tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post8827265780192316047..comments2023-11-05T06:49:09.637-06:00Comments on Twins Geek: Crystal BallJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13907268840665045299noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-23273824452483173732011-02-07T21:21:05.640-06:002011-02-07T21:21:05.640-06:00Twins payroll budget is going way over board. Mayb...Twins payroll budget is going way over board. Maybe its time to think things through first before adding a new man on the payroll list.crystal trophieshttp://www.trophies2go.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-20590108693296054152011-02-05T11:24:23.839-06:002011-02-05T11:24:23.839-06:00I hope the Twins can continue to add players when ...I hope the Twins can continue to add players when they see fit. <br /><br /><br />http://minnesotasportsforums.com/forums/index.phpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-66214064901569390872011-01-31T12:04:28.090-06:002011-01-31T12:04:28.090-06:00I think it's unlikely that Slowey, Baker, &...I think it's unlikely that Slowey, Baker, & Blackburn all end up in the Twins rotation in 2012. At least one of those three is likely to go either through performance issues or cost and with Gibson waiting in the wings it's probably not going to be a bad thing.<br /><br />I agree with the idea that either Capps or Nathan will be closing in 2012, and how this season plays out will Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-40988977502532543322011-01-28T22:52:37.177-06:002011-01-28T22:52:37.177-06:00the thing that I like is with the way the roster l...the thing that I like is with the way the roster looks the Twins can actually trade for another major vet or two or sign them if they want to come here.<br /><br />With the bullpen being killed this offseason I hope we develop a bunch of young arms quickly or that the starters can throw seven plus innings on a regular basis.<br /><br />Walter Hanson<br />Minneapolis, MNAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-51270343931126343282011-01-28T22:14:06.960-06:002011-01-28T22:14:06.960-06:00That just demonstrates how limited OPS is for any ...That just demonstrates how limited OPS is for any serious evaluation of a player. Benson hit .251 while striking out at a .272 rate per plate appearance. He "struggled mightily" to hit the ball and was missing it a lot. But when he got all of it, he sent it a long way. <br /><br />Cust is not a bad comparison, although he still struck out less than Benson. Cust also walked a lot more TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-90256082713765943972011-01-28T02:21:50.744-06:002011-01-28T02:21:50.744-06:00An .881 OPS is "struggling mightily?" T...An .881 OPS is "struggling mightily?" Tough crowd.<br /><br />Benson's strikeout rate is really high, approaching Jack Cust levels at AA. But, unlike Cust, Benson is an asset in the field and on the bases.<br /><br />I admit it's a bit of pipe dream to hope that he'll supplant Cuddyer. Matt's right, they'll probably bring Michael back just because they're so neckrollshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09173753481536697590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-32327006754819851682011-01-27T20:42:26.086-06:002011-01-27T20:42:26.086-06:00I think Benson is a long way away from being a big...I think Benson is a long way away from being a big league player. Home runs are nice, but you can't hit it over the fence unless you can hit it. Benson struggled mightily to do that against AA and even A ball pitching last year. Against major league pitching he would be lucky to hit as well as Butera last year.TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-20560374819840410082011-01-27T14:53:18.195-06:002011-01-27T14:53:18.195-06:00I think Cuddy comes back (along with Thome if he s...I think Cuddy comes back (along with Thome if he still performs this year) as a RH/LH DH combo with Cuddy getting a few outfield starts from time to time as well. I'm guessing Kubel will be gone. Either Benson or Revere (hopefully Benson) will be a starting outfielder at the league minimum. I'll bet Nathan is back too if he has a decent season this year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-67670309290418189302011-01-27T09:45:05.072-06:002011-01-27T09:45:05.072-06:00Bottom line is that the team will have some new fa...Bottom line is that the team will have some new faces, and it will be a much more interesting off season next winter/spring.<br /><br />I will be surprised if Cuddyer doesn't come back, only because he is such a "Twins guy". That said, I really hope that he can be that RH power bat everybody wants at DH/bench and gets paid as such.<br /><br />Cool look ahead. These predictions are Matt in SoDaknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-35667730625797287022011-01-27T09:34:04.731-06:002011-01-27T09:34:04.731-06:00TT,
I agree on Valencia.
IN general, looking thi...TT,<br /><br />I agree on Valencia.<br /><br />IN general, looking this far ahead, I put in numbers for the lesser positions and not names so much. Repko and Tolbert both could still be around, but they might both struggle and necessitate replacements, maybe veteran replacements. As you say, I have about $5M for the bench, and that's about what they're spending this year (less on the Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13907268840665045299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-69723765718614694222011-01-27T09:28:49.673-06:002011-01-27T09:28:49.673-06:00Regarding salary, what I said is there is no way t...Regarding salary, what I said is there is no way the salary increases to $120M-$130M THIS year. I estimated $110M and it ended up right around that with $113M. I'm actually peretty proud of that prediction - mine was the lowest I saw, and I just about nailed it (and still might if Slowey ends up traded.)<br /><br />I estimated that based on a 10-15% increase, base on what the Twins have done Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13907268840665045299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-57831978190523403482011-01-27T08:40:32.134-06:002011-01-27T08:40:32.134-06:00I don't see any source for the Twins increasin...I don't see any source for the Twins increasing revenue by $34 million next year, which is what they need in order to increase spending on major league payroll by half of that. I would not be surprised if the Twins salary stays the same next year.<br /><br />You listed salary at 26 positions. While I assume there will be injuries, etc. I don't think its likely the Twins will start the TThttp://grannybaseball.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-78111669881110412102011-01-27T00:35:58.341-06:002011-01-27T00:35:58.341-06:003 prospects I'd like to see on the opening day...3 prospects I'd like to see on the opening day roster for 2012: Joe Benson, Chris Parmelee and Kyle Gibson. I assume they'll all be at Rochester to start 2011. Benson & Parmelee could step right into the Cuddyer & Kubel roles, but they'll each need to have a big year at AAA to earn everybody's confidence. Gibson would force a trade of one of the back-end RHPs, saving neckrollshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09173753481536697590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5394137.post-63991797260194269812011-01-27T00:33:34.399-06:002011-01-27T00:33:34.399-06:00I'm confused. Last summer you told us the Twi...I'm confused. Last summer you told us the Twins couldn't consider acquiring a pitcher such as Oswalt because they were maxed out at around $100M in payroll and there was no additional revenue to be had in coming years.<br /><br />Some of us did some quick math and came to the conclusion that, even if the Twins stuck to the '52% of revenue to payroll model,' there was reason to USAFChiefnoreply@blogger.com