Escobar Steps Up

He may be the most underrated player on the team, when it comes to recognition for his contribution to the Twins epic turnaround.

He's one of my favorite players on this team, and that goes beyond his contributions in the field. By all accounts (I don't know him personally), he's an extremely gracious and generous individual, universally loved. Truly one of the good guys, who everyone should be rooting for.

Eddie the Stick!  He may not be an everyday player, but he sure has been coming up big with his play the last month.

As I mentioned on another thread, baseball needs a utility player award. Eduardo checks all the boxes for that kind of recognition.

Sorry.  Just not there yet.    I see a 10% chance of not making the playoffs.   See what a 2 game losing streak coupled with a 3 game win streak by one of the chasers does to the  odds.     Keep in mind when our odds were 6% at the trade deadline I said see what a modest winning streak can do to the odds.   I guess when others see a glass 90% full I see one 10% empty and when others see a glass 90% empty I see one 10% full.  

I like Escobar but for whatever reason do not like watching him play.    Doesn't mean I don't appreciate him.    Morneau in what was looking like a lock for another MVP in 2008, slumped in the last month.    Probably due to playing through a stress fracture but replacing him for that last month probably would have gotten us into the playoffs.   Similar here to if Sano was playing in pain or even simply slumped and was in the middle of this order for this past month our playoff hopes might be greatly diminished because not only has Escobar been producing, he has been producing in big spots.    MVP award could simply go to our third baseman for the combined efforts of Sano and Escobar.

Escobar seems like a really good guy by all accounts but the same could be said about the entire team.  They are all quite like able.    Worst things I have heard about this team is that Mauer might be overpaid, Sano is a little overweight and Molitor bunts too much.   They are easy to root for and I might mention the frosting on the cake is that pretty much all of them have come up through our system.   Reading about them on TD for the last several years and now seeing what they can do has been awesome.

Sorry.  Just not there yet.    I see a 10% chance of not making the playoffs.   See what a 2 game losing streak coupled with a 3 game win streak by one of the chasers does to the  odds.     Keep in mind when our odds were 6% at the trade deadline I said see what a modest winning streak can do to the odds.  

I am excited but I'm curbing my enthusiasm 'til the Twins lock this one down. At this point I'm taking an ultra conservative approach here. It makes me nervous when Dick mentions playoff tickets on the air, LOL. One game at a time, boys. Looking forward to seeing Erv take the hill tonight.

El de la Pica!

Trade Chip!

I suppose technically you could say it's a "playoff spot" but for me it's one game to see if you make it to the playoffs.

And, it's against the hated Yankees.

History awaits.  We could exorcise a lot of demons.

Or compound a lot of pain.

Meh, I don't care what happens in the wild card game, getting there is enough. The Twins go in a heavy underdog, if they lose still an incredible season. I'd really only feel pain if they blew a big lead or something. we're playing with house money.

I agree. I will be satisfied if they get to the game. Considering 80% of the board was predicting 75 or fewer wins this is a great season.

Meh, I don't care what happens in the wild card game, getting there is enough. The Twins go in a heavy underdog, if they lose still an incredible season. I'd really only feel pain if they blew a big lead or something. we're playing with house money.

This season has been very fun and I am proud of what this team has been able to do. They could fall apart and not even make the playoffs (they won't) and I'd feel the same way. The FO still has some moves to make (pitching), but they really put a fun season together.

80%. That seems low. 99%. I thought I was wildly optimistic predicting they'd finish within a game of .500. I thought they'd compete but just finish off cuz they unloaded Dozier, Santana etc. at the deadline.

 

Instead, those two are both going to start Game 7 of the World Series,

Probably true on the 80%. I predicted 81-81. Boy do I hope I'm wrong. ☺

I live in Southeast Asia and don't get to see many (any!) games on TV (Internet highlights and box scores are mainly my diet) but the more I read about Escobar the more impressed I am, both with his versatility and his all-around play. Seems like a solid, dependable, likeable player, the kind a team needs to have (on the field and in the clubhouse). And he's hit for more power than expected too. Who would have thought he would turn out to be so valuable an addition when he got him in that Liriano trade with the White Sox. But who was the other player we got in that trade from the Chisox? My memory fails me.

Check out a blog I posted a couple weeks back called "A Look Back". I found an article posted at the beginning of the season in which many people posted their quesses at the Twins total wins for the year. Only one predicted that total to exceed 80.

I couldn't find the original blog so don't know if I had responded..  I don't expect it to count but on at least one of the blogs I predicted  a range of 70-95.    Shouldn't count but I at least recognized the upside.

This season has been very fun and I am proud of what this team has been able to do. They could fall apart and not even make the playoffs (they won't) and I'd feel the same way. The FO still has some moves to make (pitching), but they really put a fun season together.

I am more of a journey guy and I think you are also.   If I were a Yankees fan I might still follow the team when they signed the three best players on the free agent market (Texeira, Sabbathia, Burnett) and probably be happy when they won the WS.   Likewise when Durant signed with Golden State.   Being a fan of those teams does not compare with the joy of following the Royals of 2 and 3 years ago or the 87 Twins or worst to first 91 Twins.    If these Twins lose against the Yankees I will accept that as part of the definition of being the underdogs but when the small odds do pay off it is tremendously satisfying.    These Twins have already beat much greater odds and playoff spots are never guaranteed.   In fact I am still pretty bummed that the 08 team lost the playin game because even though they had small chance, they still had a chance.    I will accept losing but this is their chance to be that 2014 Royals team and do something special and that is what I watch sports for.

Escobar with 20 HR & 70 RBI now. Awesome.

How many teams have a utility player with 20 home runs and 75 RBIs?

The Escobar deal was a steal.