Just keep it close.

[Number3]

Goal for the rest of August is keep it where it is or at least close. Rangers, Astros, Giants, Red Sox schedule is hard to get a handle on so an overall split would be ok. 8 games against Cleveland in Sep may  decide it. Glad there will be Sep games that count and maybe Oct. Every game is an effective playoff game.

[chpettit19]

17 minutes ago, Number3 said:

Goal for the rest of August is keep it where it is or at least close. Rangers, Astros, Giants, Red Sox schedule is hard to get a handle on so an overall split would be ok. 8 games against Cleveland in Sep may  decide it. Glad there will be Sep games that count and maybe Oct. Every game is an effective playoff game.

While I haven't been overly happy with their recent play, it's hard to complain about meaningful games in September.

[KirbyDome89]

35 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

While I haven't been overly happy with their recent play, it's hard to complain about meaningful games in September.

Agreed about enjoying late season games, but if you told me that was gonna happen 4 months ago I would've assumed they were playing well and fighting the Sox for the division, not trying to treading water and eek out a few series wins.

[chpettit19]

1 minute ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Agreed about enjoying late season games, but if you told me that was gonna happen 4 months ago I would've assumed they were playing well and fighting the Sox for the division, not trying to treading water and eek out a few series wins.

Imagine being a Sox fan then...

[KirbyDome89]

3 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Imagine being a Sox fan then...

Imagine the "fire Rocco," crowd with TLR as their manager. Probably more entertaining than the actual games being played

[stringer bell]

Cleveland is in a stretch where they have four or five series in a row with teams with winning records. However in October the Guardians play KC six straight games. Gotta have a lead by then. 

[RpR]

The Yankees who we play in a few weeks, are not in the same caliber as the Dodgers any more but if the Twins can at least split the series that will - maybe - get the monkey off of their backs, or at least partly lift it.

[wsnydes]

3 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Cleveland is in a stretch where they have four or five series in a row with teams with winning records. However in October the Guardians play KC six straight games. Gotta have a lead by then. 

The Guardians and Twins play each other 8 times in September.  The division could very well be decided in those games.  The Twins close out with 3 at Detroit and then 3 at Chicago.  

Both teams are very much in control of their own destiny here.

[AlwaysinModeration]

I’d prefer the Twins go on a lengthy winning streak and not keep it close at all.

[nicksaviking]

I think having all these young guys in a pennant race, particularly the pitchers, will mean a lot to their future growth. 

Having them get to the playoffs and win a game or two would do even more though.

[AlwaysinModeration]

33 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

….

Having them get to the playoffs and win a game …

The bar is very low, just one is really all we need.

[bean5302]

The Twins have been playing a little better recently. The sweep of KC was desperately needed, though taking shots at other teams hardly feels warranted considering the Twins wouldn't make the expanded playoffs if the season ended now.
They're still 2 teams behind on the Wildcard.

I think this topic is dead on. Staying close (honestly, gaining ground) is important for the remainder of the month.
 

[nicksaviking]

1 minute ago, AlwaysinModeration said:

The bar is very low, just one is really all we need.

I know that's a bit sarcastic, but I think it is. Even terrible teams don't lose 18 in a row in the regular season, and every team in the playoffs should be at least above average. This losing streak is a feat of group mental ineptitude of monumental proportions. This isn't about being the lower caliber team, it's almost certainly a self-fulling prophecy at this point. I think breaking that streak will help break that barrier.

But I don't think they're just going to break that self-induced curse and roll to a World Series championship. I think they probably need to win a game and/or a series one season, than become an actual contender the next.

[Game7-91]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

This losing streak is a feat of group mental ineptitude of monumental proportions. 

Indeed, exceeding 0 for 4 in Super Bowls,  by a lot actually.

0-18 is an un-achievement without comparison.

I dream of breaking it in grand style, blowing out the Evil Empire by 31-3 in NY. Then the story would change. 

[Rosterman]

Better be fielding your best lineup every game. No multiple starters resting on the same friggin' day.

[ICTwin25]

7 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Cleveland is in a stretch where they have four or five series in a row with teams with winning records. However in October the Guardians play KC six straight games. Gotta have a lead by then. 

This. Also, to close out August the Twins play 10/13 games at home. The 3 games on the road are against the Astros so I will just plan for a sweep so that anything better is a success. Out of the 10 games at home I think they need to win 8. 

The Guardians have a tough finish to August but that team just finds ways to win...but that's Francona. You give them an inch and they take a mile. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

8 hours ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Imagine the "fire Rocco," crowd with TLR as their manager. Probably more entertaining than the actual games being played

Inexplicably, many of them would like TLR more than Baldelli. 

[Squirrel]

22 hours ago, bean5302 said:

The Twins have been playing a little better recently. The sweep of KC was desperately needed, though taking shots at other teams hardly feels warranted considering the Twins wouldn't make the expanded playoffs if the season ended now.
They're still 2 teams behind on the Wildcard.

I think this topic is dead on. Staying close (honestly, gaining ground) is important for the remainder of the month.
 

They are only half game back in the WC standings ... 

[bean5302]

15 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

They are only half game back in the WC standings ... 

...and?...

Are you saying it's not important the Twins keep it close?
Are you implying the Twins are guaranteed a playoff spot because they're not currently in the playoffs if the season ends because MLB will just say, awww, we like the Twins, let's let them in?
Are you thinking it's guaranteed 3 of the other 4 teams currently ahead of the Twins or just barely behind them are all going to tank and the Twins are going to automatically make the playoffs despite having a tough schedule coming up?

The Twins are out of the playoffs even as of now, a game better in the standings than they were yesterday. If they don't keep it close for the rest of the month, I'd be awfully surprised at their ability to close the gap in September.

The Twins are behind the Mariners, Blue Jays and Rays for the playoffs odds right now and 15 of their first 18 games in September come against teams above .500.

[KirbyDome89]

21 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Inexplicably, many of them would like TLR more than Baldelli. 

Probably a safe assumption but methinks they'd find a way to incorporate him into the blame game. 

[mikelink45]

22 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Inexplicably, many of them would like TLR more than Baldelli. 

I want Terry Francona - who is asking for LaRussa?  Rocco will be better the next time around, but right now his use of pitchers has many of us frustrated.  To question Rocco is okay, people questioned Molitor when he was MOY and they questioned Gardy when he was MOY.  It comes with the territory.  Right now if I had to rank them Rocco is third.

[bean5302]

MoY is really an award given to a team who was crappy and suddenly played well. It would be really interesting, and I'd expect it'll be coming someday, to have a Manager WAR. Based on the percentage of times inherited base runners score, reliever WPA vs. reliever WAR, optimal lineup efficiency, etc.

[Number3]

Not the end of the world but today's game is a really need to win if not a must game. I was hoping for a 3-1 Twins result in the Rangers series but now its win this for a split. Bottom line.....don't waste these home games in August because September is no picnic.