The Twinkies Thread

[ewen21]

Ummmmm. Uhhhhhh

[smashem]

Good year, Sure it doesn't mean much now. Oh well next year right, Yeah right.

[jayc948]

Can you guys fill me in on Dennys Reyes?

[JKidd]

Originally Posted by jayc948

Can you guys fill me in on Dennys Reyes?

Lefty specialist.

Very inconsistent. When he was here, he had a lights out season, and then a season that made you wonder what the hell, and then a decent season.

If he can be true to form, a good lefty coming out of the pen. Otherwise, you got yourself a fat specialist that specializes in giving up extra base hits in crunch time.

Not sure how he shaped up with the Cards that past couple seasons, but here, you never knew what you were getting.

[ewen21]

Why trade Hardy for next to nothing? So many things I am not down with right now I don't know where to start.

[JKidd]

Originally Posted by ewen21

Why trade Hardy for next to nothing? So many things I am not down with right now I don't know where to start.

Team needs to shed payroll.

They spent a lot last year, didn't get anywhere, and now a lot of guys are/were looking to be paid.

I believe JC wrote an article early in the off season about how the Twins will be looking to move to guys like Casilla instead of looking to any proven/star players for help, due to the money being shoveled out to other bigger names.

I am not expecting much out of them this offseason, and with the bare cabinet from Rochester, this team could be one with some big issues next year, as those kids get moved up.

[JKidd]

Ewen... a great read:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/tw...nciaec8O7EyUsl

[ewen21]

Originally Posted by jkidd

Ewen... a great read:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/tw...nciaec8O7EyUsl

I understand that. I am not exactly enamoured with Hardy but yet I felt the best thing to do would have been to give him another year with an option.

However signing this Mr. Ninja Turtle guy from Japan doesn't exactly marry well with their cost cutting agenda. They spent 5 million on the bid and now they HAVE TO sign him. He'll probably make as much as Hardy did (at least) and be on the hook for three years. That is a risk I wouldn't take. The guy is injury prone and he is unproven at the ML level. The thing that annoys me most is that this is all being done in the name of improving team speed.

???

[JKidd]

The $5 mill to be able to negotiate with him is from team revenues, and isn't apart of the luxury tax - so they won't have to pay on that, as I understand it.

Do I expect him to come cheap? Not at all.

He isn't a proven major leaguer here, but there isn't much else out there for SS this offseason. Orlando Cabrera, is about all that's left, and he doesn't really improve the "team speed" concept they're looking to this year.

Casilla and Nishioka up the middle definitely are a huge speed improvement over Hudson and Hardy.

I really hope it pans out though. If he comes here and hits over .300 with 20+ steals, I'll be more than happy. Its a mighty big "IF" right now though.

I think the move towards team speed is a case of the team realizing that the ball doesn't carry well to parts of the park. Shooting the gaps and running seems to make much more sense.

[ewen21]

Originally Posted by jayc948

Can you guys fill me in on Dennys Reyes?

Fat. Mexican. Lefty.

[ewen21]

Well, looks like the Nishioki deal is gonna go through. I'm hearing 3 years @ 10mil. At that price it may be worth a chance. All in all am on not really too excited about this. I would have been happy rock n' and rollin' with Hardy and Hudson for another year. Now they are both gone and we have rely on a who bunch of question marks to fill their spots.

[JKidd]

Its a good price, for a guy that has a vast amount of potential, and could really go a long way in helping a number of areas.

Him and Casilla are a very fast group up the middle. However, we've tried turning things over to Alexei before, and it's bit us in the ass.

I really hope we have a backup plan ready, in case Casilla round 2 fails again.

Be nice to see how Danny Valencia does this upcoming year. The kid showed he can flat out hit the baseball last year, so lets see if we can keep getting production from him on the hot corner.

[ewen21]

I cannot understand what this team is trying to accomplish (or not accomplish) this offseason.

Hardy and Hudson are gone. Guerrier and Crain are gone. Thome, Fuentes and Pavano are unsigned and there seems to be no plan of action as they have been very inactive with regards to with finding replacements.

They replaced Hardy with an unknown Japanese ballplayer and they are replacing Hudson with an erratic player who is out of options. Pavano are still not in the fold. If they don't sign him where will they find a reasonable replacement? If they don't resign Thome does this mean they think he was just a luxury that is no longer needed?
If they don't sign Fuentes with Guerrier and Crain already gone are they assuming that Perkins, Neshek and Nathan will just step right in? Seems to me there are a lot of assumptions being made. Evidently they think they can make all these replacements from within the organization or from the typical Twins-like bargain basement approach. This is shaping up to be 2005 all over again.

[JKidd]

I agree Ewen... this is becoming more and more of a joke of an offseason.

They've passed on all the big name pitchers this offseason, so far. They could have got in the Brandon Webb fold, but didn't even make an offer. They didn't offer anything to Cliff Lee (not like we could match the Yankees or the near guaranteed success of the Phillies, but at least get your name in there). They have done jack **** to really improve this team where it needs it.

Meanwhile, the pale hosers wasted no time in bringing back Konerko and bringing in Dunn.

I think it's safe to say this team is going to be full of fresh faces, and this upcoming season, regardless of what the franchise wants to spin it as, is going to be a rebuilding year. Personally, it seems like they're taking a year off to check on the prospects being brought up, and hoping the new park luster keeps people coming while they have an off year.

I agree entirely on Casilla.. he was given a chance, and pissed it down his leg. He was given another chance, and pissed that one down his leg too. One final chance - or so we thought - and he pissed that down his leg. Now, we're going to turn it over to him with no backup plan? Huh... I wonder if he'll piss it down his leg... again?

[ewen21]

Originally Posted by jkidd

I agree entirely on Casilla.. he was given a chance, and pissed it down his leg. He was given another chance, and pissed that one down his leg too. One final chance - or so we thought - and he pissed that down his leg. Now, we're going to turn it over to him with no backup plan? Huh... I wonder if he'll piss it down his leg... again?

Gardy wants it his way. He is developing this case to bring back Punto.