Offseason Twins Power Rankings

by RandBall's Stu on Oct 23, 2009 2:07 PM EDT in By the Numbers Comment 35 comments

Joe Mauer's contract extension/lack of same. You need something to stress about over the winter, right?
Joe Nathan's elbow chips. Keep telling yourself this is the only reason Game 2 turned out the way it did, and that it's all going to be better now.
O-Cab or C-Pav? Both? Neither?
The five blissful months where you won't hear John Gordon screw up even the most basic of calls.
The slowly dawning realization that Phil Cuzzi didn't even make the worst call of the playoffs. Hi, Tim McClellan! (PS: Cuzzi, you still suck.)
The TwinsCentric Offseason 2009 GM Handbook. Learn it, know it, live it.
Justin Morneau's broken back. Don't tell me you're not a little bit worried about this.
Forgetting the horrors of the ALDS and savoring the brilliance of Game 163.
Hoping for Chone Figgins, settling for J.J. Hardy, ending up with Brendexi CaPunto.
Insane optimism that you're talking yourself into. Current favorite: "2010 is when Delmon Young figures it out! He was really good those last two weeks!"
Dick Bremer's non-Twins broadcasting efforts. He just looks so forlorn working a 4th-tier Big Ten men's basketball game. Deep down, I suspect he knows that he needs that farting, Dutch madman beside him to talk about maintaining downward planes and circling farm wives from Paynesville.
Danny Valencia. If not him, who? If not now, when?
Wondering who gets to pay Joe Crede's MRI bills in 2010.
Guessing what form the precipitation will take on Opening Day in Target Field.
Weaning yourself off constantly checking LaVelle or Joe C.'s blog every afternoon for the starting lineups.

1 recs | Comment 35 comments

Comments

I'm down

with #8. When Ordonez lined into that double play I was jumping up and down in my living room like a kid. It was nice to have that “high” – like the first time at Valleyfair.

Strangely, I felt bad for the Tigers. Something about the looks in their eyes. Bewilderment mixed with pain.

by wcooley on Oct 23, 2009 2:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The statement in #10

I would be thinking that, if Demon didn’t dupe me into it last year too.

by matty_b on Oct 23, 2009 4:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

As far as #5 goes...

the umpiring this year has just been awful. I can’t believe Selig is just okay with how things are going. Unreal.

And #3? I’d prefer C-Pav over O-Cab, if it came down to making a choice. I’ve liked O-Cab since we got him, so I wouldn’t mind him sticking around too, if possible.

erases any bad memories of playoff baseball…Yankees who? I don’t recall playing the Yankees. Do you remember the noise in the Dome when Casilla got the game-winning hit!? Incredible! La la la.

by fischean on Oct 23, 2009 4:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

bah, auto-formatting.

That last one should read “#8 erases…etc etc”. :\

by fischean on Oct 23, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What?

The heck’s a yankees?

by matty_b on Oct 23, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes on Pavano, no on Cabrera

for me. Depends on Pavano’s price though.

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

#9

I’m actually hoping for Hardy. Figgins is a speed only guy and he’ll most likely be slowing down. Hardy’s younger, has more power and plays the most crucial defensive position outside of catcher.

by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Oct 23, 2009 6:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hardy over Figgins

for me. That defense at SS is so important. I’d be very happy with both though…

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

…I said I’d keep that guy come rain (we will be getting rain next year—just a reminder) or shine, but he played like a nincompoop in the series against the Yankees. His first two at bats against CC were mind-boggling bad—six balls and six swings and six misses (maybe there was a foul tip or two). I dunno what to say about him.

"I don't think it's nice, you laughin'. See, my mule don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it . . ."

by Skippy tastes better than Jiff on Oct 24, 2009 12:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

He stunk it up all year and had 1 month or so of production. He stinks. Yet for some reason I would like him to be a starting OF next year.

I don’t get it.

by clutterheart on Oct 24, 2009 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm done with Delmon as a starter

Last year was my “he can pull it together” year. Span-Gomez-Cuddyer all the way. Gomez needs to improve his offense, but only to around league average in order be quite a valuable player. With Delmon’s defense, he needs to put up all star numbers to have any real value.

by Adam Peterson on Oct 26, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It should be noted...

…that everyone has looked ridiculous against Captain Cheeseburger this postseason.

Why is no one bunting? Why?

http://www.realityfish.com

by Robin G on Oct 24, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Switch all of Delmon's calendar's to the last two weeks of the season

this plan cannot fail

by Hjorvarthr on Oct 24, 2009 12:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Prospect Rankings

You forgot arguing the ranking/future/position of Revere & Morales on every single prospect ranking

by clutterheart on Oct 24, 2009 8:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

what?

There are people who actually think Morales is better than Revere?

http://twinkietalk.com
http://thecollegehockeyblog.com

by fetch9 on Oct 24, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They're close

Morales plusses: Arm, power, age
Revere’s plusses: Contact, speed

Morales has a better chance of being more than just a league average center fielder. He could be a five-tool corner outfielder if he learns a bit of patience. He’s younger than Hicks and ahead of Hicks in the system. His high K rate and low BB rate are the big concerns. But he has more tools at a much younger age than Revere.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 24, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's only a year younger than Revere

and he has no plate discipline. I’ll take Revere 100 times out of 100

http://twinkietalk.com
http://thecollegehockeyblog.com

by fetch9 on Oct 24, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rever has no slugging

When you hit .311 and your SLG is .369, that’s not goog.

In Contrast, Morales hit .266 with a .455 SLG. He was also one of the youngest players in that league and it took him a half a season to get his bearing. In the secod half, he hit over .300 with an SLG over 500. Unlike Revere, he has a chance to be a decent corner outfielder. Revere will hit like a center fielder at best.

Don’t get me wrong, I reate Revere higher right now. But they’re close. And I wouldn’t be ata ll surprised to see Morales havea better year than Revere in 2010.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 25, 2009 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Revere doesn't have a lot of power

that’s true. Neither does Denard Span. Id say he’s a valuable player. Revere is also a great outfielder (although he doesn’t have a good arm). Revere and Morales walk basically the same amount, but Morales strikes out roughly 3 times more than Revere. I think as we go forward we’ll see his great 2008 year was nothing more than BABIP. Revere is getting Ichiro comps, and I’ll bet Morales doesn’t see significant time in the majors with the Twins.

http://twinkietalk.com
http://thecollegehockeyblog.com

by fetch9 on Oct 25, 2009 2:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ichiro?

I’ve never heard him compared to Ichiro. Ichiro has always had power. Ichiro has one of the best arms in the game. Revere might have a good bat, but he’s no Ichiro. If I had to pick a comp, I’d say Juan Pierre.

Can he develop power? Sure, if he develops muscles like Kirby Puckett. Ben Revere is 5-9. Denard Span is 6-2. Span has always had power upside based on his frame. He finally developed it at 23. Can Revere? Possibly. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

I think Revere is a better prospect than Morales. But in this organization, I wouldn’t trade Morales for Revere. Right-handed hitting outfielders with his kind of power and speed and defense are hard to come by, especially in this organization. Other than him, we have Gomez and Benson. Other than Revere, we have a cast of thousands.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Oct 25, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Power development

How likely is it that players develop more power as they rise through the minors? With guys like Revere, I always guessed that they would be able to turn a few singles into doubles once they develop a little more as hitters. But I’ve never actually read much about how likely it is power will increase.

by what_would_gil_thorp_do on Oct 25, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am a little bit worried about

#33’s back problems, yes.

Thanks Stu, this was a good read. I think a person could put just about anything into the form of ’Power Rankings" and I would be drawn like Punto to the dirt leading to first base. Power Rankings=Awesomeness.

I always loved that one.

by FoulJack on Oct 24, 2009 1:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Love it

Great list. I can’t top those but I’ll throw out a few.

Call this the cognitive dissonance offseason training program:
16. Complaining about Bill Smith’s failure to make the team competitive, while simultaneously projecting a 100 point improvement in every twins player’s OPS
17. Complaining about the Twins’ failures in trades, while showing how Young and Gomez both really hit their stride at the end of the year, are ready to break out.
18. Complaining about how baseball needs a salary cap to improve competitiveness while advocating that the Twins increase payroll by 50%.
19. Complaining about taxes, getting really excited for outddoor baseball, wondering why its so cold and wet at the game, and why there aren’t any $6 seats anymore.
20. Complaining about the Twins’ ownership and management, their horrible past decisions and current inaction, while celebrating the Twins decade of success in the central division, and projecting the Twins to win the division by 3-5 games.

by snolls on Oct 24, 2009 3:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Anyone know what the expected prices are on the new cheap(est) seats?

http://www.realityfish.com

by Robin G on Oct 24, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Apparently about $10

Target Field seating and pricing

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett  
—Hasta la victoria siempre ¡Patria o Muerte! –Ernesto "Che" Guevara

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Oct 24, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs