Vent your anger here!

[TopGunn#22]

Brock is right pointing out the lack of pitching the Orioles have.  The Dodgers have the same problem.  I thought the Dodgers would get knocked out by the Brewers because of the Brewers superior pitching.  Then Corbin Burnes laid a game #1 egg and Brandon Woodruff couldn't pitch.  Texas sweeping Baltimore really isn't that big of a surprise and neither is the D-Backs rubbing the Dodgers nose in the dirt.  The D-Backs simply have better starting pitching than the Dodgers do at this point.  

Also consider how close Philly was to putting their boot on the Braves neck before Austin Riley stepped up and quashed that dream.  Philly still has the hammer in their hand with Aaron Nola on the mound facing an "undecided" Braves starter so that also shows the precarious position the Braves post season is in already.  Remember, they had a first round bye.  They should have known who their game #3 starter would be all along.  For Pete's Sake, just put Charlie Morton out there, he's the best they have left.

The Twins really squandered an opportunity yesterday with Sonny Gray on the mound.  Gray simply didn't rise to the occasion but he would have had to win 1-0.  Despite being gifted with 7 walks the generous Twins hitters responded with 13 strikeouts.  I can almost accept the struggles of Wallner but for the life of me I can't figure out what's wrong with Kirilloff.  He's just too good a young hitter to look SO lost at the plate.  The Astros are sending the eminently hittable Jose Urquidy to the mound tonight.  He's a RH pitcher, so you'd expect to see Kirilloff and Wallner back in there.  But one has to wonder...

[Richie the Rally Goat]

2 hours ago, AlwaysinModeration said:

Just noting that only one team has advanced.  Still lots of baseball to be played in the divisional series.  And saying “even if Atlanta wins” makes it sound like it is some longshot for them.

That, and…. You know… the Twins do still have a shot at beating the Astros

[nicksaviking]

24 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

I felt pretty good too until I realized that next year’s rotation could be lopez and a whole bunch of #5 starters. We see what it takes to win in the postseason and it’s tough even when you have two solid starters up front 

To keep the rotation status quo, they only have to find a Sonny Gray replacement, and if they were ever going to do that, this is definitely the free agency session to do so. They know what made this team tick this year, they're almost certainly going to try to replicate it.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

35 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

I felt pretty good too until I realized that next year’s rotation could be lopez and a whole bunch of #5 starters. We see what it takes to win in the postseason and it’s tough even when you have two solid starters up front 

1. Lopez

2. Ryan

3. Paddack

4. Ober

5. Varland

 

Yeah, the front office will need to do something. Wouldn't be shocked if Sonny's back.

[Woof Bronzer]

24 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

To keep the rotation status quo, they only have to find a Sonny Gray replacement, and if they were ever going to do that, this is definitely the free agency session to do so. They know what made this team tick this year, they're almost certainly going to try to replicate it.

I think the problem we're seeing is the status quo isn't quite good enough for the playoffs.  Two solid starters is great for a wild card round, but if you want to go further you need more depth.  For how good the staff was this year we still had Bailey Ober starting Game 1 of the ALDS and Joe Ryan starting a do-or-die.  So the challenge is how to not only maintain the status quo but improve upon it.  

[Nine of twelve]

18 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

1. Lopez

2. Ryan

3. Paddack

4. Ober

5. Varland

 

Yeah, the front office will need to do something. Wouldn't be shocked if Sonny's back.

That's an acceptable top five, IMHO, but we all know that at least 7 starters are needed to contend in this day and age. If not Gray, who else could we entice? Can someone already in the system step up? And if it's not too much to ask, can we please find a good left-handed starter somewhere? 

[Brock Beauchamp]

30 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

I think the problem we're seeing is the status quo isn't quite good enough for the playoffs.  Two solid starters is great for a wild card round, but if you want to go further you need more depth.  For how good the staff was this year we still had Bailey Ober starting Game 1 of the ALDS and Joe Ryan starting a do-or-die.  So the challenge is how to not only maintain the status quo but improve upon it.  

Look at the Astros rotation. They’re not exactly trotting out vintage Pedro every day, either. The difference is that the Twins have taken bad approaches against good pitchers while the Astros have taken very good approaches against good pitchers. 

[Craig Arko]

I’m not angry (you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry). My expectations have been well exceeded; the rest is bonus baseball.

[mrtwinsfan]

5 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Look at the Astros rotation. They’re not exactly trotting out vintage Pedro every day, either. The difference is that the Twins have taken bad approaches against good pitchers while the Astros have taken very good approaches against good pitchers. 

And why is that,  seems like Houston teaches it ?   and the Twins  just presume our  batters will know what to do ?   Astros rarely strike out and make contact,  Twins seem to not even care about advancing runners ,  Drives me nuts ,  Yes im old school

[nicksaviking]

41 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

I think the problem we're seeing is the status quo isn't quite good enough for the playoffs.  Two solid starters is great for a wild card round, but if you want to go further you need more depth.  For how good the staff was this year we still had Bailey Ober starting Game 1 of the ALDS and Joe Ryan starting a do-or-die.  So the challenge is how to not only maintain the status quo but improve upon it.  

I have no problem if they want to improve the rotation, but I think it's pretty clear that it's not the pitching staff that needs to improve for greater playoff success.

[nicksaviking]

2 minutes ago, mrtwinsfan said:

And why is that,  seems like Houston teaches it ?   and the Twins  just presume our  batters will know what to do ?   Astros rarely strike out and make contact,  Twins seem to not even care about advancing runners ,  Drives me nuts ,  Yes im old school

After seeing the same players do it year in and year out on different teams, I think it's a mentality, not something you teach. I don't know how you identify hitters with ice water in their veins, but that's what you have to look for.

You don't need a whole roster of those guys, but I bet if you get enough, they'll rub off onto the other guys who struggle with the pressure.

[mrtwinsfan]

7 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

After seeing the same players do it year in and year out on different teams, I think it's a mentality, not something you teach. I don't know how you identify hitters with ice water in their veins, but that's what you have to look for.

You don't need a whole roster of those guys, but I bet if you get enough, they'll rub off onto the other guys who struggle with the pressure.

Needs to start quick   6-pm or were done,  

[Woof Bronzer]

11 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Look at the Astros rotation. They’re not exactly trotting out vintage Pedro every day, either. The difference is that the Twins have taken bad approaches against good pitchers while the Astros have taken very good approaches against good pitchers. 

I agree that there are larger organizational issues at play here and starting pitching isn't at the top of the list.  I also think the Twins would be foolish to roll into '23 with Joe Ryan as their #2 starter.  

[laloesch]

8 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

I agree that there are larger organizational issues at play here and starting pitching isn't at the top of the list.  I also think the Twins would be foolish to roll into '23 with Joe Ryan as their #2 starter.  

Not unless he starts utilizing his secondary pitch offerings.  59% fastball usage is too high.  

[Richie the Rally Goat]

me last night

Today

[BobAzar]

As a parent, I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. 

[insagt1]

Astros a much better 2 strike hitting team. When Twins hitters get 2 strikes, they start looking for walks or they expand the strike zone and swing at bad pitches. Or they just look at strike 3. Its a conspiratorial comment, but sometimes it just 'seems' like umps know when a team struggles with strikeouts and they tend to give the pitcher the edges a lot more. Not at all scientific, but sometimes it sure looks like that is at play.

Anyone else grinding teeth watching Mitch Garver dismantling the Orioles.

[HokieRif]

eh... I'm upset, but not angry.  If we had completely shat the bed against Toronto I would be in a much different mood.  Considering how this season went, how we started, and how we ended up, I think this was a successful season.  Coming back to win the series is going to elevate this season from "Decent" to "Good".  Considering how the Vikes are doing right now I'm going to find every positive I can out of this Twins' season.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

2 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

me last night

Today

So... Houston is tweety bird?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

3 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

... (you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry). ...

It's not easy being green.

Edited October 11, 2023 by sampleSizeOfOne
more specificity in quote

[sampleSizeOfOne]

5 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

 

What's with all the lightning?

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

4 innings from Joe Ryan.

3 innings from The Sheriff.

1 inning from Jax.

1 inning from Duran.

See you guys on Friday! 

Dare to dream...

[AlwaysinModeration]

8 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

4 innings from Joe Ryan.

3 innings from The Sheriff.

1 inning from Jax.

1 inning from Duran.

See you guys on Friday! 

Dare to dream...

Wrong thread

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

16 minutes ago, AlwaysinModeration said:

Wrong thread

Right thread. Working to sooth anyone that's still angry.

[Muppet]

I just.... hate Texas.

[Craig Arko]

1 hour ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

What's with all the lightning?

Everybody was kung-fu fighting. 

[Puckett34]

18 hours ago, ashbury said:

(Today, we're secretly replacing Wednesday's Game Thread with this thread of rants, and will re-title it at some point tomorrow. Let's see if anyone notices.)

source, for any young'uns out there

I prefer this coffee crystal commercial

[joefish]

Tough to watch  Kepler get called out in his final two at bats on pitches that were  both slightly off the plate. Inning ender and a season ender.  RISP. LOB. Doumit, Kepler. Swing if it's that close.  

It snowed here this morning. My Field of Dreams is white this morning. Appropriate. GoDoumit!

[AlwaysinModeration]

This picture ought to make every Twins player and Twins fan pretty damned angry.  

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

1 hour ago, AlwaysinModeration said:

This picture ought to make every Twins player and Twins fan pretty damned angry.  

Why, because Christian Vazquez snuck into the photo there on the left? 🤣