twins/mlb

"You have to have the mentality like, 'I want to go nine innings.' " BALLFOUR: That's one thing Sanatana almost never did in his career, and did less often for the Twins. Complete a game. And for all the griping fans did about how the Twins kept Santana in the pen too long, what kind of a career would he have had that not been he case? With the way the Twins handled him, least he has a whisp of a chance to earn the remaining lowside $55 million the Mets owe him.

These top Twins' picks go back to '87. Twenty five yeras. "Servicable" big-league starters here are scarce; there are no "aces": Willie Banks, Johnny Ard, Todd Ritchie, Dan Sarafini, Marc Bercelo, Travis Miller, Mark Redman, Ryan Mills, Adam Johnson, Aaron Heilman, Glen Perkins, Steve Waldorp, Matt Garza, Carlos Gutierrez, Shooter Hunt, Kyle Gibson, Matthee Bashore, Alex Wimmers, Hudson Boyd.

"You have to have the mentality like, 'I want to go nine innings.' " - Didn't Nolan Ryan state last year that he is tired of pitch count and the expectation for ALL Ranger starters is to go 9 innings? I guess the Twins expectation is just for Aces to 9, and since we have no Aces on the staff everyone will be out of the game by 100 pitches.

And look what American League team has been in the last two World Series. A Ranger's pitching staff that has the "mentality" of Ryan. A HOF. Take note Andy...that's someone who knows something about pitching. Take notes. That is how you develope a pitching staff and to think they went back to the Series without Lee...Wilson stop a few streaks last year and Ryan knows arms.

With the striking lack of success the Twins have had in drafting pitchers, developing them and KEEPING them, I've no confidence a #2 pick in this year's draft will amount to anything. Probably another single A flameout or similar underachievement.

When all you do for the last 20 years is draft strike throwing, pitching to contact, college pitchers..... you give yourself NO CHANCE to draft an ace. So dont listen to the Hogwash that the Twins brass are trying to sell us. If you are like the Twins and dont draft power pitchers, you eliminate the possibility of drafting an ace.

How's Santana doing these days anyhow??

Note to Mike Radcliffe: DO NOT "reach" for a perceived "ace" with the #2 pick. I have not heard anyone mentioned as a sure-fire ace pitcher, either college or high school. If you have the chance to take an almost "sure thing" position player, do it. We have holes all over the place. Don't gamble with the #2 pick. Take the highest rated position player available.

Which is exactly why you don't trade pitchers like Matt Garza. Power arms (starters) are hard to find. He's not a #1 on a good/great staff, but his ERA is excellent, his quality starts are excellent, and he K's about 1 per inning.

After watching the Twins teams for the last few years, I would be happy to see a pitcher that was consistently somewhere above average. Of course, that type of pitcher on a Twins staff would probably be (mis)labeled an "ACE". My oh my, How good would Brad Radke look on this years staff? Also, Does any reader out there know if the M&M boys have any HRs this spring??