Staying Positive, is it even possible?

[KrnlDoug]

This is the first time that I have written anything for a blog, forum or really anything beyond the papers I wrote for grad school/college, so please bear with me as I figure this out. 

 

Let me start off by saying that I am from Minneapolis but do not live there currently. I have been living for the past few years in Kentucky and now South Dakota. During the times that I have missed home it has always been comforting to turn on the TV or in my Kentucky days, MLB.tv, and watch a Twins game. I am a frequent visitor of TD so I know I am not the first person to notice that the season so far has been, less than positive.

 

Inconsistent hitting and poor plate appearances was the first task that we had to endure but then the plate appearance seemed to get a little better as early-April transitioned to mid-April. Now as we transition from late-April to early-May we encounter poor pitching and poor team management. Simply put, the notaligia that I received from watching my "home" team has since gone away and left me a feeling of despair toward the organization. 

 

I suppose the question that I pose to those reading, posting, commenting on TD is how do you continue to stay positive about a season that is pretty clearly not going to end how we want it to? What can you look to that fills you with pride in the organization? Is that even possible or is it better to accept it and move on? 

[Tibs]

To put it simply, I have stayed positive because I love everything about baseball. Baseball makes me happy, even if the Twins aren't playing well or the team makes moves I don't agree with. We have a lot of talent that is close to breaking through with the MLB team. That will just take time, and, in some cases, more opportunities. 

[gil4]

I've got nothing except my member title.

[twinsnorth49]

I'll stay positive on a more micro level, at a macro level this team is going nowhere but I'll look forward to and stay positive about little things, like progress from the youngsters and guys like Park and the return of Joe.

[wsnydes]

The easy answer for me is that I can't stay positive when it comes to this season.  I was extremely disappointed with the moves (or lack thereof) during the offseason.  I'm not really overly concerned with how the younger players are playing, but I'm very concerned about how sloppy the team is.  I love baseball and still love going to games, but it's hard for me to remain positive about where this team is currently.  The mistakes and the dumb baseball play drives me nuts.  With as much as Molitor thrived on the little things as a player and the way he supposedly pushes for those as a manager, this team doesn't do them well at all.  

 

Even as a season ticket holder, I'm already finding myself enjoying the games because its baseball rather than enjoying watching the Twins play.  It's frustrating in that regard.  I've been more patient with this process than anyone I know and my friends are alarmed to learn of my frustration.  The record itself isn't really my biggest issue, its that I feel that the young players are being mismanaged.  I came into the season expecting very little in regards to record, but I wanted to see the younger players develop and I don't really feel that some of them are getting the chance to do so.

[Mike Frasier Law]

For me, watching this team is infinitely more entertaining than watching the teams from the last few years. It sucks that it already feels like the season is irrelevant, but I still get excited to watch these players. Something exciting is going to happen when you have Sano, Park, Arcia, and Rosario in the lineup (maybe 10ks, maybe 5 hr!). Watching our young pitchers come up and fail, try again, and get better is exciting. I loved watching Berrios and Meyer (regardless of the outcomes of the game and setting aside mismanagement).

 

I'm not saying I'm rooting for next year. I'm just happy to watch a young, developing, exciting (albeit bad) team instead of a mediocre team of older players.

[Pardon My Dinger]

We have some exceptional young talent. Personally, I don't get bent out of shape about the losing at this point. For the first time in a long time, I really like the guys on this team. I like Rosario, Escobar, Arcia, Dozier, and Plouffe. I love Mauer, Sano, Park, and Berrios. Given all the losing on the front end of the schedule, this roster is going to have an opportunity to shed its skin, drop a few veterans, and find their own groove. 

 

For years, we kept hearing that the Royals' emergence was imminent. They had all of the prospects that were coming up fast. 2011 was the first season with their current core. They lost 91 games. Every year since, they've taken a step further than the previous season. 80-some wins, 90-some wins, WS appearance, WS title. But they sucked in 2011. That's the way it goes. 

 

I love these Twins. They pretty much suck right now, but they're going to get better all year. 

[nicksaviking]

I'll echo several other posters; I was never too interested in the wins and losses this year as I wasn't expecting any kind of playoff run. I want to watch the young guys develop. I'm excited to see Sano, Arcia and Park at bat and have been excited when Berrios, Duffey and Meyer have gotten their starts.

 

Conversely, I lost interest in the game the other day when Meyer got yanked in the 3rd. I didn't really care about the final score, I wanted to see a 97 MPH heater. Wins and losses are for 2017, I hope, this year I want to see which young guys are going to help get those wins next year.

[luckylager]

It's always darkest before the dawn (or so I keep telling myself).  

[lukeduke1980]

Despite some recent mental mistakes, I think Sano is an easy guy to root for and I see this becoming his team in the next year.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Irrational optimism. You never know what you are going to see on any given night. 

[Rosterman]

The toughest part is that for the majority of the games, the Twins have been in the game. They had a chance, but blew it because of not moving runners, bad veteran relief work, too many strikeouts. They could've been at best, or worse, at .500 right now.

 

There are always ups and downs, and a blowout like last night can work wonders on a pitching staff that overall has pitched as well as the hitters have hit, which isn't saying much for the hitting.

 

I never expect a prospect to come leaping onto the field and being a superstar. That rookie of the year honor is hard to obtain, and often it is given to someone less than stellar, because most rookies still have a bit to learn, like one or two seasons of ball be it part-time or full-time. 

 

I would love to be that fly-on-the-wall when the organization discusses the players in the system. I often wonder what does go thru the minds of the manager and coaches each day when preparing for a game, especially with so much information available. I wonder how much players worry about what they are doing for team play rather than looking towards the future paycheck, which naturally comes if you just play the game...well.

 

After the success last year (box office, so to speak), I expect things will level off tremendously this season. What the Twins have in the bank due to pre-season sales is pretty much what they will have at the end of the year, and hopefully the on-field watching will still create beer and brat sales...if you can figure out ways to get people to come. Going to a game IS an experience. The average fan doesn't care squat about who is coming up in the minors or why Alex Meyer only pitched four bad innings or "when did Gardy stop managing." They come because it is a reasonably priced evening of entertainment and solid watching of baseball. If the Twins do play bad baseball...on the level of the Saints, let's say, but against opponents who dominate...then they might lose a few bodies to St. Paul (providing tickets are available).

 

For the love of me, I can't figure out what the Twins marketing scheme was for this season...except players driving around with TC in a car wearing sunglasses and people doing selfies, whatever.....

[USAFChief]

Unlike others here, I do care about wins and losses, so it's pretty tough for me to stay positive when the season is a month old and the team is already out of contention.

 

In fact, any positivity I had going into the season is pretty much over.  I don't care if the player is 22 or 42, I care about how much entertainment they provide when I watch, and for me, caring about the outcome is a good part of why I watch sports. "This rookie might be good in three years" doesn't do much for me, but I understand others feel differently.  

 

I will still watch, because it's baseball, and I love baseball, and it's the Twins, and I can no more change my Twins fandom than I can change my age.  

 

But I sure wish the games mattered.  

[TheLeviathan]

I wish the games mattered too, but part of the reality of building a young group of talent is that it can come with some erratic swings in performance.  I'll look for the positives in the young guys and hope that results in some wins at the end of the season to build on for next year.

 

It's a very Timberwolves-like approach, which is not meant as a compliment, but it's also the reality of rebuilding.  It's one of the biggest reasons every time someone tells you to mark your spot for the parade route just a year or two after prospects start debuting - you should laugh at them.  That's not how things work, patience is a major part of the equation.

[Hrbowski]

I always stay positive away from the internet because there is the draft, but sometimes on the internet I promote the firing of Molitor.

[nicksaviking]

 

Unlike others here, I do care about wins and losses, so it's pretty tough for me to stay positive when the season is a month old and the team is already out of contention.

 

In fact, any positivity I had going into the season is pretty much over.  I don't care if the player is 22 or 42, I care about how much entertainment they provide when I watch, and for me, caring about the outcome is a good part of why I watch sports. "This rookie might be good in three years" doesn't do much for me, but I understand others feel differently.  

 

I will still watch, because it's baseball, and I love baseball, and it's the Twins, and I can no more change my Twins fandom than I can change my age.  

 

But I sure wish the games mattered.  

 

I wished the games mattered, and I hope I didn't imply otherwise. I just had very low expectations this year despite last year's success. While I had low expectations for the team, my secondary excitement has always been to see the young guys, which had been building for years; it finally seems like we are going to get to see most of them.

 

2007 I was really disappointed, that team was supposed to be good, and they completely let me down, I guess personally, my attitude usually stems from where I set the bar at the beginning of the year.

[James]

As far as this team goes, I'm positive about a lot of the young guys on the team.  It's fun to watch Joe Mauer hit like his old self too.  Hopefully that part of the game is contagious.

 

Also, to stay positive in general, I've been reading this article by Andrew W.K.

 

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/ask-andrew-wk-can-you-help-me-be-positive-7212579

[Mike Sixel]

Molitor, the way they handled certain young players, and Buxton's complete inability to hit is stretching my abilities.

[Circus Boy]

 

 

For years, we kept hearing that the Royals' emergence was imminent. They had all of the prospects that were coming up fast. 2011 was the first season with their current core. They lost 91 games. Every year since, they've taken a step further than the previous season. 80-some wins, 90-some wins, WS appearance, WS title. But they sucked in 2011. That's the way it goes. 

 

Hey, y'know, we sucked in 2011, too. So we have that going for us.

[chopper0080]

I like watching baseball that is played at a high level...and that is not the type baseball that the Twins are playing right now.  I follow the Twins because I am a fan, but I am not going out of my to consume a poor product.  I tune in periodically, or to watch certain players, but nothing more until I see more.  Better use of my time is outside playing baseball with my kid vs watching poorly played baseball inside with him.

[Twinsbar107]

 

Unlike others here, I do care about wins and losses, so it's pretty tough for me to stay positive when the season is a month old and the team is already out of contention.

 

In fact, any positivity I had going into the season is pretty much over.  I don't care if the player is 22 or 42, I care about how much entertainment they provide when I watch, and for me, caring about the outcome is a good part of why I watch sports. "This rookie might be good in three years" doesn't do much for me, but I understand others feel differently.  

 

I will still watch, because it's baseball, and I love baseball, and it's the Twins, and I can no more change my Twins fandom than I can change my age.  

 

But I sure wish the games mattered.  

Pretty much this, I love watching prospects come up and all that. However, if the MLB team isn't winning it is all pointless. Like the saying goes farm systems don't win titles. I like many on this site love baseball, and any baseball i can watch the better. However, it is entertainment and losing is never fun. One of the joys of baseball is there is always tomorrow to look forward to.

      But when you don't even have 10 wins a week into May, there would be no difference if they showed up for the rest of the year or not. It's not only the losses, but the way they have lost. Last night for example, was embarrassing. It's one thing to lose and another to look like you don't belong on the same field. When the opposing team doesn't want to advance on a past ball because they are beating you so bad. How do you get past that?? 

[Squirrel]

I just try to keep it all in perspective ... it's just a game. Yes, I want to win and I hate to lose, but ... in the whole grand scheme of life, it's just a game; one I love, but it's just a game. I seriously wonder about and get frustrated with those in charge, but it's just a game. Maybe it's more of a mantra than true perspective. It's just a game. Keep saying that. Deeeeep breath in ... slow, long exhale. It's just a game.

 

I also tend to not read comments here as much, which is very difficult, because, as a moderator, I do try to read everything. When it's a real chore, and over the past month it has been, I go back to my mantra and deep breathing.

[Pius Jefferson]

I think unlike the previous seasons of losing the team doesn't even have the great minor league talent to follow. The results of said players have been mixed so far but at the time it was at least something to look forward to. 

[Mike Sixel]

I can be positive about life, and not positive about the twins. Those are not connected.

[Ultima Ratio]

No -- pithy answer to the question. 

[Primetime82]

This team is so much further away from being competitive then people on here believe.

 

The GM and Coach need to go. They'll never win anything with this combination.

 

Our entire pitching staff needs to go, albeit Berrios and May. Yes, maybe Santana or Gibson can be a 4th 5th starter on a world series team. I'm not a Gibson fan myself. The bullpen is a disaster. I can't even fathom how Ryan ends up with this staff. Why can't we sign Jordan Zimmerman? I mean, Detroits the worst city in America and they find away to get all kinds of top tier free agents? WHY?

 

Rosario's fluke is over. It was a fun year last year but you can't swing at EVERY pitch and last in the MLB. Send him to AAA and tell him to either lay off pitches or never see the MLB roster again. It's really not that hard to not swing.

 

Did I mention Ryan didn't have a plan in place if Rosario didn't work this season. I seen it coming. Ryan didn't I guess.

 

What about Buxton. Did Ryan have a plan in place if Buxton hadn't figured out how to hit MLB pitching? I seen this coming, Ryan didn't.

 

What if Sano didn't work in RF? Why didn't they give him reps at 3rd base?

 

What if Park was a homerun but had to sit on the bench in the National League? Maybe they could give Mauer a few games in RF. I mean, the guy is the best natural athlete on the team. He could easily handle a few games in RF. Thank god they never discussed this prior to the season, NOT.

 

Let's move on to Molitor. What the ****s up with him batting Park in the 6th spot? This is asinine. I mean, wtf is this guy doing? Is it just me or does it seem like Pauly doesn't know when to take a pitcher out? He always seems to pull the plug to late or to early. His in game situation coaching is pitiful. Did I mention all the mental mistakes this team makes game after game. It all starts with the Coach.

 

I'm done I guess. This was all over the place but i'm tired. Bye now.

 

 

[jimbo92107]

Most of the time as a baseball fan, you see the spring training lineup and you think, "With a little luck, if such and such breaks our way, this team could be good." 

 

Then the season starts, and it all falls to crap. 

 

This spring was a little different. With Sano coming back, with Rosario coming off a really good rookie year, with Buxton improving at the end of last season... It looked like the Twins were going to be pretty darn good, even without especially lucky breaks.

 

Then the season started, and well, so far it has all fallen to crap.

 

Except a few things. Joe Mauer unexpectedly got a lot better. Trevor May still looks solid in the pen. Nolasco made a big comeback so far. Pressly looks very good. Sano is starting to hit again. Danny Santana is making a decent comeback. Park turned out to be not just a good hitter, but a good all around player. Berrios looks like he's for real. Duffey still looks good. Even Arcia is making a determined effort to be a professional. 

 

There are other reasons for optimism, too. The Twins front office appears finally ready to make some serious moves to shake off the mediocre players. Will they bring up some young talent, or plug the holes with more placeholders? I suspect Jorge Polanco will be SS in Esco's place. Darren Mastroianni is coming up to do some CF duties. Will they bring up Rogers and Shaggy for the pen?

 

You have to be willing to look past the wins and losses at this point. Look for improvements, or at least attempts at improvements. This team needs to try out a lot of different players in a lot of different roles to see who fits and who performs. That's why I'll continue to watch Twins baseball, even if they win only a third of their games. 

[Linus]

I stay positive by not worrying about the season record. Each game is a new chance for a win or a good ballgame.

[jorgenswest]

This is the first time that I have written anything for a blog, forum or really anything beyond the papers I wrote for grad school/college, so please bear with me as I figure this out. 

 

Let me start off by saying that I am from Minneapolis but do not live there currently. I have been living for the past few years in Kentucky and now South Dakota. During the times that I have missed home it has always been comforting to turn on the TV or in my Kentucky days, MLB.tv, and watch a Twins game. I am a frequent visitor of TD so I know I am not the first person to notice that the season so far has been, less than positive.

 

Inconsistent hitting and poor plate appearances was the first task that we had to endure but then the plate appearance seemed to get a little better as early-April transitioned to mid-April. Now as we transition from late-April to early-May we encounter poor pitching and poor team management. Simply put, the notaligia that I received from watching my "home" team has since gone away and left me a feeling of despair toward the organization. 

 

I suppose the question that I pose to those reading, posting, commenting on TD is how do you continue to stay positive about a season that is pretty clearly not going to end how we want it to? What can you look to that fills you with pride in the organization? Is that even possible or is it better to accept it and move on?

 

I gave been following the Twins since Pascual was throwing to Battey. It is easy to enjoy each game and I listen or watch almost every game. It's a baseball game. What could be better? Every game brings strategy to ponder, young players with the possibility of bright futures and veterans who I have been following since they entered the organization. I will leave the pride filling to things under my control. It's baseball. Enjoy the game.

[Craig Arko]

Keep your sense of humor when things don't go your way. This has many applications well beyond baseball.