Riverbrian

438 different players across MLB have had at least 100 AB's so far this year. .712 is the league average OPS. From Xavier Edwards at .812 to Mitch Garver at .612 -- 302 of those 438 players currently have an OPS .100 points + or - of the league average. From Garrett Mitchell at .762 to Kyle Manzardo at .662 - 176 of those 438 players currently have an OPS .050 points + or - of the league average. There is a lot of average play on rosters. Slumps are what bring players down to average and Hot streaks bring players up to average. Creating a big big pile in the middle. Hot and Cold streaks stop and start on a dime. Timing is everything. The players you mention are getting a little too prolonged though. Royce is not playing at a superstar level but I think he is a superstar talent and I think there is only a handful of superstars so you got to ride this one out and hope that he corrects himself back to superstar while remaining healthy. Jose Miranda... I think he will get back to swinging the bat well. He goes bad when he starts swinging at everything and he seems to be chasing a bit. Brooks Lee... I like him getting some AB's right now... Getting AB's in 2024 was supposed to happen. Whatever he is right now... he is. I'm not worried about it but also hoping for team health to the point where he doesn't need to be rostered for the playoffs. I'm excited about his future... but was always cautious about his beginning and I am not afraid of youth at all. I think Castro has been over relied upon. I like him... he's a solid member of any roster... I don't want to be negative toward him... he has earned praise... however... we've managed to create a world where he is has become essential and is utilized like he is essential. He is leading the team in AB's by a fairly significant margin... he has regressed to major league average. Alcala... He's got stuff... Bullpen small sample size volatility can be misleading. 18 appearances for a total of 17.2 innings since the all-star break. 13 Earned Runs over that time frame. He hung zeroes in 11 of those 18 appearances. Crooked number in 3 of those appearances for a total of 9 of those 13 runs. The 5 runs against Texas over 0.2 is going to take awhile to overcome for improved statistical optics. He won't have enough time to hang zeroes to make his post all-star break numbers look decent. I still think he can hang a zero when we need him.

Every day is a new day. Whatever happened up from the beginning of the season to September 12th no longer matters. It's a 16 game sprint to the finish line. We currently have 3.5 game head start over the closest competitor behind us. Each win by the Twins and each loss by the Mariners, Tigers and Red Sox is big because it's a sprint now. I'll place extra importance on the Red Sox series but in no way will I diminish the importance of the other 13 games. Buckle Up... This is what I want every single year. I want September to matter and it matters. Hats off to the players, coaches and management for getting us this far. Bring it Home

All 5 places were inside the walls of North Dakota. The other 12 pizza places in North Dakota not included in the list are wondering why.

Feltner vs Skubal... Of course Colorado won. I absolutely love September baseball. In Seattle... Kumar Rocker made his MLB debut. Pulled after 4IP... 74 Pitches. 7 K's... Just a Justin Turner home run for his only blemish. The folks on Rangersdaily are calling for the head of Bruce Bochy for pulling Rocker after 74 pitches. It's debut weekend for the Rangers... Rocker, deGrom and Scherzer is what the Mariners will face in succession. Which is fine... as long as they don't have to face Ryan Feltner. September Baseball... How can you not love it.

Good thread! Thanks for starting this.

I downloaded this news ap on my phone. My intentions were good. I Wanted to be informed if anything major happened. It sends me stuff like "5 best pizza places in North Dakota". I click on it... and it's somebody who listed 5 pizza places in North Dakota. I often wonder what happened to "News" on my newsfeed. It's my fault... I clicked on it.

The Twins trade deadline was disappointing. But... then there is the case of the Tigers. The Twins didn't do anything. The Tigers in regards to 2024 playoff chances was worse than not doing anything. They Sold themselves into contention. The Vets are gone.

When it comes to the trade deadline. I say buyers buy and sellers sell... anything else is standing still. I say it all the time and I will continue to say it in the future because I believe it. Buying at the deadline, hopefully makes you stronger for the playoffs but the main reason you do it, is to supply for the stretch run in order to make the playoffs. You never know what you will need in August and September but you don't want to get get caught short at such a critical time. With that said... There are no guarantees in the sport of baseball. Buying doesn't guarantee success and selling doesn't guarantee tanking. Case in Point - Since August 1. After selling at the trade deadline. The Tigers are 23-14. Just one game behind the Dodgers and D-Back at 24-13 who are tied for best record in MLB since August 1. The Dodgers bought and D-Backs bought - The Tigers Sold. We can also add the Cubs at 23-13 to this mix if we can figure out how to categorize their trade deadline behavior. Which adds another dynamic to this discussion by including the team that did a little bit of both. I have no conclusions but would like to read some thoughts.

Yep Bump Bailey. Roy Hobbs, the greatest baseball player in the world... had to wait for Bump Bailey to actually die before getting playing time opportunity. What chance does Jair Camargo have? One more thought, Couldn't Roy or Bump play LF. Just a little positional flexibility may have saved lives. One more thought... Back in the 30's... they must have made stadium lights out of fireworks. When you strike a bank of lights with a baseball today. Broken Glass falling is all you typically get. The Statcast numbers on that Roy Hobbs home run would have been impressive to reach the light stands while still rising. No matter the exit velocity, launch angle... I'm sure the IBM system that we use to calculate distance today would have said 450 feet.

I can speak from experience. I've tested wall padding multiple times over and over again and I came away injury free every time. Padding works. Through extensive research I can also say without reservation that straightjackets make it real hard to scratch your butt when it itches.

You and I have spoken about your idea of improved wall padding. I honestly think it's an idea that MLB should not only explore but implement. Traditionalists may not like the idea but there is no reason for a brick wall outfield at Wrigley Field. Without a doubt... there are players that exist that will run through a brick wall for their team and fans. However... I've never seen anyone successfully run through a brick wall. Other than the Kool Aid Man.

My Nose Runs Runs win Baseball Games Therefore My Nose wins baseball games.

Throw away the starter label and the bullpen label for the playoffs. In the playoffs... you have 13 pitchers. All hands on deck... utilize as needed. 162 game schedule rules or guidelines do not apply.

It was an enjoyable game to watch yesterday. All of it. Good to see Farmer jump on some pitches. He replaced Lewis in the lineup and did a nice impersonation of what we all want Lewis to be. Farmer has been struggling real hard all year and I've been hard on him as a result. He probably wouldn't be on the roster right now if it was my decision. With that said... I want to point out that he has an OPS of 1.032 the past 30 days. Leads the Team in OPS over the past 30 days. HIs time on the IL seemed to fix some things because he has returned from it looking like a major league player that can help a team win games. I'm not suggesting that injury was the reason for his poor performance or his resurgence because I have no idea if he had any health issues causing him performance issues. Just saying... that he got better when he came of the IL and that is the only clue that I have and that clue means nothing. Credit where credit is due. I have no problem with him getting some increased playing time while he is somewhat locked in. Including against Right Handers. The past is the past. Go with anyone getting the job done.

Time that fancy thing for the playoffs if at all possible. 😉

Starting Pitching health has been good again this year. It's been Two years in a row of above normal health. Knock on Wood that we continue to have comparatively good health on the mound. Or should I say... knock on Woods Richardson that we continue. The Twins have utilized 10 starters this year. Make it 8 really if you take out the two opener starts by Okert and Henriquez. In comparison... the Brewers have utilized 17 different starters to get through the season and they have impressively gotten through the season. The pipeline that has produced SWR, Festa and Matthews is key to the survival of a franchise like the Twins and it's the key to survival for teams like the Brewers. It's Key for the survival of the Dodgers. You can't just pick 5 at the start of the season and survive 162 games. SWR has done a nice job... He has thus far thrown 11 innings more than he threw last year. 3 more starts left for him with 17 games left on the schedule. Projects to maybe 26 to 29 innings over last year. They are supposed to increase work load year after year. Come playoff time... It's all hands on deck. Starters will work out of the pen if necessary. He's got a playoff roster spot at this moment. Let's see how he finishes. I have no reason to doubt him. I will take this opportunity to say this: This is why Buyers Buy at the deadline.

If you are Brad Pitt and you put together a strategy to build a competitive baseball team and Phillip Seymour Hoffman who works under you refuses to implement the strategy. What kind of shelf life would that manager have. This ain't the movies... He'd be gone. On the other hand or foot... What manager would want to work for a baseball front office knowing that he was going to have to swim against the tide in order to be insubordinate? The front office, analysts, manager and coaches have to be heading the same direction. The direction would have to be set by the POBO. Rogue managers will not survive. If I have a problem with Rocco as manager (I don't). But... if I did... I'm not calling for his head... I'm calling for the head of the people who hired him. If Rocco isn't doing what they ask of him... the problem will take care of itself with a new manager who will do what they ask.

Hot and cold streaks stop and start on a dime. Who they are on September 9 has no bearing on who they are on September 30th. Just like who they are on September 9th has no relation with who they were on August 12th. Keep screaming on the rollercoaster folks. This article is an excellent reminder of how baseball works year after year after year after year.

Oops... for some reason my Baseball Ref page defaulted to 2022. The Twins are third in 2024 with a 62.8% platoon advantage. Cleveland is on top with 70.9%. Thought I had some info.

I am not afraid of youth. I'm afraid of Vets on expiring contracts that play poorly and remain. 😉 Here's another fun stat. Tell me what you think of this. With all of the platoon gymnastics that the Twins do. They are ranked 18th with the platoon advantage 52.9% of the time. League Average is 52.7% The D-Backs lead the league in platoon advantage AB's. 71.3% of the time. How do they do that? They have a lot of left handed hitters and switch hitters. Lots of right handed pitchers to do battle with to bring that percentage up. Top OPS in all of Baseball... That would be Arizona with a .771 Most Runs Scored in all of Baseball... That is Arizona with 782 Arizona is still 2nd in OPS vs Left handers with all those footprints in the left handed batters box.

Can someone explain to me what a 26 year Spencer Horwitz is? or What a 26 year old Tyler Fitzgerald is?

Isn't that something. And with the Brewers doubling our output leaves them ranked 17TH!!! The real fun comparison is the Twins 176 and the Red Sox with 763 of those things. When you and I say that the Twins have taken this thing to an extreme level. They have indeed gone Morgan Spurlock on it. I don't think it's healthy.

Exactly this You want a bulletproof team... this is how you become it. You want to be prepared for injuries... this is how you do it. You don't have depth unless you play your depth. If your nine best players are struggling and you keep playing them. Let's not sit here and blame the players not playing. Those players are not the ones who were called up and not utilized. If the manager doesn't believe they can help when you neeeeeeeeeeeeed helppppppppp. GET THEM OFF THE TEAM... they are worthless. And... and... of course... If Helman and Kiersay are not going to be trusted to help when needed and they are neeeeeeded. DO SOMETHING AT THE TRADE DEADLINE so you don't have to rely on the unreliable. Injuries and poor play is not an excuse for not being staffed. How many years does anyone need to go back to confirm a ball park figure on how many players are needed to get through a 162 game schedule. There is one thing that consistently sinks your team. Poor play that you just can't take out of the lineup because the next guy is poorer.

I'm with ya. It seems to be the process none the less. I also want to state that I have a problem with the tip system at restaurants and I can't do anything about it. Every single time I order that Prime Rib at Texas Roadhouse... it costs me 20% more for some reason beyond my control.

That may not matter based on the strictness of the process.