Adieu Jacque

I think most people knew this (another article here) was gonna happen and I don't think the move surprises anybody. And, to be honest, I'm not gonna lose any sleep about this at all. Besides his HRs (which let's be honest, on any other team are probably good for second or third place on the team), his numbers are very pedestrian and the strikeouts and average are just not that good. And unlike Hunter, Jones doesn't bring anything spectacular to the RF spot.

If you read that Star Trib article, one thing strikes me as a little odd. When Jones says he was "surprised that the Twins didn't even try to re-sign" him. I don't know if Jacque just doesn't have the ability to look objectively at things, or that he's just so delusional about what he "brings" to the squad. It's clear that in offering arbitration, but not trying to re-sign him, that they put more value in that first round pick than they do in Jones' manic plate-appearances. One of the Twins' major problems last season was their discipline at the plate. When guys aren't hitting well, they tended to force things and started swinging at nearly everything remotely close to the plate. Jones is the leader of that group that also included LeCroy, Morneau, and others. I just think it's time to move along, but apparently Jones is "surprised" by this fact.

I guess one of my pet peeves of the last few years is how the group of guys that included Hunter, Jones, Mientkdlgwglkjkwricz, Eddie G, and a few others continue to have this love affair with each other. Think about it, how many times have you heard one or more of those guys blabber on about how they miss playing with one another and how "special" that team was. Okay we get it, you liked playing with each other. As the last couple of years have passed I've started to think it might be time to just let Hunter go too, as he's always spouting off about the good ol days, and how much fun it was with "those" guys. It gets old...I mean real old, and it does nothing to help this team create it's own identity.

Oh, and another major media outlet (Pioneer Press) pulls the "Piazza might not be much of an improvement over LeCroy" card. And it doesn't surprise me at all.