Parting Ways with Colome Leaves Some Troubled

[RandBalls Stu]

When the Twins cut Alex Colome loose after one disastrous year, most fans were pleased. For some, though, it triggered concerns that the current generation of fandom that might be getting soft.

“When I was growing up, we didn’t just cut a guy loose after a bad year, we kept him on the team for years,” said Stephen Gilchrest, an electrician from Castle Rock Township. “It sucked. I hated every minute of it.”

The 50-year-old father of two was in the prime of his Twins-loving life when Minnesota acquired reliever Ron Davis from the New York Yankees. It left a mark on Gilchrest that he says he still feels.

“I don’t think you really ever get over something like that,” said Gilchrest, his voice lowering as he battled to keep his emotions in check. “At the same time, it teaches you so many valuable lessons that you can draw on in everyday life.”

Such as?

“Pain. Life is pain. Keep your expectations low. Understand that the world is not fair, and it will never be fair. Unqualified people will maintain positions of privilege despite flaws so glaring it’ll make your teeth hurt. Ron Davis will be your team’s closer for over four years and there’s nothing you can do about it. Admittedly that last one is super specific, but it still resonates.”

Although many might be glad the Twins are opening a new chapter in their search for a 2022 closer, Gilchrest is not among their ranks.

“What kind of lesson does it teach the kids of today when the Twins can just go out and make the right decision, just like that,” asked Gilchrest. “I had to suffer for years. I listened to the Jamie Quirk game on the radio and my dog died the next day. I buried Shep and my dreams on the same weekend in 1984.

“You know who the closer was in 1985? Ron Davis. That’s when I stopped going to mass.”

Gilchrest worries that the move might cause some younger fans to get too confident in the team’s prospects.

“They’ll probably get a younger guy on a cheaper deal and he’ll turn out to be OK, maybe even better than OK, and the kids will get their hopes up,” said Gilchrest. “Hope. That’s what always gets you. Hell, I’m thrilled that they’re going in a different direction, but isn’t it even more important to let the children know that nothing gets better? Put Colome out there with a 2-run lead on Opening Day 2022. They’ll learn something that day.”

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[specialiststeve]

So Colome was simply terrible and with him blowing leads seemingly every night for the first month we are soft because we got rid of him? Sorry Stephen and Stu that is not soft that is smart. Let's not mix up the two. 

Having grown up in the 70's and 80's I understand being loyal but we had some TERRIBLE teams. This team and system is full of talent and expectations are that this team compete for the division title at minimum. Keeping weak links is not the answer to that. 

[theBOMisthebomb]

As a fellow Twins fan who lived through the Ron Davis years, this is accurate. You never really recover from the RD experience. I remember a middle school Spanish class where the authorized topic of conversation for the entire hour was how awful RD was.

[Sparky55]

Hey Specialsteve do you understand sarcasm?

 

[Dman]

That is some good stuff.  I think Colome will bounce back next year.  He won't be elite or anything but he won't be as bad as last year either.  Still glad the Twins let him go.  It just wasn't going to be a good fit.

[LastOnePicked]

Ah, don't worry, Mr. Gilchrest. The '22 Twins will find a way to teach young people that nothing gets better, Colome or no Colome.

Funny stuff, by the way.

[WinTwins162]

I am pretty sure this is meant as sarcasm/humor, but it hits way too close to home. My biggest fear for 2022 is the Twins would bring Colome. He really was the second coming of RD and I still have PTSD from those games in the mid-80s. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Wasn't it some sort of mutual option? 

 

Maybe Colome chose to leave...

 

Then all would be right with the Twins, wouldn't it?

[Twodogs]

This was a good sarcastic story.  I wonder however what the 2022 Twins would do with a starting pitcher after two years of going 11 - 25 with a 5.38 ERA in 56 games started.  Figure out those stats. From a former Twin and imagine if Bailey Ober or Joe Ryan had those same exact stats over a two year period if anyone would still want them around??

 

Don't get me wrong, I think beyond WAR and computer numbers and I feel that Colome was just not a good fit with the Twins and their clubhouse.  So in no way shape or form would I want Colome back.  I would have been more along the lines of they should have tried to keep Trevor May.  He was a clubhouse fit and has good stuff.  But nonetheless.  How many people get rid of that starter I brought up??

[Twodogs]

2 hours ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Wasn't it some sort of mutual option? 

 

Maybe Colome chose to leave...

 

Then all would be right with the Twins, wouldn't it?

I doubt that Colome chose to leave as making money in professional baseball is no guarantee.  So I'd bet if he was the only one who had the choice to leave or stay he would have stayed.

[Rosterman]

You keep hoping the ccloser who isn't working will be a closer that works.

 

[tony&rodney]

Ron Davis was a godsend for beer sales at the Metrodome. I remember selling beer in his tenure and people just wanted to drown their reality.