Maybe Someday I'll Learn

It is so weird. And while there are some major "what ifs" regarding the bullpen (what if Fien is really back? What if Jepsen basically is the same as Fien? What if Cotts and O'Rourke are used effectively? What if Perkins' bit of rest gets him back), it suddenly looks different. Those five (when used properly) plus May give me a bit of hope there again.

Sano high-fiving Robinson is funny. Do you think he weighs 2X as much?

well, as noted over at the strib site ... twins bullpen in baltimore: 15.2 ip, 4 bb, 16 k, 5 h, 0 r. last week terry ryan was the dumbest guy in town, today he's the smartest. this upcoming week? nobody knows. baseball is a funny game.

And just think how happy we would all be if those 2 games in NY didn't end up the way they did.  The Twins easily could have taken 2 of 3 from NYY but whatever witchcraft the Yankees have on the Twins came into effect that series.  If they even win one of those games they would be 5-2 on this road trip and a half game out of WC.

But even give the fact we are talking about the playoffs and  saying things lilke "if we had just won that one game" on August 24th is exciting after the previous 4 years.

I want to see what happens when Hicks is back and September call ups are made. I see a team that suddenly has lots of options and match ups that could make an impact.

My nomination for impact players down the stretch is a Hicks, Rosario, Buxton outfield that dominates defensively and provides a spark offensively. Moving Hunter into spot starts and pinch hitting duties provides that dangerous bat in late inning situations.

Just need another 5 week run like the one we went on 4 months ago.  Look back 4 months and tell me which team you'd rather have:  That team that went on that monster run or the current team.  4 months ago when we got hot we DID NOT have Sano, Buxton, Hicks (I know, we don't have him now either, but it sounds like he'll be back right at 15 days) or Rosario or Jepson or Duffy or Santana (still think he'll pitch some big games down the stretch).  We still had Danny Santana playing short & Vargas trying to DH.  This team SHOULD be better than the best squad we've put on the field all year and fully capable of playing good enough ball to make a serious run.  Whether or not that will happen nobody knows but at least it could be fun.   

Just need another 5 week run like the one we went on 4 months ago.  Look back 4 months and tell me which team you'd rather have:  That team that went on that monster run or the current team.  4 months ago when we got hot we DID NOT have Sano, Buxton, Hicks (I know, we don't have him now either, but it sounds like he'll be back right at 15 days) or Rosario or Jepson or Duffy or Santana (still think he'll pitch some big games down the stretch).  We still had Danny Santana playing short & Vargas trying to DH.  This team SHOULD be better than the best squad we've put on the field all year and fully capable of playing good enough ball to make a serious run.  Whether or not that will happen nobody knows but at least it could be fun.   

Never thought about it that way...  Would this team beat that team in a 7 game series?  Out of the players that weren't new additions, I can really only say that Zuke, Duensing, Esco, Milone, and maybe May are performing better than earlier this year.  Other than that, pretty much every other player on the team is playing worse, and in Dozier, Pelfrey,  Perk, and Hunter's case,  much worse.  (Mauer's been worse as far as driving in runs, but he has been hitting pretty dreadfully the whole season).  

I think I'd take our prior team playing really well over the current team playing poorly plus new guys playing well.  However, I like the potential of this team much MUCH more.

*Is Nolasco actually a good player?  ERA 5.51, FIP: 2.82, xFIP 4.00 .9 WAR in only 7 starts (5-1).

That's why I don't like fWAR for pitchers, particularly ones like Nolasco, whose real-world results underperform his FIP/xFIP every. frickin'. year.

 

Nolasco has pitched 1500 MLB innings and his FIP/xFIP are .7 runs under his career ERA. At that point, it's not statistical noise... FIP/xFIP are not properly evaluating Nolasco's talent level.

So so true...  Maybe someday I'll learn!

I couldn't even watch the last NY game.  Completely swore off the Twins.  That lasted about 40 hours.  Now I'm back.  Now I'm posting during work again.  I'll probably break into a house to steal something I can pawn so I can buy a Sano jersey before long.  As I told my wife last week, for about the 500th time, it's just stupid how much of my life outlook depends on that most recent Twins score.

"Hi, my name's Jeff, and I'm a twinsoholic."

(crowd:) <Hi, Jeff>...

Hah, Seth is worried? I'm on the hook for the White Sox game threads in a week or so. I still have no idea what I'm going to say and the Twins are not making it any easier for me to find the trenchant/pithy commentary needed for my effort.

I may pick on the White Sox, but, honestly? Low hanging fruit.

I'm thinking it might help just a tiny bit if Brian Dozier started getting a hit here and there.  He's been monsterly unwatchable for the last 5 weeks.  Looks like a pattern for him.  Maybe he needs to play only half seasons.

Like every good ride this one has had uphills and downhills. But not a lot of flat, smooth ride.

This is why we play the games. Dream scenario is to sneak into that second WC spot, travel to New York and stun the Yankees in a one game playoff.