Game Thread, Twins @ Blue Jays, 8/4 @ 6:07pm CT

[twinsnorth49]

 

If we're going to go on who should be doing what, but isn't...

 

 

Hunter is pretty far down my list.

 

I'd start with wondering when Mr HOF lock, $24M a year is going to start hitting at a league average pace.

 

But that's just me.

Oh he's in there too, but at least with him it's not supposed to be the entire reason he's here.

 

Pretty sad either way.

[David HK]

Hm.  Aaron Sanchez.  So that's what an 8th-inning guy looks like.  Ya watchin' this, TR?

[USAFChief]

 Nice AB there, Nunez.  Too cool to run out a dropped strike three, to finish it off.

 

 

[Ultima Ratio]

Wondering if some on this team messed around with the occult during the all-star break.  

[DaveW]

And to think, the twins could have had Nelson Cruz for almost the same AAV they are giving hunter.

 

Apparently ryan only likes to give out multi year contracts to mediocre pitchers though.

[DaveW]

Nice AB there, Nunez. Too cool to run out a dropped strike three, to finish it off.

didn't want to lose his helmet

[USAFChief]

 

Mauer was hitting very well his last 40 games, this last week he has been in a funk like the rest of the offense not named Sano

last 28 days:  .234/.280/.338

 

And so far, that'll go down tonight.

 

 

[Platoon]

Every time Brian starts mocking Chicago traffic, I'm showing him this picture.

Yes, the 401, and all the other 40's there. The 401 makes the Dan Ryan look like Lake St.

[David HK]

Oh, the new guy's in.  Well, our troubles are over, and we WIN!  (Please let this comment come back to bit me in the arse.)

[zchrz]

 

Wondering if some on this team messed around with the occult during the all-star break.  

 

Apparently not and it finally wore off

[JB_Iowa]

I think this team is totally demoralized.

 

They were sliding anyway after the AS Break.  Then their GM basically said, it's all up to you, boys.  I'm not going to help.

 

Who wouldn't be down?

[USAFChief]

 

Oh he's in there too, but at least with him it's not supposed to be the entire reason he's here.

 

Pretty sad either way.

I really don't understand the distaste for Hunter.

 

They're fortunate they signed him this year.  This is a team that has given OF play to Escobar, Nunez, and still has Shane Robinson on the roster.

 

 

[DaveW]

This offense is more boring then church

[DaveW]

I really don't understand the distaste for Hunter.

 

They're fortunate they signed him this year. This is a team that has given OF play to Escobar, Nunez, and still has Shane Robinson on the roster.

and Arica in AAA....

[DaveW]

I think this team is totally demoralized.

 

They were sliding anyway after the AS Break. Then their GM basically said, it's all up to you, boys. I'm not going to help.

 

Who wouldn't be down?

Ryan screwed up big time, but that's no excuse for this bull**** the players are putting out there night after night at this point.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I'm awake finally.

 

Twins are now permitted to score runs again.

 

Oh, yeah, have we been diligently updating Circus Boy?

 

8th inning, 3-1 Toronto.

[Platoon]

The reason most of the people in Canada are so friendly is that they sort out the few unfriendly ones, and make them border guards. Those guys have no sense of humor.

[Ultima Ratio]

 

Apparently not and it finally wore off

You're way of seeing this is better -- makes more sense -- than what I was getting at, I suppose.

[David HK]

When's hockey back, eh?  Tired of watching this.  At least if you're getting stuffed on the rink, you can blast a guy for the heck of it.

[big dog]

Nice inning for New Guy. Can he hit?

[twinsnorth49]

 

I really don't understand the distaste for Hunter.

 

They're fortunate they signed him this year.  This is a team that has given OF play to Escobar, Nunez, and still has Shane Robinson on the roster.

No big distaste for Hunter, just the reasons they brought him in and the fact they should have gone a different direction.

 

The're fortunate they signed because they inexplicably decided the rest were a good idea as well, which you're right, was worse.

[Ultima Ratio]

This is totally anecdotal since I come and go during games when I can, but it does seem to me that our hitters are getting the worse end of borderline/off-the-plate pitches, for strikes.  Probably just homer glasses though.

[DaveW]

i wonder if Obama could do an executive order to keep the Twins from coming back to America since they are a national disgrace these days?

[Aggies7]

I think this team is totally demoralized.

 

They were sliding anyway after the AS Break.  Then their GM basically said, it's all up to you, boys.  I'm not going to help.

 

Who wouldn't be down?

I don't buy that. They had their best week since May the final 7 games before the ASB. They abused Detroit after that big comeback win at TF. Then they came back from the break and easily trounced the A's. They were one measly out from a huge comeback win the next night, but that's when perk decided to blow his first save. Then there was the blow out loss the next day and a series in LA where they got one big hit that won them a game, but otherwise they were handled with ease. Then we know how the Yankees series unfolded and it all went downhill from there.

 

Bottom line is, this team needed more help than they ever could have possibly gotten without really losing prospects, and for a team not really ready to compete "for the entire season", I'm glad they made no serious moves. For what? To be bounced immediately in the playoffs? The team has been scuffling for about 60 games, and the 30 games before May. They played at over their heads and now have zero confidence. Doesn't have much to do with moves made or not mad IMO.

[USAFChief]

I await the day when the Mauer shift includes 5 infielders and no right fielder.

[BK432]

 

St Paul transplant from Toronto (don't ask) here. Would just like to point out that Toronto is actually south of Minne. I keep reading this stuff about Toronto being "up there" and it's annoying me.

 

Hmm....I think you may be unnecessarily sensitive. "Up there" refers to the country, as in the country of Canada being generally north of the United States. Two of my favorite cities in the world are Montreal and Toronto, so I personally don't mean to slight them. I think you kind of need to give people a break.

[twinsnorth49]

 

When's hockey back, eh?  Tired of watching this.  At least if you're getting stuffed on the rink, you can blast a guy for the heck of it.

49 days and counting.

[twinsnorth49]

 

This is totally anecdotal since I come and go during games when I can, but it does seem to me that our hitters are getting the worse end of borderline/off-the-plate pitches, for strikes.  Probably just homer glasses though.

I agree.

[USAFChief]

 

I don't buy that. They had their best week since May the final 7 games before the ASB. They abused Detroit after that big comeback win at TF. Then they came back from the break and easily trounced the A's. They were one measly out from a huge comeback win the next night, but that's when perk decided to blow his first save. Then there was the blow out loss the next day and a series in LA where they got one big hit that won them a game, but otherwise they were handled with ease. Then we know how the Yankees series unfolded and it all went downhill from there.

Bottom line is, this team needed more help than they ever could have possibly gotten without really losing prospects, and for a team not really ready to compete "for the entire season", I'm glad they made no serious moves. For what? To be bounced immediately in the playoffs? The team has been scuffling for about 60 games, and the 30 games before May. They played at over their heads and now have zero confidence. Doesn't have much to do with moves made or not mad IMO.

So both you and the GM tell them, "Sorry, you're just not worth the effort.  Try again next year when some of you won't be here," and you think it doesn't have an effect?

 

 

[zchrz]

 

At what point do you start to wonder about the actual brightness of the twins future? You have to expect that once "the book gets out" on our young guys, their numbers will regress and so far whatever character we thought the club had when they were throwing their gloves on the field and winning every night seems to be non-existent. There really hasn't been one "great" starter all year for the twins...the bullpen has been dreadful for months and the only solid guy we had now has the yips. The jury is still out on Molitor too. Right now, we have no catcher, a 22 million dollar first baseman not nearly producing enough, a platoon at short stop, an up and down 3B, a 40 year old RF and an offense that can't do squat. Have to wonder about the future as much as the present.

 

The future is much brighter than the present, though certainly no guaranteed thing.  Buxton and Sano are here, Berrios isn't far behind, and there are a multitude of prospects coming.  Next years team is going to need to be not built off the scrap heap with the occasional splurge in mediocrity. 

 

I would replace TR certainly and probably Bruno.  Molitor for me has been a pleasant surprise, I was in the Dougie camp originally but seeing the Twins actually use some advanced statistics in game planning has converted me.