Note: If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't say it here. Comments deleted on a whim.
Note: Before the questions (hopefully) start rolling in, I just want to say that because these will be reprinted in an entry and read by a large number of people, keeping the questions relatively brief and without a ton of spelling errors or overall sloppiness would be good.
Thanks.
Why don't you propose a relatively realistic trade or two involving the Twins pitching strenght?
Any insight as to who has the inside edge for official fantasy girl?
Aaron: Just curious how many Twins games you attend each season? Also, do you get media credentials or sit in the stands with "the people"?
Given the Twins' huge depth of high-end pitching prospects and their lack of any true hitting prospects (at least in the upper minors), and the anticipated return of Liriano, should the Twins trade Johan sometime in the next year for hitting help?
You've discussed MMA/UFC on here a handful of times, and being a huge MMA fan I wanted to know what you thought of the fight last weekend. And assuming you're relatively new to MMA (I could easily be wrong here, forgive me), which fighters have you been the most impressed with so far??
I would like you to do an up to date report card on the performance of Terry Ryan, from the great (the AJ swindle) to the horrible (botched D Ortiz departure) and everything in between.
Have you gone out on a real date recently? If you did - would you tell us about it?
In a similar vein as the poster above, I just wanted to know more about your love life in general. We get weekly updates on the Fantasy Girls, but barely any on the real girls in your life. Are you seeing somebody currently? Or are you just dropping your "I was featured in SI" card at clubs and bringing home groups of beautiful women every night?
And on a baseball related note:
What is with all the dirty play that seems to be going on in the league? First AJ-Justin, then A-Rod calling for the ball as he ran behind the third baseman's back in Toronto? It seems that this year a lot of players are resorting to dirty tricks to get ahead, is that just in my head or do other people feel that way too?
What is going to be a realistic number for keeping Johan around? Do you think the Free Agent market will cool enough this winter for the Twins to get an extension for Zito or, God-willing, sub-Zito money?
In non-baseball news...any thoughts on the travesty that is Lindsey Lohan topping Maxim's Hot 100 list? Unbelievable.
of course you give us a frequent group of links to visit (as well as providing numerous links on the side) but i was wondering which blogs/sites are your daily must reads?
How devastating do you think the loss of Santana would be and why? 10 being the Twins revert back to mid 90s form, 1 being they don't miss a beat? Assume they do not trade him (because we'll be in contention in 08).
Aaron: Any suggestions for an aspiring sports blogger? I'm modeling it at least somewhat on your style (it's an homage, not a copycat!), but concentrating on the Vikings, since you have the Twins well covered.
I know they had an article a month or two ago in the Strib about Corey Koskie's ongoing recovery from post concussive syndrome. How's that going for him? (While nice to hear about him, the Strib story was a little "fluffy"). Is he going to be able to make it back? Does he want to?
Lets talk about all the HoFers and future HoFers that have come from the glorious city of St. Paul(especially the highland park area). It has to be something in water.
swinging sammy as dh?
Rondell White. Haven't heard much about him lately except that he is doing some rehab somewhere in the deep south. Maybe he should stay there. I mean after all, he was supposed to have gone through all these exercise and stretching routines over the winter and he comes back to open with a hammy pull doing some ballet routine out of the dugout. No offense, Rondell, I know you're a terrific clubhouse guy and a gentleman, but maybe you should consider retiring. I like to see Jason Kubel's progress defensively anyway, and since the Twins say you don't make a consistent DH, well...maybe it is time for the younger guys to step up. Comments, Aaron?
A couple of days ago, Joe Christensen disagreed with you that signing Ponson, Silva, and Ortiz was a bad move. The crux of his argument was that the rotation needed depth. If you could go back in time and make the decisions instead of Terry Ryan, how would you spend the $9 million?
How's the Gardenhire File coming along?
A more specific trade query: Do you think the Twins would (or should) pursue Tampa Bay's Jonny Gomes?
What time-line do you see for Jeff Manship? He seems like last year's Garza, can we expect to see him possibly next season, or will it be longer. From what I have read (and his stats down in beloit .73 whip over 60 innings) he seems to be very polished.
What's your take on the Pohlad family these days? I don't live in the cities and haven't heard much about them, but it feels like the Twins are not quite as cheap as they used to be. Do you feel ownership commitment to a quality team is improving? Will it with a new stadium? Any chance there will be a change in ownership in the near future?
I loved the excitement that Jack Cust brought to the A's that first week, unfortunately it appears to be short lived. What are your thoughts on what he can do and what the A's can do the rest of the way?
I've heard rumor after rumor about the Twins dealing a young arm like Baker for a young 3B like Edwin Encarnacion, but if I'm not mistaken the Twins are still high on Matt Moses. How far away from the majors is Moses and does he project well enough as a player to discourage the Twins from making such a trade?
Would the Twins consider trading Joe Nathan in the next year to free up cap room and bring in a valuable position player?
It seems Rincon/Neshek could step into the role and do just fine and Nathan is getting older, so trading him at his peak makes sense.
What do you make of the recent reports of Garza's stubborness in AAA. It reminds me of Loshe and how he never seemed to be able to pitch the way the coaches wanted him to. It's obvious that Garza can't rely only on number one in the bigs, right?
Do you think Tyner should be getting more at-bats?
After hearing all the hype last year about Garza I was thrilled when he was brought up after excelling in the minors. I thought he would be a great addition to the starting lineup for years to come. The thing is, I wasn't impressed at all when he was brought up to the bigs at the end of last year. Even this year he isn't having as good a year as Baker and Slowey. Considering his recent blowup about the Twins supposedly trying to change his pitches, and just about every major sports writer still convinced he's capable of being a #1, do you think we should pull the plug on him and trade him for another bat?
It seems to me as we progress further into this season that the Twins should actually pony up another 3 or 4 years for Torii Hunter. I know it will take a bit of money, but can you imagine this lineup with Denard Span instead of Hunter? Can TR get deals done with Cuddyer, Nathan, Santana and still feel comfortable giving a 4-year deal for Torii?
A general baseball question: I thought that there were plans a few years ago to balance the number of teams in all the divisions in baseball, so that the AL West would grow by one and the NL Central would lose a team. Is that going to happen any time soon?
Does it disturb you that readers (presumably male) have an unnatural interest in your sex life (or lack thereof)?
Okay, it's a stretch but lets throw it out there. The Yankees have a 3B with a big bat obviously on his way out. IF (big if) the Yanks are willing to eat a major portion of his astronomical, ridiculous, Yankee only salary, even in a dream, would it be possible for the buxom blonde loving 3B to end up in MN... since the Twins ideally need a solid 3b with a big bat.
Baseball question: If a team (say the Twins) goes out and signs a big name free agent for say 10-15 million. Is it possible that the team sells enough extra tickets due to that person to pay the salary? If so, why haven't the Twins done it.
Aaron,
How much time does it take you to do your blog? How much money do successful bloggers earn? How do you make money from a blog?
How is the Twins top 40 coming?
Where do you find your stats?
How about the topic du jour on sports radio - Will Kobe be traded and for what. Mike & Mike on ESPN proposed a trade with Chicago that works money wise (Gordon, Wallace & Deng for Kobe & Bynum), but I can't see any trade that the Lakers would get equal value out there.
Rondel was mentioned before, but i'll ask anyway. What happens when he comes back? Gardy seems to like both Lew and Tyner. Obviously someone will need to be sent down. Maybe Lew and Tyner can morph into one person? Is morph a word?
Also, you have your fantasy girls. I don't think i've ever seen Jessica Biel mentioned, could be wrong. What do you think of her? I think she's smokin', so you should consider her. She's a MN girl as well. The thing with Jeter made me throw up in my mouth though. Your thoughts?
Aaron:
Do you own a Twins jersey, and if so who's name is on the back?
You mentioned in a recent comment posting that you "like good players and dislike bad players". I believe that this was in reference to other readers questioning why you seem to criticize certain players (and management) frequently.
Given the fact that the Twins have a defined payroll easily putting them in the bottom half of the league how do you propose that the Twins go about getting all "good players"? Hasn't the organization done a pretty good job competing when compared to the financial handicap they are dealing with? Which other teams in their peer group are doing a better job?
Compare the production of Punto and Bartlett after 50 or so games this season with that of Batista and Castro last season. While Batista's ability to make outs is mystifying and I agree the pair needed to be shipped, is our current duo much better? Why are you so easy on them and so hard on Batista/Castro?
With the last name Gleeman, are people ever taken a back by your often critical opinions thinking that you should be a man full of glee?
I am little creeped out by all of the people interested in your love life.
What are your feelings on Bert belonging in the Hall of Fame?
How do you like living in your new house? Are you all settled in and getting along with the neighbors?
Are the Twins aware that the a.l. has a designated hitter rule in place? If they are, why do they not have a designated hitter? A lot of teams have a d.h, who bats 4th or 5th, and fills the roll of a 4th or 5th hitter, but our d.h. bats 9th frequetly, or 8th, and barely qualifies for that position. This seems to create an ongoing disadvantage for the club. Is Danny Walton still alive?
You haven't looked at WPA lately, so I'll bring it up and maybe stir up some controversy. With May over and just under 1/3 of the season gone, here are the Twins YTD WPA MVP candidates, courtesy of fangraphs:
1) Morneau 1.25
2) Cuddyer 1.03
3) Mauer 0.53
4) Castillo 0.50
5) Hunter 0.35
That seems to make some intuitive sense. But if we look at BRAA instead, the standings are radically different:
1) Hunter 12.65
2) Cuddyer 12.58
3) Morneau 10.30
4) Mauer 9.38
5) Castillo 4.56
So my question is, which do you believe and why? Or would you split the difference?
And one more thing to ponder: if you add Redmond's and Heintz's numbers to Mauer's, the Twins catchers are the Most Valuable Position in BRAA terms, although they still rank 3rd in WPA.
...but our d.h. bats 9th frequetly, or 8th, and barely qualifies for that position.
Or leads off, and sports 32 doubles and ZERO homeruns in 1100+ career AB's.
(my questions have already been asked)
How's the weight loss program going? I recall you had some staggering numbers and said basically it was an eat less/exercise more program. How much and what type of exercise do you do? How little do you eat?
How's the ear? Any more gross pictures to share with the rest of us?
What is your current assessment of Torii Hunter's performance? Do you think his defense has improved since last season? Can he maintain his current offensive production?
If you could pick one position the Twins should try to upgrade through before the trading deadline, what would it be?
2 questions:
What path do you think Garza's season will take this year (2007)?
and
What are your thoughts on the new ballpark design?
Aaron,
When if/when Liriano returns, what do you think about the possibility of hin being converted into a closer? (especially if Nathan becomes too pricey for the Twins to keep him)
Would the twins possible be better off not resigning santana (gasp) and using the money on the likes of morneau, cuddyer, maybe hunter, but also keeping in mind liriano and the other young pitchers?
Any comment on Carlos Gomez's THT entries evaluating the mechanics of pitchers and hitters? How will that kind of detailed analysis influence the statheads in the blogosphere?
Since you such a sports guy. Do you listen to sports talk radio? What is your favorite station to listen to on your way to Twins games? KFAN for me how about You?
How often do you attend Twins games in person? Do you think that will increase with the new Twins stadium on the horizon?
How will Slowey do on Friday? Predictions?
Do you play baseball video games?
Do you hate 2K7 like everyone else in the world?
Is MVP 2005 the only baseball game worth playing? (Oh yes, it is.)
If so, what system to you play them on, and who is your favorite team to be, or do you play a customized fantasy-type team?
So I heard Intern Gal is single. You should quit hoping for Jenna lusting over married women (i.e. Jenna Fischer of The Office) and play the field a bit, me boy.
Question: would you like me to set you up with Intern Gal or not?
Second Question: Where would you rather vacation- Wai KiKi or Wayzata? Aruba or Anoka? Naples or Staples?
If the Yankees offered Phillip Hughes for Johan Santana this fall, would you support taking the deal? Should the Twins be looking for a similar offer this fall if contract negotiations don't go well?
I have Ted Lilly in my 6x6 H2H fantasy league. I have Jason Schmidt coming off the DL soon with a great rehab start in A ball. My strategy is to have the most powerful offense and have win 4 of 6 pitching categories of ERA, WHIP, SV, HR allowed, punting W and K. Assuming Schmidt's ERA be better than Lilly's from June-September, what power bats would you recommend attempting to trade Lilly for to increase my power consistency (already averaging 9-10 HR per week)? Looking to limit the downside risk of poor power weeks.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
I've heard that the Twins think Garza needs to diversify his pitch selection. What does AG think?
I've heard the Rockies are shopping Atkins. Could the Twins be reasonable trade partners?
I've heard the Devil Rays need pitching and have talented young position players. Any potential trades that AG would like to see between these two teams?
I've heard that AG.com still doesn't have an official fantasy girl. Can you provide criteria?
What is your feeling about Santana "talking" Anderson out of walking Konerko on Monday? It obviously backfired this time...so, where does a player "cross the line" when it comes to overruling a strategic move, such as the above?
Aaron,
Yesterday Ron Coomer said that Torii Hunter was taking better at bats because he was being more selective. "He walked three times in the series", the Coom Dog reported. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't two of those walks intentional? Is Torii Hunter really taking more pitches this year, and having better at-bats?
Looks like most of the questions so far are baseball related so I'll go with "other". Have you discovered any desperate housewifes in your new neighborhood? As a young, single, male homeowner, have you hosted any poker nights at your place? Finally, how's the poker going and do you play online?
Looking forward to the responses from the wide variety of questions and really enjoyed when you did this last time. Keep up the great work Aaron!+
With Liriano coming back next year, and Bonser and Santana penciled into the rotation, which guy is the odd man out next year, Slowey, Baker, or Garza?
Aaron, do you think it's time for another blogger-reader baseball gathering?
Do you know where to get any good weed?
Mr. Caspar, I believe I can answer your question, and it is a damn good one. A woodchuck, under ideal conditions, is capable of chucking an amount of wood proportunate to his or her ability to chuck wood at all. Usually, about 6 or so.
Aaron, along with a couple of today's early posters, I'd like to know your thoughts on what kind of young, impact bat the Twins could pick up in exchange for part of their stockpile of young, impact pitchers. The link posted here references a Tom Verducci article today that discusses the Blue Jays' need to trade for pitching, which makes Alex Rios come to mind. You have also previously mentioned Edwin Encarnacion as a potential trade possibility. What should TR consider, and might be in the works?
Why does PECOTA seem to understate Runs and RBI totals for the best hitters? This is more anecdotal than scientific but I was going through the Baseball Prosepectus manual and it is accurate for HR but no hitter I saw was above 110 RBI or Runs. Considering a fair amount of players exceed that total every year, does it not make sense that PECOTA would anticipate that as well in their projections?
I am not a minor league expert like you or Seth.
Would it be possible for the Twins to host one of their minor league affiliates in a town within a reasonalbe driving distance to the Twin Cities? If Beloit can have a team, why can't Duluth, Rochester, or even Fargo? Are those towns just too far away from other minor league cities? Are they not big enough?
Everyone says Kubel has potential but he continues to underperform. At what point do we consider trading him?
When are you picking your official AG.com girl?
In Jayson Stark's May 31st Rumblings and Grumblings, he wrote that Elijah Dukes of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are shopping him for a bullpen arm. Any chance that the Twins could be in the hunt for Dukes, who could provide some much needed power in the Twins lineup?
Any possibility of Kobe wearing a Timberpuppies jersey next season? Any chance that we could keep KG to play with him?
One of the many things I love about baseball is that EVERYTHING can be analyzed with a statistic. Even so, all those stats make my eyes glaze over sometimes. How in the world does anyone ever make sense of all those different stats without going nuts? I mean, really, someone out there could probably regurgitate how many home runs a switch-hitter hit from the left side of the plate on Saturday afternoon games batting against a right-handed pitcher. Or, HRHbSHfLSPSAGVRHP.
Hey Owen,
The Twins believe that character is as important as ability, so no way would they trade for Dukes. He's a punk, who beats threatened to kill his girlfriend.
Are there any catching prospects in the system to take the third catcher away from Heintz? If Mauer moves to third after further setbacks, will the Twins try to find a new catcher or can Redmond handle the starting job full time?
Are there any top-flight new Twins blogs picking up the 'less stats, more sass' mantra from bg?
What do you think about the next up and coming pitching prospects such as Oswlado Sosa, Jeffrey Manship, and even Anthony Swarzak? And also, am I missing any?
Is Joe Mauer going to bat second when he comes back? Do you think that's a good idea?
Short question from a short reader-
I have always wondered about Litle Nicky Punto Superhero's ethic background. Do you know if his heritage is Hispanic, Italian or neither?
-Prez of the Punto fan club
Realistic trade for comment:
Scott Baker or other extra pitcher for Elijah Dukes. He plays CF, hits and hits for power, and TB is apparently exploring divesting themselves of him.
A few random questions...
What is the best Italian food in the Twin Cities (Cosetta's?)?
How do you create such insanely good teams in Diamond Mind?
What is your favorite episode of Seinfeld?
Are you going to the SABR convention in St. Louis this summer? Is NBC paying for it?
I know it's early, but I have a hard time taking the Twins seriously as World Series contenders with a staff of Santana and a bunch of question marks. Would they be better off if they fell out of the race this year so that they're able to deal some or all of Hunter, Castillo, Silva, and White?
(I'm not suggesting they tank or anything.)
The Twins seem just good enough to stay on the fringes of wild-card contention, and this will prevent them from getting any value for the departing free agents.
So do you really believe Garza has gone from a 64% FB pitcher last year to a 90% FB pitcher this year as the Twins claim or do you think this is another "leadership" issue that just so happens to coincide with service time like it did with Bartlett last year?
Over on Page 2 there's an article about closers using too much heavy metal music. I think that's probably true of all baseball players. Nothing against heavy metal, just pro-diversity.
If AG could score the Twins lineup and pitching staff, what would that score look like?
Many folks are concerned about Bonser's tendency to give up dingers. Is anyone worried about Santana's proclivity for the same? Granted, he gives up solo shots, but still I find it worrisome.
In the past you've stated that Mauer should stay at catcher, but have you softened your stance at all in light of his most recent injury? I understand that a large part of his value is tied to his position, and while it may not be so much in the Twins' best interest for him to move, for both his long-term health and his offensive production, isn't it in his best interest? Wouldn't you like to see what he could do with upwards of 700 PA without the rigors of catching weighing him down? Six-foot-five is just too damn tall to play catcher anyhow--how many knee surgeries has Sandy Alomar, Jr. had?
Is there a future for Batgirl and me? I wouldn't ask her to move to Cleveland.
What are the chances of the Twins using their first pick on a positional college player?
Clemens or Maddux?
Have you checked out the obsessive fan site www.TwinsCards.com that ahs kicked off big time. It's pretty neat seeing all these Topps and other company cards, plus -- can you believe it -- 15,000 autographs (of all players) in two collections. The photos are great (I remember when you could write the team and they'd send you a photo pak -- free!). Magazines, books, yearbooks. Create your own dreamteam. A blog of Twins history. The ROSTERS section -- a year-by-year look that showcases guys who could've been Twins. What do you think, Aaron?
What is your address? I am tired about hearing about this great house, I want to drop by for a Beer and see it.
Does everyone at Rotoworld work for NBC now, or is NBC just a Rotoworld sponsor?
I've been reading this blog for about a year but I don't think I've ever caught a Simpsons reference--you're a twenty-something male who by his own admission spends most of his day in bed--how can you not be a rabid Simpsons fan?
The gloves that Jose Reyes wears when he runs bases are different from the ones he wears when batting. Is he wearing a protective-type glove while baserunning? If so, where can I find a pair to buy? My son plays D1 college ball and has twice injured fingers when sliding headfirst, once so severely that he required extensive surgery on his thumb. He says he can't hold a batting glove in each hand as I'm told many players do (to keep their fingers clenched) because he can't grab the bag. How to keep sliding fingers healthy?
With a three year stretch as the best pitcher in baseball, it's obvious that Johan Santana is an all-time great. My question is who, historically, is Santana most similar to? Looking at Bill James's "Pitching Families" from the New Historical Abstract, neither Blow-em-Away Lefties (eg. Grove, Koufax, Randy Johnson) or Easy Motion Lefties (Spahn, Glavine) really seem appropriate. Is Santana unique historically?
Should the Twins make a run for Mark Texiera? What type of offer would the Twins be able to make that would get the Rangers interested? Would TR pull the trigger on such a deal?
As Bill Simmons would phrase it, if gambling on sports were legal, how are you doing this year? I miss your old your old pick of the day and running tally features.
What are your thoughts on the Twins going after a young hitter such as Wily Mo Pena? It seems Boston is willing to deal him and he seems ideal for the DH position at a park such as the metrodome.
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