Thread: Article: Twins Punting 2013? Not So Fast

Originally Posted by Riverbrian

I don't think it's totally accurate to say the are punting... I'd say it was 1st down and 40 and they just completed a 15 yard pass.

It's 2nd down and 25 to go.

is that with Ponder at QB and Harvin on IR? If so, they're punting- on 3rd Down.

ha that's my bad I got that backwards. However, a bone spur and and bone chip still are not the same thing.

2013 is written off as far as I am concerned.

If you are going to do it, do it right.

Trade Mauer. Trade Morneau. Trade Willingham.

ha i read that backwards. however, a bone spur and bone chip are still completely different.

It seems to me that the Twins need at least a solid #2 starter to have a decent shot to contend. Would it make sense to make a big offer to Anibal Sanchez?

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

Drew Storen had surgery to remove bone chips in April of last season, came back in July and posted a 2.37 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP the rest of the way.

Storen came back to throw 4.1 innings in July (4.15 ERA, 4.2 K/9), 10.2 innings in August (3.38 ERA, 6.8 K/9), and 15.1 innings in Sept/October (1.17 ERA, 8.2 K/9). He had a light workload that got progressively greater as he seemed to get stronger. I don't think that's the model we can expect Worley to follow. Worley is going to be expected to take his regular turns in the rotation, and I'm anticipating that the results won't look so hot for at least a couple months (while we occasionally read reports about 'breaking the scar tissue,' building strength, and gaining confidence in his elbow) because I've seen that movie before.

Johan Santana in April/May 2004 is a big example that comes to mind (of course he was awesome from June onwards that season and won the Cy Young, because he was Johan Santana in his prime, but he had a 5.61 ERA in April/May). In June 2010, Santana also commented to the media about his slow recovery from another off-season surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow (LINK: http://metsblog.com/metsblog/johan-s...-from-surgery/). Part of his complaint at that time was that the injury had affected his mechanics... and, who knows, maybe that led to the shoulder injury that put him out for 2011, too. If 2004 Santana is a best-case scenario (Cy Young after a rough start), I guess the ultimate outcome of Santana's 2010 season would be the worst-case.

I'm hopeful that Worley will be able to post a 4.00 ERA, or better, after May next season, and will go on to have a successful Twins career. In the meantime, I also hope that Twins fans won't immediately write him off if he struggles out of the gate next spring. Some recovery time at the start of the season should be expected.

Originally Posted by one_eyed_jack

The Twins are not punting, and should not be punting in 2013. Look at the state of this division. Not a powerhouse in it. It was the weakest in baseball in 2012, and I don't really see it being any better next year. If the Twins can upgrade their starting pitching and middle infield from godawful to competent, they'll be able to hang in the race for a while.

No power team in the division? What division are the Tigers in?? Didn't they just makes the World Series?? I could be wrong. But I thought they did and have Victor Martinez coming back and signed Torri Hunter.

The Twins have zero intention to "punt" for 2013.. Ryan made that very clear again today in more than one interview. He said they intend to shore up the rotation. He may misfire, but he isn't punting.

Now, it could certainly be that Ryan's expectation is to field a .500 ballclub at best for 2013. Isn't it unrealistic to expect a contending club for 2013 AND these great strides towards respectable future results? So, some of you might describe efforts to produce a .500 ballclub a "punt". I don't.

Good article, Nick. It's amazing how things can turn. I am still flabbergasted by getting a legit pitcher for 2013 and a prospect for the future in return for Ben Revere.

From Philly's perspective, it is actually good too. They save a bunch of money and can spend on pitching or whatever. Michael Young and Dempster or somebody are possibilities now without spending that money on Bourn.

It had looked like a punt after the Span trade. But this Revere deal had been in the works for awhile anyway.

What's fascinating to me is that Aaron Hicks, who was maligned by Twins "fans" going into 2012, may MAY be the starting CF and leadoff hitter for the 2013 Twins.

sign Ichiro!!!!! lol not really

but maybe

anyways REMEMBER NOT TO RUSH AARON HICKS he needs a FULL season of AA/ AAA time.

The FA market is pretty bad for CF after the top players. It seems doubtful that the Twins would do that now.

Originally Posted by birdwatcher

The Twins have zero intention to "punt" for 2013.. Ryan made that very clear again today in more than one interview. He said they intend to shore up the rotation. He may misfire, but he isn't punting.

Now, it could certainly be that Ryan's expectation is to field a .500 ballclub at best for 2013. Isn't it unrealistic to expect a contending club for 2013 AND these great strides towards respectable future results? So, some of you might describe efforts to produce a .500 ballclub a "punt". I don't.

Not surprisingly, you're a nest-half-full guy. What else would you expect Ryan to say in this situation? Read his actions, they speak far more clearly than his words.

Originally Posted by Shane Wahl

It had looked like a punt after the Span trade. But this Revere deal had been in the works for awhile anyway.

What's fascinating to me is that Aaron Hicks, who was maligned by Twins "fans" going into 2012, may MAY be the starting CF and leadoff hitter for the 2013 Twins.

Dave has him alreay penciled for the BBHOF, others remain cautiously optimistic that everything finally clicked last year after all these years in the wilderness and that he's virtually on the cusp of a great Twins career that may net him membership in the Twins HOF some day.

Having said that, it would be a stunning development if he left with the team in April. Erik Komatsu and Clete Thomas will probably be available again on the waiver wire.

Hicks should get the chance. We need to start exposing the younger players and slowing the process down will not help either the attendance or the Twins major league club. If he fails he can season in Rocester.

Originally Posted by one_eyed_jack

Originally Posted by h2oface

Detroit was the American League representative in the World Series. Twins' fans like to cast aspersions on Detroit and Chicago, but to deny Detroit's talent is perhaps being a bit short sited.

---Really? Detroit had the 7th-best record in the American league last year (playing a much softer schedule than the 6 teams from the other 2 divisions who finished with better records) and needed a late-season collapse from a very mediocre White Sox team to even get to the post season

Yes, they have some very talented guys, but they are a stars-and-scrubs team, very top heavy without a lot of depth. Once you get past Verlander, Scherzer, Fielder and Cabrera, what do you really have there? A team with holes in its lineup that is bad defensively and has a suspect bullpen.

Certainly, the Tigers would have to be considered the favorite to win the division going into 2013, but they're not some unstoppable powerhouse, the fact that they got hot for a couple of weeks in October notwithstanding.

Yes, really. The point is to get in the play-offs, and then perform, right? The season really doesn't matter as much as what you do in the play-offs, as long as you get in. Cardinals in 2006 (83 wins), Twins in 1987 (85 wins), Yankees in 2000 (87 wins). All earned the World Series title with dismal records. True, 2012's Tigers (88 wins) got swept in the Series when the the bats went cold, but other than the first game, the pitching didn't. They outperformed the rest of the league when the pressure was on, still earned their spot in the series, and their players performed when it counted more than any other team in the American League, and they did it as a team, not individuals that considered themselves stars-and-scrubs. I tip my hat to them as a baseball fan first, and a Twins' fan second. I like Jack Morris for the Hall of Fame, too. He did what he had to do to win the game, and to win BIG games. Sometimes that means you don't have to get everybody out all the time.

Originally Posted by clutterheart

2013 is written off as far as I am concerned.

If you are going to do it, do it right.

Trade Mauer. Trade Morneau. Trade Willingham.

Mlb rumors reports Terry Ryan will listen to offere for everyone including Morneau and MAUER
so does that mean Ellsbury in cf,and Lester in the rotation?

Revere couldnt handle being the no.1 cf. On pitching I am happy we got someone. But I still think we should go after a ss,2b,3b player right now. Screw sp until grenike and sanchez sign.

Originally Posted by birdwatcher

The Twins have zero intention to "punt" for 2013.. Ryan made that very clear again today in more than one interview. He said they intend to shore up the rotation. He may misfire, but he isn't punting.

Now, it could certainly be that Ryan's expectation is to field a .500 ballclub at best for 2013. Isn't it unrealistic to expect a contending club for 2013 AND these great strides towards respectable future results? So, some of you might describe efforts to produce a .500 ballclub a "punt". I don't.

I think this is well said... a lot of things will have to break right for the Twins to contend, but some smart moves can make this team a .500 club.

Presently I'm not sure we are any better than we were last season (though I'm not sure we are much worse either), but one big signing and that will change. Like others said, this team is still going to need pitching in 2015. Getting a guy like Sanchez who is 28 and would have a decent bet of providing decent value to that big contract makes a ton of sense.

Originally Posted by birdwatcher

The Twins have zero intention to "punt" for 2013.. Ryan made that very clear again today in more than one interview. He said they intend to shore up the rotation. He may misfire, but he isn't punting.

Now, it could certainly be that Ryan's expectation is to field a .500 ballclub at best for 2013. Isn't it unrealistic to expect a contending club for 2013 AND these great strides towards respectable future results? So, some of you might describe efforts to produce a .500 ballclub a "punt". I don't.

Agreed 100%. If the Twins pick up Dempster, they're instantly a better team than they were in 2012. If they pick up Marcum and, say, Liriano, they're quite a bit better. If they pick up Marcum, Liriano, and find a way to pull a middle infielder off the market, they're a vastly superior team to the 2012 squad.