Boswell

According to Wikipedia, Team Israel 🇮🇱 had an unexpectedly powerful performance at the 2017 WBC. They received an automatic spot for 2021, delayed to 2023….. Prior to the start of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, ESPN considered Team Israel, ranked 41st in the world, to be the biggest underdog in the tournament, referring to it as the "Jamaican bobsled team of the WBC". Israel's odds to win the WBC were 200-1, before the tournament began. As the team began to win games at the WBC, its performance was described variously as a Cinderella story, a "David and Goliath" tale, and a baseball version of The Mouse That Roared . Israel beat all three opposing teams in the first round to finish atop the pool, defeating South Korea (ranked # 3 in the world), Chinese Taipei (ranked # 4 in the world; Israel's 15 runs were the most Taiwan had ever given up in a game in World Baseball Classic play), and the Netherlands (ranked # 9 in the world). Israel became the first baseball team to go undefeated in the first round of the WBC’s main draw after entering the main draw by winning in a qualifying round. Team Israel's catcher, Ryan Lavarnway, was named Pool A MVP. Team Israel qualified for the second round; Pool E in Tokyo, Japan, to be played later in March 2017. Furthermore, the team qualified for the 2021 World Baseball Classic. In the first game of the 2017 World Baseball Classic second round, Israel beat Cuba (ranked # 5 in the world). In a rematch of their Pool A game in which Israel prevailed, the Netherlands defeated Israel, giving the team its first loss of the tournament, and then world # 1 Japan beat Israel. Israel finished in third place in Pool E with a 1-2 record, and 4-2 (and sixth) overall in the tournament. Pitcher Josh Zeid was named to the 2017 All-World Baseball Classic team.

My response to “Correamas” continues to be: No Jucy Lucys for you! On the other hand, Twins Daily readers could reach out to Matt’s Bar and see if $1000 would cover a lifetime supply of those tasty burgers for Mr. Correa in the event of a 2023 contract. I’ll pony up $100 if anyone else would like to match me! Great cross-branding opportunity to get our guy a “Platinum Card” at a real Minnesota institution. Who needs Dior, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and whatnot anyway?

Dakota Jazz Club, downtown Minneapolis. Extended residency canceled after booking agent realizes Carlos has no relation to Chick Corea. Also no talent or experience.

Thanks for bringing my hopes for Maeda closer to reality. I do think he has the mentality and desire to be an every-fifth-day starter. It remains open whether he will be a “Tommy John success story” or not. I am hopeful that the extra rest in September will be promising for 2023. Maeda had 7 seasons in his home country with 26 to 31 starts, and 175 to 216 innings Then 4 seasons with the Dodgers with 20 to 32 starts We have had him for 11 starts in 2020 and 22 starts in 2021 Yes, his most recent line is 6-5, 4.66 ERA and 106.1 IP (for the 22 starts) So, a more reasonable “step up” would be 10-3, 4.00 ERA and 130 IP on 25 starts. In any case, he’s a veteran entering his 14th season as a starter. Would you prefer to look to Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle or Joe Ryan as the starter to “step up”? Or do Falvey and Levine need to trade for Pablo Lopez or another top notch pitcher?

1. Buxton needs to step up and hit 40 HR with 100 RBI plus 100 games in CF. We’ve finally cut bait with Sano, but the Buxton/Sano era is not finished. 2. Maeda needs to step up and start 25 G with 160 IP and an ERA below 3.30. The Twins gave up a sweet reliever in Graterol. Kenta had Cy Young type results in 2020, our last playoff season. 3, Polanco needs to be a leader at the top of the lineup. Keep the line moving, work the pitch counts. 4. Falvey and Levine need to step up and make two or three good trades. We need more pitching and right-handed hitting. Farmer, Vasquez and Gallo “could” be a good start, or just another group of underwhelming additions. 5. Rocco and the coaching staff need to step up or step aside. The new health and conditioning guy from Oakland had better be the real deal. Not sure about the capabilities of Pete Maki. 6. Joe Pohlad (or is it Zachary?) needs to step up and put the payroll above $100 million. Any team that pays out less than the “Cohen Luxury Tax Line” needs to ridiculed and required to sell all tickets and concessions at a steep discount. 7. Only veterans who have been with the Twins for at least three years are eligible to be called to “step up”. They are the ones who have received opportunity and investment from the club and the fanbase - let’s see some dividends!

On the fifth day of Correamas… https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/giants/mlb-rumors-carlos-correa-not-interested-mets-contract-restructure?amp yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and C4 may come back to us on a high AAV, low year, opt out contract. Take him off the market and pray we somehow rocket to top ten in terms of health! Anyone care to calculate what percentage of Twins payroll or expected WAR was lost to injured reserve in 2022? Any sense of comparison to other teams?

Huh. $11 million that could have gone to Bassitt, Walker, Syndergaard or Eovaldi? Sure, add to a position that is already jam packed, forget about the pitching.

Cory Provus gave us the quote for the season after Pagan chunked the save to close the Cleveland series in July - “I’m going to puke”. Those were the games that left us nauseous throughout the summer and now leave us with dry heaves. Wes Johnson left shortly thereafter for the green fields of LSU. Whether he knew that the end was near or whether he just didn’t give a crap about his pitching staff and team anymore, I remain suspicious about the circumstances and would like to hear “the rest of the story”. I loved it when Rocco pulled the Dapper Dan card on Karinchak, but I just can’t deal with his low-key (or batshit crazy) demeanor for another season. I do think Correa has unfinished business here and should stay to “build a championship culture” with Buxton, Arraez and Maeda next year under a new manager, group of coaches and set of trainers. Sad to say, it won’t happen. Minnesota fans are stoic, loyal and frugal, happy to show up for the Target Field Experience regardless of the mediocre product on the diamond. We will continue to foot the bill for the plaything of the Pohlads. Excuse me while I empty the contents of my stomach.

For those of us who appreciate the German language, good to have Knoblauch at the top of the batting order once again. I’ll take whatever good fortune is available 31 years later…

“The Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians just wrapped up a stretch of eight games against one another with no ground being gained on either side.” Very nice overview of the division, Ted. A few notes for clarity. Due to the Red Sox 3-game sweep of the Guardians, and our 2-1 series against the Rockies, the two teams atop the AL Central stayed even for the eleven game/ten day stretch as a whole. As to the eight games themselves, the Twins slipped 2 games behind Cleveland by turning in a pathetic 3-5 record. Ordinarily, that’s fine - but good teams do not find such miserable ways to lose. Cory Provus provided a memorable call on Thursday with “I’m going to puke”!!!??? Thanks to Joe Ryan, Luis Arraez and Byron Buxton, I can now relax a bit and set aside my plans for T-shirts emblazoned as “#PukeWithProvus Summer Swoon 2022”. Nate Silver’s group has the Twins at 44% to win the downtrodden AL Central, CHW and CLE at 28% each. I’m looking forward to seeing how the White Sox will beat themselves over the seven games we will have with them by July 17. Our lineup will put the ball in play and the hijinx will follow. One of these three teams will be awarded a division trophy and a #3 seed in the AL playoffs. Might as well be us! ?

Six words are enough to write.

Steven Matz is now off the board. We better get to work with signing Pineda and trading for at least two starters. Stick with quality and not quantity, please.

“Prohibitive favorites”? Looks to me like even-odds. White Sox may have a slight edge on paper, but they need to put it together on the field to dethrone the Two Time Defending Champions. They will also have some growing pains with LaRussa’s leadership, while our players know what to expect with Rocco.

I’ll just be happy if he’s better than the last reliever we got from the Giants! I wondered if we’d actually hold a grudge for the next few years...

If the Twins leadership would like to see the return of Cruz, they need to demonstrate that they intend to win the World Series this year. A player of his age and stature knows its all about championships. Make the trade for Castillo or Hader, stop talking about the AL Central title, and start focusing on the #1 seed for the playoffs. Show Nelson (and all of us) that the Twins are going to be ready for October.

Who is listening to Simba on the field in the picture? Looks like Rocco in an Angels’ uniform!

Very smart move by Cleveland. They just replaced Lindor’s offensive contribution. With Francona’s firm direction and a change of scenery, Eddie’s bat could really, really pop. 2-3 game-winning HR’s against us each year!

It looks to me that the Dodgers or Braves will step in at 1 yr, $20 million once the universal DH is approved as part of the 2021 terms. The backroom negotiations are in full swing while we wait for the billionaires and millionaires- might as well smoke a fine Cuban or Dominican if you got ‘em!

Great article. I admit I was on the Bumgarner trainwreck... as well as the Kimbrel car crash. How does KKKKKKKenta compare to Ryu? Might see a matchup in Game One of the playoffs.

And now we have this gem about their relief ace: https://www.nj.com/yankees/2020/09/did-yankees-aroldis-chapman-crap-his-pants-on-mound-mother-nature-calls-sometimes.html Talk about a crappy season! Part of me wants to take them out in the first round, part of me doesn’t want the prospect of another round of wallowing in Wankee dung.

As a veteran “Ed-head”, I’m looking forward to seeing what ED-DEE will do in the playoffs. This column may or may not age well!