killebrewlover

Prediction... Yanks will take at least two of the next three games with the Twins. It's obvious these two teams are light years apart in terms of their abilities and talent. This three game series will amplify that fact. But at least the Twins are in a better spot than last year (or so it would appear).

If the Twinkies can get through this injury/COVID laden period and maintain their lead in the Central (5 or more games ahead of 2nd place), then I give them high marks for their grit and determination! Go Twins!!!

Loosing two of three to the last place team in our division?! Truly pathetic. This team has a tough road ahead...

"Any team that makes the playoffs can win no matter the roster." No "any" team can't. That's my point exactly. You don't build a team to make the playoffs. You build a team to win the WS. Period. Apparently you focused on the last statement in my post, which in fact was a little tongue-in-cheek. But it is reinforced by the way the Twins have played against the Astros this year and against the Yankees in years past. My main point was that they'll have to pickup a more reliable SP to replace what they have as a number 4 or 5 before the season ends. And after last couple games, it's clear their BP might need some changes as well, i.e., Duffy/Cano.

Interesting observations, and I agree that the Twins have done some creative things to cobble together what appears to be a competitive roster this year. Time will tell... There are some players that I'm concerned about, and some choices I don't quite understand (yet). For instance, why is Royce Lewis back in the minors after hitting .308 for the Twins while Jose Miranda is still "playing out the experiment at first base" while hitting .143 ??? Also, the pitching is doing better this year. Particularly their starters. But it's a long season, and I am fairly certain that they will have to find/acquire another solid starter before the season is over. I don't think Josh Winder is a long term option as a go-to starter. And it's still too early to say that the guys they have in place can sustain through the season. And then again... can they ever really beat the Yankees and the Astros... in a five/seven game series? (looking too far ahead ? ???)

Was that baseball score or a football score?! Holy crap was that a pitching fiasco...

What's the saying? "Hope springs eternal." I admire your loyalty. I wish I had the same "hope". I don't. They have zero chance of making the playoffs. And more like 71 (not 81) games is the likely target for them at this point. Cheers.

I agree that timing will be part of the equation for change. But the contenders (unlike the Twins) will be very anxious to scope up needed players at needed positions as we near the trade deadlines. That would be the optimal time to think about what direction this team can/will take, and who we're willing to (should?) let go (or acquire?). Yes, money is king. But, like I said, the way we're going right now, it's hard to believe we'll stand pat on the current line up and not make some major changes.

Like a well baked ham, this season is over. It's time to start thinking about the future of this ball team. Starting with the front office on down, some difficult decisions will have to be made. There's time enough to make some positional trades before the season is over. Time enough to shed some dead weight and heavy salaries. In terms of the talent gap, I'd start with the pitching. Bullpen in particular. Sure a couple of our starters have struggled at times. And the offensive numbers are down from last year. But it's our bullpen that has let the team down this season in a major way. I won't name names. The unpredictable nature of baseball is, well... predictable. Perhaps some bad luck is involved. But it's clear the way things are, is not the way things should be. So let's go ownership. Get crack'n and get us ready for next season. You've got a solid 10 months to prepare!

Hey, whether you're a Twins fan or not, it's great to see an uncommon face on top of the division for once! Go Twins!

Sure. If you're betting at Vegas, statistical averages matter in how you decide to put your money down. The Twins have had a rough patch in July and the talent they played had a lot to do with it. But there are factors beyond statistics. I agree to some extent with USAFChief when he says "HOW you play is a much bigger factor..." [than WHO you play]. It goes back to my original point. It's not WHO the twins bullpen is pitching to. It's HOW they're pitching to them. The "full count" comment made is a valid one. But I believe it comes down to the fact that the Twins bullpen just isn't good enough to win over the long haul (certainly an entire season). In a long year of baseball, IMHO pitching, not offense, becomes the most important factor in increasing your odds of late season runs and success. The Twins don't have it. Not really. Fun to watch them score lots of runs? Hit lots of dingers? Of course. But by the end of the season, their pitching will likely put them in a fight for their wild-card lives!

So if anyone's been watching the Twins since the all star break, one thing is becoming brutally clear. They are on borrowed time when it comes to leading, and having any chance of ultimately winning, the division. Their recent losses to Oakland and the New York Yankees have exposed a major flaw in their chemistry that has been brewing since the season began. The bullpen. It was blatantly illustrated in the game last night against the Yanks when, despite building an early 6 run lead in the fourth, and then scoring 2 in the eighth to retake the lead they had lost in the top of the inning, they were unable to close out the game, eventually giving up another 2 runs in the 10th. There's no denying that the Twins are on a record setting pace for home runs, and several other offensive categories for that matter. The Twins can score a lot of runs on any given night. That's a fact! The problem is, they HAVE to as an essential part of their "sole-chance-of-winning" recipe. The reason? The bullpen can't be trusted to hold a lead, and certainly not against a team like the Yankees (and there are others!). How many games do we have to see May, Parker, Rogers, and so on, struggle to get that final out or two, or three, to end an inning, only to given up a series of hits that spell doom for the Twinkies. Add to this the fact that the Twins have played in a lot of extra inning behemoths this year. This exacerbates an already season weary set of arms and psyches. So as the season progresses, unless we see major pitching acquisitions/trades before the deadline, or a little (a lot of) help from their opponents, I'm fairly certain the division championship is gonzo. Hello Cleveland, who by the way is in much better pitching shape than the Twins. It pains me to see it this way, but I believe my vision is 20/20 on this point. So Twins bullpen, please, please, prove me wrong!