rv78

Have to hang this loss on the Manager. Blocko pulls Pineda after 75 pitches on Saturday but lets Shoemaker go to 91 pitches even though he clearly ran out of gas starting the 6th inning. No way does a GOOD Manager let him pitch to a 3rd batter in that inning.

Let's see if he stays healthy for a full season and can contribute in the playoffs before we hand him the MVP Award.

Is 5 years of NOT living up to the hype long enough to begin the doubt process? I think so.

Since we now know what Sano is..... K-Sano Sano will eventually have to go K-sera sera! Whatever will be, will be. I don't understand why people think he is going to change just because it is a new season. He is, what he is and he is not going to miraculously change just because the calendar flipped. I'd like to see his bat disappear from the lineup and be replaced with someone who can hit more consistantly. At this point, LaTortuga shows more of an ability to produce than K-Sano.

Sarcasm boys, sarcasm!

To put things in context......... Yes, I know this is an article about the Twins and Yankees but even if the Twins were some how able to miraculously end their playoff drought, over-come the Yankees and make the World Series they'd probably face the defending WS Champs, the Dodgers, who couldn't find room in their rotation for Maeda, who is the Twins "Ace".

Maybe Colome is still playing for the WhiteSox in disguise. Maybe Donaldson knew he was at the end of his career but thought... Hey if the Twins want to give me $92 million I'll take it even though I know I'm not going to play much. Maybe Baldelli isn't as good of a Manager as first believed. His bullpen usage has always been questionable. He doesn't even try to manufacture runs by bunting or using the hit and run, and it doesn't appear he is very good at holding players accountable for lack of hustle. Kirby Puckett must be turning over in his grave for every time a Twins hitter doesn't bust his arse running down to 1st base or watching the guys in the outfield making 1 handed catches on lazy fly balls. Will Sano ever be considered to play 3rd base ever again even in an emergency? It's like years ago when they would move a Starting Pitcher to the bullpen. Once he was moved he was never considered to be Starter worthy ever again.

Arraez is a defensive liability. More so at 3B than at 2B. The other option is Astudillo who'd be even worse, or move Sano back to 3B which might be the better option however I don't know if he'd have made that play either. I agree about the hustle running down to 1st base. Tom Kelly would have had a few choice words for him.

AND........ since they DIDN'T get that timely hit, but STRUCKOUT instead is what ....?? .... until they get the timely hit verses striking out it is...... Pathetic!

17 Strikeouts shows you have a pathetic offense and 4 miss plays in the field show you are not playing good defense. Maeda pitched good enough to win but the starters need to go more than 4 2/3 innings. Why did they give Dobnak a 5 year extension? He hasn't proven he can get anyone out when it matters. Has Donaldson fleeced the Twins for every dime they have him signed for? Good thing they have Friday off so they can get rested for Saturday's game. As a Manager, I'd have them taking double or triple batting and fielding practice after todays showing. It was embarrassing!

How did Sano Look good> He struck out 3 times... Is it because he didn't strike out every time?

He plays the bench very well. I suspect he made the team because he has shown he can hit. Not so much for his fielding. Now if he would just learn to take some pitches and walk once in a while he'd be even better. I'd love to see Rooker, Kirilloff, Larnach take his spot on the roster but again how much playing time is he actually going to get with Arraez and Cave in the mix in LF, Donaldson and Arraez in the mix at 3B, and Garver and Jeffers holding the mask behind the plate. He can't/won't play anywhere else....

With the addition of Simmons to the lineup major changes need to be made. Kepler is the big one. Batting him 4th IMO is not the place. With Arraez or Polanco leading off I'd like to see Simmons bat 2nd. Against lefties, bat Cruz 3rd, Donaldson 4th, Garver 5th, Kepler 6th, Sano 7th, Buck and Kirolloff 8 and 9. Against righties, switch Garver and Kepler and switch Buck and Kirolloff.

The Bomba Squad wants to know....... What is a Bunt?

With Broxton and Celestino having a good spring it would appear centerfield isn't as bare as we thought. Hopefully Lin can continue also. It looks like we won't miss Marwin or Adrianza. Not that I thought we ever would! They were two guys that were easily replaceable.

I think lost in all the speculation is that the Reds want a top shortstop. Offering them anything else is like offering an orange when they want an apple. Are Polanco or Gordon "top" shortstops? Evidently not when you move one to 2B and the other can't make his way out of the Minors. Keep dreaming!

So Donaldson said that Thad and Derek want the best team out there. Does this mean they learned their lesson when they held Buxton back to gain an extra year of service time with him?

I have always wanted him to be the Twins shortstop of the future. With the value of super utility guys in todays game I think he could be be even more valuable there, Having someone that can play SS, 3B, 2B, and CF would be huge. I hope we see him everyday by the end of 2021 and for 15 years after that!

The time has come for Buxton, Sano and Berrios to become the studs we have been told they would be. One has to stay on the field for an entire season, one has to quit walking back to the dugout with his tail between his legs after another K and the other has to become a consistantly good pitcher everytime he takes the mound. If those 3 things happen this 2021 team has the chance to be very very good.

I like the addition of Simmons for defensive purposes but wasn't the lack of offense the reason for playoff futility? Especially last year? Offensively they are replacing Rosario with Kirilloff. The verdict is still out on that move. If Polanco is sliding over to 2B then theoretically they are replacing Arraez with Simmons and Marwin with Arraez. Doesn't seem like much of an upgrade offensively. They did nothing to improve backup positions at CF or 3B. Yes Arraez is better offensively than Marwin if he has to play for Donaldson at 3B for an extended period of time but defensively they go backwards if that happens. They still only have one person for CF and he only plays partial seasons. Cave and Kepler are not who we want to see there for long stints. Maybe Celestino or Lewis can be called upon but there again you have unproven commodities. Pitching, can we expect Maeda to have a full season performance like he had in 2020. I doubt it. Berrios continues to be hit or miss. Big Mike will be Big Mike, you kind of know what you are going to get with him, a solid #3 starter. Is Happ going to be better than a healthy Odo? Probably not. And Dobnak at #5 is a hope and a prayer. The bullpen with the addition of Colome replacing May isn't an upgrade. I'd call it a wash. Adding Robles, Anderson, and Gibaut and relying on Smeltzer, Thorpe, Stashak, are hardly worth getting excited over. I'd give the FO a C- for their off-season moves.

I'd be interested in Rodriguez but not Kuhl. Twins already have Smeltzer, Thorpe, and Dobnak that are pretty much just like him. Cave and Thorpe for Rodriguez works for me. I'd keep Rooker to replace Cave on the bench.

Sign Paxton and push Dobnak to long reliever. Maeda, Berrios, Pineda, Happ and Paxton would be great!

3 Fastballs above his head everytime and he'll be walking back to the dugout. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Never been a Marwin guy. Over-rated and there are a lot of options out there of guys that can hit .211 and have an OBP of .286. He's dead weight in the lineup and too expensive to only use as a defensive replacement. Tired of reading about him, move on please.

Typical Twins move. Add Depth. Trying to catch Lightning in a Bottle. Hope and a Prayer.