Twins (López) @ Astros (Blanco); 5/31 @ 7:10pm CT

[MMMordabito]

Those plays that Kepler just made don't need to be made when a lefty's pitching, right Rocco?

[IndianaTwin]

19 minutes ago, mrtwinsfan said:

im still Laughing.   Rocco got PLAYED big time

Because the Astros went to a righty? Do you think that with a righty warming in the bullpen, Rocco didn’t know Houston is going to change pitchers if he brings in Margot? 

You may or may not like his choice, but I think it was pretty clear that Rocco knew he was choosing Margot against the righty over Julien against the lefty.  

[Parfigliano]

1 minute ago, stringer bell said:

Sands for the ninth?

Games too close

[HarmonK03]

2 minutes ago, Schmoeman5 said:

Julien is struggling against rh pitching. At this point in time, I don't think giving him AB against lh is going to help.

Who knows what would happen if he were given 3 to 4 AB's every game, that is my point, if given consistent playing time would that make a difference.  I know he has not looked good, but you can't send everyone to AAA, at some point the coaching staff has to help the players improve at the major league as well.

[Shaitan]

1 minute ago, IndianaTwin said:

Because the Astros went to a righty? Do you think that with a righty warming in the bullpen, Rocco didn’t know Houston is going to change pitchers if he brings in Margot? 

You may or may not like his choice, but I think it was pretty clear that Rocco knew he was choosing Margot against the righty over Julien over the lefty.  

Exactly. Citing Margot's PH stats are relevant, but there's much more to the strategy. He doesn't just get that 1 AB per game. It's more about forcing a bullpen move early.

I personally don't love the excessive way Rocco does it. But it's like Year 4 of this so I've come to accept it since he never answered my letters.

[IndianaTwin]

3 minutes ago, David HK said:

Wow- Kep with a balletic catch!  Mom and Dad would be proud!

 

What? Were his parents ballet dancers or something? 

[RpR]

2 minutes ago, karcherd said:

Who knows what would happen if he were given 3 to 4 AB's every game, that is my point, if given consistent playing time would that make a difference.  I know he has not looked good, but you can't send everyone to AAA, at some point the coaching staff has to help the players improve at the major league as well.

Then do as they did with Sano, send him down to Single A.

[Parfigliano]

1st non XBH tonight there by Buxton

[Schmoeman5]

1 minute ago, karcherd said:

Who knows what would happen if he were 3 to 4 AB's every game, that is my point, if given consistent playing time would that make a difference.  I know he has not looked good, but you can't send everyone to AAA, at some point the coaching staff has to help the players improve at the major league as well.

Maybe. But with Lewis imminent return, something is going happen. Margot and Farmer aren't going anywhere. So who's going?

[Shaitan]

3 minutes ago, karcherd said:

Who knows what would happen if he were 3 to 4 AB's every game, that is my point, if given consistent playing time would that make a difference.  I know he has not looked good, but you can't send everyone to AAA, at some point the coaching staff has to help the players improve at the major league as well.

Couldn't you say the same thing about every player though? 

Though I wish you'd say "part-time" or something because that is not what "consistent" means.

And coaches can help players to improve outside of live games too.

[RpR]

Come on Kyle. hit the ball where the fielder is not.

[Jocko87]

9 minutes ago, mrtwinsfan said:

Rocco got PLAYED big time

By played I would assume that you mean he did not get what he wanted there?

Except that's not what happened.

[Squirrel]

18 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

God I want to get excited about how we look right now but I’ve been hurt so many times lol

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Celebrate the fun, shake off the bad. My philosophy with Minnesota sports teams

[IndianaTwin]

2 minutes ago, Shaitan said:

Exactly. Citing Margot's PH stats are relevant, but there's much more to the strategy. He doesn't just get that 1 AB per game. It's more about forcing a bullpen move early.

I personally don't love the excessive way Rocco does it. But it's like Year 4 of this so I've come to accept it since he never answered my letters.

Have you been including the period in “rocco.baldelli@twinsbaseball.com”? It’s easy to miss in his email signature.

[IndianaTwin]

4 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

1st non XBH tonight there by Buxton

The team has now hit for the cycle. 

[IndianaTwin]

Cole Sands coming in with a 6-1 lead. What could go wrong, right? 

[Parfigliano]

Rut-roh Sands time

[Aggies7]

I can’t think of many other games that well-played all season 

[Parfigliano]

Winner.

Twins smokers of Astro's in season.  Smokee's in playoffs.

[Patzky]

3 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

Cole Sands coming in with a 6-1 lead. What could go wrong, right? 

Wonders never Dylan's Cease.

[IndianaTwin]

Couldn’t have asked for much more. Seven innings from Lopez, six runs from the offense and buying a day of needed rest for the top of the bullpen.

[glunn]

Nice win.

[USAFChief]

The view just kept getting better and better. 

[IndianaTwin]

And not to say that I anticipated this, but I missed the first couple innings for a high school graduation party. They didn’t serve Blizzards, but it was an ice cream sundae bar.

M&Ms and peanuts with chocolate syrup, all on a brownie and ice cream, for the record. 

[Squirrel]

38 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

God I want to get excited about how we look right now but I’ve been hurt so many times lol

 

19 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Celebrate the fun, shake off the bad. My philosophy with Minnesota sports teams

Okay, now this is the time to celebrate 🙂
 

Go to your nearest DQ for a Blizzard 🙂

[stringer bell]

Lots of good at-bats, but the Twins only got six hits. While just about every hit was important, I think the Miranda plate appearance might have been the turning point. He took the starch out of Blanco and got a walk. Correa followed with and RBI double and Kirilloff with a sac fly. 

It wasn't comfortable until later, but it is always good to play with the lead. 

[Mortimerkenny21]

It always feels really nice to beat the Astros! Let's do it again. Go Twins!

[stringer bell]

KC is losing to SD (big) and Cleveland beat Washington. Interesting schedule note--Cleveland played only one team with a winning record in the month of May (the Twins). and finished the month 19-9,

[Jocko87]

15 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Lots of good at-bats, but the Twins only got six hits. While just about every hit was important, I think the Miranda plate appearance might have been the turning point. He took the starch out of Blanco and got a walk. Correa followed with and RBI double and Kirilloff with a sac fly. 

It wasn't comfortable until later, but it is always good to play with the lead. 

It was a fantastic at bat.  And or plate appearance, depending.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

20 hours ago, danielp19653 said:

ah this is a common mistake that is actually a mojo-jojo 

Whatever it is... he got it back, it would seem.