End of year awards are fun. That is really all they are, but they are fun. Fun is fun, and everyone knows that. Therefore, I thought it might be fun to share my Award Winners. Regardless, I will have fun. My 5th grade Gym teacher always said, "if you had fun, you won." So, I win. Fun = Won. We'll start with the most fun award and move down the list. NL Cy Young Award - R.A. Dickey He lead the league in Batters Faced. Need I say more? ...
At the conclusion of every season, the members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance (BBA) are asked to submit their ballots for the top awards across baseball. Each of these awards is named in honor of a player that epitomized the role in Major League Baseball. Over the course of the week, I released my ballots for each award and I will post the official announcements from the BBA with the combined votes of all member blogs. Today marks the final day of the awards and the other announcements from the ...
Last night's Yankees-Orioles game got me thinking about the idea of the Closer Mentality and the Closer Role. I absolutely believe in the Closer Mentality. I consider myself a statistically inclined baseball fan. I understand that research shows that closer is just a word. A good reliever makes a good closer and whatnot. However, I don't believe the Closer Mentality is a myth. The idea that some people perform better or worse in specific situations makes perfect sense to me. Human Psychology, ...
At the conclusion of every season, the members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance (BBA) are asked to submit their ballots for the top awards across baseball. Each of these awards is named in honor of a player that epitomized the role in Major League Baseball. Over the course of the week, I will release my ballots for each award and I will post the official announcements from the BBA with the combined votes of all member blogs. Here is the list of awards that have been announced and ...
The Twins season ended a week ago, and we’ve all had a chance to look back at another 95+ loss season. Likely, you’ve also already started thinking about what you would do to get the Twins back to being a perennial contender in the AL Central. The question I have for readers today is: If you were in charge, would you look toward winning in 2013, 2014 or something in the 3-5 year range? How you would go about building your blueprint is largely ...
At the conclusion of every season, the members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance (BBA) are asked to submit their ballots for the top awards across baseball. Each of these awards is named in honor of a player that epitomized the role in Major League Baseball. Throughout the week, I will release my ballots for each award and I will post the official announcements from the BBA with the combined votes of all member blogs. Here is the list of awards that have been announced and the others ...
In Part Two of the 2013 blueprint, I discussed the pitching staff. Now . . . that problem has . . . .clearly been solved. So something much easier is in store. This is the lineup/bench I propose for the 2013 Twins Span CF Revere LF Mauer C Willingham RF Morneau 1B Plouffe 3B Doumit DH Dozier 2B Florimon Parmelee Carroll Mastroianni Herrmann The bench is meant to be a return to the "Thome ...
Five spots in next year's rotation. One guy locked in. It's hard to look at the daunting uncertainty in Minnesota's rotation as a good thing, but there are some fringe benefits to the situation. One is that it may be easier for Terry Ryan to lure in pitchers who are left without a seat and forced to sign minor-league contracts when the music stops on this offseason's free agent class. There could be quite a few of those guys standing around ...
Was reading the chat today on ESPN and came across this. Hi David- Because they are rebuilding anyway, do you think the Twins should bring up Arcia and Hicks and let them play? Try to get some pitching for Span. Revere is only a fourth outfielder in my opinion he doesn't walk enough and has "0" power. Thanks! David Schoenfield (1:44 PM) I think both could benefit from at least half a season in Triple-A. Saw both play a couple times at ...
This Twin of the Future is also a Twin of the past. Joe Benson was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft. He has tools. He has power, speed, an arm (yeah yeah, he has two, a good arm, smart guy), and he is a good fielder. The one tool he doesn't seem to have is the hit tool. Regardless, he showed enough in the Minors to earn a September call-up in 2011. He and 2006 first round pick Chris Parmelee were given some time that month. They were two completely different prospects. Parmelee ...
At the conclusion of every season, the members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance (BBA) are asked to submit their ballots for the top awards across baseball. Each of these awards is named in honor of a player that epitomized the role in Major League Baseball. Over the next couple of weeks, I will release my ballots for each award and I will post the official announcements from the BBA with the combined votes of all member blogs. Here is the list of awards that have been announced and ...
My case is Joe Mauer's case. He drove in eighty five runs this year with only 10 home runs. Was it better for Joe to hit 25 home runs and drive in eighty five? What makes hitting the long ball better? You accomplish the same objective by singles or doubles. Joe Mauer hit for power....what a line, only one year in his career....gotta stop this. Ha. So why is he expected to put up power numbers now?
Today marks the Opening Day of the 2012 Arizona Fall League. As you know, the Twins sent seven players to play for the Peoria Javelinas. The hitters are catcher Chris Herrmann and outfielders Evan Bigley and Nate Roberts. The pitchers are lefties Logan Darnell and Caleb Thielbar and right-handers Michael Tonkin and Kyle Gibson. Be sure to keep up with the Twins in the AFL right here at Twins Daily. Today also marks the beginning of a series at Twins ...
“If I want to write about baseball, what should I do?” It isn’t uncommon that I’m asked this question by some well-meaning younger person who is trying to find their spot in what feels like a crowded world. Bluntly, but as tenderly as I can, I usually say: “Write. Preferably, about baseball.” I’m blunt, because there are so many ways to write about baseball. Start a blog. (If you want an instant Twins audience, you can used the one you have here.) Or write ...