Comments on: What the Washburn talks said about the Twins’ financial situation http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/ Mismanaging games since 2002 Mon, 07 May 2012 02:37:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: FunBobby http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3254 FunBobby Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:05:37 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3254 <p>He might realize how bad he is, but what is more important is that Gardy and Smith do not. </p> <p>I agree his defense, while adequate, is very overrated. Most of his value comes from his ability to play 3 positions at an average level. Making him the starter at one of those positions eliminates that value.</p> He might realize how bad he is, but what is more important is that Gardy and Smith do not.

I agree his defense, while adequate, is very overrated. Most of his value comes from his ability to play 3 positions at an average level. Making him the starter at one of those positions eliminates that value.

]]> By: Ragstoriches http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3253 Ragstoriches Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:10:23 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3253 <p>The Twins have a GIANT hole at second base. Punto is average to slightly above average defensively and he does not by any means get on base a decent amount. These skills are very common in minor league players or utility players. He does the little things wrong and his baseball intelligence is astoundingly low. Not only is he bad, he fails to realize how bad he is, and continues to try to do things he is not able to do (swinging for the fences when contact is needed, bunting for a hit in a sac situation, making a baserunning decision based on crowd noise and intuition rather than his base coach, etc.) He's awful as a starter, and the Twins need to fix the problem.</p> The Twins have a GIANT hole at second base. Punto is average to slightly above average defensively and he does not by any means get on base a decent amount. These skills are very common in minor league players or utility players. He does the little things wrong and his baseball intelligence is astoundingly low. Not only is he bad, he fails to realize how bad he is, and continues to try to do things he is not able to do (swinging for the fences when contact is needed, bunting for a hit in a sac situation, making a baserunning decision based on crowd noise and intuition rather than his base coach, etc.) He’s awful as a starter, and the Twins need to fix the problem.

]]> By: sirsean http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3252 sirsean Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:26:13 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3252 <p>An OBP of .322 is not a decent amount.</p> <p>And "stabilizing" the rotation isn't that great if it stabilizes it at <em>a lower level</em>. I'd rather spend money on a high risk/reward pitcher like Sheets or Duchererererer.</p> An OBP of .322 is not a decent amount.

And “stabilizing” the rotation isn’t that great if it stabilizes it at a lower level. I’d rather spend money on a high risk/reward pitcher like Sheets or Duchererererer.

]]> By: TT http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3251 TT Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:21:23 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3251 <p>The Twins do not have a hole at second. Punto is a very good defensive second baseman who gets on base a decent amount of the time. And their offense is unlikely to be the problem next year in any case. Which is why focusing on stabilizing the pitching staff makes some sense. </p> <p>They have Harris and Tolbert competing for the third base spot. Neither one really gives you the offense you would like at that position. Defensively Tolbert is likely adequate and Harris may be adequate. Crede is an improvement all round, if he can stay healthy.</p> The Twins do not have a hole at second. Punto is a very good defensive second baseman who gets on base a decent amount of the time. And their offense is unlikely to be the problem next year in any case. Which is why focusing on stabilizing the pitching staff makes some sense.

They have Harris and Tolbert competing for the third base spot. Neither one really gives you the offense you would like at that position. Defensively Tolbert is likely adequate and Harris may be adequate. Crede is an improvement all round, if he can stay healthy.

]]> By: Josh http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3250 Josh Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:09:20 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3250 <p>By no means would I really advocate that the Twins sign Cabrera and Crede, either. I'm just making the point that by using the same money as they would on Washburn, they'd actually fill two meaningful holes and improve on their projected wins above replacement level.</p> <p>I'd be much happier seeing the Twins give shots to Liriano and Duensing before an overpaid Washburn.</p> By no means would I really advocate that the Twins sign Cabrera and Crede, either. I’m just making the point that by using the same money as they would on Washburn, they’d actually fill two meaningful holes and improve on their projected wins above replacement level.

I’d be much happier seeing the Twins give shots to Liriano and Duensing before an overpaid Washburn.

]]> By: sirsean http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3248 sirsean Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:42:54 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3248 <p>Assuming you mean Orlando Cabrera, I'd hope the Twins pass on both him and Crede.</p> <p>But yes, they absolutely should be in on Hudson and especially Lopez. And I don't want to see another Beltre-like case, where Bill Smith says "Oh he wants $10M+ for 3-4 years, and we think that's too much!" and then he goes and signs a 1 year, $10M contract* with someone else, which wouldn't have been even close to too much for the Twins.</p> <p><em>* It's 1 year, $9M, with an option for the second year at $5M or a $1M buyout, which means he's guaranteed year and $10M.</em></p> <p>At this point, I cringe when I think about what the Twins might actually do. Even after the favorable Hardy trade, I still have no confidence in them. (And I wish I could trust that they'd know the difference between a bad player and a good player. I don't, at all.)</p> Assuming you mean Orlando Cabrera, I’d hope the Twins pass on both him and Crede.

But yes, they absolutely should be in on Hudson and especially Lopez. And I don’t want to see another Beltre-like case, where Bill Smith says “Oh he wants $10M+ for 3-4 years, and we think that’s too much!” and then he goes and signs a 1 year, $10M contract* with someone else, which wouldn’t have been even close to too much for the Twins.

* It’s 1 year, $9M, with an option for the second year at $5M or a $1M buyout, which means he’s guaranteed year and $10M.

At this point, I cringe when I think about what the Twins might actually do. Even after the favorable Hardy trade, I still have no confidence in them. (And I wish I could trust that they’d know the difference between a bad player and a good player. I don’t, at all.)

]]> By: Josh http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3247 Josh Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:37:32 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3247 <p>I am fine with them not wanting to commit decent money and years to a player in his mid-thirties, but they also should realize that their biggest hole is in the infield. Unless they know for sure that Hudson or Lopez or Tejada will accept nothing less than 2-3 guaranteed years, they really need to be in on these guys with that $5 million they have to work with. Heck, I think you could probably secure both Crede and Cabrera for $5-7 million and that would be a better investment than Washburn.</p> I am fine with them not wanting to commit decent money and years to a player in his mid-thirties, but they also should realize that their biggest hole is in the infield. Unless they know for sure that Hudson or Lopez or Tejada will accept nothing less than 2-3 guaranteed years, they really need to be in on these guys with that $5 million they have to work with. Heck, I think you could probably secure both Crede and Cabrera for $5-7 million and that would be a better investment than Washburn.

]]> By: FunBobby http://firegardy.com/2010/01/09/what-the-washburn-talks-said-about-the-twins-financial-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3246 FunBobby Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:15:59 +0000 http://firegardy.com/?p=929#comment-3246 <p>Maybe it means the team finally wised up and said "we can no longer afford to be paying BAD players money if we want to sign Mauer". Which would mean prior to this offseason the Twins had no problem wasting money. Hell, we are paying the last 100 grand of Mike Lamb's contract this year.</p> Maybe it means the team finally wised up and said “we can no longer afford to be paying BAD players money if we want to sign Mauer”. Which would mean prior to this offseason the Twins had no problem wasting money. Hell, we are paying the last 100 grand of Mike Lamb’s contract this year.

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