Meet your 2008 Twins!

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:38 pm

packerboy wrote:
Govs93 wrote:Potentially good news.
Sign him, get it over with and lets play.

HIT THE BOOFIN BALL

Trade Nathan for some Lumber.

Neshek can close and Rincon (and somebody else) can work the late innings.

EREmpireStrikesBack · Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:46 am

Irishmans Shanty wrote:
packerboy wrote:
Govs93 wrote:Potentially good news.
Sign him, get it over with and lets play.

HIT THE BOOFIN BALL
Trade Nathan for some Lumber.

Neshek can close and Rincon (and somebody else) can work the late innings.

Amen. Get rid of the tics.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:30 am

EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:
Irishmans Shanty wrote:
packerboy wrote: Sign him, get it over with and lets play.

HIT THE BOOFIN BALL
Trade Nathan for some Lumber.

Neshek can close and Rincon (and somebody else) can work the late innings.
Amen. Get rid of the tics.

OK but this time, sign him first.

Otherwise, you end up with a Santana type trade.

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:03 am

1. Sign Nathan
2. Trade Nathan for _____________.

What kind of bat would one of the top closers with new paper yield?

cajones18 · Post by **cajones18** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:18 am

Irishmans Shanty wrote:1. Sign Nathan
2. Trade Nathan for _____________.

What kind of bat would one of the top closers with new paper yield?

Sign Nathan all the way!

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:33 am

Irishmans Shanty wrote:1. Sign Nathan
2. Trade Nathan for _____________.

What kind of bat would one of the top closers with new paper yield?

Its a good question. I dont ever remember it being done.

Soriano? Tejada? Probably not.

Carlos Lee, Jim Edmonds, Frank Thomas (who should have been a Twin 2 years ago). Probably.

State Champ 97 · Post by **State Champ 97** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:01 pm

packerboy wrote:
Irishmans Shanty wrote:1. Sign Nathan
2. Trade Nathan for _____________.

What kind of bat would one of the top closers with new paper yield?
Its a good question. I dont ever remember it being done.

Soriano? Tejada? Probably not.

Carlos Lee, Jim Edmonds, Frank Thomas (who should have been a Twin 2 years ago). Probably.

Jim Edmonds? I won't say he wasn't a great player because he was. But at his age, and injury history how long do you suppose he would last playing every day on the Metrodome turf?

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:47 pm

State Champ 97 wrote:
packerboy wrote:
Irishmans Shanty wrote:1. Sign Nathan
2. Trade Nathan for _____________.

What kind of bat would one of the top closers with new paper yield?
Its a good question. I dont ever remember it being done.

Soriano? Tejada? Probably not.

Carlos Lee, Jim Edmonds, Frank Thomas (who should have been a Twin 2 years ago). Probably.
Jim Edmonds? I won't say he wasn't a great player because he was. But at his age, and injury history how long do you suppose he would last playing every day on the Metrodome turf?

Everyday?

I'd give him 2 days.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:07 pm

Well, what do you think you are going to get for a 33 yr old closer?

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:12 pm

packerboy wrote:Well, what do you think you are going to get for a 33 yr old closer?

A 4 year deal and and about 150 saves.

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:33 pm

The good, bad, and ugly all want a good stick but only the good teams are in the market for closers. Moving Nathan for equal quality on the offensive side won't be easy simply because he can't contribute 9 innings of service 150 times a year.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:40 pm

Irishmans Shanty wrote:The good, bad, and ugly all want a good stick but only the good teams are in the market for closers. Moving Nathan for equal quality on the offensive side won't be easy simply because he can't contribute 9 innings of service 150 times a year.

The fact that they're even bothering to try and lock him up tells me that they plan on contending in the near future - it may not be '08, but if you think you're in a complete "rebuilding mode", you're going to deal this guy at the deadline and cash in... and they don't don't seem to have an interest in doing that.

The straw that's going to stir this drink down the road is going to be CarGo... if he can figure out how to get on base regularly, he seems to be an almost automatic double with his ability to swipe a base. If he ends up on 2nd base regularly, Mauer is going to be a 100 RBI guy. Gomez is going to need '08 to figure out how to get on base though. Hopefully Nathan will be there to slam the door after he's wreaked his havoc on the basepaths in '09.

EREmpireStrikesBack · Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:58 pm

Govs93 wrote:
Irishmans Shanty wrote:The good, bad, and ugly all want a good stick but only the good teams are in the market for closers. Moving Nathan for equal quality on the offensive side won't be easy simply because he can't contribute 9 innings of service 150 times a year.
The fact that they're even bothering to try and lock him up tells me that they plan on contending in the near future - it may not be '08, but if you think you're in a complete "rebuilding mode", you're going to deal this guy at the deadline and cash in... and they don't don't seem to have an interest in doing that.

The straw that's going to stir this drink down the road is going to be CarGo... if he can figure out how to get on base regularly, he seems to be an almost automatic double with his ability to swipe a base. If he ends up on 2nd base regularly, Mauer is going to be a 100 RBI guy. Gomez is going to need '08 to figure out how to get on base though. Hopefully Nathan will be there to slam the door after he's wreaked his havoc on the basepaths in '09.

Anybody else hear that Gomez quote? Asked how he felt about batting first and he said it would work well because he'd be in front of that catcher guy, Morneau and that other guy.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:02 am

EREmpireStrikesBack wrote:
Govs93 wrote:
Irishmans Shanty wrote:The good, bad, and ugly all want a good stick but only the good teams are in the market for closers. Moving Nathan for equal quality on the offensive side won't be easy simply because he can't contribute 9 innings of service 150 times a year.
The fact that they're even bothering to try and lock him up tells me that they plan on contending in the near future - it may not be '08, but if you think you're in a complete "rebuilding mode", you're going to deal this guy at the deadline and cash in... and they don't don't seem to have an interest in doing that.

The straw that's going to stir this drink down the road is going to be CarGo... if he can figure out how to get on base regularly, he seems to be an almost automatic double with his ability to swipe a base. If he ends up on 2nd base regularly, Mauer is going to be a 100 RBI guy. Gomez is going to need '08 to figure out how to get on base though. Hopefully Nathan will be there to slam the door after he's wreaked his havoc on the basepaths in '09.
Anybody else hear that Gomez quote? Asked how he felt about batting first and he said it would work well because he'd be in front of that catcher guy, Morneau and that other guy.

I did... This guy's awesome. Here's another Gomez gem:

"My dad was fast. When I was a kid and I worked out with my older friends, they all worked out so hard for their running. I do nothing. They say, 'Why are you so fast when you don't do nothing?' I tell them that my dad was fast."

Lopresti · Post by **Lopresti** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:08 am

[Introducing himself] Willie Mays Hayes. I hit like Mays, and I run like Hayes.

Does anybody else flash back to Major League when they talk about CarGo? The only problem, he doesn't hit like Mays. He doesn't even hit like Joe Mays........... Yet.

[/i]

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:26 am

In '05, '06, and '07 AL Central Teams made noise in the playoffs and all had a guy in the leadoff position that could put their opponent's pitcher on his heels from his first delivery. Granderson's pop, Sizemore's ability to hit extra base hits and a healthy Podsednik's ability to swipe. Maybe the Twins have a guy who can do this to opposing pitchers by '09.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:06 am

Your new CF for the Minnesota Twins is.... CarGo!

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:07 am

Irishmans Shanty wrote:In '05, '06, and '07 AL Central Teams made noise in the playoffs and all had a guy in the leadoff position that could put their opponent's pitcher on his heels from his first delivery. Granderson's pop, Sizemore's ability to hit extra base hits and a healthy Podsednik's ability to swipe. Maybe the Twins have a guy who can do this to opposing pitchers by '09.

Once Gomez gets on, he can be a force but you cant steal first and thats a problem for him. Id start out with Span and get da Kid some ABs in AAA.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:38 am

From MLB.com

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Twins' Opening Day roster picture got quite a bit clearer on Monday morning.
The club optioned four players to Triple-A Rochester: outfielders Denard Span and Jason Pridie, infielder Brian Buscher and right-hander Philip Humber.

Right-hander Casey Daigle was also reassigned to Minor League camp.

With Span and Pridie out of the mix, Carlos Gomez is now set to be the Twins' starting center fielder. Gomez has hit .286 in 15 games this spring with six RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

Buscher had been in competition for the final spot on the 25-man roster, a utility role that infielder Matt Tolbert now appears to have locked up.

The Twins now have 29 players remaining in camp, including 16 position players. Catchers Drew Butera and Eli Whiteside will not be on the final roster and neither will outfielder Jon Knott.

So the team's 13 position players will be as follows: catchers Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond, infielders Adam Everett, Brendan Harris, Mike Lamb, Justin Morneau, Nick Punto and Tolbert, outfielders Michael Cuddyer, Gomez, Jason Kubel, Craig Monroe and Delmon Young.

As for the club's pitching staff, 13 arms remain in camp and the plan is to take 12 of them to Minnesota. The decision on which pitcher will be left out won't be made until later in the week, as it will ride on whether the Twins decide to have Francisco Liriano start the year in the Minors. Liriano is set to make his final spring start on Friday.

Right-hander Nick Blackburn looks to be the front-runner to take the opening should Liriano not break camp with the team. Right-hander Brian Bass, who is out of options, also appears to have solidified his spot on the roster -- likely in a long-relief role.

Its going to be an interesting year...

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:50 am

I really like it. If you look at this season for what it is.. a reload... you have to give Gomez major league AB's and access to a MLB hitting coach - you have to. The guy is a major part of the future, and with Morneau, Cuddyer, Mauer, Nathan and Young all locked up (or going to be locked up) for several years - you can afford to look ahead a little bit. If worse comes to worse, Monroe looks like he may have figured out some of his problems from last year, so if CarGo has to take a step down, he could be a nice fill in.

It's going to be an interesting year...

Irishmans Shanty · Post by **Irishmans Shanty** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:23 am

The Twins have no choice but to run Gomez out onto the field to start the year. Two reasons, first, he's 23 years old and secondly, they need to showcase something that they got in return for Santana.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:25 am

Sidney Ponson. Ramon Ortiz. Livian Hernandez? Have we learned nothing?

I'd rather keep Bass AND Blackburn, than waste a month with a guy who had almost a 5 era the last two years in the national league.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:31 am

This is a departure form their usual practice of not rushing people. Maybe they think he is ready.

They want to put somebody on the field to show something for the Santana trade and I think that is what is driving this. I hope they dont get him in over his head.

They have hitting coaches in the minor leagues, which is where players should be developed.

I hope he hits .270 and steals 60 bases. But I doubt it.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:14 pm

packerboy wrote:This is a departure form their usual practice of not rushing people. Maybe they think he is ready.

They want to put somebody on the field to show something for the Santana trade and I think that is what is driving this. I hope they dont get him in over his head.

They have hitting coaches in the minor leagues, which is where players should be developed.

I hope he hits .270 and steals 60 bases. But I doubt it.

Well, to be fair, CarGo is batting just under .300 (.294) for the spring and has stolen 10 out of 11 attempts (he was finally caught today by the Cards). In a situation where you're dealing with what might be the equivilent of AAA pitching - even though pitchers are widely regarded as being way ahead of the hitters in ST - those are respectable numbers.

He needs to have a better feel of the strike zone if he's going to be a lead off guy though - 2 BB in 51 plate appearences isn't going to cut it - but I don't see why 50-60 SB isn't realistic for the kid (provided he stays healthy). Everybody on earth knows he's going to be running probably better than 50% of the time, and even with perfect execution by the pitcher, catcher, and middle infielder, he's going to be damn near imposssible to stop.

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:20 pm

Oh, and by the way... The Nathan deal is done. Locked up through 2011 with a club option for 2012.

I'm looking forward to sharing another beer with the man at the local KC sports bar in a couple of weeks and congratulating him on the new found fortune!