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rv78

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Everything posted by rv78

  1. rv78
    The Arraez trade for PLopez is another questionable move. Yes an everyday player for one that plays every 5 days makes it questionable to start with. Then take into consideration that it is one of the best hitters in the game for a slightly better than average pitcher, who also has some past injury history. Again, the FO ignores injuries. The weak knees of Arraez was just an excuse and an attempt at justification by many to move him. Again, the FO ignores injuries. The fact that they acquired Gallo and had Kirilloff coming back, both to play 1B, Polanco/Farmer/Julien at 2B and Miranda/Farmer/Lewis for 3B made Arraez expendable in their eyes. Add in the fact that the FO probably knew of the plan or it was their plan to use Buxton exclusively at DH and it made trading Arraez even easier since he was left without a spot in the lineup. Funny how an organization can work themselves out of keeping a batting champion.
  2. rv78
    Trading for damaged goods (Mahle, Paddock are just a couple of examples) at any time is questionable, yet that does not sway this FO. Trading for a flash in the pan Jorge Lopez does not concern this FO. Every team takes risks, most of them not at the level that this FO does. I agree with Linus about the idea being good but the targets being wrong. Don't justify their mistakes by saying the Yankees made them too. Both are still mistakes. Part of the "cost" that they gave up in top prospects for these guys was due to the fact that they had two years of control. That made them more expensive. Neither Mahle or Lopez helped down the stretch last season and neither one is going to or is making a difference this year either. Then look at what they traded away and how those players are doing this year. So, it's easy to see that the FO swung and missed on both occasions. Kinda like the offense this year, they fit right in.
  3. rv78
    I think the David Ortiz explanation says a lot about the Twins organization. Many believe that he would have never been as good as he became if he stayed a Twin. Why, because once he went to Boston he realized he could go the opposite way and make millions of dollars hitting the ball off of or over the green monster. He was strictly a pull hitter with the Twins. Take a look at today's Twins team.... They seldom win a game if they don't hit 2 or 3 home runs. How often does Kepler hit the ball the other way and take a single verses "trying" to pull it into the right-field seats? Why sign a Gallo who hits either home runs or strikes out? Why is your best singles or doubles hitter in Arraez expendable? Their philosophy is to hit HR's. They think that is the only way to win. How often do they lay down a sac bunt and it actually leads to a run? How often does Rocco try to hit and run? 95% of the time they are a one dimensional offense. Situational hitting is not exercised when it needs to be done. It's go for the long ball and swing for the fences, and more often than not they are striking out. Cano wasn't good with the Twins. Pagan wasn't good with the Twins. Why is Cano expendable but Pagan isn't? Why is any player the Twins are paying a fair sum in salary not expendable and players that they don't have a lot of money vested in are? It's all about money. They think they have to get a return on their investment, even if that player is bad and continues to be bad. Why did it take so long to DFA Duffey. How about Sano? How many chances did he get? Look at Kepler. He continues to take at bats away from players that could and probably would outperform him by a landslide. Hey, you gotta keep 'em and try to get your moneys worth. Which looks worse? Keeping players that aren't very good that are getting paid millions or releasing them and showing your mistakes by signing those crap players in the first place?
  4. rv78
    The whiff boys were at it again. 16 K's and Gallo wasn't even in the lineup. Sure glad Kepler and Garlick are better suited to play in the majors over Wallner. (Yeah, that's sarcasm). As for Gallo, Correa and Buxton being out due to injuries or illness..... well I guess that is why they scored 1 run today instead of ZERO. Castro got to play at 3B due to Farmer having to play in Correa's abscence at SS and got the only run. As bad as the other 3 have been playing they probably wouldn't have scored at all had they been in the lineup. Tell me how Popkes (the hitting coach) is retaining his job? If they can't hit because of him he should be fired. If they can't hit and he has nothing to do with it, then he isn't needed. Either way they are worse than bad and something needs to be done.
  5. rv78
    I have no faith in the coaching staff to help Jax and Lopez "find their stuff". 2 months in and no sign of it happening. The reason why this team isn't as good as what it could be is because the veterans are bad. Correa, Gallo, Kepler, Taylor, and Buxton are being outhit by guys like Solano, Farmer, Castro, Jeffers, and Kirilloff. They need to bring Wallner back and give Kepler his walking papers. Gallo and his 2 or 3 strikeouts every game doesn't help either so he should be on the same bus as Kepler. Buxton needs to go back to CF and see if that doesn't jump start his bat. Taylor needs to be a bench/late game defensive replacement ONLY. Correa is one of the most over-rated and over-paid players in the game. I cringe every time I think of him playing in a Twins uniform for the next 6 years or more. He'll be one of the biggest busts ever. I hoped for a youth movement at the end of last season and the FO went the opposite way. Julien, Lewis, Kirilloff, Larnach, Jeffers, Miranda, Wallner are the future and should be playing instead of the bums we got now. It was a great game last night winning 8-2 but the old K bug was still there to the tune of 14 whiffs. You just can't be consistant offensively when you miss that often.
  6. rv78
    Too many bad decisions are being made by the FO and Rocco to take this team seriously. I don't know about you but I'm sure glad Kepler has replaced Wallner in the lineup. 2 games back and he's 0 fer 9 with 4 K's. Impressive! But he'll play no matter how good Wallner was or is. Buxton has proven he's not good in the DH role but they won't move him back to CF because a healthy non-productive Buxton is better than one that is injured. How does that make sense? Is next to nothing really all that much better than nothing? They are taking a probable superstar and making him a one dimensional average to below average player. Good move there wiseguys. As for the hitters getting better due to coming back to the norm, the pitchers will do the same, as we are starting to see. Ownership needs to realize and remember the FO has assembled this lineup that strikeouts out at an impressive rate, quite possible of setting a MLB record this year. Oh well, the Twins have the HR record, they might as well have the K record too. Every year they tout how much better the team is going to be verses last year, feeding the hype to the fans. 2023 looks to be another repeat of disappointment and failure. The young guys need to play. Kepler, Gallo, Buxton, Correa, Taylor, Vazquez aren't getting it done but they are the veterans getting the big bucks so that's who we get regardless, When the ship sinks again this year, remember who didn't throw out the dead weight.
  7. rv78
    If a roster lineup of 1st and 2nd round draft picks can be comfortably constructed then why doesn't it happen? Roster crunches resulting in good players being affected is partly Rocco's fault. The musical chairs lineup is of his doing. We all see it. This is titled "Time to do Something Different". Maybe one of those things is for Rocco to set a lineup that would actually be the same for more than a day or two and go with it, playing only his best players consistantly everyday for a couple of weeks and see if that doesn't jump start these guys into making better contact and getting some timely hits. Bench players are suppose to be that, not shuffled into the lineup at every opportunity taking at bats away from your best hitters. As for the FO acting at the trade deadline.... that is not going to instill any confidence in any Twins fan right now. Both Mahle and Lopez have done nothing for this team since they have arrived and those moves looks to be a total failure for the Twins. The FO also didn't help this team by signing Free Agents (Gallo, Taylor, Castro) that couldn't hit. If anyone that is running this team has their eyes open, they should notice a very disturbing trend that even the players that use to be able to hit with some consistancy, now cannot. Changes need to be made. It is one thing to address one or two players that are not hitting by the coaches, but when it is basically the whole team then it is not a player issue but a coaching, managing issue. Since when do Managers get rewarded for getting their players to play below their ability? The wrong message is being sent from the top. That mediocrity is okay. We've seen it for three years now. Nothing will change until Ownership demands more and the fans need to stop going to games and supporting this feeble attempt at being a playoff caliber team.
  8. rv78
    It's funny that Buxton is considered the teams offensive MVP. He surely can't be consider for it defensively. And his .230 batting average is one of the teams best. Let's take a quick look at most of the hitters the FO has bet on this season to be difference makers. The Twins getting paid big money and their respective BA this year. Correa (($33.3M) .215, Buxton ($15.1M) .230, Gallo ($11M) .203, Vazquez ($10M) .227, Kepler ($8.5M) .212, Polanco ($7.5M) .284, Farmer ($5.6M) .275, Taylor ($4.5M) .212. Is it any wonder why this team struggles to score runs when they don't hit HR's. Outside of Polanco and Farmer, who have been hurt, the rest of them can't hit.
  9. rv78
    And this is why this team will continue to lose ballgames that matter. Performance means little. If it did mean something Kepler would have got his walking papers before the season even started. As for Wallner, I said when they acquired Gallo that Wallner would have been a better option and they could have used the $11M they spent on Mr .199 and the $4.5M they spent on Taylor, tied that money together at $15.5M for 1 player that could actually hit.
  10. rv78
    Another season of uninspired Rocco baseball. This team must be performing at an expected or better than expected level if they give him an extension. Gee, what were we thinking? That this team was going to be terrible and Rocco is keeping them at the top of their game? It looks like the FO has lower expectations than the fans if they are going to reward a Manager that can't get his team to play much better than .500 ball. Maybe someday they can bring in some hitters that will actually do more than hit an occasional HR and strikeout the rest of the time. The all or nothing approach has inspired fans to start skipping the games. I can hear St. Peter already wondering why Twins fans didn't come out and support this team. Maybe it's time they look in the mirror and admit what they have isn't even close to what they are trying to sell to us.
  11. rv78
    9 walks and 5 hits and Rocco couldn't find an opportunity to manufacture a couple runs. Laughable.
  12. rv78
    This team is starting to show it's true colors. I said it before the season started that they would be lucky to be a .500 team. Most of the nay sayers to my beliefs shot me down. Where are they now? We've lost 2 starting pitchers (Mahle and Maeda) and 2 more (Gray and PLopez) are starting to look very average. The bullpen is questionable outside of Duran. JLopez has 1/2 a season of good baseball in his career and the FO thought he was the answer... wrong. Thielbar has been an unexpected surprise but he's 36 years old and his days are numbered. Jax has always been hit or miss and for some reason they think he should always be good while they ignore all of the times he's been bad. Who else are they relying on? Moran? Pagan? Sands? Now Stewart, a new addition to the pen is used before Duran. Sorry, but anyway you look at it, you use your best pitcher when the game is on the line and Rocco bird-brained it again. Why is Duran being used the least of any bullpen pitcher when he's your best? I'll tell you why... poor managing. Saving a guy for a situation that never comes is... poor managing. Is anyone missing Arraez and his .371 BA and .424 OBP ??? With the ever absent Polanco this year Mr. Batting Champ would sure look good playing 2nd base and hitting anywhere in Rocco's ever changing lineup. Is having Kirilloff play in RF and Gallo at 1B really better than the other way around or is Rocco just trying to show he can play anyone anywhere anytime? I truely think he believes moving players to different spots on the field and in the lineup is "Good" managing when instead it creates inconsistancy, confusion and poor play. I can't envision Puckett, Hrbek, Gaetti and the gang of WS Champs coming to the ball park and not knowing if they WOULD be playing, WHERE they'd be playing and WHEN they would be batting, but this new way of baseball is sooooo much better now having players able to play multiple positions, you know, in case of injuries and guys struggling to make contact. Rocco loves the cut and paste, drop and drag feature on his lineup setting laptop. LOL!
  13. rv78
    My biggest concern is that the coaches have shown little to nothing that they are capable of straightening out Jax or any other reliever. They couldn't do it with Colome in 2021 or Pagan in 2022, why is Jax in 2023 going to be any different? Rocco has publicly stated on his commitment to continue to use Jax in high leverage situations which only proves his ineptness at running a team. Good Managers make adjustments not to lose games yet we have seen Rocco make the same mistake for 3 years in a row now. Also, keeping Balazovic stretched out for a long relief role is okay and my guess is he's being groomed to be a Cole Sands replacement if that situational role needs a change. But at the same time there's not a whole lot of sense taking a pitcher that is performing well at AAA and more or less making him a mop-up pitcher in the bigs. If he's capable of being promoted based on performance then give him 1 or 2 innings at a time to prove himself at the majors and let the Pagans on the team be the mop-up guys. There comes a time when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking that chance yet this FO and Manager are willing to lose games using the same strategy over and over and they learn nothing from it.
  14. rv78
    And he will still get hurt. Or should I say, did get hurt. 42 games into the season is all it took. Maybe they can ask the Commissioner if they can have a designated runner for him too. Most over-rated player next to Sano of this Twins generation. They should have traded him instead of signing him to a 7 year contract. Trading him for a player that can actually play or having him unable to play due to injury and dealing with it every year? Hmmm... not really a tough choice but this FO made the wrong one, again.
  15. rv78
    That was sarcasm, Squirrel.
  16. rv78
    Buxton is hurt? And it didn't happen in CF? Who would have seen that coming?
  17. rv78
    We all have opinions. Mine stands until they prove to me they can win meaningful games in October. (If they can even get there).
  18. rv78
    Unfortunately we have what is one of the worst group of coaches to go along with a terrible Manager. If Tingler was so good why did SanDiego get rid of him? Maki got the pitching coach job only by default when WJohnson left and Popkes has to have hitters get sent down to AAA to get their swing back because he doesn't seem to be able to do his job either. Outside of the games where they hit 3 or more HR this team can't score enough runs to win due to the Manager and Coaches unwillingness to manufacture runs. 2019 was a fun season but continuing to play games the same way since, without the juiced ball, has been a half-a$$ approach to winning. Appears to me that Rocco hasn't figured that one out yet either. Who decided to use Buxton only at DH? The Manager, the FO, or both? It's another bird-brain decision especially when his last 2 injuries didn't happen in the outfield. Seriously, these guys don't know what they are doing.
  19. rv78
    I pointed this out last week. Everyone can see it BUT THE MANAGER. 3 years in a row now we've watched Rocco blow games using a pitcher that clearly doesn't "have it" when the game is on the line. Why does the pitcher in the bullpen who has been performing the worst for the team have the most pitches in the last 5 days? Because Rocco is a poor Manager. Would someone hold him accountable. He NEEDS to go.
  20. rv78
    When you give up 2 players for 1 in the hopes of the 1 player helping you into the playoffs and he fails, then the trade is a fail. That was the main purpose of the trade and it didn't happen. Could it be the Twins FO just isn't very good at evaluating talent or maybe even more disturbing, is the coaches aren't very good at getting the players to perform at a high level when they have that talent.
  21. rv78
    With Max Kepler hitting the injured list, and Byron Buxton taking a much-needed day off, Please explain to me why someone who is playing DH needs a day off? Does he get tired walking from the bench to the batters box 4 times a game? He only gets on base about once per game so it isn't from running the bases. There's never been a more babied player in baseball than the ever precious Buxton this year.
  22. rv78
    Is Jax this years new version of Colome or Pagan? Rocco continues to use him as a high leverage pitcher even though he is not up to it the task this season. Making adjustments according to performance doesn't seem to be on Rocco's spreadsheet. Using Alcala for more than 1 inning at a time also seems to be an issue. Again, shouldn't Rocco's spreadsheet tell him that? Also agree that Gray could have and should have gone longer that 91 pitches. Rocco has reverted back to burning through his bullpen. The offense is showing it's lack of production and they can't win games without hitting homeruns. Rocco won't manufacture a run, period. Miranda is sent down to AAA to try to get out of his slump. Is the hitting coach in AAA better than Popkes? Looks like the whole team needs to go to AAA to solve that problem, which means the coaches and Manager at the majors aren't any worth their weight in jelly beans. Last year Toronto fired their skipper midseason and they immediately turned things around with the same players. This team needs new leadership and nothing will change until it happens.
  23. rv78
    C'Mon man, drink the Kool-Aid and believe. This is a good team assembled by Falvine that spends money wisely and effectively and is led by a top-notch Manager who knows how to win. He's the next Earl Weaver and knows that 3 run homers win a lot of games, Too bad 2 guys can't get on base before the HR. Too bad Rocco can't adjust to new rules that are suppose to make stealing bases easier, or that he just refuses to even try to manufacture a run. Too bad his team plays listless baseball and the players are uninspired by their manager. Too bad $68M dollars gets you 4 guys that can barely hit. 200. Too bad Maeda and Mahle are toast and injuries are ignored when acquiring players. Too bad Buxton will probably never play in the field and the Twins are more than willing to throw away the best part of his game even though his last 2 injuries never happened when he was playing defense. Too bad that not just the manager but his coaches are not held accountable for the poor play that has become the norm. Put this team in any other division and they don't even make the playoffs.
  24. rv78
    This team will be lucky to finish the season above .500 and IF they do it'll be because of the pitching, which is starting to fall apart, not the hitting.
  25. rv78
    The trends continue, they score by the HR and don't score in any other way. 0 fer 7 with runners in scoring position and 16 LOB. Rocco won't manufacture a run. Thinks he has to play everyone even if they aren't his main players which means he is NOT putting his best team on the field every night costing the team wins. Gallo has found his norm and is now hitting .191. C4, the $33M dollar man is not far behind hitting a paltry .200. Glad they broke open the bank for the cheater. Two of the worst signings in Twins history. One would think you could get more for $44.5 Million.
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