much to hit.  I think Arcia is a major breakout candidate in 2015 and he could be a fixture in the Twins' lineup for a very long time. 

Is he a keeper?

Oh goodness, yes.  Arcia might be one of those guys who you curse in the 3rd inning when he misplays a ball in right, but then you cheer wildly for and cut your hair like when he hits a walk-off home run in the ninth.  He's going to be a rollercoaster of a player until he fully matures.  At his peak, I think Arcia could be a .280/.370/.500 hitter who absolutely fits the profile of a traditional #3 hitter.  Giving up on Arcia at 23 because he plays like a 23-year-old would be completely unwise. 

I love him.

Monday Morning Madness: July 28, 2014

Weekend Recap

Who won the most recent game?  Those of us with a healthy recency bias are pretty high on the Twins right now.  Everyone else?  Not so much.

Logan Darnell...sort of

Congratulations to Darnell for making his first MLB start on Saturday.  He got lit up, but it's still a great moment for him.  Darnell absolutely deserved this opportunity.  He's slowly climbed through the Twins' system since being drafted in the 6th round in 2010.  In 2014, he's made 17 AAA starts and has a 3.43 ERA.  When the Twins needed a starter on Saturday, Darnell was a logical choice.

In fact, Darnell, Yohan Pino (who was great on Sunday) and Kris Johnson have all deserved the starts they have received.  Each has pitched well at AAA and each has paid their Minor League dues.  That said, can we please have Trevor May and Alex Meyer now? 

Darnell, Pino and Johnson are deserving, but Meyer and May are more talented and much more likely to be in the rotation for a long time.  Pino is 30, Johnson joins him at 30 in October and Darnell actually has a higher AAA ERA than either Meyer or May.

I understand being patient with prospects, but at this point in the season, Meyer and May need to be on the active roster, learning how to get MLB hitters out.  If the Twins have any shot of contending in 2015, one or both of these talented pitchers need to contribute.  

Brian Dozier and Oswaldo Arcia

Here's an old Bill Simmons trope for you:

• Player A - .230/.325/.418
• Player B - .221/.303/.385

Player A is Dozier, Player B is Arcia.  Player A was elected President of Twins Territory, Player B is having an abysmal sophomore season.  At least, that's how I've read and heard things.  Since May 21, when Dozier's line peaked at .263/.377/.480, he is batting .211/.290/.383. 

This isn't even meant to be a criticism of Dozier, more of a call to "back off" of Arcia.  I'm glad to see Arcia in the lineup most days, something I called for last Monday.  He rewarded the Twins with a pretty decent week.  The major difference between Dozier and Arcia is the Twins' willingness to let Dozier work through his slumps.  Arcia needs to be afforded the same opportunity, especially if the Twins want him to be a cornerstone player in the near future.

Why I hated 2011-2013

You may have already picked up on a trend from these past two sections, but the thing that bothered me most during the crummy 2011-13 seasons was the Twins' unwillingness to commit to young players with an eye toward the future.  To me, a disappointing season is a great time to see what you have in a young player.  I'll give the Twins a pass in 2011, because they didn't think they would be bad.  2012-13?  No pass.

Oswaldo Arcia was shuffled from AAA to Minnesota routinely in 2013.  Liam Hendriks wasn't given a chance to work through struggles in 2012 or 2013.  Brian Dozier wasn't even on the Opening Day roster in 2012, which I had actually forgotten about. 

When Josmil Pinto was called up in September of 2013, it didn't seem like he was going to get much playing time.  Then, he hit like freaking Ted Williams and the Twins had no choice but to give him more playing time.  The better plan would have had Pinto as the primary catcher from the start of September. 

Well, at least they tried with Aaron Hicks.  Of course, they also gave up in the middle of the 2013 season.  Granted, he was awful, he had hit better as the season had went on.  As such, the Twins came into 2014 with no clue how Hicks would perform.  He performed as the baseball equivalent of Courtney Love.  

Maybe these guys hadn't fully earned their chances.  They almost certainly should have played better when they actually arrived.  But what was the point in either waiting on them or not giving them opportunity to adjust?  It wasn't an effort to win games because if it was, it was a massive failure. 

After the trade deadline later this week, the Twins should be prepared to commit to their young players.  Meyer, May, Arcia, Pinto, Danny Santana, Michael Tonkin, maybe even Kennys Vargas.  There is no way the Twins plan to be bad in 2015, so they need to figure out if any of these guys are going to be reliable next year and after next year. 

Or, they can just call up a bunch of AAA duds and watch the fans enjoy the Vikings pre-season.  It's really up to them. 

Former Twin Update - Trade Deadline

Next week, I'll have a current Twin to profile in this section.  Kendrys Morales was traded last week and he won't be the only 2014 Twin on a different team by the end of this week.  The Twins appear to be fully committed to selling, something I applaud them for.  Anyone who isn't a part of the future should be jettisoned.  I hope that I'm picking between a few different guys for this section next week.

For this week's update, Kendrys Morales continued to be Kendrys Molasses with the Mariners.  

Random Gif - Totally Worth It

People love baseballs that are discarded into the stands.  This clip is proof.  A few things.  One, the guy was okay.  Two, the guy to his left (from his perspective while laying in traction on the ground) seemed legitimately concerned.  Three, hey guy who got the ball, it's actually pretty bad form to hold your trophy over the carcass of the guy who fell neck-first into metal seats to make sure the ball got to you.  Four, Willingham smoked one of the next pitches into the bullpen.  Ryan Presley resisted the urge to try to back flip into the bleachers to catch the ball.   

Get Excited about a Prospect - Lewis Thorpe

For those who aren't in the know, Lewis Thrope is an 18-year-old Australian lefty who is making his full-season debut with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.  While you may not get excited about a guy with a 4.91 ERA in 9 starts, I am ecstatic.  Thorpe had a rough outing on Thursday, but his overall numbers are pretty impressive.  He was a little wild in his first two starts, but since then, he's thrown 29.1 innings over seven starts, has a 4.30 ERA with 32 strikeouts while allowing just 12 walks (4 on Thursday). 

I cannot remind you hard enough (can one remind hard?) that Thorpe is a full four years younger than the average player in the Midwest League.  He may not be dominating like he did in the GCL in 2013, but he's more than holding his own against much more advanced players.  And, he's dominating at times too.  On July 2, he went just 4.2 innings, but he struck out 8 and walked just one.  This guy could be special.  Let's get excited!

Random Link - Trade Perkins?

I really enjoyed this article from Andrew Walter, Twins Fan From Afar.  It was thoughtful, well-reasoned, articulate and fair, four things I am not known for.  The discussion it generated at Twins Daily was great too.  Perkins is such a tough trade chip because he is so popular among all fans in Minnesota. 

Even so, I have to agree with Walter.  If the Twins get a great offer for Perkins, I'd make the move.  The fact is, the Twins might be further from contention than we want to admit.  Perkins could bring back a really impressive haul.  It's hard to remove the heart from the head, but the Twins might be wise to try if a team offers something eye-popping for their proven closer.  

UPDATE (Unsolved Mysteries) - There are two sides to a coin, unless you have a ridiculous coin.  Bill Parker wrote this rebuttal for Twinkie Town and it's very compelling.  I particularly enjoyed his first point as I think the pro-sabr, but not really the principles of sabr crowd misses the point on closers sometimes.  The last paragraphs sums things up nicely, as a good last paragraph is wont to do.  READ IT!

Plugging My Way

While I love to plug better writers' work, I really love plugging my own writing.  Last week, I wrote about Trevor May and the value of a good, cheap, durable 4th starter.  I did some crude research and found that shockingly, they are very valuable.  If you missed it and want to criticize my research skills, just click here.  n = the sample size, I'm pretty sure of that.  Everything else I cobbled together from Moneyball and cereal boxes. 

Parting Haiku

Last weekend was lame

Now they go out on the road
Time for BBQ

Monday Morning Madness: July 21, 2014

Weekend Recap

Does MLB offer their teams refunds for entire series?  Can an MLB team get a "do over" on the first series out of a break?  If a tree falls in the woods, could it possibly join the Twins' lineup and produce a few hits?  Is suckatude a word?    

Oswaldo Arcia

Arcia went 0-4 on Friday night, sat against a tough lefty on Saturday and then returned on Sunday with another 0-3, this time with two strikeouts and he was pinch hit for in the 8th inning.  Arcia is clearly not producing as many had hoped.  I predicted 55 extra-base hits from him in 2014!  Instead, he has 13 and the way he's been hitting, I wonder if he reaches 25 by the end of the season.

I still believe that there are reasons to be optimistic about Arica.  His walk rate has improved, his strikeout rate is slightly down.  He's hitting more line drives and fewer ground balls.  I would hope that he's in the lineup just about every single day going forward. 

I don't think sending him to AAA does him any good at this point.  He has a .999 OPS in AAA.  The Twins have sent him down with the hope that he'll mash AAA and bring that confidence or whatever with him to Minnesota.  It hasn't worked.  For now, they need to brute force this slump.  He needs to play until he breaks out of it.  He's too talented to slump forever. 

Phil Hughes

Hughes had another rough start on Saturday, giving up five earned runs over seven innings, picking up his sixth loss on the season.  Over his last six starts, Hughes has a 6.34 ERA.  In 38.1 innings over those six starts, he has 31 strikeouts to just 4 walks.  Not bad.  Unfortunately, he's given up a shocking 56 hits over those starts.  Even in his one good start during this stretch he gave up eight hits. 

His BABIP during those six starts is .421, both incredibly high and highly unsustainable.  Basically, Hughes is going through a rough patch, but he should be able to ride it out.  Back on April 20, when his ERA was 6.43, his BABIP was .394.  In the ten starts in the middle, his BABIP was .286 and his ERA was 2.08. 

It sucks that his ERA has spiked by nearly a run over his last six starts, but I wouldn't be too surprised to see it down in the low 3s again by the end of the season, especially if he keeps his strikeout and walk rates where they've basically been all year. 

Optimism Fading

I try hard to be optimistic with the Twins.  I predicted (read:  hoped for) a 75-win season.  I'm willing to concede that they are highly unlikely to reach that win total.  The offense goes cold for weeks at a time, the starting pitching is very inconsistent and what does a bullpen matter when the score is 5-1 after 4 innings?  

I greatly hope that the Twins don't completely fall apart in August and September again.  While I don't think they have the talent to reach 75 wins, I really don't want to sit through another 4-25 April.  I'd like to see some young players get time later in the season, but hopefully the few veterans who will remain can keep things together and win some games.  I'm tired of being in the "draft slot derby" in September.  I'd like to see the team finish respectably. 

Former Twin Update - Alexi Casilla

If you're wondering why we haven't heard much about Sexi Lexi this season, it's because he's spent his season with Baltimore's AAA team.  Well, at least the parts of the season when he's been healthy.  It's been a rough year for Casilla, as he hyperextended his knee in May and missed a bunch of time and now he's pretty much out for the season with a broken hamate bone. 

It's a shame because I always liked Casilla, even if his performance didn't merit my affection.  I'll likely always gravitate toward the short middle infielders because that was who I was when I played ball once upon a time.  Plus, we both have spaces in the middle of our front teeth.  Also, he was awesome.  Just ignore his 73 OPS+ in seven seasons with the Twins; he was awesome.

Fun Stat - 4th Starters

Did you know that teams who have paid more than $100,000 per start to their fourth starter have a collective winning percentage of .481?  Did you know that teams who have paid less than $100,000 per start to their fourth starter have a collective winning percentage of .528?  Why is this important?

Well, the Twins happen to have a young pitcher who many have predicted for the fourth starter role.  This particular pitcher is nearly MLB-ready (or already MLB-ready, depending on who you ask) and has been very durable in his Minor League career.  In addition, by way of being young, he will be very cheap and should easily make less than $100,000 per start when he hits the Majors. 

I'm going to expand on this in a post on Wednesday, as I have a whole mess of data and analysis related to Trevor May to share.  Check back on Wednesday!  Cliffhanger!

Baseball Card from the Past

Yep, Rickey Henderson often batted while sitting on six stolen bases.  You probably forgot about that. 

All-Star Game Recap!

As I mentioned roughly 4 million times, I attended the All-Star Game on Tuesday.  In my American League midseason award and predictions column (click here if you missed it), I wrote about how I reacted to a fan who said Mike Trout was overrated.  In addition to that blow-up, I also became irate when I dropped my turkey sandwich.  Seriously, I traversed roughly 30,000 people and 10,000 people looking backward in complete confusion to get to my seat, then I dropped my tantalizing sandwich. 

Make no mistake, I went back and got another one.  It had cajun seasoning and sweet and spicy BBQ sauce.  I made the right choice. 

Oh, the game was fun too.  I think Derek Jeter won.

Poll Results

Last month, I posted a poll with a simple question - When will the Twins make the playoffs next?  Here are the results:

• 2014 - 2 votes
• 2015 - 20 votes
• 2016 - 17 votes
• 2017 - 4 votes
• 2018 - 3 votes
• A depressingly long time from now - 10 votes

To be fair, the last one could overlap with a couple of the other options.  I voted for 2016, a year later than my original projection from before this season.  The two who voted for 2014 are incredible.  I would like to be their friend.  I did post a new poll, so check out my blog and vote.  It's what cool kids do.

Plugging My Way

Well, I already plugged my AL midseason award post, so for the sake of symmetry, here's my NL post as well:  click here!  If you're curious, I did not predict any awards correctly before the season and I did gutlessly change all of my predictions when given the chance.  You should read it, it's fun!

Parting Thought

The second half of the season is not off to a great start.  However, the Twins still have seven games at home to try to pull things together.  Of course, they'd almost have to win six of seven to really have a successful homestand.  I'm just going to assume that won't happen.  At the end of the homestand, the trading deadline will be nearly upon us.  The sweep from the Rays to start the second half might have been the best thing for the "fire sale" crowd and the worst thing for the "buy it now" crowd.  I'm in neither camp, so I'll just chill.  Have a nice week, everyone!

Monday Morning Madness: July 7, 2014

I have a truncated version of the Monday Madness for you today.  I had a busy and enjoyable weekend with my family and I didn't get much time to think about the Twins.  I did want to share some thoughts and fun though, as I know that five people really depend on this Monday silliness. 

Weekend Recap

Sources say that the entire 2014 Minnesota Twins season is currently on fire.  While I cannot confirm this report, the weekend series would lead me to believe that this report is accurate.

Oswaldo Arcia

Obviously, Arcia isn't having a great season.  He was injured for a long stretch and he's been very inconsistent since returning to the Twins.  One positive for Arcia is that he appears to be on the path toward a healthy walk rate.  His current walk rate is 8.5%, slightly above league-average and more than two points higher than in 2013.  If Arcia can continue to take walks, I feel that his overall level of performance will eventually rise significantly.

He obviously has massive raw power and he clearly swings really hard every time at the plate.  He's always going to strike out a ton (I think), but if he can balance out his K:BB ratio a bit, he could overcome those strikeouts. 

Arcia's BABIP is down nearly 50 points from last season, so if you corrected those balls in play to match 2013 (something you shouldn't do because we don't know his true BABIP level yet, but it's fun for arguments' sake), then his batting line would be more in the .260/.360/.430 range.  If that were true, he'd be one of the best young hitters in baseball.  

As it stands, his actual batting average is not pretty, but I think his overall profile as a batter has actually taken a slight step forward in 2014.  Even with a .215 average, he's still posting a 97 wRC+, meaning he is nearly a league-average hitter this season.  Arcia will always be a streaky, frustrating, but lovable and exciting player.  

Matt Guerrier

I stand by the fact that Matt Guerrier should not be on the Twins right now.  I stand by the fact that I think Guerrier will take a major hit in the ERA department if he continues with an anemic strikeout rate and a nearly even strikeout-to-walk ratio.  I'll stand by you.  I'll staaaaaand by you.  Won't let nobody...

Sorry.

I have to give Guerrier credit for what he has accomplished so far this season.  As a 35-year-old coming off a major injury and a few mediocre seasons, it is altogether shocking that he is enjoying this level of success.  His ERA is under 3 and Ron Gardenhire seems to trust him in relatively high-leverage situations.  Perhaps he was added to the roster because of his past with the Twins, but he's earning the right to stay on the roster with good consistently good performances, no matter how many bloggers (including me) doubt him. 

Ricky Nolasco

More like ICKY Nolasco, right?

Former Twin Update - Jason Kubel

In a parallel universe somewhere, Jason Kubel accepted his AAA assignment from the Twins and has a .300/.400/.500 line with Rochester.  In that parallel universe, Kubel is getting buzz from fans and members of the Twins' front office.  In that same universe, Kubel's playing career is certainly alive and his MLB career might be just days from resuming.  Weeks at the most. 

Instead, Kubel declined his assignment and chose to become a free agent.  Perhaps he greatly overestimated the market for a 30+ DH who likely already had his best month of the season.  Perhaps he is planning to work out and try again in 2015.  Perhaps he doesn't really want to continue his career.  Regardless, it would certainly be a sad end for a player who I really enjoyed rooting for as a Twin, despite my constant calling for his job about a month ago.

I still feel badly about that.       

Eduardo Escrowbar

This one is dedicated to Eric Pleiss of the Talk to Contact podcast.  You should follow him on Twitter, follow the podcast on Twitter and subscribe/leave a 5-star review on iTunes.  It's a fantastic Twins podcast.  But then, you already know that. 

Obviously, Eddie is a crow because he's kind of always around, but you don't really appreciate him until you take a closer look.  He's a smaller crow, but he packs a wallop.  Plus, he's loud and boisterous, which I like in a player/bird.

Fun Stat

Icky, I mean Ricky Nolasco is on pace to throw about 193 innings.  He currently has a ridiculous .362 BABIP.  No pitcher in MLB history ever thrown 190 or more innings and had a season BABIP higher than .354.  Aaron Sele set that recotd back in 1999, and he had a 4.79 ERA and won 18 games.  Nolasco is not faring that well.  In fact, he's not in Sele's stratosphere. 

There's been talk of moving Nolasco to the bullpen, which would ruin his chances at reaching 190 innings.  If he can somehow reverse his luck a bit, his BABIP will drop and he won't set this record.  In fact, the only way for Nolasco to take this title is to somehow be lucky while continuing to be unlucky.  Now that would be something. 

Quick Plug

If you missed my Friday Thursday mailbag, here you go.  I answered questions about becoming the GM of the Twins, constructing a softball team and trades, trades and trades!  Also, I think my hypothetical office sounds pretty swank, but you'll just have to click the link to find out if you agree.  Intrigue!

Parting Thought

One more week until the All-Star Break and the Twins are really sputtering to the finish line (well, halfway finish line, I guess).  At least they got some good news on Sunday when Glen Perkins and Kurt Suzuki were named to the AL All-Star team. 

Both guys are deserving in their own way, as Suzuki is having his finest season and Perkins is extremely dominant and will make a great ambassador for the Twin Cities.  The 2014 season is falling apart before our very eyes, but watching Suzuki and Perkins play with the best players in the World will be very satisfying.

Have a nice week, everyone!

Monday Morning Madness: June 23, 2014

Weekend Recap

SWEEP!  SWEEP!  SWEEP!   SWEEP!   SWEEP!   SWEEP!   SWEEP!   SWEEP!   SWEEP!  SWEEP!

Oswaldo Arcia

On June 4, I declared my desire to legally adopt Arcia.  Since that day, he is 4 for 46 with 18 strikeouts.  I withdraw my application.  Not because I don't want to adopt him, but because it seems to be affecting him adversely.  He has been hit by three pitches since that day, likely from jealous pitchers.  A 4:3 hit to HBP ratio either means a batter is struggling or has been breaking a ton of unwritten rules.  Arcia has been struggling mightily.  He was recently benched for Chris Parmelee and that didn't help things whatsoever. 

The Twins could certainly send Arcia back to Rochester.  That's how they handled his slumps last year.  However, I'd recommend keeping him in the lineup to give him the chance to work though his struggles.  Arcia appears to be a pretty streaky hitter, but he's been consistently excellent in AAA.  Knowing that, the Twins need to figure out if Arcia can adjust in-season against MLB pitching.  I feel pretty confident that he'll be able to get it together if he's allowed to keep swinging through his slump. 

Kendrys Morales

Speaking of slumps.  Morales had just two hits last week.  He scored and drove in one run apiece.  I'm sure that if I betray myself and look at the Twins' Facebook page, there will be many calling him names and loathing that he was ever signed.  Ah, but it's just a slump.  In fact, Morales had just four hits from June 16, 2013 to June 22, 2013, proving that he just really hates that week.  Morales didn't have a Spring Training and he's only played a handful of games.  He posted a 123 OPS+ last year, despite that one-week stretch in mid-June.  He's a good hitter, he'll hit. 

Glen Perkins

Perkins blew the save on Friday, but managed to find the will to win.  He was a little shaky on Saturday, but got the job done.  I saw a few individuals questioning whether or not we should be worried about Perkins.  Emphatically:  no.  Perkins currently has the highest strikeout rate and lowest walk rate of his career.  His BABIP is thirty points higher than his career figure and his strand rate is nearly ten points lower.  Perkins is dominant and there's simply no reason to worry about his performance in the least. 

STOP WORRYING!

Former Twin Update - Kevin Slowey

The end of an era!  The Miami Marlins DFA'd Kevin Slowey to make room for some super prospect or something.  I hate that we live in a world where talent trumps Slowey, but I guess I'll have to learn to live with it.  Slowey did that cool thing he does where he put up a much better FIP than ERA.  That's so Slowey.  His 5.30 ERA wasn't cutting it for a surprisingly good Marlins team.  Normally, this is where I'd advocate the Twins taking a look at him, but I don't have the strength for a fake fight right now. 

Random Top Five List

2014 AL Ground Ball Rate Leaders

1. Dallas Keuchel - 63.7%
2. Justin Masterson - 59.8%
3. Jarred Cosart - 56.7%
4. Kyle Gibson - 55.8%
5. Sonny Gray - 55.0%

Clearly, Gibson owns one elite skill.  He has always had the ground ball reputation and it's manifesting in 2014.  I'd love to see his strikeout rate jump a tad, but elite ground ball pitchers are able to have some level of success without a ton of strikeouts.  However, Gibson's strikeout rate is significantly lower than those on this list and the guys who are in the 6th through 10th positions.  Something to keep an eye on.  

Random Photoshop - Chris Palmetree

I'll just show myself out.

Half-Hearted Mini-Rant - West Coast Baseball

So the Twins are in Anaheim for some baseball this week and I am not pleased!  What's with these 9pm start times?  Doesn't baseball know that I have a job?  Doesn't baseball know that I can't stay up past 11pm or I'll be somewhat tired and irritable?  Hey baseball, can we try to start these games at a reasonable hour?  Hey lawmakers, why not get off your lazy keisters and do something about this problem? 

My solution?  Eliminate time zones.  If it's 7pm here, it should be 7pm everywhere.  No one wants to do math to figure out when games start.  No one likes to count.  The sun won't cooperate?  Forget the sun, let's blow it up!  We'll be just fine without your heat and light, sun.  Look, this is America, we can do anything!  I refuse to believe that we can't engineer a better sun right here on our soil.  And, we can work on it from 8-5 and it will be super easy to call our friends in Estonia after work because the times will be the same and we can all watch the Twins game together as a culture.  This needs to happen.

New Poll!

Last month, I put up a poll and asked who would win the Twins' Cy Young Award in 2014.  The results are striking, but not shocking:

• Phil Hughes - 63 votes
• Sam Deduno - 4 votes
• Kevin Corr...hahahahahahahahahaha - 3 votes
• Glen Perkins - 7 votes
• Kyle Gibson - 2 votes
• Ricky Nolasco - 2 votes
• Brian Dozier - 24 votes

I appreciate the irreverence of those voting for Dozier.  Hughes appears to be the runaway choice and he also appears to actually be running away with this fake award.  Making fun of Correia seems to have inspired him and I'll gladly take full credit for that. 

I have added a new poll and if you respect the democratic process, you will vote.  If you don't respect that process, you can still vote.  The process respects you. 

Plugging My Way

Last Friday, I pondered how things would be different if the Twins had drafted Mark Prior instead of Joe Mauer.  It's interesting, to say the least.  Here's the full text.  If you just want the chain of events, here you go:

1. Twins draft Prior
2. Twins win 2003 World Series
3. George Steinbrenner develops cyborg player technology
4. MLB expands to 90,000 teams
5. Prior retires

It's all pretty logical. 

Parting Thoughts

Watching the Twins beat the White Sox all weekend was very satisfying.  Before the season started, I questioned how anyone could think that ratty White Sox team would be better than the Twins in 2014.  They're closer than I thought (the Sox are a bit better than "ratty," I guess) but I still think the Twins are better.  Oh, and that Adam Eaton is going to annoy the daylights out of me for about a decade.  He's scrappy.  Have a great week, everyone!

Juney June Mailbag

I made a feeble attempt to generate actual questions for this month, as you can see here:

Trying something new this month, answering actual #MNTwins questions if I can. Got a tough Q? Why not ask me and watch me side-step it?
— Brad Swanson (@bridman77) June 2, 2014

I am deathly afraid of rejection, so I qualified it like four times.  Shockingly, that one tweet did not generate any questions!  Instead, I have some questions from a different resource.  Me.

OMG are you done complaining about the lineup?  Josmil Pinto has been playing more and he hasn't done anything.  You whined and cried and now you have your wish.  Are you finally content?

Brad S, St. Paul, MN

Yeah, I'm super excited that Pinto isn't hitting.  I pretty much knew that would happen.  As I've written before, I don't believe in jinxes and I'm convinced that I am a giant jinx.  My gripe with Pinto is less about how he has played and more about the fact that he needs to be playing to develop.  Sitting on the bench three out of four games will not help Pinto hit MLB pitching.  It's a nice bonus that Pinto had been one of the  Twins' best hitters, but to me, that isn't the main reason why he needs to be in the lineup.  

It's bad enough that he will develop as a catcher primarily by practicing and watching, not playing in games, but he needs to be hitting because his bat is what makes him an enticing young player.  Keep him in the lineup, fellas. 

What did you think of the Twins taking shortstop Nick Gordon with their first-round pick?

Draftniks everywhere, MN

If you are really everywhere, why say you're from Minnesota?  Anyway, I love it.  An athletic true shortstop with a strong arm and possible 20 HR upside?  That sounds pretty great.  I had secretly hoped that Carlos Rodon would slip to the Twins, but I knew that wouldn't actually happen.  Gordon instantly becomes one of the Twins' top ten prospects and the fact that his dad and brother are MLB players is pretty nice.  It was a great pick. 

What do you think of this caaaaarazy Mike Pelfrey situation?  Is he hiding an injury?  Is he bad?  Both?  Thanks, I'm a huge reader.

Brad S, St. Paul, MN

I have a question for you.  Actually, a question for Twins fans.  Here are three scenarios:

1. The Twins do not sign Mike Pelfrey and pocket $11 million
2. The Twins sign Mike Pelfrey for $11 million and he pitches poorly
3. The Twins sign Mike Pelfrey for $11 million and he barely pitches because he's injured most of the two years

I honestly feel that more people would prefer number 3 to number 1.  I think that many fans would be happy to waste that $11 million of Pohlad cash rather than let them pocket it.  I'm not saying I agree or disagree with that sentiment, I just think it's interesting. 

As for the situation?  Who cares?  Pelfrey is awful and the Twins don't miss him.  If he comes back, great.  He seems like a nice enough guy.  If he's out for a short or long while?  The Twins will get by. 

What's your deal?  I've known you for a long time.  When I first met you, you could barely string together a sentence.  You never said anything of interest.  You couldn't even feed yourself properly.  What qualifies you to be critical of a Major League Baseball team?

Mom, St. Paul, MN

Obviously, this blog is meant to be fun.  On occasion, I'll take a shot at someone with much more talent than I possess.  When that happens, please remember that this blog is for entertainment purposes only.  I did not actually talk to Ron Gardenhire like I wrote here.  I did not spy on a Target Field Promotions meeting like I wrote here. 

I have no business giving advice about hitting, pitching, prospects, fielding, managing, coaching, grounds keeping, cap-wearing, sweating, growing a beard, winning, losing, building a team, operating a team, Twitter, writing, talking, thinking, ponies, cheering, cheerleading, and/or player adoption.  That said, I will write about any and all of those topics, because it's fun.  

Are you ready to admit that you were wrong about Aaron Hicks?  Can you finally admit that he should be in AAA?

Brad S, St. Paul, MN

I am ready to admit that Hicks should be in AAA.  I am ready to laud Hicks for making the decision to stop switch hitting.  I am willing to admit that I was wrong about Hicks being a good player right now.  However, I am not willing to admit that I think Hicks will never be a productive player.  He's just too talented.  If nothing else, Hicks should be able to round into a good 4th outfielder.  Maybe that isn't much, but wouldn't we kill for a good 4th outfielder right about now? 

I hold out higher hopes for Hicks than a 4th outfielder, but I am starting to come around to the line of thinking that he won't hit enough to play a corner productively.  If that's the case, hopefully the Twins will be able to get something of value for him down the road because I really hope that I never have to admit to being wrong about Byron Buxton (who I think will one day paint the Sistine Chapel 2)

You have recently made it very clear that you love/want to adopt Oswaldo Arcia.  Some might argue that the fire that he plays with makes him reckless or even shows up other, calmer players.  What say you?  Thanks for the posts, they certainly take up space.

Brad S, St. Paul, MN

If you know me, you know that I love big personalities.  Arcia is clearly an emotional guy.  I think that this is a good thing and I hope that no one tries to change his personality.  Ron Gardenhire said that he wouldn't, so that takes away the most likely culprit.  Arcia is a young man and I'm sure he won't be this excitable when he's older.  That said, it's really fun to watch him play baseball and I am a fan of baseball. 

If he's ever looking for someone to hang out with, I did take four years of high school Spanish and I have a car. 

What do you consider proper ballgame attire?  Thanks, I enjoy the casual fashion of your blog.

Brad S, St. Paul, MN

This is a great question.  It really depends on the time of the year.  The only game I have attended so far this year was very brisk and windy.  Naturally, I wore a t-shirt and jeans and nearly died of hypothermia.  I got that cold cough as I ran back to my car.  You know, that feeling when you run in the cold?  Maybe it's just me.  I work in a coal mine. 

Anyway, you have to dress to the weather.  If it's below 50, I recommend snow pants.  Snow pants was my mortal enemy when I was a kid, but I'd kill for a pair of good snow pants as an adult.  I'd walk around in them all day long.  Just swishing to and fro, it would be phenomenal.  In fact, I'm going to recommend snow pants regardless of temperature. 

So, now you have your bottoms picked out, what else?  If it's cold, wear a thermal sweatshirt with a hood.  You may think, why not a jacket?  Well, remember, those snow pants are going to keep you mighty warm on their own.  You might not need  a jacket and if you have to take it off, do you really want to put in on the ground in a puddle of spilled beer and peanut spittings?  Do you want to sit on it?  You'll be six inches taller and the person behind you will spit peanuts on you as a punishment.  No, no jacket, thermal sweatshirt.  Accessorize with a nice hat.  Maybe one of those jester hats?  It's warm and it shows that you have a silly side. 

If it's summer, you can't go wrong with an opened up button-down shirt.  Trust me when I tell you that everyone wants to see your chest and stomach.  Roll up them sleeves too.  Remember, you're going to take on some heat in the snow pants area.  As for a hat, opt for a visor.  That way, excess heat will escape your head, while you still get that cool hat-brim sunburn that drives the ladies wild. 

If these options do not appeal to you, I'll suggest what I suggest for just about every situation:  one of those one-piece jumpsuits.  With snow pants. 

Will you stop?

G. Monsoon, WWF

Yes, yes I will.  Have a nice weekend, everyone!

Brad Swanson's Mom is actually a terrific person.  Brad Swanson thinks silly jokes are silly and fun.  Brad Swanson once dropped his phone into the sink and then wondered out loud about why it wasn't working.

Monday Morning Madness: June 2, 2014

Weekend Recap

Winning a series in New York is becoming old hat.  The Twins took two of three from the Yankees in Yankee Stadium for the second year in a row.  They exploded for six runs in the top of the ninth, with most of the damage being done off of the generally dominant David Robertson.  Phil Hughes won his sixth game and pitched extremely well in his return to Yankee Stadium.  In fact, all three starters pitched well this weekend.  Not surprisingly, the Twins won the series. 

Joe Mauer

On the negative side, Mauer had another poor series in New York, although I'm still not ready to join the "concerned" camp.  In fact, Parker Hageman's article on Twins Daily last week made me feel much better about Mauer's slow start.  Basically, he showed how teams are taking away Mauer's opposite-field power.  Not surprisingly, Mauer's power is way down in 2014 and he's even making contact at a lower rate. 

That said, there are plenty of important stats that point toward some improvement in the near future.  His line drive rate is right in line with some of his best seasons.  His strikeout rate isn't much higher than last season, when he posted a 144 wRC+ and that rate is slowly decreasing.  His plate discipline numbers are still borderline elite. 

Hageman points out that Mauer needs to adjust to the adjustments, something that I am confident he can do.  While Mauer's 2014 season is currently a disaster, I could still see Mauer finishing this season as the best hitter on the team.  Mauer may never be 40% better than the average hitter going forward, but I don't think he's washed up just yet. 

Kevin Correia

Correia has been better in his last three starts.  Since I called for his head a couple weeks ago, he has made three starts, pitched 19 innings and given up just eight earned runs.  He had 14 strikeouts with just two walks in those three starts.  During that time, he lowered his ERA from 6.80 to 5.87, which is obviously a huge improvement.  On Saturday, he gave up a bunch of hits, but he kept the Twins in the game against a pretty good team.

I hope that Correia can get back to being the surprisingly effective pitcher he was last season.  Obviously, that helps my favorite team win games.  I don't see much of a future for Correia in Minnesota, but hopefully he can build some value in his next 6-8 starts.  I imagine the Twins will be shopping Correia in July and with any luck they can something decent in return. 

Josh Willingham/Oswaldo Arcia

Isn't it great to have these two back?  Any lineup gets so much better with two actual MLB-quality hitters added.  These two quality hitters combined to drive in six of the Twins' 14 runs over the weekend.  They combined for five home runs last week.  Adding their power to the lineup can only help, especially if the guys at the top of the lineup can get back to their high-OBP ways.  

Madness

Former Twin Update - Carlos Gomez

Well, Carlos Gomez appears to be a superstar.  Through Sunday, Gomez sits at 2.6 fWAR, good for 7th in the Majors.  Most impressively, almost all of that number comes from his hitting.  He had a 166 wRC+ as of Saturday, meaning he was 66% better at the plate than the average player.  His defense only rates slightly above average and his baserunning has actually been slightly below average.  When Gomez broke out last year, he was a good hitter, a great baserunner and a superstar defender.  Now, he appears to be a superstar hitter.  His walk rate is better than the NL average and his strikeout rate isn't really that high for the power hitter he appears to have rounded into.    

I'm sure there are Twins fans weeping and screaming right now, but on Wednesday, I'll explain why we shouldn't be upset.  Oh, the suspense!

Fun Stat - No Walks in May

Phil Hughes has been a revelation for the Twins.  He started slow, but was dominant in May.  In fact, Hughes did not issue a single walk in the month of May.  Going an entire month without issuing a walk is impressive.  In fact, no starter in Twins' history (throwing at least 15 innings) has gone the entire month of May without issuing a walk.  Hughes threw 33.1 innings this May and interestingly enough, Brad Radke threw 33.1 innings in May of 2001 and issued just one walk.  Math tells me that Hughes was infinitely better than Radke. 

To take this a step further, Hughes' May is a Twins record for most innings pitched without issuing a walk in a single month.  Prior to Hughes' walk-less May, the record was 27.1 innings in a single month.  That record was set in September of 2011.  The man who set that record?  The Great Kevin Slowey.  Slowey posted a 7.57 ERA that month.  That was part of his charm. 

Random Photoshop

I tweeted this picture out about three times, so you know I'm proud of it.  If you follow me on Twitter, you'd already be sick of this picture!  Oddly enough, as I was working on it, the great Andrew Walter, Twins Fan From Afar, was on my wavelength:

Before ultimately being shot in CA, working title of "Angles in the Outfield" was "Infielders in the Outfield" when @Twins were to host film
— Andrew Walter (@MNfanfromafar) May 28, 2014

Follow him on Twitter, he has great Twins and New Britain Rock Cats takes. 

Then, I found out that another Twins twitter personality was working on the same thing!

@bridman77 I was literally working on this in MS Paint when you posted it.
— Greg (@glp_vt) May 28, 2014

Then, I realized that he wrote an Aaron Hicks article that I really enjoyed.  You should read it.  And follow him on Twitter.  In summary, the internet Twins community is great.

Let's Get Excited about a Prospect! - Trevor May

Trevor May has not allowed a run in his last four starts.  He has thrown 55 innings this season, with 54 strikeouts and just 22 walks.  I've been high on May since the Twins acquired him for Ben Revere.  While May didn't put up huge numbers in 2013, he made every scheduled start.  In fact, May hasn't missed a start since 2010.  Now, he's combining performance with durability.  He's a big guy with a big frame and big stuff.  He's on the 40-man roster and I think it's very likely he slides into the rotation the next time someone is needed.  He may not leave the rotation for a long time.  I'm excited!

Random Link - All-Time Twins Team

Jesse at TwinkieTown posted something really fun last week.  You have to build a team of 11 Twins players with a $33 budget.  Players cost from $1 to $5.  There are some pretty great values too.  Brian Dozier is just $2.  Shane Mack was just $3.  Matt Lawton was just a buck!  Anyway, you should check it out and build your team.  Because I am the Bugs Bunny of Twins blog-guys, I couldn't resist making an obvious joke:

.@TwinkieTown Here's my team and I'm pocketing the extra dollar in honor of the Pohlads. pic.twitter.com/75N3tCGEQ8
— Brad Swanson (@bridman77) May 30, 2014

Ain't I a stinker?

Plugging My Way - Draft Stuff

Last year, I wrote recaps of each of the Twins' drafts from 1988 to 2013.  I looked at all kinds of important things:  fun names, what ifs, fun facts and more!  Here's a fun fact from 1999 to whet your appetite: 

• I briefly thought that Barry Quickstad's name was Barry Quicksand.  Once I realized my error, I completely lost interest in Barry Quickstad.

Yeah!  If you want to read any or all of these draft recaps, I put them all in an archive.  Here's the link.  Enjoy!

Parting Thought

Speaking of the draft, the Twins will select fifth overall on Thursday night.  The last three years have been really hard to watch, but in the end, the Twins will benefit because they will come away with Byron Buxton, Kohl Stewart and the guy they draft this week.  No one likes to lose, but those guys should help the Twins win in the future.  Have a great week, everyone!

14 Minnesota Twins to Watch in '14: Oswaldo Arcia

Ichiro, Fred Lynn, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Jose Fernandez...the list goes on and on.  Impact rookie seasons are easy to remember and seem to happen with great frequency.  I guess that's why they have an award for rookie seasons.  Those five players and many others had transcendent rookie seasons, establishing their MLB credentials and setting the stage for productive careers from day one.  Of course, not all rookie seasons are quite so memorable.  Last season, the Twins had three notable rookies and the youngest rookie made the biggest impression, even though he didn't have one of those transcendent seasons. 

The 3rd most important Twins player in 2014 is Oswaldo Arcia.

Who is he? 

Arcia made a bit of an unexpected debut in 2013.  He had only played a half-season with AA New Britain in 2012 and was set to spend a sizable chunk of 2013 with AAA Rochester.  Arcia was hitting .353 after Rochester's April 13 game, when Wilkin Ramirez went on paternity leave.  That opened a spot on the MLB roster and Arcia got the surprise call, after just 9 AAA games.  He singled in his first MLB at-bat but was sent back to Rochester after his first MLB game.  When Darin Mastroianni went on the DL a couple days later, Arcia was back in Minnesota.  He would be up and down between Minnesota and Rochester all season, but he finished with a 102 OPS+ in 97 MLB games. 

In his rookie season, he was good, but not great.  He struck out in 31% of his at-bats, but he also slugged .430 at age 22.  He only walked in 6.1% of his at-bats, but he also hit 14 home runs and 17 doubles.  Arcia's plate discipline would leave him for large chunks of time, but the power that he showed was impressive.  I'm not sure anyone would argue that Arcia was good in the field.  He took strange routes, dropped routine fly balls and looked downright lost at times.  That said, he's an athletic player and with more seasoning, he could improve.  Arcia has a lot to work on in 2014, but he's just 23 and he has plenty of time to refine his approach at the plate and in the field. 

Why is he important?

Arcia has loads of potential.  He'll be 23 for most of the 2014 season and he's played fewer than 200 games above A ball.  The Twins will get Arcia's age 23-28 seasons to decide if he is a cornerstone player.  Research shows that players get exponentially better during their early 20s and that they peak between 26-28.  In addition, Arcia will be super cheap in 2014 and 2015 and he'll only become expensive in arbitration if he's good, a very fine trade-off. 

Arcia is a potential middle-of-the-order bat, and not just because his team doesn't have anyone better.  Arcia could fill that role on a Championship-level team, if he develops as hoped.  He has the potential to hit in the high .280s, with 25 home runs and 40-45 doubles.  He may never have elite on-base skills, but his walk totals should rise as he continues to add power.  At his peak, he could be a .285/.365/.500 type hitter.  I still believe that he can handle a corner outfield position as he gains experience, but if he is relegated to DH, that batting line will play just fine. 

He isn't likely to hit that well in 2014, but it's not unreasonable to expect a slight bump in his 2013 numbers (.251/.304/.430).  By OPS+, only Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau topped Arcia in 2013.  Arcia was 22. 

Paul the Positive Puma's Take:

I became fascinated with Arcia almost immediately.  I love his violent swing and I love his aggressive approach in all areas of the game.  He has charisma and he's really fun to watch.  This isn't the most objective scouting report, but sometimes you just like a player because of the way he plays.  Arcia is a boom or bust player.  He either hits the ball really hard, or he strikes out.  He either makes an exciting (although somewhat awkward) play, or he makes an error.  You don't really know what you're going to get with Arcia, and that is exciting.

His power was captured in the numbers last year.  He slugged .430, hit 14 home runs and 17 doubles, and did all of that in only 97 games.  Those numbers project to 23 home runs and 28 doubles in 162 games.  Of course, Arcia didn't earn 162 games, so those projections don't mean a lot, but it does point toward what he is already capable of, if given a full season.  I also like that Arcia is a clear part of the future and he should be around for a long time.  The Twins don't have many stars right now, so it's fun to see a future star emerge and hopefully we'll get to enjoy his entire career.    

Peter the Pessimistic Puma's Take:

I don't want to get too down on a 22-year-old making his MLB debut, but there are a lot of holes in Arcia's game.  First, his defense was bad.  You can massage it any way you like, but he looked lost in the field.  Even when he made nice plays, it was typically because he took a bad route or got crossed-up in some way.  At the plate, he was better, but his plate discipline was awful.  His strikeout rate would have been 7th highest in the Majors, had Arcia qualified.  His walk rate would have been in the bottom 50 as well.  Yikes.  I hope he can improve in those areas, because he won't have a .336 BABIP for his entire career.

I'm also worried that the Twins stunted his development during a bad season.  Arcia was crushing AAA when he was called up, but he had only played 9 games.  He needed more time, as evidenced by the fact that he was sent down to Rochester three times during the 2013 season.  I sincerely hope that the Twins didn't call up Arcia just to energize fans or spark the team.  The Twins weren't going to contend in 2013 regardless of how Arcia played.  The fans were going to see through any misguided attempts to prove otherwise.  If Arcia doesn't develop properly because Wilkin Ramirez had a baby and Darin Mastroianni got hurt, then it will go down as one of the bigger mistakes in Twins history. 

What to look for in '14:

Arcia is a young player, so growth in many areas would be nice.  He doesn't have to become a superstar in 2014, but heading in that direction would be pretty sweet.  There are three major areas where Arcia needs to improve.  He needs to cut down on his strikeouts a fair amount.  A 31% strikeout rate is only acceptable if a player can hit 40 home runs.  It would be shocking if Arcia ever hit 40 home runs in a season. 

Related to his strikeout rate, he needs to work counts better.  In 378 plate appearances with the Twins in 2013, Arcia worked the count into his favor only 55 times.  When he was ahead in the count, he hit .365/.492/.719.  When he was behind in the count, he hit .143/.149/.171.  A sizable split isn't uncommon, but that disparity is crazy.  His numbers behind in the count are just brutal.  Of course, his numbers ahead in the count are monstrous.  If he can work counts better, his overall numbers could skyrocket.

Finally, Arcia needs to refine his defense.  He's an athletic guy and he should be able to improve with experience.  The last thing the Twins want is a great offensive player in his mid-20s who can't play a defensive position.  They don't like to use a traditional DH, opting to use the DH as more of a "day off" strategy.  Arcia should develop into a great hitter, but his offense will look even better if he's playing left field every day instead of sitting on the bench waiting for his next at-bat. 

I'll be back next week with the 2nd most important Twins player in 2014.  Have a nice day, everyone!

If you haven't been paying close attention, I'm counting down the 14 most important Twins players for the 2014 season.  This was just one part in a 14-part series.  If you missed any of the previous installments, just click here as I have put them all in one nice, tidy location for you.  I'm the best.

Monday Morning Madness: September 23, 2013

Twins/A's Recap

The word "bludgeoned" gets thrown around so often... 

The Gardy 1000

Is this going to happen?  Going into this week, the Twins needed to go 4-10 to finish the season "strong" and give Ron Gardenhire 1000 career wins.  As bad as the Twins have been, that seemed reasonable.  Star wipe to today and the Twins need to go 3-4 in their last seven to pull it off.  Yikes.  Anything short of a Spaghetti Jesus miracle and I don't see it happening.  If Cleveland can somehow wrap up a playoff spot early this week, then it's possible.  I don't see that happening though.  Maybe we can convince MLB to add games to the schedule?  I'll start a petition.  Just let me find my megaphone.

The two sides of Oswaldo Arcia

We got to see both Good Arcia and Bad Arcia over the weekend.  He hit two home runs in the Oakland series and generally looked good at the plate.  On Friday he put on some sort of reverse clinic in the outfield, misplaying a couple of balls and generally looking like a future DH.  He also slid feet-first into first base on Sunday, which was confusing, but entertaining.   

He's young, so he'll make mistakes.  His defense has been inconsistent, but he seems athletic enough to get better.  His offense has been pretty good, as he has a 104 wRC+ as a rookie with little experience above AA.  His strikeout rate is a bit high and his walk rate is a bit low, specifically compared to his own Minor League numbers.  If he can even those rates out and continue to add power, he'll be spectacular.  He's 22.

Rosario back to outfield?

While on ESPN 1500 over the weekend, Rob Antony mentioned that Eddie Rosario might be moved back to the outfield, depending on a few factors.  My hope would be that this decision is based entirely on how Rosario performs as a second baseman and has nothing to do with Brian Dozier.  As much as Dozier has improved this year, he is still an average offensive player.  His 99 OPS+ this season proves that.  Defensively, Dozier will likely always be better than Rosario.  Offensively, Rosario could be special.  I like Dozier, but I'm not quite ready to pencil him into the lineup for the next five years.  I would hope that the Twins aren't making any decisions based on the current roster because it could still be 2-3 years before the team is truly good. 

MADNESS

Fun Stat/Possibly Wild Theory

Since integration in 1947, only 56 pitchers have provided 45.5 WAR or more.  Why 45.5?  Brad Radke's career WAR was 45.5.  He retired at 33, as we all know/cry about to this day.  Only two of those 56 pitchers retired younger than Radke:  Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.  Is it possible that Brad Radke was the most underrated pitcher of his era?  Or, am I just blinded by our shared first name?  Here is the entire list of 56.  Looking at all the names, it seems that most of these guys are properly rated as great pitchers.  I'm not sure Radke is, at least not outside of Minnesota.  Just thinking out loud here.   

Random Plug - Punto Oral History

How the H did I miss this?  This is like nine months old and I just found it this week.  Anyway, it's hilarious and I figured that if I missed it, others probably did as well.  It's an oral history of Nick Punto sliding headfirst into first base.  It is eminently quotable.  If you missed it, you have to read it.  GET MONEY!

Random Paint Image

I'm plagiarizing myself a bit, but here's an image I drew of Johan Santana and Bartolo Colon to immortalize the robbery that was the 2005 Cy Young Award.

The biggest tragedy of all is that Colon is still pitching and Santana might have to retire.  Unfair.

Former Twins Update - Rangers

On Saturday night, Matt Garza started for the Rangers.  He was outstanding for eight innings, but gave up a lead-off home run to Eric Hosmer in the 9th.  He was relieved by Joe Nathan, who hammered down the save and helped the Rangers to remain a half-game out of the Wild Card.  He was met at the mound by A.J. Pierzynski, who caught the game.  It was a former Twin explosion!

ROAD TO 1000!!!!!

Last week, we discussed Jamey Carroll's quest for 1000 hits and Ron Gardenhire's quest for 1000 wins.  Gardy's week didn't go well, as I discussed earlier.  Carroll had a tough week of his own.  He entered the week with 999 career hits.  He had zero hits this week.  Of course, he had zero at bats too.  That's rough.  The Royals should get eliminated from the Wild Card race this week.  Perhaps when their fate is sealed, they'll let Carroll take a crack or two at the roundest of all round numbers.

Link to Something I wrote

I traveled through time to have a AOL Instant Messenger conversation with my 12-year-old self.  It was intense.  I really gave myself the business for being behind the curve when it comes to sabermetrics.  It was almost as if I hadn't heard of Moneyball in 1993.  Idiot!  Anyway, if you missed this scientific marvel, you can read it here. 

Parting Thought

One more week.  As horrible and painful as the last few weeks have been as a Twins fan, the next six months are going to be just as tough.  There won't be any Twins baseball to watch, but there will be news of "improvements" to the team.  I hope the off-season is more eventful than the regular season was.  I always enter the off-season optimistic and I hope my blind faith is rewarded with some shrewd moves.  If nothing else, I won't have to see my favorite team get waxed 11-0 for a little while. 

Have a great week, everyone!