Road trip

Stunning to see Garver and Polanco with positive OPS+ numbers of 110 and 109. The eye test says they have been pretty bad. Yet they rate as above average hitters across MLB in 2021. Scoring is down so badly across the league (except when the Twins bullpen is pitching).

I dunno, I thoroughly enjoyed watching, and I don't normally watch the series religiously if it has two teams I don't care about (which would be this year). However I'm staying home more, just like most people, and I watched most of it as an alternative to more hours of Neflix. Game 4 was as exciting a World Series game as has ever been played, imho. Multiple lead changes, and then the ending was surreal. The Kevin Cash decision in Game 6 was immediately controversial. Even if it had worked out most people would have opposed it. Like you, I'm kind of glad it didn't work out, even though I was sort of, kind of pulling for the Rays. Cash's decision prevented the slim possibility of witnessing another Jack Morris-like performance. I felt a little cheated. The Dodgers were obviously very happy to win. I can't say the immediate celebration looked much different than any other year. They'll be proud of their rings. For some players it will be their only ring. And even if a regular season had been played, I'd pretty confidently say that the Dodgers probably had the best roster in 2020. Is there an asterisk? I suppose so. But sports (and life) are full of asterisks. Enjoy the moment while you can, if you can.

Darvish had an extraordinarily bad year in 2018, but otherwise he's been mostly quite good. A career ERA+ of 125 is not easily replicated. Maeda was among the top 3-5 starting pitchers in the AL this year. He'll get Cy Young votes, and would be a contender in many years but of course this year Bieber was otherworldly. You are tough to satisfy I guess. None of the above are Hall of Famers, but every GM would be happy with the outcome if they signed an international prospect like Yamamoto and he then performed with Tanaka/Maeda/Darvish-like results.

Quite a few more success stories than Nomo and Dice-K. Maeda, Darvish, and Tanaka got to MLB relatively young and have done very well. Iwakuma, Saito, and Uehara had nice careers as well, but didn't get to MLB until they were in their 30s so their careers were relatively short here.

I think it starts with retooling the coaching staff. A new hitting coach is a must. I'd love to get Rowson back but that probably won't/can't happen. In terms of the roster, I don't think anyone has mentioned yet that Garver may be redundant at this point. It seems that Jeffers is already better defensively, he's significantly younger, and it appears that his bat will be solid. Multiple teams will be looking for a catcher and Garver has a cheap contract and is one year removed from an outstanding season. Somebody might overpay for Garver now. Most catchers age badly, and he will be 30 next year. Wait another year (if he has a bad one) and Garver may have no trade value left. I've always loved Garver and wished he had played more when he was younger. But it isn't personal...it's business.

Actually, I believe the Twins have to stay *behind* Oakland. The Astros will almost certainly slot in as the 6 seed (worst record among 2nd place finishers). The #3 seed (worst record among division winners) will play the 6-seeded Astros. If the season ended today (pasted from ESPN): AMERICAN LEAGUE No. 1 Rays* vs. No. 8 Blue Jays No. 2 Athletics* vs. No. 7 Indians* No. 3 Twins* vs. No. 6 Astros No. 4 White Sox* vs. No. 5 Yankees*

It is also entirely possible that the Twins could draw the Astros if they win the division. It would all depend on whether they end up as the 2 seed or 3 seed. They are ever so slightly behind Oakland for the 2 spot at the moment.

I hate LOVE Jose Ramirez...for one day, anyway.

Dobnak sent down? Seriously? I know he has had a couple of rough starts in a row, but this is a surprise to me. Fifteen days ago he was considered our 2nd most reliable starter.

Oh, sure, I'll play. Joe "Emory Board" Niekro Doug Mientkwzrzchzwskch (I refuse to look up the proper spelling, but everyone knows who I mean and remembers his glove work) Jose Morales, pinch-hitter extraordinaire. Chip Hale, pinch-hitter extraordinaire, part 2. Butch Wynegar Mike Cubbage Shannon Stewart...saved a season...what a great trade that turned out to be. Bobby Kielty Don Baylor Christian Guzman. Never became as good as we hoped he would be, but boy it was fun to watch him run when he hit one into the gap.

So, its been a few years since I went to a Spring Training game. I'll be in the area again this year. Looks like tickets have gotten more scarce, as I was looking at the game vs St Louis on March 9 and there is nothing left online (Twins site) except standing room or outfield grass. Back in the day, I used to just get tickets from people hawking them outside the stadium, usually for not much over list price, or even less. Do people still sell them this way or have the Stubhubs of the world destroyed the "scalper-ish" on site availability market?

Yup. In addition to Schott, McCourt was forced out in 2012 and Steinbrenner was banned from the league for several years in the 1990s. Plenty of precedent.

Ahem...the '91 Twins set the bar rather high. They added the following: Jack Morris Chili Davis Mike Pagliarulo Steve Bedrosian Carl Willis We all know how that turned out.

"His original contract gave him the right to wear #18. That’s currently worn by Silver Slugger catcher Mitch Garver." Garver has worn three different numbers in three seasons with the Twins (43, 23, and 18). Gave up 43 for Addison Reed in 2018. Gave up 23 for Nelson Cruz last year. So {shrugs}, it seems like Garver may not care much what number he wears.

I agree he is a likely candidate to fall off a cliff. Take a look at his "similar batters through age 30" on Baseball Reference. Nine of the ten stopped hitting by age 32 (The exception being Posada). Catchers as a rule age very badly, even many of the great ones.