Who gets the credit?

[jokin]

On the plus side, Joe Mauer since the start of the Dozier (15-14) Era: (ie, in Twins last 30 games here is his slash)- .322/.445/.478.

 

On the downside, 1) Joe Mauer has only played catcher in 11 of those 30 games and the Twins are 4-7 when he caught them. 2) Cutting back on catching was supposed to immunize Joe from a spate of injuries and illnesses like last season but, meanwhile, the world is waiting on the latest for a decision on his latest injury...

[jokin]

1) Sorry, was there champagne-popping or back-slapping in this thread that I missed, or are you just setting up straw men?

 

2) "Cold hard reality"? Good heavens, son, it's a game. It's entertainment. A harmless diversion. Losing your job when you've got a family to feed, being diagnosed with cancer, the crap going on in Syria, those are cold, hard realities. The fact that one group of millionaires who you like isn't hitting, catching and throwing a ball as well as other groups of millionaires that you don't? Ummm, yeah, not so much. Baseball is a distraction from cold hard realities for a lot of fans. It's fun. And at least for some people, it's a lot more fun to hold out hope of success even when you know it's a remote possibility than to find the 2,395th meaningless, newfangled stat to cite in your latest "piss on the Twins" rant.

 

3) Would you care to give us examples of "some perennial winners who have top-level prospects blocked but are caught short in positions of need" who would be willing to give up said prospects for what the Twins have to offer?

Wow, is this the new, "apologetic for his melodramatic juvenile rants" one eyed jack or his own private Debbie-downer sock puppet?

 

I'm not sure there's any basis to start a conversation here. I might recommend a Crisis Intervention Hotline number, though.

[twinsnorth49]

2) Cutting back on catching was supposed to immunize Joe from the injury but, meanwhile, the world is waiting on the latest for a decision on his latest injury...

I blame Gardy for that, he should have known better than to send him up bat.

[jokin]

---

 

 

The reality is that explanations are rarely that simple. The "it takes an organization to win a championship" line is cliched but true. By the same token, it takes an organization to create a train wreck.

 

 

The LA Kings current playoff run, for example, simply defies explanation.

1) The "explanations are rarely that simple" and then you explain it all away what happened with not one, but two over-simplistic cliches.

 

2) Hockey has never had an 8 seed win it all, but the explanations for the Kings success are certainly quantitatively definable in a sport based heavily on lucky bounces and deflections and hot goalies at the right time.

[twinsnorth49]

1)

 

2) Hockey has never had an 8 seed win it all, but the explanations for the Kings success are certainly quantitatively defiable in a sport based heavily on lucky bounces and deflections and hot goalies at the right time.

Wow, that is one of the most polysyllabic posts I've ever read, you're one smart dude, are you a Biochemist? Too bad you seemingly know nothing about hockey.

[one_eyed_jack]

Thanks, jokin, I needed a good laugh. Hockey is just lucky bounces, deflections and hot goalies. Yah, OK.

 

Gretzky, Lemieux, Hull - they just managed to get a lot of really lucky bounces against stone cold goalies.

 

And the Wild have been offensively-challenged for years because the puck never bounces their way, and they just happened to always catch opposing goalies on a hot streak.

 

And yes, I am juvenille while you are a model of class, dignity and maturity - your approach to forum discussion is one we should all aspire to.

 

Cheers.

[one_eyed_jack]

Wow, is this the new, "apologetic for his melodramatic juvenile rants" one eyed jack or his own private Debbie-downer sock puppet?

 

I'm not sure there's any basis to start a conversation here. I might recommend a Crisis Intervention Hotline number, though.

 

Well, certainly not if you're going to resort to name-calling. But I did ask you a specific question. Maybe you could start there.

[darin617]

I give all the credit to our fine catcher, Drew Butera.

[IdahoPilgrim]

Scott Diamond gets whatever credit is merited. This is the worst team in the league. Gardenhire is a moron's delight and should face a firing squad.

Isn't a firing squad a bit harsh? How about we all just stand around and whip him with wet noodles instead?

[jokin]

Well, certainly not if you're going to resort to name-calling. But I did ask you a specific question. Maybe you could start there.

I didn't call you a Debbie-downer sock puppet, I just asked if you employed one. I trust calling you by your name, one-eyed jack, is not resorting to name-calling. BTW, I'm glad I got you out of your depression with my hockey comment. The league has a history of low-seed teams that have gotten on amazing runs with hot goalies and you know it full well. I never said hockey was "just bounces and deflections". I believe you are also intelligent enough to know that like baseball, there is an element of luck, enough to overcome in the short-term, the Kings' opponents long-term superiority (Cards 2011, Twins 87).

 

I've got a question for you. Who has more short- and long-term influence on his team? A hockey coach or a baseball manager?

[glunn]

I didn't call you a Debbie-downer sock puppet, I just asked if you employed one. I trust calling you by your name, one-eyed jack, is not resorting to name-calling. BTW, I'm glad I got you out of your depression with my hockey comment. The league has a history of low-seed teams that have gotten on amazing runs with hot goalies and you know it full well. I never said hockey was "just bounces and deflections". I believe you are also intelligent enough to know that like baseball, there is an element of luck, enough to overcome in the short-term, the Kings' opponents long-term superiority (Cards 2011, Twins 87).

 

I've got a question for you. Who has more short- and long-term influence on his team? A hockey coach or a baseball manager?

Before you guys continue with this, I would like to interject that you both have a history of making quality posts and we are all Twins fans here, which is a unifying brotherhood/sisterhood. I love your passion and would love it more if it was directed at people who are truly evil, such as White Sox fans.

[jokin]

Before you guys continue with this, I would like to interject that you both have a history of making quality posts and we are all Twins fans here, which is a unifying brotherhood/sisterhood. I love your passion and would love it more if it was directed at people who are truly evil, such as White Sox fans.

Hear! Here! Glunn! I think my realist/masochist persona when the Twins go through their down-cycles sometimes rubs some the wrong way. This is a great site and hopefully open to a broad range of thought and opinion, but there have to be boundaries....just don't ever let a Sox troll come on here to gloat or poke fun, especially if the worst happens- and their moribund, unsupported franchise ends up sneaking out a Central Division title.

[glunn]

Hear! Here! Glunn! I think my realist/masochist persona when the Twins go through their down-cycles sometimes rubs some the wrong way. This is a great site and hopefully open to a broad range of thought and opinion, but there have to be boundaries....just don't ever let a Sox troll come on here to gloat or poke fun, especially if the worst happens- and their moribund, unsupported franchise ends up sneaking out a Central Division title.

It's easy to get depressed/frustrated/angry when the team is losing. I have been feeling this way since last year. And I take great comfort in the fact that there are others who feel the same way.

 

We may disagree about stuff like whether Gardy is OK or should be fired, but we share a much more fundamental unity in our perpetual hope for Twins World Series and the Sox being humiliated. So I hope that the passionate debates will continue, but as brothers/sisters, and reserving the vitriol for outsiders.

[Ultima Ratio]

All starter with an ERA sub 4.50 get credit, as does Burton along with the rest of the pen. Hammer, Span and Morneau (to a lesser extent) get credit too.

[Shane Wahl]

At least we can all agree that the next time we see a Sox fan, it is imperative to punch him/her in the face.

[twinsnorth49]

At least we can all agree that the next time we see a Sox fan, it is imperative to punch him/her in the face.

 

With both fists.

[CDog]

For those that didn't take the question rhetorically and actually gave an answer of who gets credit for the 14-11 month-or-so (I lopped off a game from the original post since going back one more was a loss and we're looking at the "good stretch"), I think there was one mention of Kid St. Paul. He's got a slash line for the 25 games of .338/.454/.500 if I calculated correctly. And this is why I end up "defending" him here a lot. Expectations seem disconnected with reality.

[DJSim22]

It's been about a month since many members felt the need to blame somebody for the sorry state the Twins were in at the time, this despite the fact we were barely 1 month into the new season. During that time blame was mainly given to pretty much anyone and everyone who wasn't a player, including , Gardy, Terry Ryan, Joe Vavra, Rick Anderson, Bill Smith the entire Pohlad family the removal of the trees in centre field and the quality of beer served in a can.

 

Since that time the Twins have gone 14-12 and while far from being touted as a contender have proved themselves to be a competitive and at times entertaining ball club. So, in the interest of fairness, many have assigned the blame, who now gets the credit for the teams improved play?

All the new players who replaced the guys not getting the job done.

[2003freak2003]

For those that didn't take the question rhetorically and actually gave an answer of who gets credit for the 14-11 month-or-so (I lopped off a game from the original post since going back one more was a loss and we're looking at the "good stretch"), I think there was one mention of Kid St. Paul. He's got a slash line for the 25 games of .338/.454/.500 if I calculated correctly. And this is why I end up "defending" him here a lot. Expectations seem disconnected with reality.

Well said and thanks for answering the actual question!

[Rosterman]

Credit? Well. some players. They have gotten their chance and are making the most of it. Many realize this may be their only chance to score a major league contract and if they play good this year, they get at least one more next year. The flipside is a few players who are being paid good or big money. Why do they have to listen, change, adapt. It's still coming in, at least for awhile. Maybe THEY will play better when they get hungry again. So I give it all to the players, from the new arms in the bullpen salvaging a career, to the hopefuls in Rochester who come up, go back down and learn, and then come back up, to the many that do play but because of lineup construction or not knowing where they are playing today, do the best they can. I blame the front office for long giving the illusion that only fielding a competitive team will satisfy the fans, the coaches for not being able to adapt themselves to others and spreading the "we are a team spirit" to those who may need a little more "we" than "me", and us fans who were sold on the idea of Target Field is baseball. No, the food and games and other stuff is indy league puff. I go to watch players play to the bst of their abilities and compete -- win or lose, they have to be seen as enjoying being a part of the game. Again, the players who are being given a golden opportunity to shine and hone their skills get the credit. They want to play this game -- today and tomorrow!

[one_eyed_jack]

At least we can all agree that the next time we see a Sox fan, it is imperative to punch him/her in the face.

---Yes, I'll be sure to remove my sock puppet first so it doesn't soften the blow.