80 thoughts on “November 10, 2011: “Freezing””

  1. If I didn't know any better, I would infer from the Star Tribune today that Gardenhire will be on a short leash this year.

      1. It was basically just a Twins update. It leads with saying Quade (recently fired Cubs manager) is a leading candidate for the AAA job. Another paragraph mentions that the Twins are not going to offer a contract to Toby.

        If I'm a recently fired MLB manager, I only take a AAA job if there is blood in the water.

        1. Is it that unusual for an MLB manager to rack up some more AAA time after his first gig in MLB? I'm asking because I honestly don't know, and because there are only so many managing and coaching jobs out there.

          1. It seems more common for them to take a job as a bench coach or a hitting/pitching coach, or just something that keeps them up in the majors rather than out of sight in the minors. If you look at who gets appointed as an interim manager, it's usually a coach from the major league coaching staff, so I think the savvy candidates for manager want to be in position to take one of those interim positions to get their feet wet.

    2. If that's the case, I think the larger inference here is that the Pohlads are not going to tolerate the kind of craptastic display they saw in 2011.

    3. I don't think it's impossible. A lot of people have forgotten this now, but Tom Kelly came very close to being fired after the 2000 season. He basically begged Carl Pohlad for one more year, believing that the Twins were about to get good and wanting to go out, maybe not on top, but at least not on the bottom.

      1. Which is kind of sad, really, when you consider the crap the Pohlads gave him to work with for a good stretch there. After exceeding his Pythag by 4 wins as late as 1994, TK had finished below (sometimes just, sometimes not) 1995-1999, but in 2000 he was exactly on the expected mark.

    4. I guess if the Twins are going to let Gardy go, I'd prefer they find someone better than Mike freaking Quade to take over for him.

  2. Joe Posnanski decided that this fall he would move to State College, PA, to write a biography of JoePa.
    I know Pos isn't happy about the events, but I'm sure his publishers are giddy.

    1. I was discussing this with a friend recently. I am really bummed by Joe Pos being there to cover this story. He writes about the mundane moments that makes sports so great; the smell of the grass, the smile on the faces of fans, Bruce Springsteen, the joy the game provides for those who care about it.

      Now he is going to have to write a trash tabloid. I feel bad for Joe Pos.

      1. I agree, this wasn't the book he thought he was going to write but obviously he can't ignore what just happened. It will be interesting to see what Pos come's although I think he's going to have rethink his entire approach (living in State College for a year).

      2. Now he is going to have to write a trash tabloid.

        Is he? It's not like he's Skip Bayless or something. If there's anyone I trust to give a nuanced, even-handed assessment of this whole thing, it's Pos. He might be the only one, actually.

        1. I hope you are right. I just worry about how the editors are going to pressure him. I don't know if he is writing this book as a part of SI or if it something he is doing for himself, I think that greatly influences they way the book is going to end up in print.

          Pos wrote a short piece on his blog recently which inspires confidence though:

          I wrote just about everything I plan to write for a while about the Penn State situation here. I know there are people who believe that I have a responsibility to write more, to have an opinion, to come out strong, I know this because many, many people have written to tell me that in no uncertain terms.

          I respect their opinion. But I disagree with it. The way I see it: I have a responsibility to write the best, most insightful and most honest book I can possibly write about Joe Paterno. That’s what I signed up for. I’m not backing down from that because of this awful, evil situation. I’m also not walking away from a life and a man. When something this horrible happens, it’s hard to hear yourself think — it’s impossible for me to hear anything. I won’t add to the noise. If you want to read instant and strong opinions about Penn State and Joe Paterno, I can assure you that there is no shortage of howling there.

          1. I have all confidence that Pos will not turn this into anything tabloidy.
            But I can't think of anything particularly salacious that he's written about before.

            Predicted take: "I would like to think, had I been in his shoes, that I would have done the right thing. I want to believe that I would have called the police on a man that had worked for me for so many years. That I would have followed up on the life-destroying allegations about my long-time friend that I had never suspected. But that a man as honor-bound, as focused on integrity and right action as Paterno failed to do, makes me worry that I am no different. I fear that I, too, would take the cowardly path and go no further than the law required, and do my damnedest to forget that I knew anything of it, or to explain it all away in my head. If Paterno failed the test, what chance would I have had to pass?"

            Why is this what I predict? Because it's a voice I haven't heard, and Pos has a knack for writing well what I've been feeling.

  6. I am still stunned by what went down at Penn State. Congratulations to the Board of Trustees for doing the right thing. The chutzpah of Paterno telling the Board not to consider his fate yesterday is unbelievable. It's too bad that Paterno couldn't do the right thing himself and retire yesterday.

    1. The more I read about this stuff the more I think there is something psychologically wrong with some people. Everyone you talk to would say they'd go to the police but we hear stories about this stuff at schools, churches, etc.

      Its as if there minds can't except that something that horrible can be going on and they dismiss it.

      It is hard to understand.

          1. Any time.

            But actually, I thought you were being tongue-in-cheek there with the posting, meat. Hence my response to free.

  9. from my dad:

    For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

    1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

    2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

    3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

    4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans...

    5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

    CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

  10. shock: Gardy wants Punto back

    Gardenhire said he hasn't talked with Punto but he will, if only to congratulate him.

    "You know my standing with Nicky Punto," he said. "My standing was I didn't want him to leave in the first place. I'll always have a spot on my team for Nick Punto."

    1. And a place in his heart.

      I'd be fine with this signing if they could get him for around a million bucks. And if I didn't think Gardenhire would invariably run Nicky out there for 400 ABs. Sigh.

        1. Plus, he now has championship experience.
          If Gardy sticks around long enough, I wouldn't be surprised to LNP retires straight from playing to the Twins' coaching staff.
          I've read lots of players say that the team missed him. Maybe he's a really good motivator.

      2. Punto's been worth an average of 1.9 fWAR/season for the last four years. The guy has some annoying habits, but 400 AB to a league average player is a pretty decent situation to be in.

    2. we can bring the whole band back together (twitter)

      jcrasnick Jerry Crasnick
      OF Jason Pridie taken off #Mets roster, source says, and is expected to clear waivers Friday. He hit .231 in 101 games.

      --

      back to Punto, I didnt really mind having him around. At his best he would grind away on pitch count by fouling off 7 pitches in a row then get a walk. But it was just a bummer when it comes to the 8th and 9th inning of a close game and see him coming to th eplate. But he is Babe Ruth compared to last season when it was Nishii/Butera

  11. if you have a fantasy football team, make your roster adjustments soon. this week start the ridiculous Thursday Night Game of the Week

  12. From April 2011 on the Penn State story. I'm pretty sure a sympathetic biography of JoePa by JoePos is not what I want to read. And oh by the way, if this was a published story, JoePos should have known what was going on before he moved to State College, PA.

      1. I disagree. I think JoePos is in too close to JoePa. I'm not sure why Joe Pos thinks we need to keep waiting for the whole story when the grand jury indictment already states that JoePa KNEW that a perfectly credible source (the grad assistant who likely never in a thousand years would dream of going to Paterno's house with such a bizarre and horrifying story) believed he saw Sandusky sexually assaulting a ten-year old boy. In the ensuing nine years, JoePa never bothered to follow up or ban Sandusky. Why do we need to wait for more of the story if it's already clear JoePa failed miserably in what is required of sane, moral adults?

        (And yes, I have spent a great deal of time during the past few years helping with criminal defense, so I'm not one to rush out and convict people willy-nilly.)

      2. it would have been awesome for them to have the #1 overall two years in a row

        You mean like they did in 2006 (Seimone Augustus) and 2007 (Lyndsey Harding)???

        also, L.A. going from 4th to 1st in the lottery? Ewing Conspiracy!!!!

    2. Not only true, but they actually went and absolutely eviscerated the exact media members who tried to turn the scandal into an unnecessary smear on Paterno's legacy. Great, great stuff.

      1. ooh, then it's even better than I imagined. I hadn't realized that those were references to actual "reporters".

  15. Hey, all. I've been on the road all day travelling from Omeraha to Appleton. Heard this story on the radio and didn't see anyone here reporting on it. Evidently Wilson Ramos was kidnapped today.

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