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By Steve Adams | at
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db2259
Test
screwball8
No-contact batting practice?? So he is just swinging a bat..
TwinsVet
Bung-hole Park will fail.
TheAdrianBeltre
Don’t be so sure about that. He is a hitter on a similar level as Jung Ho Kang was when he came over, though I am not saying the results will be the same. I was hoping that the Rangers would give him a shot, we need some RH pop, plus Moreland is a FA after this season. I’d expect a platoon masher at worst, everyday DH/1B bat and the glove to play a good 1B and decent 3rd at best. Having Park in his name should make for some good HR calls too.
dsteig
How do you know smart —
TwinsVet
Just wait and see. I’m never wrong about these things.
metsoptimist
How mature.
norcalguardiansfan
Certainly is an odd phase, “no-contact batting practice.” Could it mean that he is hitting off a tee into a net? Or perhaps someone is merely tossing the ball to him? Not sure. I don’t know why hitting a baseball that is travelling near zero would hurt you, unless you tried to kill it. In any case, the threat is from the power of the swing, not the contact. In fact, if you swing the bat right, all the energy goes into the ball and you don’t feel it….no additional strain.
Sutter
Terry Ryan and the Twins must really be desperate for a lefty if they are considering using JT Chargois as a lefty bullpen option… considering Chargois is a righty.
Sky14
That’s pretty funny, good catch. I think he meant Mason Melotakis.
Samuel
U gotta give Park a chance , see what he will do
Samuel
Give Park a chance , see what he can do…
jaysfan1994
Lol trying to “Americanize” his swing, I remember when the Pirates were trying to “Americanize” Jung-ho Kang’s swing and he was average the first two months so he went back to his normal swing and he went on a tear. Look up how different his leg kick was near the end of the 2016 season compared to how it was in April-May.
Donaldson and others on Twitter preached how changing a leg kick on a guy like Kang was silly. Kang OPS’d over .900 the second half of 2015 by the way.
TheAdrianBeltre
Definitely. Roll with what brung you.
twins33
Nothing written above or in the article says they want to “Americanize” his swing. The quote is “we think his swing is Americanized, if you will. He has less movement in his body, from head to toe.”
Basically, they don’t need to “Americanize” his swing because his swing is already “Americanized” on it’s own. It’s different than what they normally see in Korea.
All reports I’ve seen is “smooth swing.” Recent videos seem to confirm that. Doubt they’d try to tweak it much, if at all. A Korean reporter said his swing is like Pujols. I see some similarities in his stance, but not a perfect match. His hands don’t go back far like Pujols, more up than back…and his back leg isn’t bent nearly as much as Pujols. Different footwork during the swing too.
There are videos on youtube from either this week or last week if people want to look at his recent batting practice sessions.
TwinsVet
Yeah. The Twins never tinker with guy’s swings by insisting power hitters become opposite field slap hitters…
twins33
I never said they didn’t mess with players swings. I just said that the poster read the quote wrong. He needs very little adjustment (hands/footwork) if any at all, from what I’ve seen.
But they have also tinkered swings in the opposite way. Now people complain about Dozier’s AVG and OBP and the fact he can’t hit in the second half but he’s a power hitter now so…
stymeedone
With so little talent in the minors, it would be a mistake to move Fulmer to the bullpen to start the season. They have added depth to the bullpen this winter. Until it is shown to still be lacking, leave him develop as a starter in the minors, and if they need an arm late in the year, then limit his innings by moving him to the pen. Greene, Rondon, Ryan, and VerHagen should be able to fill the last two spots to start the year. I am more concerned about who will be available for the rotation when Sanchez gets injured, or Pelfrey fails to be effective.
hook316
Agree with you 100%. Go Tigs.
tigerfan4ever
I doubt Ryan would make the team. It’s unlikely they are going to carry three lefties in the pen. I think VerHagen is already very probable and maybe Rondon. I’m on board with the idea of keeping Fulmer at Toledo. I’d rather see him stretched out as I would Greene just in case they’re needed.
stymeedone
I’m expecting Greene to make the team. He’s not as young, so no need for further development time. It also seems like a non-roster player surprises every spring. Preston Guillmet looks interesting.
baumer16
Brewers should be able to get a haul for Smith if they make him available. It’s an interesting match with the twins.
stymeedone
I would be very surprised to see the Twins give up a “haul” for any player, especially what would be a secondary lefty reliever (since Perkins is the closer). It’s just not how they operate.
twins33
Agreed. They don’t give up a “haul” for anyone. They have been on the losing end of trades in the last decade but most of those trades were done by Bill Smith
And since Ryan is the GM, I don’t worry as much about overrating a reliever. I wouldn’t have ever wanted the Twins to give up a haul for Rivera in his prime. A reliever is a reliever. You need good ones, but you don’t make dumb trades to get relievers.
They don’t pitch nearly enough to be worth much to me.
baumer16
Have any of you twins guys heard of the twins blogger on twitter @thrylos98? He has a site called Tenth Inning Stretch. He put up a tweet about a week ago saying that Smith to the Twins was close to being done. Not sure I believe him but just wondering if you guys have heard of him and if he has any credibility at all.
twins33
Yes, I have heard of him. I’m not sure if he has sources or not, but I find him to be more wrong than right.
I can recall one, maybe two, times where something he said has happened…while there has probably been 20 plus other times where he says something is a “done deal” or “extremely close” and then nothing happens.
I don’t trust him at all.
quisenberrya
Will. Smith is above average. Not elite. Wont get a haul
daveinmp
Brewers could add to a prospect along with Smith to get the guy they’d want from Twins,, and that’s Max Kepler. Otherwise, they’ll simply keep Smith and either package him along with Lucroy at the deadline for a huge haul, or deal him to a team desperate for bullpen help then.
Twinsfan79
Not a chance.
baumer16
Fangraphs projects Smith as the 8th most valuable reliever in baseball. He hasn’t even hit his arbitration years yet and has 4 more years left on his contract. He’s definitely not the “above average” reliever you think.. The Brewers should get around what the Phillies got for Giles, maybe a little less. But a very significant package. I would think Kepler would have to be involved. MLBTR in chat said the Brewers would probably ask for Berrios in a trade, though I doubt MN would do that.
kingjenrry
Will Smith is a lot closer to elite than he is to “above average”. “Above average” is a guy with an ERA in the low 3s who strikes out around a guy per inning. Will Smith’s way better than that.