Dear Negative Twins Fan, Get Over Yourself

[Paul Feiner]

Dear Negative Twins Fan,

I understand keeping a level head about things, a wait-and-see approach. I understand looking at advanced stats which say these first-place Twins will probably regress to the mean.But I don’t understand reacting to an incredible 20-win month with this attitude:

“The losing streak’s coming. Just you wait. They’ll blow it, and the Pohlads will sell them if they get good anyway.”

C’mon, dude. Just enjoy the moment.

Image courtesy of Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Dear Negative Twins Fan,

I understand keeping a level head about things, a wait-and-see approach. I understand looking at advanced stats which say these first-place Twins will probably regress to the mean.But I don’t understand reacting to an incredible 20-win month with this attitude:

“The losing streak’s coming. Just you wait. They’ll blow it, and the Pohlads will sell them if they get good anyway.”

C’mon, dude. Just enjoy the moment.

This team is winning games and dancing in the clubhouse to fog machines. They’re playing confident, competitive baseball, and it’s fun to watch.

If they don’t win the division, or the World Series, well, then that’s what’s supposed to happen. But if they improve by 15 wins from last year, that’s pretty damn good—especially with five of baseball’s top 50 prospects on the way.

Part of what I love about following a team is seeing the young kids grow up and learn to win together. Torii Hunter was part of that once, and he’s leading the charge again this time around. And yeah, the current team probably won’t win it all.

But with Molitor, Dozier, Mauer, Plouffe, Gibson, Perkins, Buxton, Berrios and Sano… this franchise has again built a winning core. And we’ll need a few more guys to step into that mix—looking at you Hicks, Danny & Ervin, Rosario, Meyer, May, Gordon, Stewart, Gonsalves and all the rest.

For the moment, the future is bright, we’re on the up, and what’s the point in being negative? Let the last four losing years go. Forget about them like you forgot about the eight years of winning that preceded. Do yourself a favor, and enjoy cheering these kids on as they learn to win together at the highest level.

That’s what I’ll be doing.

View full article

[DuluthFan]

Damn straight. If you don't like your seat on the bandwagon, get off and wait for the next ride. This year's draft picks should reach the majors in about 6 years.

[KScott]

Well said. The next couple years look bright.

[kellyvance]

Well, I dunno. The people of Minnesota like bitching about things. What else can explain them electing both Jesse the Body and Al Franken?

[jimbo92107]

It comes down to enjoying baseball, which can be done no matter the outcome of a game. To see the subtle interplay of gamesmanship, the cat and mouse interchange of bluffs and tricks, that's where the enjoyment of a sport like baseball resides.

 

The best reason to enjoy Twins baseball right now is also the reason this team is confusing sports pundits around the league. Why are they winning? The reasons are numerous and some of them are subtle. I would not deny others the enjoyment of figuring it out for themselves.

[Charlie Beattie]

I think you're hitting on a key element of modern fandom, here, Paul, in that it has become more important to be right about sports than to simply enjoy them.

 

By that I mean most fans want to be able to predict the future than hope for the best. That way, if the fall does come (and it might, yet) they can say they were right all along. It's easy, and it keeps you from being emotionally hurt by your team and makes you the smartest guy/girl at the party.

 

Of course, it also keeps you from truly enjoying all the cool things in life too. 

[Blackjack]

When the Twins were winning division titles people were still bitching that the Twins weren't doing enough to win a World Series.  Those people will never be happy, they consider themselves 'experts', smarter than even long-time baseball people like Ryan and Molitor, and will always be nitpicking about something the Twins aren't doing right.

 

Personally I just want them to be competitive, have a chance to win every series, have a .500 record, play good baseball. It makes it fun to watch and listen to them, makes you want to tune them in, it has you checking the standings to see how the other Central division teams are doing.  You don't do that when they're 15 games out.

 

Right now I''m enjoying the ride.    I was bummed they got rained out last night, I had some behind the wheel time planned, and was planning on listening to them.

[Dantes929]

"and yeah, the current team probably won't win it all".     That can be said of just about every team every year.    Every year some teams have better odds than other teams but when was the last time the odds were actually in favor one team winning it all?   I would always take the field against any one team's chances.   87 and 91 teams were both well over 100-1 against winning it all.  Every year I just want September games to be meaningful and love it when they make the playoffs because countless teams have showed us anything can happen if they do.   I enjoy the journey much more than the destination.    There's always next year is not a negative phrase to me.   Next year has its own drama and potential.

[SockNet]

I'm loving this run. For me, emotionally invested is all the fun. 2006 and 2010 were really good teams and I was crushed when those seasons ended. After four miserable years I am reaching for a Wild Card spot even if I hate the Wild Card format and if they don't make it I'll be disappointed yet again. Being emotionally invested in the Twins will make me feel better about believing in my Guys when they win than being a crab and right about their fall.

 

[gil4]

 

When the Twins were winning division titles people were still bitching that the Twins weren't doing enough to win a World Series. ...they consider themselves 'experts', smarter than even long-time baseball people like Ryan and Molitor...

 

It wasn't that they weren't doing enough.  It was that they were doing too many of the wrong things.  The Garza/Bartlett for Young/Harris was pretty widely criticized at the time, and I would say hindsight has been kind to the critics. Ditto the Capps/Ramos trade and the subsequent resigning of Capps. Gleeman was running his "Free Johan Santana" (from long relief) campaign for close to a year before the Twins finally stuck him in the rotation and he became possibly the best starter the Twins have ever had.

Critics have been wrong - the Shannon Stewart trade is one example that comes to mind. But they also have been right far too often.

 

 Those people will never be happy,

 

Not true! Let's see... there was 1987, 1991. 

Actually, I think we've been happy plenty of times, just not completely satisfied.  Those were the years we were completely satisfied.  I'd say 2002 as well, getting into the playoffs after years of losing. 

 

...and will always be nitpicking about something the Twins aren't doing right.

Baseball is a game of inches and of details.  The nits are often the difference.  (There have been some pretty big nits crawling around here, too.)

 

Personally I just want them to be competitive, have a chance to win every series, have a .500 record, play good baseball. It makes it fun to watch and listen to them, makes you want to tune them in...

After the last 4 years that would be OK, I guess.  But I want more than that.  I want them to be good and have a core in place so that if a couple of guys make the leap to greatness the whole team can be great. 

 

Right now I''m enjoying the ride. 

 

I am to, but I also want the Twins to make sound baseball decisions to maximize the possibility of it continuing.  The 31-19 record is in the bank.  If they just play .500 ball the rest of the way, they end up 87-75, which might sneak them into the playoffs.  If a couple of guys start hitting like last year (Santana, the DH position) or previous years (Mauer) this team could win ... more than that. 

[twinsnorth49]

Or, how about we just let people express their opinion and concern ourselves with our own? Go ahead, enjoy the moment,  but let's stop telling other people how to act.

 

 

 

Signed,

 

Yours Truly,

Minnesota Twins fan who happens to be enjoying the moment (except when Tim Stauffer is pitching)

[DaveW]

Or, how about we just let people express their opinion and concern ourselves with our own? Go ahead, enjoy the moment,  but let's stop telling other people how to act.

 

Amen.

[DaveW]

 

Minnesota Twins fan who happens to be enjoying the moment (except when Tim Stauffer is pitching)

I would agree with this as well, though it pains me a bit in the heart everytime I see Escobar or Nunez slotted in LF/DH with Rosario on the bench.

[twinsnorth49]

 

I would agree with this as well, though it pains me a bit in the heart everytime I see Escobar or Nunez slotted in LF/DH with Rosario on the bench.

Agreed, pained/sends me into convulsions, same thing.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I think you're hitting on a key element of modern fandom, here, Paul, in that it has become more important to be right about sports than to simply enjoy them.

I think people have been disagreeing with teams/managers and making predictions since the beginning of the sport.  No, I don't think it's a "modern" phenomenon, there are just obviously new and different ways to interact with other fans in the modern world, so perhaps you notice it more.

[Mike Sixel]

You are doing Fandom wrong. The irony is surely lost on the OP.

[DaveW]

 

I think people have been disagreeing with teams/managers and making predictions since the beginning of the sport.  No, I don't think it's a "modern" phenomenon, there are just obviously new and different ways to interact with other fans in the modern world, so perhaps you notice it more.

Personally at the end of the day some people like myself would rather nitpick and debate about who should be hitting #1 in the lineup vs #2 in the lineup and who should be the everyday SS (light hearted and at the end of the day meaningless things) then debate about politics, the middle east, gas prices, religions etc etc If it truly bothers you so much that someone is being a little negative (honestly, if you think this board qualifies as negative I don't think you have ever been to another internet forum ever) I can't imagine how much it must bother you when someone takes an opposite approach on an important stance you hold.

 

*by you I mean "someone" not you personally.

Edited June 2, 2015 by SpiritofVodkaDave

[drivlikejehu]

Thanks to you, "Paul Feiner," for your original, well thought-out, and community-building article. We can only hope that you will continue to bless us with further contributions.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Let's ease up on the snark, everyone.

 

A lot of people ate "I told you so's" for four years while the Twins suffered horrible losses. They're taking a bit of glee in the winning - a little too much glee at times - and it'll run its course soon enough.

[nytwinsfan]

I hope that this article is targeted at people who are cynical/defeatist/crabby/crybabies/unconstructively negative (I know they exist on these pages) and not at people who have well-considered constructive criticisms of the Twins. The latter group simply don't just want to feel good about their team on June 1st (which I do), but also on November 1st. But I must say it is a little rude to associate constructive criticism (or negativity or whatever you want to call it) with selfishness or ego. It really isn't about myself. I am over myself. I want the Twins to win in June AND October, and I want them to be winning at those times next year and the year after. I'm not making constructive criticisms because I want to emote all over this page and bring everyone down. I want to win, just in the medium-run and long-run too. If that makes me critical or negative, then so be it.

Edited June 2, 2015 by nytwinsfan

[REPETE]

 

It comes down to enjoying baseball, which can be done no matter the outcome of a game. To see the subtle interplay of gamesmanship, the cat and mouse interchange of bluffs and tricks, that's where the enjoyment of a sport like baseball resides.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting this post, but yes, the fun of baseball is everything you mention.  That's what makes it a great game.  But the end result is all that matters.  Correctly doing all of those things that makes baseball great is what makes you win 2 of 3, versus 1 of 3.  

When the Twins were losing 90+, I was still watching because the game is great, but you gotta admit, watching a great game when your team wins is WAAAYYY more fun!

Also, anyone just waiting for the other shoe to drop is missing the point.  The fact we're talking about a team with a winning record, let alone the best record in the AL, is reason enough to be happy.  At the beginning of the season, most of the negative people would've been thrilled if you said they'll finish .500.  Maybe they do go on a losing streak, but if, at the end of the year, they're even flirting with a Wild Card, this season has to be viewed as wildly successful. 

[Mike Sixel]

I fail to see one person on this site that is not thrilled with the results so far. I would suggest that having an issue with critical thinking is probably not a problem with those doing the critical thinking along with their rooting/happiness for the results.

[spinowner]

 

Let's ease up on the snark, everyone.

 

My sentiments as well, and, even though I'm a paeon newbie here, might I add that I think it's good to avoid injecting political viewpoints. The discussions can get contentious enough just with baseball as the topic.

[Craig Arko]

I'm just going to use these threads (I believe there are 3 of them going now) as a tool for updating my ignore list.

 

Life's too short to go on about this stuff any more. And i have no desire to convince anyone about anything here.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'm just going to use these threads (I believe there are 3 of them going now) as a tool for updating my ignore list.

 

Life's too short to go on about this stuff any more. And i have no desire to convince anyone about anything here.

 

good point. I should not have come.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I don't want the 2nd wild card spot to be Wildly Successful, I want that to be a let down. I want this to be a good team that expects to win and make changes on the big league roster to continue to improve. They don't suck so let's leave good enough alone, doesn't fly with me.

 

Go Twins

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I don't want the 2nd wild card spot to be Wildly Successful, I want that to be a let down.

In future years, I hope a WC spot is a letdown.

 

In 2015, it's not a letdown.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I'm just going to use these threads (I believe there are 3 of them going now) as a tool for updating my ignore list.

I didn't realize there was an ignore list option, thanks.  Something good has come from this thread!  

[dxpavelka]

 

Or, how about we just let people express their opinion and concern ourselves with our own? Go ahead, enjoy the moment,  but let's stop telling other people how to act.

 

 

 

Cuz ya can't fix stupid.

[jimmer]

 

I didn't realize there was an ignore list option, thanks.  Something good has come from this thread!  

I wouldn't use it.  I'm not afraid of other people expressing their opinions, even if they disagree with mine. We are all Twins fans and should have the right to be fans the way that works for us without being ignored or slammed for it as long as we are civil about. I always try to be, but admittedly, I don't always succeed in portraying that civility properly.

 

Debating/discussing the issues on this team, whether it be in good times (which we all enjoy, BTW) or bad times, should be encouraged.

Edited June 2, 2015 by jimmer