Game Thread: Indians@Twins 9/29 Game 162 Final Game 2013

[Winston Smith]

IMO Gardy really needs to take a year off, do some TV work and get himself in better shape. His brother died of a heart a few years ago and Gardy is working on his own.

Recharge his batteries, in better shape he'll have more energy and have no problem getting another job.

[glunn]

Here again, I don't think the onus is just the manager's for that. At the level Plouffe is at, I think his focus is on him.

 

I agree that Plouffe is primarily responsible, and I am merely wondering whether a manager who is particularly good at working with young players might help Plouffe turn it around.

 

I may be totally wrong, but it seems to me that if we could somehow transplant Punto's brain into Plouffe's body we could have a player with HOF potential.

[stringer bell]

Comment 5--Mauer. He's going to finish second in the AL in hitting. He remains a great hitter, but despite his reluctance I think it is time to hand him a first baseman's mitt and say "this is your position". While he wouldn't be as valuable as a great-hitting, modest power, 1B, getting 150 games per year would make up for the loss of value.

[snepp]

Merely clicking Like on Brian's intro seemed insufficient, so:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5751[/ATTACH]

 

 

Did it hurt when they cut them off?

 

 

 

Also, did you ask your wife's permission prior to removing them from her purse?

[stringer bell]

Comment 6--Terry Ryan (JR for you BYTOers). The man knows baseball, and he is more of a straight shooter than almost any GM. However, I question whether he is the man to guide this franchise for the next ten years. A quote originally about Calvin Griffith comes to mind: "he throws quarters around like they are manhole covers". If he considers the 3-$21M contract for Willingham a "huge contract", he is not going to acquire or keep premium talent, especially pitching. Also, I think he might be too loyal to the guys below him in the organization. I believe it is time to clean house and let the new talent come in. Uh-oh, Mrs. Stringer is calling and I will miss the rest of the game. Enjoy!

[Winston Smith]

Boys and girl have a nice off season it's been fun when not in my corner.

 

Have a b-day party to go to for my granddaughter and her 5 day old baby sister.

[snepp]

A 1-hitter for my birthday*? How did you know what I wanted!

 

 

 

 

*Yes, my actual birthday. Also my twin boys' birthday.

[glunn]

Comment 5--Mauer. He's going to finish second in the AL in hitting. He remains a great hitter, but despite his reluctance I think it is time to hand him a first baseman's mitt and say "this is your position". While he wouldn't be as valuable as a great-hitting, modest power, 1B, getting 150 games per year would make up for the loss of value.

 

Given the Twins' history with concussions and the dollars that they have committed to Mauer, I think that it would be a bad idea to let him player catcher any more.

 

On the other hand, if I had time I would like to work with some engineers to develop a catcher's helmet that absorbs more of the energy from a fouled baseball. The shock absorbers on a car absorb a lot of energy and it seems to me that the same principal (and other principals of physics) could be applied to make catchers' helmets a lot better.

[glunn]

Comment 6--Terry Ryan (JR for you BYTOers). The man knows baseball, and he is more of a straight shooter than almost any GM. However, I question whether he is the man to guide this franchise for the next ten years. A quote originally about Calvin Griffith comes to mind: "he throws quarters around like they are manhole covers". If he considers the 3-$21M contract for Willingham a "huge contract", he is not going to acquire or keep premium talent, especially pitching. Also, I think he might be too loyal to the guys below him in the organization. I believe it is time to clean house and let the new talent come in. Uh-oh, Mrs. Stringer is calling and I will miss the rest of the game. Enjoy!

 

Thanks for all of your contributions this season, my friend!

[glunn]

Boys and girl have a nice off season it's been fun when not in my corner.

 

Have a b-day party to go to for my granddaughter and her 5 day old baby sister.

 

Thanks for all you did this season to make these games bearable, and congratulations on the new baby.

[glunn]

A 1-hitter for my birthday*? How did you know what I wanted!

 

 

*Yes, my actual birthday. Also my twin boys' birthday.

 

Happy birthday!

 

[video=youtube;SiXCZ-Ew0b0]

[Squirrel]

Boys and girl have a nice off season it's been fun when not in my corner.

 

Have a b-day party to go to for my granddaughter and her 5 day old baby sister.

 

A 1-hitter for my birthday*? How did you know what I wanted!

 

 

 

 

*Yes, my actual birthday. Also my twin boys' birthday.

 

Happy birthdays all around!

[ashbury]

Did it hurt when they cut them off?

 

When I located this photo, I took a look around to see how it and various copies of it was interpreted. What I found was universally "heart". I was wondering who in this group would speak up with the ambiguous interpretation (that I also was worried about, hence my research).

[ashbury]

His brother died of a heart a few years ago

 

See, this is why the Pohlads take NO chances.

[snepp]

I was wondering who in this group would speak up with the ambiguous interpretation (that I also was worried about, hence my research).

 

 

I'm as subtle as a Twins starting rotation.

[glunn]

That last one did not look like a strike to me.

[ashbury]

I am merely wondering whether a manager who is particularly good at working with young players might help Plouffe turn it around.

 

Most people with nice jobs have annual reviews, in which you look back at the year's accomplishments to determine things going forward. With reGardy to the Twins manager, I am having trouble coming up with many. Dozier, yes. Mauer was good, but any credit for that went on previous years' annual review. He installed Florimon as the regular SS, and got AAA hitting to go with MLB fielding. On the pitching side, Deduno stepped forward with an above league-average performance before needing to be shut down. Perkins, see Mauer above. They got full value out of Correia. The bullpen in general came out OK, particularly Swarzak who I choose to believe grew up a little after the cracked rib incident, but nobody emerged as lights-out.

 

If the Twins ended at 66-96 with several young guys having stepped forward and older guys like Correia not contributing like expected, I'd feel differently. Given what we've seen, I'd give the manager an Unsatisfactory rating and look to move on.

[ashbury]

I'm as subtle as a Twins starting rotation.

 

Since Chief's not here to say it, I'll fill in:

 

The low road. You took it.

 

/ edit: Oh, and believe me. I could have picked a much worse potato picture than that one.

[ashbury]

Michael Tonkin's 0.00 ERA. Ruined. I blame Gardy.

[ashbury]

Pretty clearly a 3-inning stint for Rally Avatar needs to be allowed for. Here she is, one last time this season, glunn's best friend, Olivia!

[glunn]

Pretty clearly a 3-inning stint for Rally Avatar needs to be allowed for. Here she is, one last time this season, glunn's best friend, Olivia!

 

Olivia!!! I once paid a woman to change her name to Olivia.

[glunn]

So who makes the World Series this year? I am guessing Tigers and Dodgers.

[ashbury]

Ubaldo Jimenez feels the might of the Rally Avatar.

[glunn]

Ubaldo Jimenez feels the might of the Rally Avatar.

 

Then Colabello fails to harness her power.

[ashbury]

So who makes the World Series this year? I am guessing Tigers and Dodgers.

 

I always go with the large payrolls so I'll guess Angels against Phillies.

[ashbury]

Then Colabello fails to harness her power.

 

The Rally Avatar is a subtle and ineffable power. Not a Get Out Of AAA Free card.

 

/ I realize this does nothing to explain Eric Fryer's RBI single

[Bark's Lounge]

Hey game threaders. I want to thank you all for bringing some good times and a ton of laughs to the table.

 

If I offended, annoyed, or step out of bounds on anyone this season - you have my sincerest apologies. I am a work in progress.

 

"The coldest winter I ever spent was watching the Twins in the Summer of 2013"

(2013 is interchangeable with 2011 & 2012)

 

Here's to wishing everyone a fantastic offseason!!!

[ashbury]

Here's to wishing everyone a fantastic offseason!!!

 

Looking forward to it. The moderation duties should quiet down quite a bit now that there will be nothing to argue feverishly about.

 

And thanks for your contributions here - they've been fun. As, I guess I should add, has been the case with everyone else too. I'm glad everyone got the idea of what Game Thread was about.

[glunn]

So if the Cubs and Twins end the season with identical records, who gets the higher draft pick? Do they flip a coin?

[glunn]

Hey game threaders. I want to thank you all for bringing some good times and a ton of laughs to the table.

 

If I offended' date=' annoyed, or step out of bounds on anyone this season - you have my sincerest apologies. I am a work in progress.

 

[i']"The coldest winter I ever spent was watching the Twins in the Summer of 2013"[/i]

(2013 is interchangeable with 2011 & 2012)

 

Here's to wishing everyone a fantastic offseason!!!

 

Same to you my friend. You have been a valuable contributor to the game threads, and I am sure that your mom is proud of you.