The Airing of Grievances

Dear Bill Smith and co.:

I’ve got a lot of problems with you people, and now you’re going to hear about it.

The Milwaukee Brewers managed to pry Zack Greinke from the Royals for Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jake Odorizzi, and Jeremy Jeffress. You couldn’t beat that? I know, I know, Dayton Moore didn’t want to trade within the division, and Yuniesky Betancourt might negate Greinke’s 5 fWAR all by himself– but still– you couldn’t beat that?

It annoys me that you apparently didn’t value J.J. Hardy’s defense.

It really annoys me that Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan will be making a combined $22 million next year. You want to know why the Twins couldn’t afford to keep their best starting shortstop since Greg Gagne? They’ve got more than 20% of the payroll tied up in a mediocre outfielder/1B/DH type and a relief pitcher. Good work, Billy.

I don’t like Matt Capps’ pitching face:

image source:  yardbarker.com

Or the fact that he will probably get $7 million in arbitration. Or the fact that you traded one of the best prospects in the system for a pretty average middle reliever.

Oh, yeah, and dear fans:

Dan Gladden deserves to get in the Twins’ HOF over Mudcat Grant? I am old enough to remember the Dazzle era, while Grant retired long before I was even born, and without looking at any numbers or doing one bit of research or anything, even I know that is ridiculous. For shame. Thank goodness none of you have any real influence over the front office, or we would be trading Kyle Gibson for Aubrey Huff.

Feel free to air your own grievances in the comments.  ‘Tis the season.