Pretty, Pretty, Pretty Please Gardy....

[soldoncass]

Clutch Cuddy has pulled down high ones AND scooped up many low ones at first base, saved many errors.....he can't save them all. I think hudson got wacked on the arm trying to turn that one dp, that's why it landed 20' from first and jumped up so high on Cuddy's backhand side. Hardy's error was high and away...all 6'3" Cuddy barely reached it at all...and the runner knocked it out. Both were very bad throws.....can't blame him for them, any more than you can blame Mauer for our closers wildpitch.

[Harmonica Bear]

Yah - I know he's doing ok, the throws were tough etc. I just couldn't resist the jab at PB and Cuddy-love.

[thatoneguy]

Pier's Cuddy-love is hilarious...I'm starting to look forward to those regular man-love sessions, ridiculous as they may be

Twins fans can only pray that Cuddyer approaches SOME level of clutch-ness...he has certainly underperformed this year. His batting average of .259 in August is hardly something to rave about, and his August slugging percentage of .389 would only be considered acceptable for Nick Punto (and even that is a reach). And Cuddy is hitting a whopping .265 with runners in scoring position this year.

Clutch? Hardly.

Surprisingly, Cuddyer is only 2 runs below replacement level defensively at 1B this year. That's bad, but not nearly as bad as I had feared. And it's much better than the 12 runs below replacement he was in RF this year before he was mercifully forced to move to the infield.

[PierBridge]

Quote:

.265 with runners in scoring position this year.

So he's up to .265 or above the ML average now? That's weird listening to you rocket scientist I'd have thought he was hitting .ooo.

I get you guys will never recover from last Aug/Sept and thats OK...still embarrassing none the less.

As far as recent Clutch. I was refereeing to the late inning HR 2 games ago that would have won the game had Delmonty not blown the game with his glove again and the 2 RBI's again last night.

Go Twins!

[PierBridge]

I would expect Gardy to flip flop Cuddyer and Young any day now even though Cuddy gets on base more often for the season and has more RBI's then Del does over the last 100 at bats.....LOL!

[SledNeck]

I would expect Gardy to flip flop Cuddyer and Young any day now even though Cuddy gets on base more often for the season and has more RBI's then Del does over the last 100 at bats.....LOL!

See. Now youre twisting the numbers to make your mancrush look better.

If Delmon had Cuddys year, we'd be in 3rd place right now

[thatoneguy]

Wow, Pier...don't cherry pick uselessly small bits and pieces to support the insupportable or anything. Comparing Cuddyer's flaccid production to Young, who has been mired in a gawdawful slump, doesn't really help your case.

And is "league average" with RISP what you want from a guy who's getting paid $10 million? I sure hope not.

Not that it really matters what Young has done compared to Cuddyer, but here's where they stand "in the clutch" since Pier seems (for God only knows what reason) to think Cuddy = Clutch

Young:

153 plate appearances with RISP

72 RBI

.380 batting average

.399 OBP

.562 slugging %

5 double plays hit into

Cuddyer

181 plate appearances with RISP (that's right, 28 MORE than Young)

53 RBI (ouch)

.265 batting average (not too hot)

.354 OBP (again, way worse than Young)

.374 slugging % (abysmal for an alleged power hitter/run producer)

8 double plays hit into

In "late and close" situations, Cuddyer hits .254, Young hits .370

With the score tied, Young has an OPS of 1.099 (!!!), Cuddyer's is .747 (yuck)

I'm not anti-Cuddyer. He would be a nice 4th outfielder/occasional DH/utility guy at about 3-4 million per year. But for a guy making borderline star money ($11 million next year) you can't pretend you're even remotely getting what you paid for with his weak hitting and fielding this year.

Them's the facts.

[PierBridge]

Quote:

If Delmon had Cuddys year, we'd be in 3rd place right now

More than likely 2nd or 3rd for sure.

Delmon carried us mid June to late July!

[Coach1310]

Pier.... I am severly dissappointed in you! I know you where Cuddy Love colored glasses, but YOU NEVER, resist a chance to chime in..... now, someone presents stats to contradict your point of view and you just ignore it!!! You're better than that Pier..... find something to grasp at, anything, just to keep the insane love going. Without Cuddy OR Young, we wouldn't be in position to win the division this year and I don't think it would be close...

[soldoncass]

Pier's Cuddy-love is hilarious...I'm starting to look forward to those regular man-love sessions, ridiculous as they may be

Twins fans can only pray that Cuddyer approaches SOME level of clutch-ness...he has certainly underperformed this year. His batting average of .259 in August is hardly something to rave about, and his August slugging percentage of .389 would only be considered acceptable for Nick Punto (and even that is a reach). And Cuddy is hitting a whopping .265 with runners in scoring position this year.

Clutch? Hardly.

Surprisingly, Cuddyer is only 2 runs below replacement level defensively at 1B this year. That's bad, but not nearly as bad as I had feared. And it's much better than the 12 runs below replacement he was in RF this year before he was mercifully forced to move to the infield.

O.K. thatoneguy....put the defensive #er's on here for Young in left field....you keep putting some of Cuddy's defensive "problems" on here and critisizing him unmercilessly. PUT YOUNG'S ON HERE for comparison...and to prove you aren't just a Cuddy basher.

[greebs]

In fairness to you I couldn't understand any of your statistical post and frankly I didn't even read the whole thing.

I'm more of a feel vs stats player myself!

Go Gardy!...

here's what you get when you try to throw stats at pier.

[greebs]

...all in fun of course. as a fan I still cheer every time cuddy, young, etc. come up to bat. (cuddy's just let me down more often). heck I even cheer for punto to get a hit when he bats (which hopefully won't be anytime soon).

[greebs]

...and speaking of punto, it's probably been a blessing that he's been shelved the last several weeks. I doubt gardy would have ever got the chance to see how good of a player valencia is both offensively and defensively had punto's injury not occurred. what a spark and upgrade to the 3b position he has provided.

[thatoneguy]

Delmon Young is an abysmal fielder - I've never argued otherwise. He is -19 below replacement level in the outfield, among the worst in the majors. FWIW, Cuddyer was the second worst in the majors last year, and was in the bottom 10% again this year.

They both suck in the field; Delmon has just been MUCH better at the dish.

[greebs]

...and speaking of punto, it's probably been a blessing that he's been shelved the last several weeks. I doubt gardy would have ever got the chance to see how good of a player valencia is both offensively and defensively had punto's injury not occurred. what a spark and upgrade to the 3b position he has provided.

oh yeah! Danny VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

and got to give cuddy kudos too. not so good driving them in but if he can make it up by being a table setter for the better clutch hitters, bring it on.

[zepman]

I'm glad we've found our 3rd baseman of the future...he's gonna be a gold glover one day!!

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I almost, ALMOST feel bad for Punto now that Valencia seems to be our new 3B. Punto is a great guy to have on the team but really where does he fit now? He is an excellent defensive player but his hitting doesn't come close to Danny V.

[SledNeck]

How about big Jim comin up with bad back and all and knocking down a hit opposite field AGAIN!

[Scott K]

I almost, ALMOST feel bad for Punto now that Valencia seems to be our new 3B. Punto is a great guy to have on the team but really where does he fit now? He is an excellent defensive player but his hitting doesn't come close to Danny V.

How about where he belongs, being a utility infielder. That is where his strength is. He would get plenty of time in, with injuries, players having a day off, you could even use him as a pinch runner in the late innings. No disrespect for Punto, I actually like having him on the team.

[soldoncass]

Young is at the bottom of left fielders this year.....he has improved quite a bit this year, was he even on the chart in the past years?

Every time someone says something positive about CUDDY, you bring up his defensive stats.....do the same for Young. Youngs hit last night was a 20 hopper close to firstbase.....what was Cabrera doing?....looked like an EASY play. Good for us!!!! Detroit made several great defensive plays.... that wasn't one of them.

Valentia got the game winning rbi, but...............CUDDY got the hit, stolen base, and a great read on Valentia's hit, great jump and had it in overdrive all the way from second base. V owes him dinner.....

[thatoneguy]

It was great to see Cuddyer come up with a big hit, and an even bigger steal last night. I swear I don't dislike Cuddyer, I'm just maddened that the Twins have grossly overpaid for him and that he hasn't produced much this year.

Hopefully he'll turn on the afterburners this September and help with the playoff push. They need him!

Re: Punto...the only way he should be on a major league roster is as a defensive replacement/utility/spot starter kind of guy. He can't hit, and despite his occasional amazing flashy play he has historically been an average fielder at every position except 3B (and I think we can agree that Valencia appears to be a better solution at that position).

[soldoncass]

What ball players make seems to be the irritation for a lot of people, and why we attack players on here.....(envy). If I just look at their overall value to the TEAM, everything makes more sense.

Since Morneau went down, Cuddy HAS MADE HUGE contributions again this year.....defensively, offensively(although less than last year so far), in the clubhouse, and just being willing AND able to play where the team needs AT THE TIME. A TEAM FIRST GUY!! MUCH,MUCH more valuable than are ME,ME( like Manny for instance) types.

[PierBridge]

Pier.... I am severly dissappointed in you! I know you where Cuddy Love colored glasses, but YOU NEVER, resist a chance to chime in..... now, someone presents stats to contradict your point of view and you just ignore it!!! You're better than that Pier..... find something to grasp at, anything, just to keep the insane love going. Without Cuddy OR Young, we wouldn't be in position to win the division this year and I don't think it would be close...

WITF are talking you about?

What stats have proved what again?

I'm the king of stats for the record!

Why would I continue to argue with brick wall that think they know more about baseball and how things are done than the best manager on the arguably the best team in baseball. Thats not my problem that's your guys.

I get exactly what kind of player and team mate Michael Cuddyer is just like his team-mates and Coaches do. He's a dam good all around ball player having a pretty decent year if you take your blinders off and Delmon Young has had one good month in his life, strike that one GREAT month. He's a one dimensional player currently playing NONE dimensional.

Hope that clears things up for you!

...Pier!

[PierBridge]

And yes I don't read all 100 of Greebs long winded twisted post that fabricate Cuddyer into the worst hitter in baseball with runners in scoring position.

[thatoneguy]

Envy? I'm comparing production to paycheck relative to other MLB players, not relative to what ordinary people make.

If you're going to pretend that Cuddyer isn't WILDLY overpaid relative to his production...well, then you're just deranged.