GAME THREAD: 4/20/21 Minnesota Twins @ Oakland A's, Doubleheader, Game 1 @ 5:30 CDT

[sampleSizeOfOne]

And on to stopping the streak at 9. We done it to that one east coast team, we can do it on the west coast!

[Vanimal46]

Well... at least Thorpe has resembled an MLB pitcher so far. His fastball is only hitting 90 again, though.

Left handed and breathing gives him a good chance to stick in the majors in some capacity.

[cHawk]

I wonder how many of those Oakland runs were because of fielding errors...

[Danchat]

 

Left handed and breathing gives him a good chance to stick in the majors in some capacity.

Wait, did he pitch? MLB Gameday suddenly switched and says that Farrell pitched the 6th instead of Thorpe. I can't tell if they're gaslighting me or not! (I wasn't actually watching the game for that inning)

[Vanimal46]

Wait, did he pitch? MLB Gameday suddenly switched and says that Farrell pitched the 6th instead of Thorpe. I can't tell if they're gaslighting me or not! (I wasn't actually watching the game for that inning)

I’m gonna be honest with you Dan. I didn’t watch it either...

[bighat]

Gonna get shut out both games?

 

This team is just awful right now.

 

At this moment, I can't think of a single positive thing to say about this team.

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

They are also responsible for developing the players drafted before they got here, right? But, like I said, one more year before I can feel like I can draw conclusions.

 

Buxton, Arraez, Berrios are all cornerstones for this team, developed under this FO's watch.  They also acquired Donaldson, Maeda, Pineda and Cruz.  That's the 7 best players on the roster, all of whom any team in the league would be happy to have in prominent roles on their team, right?  All of whom are what they are (as far as the Twins are concerned) in large part because of, or even solely due to, this front office.  The issue we have right now is the players the previous front office left them that broke out in 2019 (Sano, Polanco, Kepler, Garver, Rosario) have been unable to recapture that magic.  I do blame them for not being able to get those guys on track, or understand they wouldn't be able to and replace them, but this FO does a lot of good things too.

[Aggies7]

Buxton, Arraez, Berrios are all cornerstones for this team, developed under this FO's watch. They also acquired Donaldson, Maeda, Pineda and Cruz. That's the 7 best players on the roster, all of whom any team in the league would be happy to have in prominent roles on their team, right? All of whom are what they are (as far as the Twins are concerned) in large part because of, or even solely due to, this front office. The issue we have right now is the players the previous front office left them that broke out in 2019 (Sano, Polanco, Kepler, Garver, Rosario) have been unable to recapture that magic. I do blame them for not being able to get those guys on track, or understand they wouldn't be able to and replace them, but this FO does a lot of good things too.

“Unable to get those guys on track” is a very friendly way of putting it. Garver’s .205 avg is good for first place among that wretched bunch. They’ve been putrid

[Mike Sixel]

Buxton, Arraez, Berrios are all cornerstones for this team, developed under this FO's watch. They also acquired Donaldson, Maeda, Pineda and Cruz. That's the 7 best players on the roster, all of whom any team in the league would be happy to have in prominent roles on their team, right? All of whom are what they are (as far as the Twins are concerned) in large part because of, or even solely due to, this front office. The issue we have right now is the players the previous front office left them that broke out in 2019 (Sano, Polanco, Kepler, Garver, Rosario) have been unable to recapture that magic. I do blame them for not being able to get those guys on track, or understand they wouldn't be able to and replace them, but this FO does a lot of good things too.

My post was pretty clearly not about free agents..... Or trades. Like when ryan's teams developed players, but I criticized him for free agency issues.

[cHawk]

I believe the bullpen is “out of kilter” right now. I don’t believe we have zero good arms. They’re not making the big pitches when they need to.

[wsnydes]

Jesus...I just realized the bench consists of Blankenhorn, Jeffers and Riddle. What happened to this "depth" I've heard so much about?!?!? It's still only April!

[Danchat]

 

Jesus...I just realized the bench consists of Blankenhorn, Jeffers and Riddle. What happened to this "depth" I've heard so much about?!?!? It's still only April!

Part of it is the COVID outbreak wiping out 3 hitters... the other part is that many hitters are slumping hard. Plus, I'd feel better about our depth if the likes of Kirilloff and Blakenhorn were mashing AAA pitching rather than playing simulated games at St. Paul.

[wsnydes]

Part of it is the COVID outbreak wiping out 3 hitters... the other part is that many hitters are slumping hard. Plus, I'd feel better about our depth if the likes of Kirilloff and Blakenhorn were mashing AAA pitching rather than playing simulated games at St. Paul.

Yup...I realize all of those things and yet, here we are!

[Darius]

This is a bad baseball team.

[cHawk]

Garver AGAIN at leadoff?

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

My post was pretty clearly not about free agents..... Or trades. Like when ryan's teams developed players, but I criticized him for free agency issues.

 

I think if the FO becomes exceptional at finding undervalued major leaguers on cheap contracts/in free agency, and build a winner that way, we'll all be good with it.  I don't care how the FO builds a team, so long as it's a good team.

 

That being said, the Twins will always have to build primarily through drafting, developing, and shrewd trades for minor league talent--if this FO can't do that, they will not be successful in Minnesota.  But two years of 98-win pace baseball is not so meaningless that I'll toss it out simply because this team looks like hot trash right now.

[cHawk]

This is a bad baseball team.

The Yankees are 5-11. They must be a bad baseball team as well.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

I wonder how many of those Oakland runs were because of fielding errors...

Actually none. Unless i missed something.

 

It was walks what did us in.

 

Er... and dingers.

[RickOShea]

Garver leading off, again.  I guess they're gonna force him to get a hit or get hit.  He needs a kick in the ass.  He's not showing any upbeat emotion.  He looks like he's gonna cry, when he walks back to the dugout.

[Mike Sixel]

I think if the FO becomes exceptional at finding undervalued major leaguers on cheap contracts/in free agency, and build a winner that way, we'll all be good with it. I don't care how the FO builds a team, so long as it's a good team.

 

That being said, the Twins will always have to build primarily through drafting, developing, and shrewd trades for minor league talent--if this FO can't do that, they will not be successful in Minnesota. But two years of 98-win pace baseball is not so meaningless that I'll toss it out simply because this team looks like hot trash right now.

Imo, u have to do all three well.... And no place did I even imply the last two years were meaningless.

[Mill1634]

Alright, lets win this one!

[RickOShea]

Is Mitterwald still alive?

[cHawk]

The Minnesota GIDP Twins

[Aggies7]

We simply can’t lose to a guy named LUZARDO. But it would make sense

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

Garver AGAIN at leadoff?

Yes. And another south paw.

 

To be complete...

 

Twins

0. Jose Berrios (R ) P
1. Mitch Garver (R ) 1B
2. Josh Donaldson (R ) 3B
3. Nelson Cruz (R ) DH
4. Byron Buxton (R ) CF
5. Jorge Polanco ( S ) SS
6. Brent Rooker (R ) RF
7. Willians Astudillo (R ) 2B
8. Luis Arraez ( L) LF
9. Ryan Jeffers (R ) C

 

Athletics

 

0. Jesus Luzardo ( L) P
1. Mark Canha (R ) LF
2. Ramon Laureano (R ) CF
3. Matt Olson ( L) 1B
4. Matt Chapman (R ) 3B
5. Mitch Moreland ( L) DH
6. Seth Brown ( L) RF
7. Elvis Andrus (R ) SS
8. Vimael Machin ( L) 2B
9. Aramis Garcia (R ) C

 

[RickOShea]

Refresh my memory, please.  What's with Kepler?

[cHawk]

Refresh my memory, please. What's with Kepler?

COVID

[FlauerPauer]

That stupid drummer is pretty annoying....

[RickOShea]

I think Bremer is highly contagious.  Can we remove Hawkins from the broadcast?

[bighat]

 

Refresh my memory, please.  What's with Kepler?

I believe he's also quarantined on Covid protocol.