Game Thread: Twins @ Chicago Cubs @ 11:20 am PT (1:20 pm CT)

[wsnydes]

This team is entertaining in that you never really have any idea as to how they will screw it up.

 

By entertaining, I mean infuriating.

[Bob Sacamento]

Morrison with a nice play; almost an oxymoronic statement

[Fritzderkat]

Can't say I'm much of a soccer fan, hardly at all, but it wasn't a hard choice today between the World Cup and the Twins. The last two days in Chicago, three counting today, ought to be enough to convince even the hardiest of fans that following this team closely and caring could actually be bad for mental health.

Checked in briefly following the Uruguay-Portugal game and found our boys down, 8-1, went back and found Denmark and Croatia in a shootout. Very exciting, even for a non-soccer fan, hell of a game.

I'm liking Uruguay and Croatia in the final eight. They come from places that seldom draw attention for anything.

(Okay, okay--Croatia has become a hot tourist spot on the Adriatic, and the Rio de Plata on the Atlantic is where the Germans scuttled a battle ship in '39.)  

[LaBombo]

 

Astudillo is what a Twins player should be. I don't think he's going back to AAA anymore. Wilson or Motter are going to be let go.

 

Totally agree with the first part, but remember that his fate rests in the hands of the same guys who kept Belisle instead of Busenitz. Decisions that should be no-brainers for them are too often turning out to be no-brain decisions.

[operation mindcrime]

If the Cubs win, they'll have given up 20 runs in the past 3 games and won all 3 for the first time since July of 2000

Good!

[jun]

 

Is Molitor's plan to overwork Pressly to death to insure no other team can ever use him again after this season? Seeing as he is awful, wouldn't we want other teams to be able to use him after this season?

To be fair Molitor really has no choice but to use him here.

[jimbo92107]

 

Willians “Swing at everything and bring 5 gloves” Astudillo; scoring catalyst.... who’d have thunk?

He seems to be a do-it-all player. Is he actually a decent catcher? If so, I wanna see him behind the plate.

[wsnydes]

To be fair Molitor really has no choice but to use him here.

While I agree, he could have used Rodney. It's not like he needs the rest or is really in danger of wearing down from overuse.

[jun]

That was a smart strategy trying to take out their closer. The Cubs didn't bite and let their closer bat.

[jun]

 

He seems to be a do-it-all player. Is he actually a decent catcher? If so, I wanna see him behind the plate.

He is average defensively. Much better catcher than Garver.

[LaBombo]

A single will tie it up! W00t!, cause i don't want this series to end! Like, evah!

 

Edit: And then it did. Like they say, all good things...

[operation mindcrime]

Great morale victory!

[mickeymental]

wow! just checked in from a bathroom renovation project! go twins!

 

edit: ok, maybe not. but still pretty cool!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I thought they would have used more analytics this series. Maybe next time!

[Bob Sacamento]

Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go!!

 

Fly the W

 

[LaBombo]

 

He is average defensively. Much better catcher than Garver.

 

If he's an average defender then he might be good enough offensively that the loss of Castro will end up making the Twins better next season.

[operation mindcrime]

I thought they would have used more analytics this series. Maybe next time!

Why bother!

[Fritzderkat]

A one-run game.

I whined too soon.

But I haven't changed my opinion.

Looks as though I'm in the majority here.

 

[LaBombo]

 

Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go!!

 

Fly the W

 

 

Trying to make Twins fans feel bad about this particular squad losing a game is like playing handball against the drapes.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Trying to make Twins fans feel bad about this particular squad losing a game is like playing handball against the drapes.

Not trying to but the Cubs did give up 25 runs in this series, that's usually a recipe for disaster; Twins just gave up 35.  There was more than one occasion where the Cubs tried handing the game over to the Twins they just couldn't capitalize.

 

Side note after watching this series, it's time for the Twins to blow up the squad that has expiring contracts; if not the front office has failed you.

[Doomtints]

 

 

 

Cool Senators logo bro.

[Doomtints]

 

 

Not trying to but the Cubs did give up 25 runs in this series, that's usually a recipe for disaster; Twins just gave up 35.  There was more than one occasion where the Cubs tried handing the game over to the Twins they just couldn't capitalize.

 

Side note after watching this series, it's time for the Twins to blow up the squad that has expiring contracts; if not the front office has failed you.

 

Balls fly when it's hot and humid.

[jun]

Molitor gave up the game and his players didn't. They just came up short.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Astudillo is considered a slightly above average defensive catcher so...

I read he wasn’t great at keeping balls in front of himself, but is a good framer

[ashbury]

Astudillo is considered a slightly above average defensive catcher so...

My sources say he gives up too many wild pitches and passed balls, but is a framing wizard.

[jun]

 

My sources say he gives up too many wild pitches and passed balls, but is a framing wizard.

Still better than Garver defensively. He is short and moving fast, that is supposed to help him block pitches low and away. He also steals bases and has a decent arm throwing out runners. Overall he is a better catcher than Garver.

[Twodogs]

Take Astudillo and Cave out. They are just rookies. Insert Morrison, Motter and Wilson.

yeah those guys too. I was just naming whoever wasn't really supposed to be a factor this year.

[jokin]

Balls fly when it's hot and humid.

Especially at Wrigley with prevailing southwesterly winds from the Gulf of Mexico in the summer months. Following the Cubs for decades, I've seen hundreds of series like this. I'm thinking thre was a 21-15 game vs. the Phillies in the 70s.

 

HOF Cubs pitcher Ferguson Jenkins had a 9-8 complete game win vs. the Reds back in the day.

[jokin]

If he's an average defender then he might be good enough offensively that the loss of Castro will end up making the Twins better next season.

If he's above average defensively, then talent evaluators on a bunch of teams have a lot of explaining to do. 9 year career minor leaguer at a position of scarcity? That does not compute.

[LaBombo]

 

If he's above average defensively, then talent evaluators on a bunch of teams have a lot of explaining to do. 9 year career minor leaguer at a position of scarcity? That does not compute.

 

Astudillo's a bit of a long shot at this point, but the Twins have reached a point where they have little to lose by seeing what the long shots can do.

 

And as an aside to end the series on a high note... 30 years ago, the Twins took a look at a castaway catcher who had knocked around the minors and occasionally ridden the bench in the majors through a decade of pro ball.

 

Also like Astudillo, he was seen as an average defender and a total anomaly at the plate, avoiding strikeouts and walks with equal disdain but showing some line drive power.

 

And that guy took hold of the starting catcher job for the next five seasons, finishing in the top five among all MLB catchers in WAR over that span.