Game Thread: Twins v Royals, OPENING DAY! @ 3:10pm CT

[Twins GFP]

This lineup does not meet my seal of approval.  I demand that the manager and front office be fired and that all team decisions henceforth be made by fan polling on Twins Daily.  This is where the real experts are...

[joefish]

Popcorn! Peanuts! Frosty Malts!

 

[Squirrel]

Just now, joefish said:

Popcorn! Peanuts! Frosty Malts!

 

Man ... I want to find me a frosty malt somewhere!

[twinssporto]

Happy Opening Day everyone! Go Twins!

Not excited to have Max leading off though....Season hasn't even started and I'm already arm chair quarterbacking.

[wsnydes]

18 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Why do coaches even wear uniforms. It is stupid. /rant

The Yankees have asked MLB to allow their dugout staff to wear uniforms sans numbers because they're running out of numbers that aren't retired.

[Vanimal46]

Aaron Judge hits an opening day dinger 

 

[wsnydes]

8 minutes ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

This lineup does not meet my seal of approval.  I demand that the manager and front office be fired and that all team decisions henceforth be made by fan polling on Twins Daily.  This is where the real experts are...

I'd like to put a temporary stay on any sackings until the lineup cards are actually exchanged.  At which time the requested sackings may commence forth. 

[wsnydes]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Aaron Judge hits an opening day dinger 

 

Bold.

Edit: Oh, that wasn't a prediction...

[joefish]

12 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Man ... I want to find me a frosty malt somewhere!

Pretty close to a Fudgesicle. In a cup?

[Squirrel]

10 minutes ago, joefish said:

Pretty close to a Fudgesicle. In a cup?

Close ... but not close enough. 1 - I didn't get it at a game ... and 2 - I didn't get it at a game 

🙂

[Mike Sixel]

I'm celebrating opening day by going to the dentist for the first time in much too long.....

[chpettit19]

39 minutes ago, umterp23 said:

So if we are criticizing based on analytics to start the season, how do we feel about S/T stats?  Do we care about them at all?  For example Vasquez starting over Jeffers today where Jeffers clearly out played him in S/T.  Vasquez because we paid out a crap ton on money gets the nod.  Same could be said for Solano getting roster spot because we paid him couple $MM to be on team and not a Julien who lit up S/T and WBC.

Just curious on thoughts of recent performance vs salary influence.  Not everyone falls in this category I know.  We can't argue stats in spring don't matter for some but matter for others.  

Go Twins

I think Vazquez's worth is more in his work with the pitching staff than his bat. But, in general, couldn't care less about ST stats. Was Jeffers facing mostly lefties who we know he can hit? What did he do against righties? Was he facing major leaguers or minor leaguers? I don't have the answers to these questions, they're just an example of why I don't think ST stats matter at all. Way too many variables to be making decisions off of. But I think Vazquez is the go to guy because of his work with pitchers.

I don't think Solano over Julien was about $, it was about options. Julien has them, Solano doesn't. Sending Julien down means you still have them both in your org. Keeping Julien means you no longer have Solano. Unfortunately for young players that's the system the CBA has put in place, and it makes way more sense to start the season with Solano.

[FlyingFinn]

Wow, the New York teams have some expensive pitchers on the IL - Verlander (just hit the Il with the same injury as McKenzie for Cleveland), Diaz, Rodon and Montas).

[mrtwinsfan]

3 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

He's due?

[Dave The Dastardly]

55 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Why do coaches even wear uniforms. It is stupid. /rant

I'd hate to see them walk out to the mound in a three-piece suit. Or their birthday suit.

[MN_ExPat]

3 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

Wow, the New York teams have some expensive pitchers on the IL - Verlander (just hit the Il with the same injury as McKenzie for Cleveland), Diaz, Rodon and Montas).

Guess I missed that... when did JV go down?

[Squirrel]

1 minute ago, MN_ExPat said:

Guess I missed that... when did JV go down?

Not sure when it happened, but he was put on the IL today

[Dave The Dastardly]

12 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'm celebrating opening day by going to the dentist for the first time in much too long.....

Dentists are golfers; they're always looking for a hole in one.

[wsnydes]

2 minutes ago, Dave The Dastardly said:

I'd hate to see them walk out to the mound in a three-piece suit. Or their birthday suit.

I think I'd rather see them out there Connie Mack style than Will Farrell Through the Quad style...

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Why do coaches even wear uniforms. It is stupid. /rant

Yeah, kind of funny because 100 years ago they didn't unless they were a player/coach. Only reason for it has to be some strange fad where some coaches felt an inferiority complex to guys like Lou Boudreau.

[umterp23]

23 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I think Vazquez's worth is more in his work with the pitching staff than his bat. But, in general, couldn't care less about ST stats. Was Jeffers facing mostly lefties who we know he can hit? What did he do against righties? Was he facing major leaguers or minor leaguers? I don't have the answers to these questions, they're just an example of why I don't think ST stats matter at all. Way too many variables to be making decisions off of. But I think Vazquez is the go to guy because of his work with pitchers.

I don't think Solano over Julien was about $, it was about options. Julien has them, Solano doesn't. Sending Julien down means you still have them both in your org. Keeping Julien means you no longer have Solano. Unfortunately for young players that's the system the CBA has put in place, and it makes way more sense to start the season with Solano.

You have confirmed my point/thought.  S/T stats are used in part by fans of who is good, who has turned the corner, who blows chunks even if they have had a good spring, ownership control over who gets to play in bigs when it benefits the owners, etc.  Deep down though money is part of the issue.  Vasquez making 10x the amount of Jeffers carries some weight.  Making Trades to get guys and then said guy sucks royally, Pagan, but still gets roster spot.  Mgmt does care a bit about acquired guys getting nods at times vs other guys.

Go Twins

[cheeseheadgophfan]

Currently in Florida.....did I read somewhere that someplace (MLBTV???) was free for all teams opening day?  Or was that a dream?

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Time to leave my office, drive to the grocery store, buy some nachos, cheese sauce, jalapenos, some popping corn and some root beer, drive home, get out of my work clothes and put on my jeans and Twins' shirt and hat and settle in for the opening day game. Goooooooooooo Twins !

[chpettit19]

3 minutes ago, umterp23 said:

You have confirmed my point/thought.  S/T stats are used in part by fans of who is good, who has turned the corner, who blows chunks even if they have had a good spring, ownership control over who gets to play in bigs when it benefits the owners, etc.  Deep down though money is part of the issue.  Vasquez making 10x the amount of Jeffers carries some weight.  Making Trades to get guys and then said guy sucks royally, Pagan, but still gets roster spot.  Mgmt does care a bit about acquired guys getting nods at times vs other guys.

Go Twins

I think money plays a role in it, but not as directly as simply "this guy makes more." They acquired Vazquez because they think he's better than Jeffers. Jeffers making 10x less than Vazquez is a result of the CBA rules governing contracts. They brought Gallo in because they think he'll be good, so he'll get chances early in the year, not because he's making more than Gordon (for example). They traded for Pagan because they thought he'd be good. No idea why Pagan is still here, but when we're talking opening day, and start of the season in general, it's not about having paid Vazquez more, it's about them thinking he's the better player and you're not going to change your opinion about years worth of data because of a month of data against minor leaguers.

Money can certainly lead to teams holding guys for longer than they would if they were cheaper, but the opening day lineup is based on their offseason plans adjusted for injuries (mostly). Teams are too smart to change their minds based on spring stats. Fans are not necessarily as informed. But that's the "beauty" of fandom. Don't have to be logical about any of it!

Happy opening day to you, and go Twins!

[Muppet]

Today is the best day to be optimistic about your team!

Kepler is going to turn the corner
Gallo will figure it out AND hit 30+ hrs
Buxton is going to have his first injury-free season
Even Pagan is going to be relatively solid. 
Nick Gordon will hit .330

Nothing in the next 2 hours will change my mind on any of this. 

[TwinsfaninCali]

Happy opening day. Don’t post ever but this is the best day of the year! Go Twinnnnnsssss

[Squirrel]

11 minutes ago, cheeseheadgophfan said:

Currently in Florida.....did I read somewhere that someplace (MLBTV???) was free for all teams opening day?  Or was that a dream?

Yes

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Squirrel said:

Yes

It's only letting me watch one game right now....but that could be me...

[wsnydes]

9 minutes ago, TwinsfaninCali said:

Happy opening day. Don’t post ever but this is the best day of the year! Go Twinnnnnsssss

Welcome to the Game Thread!

[cheeseheadgophfan]

8 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Yes

Sorry for being dense.....but how?