What Went Wrong (Mike)
Well, I've already pissed off the wife today (see the comments section of Bill's last posting for information on that front), so I may as well try not to curry favor with her in this posting. So I'll talk about baseball instead. But Honey, I still love you.
The Twins have had a disappointing season. Aarong Gleeman and (presumably, because I haven't really had a chance to read her this summer) Batgirl have probably covered it to death, but given this article on ESPN.com, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about where the Twins went wrong this year and where they should be looking next season.
2005 Problem #1: Hitting
The Twins have long been a below average offensive team. Take a look at this:
YearR/GAL R/GAL Rank
20054.304.7814/14
20044.815.0110/14
20034.944.866/14
20024.774.819/14
20014.764.868/14
20004.625.3013/14
19994.265.1814/14
19984.535.0111/14
19974.774.9310/14
19965.415.398/14
19954.885.0610/14
19945.265.237/14
19934.284.7111/14
Immediately, you should notice that the Twins' offensive production has been somewhere between horrible and average since 1993. Even in 2003, when the team "jumped" all the way to #6, they were just as close to the #8 spot as they were to the #5, and the entire league's offense was pulled down by Detroit's 3.65 R/G. Also, you should be furious at the dead last standing this season. Our offense has scored less often than Screech from Saved By the Bell. Think about the scene in Zoolander where Jerry Stiller is trying to coax urine from his bladder, but can't because of his prostate problems. Got that in your head? Good. That's what the Twins' offense has been like. "C'mon, give me a little pee-pee."
I will withold the full names of the main culprits (Stuart Smalley style) to protect the "innocent":
NameAvgOBPSLGAB
S. Stewart.279.328.396538
L. Ford.264.339.384474
J. Jones.252.324.435469
J. Morneau.240.306.433434
M. Cuddyer.255.321.403365
N. Punto.244.306.331357
J. Castro.273.293.403253
Those are all the Twins with over 200 ABs who have contributed to our downfall (congrats to Super Joe Mauer, Toriiiiiiii Hunter, and Fatty LeCroy for being part of the solution). I'd also like to point out that Jason Bartlett, Luis Rodriguez, Terry Tiffee, Michael Ryan, Luis Rivas, Brent Abernathy, Brent Boone, Jason Tyner, and Corky Miller were playing along at home and have had a .239 collective BA in 824 ABs (and if you think I'm figuring out the OBP and SLG for this bunch of losers, you're crazy). Thanks for showing up guys.
What we should learn from this
Well, we know that Mauer, Hunter, and LeCroy are all actually major league hitters. Nick Punto should not be allowed anywhere near a starting IF job again. Jacque Jones will never learn to hit, no matter how many hours he spends with Tony Gwynn. Justin Morneau needs another year (and, perhaps, a healthy elbow) to begin producing. Michael Cuddyer seems to be a lost cause.
2006 Solution
Obviously, the Twins need to clean house. Morneau stays. Mauer stays. Stewart has to stay, since we're paying him too much to trade him. Ford stays because he's cheap. Cuddyer stays because that's one less position we need to fill. Bartlett probably gets one last chance. I think Hunter has to stay at least through the first few months of next year since a) his injury saps some of his trade value and b) Ford and Stewart both looked so horrible last year that one of them should be on the bench next year if they don't recover. There's no excuse for giving them 1012 ABs next year if they aren't going to produce. That means we need a 2B or SS and an OFer. Also, if we could get ourselves a real hitter to DH, that would be nice. At least it can't get any worse...can it?
2005 Problem: Injuries
Am I wrong or have the Twins been bit by the injury bug for the last couple years? Mauer's knee. Silva's knee. Milton's knee. Torii's ankle. Koskie's everything. I don't know how much of this has to do with the Twins' new trainer, Rick McWane. However, I do know that former trainer Dick Martin was one of the most respected men in the game at his job, and that, since his departure, the Twins have been plagued by what seems to me to be a series of nagging injuries and poor decisions (bringing Mauer back early last year).
2006 Solution
A new trainer? I don't know. I don't know enough about what McWane has done and not done. After being with a trainer all summer, I can tell you that this guy works in concert with the manager and front office. How much influence does McWane have? Is he competent? I have no idea. But I wish somebody would find out.
2005 Problem: Too much pitching
What's this, you say? Too much pitching? How is that possible? Well, the Twins have enjoyed stellar years from Johan (13-7, 3.17, 201 IP, 207 K), Silva (9-8, 3.44, 9 BB in 188 IP!), Jesse Crain (10-4, 2.29), Rincon (6-5, 74 K in 70 IP), and Joe Nathan (7-4, 2.98, 37 Sv, 82 K in 67 IP!). They've gotten good work out of Radke (9-11, 3.91), J.C. Romero (4-3, 3.46), and even Kyle Lohse (9-12, 4.23). Maybe that's not a problem, per se, but the strength of this staff suggests that one or two guys (I'm looking at you, Kyle and J.C.) could have brought in an average hitter at the deadline to plug a hole in the OF or middle infield.
2006 Solution
Given his locker-room explosion, his arbitration-eligible status, and his solid performance this season, Lohse has to go. He'll earn too much money for us, is too tradable, and will be a headache next year if he's not moved. The emergence of Scott Baker and Francisco Liriano should allow us to deal him without too much of a drop off. The Twins should be looking for solid infield help with this, or a hitter on an NL team who has no real position that they can plug in at DH.
That's all I've got for now. I'm sure Bill will weigh in on this issue. As for me, I'm going to a department social gathering at Cafe 210. Everyone have a good weekend!
The Twins have had a disappointing season. Aarong Gleeman and (presumably, because I haven't really had a chance to read her this summer) Batgirl have probably covered it to death, but given this article on ESPN.com, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about where the Twins went wrong this year and where they should be looking next season.
2005 Problem #1: Hitting
The Twins have long been a below average offensive team. Take a look at this:
YearR/GAL R/GAL Rank
20054.304.7814/14
20044.815.0110/14
20034.944.866/14
20024.774.819/14
20014.764.868/14
20004.625.3013/14
19994.265.1814/14
19984.535.0111/14
19974.774.9310/14
19965.415.398/14
19954.885.0610/14
19945.265.237/14
19934.284.7111/14
Immediately, you should notice that the Twins' offensive production has been somewhere between horrible and average since 1993. Even in 2003, when the team "jumped" all the way to #6, they were just as close to the #8 spot as they were to the #5, and the entire league's offense was pulled down by Detroit's 3.65 R/G. Also, you should be furious at the dead last standing this season. Our offense has scored less often than Screech from Saved By the Bell. Think about the scene in Zoolander where Jerry Stiller is trying to coax urine from his bladder, but can't because of his prostate problems. Got that in your head? Good. That's what the Twins' offense has been like. "C'mon, give me a little pee-pee."
I will withold the full names of the main culprits (Stuart Smalley style) to protect the "innocent":
NameAvgOBPSLGAB
S. Stewart.279.328.396538
L. Ford.264.339.384474
J. Jones.252.324.435469
J. Morneau.240.306.433434
M. Cuddyer.255.321.403365
N. Punto.244.306.331357
J. Castro.273.293.403253
Those are all the Twins with over 200 ABs who have contributed to our downfall (congrats to Super Joe Mauer, Toriiiiiiii Hunter, and Fatty LeCroy for being part of the solution). I'd also like to point out that Jason Bartlett, Luis Rodriguez, Terry Tiffee, Michael Ryan, Luis Rivas, Brent Abernathy, Brent Boone, Jason Tyner, and Corky Miller were playing along at home and have had a .239 collective BA in 824 ABs (and if you think I'm figuring out the OBP and SLG for this bunch of losers, you're crazy). Thanks for showing up guys.
What we should learn from this
Well, we know that Mauer, Hunter, and LeCroy are all actually major league hitters. Nick Punto should not be allowed anywhere near a starting IF job again. Jacque Jones will never learn to hit, no matter how many hours he spends with Tony Gwynn. Justin Morneau needs another year (and, perhaps, a healthy elbow) to begin producing. Michael Cuddyer seems to be a lost cause.
2006 Solution
Obviously, the Twins need to clean house. Morneau stays. Mauer stays. Stewart has to stay, since we're paying him too much to trade him. Ford stays because he's cheap. Cuddyer stays because that's one less position we need to fill. Bartlett probably gets one last chance. I think Hunter has to stay at least through the first few months of next year since a) his injury saps some of his trade value and b) Ford and Stewart both looked so horrible last year that one of them should be on the bench next year if they don't recover. There's no excuse for giving them 1012 ABs next year if they aren't going to produce. That means we need a 2B or SS and an OFer. Also, if we could get ourselves a real hitter to DH, that would be nice. At least it can't get any worse...can it?
2005 Problem: Injuries
Am I wrong or have the Twins been bit by the injury bug for the last couple years? Mauer's knee. Silva's knee. Milton's knee. Torii's ankle. Koskie's everything. I don't know how much of this has to do with the Twins' new trainer, Rick McWane. However, I do know that former trainer Dick Martin was one of the most respected men in the game at his job, and that, since his departure, the Twins have been plagued by what seems to me to be a series of nagging injuries and poor decisions (bringing Mauer back early last year).
2006 Solution
A new trainer? I don't know. I don't know enough about what McWane has done and not done. After being with a trainer all summer, I can tell you that this guy works in concert with the manager and front office. How much influence does McWane have? Is he competent? I have no idea. But I wish somebody would find out.
2005 Problem: Too much pitching
What's this, you say? Too much pitching? How is that possible? Well, the Twins have enjoyed stellar years from Johan (13-7, 3.17, 201 IP, 207 K), Silva (9-8, 3.44, 9 BB in 188 IP!), Jesse Crain (10-4, 2.29), Rincon (6-5, 74 K in 70 IP), and Joe Nathan (7-4, 2.98, 37 Sv, 82 K in 67 IP!). They've gotten good work out of Radke (9-11, 3.91), J.C. Romero (4-3, 3.46), and even Kyle Lohse (9-12, 4.23). Maybe that's not a problem, per se, but the strength of this staff suggests that one or two guys (I'm looking at you, Kyle and J.C.) could have brought in an average hitter at the deadline to plug a hole in the OF or middle infield.
2006 Solution
Given his locker-room explosion, his arbitration-eligible status, and his solid performance this season, Lohse has to go. He'll earn too much money for us, is too tradable, and will be a headache next year if he's not moved. The emergence of Scott Baker and Francisco Liriano should allow us to deal him without too much of a drop off. The Twins should be looking for solid infield help with this, or a hitter on an NL team who has no real position that they can plug in at DH.
That's all I've got for now. I'm sure Bill will weigh in on this issue. As for me, I'm going to a department social gathering at Cafe 210. Everyone have a good weekend!