Game Thread Twins vs. Cubs 8/31/21 7:10 Post Mortem Carpe Diem Time

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

On a happier note, Balazovic allowed 9 baserunners in 4.2 innings tonight with 3 K’s.

Sigh.

Ew. Why'd you even tell us this?

[Rick Blaine]

1 minute ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I don't think any of them actually tested positive, I recall they were contact quarantines.

Though I could be wrong, obviously. Only drawing from a hazy recollection.

But that still doesn't change that the infection point was likely Simmons.

Also, Kepler is a much better player than Simmons, which leads us back to my initial point.

I thought Kepler was quarantined due to exposure. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, Rick Blaine said:

I thought Kepler was quarantined due to exposure. 

Yeah, that's what I meant by "contact quarantine". 

[jkcarew]

1 minute ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Ew. Why'd you even tell us this?

Feeling sorry for myself. Wanted company.

[RpR]

3 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

 

Also, Kepler is a much better player than Simmons, which leads us back to my initial point.

Kepler's batting average is lower, and Simmons can field a ball better than Kepler with one eye and a gimp leg.?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, jkcarew said:

Feeling sorry for myself. Wanted company.

You son of a bitch, GET OUT OF HERE, KEEP YOUR MISERY TO YOURSELF LIKE A REAL MINNESOTAN

[RpR]

Good thing they took Gant out, the BP is shining like a dim bulb.

Just maybe desperation will wake up the Twins bats.?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, RpR said:

Kepler's batting average is lower, and Simmons can field a ball better than Kepler with one eye and a gimp leg.?

Wrong, but okay. Kepler is actually a very good right fielder, just as Simmons is a very good (no longer elite) shortstop.

Except Kepler has a .737 OPS and Simmons has a .565 OPS.

If those are the same things to you, cool. We'll go ahead and end this conversation.

[jkcarew]

But, Palacios is 2-3 with his 19th HR.

I’m turning over a new leaf.

[RpR]

2 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Wrong, but okay. Kepler is actually a very good right fielder, just as Simmons is a very good (no longer elite) shortstop.

Except Kepler has a .737 OPS and Simmons has a .565 OPS.

If those are the same things to you, cool. We'll go ahead and end this conversation.

The analytic numbers are wonderful for math geeks, but a current batting average says who is and who is not hitting the ball for a hit.

Now this year Simmons BA is lousy, that is not deniable.

[RpR]

If Duffy does not allow a score, then, the Twins BP is improving.

 

BADDA BOOM -- BADDA BANG!

[Longdistancetwins]

1 minute ago, RpR said:

The analytic numbers are wonderful for math geeks, but a current batting average says who is and who is not hitting the ball for a hit.

Now this year Simmons BA is lousy, that is not deniable.

 I really didn’t know that Kep’s BA is worse than Simmons’s. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 minutes ago, RpR said:

The analytic numbers are wonderful for math geeks, but a current batting average says who is and who is not hitting the ball for a hit.

Now this year Simmons BA is lousy, that is not deniable.

OPS is one of the oldest stats in baseball but cool that you think it's "analytic numbers".

[Longdistancetwins]

Lovely, Duff!

[Aggies7]

Wow unreal

[IndianaTwin]

Now that’s the Duffey we know and love!

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, Longdistancetwins said:

 I really didn’t know that Kep’s BA is worse than Simmons’s. 

Kepler is an anomaly that has been written about a lot over the past few years.

He has one of the best hard hit rates in all of baseball but also has the lowest BABIP in all of baseball and does both of those things consistently year-over-year.

It's quite strange and very interesting but it leads to a hitter with a very low batting average and decent overall offensive production.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Ooh, 2019 Duffey showing his face is sexy.

[Vanimal46]

 

Helluva inning by the Duff man!!

[RpR]

IF Rortvedt ever learns to hit, he is an excellent catcher.

[jkcarew]

6 minutes ago, RpR said:

The analytic numbers are wonderful for math geeks, but a current batting average says who is and who is not hitting the ball for a hit.

You would’ve hated Harmon Killebrew. ?

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 minutes ago, RpR said:

IF Rortvedt ever learns to hit, he is an excellent catcher.

He's an outstanding defensive catcher, for sure.

[RpR]

2 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

You would’ve hated Harmon Killebrew. ?

Why his lifetime average was .256 and his best year was .281.

Sadly I did not meet Harmon Killebrew but I did meet Jim Lemmon and Lenny Green.

[Vanimal46]

2 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

He's an outstanding defensive catcher, for sure.

Even if he doesn’t hit, as Drew Butera shows, you can have a 10 year MLB career swinging a twig. 

[RpR]

OK, the Cave man hit a big home run some days back, time for another one.

And maybe not.

Darn I though maybe this was Rortvedt's hero moment, it is time for Ref to get back to where he was.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Oh hey, it's my least favorite Twin doing something badly.

I wonder why he's my least favorite Twin?

[RpR]

Gordon for Simmons, LOL, this IS a Butera moment; BUT Butera did hit .285 with 4 home runs one year.

[Brock Beauchamp]

4 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Even if he doesn’t hit, as Drew Butera shows, you can have a 10 year MLB career swinging a twig. 

I don't know if that's as possible today as it was during most of Butera's career. Drew was an excellent framer when there were few excellent framers, which led him to a successful career.

That isn't really the case anymore, though I suspect someone like Rortvedt could see the same kind of boon if MLB automates umpiring, which will re-prioritize someone like Rortvedt with a strong arm.

[bean5302]

13 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Kepler is an anomaly that has been written about a lot over the past few years.

He has one of the best hard hit rates in all of baseball but also has the lowest BABIP in all of baseball and does both of those things consistently year-over-year.

It's quite strange and very interesting but it leads to a hitter with a very low batting average and decent overall offensive production.

Kepler's swing doesn't allow the bat to spend a lot of time in the meat of the zone. His eye is very good and his exit velocities, hard hit rates and barrel rates are a testiment to his eye. Ultimately, it's a very pretty swing, but a swing that lends itself to a lot of off center contact resulting in a pop ups and topped balls impacting his BABIP.

Kepler's defensive prowess is undeniable. Despite not having elite speed, his jump and routes are outstanding. It allows him to not only excel at corner outfield positions but also adequately cover CF. 

[IndianaTwin]

On the bright side, they were able to get the three pitchers’ spots out of the way to roll over the lineup for the eighth.