Game Thread: Twins v Royals, 8/17 @ 1:10pm CT

[GCTF]

Pour.

[GCTF]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Circus Boy]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You say so much in so little space.

[ashbury]

Consistent with your post, Mauer has been looking good lately.

I haven't wanted to say anything, for fear of jinxing him, but I have to, now that it's been a few days and he's OPSing almost 1.000 (not counting the partial game today).  I've only watched one plate appearance by him since he's been back, the one where he drove in the game winner the other day, but when watching him, he looked... different.  I decided it was because there was no more of the winky-blinky stuff that I had grown accustomed to seeing from him.  He just stood there at the plate and was looking at the pitcher, waiting for the pitch.  He also made a really good play at first base to save an errant throw.  I'm going way out on a limb here, but I've been saying up to now that he was still feeling symptoms from the concussion, and I'm saying he's now better. Knocking on wood, throwing salt over the shoulder, and all that, but I'm saying it.

[Squirrel]

I haven't wanted to say anything, for fear of jinxing him, but I have to, now that it's been a few days and he's OPSing almost 1.000 (not counting the partial game today).  I've only watched one plate appearance by him since he's been back, the one where he drove in the game winner the other day, but when watching him, he looked... different.  I decided it was because there was no more of the winky-blinky stuff that I had grown accustomed to seeing from him.  He just stood there at the plate and was looking at the pitcher, waiting for the pitch.  He also made a really good play at first base to save an errant throw.  I'm going way out on a limb here, but I've been saying up to now that he was still feeling symptoms from the concussion, and I'm saying he's now better. Knocking on wood, throwing salt over the shoulder, and all that, but I'm saying it.

I had that same thought. That whatever was 'plaguing' his mind was now clear. As you said, he looks ... different. Concussion? Uncertainty of a new position? Best bud gone? Don't know what, or maybe a combination of everything, but he looks ... MUCH better.

[JB_Iowa]

Apparently the rain delay didn't help the Twins pitching.

[JB_Iowa]

I had that same thought. That whatever was 'plaguing' his mind was now clear. As you said, he looks ... different. Concussion? Uncertainty of a new position? Best bud gone? Don't know what, or maybe a combination of everything, but he looks ... MUCH better.

 

I don't want to jinx him either but whatever happened, God Bless Him.

[USAFChief]

I'm incredibly encouraged by Vargas.  I know it's early, but to me he looks like the best hitter the Twins have brought up in quite some time.  I like him better than Arcia, for sure.

[ScrapTheNickname]

I'm incredibly encouraged by Vargas.  I know it's early, but to me he looks like the best hitter the Twins have brought up in quite some time.  I like him better than Arcia, for sure.

 

At first I thought it was an inspired move to bat Arcia behind Vargas, in that Vargas would pick up the charisma and skill of Vargas and feel a little sheepish if he didn't crush the ball too. Doesn't seem to be working out, but maybe yet?

[Danchat]

I never believed Mauer was experiencing lingering concussion effects, and I still don't. I think if anyone in the clubhouse saw any evidence of this, they'd immediately try to help/DL him. I think he just got into a slump and had some bad luck, and now he's recovering from it.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

At first I thought it was an inspired move to bat Arcia behind Vargas, in that Vargas would pick up the charisma and skill of Vargas and feel a little sheepish if he didn't crush the ball too. Doesn't seem to be working out, but maybe yet?

Did it just work? That may also have been the reason to put Vargas behind Mauer...

 

We want a little more of that sort of stuff to get back in the game.

[USAFChief]

It was time to trade the 'Hammer, but I'll miss him.

 

He put one in the third deck, but not one ounce of showboating.  He followed the flight of the ball briefly off the bat, realized immediately it was gone,  put his head down, and started a fast trot.  Not even a glance at where it landed.

 

Professional.  Respectful.  

[Squirrel]

It was time to trade the 'Hammer, but I'll miss him.

 

He put one in the third deck, but not one ounce of showboating.  He followed the flight of the ball briefly off the bat, realized immediately it was gone,  put his head down, and started a fast trot.  Not even a glance at where it landed.

 

Professional.  Respectful.  

That's where 'veteran presence' can lead by example.  Then again, it likely has nothing to do with 'veteran,' just who the guy is.

[ashbury]

I never believed Mauer was experiencing lingering concussion effects, and I still don't. I think if anyone in the clubhouse saw any evidence of this, they'd immediately try to help/DL him. I think he just got into a slump and had some bad luck, and now he's recovering from it.

I don't believe concussions are necessarily that cut-and-dried.  I'm sure you're right that he was no danger to himself, otherwise he would never be out there on the field.  But a nanosecond lag in reaction time may be the difference between "average major leaguer" and "Joe Mauer" (or Ted Williams, or other players with legendary plate discipline), and I don't think it's silly to speculate that the synapses weren't yet firing at their previous high level.

 

I've never questioned Mauer's toughness or drive to excel, so I'm looking for a better explanation of what I believe I saw in his eyes that first game back, than either randomness on my part or newly re-found determination on Joe's part. 

 

But I don't rule out the randomness explanation either.

 

We'll never know, until Joe writes his book, and probably not even then.

 

I'm not sure of the timing, with the weather delay and all, but it appears that Joe hit his HR today after my post.  So far, so good, as far as me jinxing him goes.  Knocking on wood again.