Free game on twins.tv today

[T.O.]

The more I listen to the Pirate broadcast the more I love the Twins broadcast team.

These guys are the PITTSburg.

[tony&rodney]

Enjoyed watching Twins baseball today (watched parts of various games the last two days). Early and thus  unimportant observations - it is ST after all. But still.....

Several Twins pitchers looked pretty good, including Festa and Castellano's curve ball.

Twins didn't run the bases well, choosing not to steal in a couple of clear spots and ran into an out.

A couple of throws to the wrong base, an awkward miss of a ball thrown on a hop, and an unusual cut mixup.

Some players looked decent on plate appearances too: McCusker, Keaschall, martin, and Miranda come to mind. Others looked uncomfortable batting.

Florida sun will always get somebody on a fly ball. Reading into it being Martin is just funny.

Agree totally with Francona's take on ABS. Let the minor league players practice in the minor league games. MLB players can get to it when it is actually adopted. The strike three call on Cartaya was kind of mean by the umpire. The ball was clearly inside and Cartaya has used the last challenge on a previous pitch. It looked like Cartaya, looking into the dugout, was encouraged to challenge a close pitch and he did. No way to know unless someone says something but a guy picked up in trade off of waivers isn't likely to be challenging pitches called by  an MLB umpire. 

A month of practice and games should sharpen the team and I like the Twins pitching.

[stringer bell]

I would like Brooks Lee to seize second base, but if he doesn’t, going to St. Paul is quite reasonable and might be best for Lee’s development. 

[Linus]

9 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Enjoyed watching Twins baseball today (watched parts of various games the last two days). Early and thus  unimportant observations - it is ST after all. But still.....

Several Twins pitchers looked pretty good, including Festa and Castellano's curve ball.

Twins didn't run the bases well, choosing not to steal in a couple of clear spots and ran into an out.

A couple of throws to the wrong base, an awkward miss of a ball thrown on a hop, and an unusual cut mixup.

Some players looked decent on plate appearances too: McCusker, Keaschall, martin, and Miranda come to mind. Others looked uncomfortable batting.

Florida sun will always get somebody on a fly ball. Reading into it being Martin is just funny.

Agree totally with Francona's take on ABS. Let the minor league players practice in the minor league games. MLB players can get to it when it is actually adopted. The strike three call on Cartaya was kind of mean by the umpire. The ball was clearly inside and Cartaya has used the last challenge on a previous pitch. It looked like Cartaya, looking into the dugout, was encouraged to challenge a close pitch and he did. No way to know unless someone says something but a guy picked up in trade off of waivers isn't likely to be challenging pitches called by  an MLB umpire. 

A month of practice and games should sharpen the team and I like the Twins pitching.

They made two outs on the bases - both by your guy Keirsey who looked like he is unfamiliar with the cutoff play in baseball.  Good to see all the focus on fundamentals has our boys whipped into shape.

[big dog]

3 hours ago, Linus said:

They made two outs on the bases - both by your guy Keirsey who looked like he is unfamiliar with the cutoff play in baseball.  Good to see all the focus on fundamentals has our boys whipped into shape.

Yup, a week of spring training should be enough to get all those kinks out.  🙄

[tony&rodney]

6 hours ago, Linus said:

They made two outs on the bases - both by your guy Keirsey who looked like he is unfamiliar with the cutoff play in baseball.  Good to see all the focus on fundamentals has our boys whipped into shape.

Patience. Also, "your guy" comment? I would be perfectly fine with Keirsey Jr. as a fifth outfielder but nowhere have I discussed him. Maybe you confuse me with DoctorGast. My guys are Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, and David Festa.

[Linus]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

Patience. Also, "your guy" comment? I would be perfectly fine with Keirsey Jr. as a fifth outfielder but nowhere have I discussed him. Maybe you confuse me with DoctorGast. My guys are Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, and David Festa.

I think you are right about the your guy comment.  My apologies.  As far as patience, those are plays you learn in Legion ball.  The guy is going to be 28 and is in big league training camp - no excuse for that kind of bad baserunning.

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, Linus said:

I think you are right about the your guy comment.  My apologies.  As far as patience, those are plays you learn in Legion ball.  The guy is going to be 28 and is in big league training camp - no excuse for that kind of bad baserunning.

Just to be clear, I have no idea if Falvey has any idea what he is doing because I don't see any consistent actions from him since he was hired in 2017 that points in any direction. I fully understand that the majority of people who visit and/or comment on Twins Daily feel differently and point to the Pohlads as the primary driver of roster deficiencies. I recommend differences of opinion in life.

You call out DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and others mention Austin Martin. What organization is responsible for their play. Yesterday, I saw Aaron Sabato both in the field and at the plate. He looks like the poster of what this team desires. It then occurred to me that I wasn't sure who was the last Twin rookie to be put in the starting lineup on Opening Day and named the guy and subsequently given 3 months before judgment. Who was it? I also wondered if the Twins would have been better off the last 8-9 years if the team had operated on a budget that was closer to those of teams like Milwaukee and Tampa Bay. Perhaps then creativity would have been an actual thing. These are just thoughts that occurred to me watching the Twins yesterday.

Simply stated I have no idea what is going on but things don't make sense to me. I'm thinking any success will come in spite of instead of because of. 

[Dave Borton]

Expect the rains to come down on the boys today. It is presently raining in Tampa and radar looks like ~2..00 p in Port Charlotte.

 

[Finlander]

I think it's fair to say that the pitching depth and quality has improved a bit during the Falvey regime. It doesn't seem too long ago that the pitching was downright thin and scary.

But the hitting...the baserunning...the defense...basic fundamentals and situational play...yikes. I don't think the giddiness of the Bomba Squad setting the HR record (outlasting the NYY) has worn off yet, and it's likely affected roster construction and approach.

[Squirrel]

Today’s game is not on TV so I’ll give y’all a visual … 🙂

 

[Parfigliano]

3 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Today’s game is not on TV so I’ll give y’all a visual … 🙂

 

Nice.

[Original_JB]

Wow; crowd seems really light for the lineup; weather looks ideal; how long before 1st pitch?

[Squirrel]

15 minutes ago, Original_JB said:

Wow; crowd seems really light for the lineup; weather looks ideal; how long before 1st pitch?

When I took that pic it was still a good hour before the game start. But it is a light crowd. Plenty of open seats

[ashbury]

Wallner and Correa, at the top of this batting order, led the team last season in OBP (if you don't count Diego Castillo's 8 plate appearances with .500 OBP).  Make of that what you will, as regards to the leadup to Opening Day.

[Riverbrian]

9 hours ago, ashbury said:

Wallner and Correa, at the top of this batting order, led the team last season in OBP (if you don't count Diego Castillo's 8 plate appearances with .500 OBP).  Make of that what you will, as regards to the leadup to Opening Day.

I count his 8 PA's. That way his Mom can tell the neighbors that he led the Minnesota Twins in BA, OBP, OPS and BB% in 2024. 

However... I do not count his pitching numbers.

I don't believe his Mom is interested in them. 

[ashbury]

3 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I count his 8 PA's. That way his Mom can tell the neighbors that he led the Minnesota Twins in BA, OBP, OPS and BB% in 2024. 

However... I do not count his pitching numbers.

I don't believe his Mom is interested in them. 

Well, if Diego Castillo had been available I'm sure Rocco would have batted him leadoff.

[Squirrel]

Today’s view … and lineups

 

[Squirrel]

On a walk around …

 

[USAFChief]

Meager crowd

[ToddlerHarmon]

2 hours ago, Squirrel said:

Today’s view … and lineups

I wouldn't mind that if that exact lineup gets lots of run this year, with maybe a different batting order.

I hope performances at the plate and defensively make it worthwhile

[Squirrel]

37 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Meager crowd

That was taken an hour before first pitch, but like yesterday, still plenty of empty seats

[USAFChief]

Not that long ago spring tng was nearly a sellout.  

[ashbury]

Rocco is leaning into this Wallner-leads-off thing.  The rest of this starting lineup looks pretty representative of what he'd be happy to go with too, assuming players perform during these next few weeks.  No Willi, no Harrison, no Ty - these three would be either bench contributors or (in the case of Ty France) not getting the salary clause invoked.  I'm reading into it the way I please, of course.  And to repeat myself, certain folks like Lee and Julien better produce when given this opportunity, because replacement options are numerous.