MIN 3, SDP 1: Rosario Hits Walk-Off HR in 10th Inning

I was sitting in the Paradise Lounge, a bar in San Diego with a buddy, eating a Cobb salad, watching the last few innings of the Twins / Padres game. When Rosario came up bottom of the 10th, I said to my buddy, "Watch out for this guy. Best hands since Rod Carew." 

BOOOOM! Hahahahaha! 

I do like how Rosie is laying off the outside stuff now. He's still a little vulnerable to high stuff, but apparently the SD pitcher didn't know about that. Man oh man, did he crank that inside pitch. How the heck did he avoid hooking it foul? Good hands, brother. Good hands. 

Two things...

1. During the telly broadcast it was flashed that the Twins are 42-17 this year when their pitchers deliver quality starts. This seems incredible. Do other teams have similar results?

2. From the bullpen usage chart, whoever started Monday really gave the relievers a much needed rest. 

As we celebrate this great victory tonight, I see that our Twins are 6-6 in September. This is all against teams with sub .500 records. I hope the boys can bear down and the manager can field the best team and not worry about checking out prospects for next year. Coming up - 6 of the remaining 17 games are against the Yankees (3 games at Yankee Stadium, and now 3 games back of the first wild card and home field, and in case of a tie, we lead the season series 2-1) and 3 on the road against Cleveland! After the upcoming 4 game series against Toronto at home, 10 games on the road. We have not taken advantage of gaining ground on .500 against losing teams. It will be imperative to be more than a .500 team to close out the schedule. 

Actually I would assume a .500 record will get them in based on the teams chasing.  9-8 will be 85 wins.  outside of the Angels who have a horribly tough schedule coming up, the rest of the team will need to be about 12-5 to get to 84 wins.

Who throws a bucket of bubble gum THAT hard at a guy? ....could've poked an eye out Kennys Vargas!!!  

I can't stand watching the horrible free swinging Rosario.  He's easily replaceable. 

TRADE HIM!!!!!! Trade him for pitching already!  LOL

Two key underrated elements of last night's game:

Busenitz retiring Wil Myers in the top of the eighth, with runners on first & third.

Belisle popping up Hedges in the top of the ninth, with runners on first & second.  

Humangous big outs, both of 'em.

On Rosario-  His AB in the 10th inning is a perfect example of how he's coming around.  Takes the 1-0 pitch just inches off the outside corner, putting himself into a hitter's count at 2-0.  Pitcher Maton grooves one, and Rosario pounds it.

No way he lays off that 1-0 pitch last season.  Maybe not even in April or May.  But this is a great example of a guy maturing as a hitter, if you can see that in one single AB.

I was there last night, pretty frustrating game up to that point. 

We were about to leave in the 10th and as we were walking towards the plaza I said "lets stick around and watch this half inning." The crowd had thinned out considerably when Rosario hit his bomb but that was the happiest group of Twins fans I've seen in years. 

As we celebrate this great victory tonight, I see that our Twins are 6-6 in September. This is all against teams with sub .500 records. I hope the boys can bear down and the manager can field the best team and not worry about checking out prospects for next year. Coming up - 6 of the remaining 17 games are against the Yankees (3 games at Yankee Stadium, and now 3 games back of the first wild card and home field, and in case of a tie, we lead the season series 2-1) and 3 on the road against Cleveland! After the upcoming 4 game series against Toronto at home, 10 games on the road. We have not taken advantage of gaining ground on .500 against losing teams. It will be imperative to be more than a .500 team to close out the schedule. 

There are losing teams and there are losing teams.   The ones the Twins have played are those that are within a game or so of .500 and also playing for the WC spot and 7 of those were on the road.    Really not so bad when you consider the Twins are barely above .500 themselves.    Odds makers would probably have said we should win 6.5 of the games in September thus far.    We don't know what is imperative to close out the schedule.   There is a very good chance that 8-9 will get it done but always the possibility of someone getting really hot and making 10-7 not good enough.    If I could bank 9-8 I would but like I said we don't know what it will take.  

You're burying the lead here.... You went to a bar, and ordered Cobb Salad?! 

No chili cheese fries, burger, or onion rings?!

It gets worse, I'm afraid. It was Steak Night at the Paradise, and they have a really good steak dinner for about $15 bucks. It's just that I had too much meat lately, and I had to stop... Same with the fries, the burger, and the rings. I gotta lose a few pounds before I can't see my feet without a mirror. 

The Paradise has surprisingly good food, for a local bar. Except the enchiladas, I'd avoid those. 

If Rosario isn't the Twins best hitter this year he is in the top 2 or 3. This is just more proof that going with the herd mentality is tomfoolery. Always ignore all noise from anyone wanting to ditch young, promising players, regardless of how loud it gets.

Now if he can just get his defense back on track....