twins/mlb

Another nice job by the most knowledgeable writer about Minnesota sports. Keep 'em coming, Patrick.

Here's to hoping for a better year this year, help or no help.

Great article of recent draft picks, but I almost fell out of my chair when I read "Second-rounder Jesse Crain was a helpful reliever before leaving as a free agent in 2011" I suppose he was helpful, but to the opposing team for allowing them to score runs easily.

Great article, we need more Mauers. Yep, at every position. A Mauer at first, a Mauer at second and an outfield full of Mauers. I have even heard Mauer would make a good pitcher. I believe it, lets get five of those too please (though I would also consider two Santanas, Two Violas and a Morris in a pinch. Draft a Blyleven for middle relief and just to keep the clubhouse loose, if you can.) So insightful, I am.

In order to change their draft luck the Twins need to change their draft philosophy. No more of these pitchers who "throw strikes" and "pitch to contact." No more "toolsy" outfielders... we have enough of them already, thanks. And, for the love of god, no more "top of the order caliber hitters" who are capable of "going the opposite way" but whose "power is still developing." We don't need anymore slap-hitters, we need players capable of knocking the ball over the fences! This up-coming draft, they need to be thinking one of two pitchers with that second overall pick: Mark Appel or Lucas Giolito. They're the equivalent to what Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are in the NFL draft. To take any other would be asinine... which is the reason I suspect they'll probably select someone else.

What this proves is that Ryan and his staff better do a better job at the draft this year or changes should be made. Ryan's big comments when the Twins were a player or 2 away from getting to the WS were, we're are not trading away the future. Shows how that been working for you, Mr. Ryan!

Parmelee may turn out to be one of the "helpers" Benson too. Time will tell.......

They unleashed the Plouffe last year and he turned around and bit them on the ankle. But I think he has great potential with the bat, and now that his leg is better, hopefully the Twins are having him chase the ball in the outfield like a black lab to build his skills. The jury is still out on some of these guys.

More than any other professional sport, drafting baseball players is a roulette wheel. 18 year olds who don't develop further, college pitchers who get hurt once their innings go over 50 and so on and so forth. Look at the percentage of 1st and 2nd rounders in MLB who bomb out compared to the NFL or NBA. All you can hope for is that once in a while, you hit a jackpot. Drafting Appel is no guarantee of success. Remember Mark Prior?

Amazing how many first round picks never make it in the bigs. Evaluating baseball talent is obviously much more difficult than football talent.