Riverbrian

A friend of mine has a gambling problem. He stopped going to the casino for two weeks and he noticed that his bank account was in better shape. So... he did the obvious thing with the extra money... he went back to the casino. I think Rocco noticed. I also don't think it matters.

That 2003 tigers... the worst team of the modern era. Still won around 3 out of every 10 games. The real bad bad teams win 1 and lose 2 every 3 games on average. Just your normal run of the mill bad team wins 4 out of 10. The really good teams win 6 out of 10... They lose 4 out of 10. The Oakland A's were a real real bad team last year. They won 50 games. How can you dismiss any team that wins 50 games a year? How can you diminish any victory against a team that wins 1 out of 3. How can you paint any team as unbeatable that loses 60 games a year. The Rockies were 41 games behind the Dodgers... That's a lot for sure... but now do the math on 41 games back over a 162 games to get a glimpse of the margins. The Twins were 29-23 last year against the weak sisters of the AL Central. They were 20-12 against the AL West. They were 10-16 against the AL East despite a 4-3 winning record against the Yankees. They were 25-21 against the National League. The Twins were 5-2 against the World Series champions and 5-8 against the Tigers. They were 4-2 against the Astros that knocked us out of the playoff which wasn't as good as the Royals who beat the Astros 5 games to 1 last year. I don't care who they are playing... they better strap it on. A win is always an accomplishment.

I love it when things time out perfectly like that.

CASTRO!!!

How do you think someone named Dastardly was able to date her?

I'm shocked anyone is shocked by this lineup. Garrett Crochet is left handed. The players not in the lineup are left handed hitters. Rocco does this consistently. He's doing what he always does. Garrett Crochet currently has .500 OPS difference between lefties and righties.

Carte Blanche can't be stolen!!! She always says "whatever you want".

I'm not looking to blame anyone. I'll criticize but not blame. But If we must blame. It's Ownership and that's the end of the list. The players answer to the coaching staff The Coaching Staff answers to the Front Office The front office answers to the owners. It's always the people who hire the people.

I don't historical precedents are necessary but major league average should let him keep his major league job. If Larnach doesn't tank... I believe Wallner will have to wait until an injury to try again. Even if the club believes Wallner is better than Larnach (They Might) it doesn't have to be an either or situation. There is room for both on the club next year. Meaning... even if the club believes Wallner is better than Larnach (They Might) it doesn't mean that they have to just throw Larnach away. Is Kepler coming back next year? The situation is much more pressing for Larnach because if he goes back down to the minors this year. He is out of options and next year the minors are no longer an option. Wallner still has another option. This is a big year for Larnach and it may be his last chance.

Yep you gotta play them all and the ball is still going to do random things at random times and when you play them... is going to be a consideration because hot streaks and cold streaks stop and start on a dime. 3 and 20 doesn't necessarily mean that they won't go 10 and 6 over the next 16. I don't expect the White Sox to play at .130 clip all year that would be incredible. The worst record of all time is around a .300 clip. A great team still loses 4 out of 10 and most teams are going to crowd around the middle with a .500 winning percentage. The margins are thin. The White Sox will beat a 100 win team at some point this season. The National just took a series from the Dodgers at Dodger stadium. With the margins that thin over a 162 game schedule. It really doesn't make much sense to look at the weak sisters expect an easy pushover. Gotta strap it on every day and compete.

All solid considerations. Personally I'd rather not lose the DH if you don't have to lose it because extras can stretch out and bring that spot in the order around and we were burning bench. He had a few ways to play that hand. These decisions are made in real time and there are times when I would have made a different decision with more time to consider everything so I'm not attempting to be overly critical. Just having fun thinking about what could have been done. There were options. With that... Here's what I would have done after thinking about all the possibilities. 1. After the Buxton homer... the worst outcome of the inning was we were going to play a 10th. After Castro was retired with one out and nobody on and the bottom or the order (that hasn't been hitting) due up. I would have been thinking about the 10th inning and thinking about Martin pinch running to start the 10th because the last out of the inning was going to be made by either Farmer or Vazquez and you'll want a pinch runner for those guys. I'm not prioritizing the 10th over the 9th as much as saving bullets for the 10th because hanging a zero on offense in the 10th is not a good thing and again the worst outcome in the 9th is that we go to the 10th. The runner on 2nd base to start the inning in extras increases the pressure by quite a bit so it's OK to think about the 10th in that situation. 2. Once Santana draws the walk with one out... the odds of scoring increase dramatically. Now I am pinch running Martin and I am pinch hitting Jeffers. I still have Margot to pinch run in the 10th if needed. The choice is do you pinch hit Jeffers for Farmer or Vazquez. Vazquez is a clean defensive switch. So... I probably leave Farmer in to hit so I don't have to turn the world upside down defensively in the 10th. I may attempt a hit and run with Farmer to stay out of the double play and at least advance the runner in the case of an out. 3. Of course... Rocco pinch hit Jeffers for Farmer... So once Farmer is pinch hit for and Santana is left to run and Jeffers hits a chip shot double. Creating 2nd and 3rd with one out. I leave Santana running at 3B and I go to contact at the plate. Martin is the guy I'm sending to the plate to pinch hit for Vazquez because he has our best strike out percentage and I have Jeffers in the game to cover the catcher spot. Rocco's move worked out... we won. What I would have done doesn't matter. 😉

I'm not sure... good question... let's try and figure it out. Conviction has multiple uses in the language. We will have to consider all of the ways the word is used in the English language. a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed Typical usage suggests a higher probability of this being a recent court decision but yet doesn't rule out the teams Kangaroo Court handing down a ruling of sorts. So... he may have parked in a handicap zone and lost in traffic court or less likely he wore orange shoes with a blue suit entering the stadium today and the team levied a fine and he carried these burdens with him to the mound. an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence He either stepped on the mound all wishy-washy which could explain the orange shoes because he just was to apathetic to care or he stepped on the mound convinced that the orange shoes he wore to the stadium was all that was needed to beat the White Sox. It's certainly open to debate but when you break it down and consider all possible angles. I think Rocco is saying that he is a terrible dresser.

I find it interesting that our 5th starter in the rotation Paddack can throw a shut out followed by #1 starter Pablo Lopez struggling so we go to the bullpen early and have to rally from a 3 run deficit. The thing that is interesting about that is that their numbers don't suggest these outcomes. Lopez should have shut out the White Sox. If we need to rally from 3 runs down in the final two innings... that should have occurred on Paddack's watch. We watch the opposite happen because this sort of thing happens all the time in baseball and yet we don't take notes because we still post like beating the White Sox is no accomplishment. Like we better beat the White Sox. A win is a win... there are major league players competing against us at all times... can we please not diminish our victories. We haven't had enough of them to have people ruining the few we have with their spit. 😁

I was a little confused as it happened. The only thing I can think of is that he was doing some preparation for the 10th. Keeping Santana's defense and Martin to replace a slower ghost runner. Once Santana reach third with less that two outs making them a fly ball or well placed groundball from not needing a 10th. He then pinch ran Martin taking Santana out. Which leads to the next question. Letting Vazquez hit.? Jeffers has already entered the game when he pinch hit for Farmer. Jeffers could remain in the game at catcher. Martin has the best strikeout percentage on the team. Could have left Santana at third and put your best contact dude at the plate when contact was needed and a strikeout is the absolute worst thing. Ok... he uses Martin to pinch run... justifiable... baseball is a game of inches. Then his choice is Vazquez or Miranda. Margot is not an option because he is going to need a 3B and 1B to play defense with Farmer and Santana out of the game and Margot shouldn't pinch hit against right handers period. He chose Vazquez over Miranda pinch hitting. I'm not complaining just pointing out what his choices were. Once Vazquez strikes out... If Kirilloff doesn't come through. The 10th... with Farmer and Santana out of the game. Martin would have to play 3B. Miranda would have to enter as the 1B unless Rocco's elects to let Vazquez of Jeffers play 1B. Not complaining... just pointing out that the hand he was dealt in the ninth could have been played multiple ways.

Cuz he knew Kirilloff would just win it anyway. Nice Job

The 3M's were available to pinch hit for Vazquez. Martin, Miranda and Margot. Stayed with Vazquez. Just needed contact to win.

My pitching wedge looks like that Jeffers hit. When I'm aiming for RF... my pitching wedge looks like that.

Martin not pinch running?

Wallner's Job is Larnach's to lose now.

Julien, Kirilloff and Wallner didn't start against left handers last year and opening day against a left hander... same thing... Julien, Kirilloff and Wallner were out of the lineup. It was intended to be more of the same but then... of course... injuries got in the way. Injuries has forced Rocco to let Julien hit left handers but it took a third injury for Rocco to finally cry uncle and turn to Julien and say... well I didn't trust you before but I have to trust you know. Kirilloff and Wallner Larnach still won't start against lefties because he still has the right handed cover by the hair of his chinny chin chin. I will bet with anyone willing to take the bet... that if everyone got healthy bringing the band back together... Julien would go right back into his platoon role and on the bench against lefties. It's really easy to see how the roster set up in the offseason. Lewis, Correa, Buxton, Kepler and Santana are the 5 primarily every day players. Julien/Farmer Kirilloff/Margot Wallner/Castro are 6 platoon players. and two catchers of course for a total of 13 Jorgenswest is right on the money. The front office purposely set up this roster to strictly platoon as much as the roster will allow. Using 6 for this purpose leaves 5 players with every day jobs. Santana is one of those guys. It's really really easy to see. Rocco doesn't leave the script until injuries forced him to and now we are scrambling big time.

We would lose the DH spot if Kirilloff moves to defensive position. It'll take dynamite to get Santana out of the game. Rocco will be focused on those vulnerable left handed hitters when the pinch hitting happens.

Two of them... Tim Hill who threw 12 pitches last night and Tanner Banks who threw back to back 2on Saturday and Sunday. 26 and 27 pitches.

You and I know already know the answer to the what now. He will remain a Minnesota Twin until at least the trade deadline. He will not only remain in uniform... he will play on a fairly regular basis. If the Twins are out of contention in July... IF... If he has a somewhat decent year someone in contention might provide a low level prospect for him. If he doesn't have a decent year... nobody will want him on the roster of a contending team and he will stay. If we are in contention... he is probably having a decent enough year and he will not be traded at the deadline. The only way the Twins release him is if gets hurt and his replacement knocks the cover off the ball while the cover is still on his ball. If he doesn't get hurt... his replacement will not arrive to knock the cover off the ball and therefore he stays and whatever he produces... will be what he produces. I wish him well... I'm not going to make a definitive statement based on a slow start. But... my worry of not moving on if he continues to struggle remains and nothing the Twins have done in the past suggest I shouldn't be worried about that.

So Santana is just another brick in the wall for you. You got your classic rock mixed up. You could tell Pink Floyd Pohlad that he needs to change his "Evil Ways... before you stop loving him".

Thanks for the information. When did that happen? Was Polanco traded or something? It's really hard for me to keep up. Thank You