Bleacher Report - Articles by Ben Layne

Bill Smith, Minnesota Twins' GM Is Still Cutting the Fat

Ben Layne — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:58:11 -0400

Your Minnesota Twins will make some great acquisitions in the next couple of weeks.

Their names? Francisco Liriano and Michael Cuddyer.

Sure, there are rumors that this team is interested in former Twins reliever LaTroy Hawkins. If they do make this move, it will be a non-event, and may have an effect similar to that of having a former college roommate move in with you ostensibly until he “gets on his feet”, only to sleep on your couch for six months, eat all your food, and not contribute to the bills in any way.

The problem for the Twins is that all their couches, guest rooms, and perhaps even the roof of the house, are already filled with these kinds of guys. You could almost make a whole fraternity of guys on this team right now that are pillaging the fridge without making substantial contributions to this team’s chances of winning.

It’s a full house, and it’s about to get even more crowded.

The Twins' win against the White Sox last night was a major boon to their chances of clinching the division title. In addition to their strong—dare I say dominant—performance, the Cleveland Indians managed to shut out the Detroit Tigers, keeping the Tigers comfortably in the rear-view mirror, while the Twins attempt to bear down on the division-leading White Sox.

Ultimately, the Twins will rely on a (hopefully) good showing against the Sox in this series as proof to themselves, and the media, that they don’t need any more help to get to the postseason, beyond what they already have in their system.

In fact, the Twins might even wait until September call-ups to allow fans in the Metrodome to get another glimpse of Francisco Liriano. They will sell the return of Michael Cuddyer as the right-handed bat they sorely need to better handle lefty pitching, regardless of his numbers this season.

They will point to the return of Liriano as the boost to the pitching rotation everyone was clamoring for, and they will wait for either injury or the expansion of rosters in September to allow this “acquisition” to take place.

Unfortunately for the Twins' brass, while these might be good statements to send out in a press release or in an interview with the placating Star-Tribune writers, it’ll be a harder sell to not only the fans, but the players in the clubhouse.

Tough questions remain if the Twins stay on course and do not do anything to open holes for these players when they return to the Metrodome. Who’s the odd-man out when Cuddyer returns? Odds are OF Denard Span will be shipped back to Rochester, lest the Twins further damage OF Carlos Gomez’s supposedly fragile psyche.

There are more reasons for the Twins to continue hitching their wagon to the Carlos Gomez crazy train. Lest we forget, Gomez was the centerpiece of the Johan Santana trade. Those who do not consider this fact when marveling at how long the Twins left Gomez unchecked in the leadoff spot do not understand this team’s strategy in terms of public relations, whatsoever.

Contrary to what the Twins' organization might try to tell the media, and thus, the fans, the Twins are keenly aware of public perception and desperately try to control public perception through nothing but stubborn adherence to the company line.

This would be why they were loath to move Gomez from the leadoff spot and replace him with Span. This move is an admission that perhaps they gave the job to the wrong guy coming out of Spring Training, and that, while Gomez may still someday be an All-Star center fielder, he is not ready to make an immediate impact on this ballclub on a daily basis.

Thus, the trade made for Johan Santana is appreciably less impressive than the rumored packages dangled by the Red Sox and Yankees during the Winter Meetings.

Were they to cut bait with Mike Lamb or Adam Everett to make room for Cuddyer, it would be to show, yet again, that this team is woefully unsuccessful in terms of making impact free-agent signings. Ditto that for Craig Monroe.

Moving Livan Hernandez to the bullpen and designating Boof Bonser/Brandon Bass for assignment, in an effort to call up Liriano also seems too risky a proposition for this team at this point, particularly after Liriano’s weak start to the 2008 campaign.

Were they to make the move to call him up and it doesn’t work out, people will ask why they didn’t make moves to look outside the organization for pitching help. Were they to make the moves and have it work, then they would have to admit that Hernandez wasn’t ever the ace of the pitching staff the Twins' organization desperately wanted to make him out to be.

If they do nothing and still miss the playoffs, they will try to fall back on the “building toward 2010” mantra, but the fanbase clearly seems to have tired of that notion, and rightfully so. Fans anywhere, but especially fans of small-market teams, know how precious these chances are, and they hate to see them to go waste.

Of course, the Twins’ safest course of action, in terms of their pitching staff, is to do nothing, wait until rosters expand, and bring Liriano in without having to move anyone to the minors. I would be shocked if they do anything beyond that.

Unfortunately for Bill Smith, they don’t have that luxury when it comes to their lineup, once guys like Cuddyer and infielder Matt Tolbert return from injury. Something will have to give. Hard decisions will have to be made.

Twins' GM Bill Smith is squarely in the line of fire, especially as the Twins continue to stay in the race for the division championship. If he mishandles this in any way, as we careen toward the trade deadline and beyond to the stretch run toward the postseason, the fans will hold him responsible for wasting a golden opportunity to make the playoffs and compete for a World Series berth.

Bill Smith has to make tough decisions in the coming weeks, in order to trim the fat from this team and ensure that the guys on this roster all have what it takes to contribute to wins both now and in the postseason. It’s time to boot come guys off the couch and make room for some bigger guns.

This is not a time for some warped sense of loyalty or protection one’s ego. It’s time to act for the good of the ballclub and to give the fans what they desperately deserve–an organization willing to reach for a championship.

So, Twins fans, prepare to take the spin machine at full throttle once the trade deadline comes and goes with no action in the Twins' territory.

Michael Cuddyer and Francisco Liriano are your cavalry. Whether that’s enough to compete for a championship remains to be seen.

Minnesota Twins' Crunch Time: How Two Weeks Could Define the 2008 Season

Ben Layne — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:09:18 -0400

With the first half of the season and a memorable All-Star break behind them, the Minnesota Twins have one more day to rest before starting the second half in earnest Friday night at home against the Texas Rangers.

As we sit exactly two weeks from the non-waiver trade deadline, much will be made of what happens to this team, both in the standings and in terms of possible personnel movement. These next two weeks may well seal the fate of the Twins' 2008 season.

It isn’t just the approach of the trade deadline that makes this so. The Twins open their second half with a three-game set against the Rangers before going on the road for two series against the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians.

The Rangers have a very solid lineup, boasting four All-Stars in Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Milton Bradley, and Josh Hamilton. On the other hand, the rotation is pathetic. If the Twins continue their hot hitting with runners in scoring position, they should be able to take that series without too much trouble.

As for the Yankees and Indians, both teams are pretty weak this year, and in particular, Cleveland looks like it’s focusing on the future. Picking up a few games there would help the Twins remain as horse No. 2 in a two-horse race.

However, New York could be looking to make moves in this time frame to get back into the hunt. With the Tampa Bay Rays in a slump heading into the break, everyone in the AL within shouting distance of the front-runners should be looking to capitalize, which could make the battle for the wild card slot in the AL particularly brutal.

Look to the series between the Twins and the Yankees as the moment where that battle starts.

After those two series, the Twins return to the Metrodome to host the Chicago White Sox for a four-game set, with the final game landing squarely on the trade deadline. There could be a lot of storylines to watch on July 31 as these two division rivals conclude this series.

One team could be looking to create breathing room over the other in the division, while both teams could be involved in major trade discussions. It should be very interesting to watch.

How these next 10-13 games go for the Twins may very well make Twins' GM Bill Smith’s mind for him. If the Twins continue to stay strong and stay within striking distance of the Chicago White Sox, or perhaps even overtake them, the Twins might be more inclined to make moves to bolster the bullpen, third base, or the starting rotation.

If the opposite occurs, the Twins front office will likely be more inclined to keep the team as is and continue “building toward 2010.” They may stand pat in any case, as is their wont.

Individual performances during this stretch will also dictate what moves, if any, are made. The litany of questions surrounding this team are not befitting of a team battling for a division title, yet they hang over this team like an impending thunderstorm that threatens to bring this soaring team back to earth.

Will Carlos Gomez continue his incredibly undisciplined approach at the plate? Will Denard Span continue to make a serious case as the true leadoff man for this ballclub?

How will Michael Cuddyer fare when he returns from his current finger injury? Will his return be enough to improve this team’s batting against left-handed pitchers? When he does return, who is the odd-man out in a crowded outfield?

Will the production of Brian Buscher be enough to satisfy Twins' management? Will the Twins get anything out of free-agent bust Mike Lamb? If not, will the Twins pursue Mariners' third baseman Adrien Beltre in earnest?

Will the bullpen settle down enough to allow manager Ron Gardenhire to continue using Joe Nathan exclusively in save situations? If not, will the Twins pursue options in trade to acquire a set-up man to better ensure that they will get the ball to Nathan?

Will Livan Hernandez continue his tightrope act and keep winning games despite his horrid ERA? Would this team consider calling Francisco Liriano up from AAA? If so, who gets bumped from the rotation?

Given the weak competition they face in this stretch, the Twins should capitalize regardless of these issues. Other than the White Sox, the teams they face in this stretch have a combined record of 141-144.

If the Twins do what good teams are supposed to—win the games they are supposed to—they should be in good shape with three series-wins heading into a pivotal matchup with the White Sox to end the month.

Perhaps by that time, some new names will be on the back of some of the jerseys in Twins territory. Only time will tell.

Bill Smith of the Minnesota Twins Has Some Work To Do

Ben Layne — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:13:39 -0400

It's the All-Star break and I find myself looking at the Minnesota Twins, doing the typical midway analysis.

I keep feeling something is missing. I have spent a lot of time talking about what the Twins could do to improve their chances of overtaking the White Sox and winning the division this year.

It would be quite the feat to do so, considering the preseason message about how this team was “building toward 2010”, and the fact that the Twins continue to hit insanely well with runners in scoring position without getting most of those runs off the long ball, which seems to be a staple of offense for every other team in the league.

Moreover, this team continues to win in spite of the continued struggles of Delmon Young, the undisciplined approach of Carlos Gomez, and the disappointing year Michael Cuddyer has had thus far, both from a health standpoint and a production standpoint.

Plus, this team lost their set-up man for the year, forcing the rest of the bullpen to shift their roles and get used in situations they simply are not comfortable in. Matt Guerrier is not a set-up man, yet. Brian Bass probably should not be in the majors. Jessie Crain probably should not be called upon as much as he has been, as this is his first season after major shoulder surgery.

Oh yeah, and this team has a ridiculously patchwork “platoon” manning third base.

Yet, here they are, within spitting distance of first place in the division, and most recently won three of four games against the division rival Detroit Tigers. This comes after a three-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox in Fenway.

The bounce back from that embarrassing series sweep might very well be a signal that this team is for real. However, the fact that they could not get a sweep of their own in the Detroit series, especially when they remained tied with the Tigers as they got into the fifth inning, shows that there are still things missing from this ballclub.

I believe this team must address their killer instinct in the second half if they wish to propel themselves into the postseason and make any kind of significant run.

So, Mr. Smith, GM of the Minnesota Twins, let’s have a seat here. I would like to discuss a few things with you, if you don’t mind.

You were with this team back in 2006, as an assistant GM under Terry Ryan. You watched this team make an improbable run to the playoffs, winning the division and earning a postseason berth against the Oakland A’s in the first round.

To some, getting Oakland in the first round might have been the better draw than to be in the wild card slot, taking on the Yankees.

Back then, however, some of us felt differently. This team thrived on being the underdog, the little team that could. Had they had the opening matchup against the juggernaut Yankees, I believe this team would have answered that challenge as yet another mountain to climb and would have won that series.

But that’s a lot of “what-ifs”. What's important is the attitude this year, but a lesson can be learned from the past. I think the attitude from 2006 is pretty similar to that of this year, and if the Twins continue this run and manage to somehow make it into the playoffs without any changes to the lineup or pitching staff, there will still be a little something missing come the postseason.

What this team needs, in order to take the next step and get into the playoffs, and beyond, is an infusion of, not only confidence, but killer instinct, the utmost belief that when you go out on that field, you’re not just looking for a chance to win. You’re looking to beat the other team.

You’re taking this game from them and they will have to fight tooth and nail to take it from you. This is what great teams do.

How do you accomplish this?

For one thing, listen to your manager a little: bolster the bullpen. You acquire a set-up man who can help shorten the game to get the ball to Joe Nathan with the lead in the ninth. This need is even more acute since you have a manager who refuses to use Nathan in any other situation that might stretch him beyond the obvious “save” situation.

Giving Gardy someone else to call upon in the eighth who can shut opponents down will take care of this problem.

Knowing that opponents only really have through the sixth or seventh inning to get ahead of you is a gigantic mental boost, and certainly can affect this team’s confidence level.

Plus, having one more shutdown guy along with Nathan could really boost the killer-instinct level in this pitching corps, something particularly lacking in that bullpen.

As a fan sitting either at home on the couch or in the stands, I feel a large amount of uneasiness whenever Gardy goes to the mound to call upon the bullpen. If I do not have confidence as a fan, how do the players feel?

I think it is also time to start punishing your young players for not playing up to major-league standards. This is not necessarily your province, but you might want to suggest it to your manager, after you listen to him a little.

When Alexi Casilla blows play after play at second, sit him for a day. Let him think about how important defense really is to this ballclub. The same should be true for Young. Make him work harder on his defense. Make sure he shows improvement in the field and at the plate, or else send him down and keep Denard Span in the majors.

In fact, perhaps this should be done with Gomez. He’s flailing at the plate. The patient approach Casilla shows at the plate clearly has not rubbed off on his best buddy on the team, and yet there has been no effort to minimize the negative impact his recklessness has on the rest of the lineup, and thus, this team’s chances of winning.

Move him to the ninth spot until he figures it out, or demote him to the minors when Cuddyer returns.

Accepting anything less than a winning approach to the game is not something a team should do at any level, in any stage of a building process. If you do not show your players that their continued mistakes will not be tolerated, they will not learn. There must be consequences for a clear lack of willingness to learn from one’s mistakes.

What might help mitigate these factors would be some added pop to the lineup, particularly against left-handed starters, as your manager suggested. Craig Monroe has shown signs of life, but clearly is not a guy who can be counted on to produce on a consistent basis against righties. Mike Lamb’s acquisition has been a bit of a bust.

Making a move to acquire, say, Adrian Beltre, might be a worthy endeavor. You lose nothing in terms of defense, and you add a solid, right-handed power bat at a power position. Not a bad move, depending on what you have to give up to acquire him and how much of his large salary you can get the Mariners to eat.

Making this kind of move would signal the exact opposite of the signal sent in the second half of last year, when this team clearly threw up the white flag and traded Luis Castillo to the Mets for prospects.

This would be a boon not only to the fan base, but I think to the rest of the team. Certainly your stalwarts in the middle of the lineup, Mauer and Morneau, would know that they will not be the only ones carrying the load as this team starts the pennant race in earnest.

More firepower in the lineup breeds further confidence, and the feeling that when it's time to get the job done, nobody can do it better than you. And nobody better stand in your way.

This is killer instinct.

It starts from the top. Teams that win championships do so because their front office has that instinct—the willingness to make bold decisions to take advantage of opponents’ weaknesses while mitigating their own.

The rest of this division is weak this year. The Twins are pretty strong, Mr. Smith. Make your team stronger. Show that this is not a stepping-stone year, that you’re willing to throw it away if the team does not win as currently constructed.

Some tweaks and a slight shift in thinking could have you, Mr. Smith, as the GM who finally made the Twins a champion.

The first step toward winning a championship is always made from the top. Show your killer instinct, Mr. Smith. Make some moves, hold some guys accountable, and see if you can make this team a contender a year or two early. You might be glad you did.

I think your phone is ringing. You probably want to get that; it might be the Mariners calling back...

Brett Farve Brings the Whine to Couple With the Cheese in Beer Country

Ben Layne — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:23:41 -0400

I blame everyone.

I blame the media.

I blame John Madden.

I blame the Green Bay Packers.

I blame the Green Bay Packer fans.

I blame Brett Favre.

I blame me and you and every sports fan I know.

Because we created this monster, and now it just won’t go away. We’re all Dr. Frankenstein, and this one man will haunt us until the end of our days.

We let this man get bigger than the game, and now he has a franchise and essentially an entire state of people who put more stock in who is the quarterback of their football team than they do the actual issues of the world.

People protested at Lambeau Field last week. Brett Favre’s interview last night wasn’t on ESPN, or even Fox Sports. It was on Fox News. And it was the lead story.

Brett Favre, instead of an interview with current Senator and Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain. As oil prices skyrocket, the housing market plummets, and the unemployment rate rising, Brett Favre is the lead story on Fox News.

What the hell happened to this country?

I am a sports fan. I am a pretty avid one, at that. But I also take the time to read and pay attention to other things, like politics, the economy, and paying my own bills.

I write a sports blog because I enjoy writing and I think I am particularly good at it. But I will never protest at the Metrodome if somehow the Twins trade Justin Morneau in his fading years (assuming they even spend enough to keep him that long).

I certainly wouldn’t be the television producer who chooses to lead with an interview with Brett Favre over a presidential nominee. And I sure as hell don’t see why Brett Favre should be pandered to like this.

He’s only one man—a man who happens to play a game for a living, at that. A man who now, it seems, feels if his image isn’t included in the NFL logo (a la Jerry West), or at least in the Packer logo, his legacy is tarnished.

This may be an exaggeration, but I really am not so sure anymore. Brett Favre has spent this whole offseason going back and forth as to whether or not he wants to play, only to come to the final conclusion that, indeed, he is 100 percent committed to football.

His conclusion coming just a couple of weeks before the beginning of Packers' training camp. And he is stunned when he’s told, “Sorry, Brett, but we’ve moved on.”

He says he’s fine with them moving on. Yet, if he’s okay with that, why all this?

This should be seen as nothing short of unacceptable. But, here we are, with millions questioning what the Packers should do. Here Brett is, demanding not a trade, but an unconditional release, as he feels he has earned that right. He feels the Packers are not telling the whole truth about him.

And yet, after hearing his interview with Greta Van Susteren, I am not sure what that truth really is.

Consider that Van Susteren is, in fact, a Favre family friend and an admitted Packer fan who owns stock in the team. Not surprisingly, he really didn’t have anything to say of any real consequence, for there were no hard questions forcing him to do so.

He said he felt pressured into giving an answer, an "honest" one, back in March. But he knew—he had to know—that if he made that decision at that time and were to change his mind later, it would create nothing but trouble. But he did not seem to take it into consideration.

He says, “It’s unfortunate that it came to this.” But he does not make the connection, conveniently, that it came to this because of HIM.

Favre did his best to do a little damage control while clearly attacking Packers' brass for lying to the media and, thus, the public about Brett Favre. In essence, he blames the Packers' organization, specifically Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy, for asking him for a decision too early for him to be able to make up his mind.

Yet, he seemed pretty certain when he gave that tear-filled retirement press conference back in March.

Last night, he was also abundantly clear on his current demands: “Give me my helmet, release me or attempt to trade me.”

Van Susteren’s comments to the AP ahead of the interview seem to indicate otherwise. From the AP story, Van Susteren said that, “while Favre said the Packers asked him for a list of teams to which he would accept a trade, he wants to be released to make sure he ends up on a competitive club.”

Only in sports are employees remotely allowed to give demands of their employers. Even then, if they do make a demand, they should be prepared to get an answer they do not like (just ask Terrell Owens). However, Favre did not speak as if he were a subordinate.

Favre spoke as if he were the owner of the Packers. He compared himself to Bart Starr in the interview and seemed to speak as if he were Vince Lombardi himself back from the grave.

This is partly true, if only because it is currently Favre who is haunting Lambeau Field.

As I said before, I do not just blame Favre for this mess. I blame us all for making deities out of mortals paid to play a game. I blame the “Brett Favre is Brett Favre” attitude people like John Madden trot out there not only to extol the virtues of a player, but to excuse their otherwise unacceptable behavior.

And I blame everyone else connected to the sports world, for we have created the hype machine Favre is feeding off of, and nobody’s truly called him out.

This may never happen, for Favre is insulated enough now to be able to pull a President Bush and choose who he speaks to and what softball questions he will answer, if any. Answers will never be extracted from this King of Beer Country.

Why would you retire if you might have the itch? If you feel so entitled to making your own decision, why not tell the Packers you need more time and force them to leave the door open? Why agree to a press conference when you know there’s a chance it will look like a sham within just a few months time?

Sadly, we know the answers, just as we all know where this is headed. Brett Favre will return to the Packers, lest the front office feel the wrath of their rabid fan base, willing to march on Lambeau Field rather than allow the team to make decisions on its own.

And in a year, this whole drama will play itself out yet again, as the Packers wring their hands through another offseason and Favre sits in his home in Mississippi, sipping on a drink, riding his Snapper lawn mower, content to hold an entire organization hostage for one more year.

And the most we have gotten out of Brett Favre in this whole mess is a venting session with, basically, an influential fan…

"They pressured me into a decision."

"I wasn’t committed then."

“Give me my helmet, release me or attempt to trade me.”

Sounds like a lot of whining and demanding to me. This is, essentially, a tantrum from a 30-something millionaire quarterback. Brett Favre wants his way. When it’s all said and done, Brett Favre will have whined his way back into a Packer uniform. Lucky for him, there’s a lot of cheese up in Wisconsin to pair it with.

Good thing there aren’t more important things going on in the world, huh?