Thread: Sansevere: Memo To Twins...hope isn't a strategy

Pi Press columnist Bob Sansevere takes issue with the Twins decision to target pitchers coming off of injuries:

While other teams spend money to sign players who are both healthy and talented, the Twins expend hope on pitchers in various stages of recovery from injuries.


It's a lot cheaper that way.

I guess I'd be OK with signing injured pitchers if there were some upside, but in most cases there really isn't.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_...-isnt-strategy

Did he issue this on the official memo stationary? If not, I'm not sure it can be properly processed.

But for real, there are several issues with this article. First, Worley was not signed, the Twins traded for him. Second, Marquis doesn't have an injury-pocked past. Therefore his "several pitchers with injury-pocked pasts" is a list of one - Joel Zumaya. Zumaya was worth taking a risk on, if you ask me. He makes no mention of the Correia signing, who while unpopular, is certainly not an injury risk any more than any other pitcher.

Ripping the Twins' strategy related to pitching is reasonable, but these arguments are pretty shallow and ill-fitting. The last line was cute though.

Nice article.

'Second, Marquis doesn't have an injury-pocked past.'

Marquis only pitched 132 innings in 2011 and only 59 innings in 2010. Was there something other than injury keeping him from pitching more?

Originally Posted by ThePuck

'Second, Marquis doesn't have an injury-pocked past.'

Marquis only pitched 132 innings in 2011 and only 59 innings in 2010. Was there something other than injury keeping him from pitching more?

Don't forget that Correia's innings total was also skewed by his demotion from the juggernaut Pirates' staff.

Originally Posted by ThePuck

'Second, Marquis doesn't have an injury-pocked past.'

Marquis only pitched 132 innings in 2011 and only 59 innings in 2010. Was there something other than injury keeping him from pitching more?

Injuries. However, the injury in 2011 was a contact injury, I think he got hit with a batted ball or something. It's not like he was coming off TJ. He was just bad. If Sansevere wanted to complain about the Twins signing bad pitchers, it would have been a more valid argument.

Originally Posted by ThePuck

'Second, Marquis doesn't have an injury-pocked past.'

Marquis only pitched 132 innings in 2011 and only 59 innings in 2010. Was there something other than injury keeping him from pitching more?

Off the top of my head, constantly getting pulled before pitching 5 innings might do it. However, be it the injury or ineffectivenss arguement, they are both fitting and relevant to the Twins normal offseason stratagies.

Originally Posted by Brad Swanson

Injuries. However, the injury in 2011 was a contact injury, I think he got hit with a batted ball or something. It's not like he was coming off TJ. He was just bad. If Sansevere wanted to complain about the Twins signing bad pitchers, it would have been a more valid argument.

Whew, at least it wasn't TJS. It would have been a waste of money to guarantee several million to a guy coming off of TJS. Thank goodness the Twins are wise enough not to do that.

Originally Posted by nicksaviking

Off the top of my head, constantly getting pulled before pitching 5 innings might do it. However, be it the injury or ineffectivenss arguement, they are both fitting and relevant to the Twins normal offseason stratagies.

can't explain away only 59 IP :-)

Originally Posted by FrodaddyG

Don't forget that Correia's innings total was also skewed by his demotion from the juggernaut Pirates' staff.

The 137 one was...not the 59 innings one :-)

Originally Posted by FrodaddyG

Whew, at least it wasn't TJS. It would have been a waste of money to guarantee several million to a guy coming off of TJS. Thank goodness the Twins are wise enough not to do that.

I see what you did there :-)

If all you see from the Twins offseason is 'hope', then you're bad at your job, Bob.

Originally Posted by LoganJones

If all you see from the Twins offseason is 'hope', then you're bad at your job, Bob.

as it pertains to 2013?

Originally Posted by LoganJones

If all you see from the Twins offseason is 'hope', then you're bad at your job, Bob.

You're right, most of the country doesn't even see that.