Finally the Twins have the Cleveland Guardians (and others?) right where they want them!

[killebrewlover]

Finally the Twins have the Cleveland Guardians (and others?) right where they want them!  That sounds like a derisive cliche.  Not really.  It's my opinion that what the Twins have needed for some time now, assuming they still have any thoughts about winning the Central Division, is a good swift kick in the pants (or slap in the face?).  Now that they've relinquished the divisional lead to the Guardians, perhaps player attitudes and motivations will change?  The Twins will now have a real challenge staring them in the mirror every time they wake up in the morning.  Going to the ball field to play a game will have a new meaning to this team.  Rather than a mindset of trying to hang on [to a slim lead] for the rest of the season, they'll be fighting to get back into the title position... and keeping it for good.  It might take some time, but perhaps the Twins will look back at this moment as the most important in their season so far.  I'm counting on it...

[NotAboutWinning]

Very good point! Now that "but they are in 1st place" can't be appended to team evaluations, there might be hope for change!

[stringer bell]

Technically, they have moved back into first by less than a percentage point with the Guard’s loss in extra innings to the Royals this afternoon. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Cleveland has a bullpen as bad as the Twins, has hitters worse than any Twins hitters, and Cleveland had the final disadvantage of not getting to play Oakland or Colorado in the final week of the season like the Twins will.

The Twins will probably win the division right around 500 and then play a flawed beatable team like the Angels or Blue Jays in the first round. 

The waiting is the hardest part! 

[NotAboutWinning]

20 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Cleveland has a bullpen as bad as the Twins, has hitters worse than any Twins hitters, and Cleveland had the final disadvantage of not getting to play Oakland or Colorado in the final week of the season like the Twins will.

The Twins will probably win the division right around 500 and then play a flawed beatable team like the Angels or Blue Jays in the first round. 

The waiting is the hardest part! 

Glass half full!!

[killebrewlover]

1 hour ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Cleveland has a bullpen as bad as the Twins, has hitters worse than any Twins hitters, and Cleveland had the final disadvantage of not getting to play Oakland or Colorado in the final week of the season like the Twins will.

The Twins will probably win the division right around 500 and then play a flawed beatable team like the Angels or Blue Jays in the first round. 

The waiting is the hardest part! 

"Cleveland has a bullpen as bad as the Twins, has hitters worse than any Twins hitters, and Cleveland had the final disadvantage of not getting to play Oakland or Colorado in the final week of the season like the Twins will."

And yet here we are with the Guardians currently in a virtual tie with the Twins.  I don't think your comments are born out in the results.  At least not so far.  And for my part, I'm kind of tired of waiting...

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

6 minutes ago, killebrewlover said:

"Cleveland has a bullpen as bad as the Twins, has hitters worse than any Twins hitters, and Cleveland had the final disadvantage of not getting to play Oakland or Colorado in the final week of the season like the Twins will."

And yet here we are with the Guardians currently in a virtual tie with the Twins.  I don't think your comments are born out in the results.  At least not so far.  And for my part, I'm kind of tired of waiting...

Ok we’ll play this straight 🙂

Take a look at this from a couple nights ago. Tell me this isn’t the saddest effort you’ve ever seen in your life: the throw home, and then the failure to cover home, and then you’ve got the first baseman wandering around no where near the bag and unable to make a play. The Twins in their lowest moments could only dream of this level of ineptitude… 

As it happened, Cleveland came back to win this game.

Cleveland has two huge things going for them that the Twins don’t: Francona, and a tiny number of guys like Ramirez and Kwan who are actually playing really well. 

Which is why I say the AL Central race should be a nailbiter that comes down to the last week. 🙂

[IaBeanCounter]

The only advantage the Twins have over Cleveland is that the Twins have played 39 games against teams over .500 while Cleveland has only played 24.  Chicago has played 48 games against teams over.500.

[killebrewlover]

11 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Ok we’ll play this straight 🙂

Take a look at this from a couple nights ago. Tell me this isn’t the saddest effort you’ve ever seen in your life: the throw home, and then the failure to cover home, and then you’ve got the first baseman wandering around no where near the bag and unable to make a play. The Twins in their lowest moments could only dream of this level of ineptitude… 

As it happened, Cleveland came back to win this game.

Cleveland has two huge things going for them that the Twins don’t: Francona, and a tiny number of guys like Ramirez and Kwan who are actually playing really well. 

Which is why I say the AL Central race should be a nailbiter that comes down to the last week. 🙂

Have to say, that was comical to watch.  Although no doubt I could pull up quite a few "errors" in judgement/play for the Twins this year as well.  And Sox, Royals, and Cleveland all have lower errors per game averages than the Twins (ranked 20th).  It's just an awful division!

[Squirrel]

13 hours ago, NotAboutWinning said:

Glass half full!!

Better than a glass half empty!

Me? Just give me a half glass of water, please, 😉

[sampleSizeOfOne]

4 hours ago, Squirrel said:

Better than a glass half empty!

Me? Just give me a half glass of water, please, 😉

I just like having big glasses, even if they are rose tinted. Just as long as they are shatterproof. And big, even if i already said that.  Jugs perhaps?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

17 hours ago, IaBeanCounter said:

The only advantage the Twins have over Cleveland is that the Twins have played 39 games against teams over .500 while Cleveland has only played 24.  Chicago has played 48 games against teams over.500.

So maybe we're still ahead. It's just harder to tell because of paralax...

 

But is easier to push one's self if the there is competition right next to you than if you are all by yourself.