Comments on: Restoring the rosters: No. 12 – Minnesota

By: Alireza

Alireza — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:21:54 +0000

Knoblauch was an excellent player in Minnesota. The Yankee-centric media makes him out to be some sort of terrible player, but there is a reason the Yanks traded for him. Mr. Garlic was an elite defensive and offensive 2B. Gaetti was the 1980s version of Mike Jacobs with the bat, all sock and no walk, but he was an elite defensive player. Still, I don’t see how one can call those two flops.
Now the current Twins, they aren’t good at picking up middle infielders.

By: ScottyB

ScottyB — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:21:29 +0000

The players I listed were all good to outstanding, it’s just that you can probably go back another decade and not have any more. The embarrassment is that there are so few over such a long period, and that few were around more than 5 years. By the way, Castino was also ROY.
It’s not that they can’t draft – they’ve had decent luck drafting pitchers and catchers (they’ve had close to a dozen catchers they’ve drafted who’ve gone on to significant careers as starters or backups).
The main reason that there weren’t many changes in the lineup or rotation is that for decades, the Twins have been horders. They rarely make significant trades, unless free agency is involved (i.e. Santana, Viola, Knoblauch, Carew). They lucked out with the Pierzynski deal – basically forced to make room for Mauer. Where the Twins have been good over the last 30 years has been when they have been sellers at the trade deadline, selling off veterans for minor leaguers. They have found good players by flipping the veterans.

By: Knee

Knee — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:15:41 +0000

Scotty, those are actually some decent names you listed. Knoblauch was the ROY and a several time all star untill he forgot how to throw in New York. Gaetti and Koskie were solid as well.
The funny thing about this is their rotation and line up didnt change much with the exercise.

By: lookatthosetwins

lookatthosetwins — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:41:33 +0000

I agree with Kevin. We need a guy who can bunt and is scrappy in the 2 spot. Not someone who can hit.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:04:14 +0000

There is an error in the line-up. With Gardenhire managing, either L-Rod or Tolbert would have to hit in the 2 slot.

By: Brent

Brent — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:44:45 +0000

By held Ortiz back, did you mean not let him use Steroids?
How pathetic have the Twins been at developing middle infielders? Yikes

By: ScottyB

ScottyB — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:49:20 +0000

The Twins have been absolutely putrid at picking infielders. In the last 30 years, they have drafted the following infielders (2B, SS, 3B) who have started at least 3 years for them: 1 SS – Pat Meares; 2 2B – Chuck Knoblauch and Luis Rivas; and 3 3B – John Castino, Gary Gaetti and Corey Koskie. Castino was moved from 3rd to 2nd for Gaetti and would have been their starting 2B for the ’87 WS if his back hadn’t given out. They have had a few utility guys like Hocking, Reboulet and Rodriguez. They need to hire someone who can evaluate infield talent – and it would help if they signed Miguel Sano. (Of course Cuddyer was drafted as a SS, but was eventually moved to RF).