The Monday print column lukewarmly defended the Twins decision to move Miguel Sano to the outfield.
Sano's work with guest instructor Torii Hunter on the nuances of outfield play has attracted the attention of the beat writers in Fort Myers, for obvious reasons.
And one universal theme in the accounts: Patience. Sano is going to make mistakes out there. The people who decided to put him there know that, and they are going to accept that -- so long as he's working on the nuances.
How bad does Sano have to be to convince the Twins it's a mistake to put him in the outfield? I believe the Twins will simply reject the premise that it was a mistake. Maybe they'd get there in 2017, or 2018. But not this year.
He going to get a very long rope out there. I doubt the Twins would decide to move him again this year no matter how poorly he plays. Too many other roster decisions were made with his outfield shift in mind. They'll live with whatever blunders he makes and work to improve his outfielding skills. The only way they'll declare it a failure is if the running in the outfield results in leg injuries.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Pic of the Week
 |
| A baseball awaits use in the Baltimore Orioles training complex. |
This photo reminds me of a story the advisor of my high school paper told us in driving home the need for us to supply detailed photo assignments.
According to him ... the sports staff at an unnamed paper was given to giving vague assignments. One day, the photographer, having been given an assignment that said simply: "football photo," appeared right at deadline and handed the sports editor a beautifully focused and well-lit photo of a football.
The photo assignments got more attention after that ran as lead art. And more than 40 years later, I have that story stuck still in my head.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Notes, quotes and comment
Neal Cotts, who finished 2015 in the Twins bullpen, signed a minor league deal Friday with Houston.
I'm fine with that, of course; I've said here repeatedly I'd rather the Twins give a serious opportunity to a prospect than recycle a veteran.
---
Today marks the first day of full-squad workouts in Twins camp. Kennys Vargas was one of the last arrivals to camp and is said to be 14 pounds lighter this spring.
That's probably good for him, but if his bulk was a problem last year, opportunity figures to be a problem going forward. He entered 2015 with a job essentially handed to him, and he gave it back. Now there are others ahead of him, and he is more organizational depth than a building block,
---
Dexter Fowler turned down the Cubs qualifying offer (one year, $15.8 million). The big multiyer deals he apparently anticipated didn't roll in, and he wound up re-upping with the Cubs for one year, $13 million.
Nice thinking, dude.
Fowler complains about the system. He doesn't, apparently, recognize that the market for a 30-year-old center fielder with a slightly above average bat and a history built in hitters parts ought to be limited.
I don't spend much of my sympathy on marginal QO types who turn the offer down and struggle to find a job. Fowler and/or his agent misread the market. That's on them.
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) February 26, 2016
I'm fine with that, of course; I've said here repeatedly I'd rather the Twins give a serious opportunity to a prospect than recycle a veteran.
---
Today marks the first day of full-squad workouts in Twins camp. Kennys Vargas was one of the last arrivals to camp and is said to be 14 pounds lighter this spring.
That's probably good for him, but if his bulk was a problem last year, opportunity figures to be a problem going forward. He entered 2015 with a job essentially handed to him, and he gave it back. Now there are others ahead of him, and he is more organizational depth than a building block,
---
Dexter Fowler turned down the Cubs qualifying offer (one year, $15.8 million). The big multiyer deals he apparently anticipated didn't roll in, and he wound up re-upping with the Cubs for one year, $13 million.
Nice thinking, dude.
Fowler complains about the system. He doesn't, apparently, recognize that the market for a 30-year-old center fielder with a slightly above average bat and a history built in hitters parts ought to be limited.
I don't spend much of my sympathy on marginal QO types who turn the offer down and struggle to find a job. Fowler and/or his agent misread the market. That's on them.
Friday, February 26, 2016
The Chase Utley Rule
I'm pretty sure Frank Robinson and George Brett won't approve, but baseball finally acted to protect pivot men from baserunners.
All it took was a broken leg on national TV.
Chase Utley's playoff game-deciding cheap shot was the catalyst for Rule 6.01(j). The rule is pretty simple: A baserunner breaking up the double play has to slide, he has to touch the base, and he has to make an effort to stay on the base. He also can't swerve out of his pathway.
The thing is, 6.01(j) is only there because the umpires long ago decided to abdicate their responsibility. Rule 6.05(m) should have sufficed, but umpires never make that call. Perhaps taking the play out of the "umpire's judgment" will work.
This is good change. Less good: replay is being expanded to include the "neighborhood play," which it didn't cover last year on the basis that it would force pivot men to hang around the base longer and lead to more second base collisions. I suppose the rule-makers figure adding 6.01(j) will take care of that. What we're going to get is a repeat of what has happened with slides: Plays that were never questioned before replay will be now, with frame-by-frame review of whether the fielder's foot was in contact with the base while he handled the ball.
Joe Posnanski was probably right last year when he said replay should be only at full speed. If the call isn't clearly wrong at full speed, let it stand.
All it took was a broken leg on national TV.
Chase Utley's playoff game-deciding cheap shot was the catalyst for Rule 6.01(j). The rule is pretty simple: A baserunner breaking up the double play has to slide, he has to touch the base, and he has to make an effort to stay on the base. He also can't swerve out of his pathway.
The thing is, 6.01(j) is only there because the umpires long ago decided to abdicate their responsibility. Rule 6.05(m) should have sufficed, but umpires never make that call. Perhaps taking the play out of the "umpire's judgment" will work.
This is good change. Less good: replay is being expanded to include the "neighborhood play," which it didn't cover last year on the basis that it would force pivot men to hang around the base longer and lead to more second base collisions. I suppose the rule-makers figure adding 6.01(j) will take care of that. What we're going to get is a repeat of what has happened with slides: Plays that were never questioned before replay will be now, with frame-by-frame review of whether the fielder's foot was in contact with the base while he handled the ball.
Joe Posnanski was probably right last year when he said replay should be only at full speed. If the call isn't clearly wrong at full speed, let it stand.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
The Opening Day starter
The Twins haven't decided who will get the ball opening day. Both Paul Molitor and Terry Ryan have cast that decision as something of a competition among the starters.
Opening Day starter is probably a distinction without true significance. The vagaries of schedules and injuries quickly scramble the matchups; the popular notion that Opening Day starters spend the season largely matched up against each other is nonsense. But tradition dictates that you throw your best pitcher on Opening Day, and if the role matters to the player(s), it matters.
In my view, there are six leading candidates for the starting rotation, with the other candidates coming into play only if there are multiple injuries or other factors. The six, alphabetically: Tyler Duffey, Kyle Gibson, Phil Hughes, Tommy Milone, Ricky Nolasco and Ervin Santana.
For the opening job, let's scratch Nolasco (for two seasons of lousy performance), Duffey (less than half a season in the majors) and Milone (never qualified for the ERA title). Here are the arguments for the other three:
Gibson: Led the 2015 starters in innings and ERA. Boosted his strikeout rate last year, and some see a possible breakout season ahead for him.
Hughes: 2015's opening day hurler, his 2014 is probably the single best season in the field. Said to have reported to camp in better condition than last year.
Santana: The highest-paid pitcher in team history, he finished last season with seven quality starts during which time he put up a 1.62 ERA.
OK, there's no Cy Young favorite in that bunch, but it's a better collection than, say, the year Scott Diamond entered camp as the presumptive Opening Day starter.
My expectation right now is that Santana will be the choice, My preference, since I still harbor some resentment over Santana's PED suspension last year, would be Hughes. But, again, I don't think the choice carries as much significance as will the choice of who fills out the rotation, The Twins expect and need all three to make 30-plus starts. When they come is of lesser importance.
Opening Day starter is probably a distinction without true significance. The vagaries of schedules and injuries quickly scramble the matchups; the popular notion that Opening Day starters spend the season largely matched up against each other is nonsense. But tradition dictates that you throw your best pitcher on Opening Day, and if the role matters to the player(s), it matters.
In my view, there are six leading candidates for the starting rotation, with the other candidates coming into play only if there are multiple injuries or other factors. The six, alphabetically: Tyler Duffey, Kyle Gibson, Phil Hughes, Tommy Milone, Ricky Nolasco and Ervin Santana.
For the opening job, let's scratch Nolasco (for two seasons of lousy performance), Duffey (less than half a season in the majors) and Milone (never qualified for the ERA title). Here are the arguments for the other three:
Gibson: Led the 2015 starters in innings and ERA. Boosted his strikeout rate last year, and some see a possible breakout season ahead for him.
Hughes: 2015's opening day hurler, his 2014 is probably the single best season in the field. Said to have reported to camp in better condition than last year.
Santana: The highest-paid pitcher in team history, he finished last season with seven quality starts during which time he put up a 1.62 ERA.
OK, there's no Cy Young favorite in that bunch, but it's a better collection than, say, the year Scott Diamond entered camp as the presumptive Opening Day starter.
My expectation right now is that Santana will be the choice, My preference, since I still harbor some resentment over Santana's PED suspension last year, would be Hughes. But, again, I don't think the choice carries as much significance as will the choice of who fills out the rotation, The Twins expect and need all three to make 30-plus starts. When they come is of lesser importance.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Mauer and Morneau
Joe Mauer reported Tuesday to Fort Myers and and was predictably questioned by the assembled media about the Brian Murphy scoop on his blurred vision.
Mauer stood by what he said, and repeated what he thinks the important points are:
Mauer stood by what he said, and repeated what he thinks the important points are:
- The problems were sporadic, better on some days, worse on others;
- "I feel great now."
We'll see. As I've said before, Mauer's at an age where decline should be expected. Parallels have been drawn to Justin Morneau, who won a batting title at his age 33 season after several years of dealing with post-concussion symptoms. But that's a rather meaningless comparison. Among many other factors, Mauer's not working with Coors Field as a home environment.
---
Morneau, by the way, remains unsigned, and I've not seen his name connected to any team this winter. He was limited to just 49 games and less than 200 plate appearances last season for Colorado, and he turns 35 in May. He wants to play, but I suspect that he will wind up being one of the many players who don't get to choose when their careers are over.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Nick Burdi and the splitter
I thought the most intriguing piece of information out of the first day of workouts for Twins pitchers and catchers was this from Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press: Relief prospect Nick Burdi is experimenting with a split-fingered fastball.
This comes off in Berardino's piece as Burdi's brainstorm, not something that is being pushed on him by a pitching coach. No matter who it came from, I doubt it's a good idea. Burdi has a fastball that approaches 100 mph and a plus slider; I can name any number of relievers who have thrived with a fastball-slider arsenal that isn't nearly as impressive.
Burdi's ascent through the farm system did hiccup last season; he opened in Double A, fared ill, was demoted to High A, got his command straightened out, and finished in Double A before allowing one run in the Arizona Fall League, His problem wasn't repertoire, it was location. Uncertain command of three pitches does not trump uncertain command of two.
Another curious aspect of this: The Twins have for years been loathe to have pitchers use a splitter. I can only think of two such pitchers since the mid 90s, Carlos Silva and Mike Pelfrey last year, and they were both veterans on the last year of their contract who almost desperately needed some sort of reliable off-speed offering, Silva's case was particularly amusing; He reported to camp talking about his new split-fingered fastball, and by the end of the week the terminology had been changed to changeup. I imagine that somebody (then-pitching coach Rick Anderson?) told him: You can throw it, but I don't want these 20-year-olds thinking they can try it.
The splitter didn't really work for either Silva or Pelfrey. Pelfrey used it for 14 percent of his pitches last year (according to Baseball Info Systems) and put up his usual mediocre numbers.
Anyway: Neal Allen may be more open to the splitter than Anderson was, but there are reasons the pitch fell out of widespread use about 20 years ago -- elbow strain and command prominent among them. Burdi probably doesn't really need a changeup, and I rather expect that his experiment will be squashed.
This comes off in Berardino's piece as Burdi's brainstorm, not something that is being pushed on him by a pitching coach. No matter who it came from, I doubt it's a good idea. Burdi has a fastball that approaches 100 mph and a plus slider; I can name any number of relievers who have thrived with a fastball-slider arsenal that isn't nearly as impressive.
Burdi's ascent through the farm system did hiccup last season; he opened in Double A, fared ill, was demoted to High A, got his command straightened out, and finished in Double A before allowing one run in the Arizona Fall League, His problem wasn't repertoire, it was location. Uncertain command of three pitches does not trump uncertain command of two.
Another curious aspect of this: The Twins have for years been loathe to have pitchers use a splitter. I can only think of two such pitchers since the mid 90s, Carlos Silva and Mike Pelfrey last year, and they were both veterans on the last year of their contract who almost desperately needed some sort of reliable off-speed offering, Silva's case was particularly amusing; He reported to camp talking about his new split-fingered fastball, and by the end of the week the terminology had been changed to changeup. I imagine that somebody (then-pitching coach Rick Anderson?) told him: You can throw it, but I don't want these 20-year-olds thinking they can try it.
The splitter didn't really work for either Silva or Pelfrey. Pelfrey used it for 14 percent of his pitches last year (according to Baseball Info Systems) and put up his usual mediocre numbers.
Anyway: Neal Allen may be more open to the splitter than Anderson was, but there are reasons the pitch fell out of widespread use about 20 years ago -- elbow strain and command prominent among them. Burdi probably doesn't really need a changeup, and I rather expect that his experiment will be squashed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)