6 Things That Have Gone Right in a Twins Season Gone Wrong

[tarheeltwinsfan]

2 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Since the All-Star break, Royce has hit 11 homers and stolen 12 bases. That is almost a 30/30 pace. He was brutal when he returned to the Twins and he’s had quite a few dry spells even in the second half, but there is progress IMHO. 

It's more of a 22 HR and 24 SB pace. He could raise that batting average by hitting to right field more. 

[stringer bell]

1 minute ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

It's more of a 22 HR and 24 SB pace. He could raise that batting average by hitting to right field more. 

Nope, today's game was the 60th after the break. Prorated for a 162 game schedule, it's 29.7 homers and 32 steals. 

[JD-TWINS]

11 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Alittle excitement playing the stealing game could help win some games ....

We still have a whole off season before anyone can really know how the FO will contruct this 2026 team ...

I hope the purse strings are untied and payroll is adequate to add some offense that can hit the opponents better pitchers  , we know our offense as of now can hit the opponents lesser pitchers ...

There is also the realism that the roster could be purged further in trading off Lopez and Ryan  ...

FO did a lousy job in 2025 hoping the offense would better than 2024 ...

There is one reason the hitting didn't improve and that is because of baldelli and his numerous coaches fail to teach these players to be better at the major league level  ...

Cleveland's Kwan hits the other way and very sucessful at it  , hitting to all fields is necessary so the opponents pitcher will have a more difficult time getting the batter out , even good power hitters hit the opposite field homeruns  ...

Hope some of these players reach out for help elsewhere like driveline for a different voice to perform better in 2026 , WALLNER is one example that needs better instructions on batting stance, pitch recognition , a shorter swing , homeruns will come but maybe not hit as far,  but better contact is needed ...

Enough said ... 

In August-September of ‘24 the TD following had determined the Twins players needed a new voice and the hitting coach was a bum………..same this year with a new hitting coach. Odd?

Toronto fired a guy and hired David Popkins. He has got 4 guys in Toronto that are at .300 or very close AND producing runs. 7 guys hitting .265 or higher……… so does Toronto have players that take responsibility for their own improvement while working with their new coach or is it just dumb luck that (after the Twin’s hitters collapsed in ‘24) Toronto has improved immensely in ‘25 with Popkins over their ‘24 campaign?

Sighting different styles amongst hitters seems silly to me as every line-up I’ve ever seen has 5/6 different looks with their everyday hitters……Matt Wallner needs to get to work in the off-season, period. His list of holes and poor habits need to be fixed by him. You & I could each give him 3/4 things to change from our couch……HE needs to get it through his head he needs to make changes…….coaches don’t step into the batter’s box……..my point is he’s getting coached & has been coached & nobody suggested what he’s doing is the right way!!! Organizations let players that have had success continue to do what makes them feel comfortable and do what has brought them prior success……until it isn’t working, clearly.

Players play and they are responsible for results!!

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

Nope, today's game was the 60th after the break. Prorated for a 162 game schedule, it's 29.7 homers and 32 steals. 

Getcher nose outta the spreadsheets and watch a game outdoors, whydoncha?   😄

[Bodie]

Wow!

Got all the way to #2 before the " good news" becomes actual bad news...

[Doctor Wu]

22 hours ago, LeatherAntenna said:

Deep farm, yes tired hearing this.  Nice seeing Keaschall doing well. Given the recent years though, we expect him to regress in his second year to a struggling below average player.

Please, let us hope that he does NOT follow the Miranda and Julian path. 

[Doctor Wu]

21 hours ago, Yoke said:

I definitely prefer the aggressive base running they’re doing now compared to standing around on the base paths and hoping someone hits a homer soon.

Yes indeed, That was one of the few positive changes I noticed this season. 

[Doctor Wu]

17 hours ago, Eric Blonigen said:

They will need to do something, for sure, to regain fans’ trust.

Follow the Brewers example and find a generous local restaurant to offer free burgers, but lower the number ... freebies for 4 wins in a row!

[Lenny Green]

23 hours ago, nclahammer said:

Well that's searching for a silver lining, but you do bring up some valid positives.    But as much sugar as you try to sprinkle on top, it's still one turd of a season underneath.

I like to refer to that as "polishing a turd...."

[tarheeltwinsfan]

10 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Nope, today's game was the 60th after the break. Prorated for a 162 game schedule, it's 29.7 homers and 32 steals. 

Thanks for correcting my error, Stringer. You are correct. I was mistaken. I'm happy for Royce Lewis.  

[Woof Bronzer]

Joe Ryan is maybe having the best season for a Twins pitcher since 2023 (Lopez and Gray). Ryan's own 2024 was probably better than this year.  Does Gleeman understand that stats after the all-star break count the same as the games before it?  Pretty clear by now that Ryan is a solid first half pitcher, but not one who can be counted on once the calendar flips to August. 

[old nurse]

20 hours ago, Eric Blonigen said:

The absolutely should. What a message that would send to fans. They will need to do something, for sure, to regain fans’ trust.

The message would be we are going to be cheap. That is not the message you want to send. Cheap baseball doesn’t draw fans. The Twins are already one of the cheapest tickets in baseball. The Saints have empty seats. When Saints baseball was winning independent leagues they drew capacity and it was an event.  When Target Field was new, it was an event. The Twins shouldn’t have laid off the scouts, the sales and game day people have failed so miserably they should have been let go 

[IndianaTwin]

12 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

It's more of a 22 HR and 24 SB pace. He could raise that batting average by hitting to right field more. 

The team has only had 59 games since the ASB. He actually has 10 HR and 12 SB in the span, which is 27 HR/33 SB pace. (He's played in 57 of those 59, by the way.)

 

(Oops, Stringer Bell had already alluded to the ASB being on the late side. His average is also .254 since the break, essentially his career average of .257.)

[tarheeltwinsfan]

9 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

The team has only had 59 games since the ASB. He actually has 10 HR and 12 SB in the span, which is 27 HR/33 SB pace. (He's played in 57 of those 59, by the way.)

 

(Oops, Stringer Bell had already alluded to the ASB being on the late side. His average is also .254 since the break, essentially his career average of .257.)

You got me Indiana. Thanks.

[Derojo]

Did I read Austin Martin similar to Outman? I couldn't have read that.

[stringer bell]

Kody Funderburk has pitched very well since the trade deadline and seems to be pitching better and better as he has been given higher leverage opportunities. IMHO he has passed the audition.

[Linus]

On 9/25/2025 at 8:39 PM, stringer bell said:

Kody Funderburk has pitched very well since the trade deadline and seems to be pitching better and better as he has been given higher leverage opportunities. IMHO he has passed the audition.

I was thinking the same thing. He looked to be a AAAA pitcher before. It seems like he is throwing more and better strikes