Punto Punts Rivas

[8-Ball]

Yeah- I don't think he is making more than around $500 K. (I would take that, just fine).

[bigbucks]

A lot of the National Sports guys have said many times that Mauer's the real deal & has one of the purest swings in baseball. I don't doubt that Prior will continue to be a good pitcher, assuming his arm doesn't blow up, but he wouldn't have signed with us & Mauer can probably do more for us longterm anyway.

Incidentally Radke's thrown 6 shutout innings vs. the Indians so far today & leads 5-0.

[pikehunter]

Witty,

In case you haven't noticed, the Twins are not a major market team. Instead, they are a team that deals with budget constraints other squads are not forced to deal with. Players like Prior and Randa are nice to have, but really don't fit with the plan here.

Seeing as how you don't like half the players (at least Cuddyer, Radke and Mauer) and also don't really like the way the organization operates, I wonder why you're a Twins fan?

[Mitty]

Been a twins fan all my life remember the likes of Carew and Bostock as one of the best one,two hitters in the league and disco Dan Ford holding up the outfield.But its alright to have an opinion on todays club I believe when Prior was available we had a stiff by the name of Rick Reed and by letting him go we would have had plenty of money to sign Prior which by the way will be a stub in the league for long time but like I said before it was also a marketing scheme.I believe Prior did state he didnt want to play here you hear alot of that on draft days, I believe a young draftee of the Vikings one year stated the same thing and after he came he never wanted to leave wasnt his name Darrin Nelson?I also think Mauer will be a good player but lets be honest if he wasnt from Cretin he never would have been drafted by the Twins at No.1. Just my opinion.

[bigbucks]

Mitty, I understand that's your opinion, I just happen to not think it's correct. I think most of the baseball guru's would have said that Prior & Mauer were the two best "can't miss" prospects in that draft.

[pikehunter]

Well said Witty. I also should admit that before this year I agreed with you. I was furious that they didn't pick Prior and just wait for him to come to his senses. That said, after seeing Mauer play, I think he's the real deal, as do many in MLB circles.

More importantly, Prior signed for $10.5 million, including a signing bonus somewhere between $2 and $3 million. No way letting go of Rick Reed would have cleared that kind of money. Plus, I really think the Twins would have had a hard time being competitive with that type of money tied up in one contract. There's just no way, with their budget, that they would still have in tact the core of a team that has now won three straight division titles.

Go Twins!

[bigbucks]

Not to mention I believe Reed had a guaranteed contract no one else wanted to pay, so I don't think we really had on option to get rid of him. We could have cut him, but it wouldn't have helped our salary cap at all.

[Mitty]

Changing the subject a little here what do you guys think of no retalition from the beachballer(radke) yesterday I played enough baseball to know when to stick up for your team mates and I think radke was more concerned about his personal outing when all this shook down the game was pretty much over my opinion was he was chicken sh!!.

[bigbucks]

I'm more ticked about how the (Contact US Regarding This Word) umps handled it & continue to handle it. I agree with Gardy's approach & the beef he has about it everytime it happens. They knew the guy threw at Stewart. They should have tossed him & then warned both teams that's what's going to happen to the next guy who does it too. This crap where the first intentional one is a freebie is ridiculous unless each team gets one. They're basically saying it's fine to start something, because the other team won't be able to finish it. That's a bunch of horse dung!

I think that shutout was important for him personally & the team. They'd had a couple of shaky performances in a row.

[pikehunter]

I agree, the way it is approached by the umps is ridiculous. Gardy gets tossed almost every time it happens and it's one of my favorite things about him.

Initially, I thought Radke should have came out and put one right in the first batter's ear-hole, but after I cooled down a bit, I think he did the right thing, only because, since he had been warned, he likely would have been suspended as well. No reason to cost the team another win down the stretch. I would have liked it much better if there would have been no warning and Radke would have threaded him, which he would have. Problem is, the umps don't allow players to take care of it themselves anymore.

[8-Ball]

Maybe our boys should just drill an opposing player right off the bat every game-because the dumb a** way it is being handled now, is that the team that drills another teams player first doesn't get as much as a slap on the wrist. Then, if the other team happens to drill an opponent, they are the one that gets tossed. Ridiculous. I have no problem w/our pitchers retaliating and drilling an opponent when one of our guys gets drilled. The problem w/ that though is our guy gets tossed. I would rather see Santana or Radke on the mound then sent to the showers. A tough catch-22. By the way-anybody see the blob today on Gardy and Rivas deal? He told the Strib Rivas will continue to ride the pine until he has an attitude adjustment. Go Gardy.

[D_Heintz]

Question: If Radke would have plunked someone last night, who was left in the pen we could have run out there? Rincon is down and out...

2nd stupid question: Why doesn't major league baseball have something like the salarie cap used in Football? The plan they have in place allows TOO much varriation from the big market to small market teams! I know the players like the bit salaries but, come on, without the Twins, Royals, and other teams who would the Yankees and Red Sox play?

[8-Ball]

Heintz- Probably Jesse Crain for # 1. #2. I believe there is a salary cap for baseball. If the Yankees, Dodgers, etc. exceed that cap, they pay a penalty. Don't know what the magic $ is for the cap. Which Uncle Steinbrenner is happy to do. If I am wrong on this one, my bad. 8-Ball.

[Jarrod32]

No salary cap in baseball...the players union won't allow it. Basketball and Football have used it effectively, though...pretty good parity in those leagues. There is a 'luxury tax'...when a team's payroll exceeds a certain amount, they have to pay a percentage into a pool that is distributed among smaller-market teams (not sure of the formula for distribution, though). This year, two teams are paying the luxury tax...the Yankees (and they are paying something like $30 million in luxury tax) and the Red Sox (they're paying around $1 million). Not certain on those numbers, but I think they're close...

[First Ice-Mike]

Mitty - Joe Mauer will be one of the 5 best all-around players in MLB in 2 years. This is practically his rookie year and he already looks like a seasoned vet. Prior is a good pitcher, but unreliable at best. If Mauer stays healthy for a 12 year career he will be in the Hall of Fame - not so sure about Prior. There's my bold prediction for the day - anyone disagree? Oh yeah - you'll eat you're words when Radke wins at least 16 games this year.

FI

[Mitty]

First I will agree Mauer looks good but its a long season did you happen to see Prior pitch in the College world series a couple of years ago he looked like a man against boys he will be terrific for years to come can you imagine him being on a team with a d.h. or with a team that can hit over .270 he would be even more awesome.As far as the old beachballer(radke)goes for 10 million he better be winning more than 16 games and if he wins 16 or more the twins will have over 93 wins.Please dont think that hes that great any other team in contention he would be no better than the number 3 guy and there isnt to many number 3 guys getting 10 million a year.

[fishyguy]

Mitty,

I certainly hear any argument that says the Twinks should have taken Prior (I may not agree but would understand the thinking) but why do you think it was because he was from Cretin? Did you mean, because he was local or do you think a Cretin kid got extra props?

[pikehunter]

Mitty, I get as frustrated as anyone when I watch Radke pitch, because he gives up so many early runs and additionally, has a problem giving up the long ball, but a No. 3 guy? No way.

It's frustrating to watch him sometimes and it seems like he doesn't get the job done often enough, but the stats say otherwise. Radke's 3.60 ERA is in the top 20 of the AL, and he is one of a handful of guys in the AL with 3 wins. He's also one of six guys in the majors to have thrown two complete games. Most impressively, his WHIP is 1.00, the ninth-best in MLB.

I challenge you to come up with any No. 3 pitcher you would rather have then him. In fact, I can really only think of a few No. 2 guys I would take in front of him.

[rundrave]

well you can also account for $10 million paying for a stand up class act guy, that has showed commitment and great leadership, and probably a great team mate. Yeah he has his bad outings but Im sure his experience and demeanor have rubbed off onto some of our younger players.

On the whole prior deal, the kids great, got a awesome arm, and knows how to pitch, but it looks like old dusty baker has let the young guns(prior, wood) throw a few to many pitches a couple years back and now the cubs are paying for it the hard way.

And man I am glad we dont have hawkins anymore, the guy has blown so many games this year in the 9th for the cubs.

[Mitty]

Fish I think you hit the nail on the head with both responses I think they drafted Mauer to sell tickets more than anything else and it doesnt hurt to have old pops involved with the twins I just have a hard time taking a senior in high school over a proven ace like Prior was in college and yes I think kids that play at the likes of a Cretin defenitly get a break of more people looking at them take football for example didnt they play on espn last fall how many other high schools from Minnesota did you see play on national T.V.Just a thought.

[Mitty]

Pike when I said No.3 i might have went out alittle far on the limb but I think you get my point.How about Santana winning the cy last year and Radke still gets the No.1 position is that kissing his (Contact US Regarding This Word) or what any other franchise would have at least pushed him to no.2 or no.3.Silva isnt looking to bad so far either.

[fishyguy]

Quote:

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Fish I think you hit the nail on the head with both responses I think they drafted Mauer to sell tickets more than anything else and it doesnt hurt to have old pops involved with the twins I just have a hard time taking a senior in high school over a proven ace like Prior was in college and yes I think kids that play at the likes of a Cretin defenitly get a break of more people looking at them take football for example didnt they play on espn last fall how many other high schools from Minnesota did you see play on national T.V.Just a thought.

---

Yes, Cretin was the only Minnesota team on national TV last year but if you were ESPN would you have to have something to promote. Cretin, Eden Prairie and maybe a couple other schools would qualify as consistent power houses, but if you are ESPN you do want something to promote. Cretin gave them the opportunity to promote the school with names that are recognizable to the country, i.e. Birk, Weinke, Walsh, Mauer. Based on Cretin's perfomance in a down year you may not see them on TV for awhile. Anyways, I think that Mauer being local had a lot to do with it as did the family name but I think it would have been the same if Joe had gone to Harding where the Mauer name was originally associated with.

Boy, this thread has gotten a little off track

[bigbucks]

I think this Mauer thread is ridiculous. Do you think all the pitchers in the AL are giving him props too? Is that why he's batting .360 or whatever he's hitting in the toughest spot in the order?

[buzzsaw]

I was "dissapointed" if thats the right word, I don't know.... when they drafted Mauer over Prior.... but since then I really haven't been dissapointed... maybe it's because we've seen his cannon of an arm and his ability to spray the ball all over the field... and unlike alot of more veteran players... he can take a pitch or two and work the count into his favor upping the chances for success at the plate. It also seems like he calls a good game!!! I'd like to see him throw behind the runner at first more often to see how many guys he could pick off. He's a class kid, I'm glad we have him!

[bigbucks]

I have no problem second guessing the moves the Wolves & Vikings have made historically, but the Twins organization in the last 20 years generally has a pretty good track record. You haven't seen many guys they've gotten rid of go on to stardom elsewhere, but some of the guys they've gotten have.

[Eric Wettschreck]

In the past the Twins have made some pretty good moves, especially knowing the $$$ or lack there of that they have to offer.

Another thing to look at in the whole Mauer vs. Prior thing is......when that particular move was made what was Terry Ryan thinking the team would be needing? Pitching or hitting? The starting rotation was and is pretty darn good. AJ wasn't going to stick around for the $$$ he'd get offered, Tom Prince was on his way out, and here's a kid that shows potential to be pretty darn good behind the plate and can spray the ball all over the field. Take him.

The ability of Twins management to look ahead and develop young players is what won the last 3 divisions. Why go away from what got you there???? I say they made the right move, time will tell.

[Jarrod32]

Back to Punto...that was a very good sequence of base running in the top of the 8th tonight by Punto...ended up tying the score...that, along with getting the sac bunt down earlier in the game, is the kind of thing that will keep him in Gardy's lineup...

[8-Ball]

That is exactly why Punto is in there. He plays the game the way it should be played- with determination,hustle, and guts. Three qualities that Rivas does not have, apparently. After reading the Strib today, Rivas doesn't seem to upset about getting yanked from the starting line-up, either. Another reason to let him sit on the pine, if you ask me... 8-Ball.

[Eric Wettschreck]

They gave Jacque Jones player of the game nods, but Punto was the man. Hustle to catch fouls, and manufacture a run by smart base running.

[Willy]

You won't see it in any box score but Nick Punto is going to win the Twins a few games this year. He did last night. He is exactly the kind of kid you want playing second base. Scrappy, fast, good bunter, and just a good feel for the game of baseball. He is the type of player Gardy likes and is the kind of player alot of people think about when the Twins come up in conversation.

Rivas...... sit the bench for the whole year. Maybe if you're lucky you'll get in when we need someone to run for Big Country. I'm very happy to see Punto in the lineup everyday and hope he stays healthy.