Make it Official! Twins 6, White Sox 3: Willi Whacks Twins to Victory

[JD-TWINS]

45 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Yup. The division is definitely better than last year so the Twins will need to keep pace. Looking at Cleveland, not sure how they're doing it. They could stumble soon.

Agreed on Buxton. He's one of those guys that when he gets it going, gives the team such a shot in the arm. 

Guardians (partial) explanation on record out of the gate. 17-7 & have been mashing the ball - particularly for them! ………They’ve played 7 games v. Oakland & 3 games v. W. SOX……8-2 in those 10 games. Playing well though!!

Things will level off.

Give them credit. They are 9-5 in other games!

[Jeff K]

7 hours ago, Althebum82 said:

Great video find on the Sano fielding play!  

Yeah, at this point it is hard to envision this White Sox team achieving a forty win season.

Everybody wants to see a healthy CC on the field.  In this day and age it is pretty uncommon to have a player return without a rehab assignment, but sadly even a rehabbing CC at this point is an upgrade to what has been happening to the left side of the Twins infield without him (even with the birthday boy bash acknowledgement in this game).

The Sano play made me sick.  He was so terrible and uncommitted with the Twins.  Now he has lost all that weight and looks like a baseball player again.  I wonder why the Twins couldn't get Sano to commit to his craft.

[wabene]

6 minutes ago, Jeff K said:

The Sano play made me sick.  He was so terrible and uncommitted with the Twins.  Now he has lost all that weight and looks like a baseball player again.  I wonder why the Twins couldn't get Sano to commit to his craft.

Sitting at home in the DR during baseball season likely provided the necessary motivation. No regrets here, the Twins gave him every chance. Nothing to do but wish him well now. He looks like quite the athlete right now.

[RpR]

Nice clip of Sano.

His problem with the Twins -- he got fat -- Twins traded Cruz -- Twins coaching staff.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, wabene said:

 

Maybe the Twins actually learned from watching Bundy and Archer go back to back and burn the pen. Put the reliable Ober in between your two least reliable starters to hopefully give the pen a break. If they all pitch well even better. With the current competition they've got a great chance.

My Twins Health paranoia said it was ultimately done to push Pablo's next start a bit down the road (which of course it won't!) 🙄

[2wins87]

11 hours ago, h2oface said:

Shewmake’s 5th inning was my favorite part of this whole game. Absolutely beautiful bunt, taking advantage of the Twins incessant and predictable shifting, stealing third on a careless Ryan, and scoring on the horrible throw for anything to second by Vazquez in a play some like but I hate and would never do with 2 outs (which there was at time of throw). 
 

That whole sequence was a thing of baseball beauty!

I think that kind of play calling is the result of having just a horrendous offense.  It is still fun, though kind of a sign of the desperate state of the White Sox.

The Trea Turner and the Phillies acstually pulled off a similar play against the White Sox over the weekend:

https://www.mlb.com/video/nick-nastrini-swinging-strike-to-j-t-realmuto

Probably not coincidence that the White Sox tried it a few days later. 

Turner and the Phillies then went and tried it again last night (this time with 2 outs), and it was not so good the second time around:

https://www.mlb.com/reds/video/tyler-stephenson-catches-trea-turner-stealing

It's weird to see it 3 times in the course of a week.  It's probably just a blip and not a trend.  It should not work very often at the major league level.  It definitely won't work if they try it all the time, as the Reds were ready for it.

[2wins87]

2 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

If this team can be .500 and within 4-5 games of the Guardians on May 1st - after the injuries and brutal offense, I'd say things look decent going forward.

May will be a challenge if the offense isn't a lot better.  They will play: Red Sox, Mariners, Blue Jays, Yankees, Guardians, Nationals, Rangers, Royals.

I do think the left handed hitters in particular are coming around, which is pretty important in a league of 70ish percent RHP.  They will really need Correa to make a quick return because the lineups against LHP are just sad right now.

If they can go 5-2 in the remaining games against the White Sox and Angels they will be at .500.  I would then hope they just manage to stay around .500 through May as they hopefully get healthier and the bats come around.  The schedule will then lighten up a bit in June.  Getting a series win against Cleveland in May could feel pretty huge too.

I do still think they have the potential to be a very good team though I'm anxious to see whether the improved play is just facing the White Sox.  Definitely still early, but if the offense reverts after this soft stretch it could be a rough May.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

26 minutes ago, 2wins87 said:

May will be a challenge if the offense isn't a lot better.  They will play: Red Sox, Mariners, Blue Jays, Yankees, Guardians, Nationals, Rangers, Royals.

I do think the left handed hitters in particular are coming around, which is pretty important in a league of 70ish percent RHP.  They will really need Correa to make a quick return because the lineups against LHP are just sad right now.

If they can go 5-2 in the remaining games against the White Sox and Angels they will be at .500.  I would then hope they just manage to stay around .500 through May as they hopefully get healthier and the bats come around.  The schedule will then lighten up a bit in June.  Getting a series win against Cleveland in May could feel pretty huge too.

I do still think they have the potential to be a very good team though I'm anxious to see whether the improved play is just facing the White Sox.  Definitely still early, but if the offense reverts after this soft stretch it could be a rough May.

Good post and I agree with all points.