Game Thread Intro "Boomer" Twins @ Brewers 1:10pm 8/14/2019 ad

[Rosterman]

 

We're starting to see why Cron was waived by TB despite 30 HR last year. Who's the general consensus as the Twins 1B of the future? Maybe even next year?

Looking at the minors, seems the first basemen of the future are Lewin Diaz or Jaylin Davis...especially Davis slugging the ball at AA/AAA. So I feel good about the future. Wait......!

 

[stringer bell]

I'll say this, the Twins absolutely handled Yelich and only were able to win 2 of 4 vs. the Brewers. That is a waste.

[Bandit34]

 

Looking at the minors, seems the first basemen of the future are Lewin Diaz or Jaylin Davis...especially Davis slugging the ball at AA/AAA. So I feel good about the future. Wait......!

Isn't that what we said about Kennys Vargas? Didn't pan out. 

[IndyTwinsFan]

It's really hard not to be mad about obvious bullpen deficiencies, and then let the frustration lead to a general anger at how the MLB functions more broadly. 

 

Balls being juiced are not bad for baseball, it's all of these spending/risk adverse front offices that continually guarantee that only a handful of teams are relevant in the post season every season. 

 

Baseball is still fun to watch, but when you are capable of diagnosing an obvious problem like the Twins bullpen literally all season, and then continually watch as you are proven right, you have to feel like the Twins organization really doesn't care about us fans, and just want to fill seats and sell a bunch of Bomba shirts. 

 

I'm going to keep watching, but it's going to be so heartbreaking to watch the bullpen continue to perform like this going into the postseason.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if Falvine was angling for 2020 right from the start. When we started hot and looked like a deep playoff run was a possibility, it's possible they decided not to mess too much with the 2020 plan. Thus, no moves of any real significance.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I just can't shake that thought.

[rkevin]

Yowzer and uffda. Now 16-15 since the break. Well everyone is contributing in on this .516 pace. :/

 

Man, it sure would be nice to get 12-13 wins over over the next 20 games, before we see you-know-who again. Go team!

[Bandit34]

 

I'm beginning to wonder if Falvine was angling for 2020 right from the start. When we started hot and looked like a deep playoff run was a possibility, it's possible they decided not to mess too much with the 2020 plan. Thus, no moves of any real significance.

I hope I'm wrong, but I just can't shake that thought.

These GMs must think differently than I do. If I were the GM of a club and my goal was not oriented toward winning the World Series in the CURRENT year, then I may as well resign. 

[yarnivek1972]

I'm beginning to wonder if Falvine was angling for 2020 right from the start. When we started hot and looked like a deep playoff run was a possibility, it's possible they decided not to mess too much with the 2020 plan. Thus, no moves of any real significance.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I just can't shake that thought.

If they are angling toward 2020, they are angling there without any starting pitchers other than Berrios.

[IndyTwinsFan]

Yowzer and uffda. Now 16-15 since the break. Well everyone is contributing in on this .516 pace. :/

 

Man, it sure would be nice to get 12-13 wins over over the next 20 games, before we see you-know-who again. Go team!

A lot of very winnable games coming up in the next couple of weeks. Time to lengthen the lead, especially with Cleveland having a number of very tough games coming up, before we meet again.

[notoriousgod71]

 

I'm beginning to wonder if Falvine was angling for 2020 right from the start. When we started hot and looked like a deep playoff run was a possibility, it's possible they decided not to mess too much with the 2020 plan. Thus, no moves of any real significance.

I hope I'm wrong, but I just can't shake that thought.

 

What makes them think next year is going to be "the year"? They will have even less pitching and presumably no Cruz.

[IndyTwinsFan]

If they are angling toward 2020, they are angling there without any starting pitchers other than Berrios.

I don't disagree with that at all.

[Bandit34]

 

These GMs must think differently than I do. If I were the GM of a club and my goal was not oriented toward winning the World Series in the CURRENT year, then I may as well resign. 

Which brings up another thing. Does anyone remember around 10 to 15 years ago when our yearly goal was to make the playoffs? I would watch the first Twins telecast of the year and they would say on their pump up video before the game started: "Tonight the Twins begin their quest to get back to the playoffs." BOY, did that annoy me! No team's goal should EVER EVER be to go to the playoffs. There is only one winner in Baseball each year. Your goal must be to be that one winner. If not, why bother playing the game?

[IndyTwinsFan]

What makes them think next year is going to be "the year"? They will have even less pitching and presumably no Cruz.

Almost wish I was a mind reader inside the Twins front office. Unfortunately, I'm not.

[srjr19]

Aside from the bullpen stuff.  You have to admire the way those teams for the way they played smart, played good defense and gave tough at-bats.  All things this team doesn't do.

[yarnivek1972]

What makes them think next year is going to be "the year"? They will have even less pitching and presumably no Cruz.

Twins hold an option on Cruz for less than he’s making in 2019. They would have to be nuts not to exercise it.

[Vanimal46]

I'm beginning to wonder if Falvine was angling for 2020 right from the start. When we started hot and looked like a deep playoff run was a possibility, it's possible they decided not to mess too much with the 2020 plan. Thus, no moves of any real significance.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I just can't shake that thought.

They're angling to be the same club they've always been... The cute small market story that aims for over .500 seasons, not championships. And a club that will always sell hope for the future because trading prospects is just too risky.

 

Any year where there's a possibility to be a WS contender, like this year, excuses will be made why they couldn't make that move to put them on the map.

[Pius Jefferson]

Fix the bullpen in the offseason not at the deadline. Add starting pitching at the deadline.

[Bandit34]

I get the feeling that the reason why they spent so much on hitting is not so much about winning titles as they wanted increased attendance. Let's face it. It has been a marketing success. I must be one of the few fans that really enjoys stolen bases, triples and great defense because let's face it: the homeruns have brought the fans out to the ballpark. 

[notoriousgod71]

 

Twins hold an option on Cruz for less than he’s making in 2019. They would have to be nuts not to exercise it.

 

 

Praise the Lord.

 

Although I expect him to be more like 2011 Thome than 2010 Thome.

[srjr19]

I just figured it out.  Rocco's best skill is being able to match the most high-pressure spot with the guy least like to get anybody out that day.

[Squirrel]

Why pitch Dyson a in the 6th Inning? And after he pitching last night right after coming of the IL? I don't really get this one...

 

You need to read heezy’s article on bicep tendonitis

[Danchat]

 

Looking at the minors, seems the first basemen of the future are Lewin Diaz or Jaylin Davis...especially Davis slugging the ball at AA/AAA. So I feel good about the future. Wait......!

Brent Rooker and Alex Kirilloff could end up at 1B... both of them are regarded as much better than Diaz and Davis.

 

I find it kind of odd how highly regarded Diaz is - he was Rule 5 eligible in 2017 and 2018 and had a middling 2017 and a very poor 2018. I'm not buying that his 2019 season has suddenly fixed him into being a 1B of the future.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Is this still the game thread?

[AlwaysinModeration]

On an unrelated note, I’ll be at Nats Park this afternoon to see Strasburg and the Nats take on Trevor Bauer and the Reds. I’m thinking I should have bought tickets in center field if I wanted to catch a ball.

Nats scored 10 runs in the fifth, knocking Bauer out after 4.1 innings. His ERA went from 3.74 to 4.12 after getting hit for 9 runs.

 

On the bright side, as he left the field, he didn’t throw any balls into the bleachers.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Is this still the game thread?

Yes.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

And no one answered my query:

 

Who's the boom king?

 

Oh well.

[twinsnorth49]

They're angling to be the same club they've always been... The cute small market story that aims for over .500 seasons, not championships. And a club that will always sell hope for the future because trading prospects is just too risky.

 

Any year where there's a possibility to be a WS contender, like this year, excuses will be made why they couldn't make that move to put them on the map.

Well, lots of other teams to cheer for.

[twinsnorth49]

I get the feeling that the reason why they spent so much on hitting is not so much about winning titles as they wanted increased attendance. Let's face it. It has been a marketing success. I must be one of the few fans that really enjoys stolen bases, triples and great defense because let's face it: the homeruns have brought the fans out to the ballpark.

While the popularity of small ball certainly isn’t what it used to be, don’t kid yourself, homeruns have always been king. People didn’t go watch Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle bunt.

 

The wins have helped attendance a bit as well, no?

[ashbury]

Is this still the game thread?