Game Score: Twins 9, Cubs 5

"Fun" fact from the Cubs broadcasters (including former Twin Jim Deshaies): the only two players on the current roster who have not missed time due to injury this year are Jorge Polanco and Alex Coulombe. If you include the earlier trades, I think Berrios gets added to the list. That can't possibly be a regular injury rate for a major league team, can it?

I've been arguing that we should use these last games to evaluate our younger players, and I still believe that is true. However, I think that the Jax-as-a-starter evaluation is complete and I do not wish to see any more of it. Thank you.

Unfortunately, we currently need starters and I'm not sure we have any options.

10 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

At the stage of the season which is more important draft position or another victory?  

I choose "neither", unless the draft position race is between first and, say, tenth.

@big dogI also hope the Twins have completed their evaluation of Jax. He wasn't really a high-ranked prospect, and I think in the end we all saw what we expected: a below-average shuttle bus guy who isn't a full time major leaguer. A shame that in this lost season, the Twins couldn't manage to give any of their home-grown highly ranked pitching prospects a big league audition. Guys like Jax and Barnes sure got a lot of time in the bigs, though. Head-scratcher.

But every terrible year has a silver lining, this year's might be Nick Gordon, Bailey Ober, and Joe Ryan. I believe we'll see all 3 of those guys on the team next year. I know there are a lot of Gordon haters in Twins Territory, but am really digging this comeback story. From failed prospect to a guy who could be on the 26 man roster next year. Go Nick.

As bad as the Twins have been this year, I will sure miss them this winter. Looking forward to seeing how the off-season plays out.

@big dog Guys like Jax and Barnes sure got a lot of time in the bigs, though. Head-scratcher.

Perhaps because they were healthy. Duran, injured. Winder, injured. Balazovic, AA not ready. Drew Strotman was ineffective and maybe not ready, but since he is on the 40 man I could see an argument for him. Cano is not on the 40 man and I can't remember why but there was an advantage to waiting till next year for him (it was mentioned on TD, of course). I'm not sure who else could be causing your itchy head. 

We got to see more rookies this year than I ever remember happening. Out of the pitching auditions we can be excited about Ober and Ryan in the rotation and perhaps Jax and Moran in the pen.

Great to see 4 of the regular 8 hitters getting 3 hits each.  That type of offense has been missing most of the season.

Even more interesting is that Polanco was not one of those 4.  He was a brutal 0-6 with 4 Ks.

May the baseball gods have mercy on Twins fans if the above mentioned pitchers are supposed to be part of our starting staff.

Am so disappointed that Baldelli wasn't able to find a way to get Maggi into a game.

Also believe that many of you are shortchanging Jax.  Lets remember that he didn't pitch at all last summer and the number of innings prior are minimal.  This young man will continue to develop into a solid starting pitcher.  Granted, he may not become a top of the order starter, but I will be surprised if he doesn't have a long and successful big league career.  Hopefully, it is with the Twins.

7 minutes ago, bighat said:

@big dogI also hope the Twins have completed their evaluation of Jax. He wasn't really a high-ranked prospect, and I think in the end we all saw what we expected: a below-average shuttle bus guy who isn't a full time major leaguer. A shame that in this lost season, the Twins couldn't manage to give any of their home-grown highly ranked pitching prospects a big league audition. Guys like Jax and Barnes sure got a lot of time in the bigs, though. Head-scratcher.

But every terrible year has a silver lining, this year's might be Nick Gordon, Bailey Ober, and Joe Ryan. I believe we'll see all 3 of those guys on the team next year. I know there are a lot of Gordon haters in Twins Territory, but am really digging this comeback story. From failed prospect to a guy who could be on the 26 man roster next year. Go Nick.

As bad as the Twins have been this year, I will sure miss them this winter. Looking forward to seeing how the off-season plays out.

I never hated Nick Gordon (hate is a strong word) I don't hate anyone. Although, I am a realist. I didn't expect him to be anything more than an average MLB player. I did expect Gordon to show some improvement this season but he's past my expectations. He's shown that he has value and that he belongs. Go Gordon!

18 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

I never hated Nick Gordon (hate is a strong word) I don't hate anyone. 

You're more of a hate stylist? (tm Tom Hanks)

1 hour ago, roger said:

Am so disappointed that Baldelli wasn't able to find a way to get Maggi into a game.

Also believe that many of you are shortchanging Jax.  Lets remember that he didn't pitch at all last summer and the number of innings prior are minimal.  This young man will continue to develop into a solid starting pitcher.  Granted, he may not become a top of the order starter, but I will be surprised if he doesn't have a long and successful big league career.  Hopefully, it is with the Twins.

I'm trying to stay patient and hope for the same, but the sample is getting larger and larger.  After showing promise when he moved from the bullpen to the rotation, I was hopeful, but the trend has gone the wrong way and the curve of it seems to be dropping at more accelerated rate.  The HR/9 is just ridiculously bad.  His calling cards of command and control have been lost along the way as well.  If anyone will put the work in over the off-season to maximize success in 2022, it's him. Perhaps a move to the pen where he can work at 94/95 and focus only on the slider that has generated a lot of swings and misses at times would be a path forward.

2 hours ago, roger said:

Am so disappointed that Baldelli wasn't able to find a way to get Maggi into a game.

I am more than disappointed. Why call up a career minor leaguer at the end of a dead season and not play him? He doesn't deserve a chance to start in a MLB game? He's injured? So he has to sit at the end of the bench and do what, pine for the fiords? WTF. I'm not really a Rocco fan but I haven't jumped all over him . . . until now. 

15 minutes ago, PDX Twin said:

It figures that the Air Force guy is into the "big fly."

At the Academy we learned to fly high.  ?

6 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

At the stage of the season which is more important draft position or another victory?  

Another victory

4 hours ago, Sconnie said:

Personally I'd rather see Jax stay stretched out at AAA than in the big league pen. While 2021 hasn't been a good year for Jax, it's a difficult transition into the bigs, and he can still provide strong depth for the rotation will most assuredly use 9-10 starters throughout the season.

Ok I'm going to agree with this. Considering how many starters the squad needs next year let's give Jax another chance as rotation depth.

People pay to see their team win, not play some business BS.

16 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

Nick Gordon should play every day.  Every day.

Where?

In the out field , even with his speed he is lacking, for the infield?

This game showed why Arraez is a mediocre infielder on his best days, and Polanco should never play SS, but Gordon is no better at either much less every day.

11 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

In place of your lord and savior.  I'm using b-ref to cite that.  Simmons has the highest rate of BOWCN, otherwise known as Being Old While Contributing Nothing.

What ever floats your boat.