Riverbrian

I didn't check for that because I'm trying to deny reality. I miss the days of plowing the catcher.

Sure I see how you are. Going after the neutral ladies.

Agreed... I'd coach my infielders to aim lower because the hop is better than sailing it. That play was on Vazquez... however... it still wasn't a great throw.

Looking at Buxton with the face mask in 36 degrees and I think of all the Winters that I have spent in Northwestern Minnesota and Northeastern North Dakota. I've seen -30 below air temperature. I've seen 40 mph winds in January. I've done maybe 55 winters in these conditions. I shovel, blow snow, I used to play outdoor hockey, tackle football with my friends in the snow every Saturday. I built snowmen, dug tunnels, I've jumped cars that won't start... I've driven in blizzard conditions where you have to hang your face out of the window just to see the centerline. I can honestly say... that the only time I have ever worn a face mask was while snowmobiling. Well... OK... there were couple of times during a bank robbery but other than that. 36 ain't face mask weather.

It was a poor throw but clearly a ball that Vasquez should have handled. Runner on 2nd... Julien made a nice effort to get to a ball to his left... sliding to keep the ball in the infield. The Runner tried to surprise him by going for home anyway. Julien threw home and the ball was online but landed well short of the plate which gave Vazquez a very long hop to field it and Vazquez didn't read it and the runner scored. If Vazquez makes the catch... he has time to lower his face mask... take a swig of hot chocolate and then make the tag. No it wasn't a great throw... but Vazquez knows he should have caught it.

Not that long... I listen to them 1,000 at a time.

They all got rest on Thursday. Miranda is one of the few guys putting an actual barrel on the baseball this year. Martin? He has been at least chippy. Somewhat competitive. I guess when the chips are down it's the vets who have played a few hands. Let's see if Doyle Brunson can bluff his way to the final table.

Who knows... could be that he's trying to draw out the left handed reliever. It will... We know when Chafin is entering the game. It won't be to face Vazquez and Farmer at the bottom of the order. Sorry to ruin the surprise for everyone. I should have typed spoiler alert.

The best part of that song is when the singer can no longer fit the entire phone number into that typical pop/rock title line repetition at the end as it fades out. He's just singing out 5 3 0 9 at the end... 5 3 0 9... 5 3 0 9. Just so they can follow the Pop/Rock Fade out formula like it's the end of Hey Jude!!! I know some will not get the humor in it... But, I've listened to 100 million songs over my life time and every time I hear that song... I wait for the end... Just for that part.

I normally don't care up the lineup order. But I can't help wonder why he stacks the left handers. He's just inviting a left hander reliever to enter the game at the top of the order to face 4 batters and then bring in the right hander. Detroit has three lefties in the Pen BTW. For someone who is as consistently left/right split locked in... I can't understand why he does that. If he batted Julien 1, Kirilloff 4 and Larnach 7. He's going to force that lefty to face two righties and at least 4 batters just to take on 2 left handers. I don't get it. 1. Julien L 2. Jeffers R 3. Buxton R 4. Kirilloff L 5. Santana S 6. Farmer R 7. Larnach L 8. Vazquez R 9. Castro S Easy They never call me!!!

Grichuk currently occupies that roster spot.

You may be right. Your response is also an answer to these questions: Craig's car wouldn't start this morning. What should he take to get to work? What does Craig use to humor us?

I've always had a soft spot for Milwaukee. So if I had a 2nd team... they would be it. I don't have a 2nd team so they are not it. As far as entertaining teams to watch at this moment Reds would be at the top of the list

Thinking about it. Other than the rest required for his body. What would stop a team from letting a guy with MLB talent in both arms occupy two spots in a 5 man rotation?

Buyers buy and Sellers Sell. Anything else is standing still. The Twins were 43-61 at the time of the trade. They received the 2nd and 4th ranked prospects in the Jays system in the deal. It's a deal that you make... Once it's made... it is up to the Twins to develop Martin and Woods-Richardson to make the trade work out in your favor. Jury is still out. But it's a deal that you make when you are 43-61 on July 30.

Good idea lowering that hurdle.

Luis Arraez produce 1 OAA in May of last year. He was -7 in March/April. He was -4 in June. I don't know if manipulated is the right word... but sample size should lead to a healthy distrust. Then consider that 75% of plays are classified as routine... 81% of all plays are considered either routine or likely. 84% of all plays are considered Even, Likely or Routine. Leaving 16% of plays considered as not likely, remote or impossible. Then consider that a 2nd basemen will see one defensive opportunity every two innings and it should be apparent that one play made by Arraez in May considered remote is a big needle mover. You are right to not trust or at the very least recognize the volatility in small samples.

A simple 12 game win streak and we will look back on these days and laugh.

That's understandable. But... the follow up question to that is this: What will it take to remove that skepticism of an individual player? Every year... there are X amount of vet players bouncing out of the majors due to non-tenders, retirements etc. Those players will have to be replaced by players with those Triple A stats. They are not all Jackson Holliday hyped players filling these roster spots. How does a 19th round pick, unranked on any prospect list, who hit .313 BA and 30 home runs in AAA like Kerry Carpenter remove that skepticism? How does a 19th round pick like Edouard Julien, who had a real nice year in AA remove that skepticism? When do you feel better about a new player?

Hefty... Even for a TSF of TSF. Tea Spoon Full of Tofu Stir Fry

Ahh... I thought it stood for Tofu Stir Fry. We had a Mongolian restaurant on the north end of town close down and Tofu Stir Fry was the reason why. All teams have bad whiffs, All teams have unyieldable talent. Unyieldable probably isn't a word but it should be. Here's the thing. I can't convince Chia Pet on how things should be done and Chia Pet can't convince Chief and Chief can't convince you and you can't convince me. Every single discussion point on Twinsdaily lacks consensus. Different viewpoints coming from different directions. If we can't all agree on the obvious path... what is the obvious path? What chance does any front office have making friends. If they do what I think... Chia Pet isn't happy with them. If they do what Chia Pet thinks... I'm not happy. I've just decided not to add to that impossible tangled pile. I'd rather argue with Chia Pet. It's much simpler that way.

Ahh... I thought it stood for Total Square Feet. But then I realized that feet aren't square. They are more rectangular... At least mine are. Here's the thing. Among many things that I don't know... I don't know what level of autonomy that hitting coach has. Before I send him to the line for food stamps. I'd like to know what his supervisors want him to do. Then I think about those supervisors and figure that I'm focusing on the wrong guy. It's the people who hire the people.

Yeah it does. If the team fails to develop players... that is the only way I'd get to that point. If they don't develop we will get to TSF levels (I don't know what TSF Means), 😁 Every team drifts. Corrections are momentary until another correction is necessary. Every team is an operation designed to play competitive baseball. The Margins between Good and Bad is losing 40% or losing 60% over 162 games. There are Dodger fans who passionately want Freidman gone... Roberts gone. The fans demand for perfection is insatiable. Auto Mechanics who don't have to worry about other auto mechanics trying to knock the wrench out of their hands throw wrenches at players when they strike out on a 98 MPH fastball. Baseball has been a part of my life for 50 plus years. I've learned that the baseball gods enjoy a crazy hop.

I just checked his stats. You are right. He hasn't hit over the Mendoza line at the MLB Level.

The last time (maybe the only time) that I have ever called for someone's head was Terry Ryan. Out of respect... I still suggested that we build a statue in his honor but yeah... I was ready for a change with Ryan. The reason was development. We went through a long stretch of no development, a roster full of players with very little trade value, if we wanted to tear it down and rebuild, players that played every day that no other clubs had any interest in once they reached free agency. blown high draft picks due to consistent losing seasons. It took me awhile to get there but I think it's the only time that I've called for the head of anyone that I have never seen what they do every day or met in person. If I ever reached the point where I feel that someone has to go... I'm going straight to the top. I'm not messing around with a hitting coach. I'm looking at the people who hire the people. If I ever reach the point where I feel that Falvey has to go. It will be for the same reasons... no development. a roster full of players with very little trade value, players that play every day that no other clubs have any interest in when they reach free agency, blown high draft picks due to consistent losing seasons. Yes, I have criticisms with what is happening. I'm worried that the platooning taking place is not going to develop players like we need them to be developed, I'm worried that sub-par cheap veterans on expiring contracts like Santana and Bundy are going to get in the way of development and cause L's in the L column but I'm not there yet mainly because I'm seeing young talent bubbling up, I'm seeing trade value increase, I'm seeing players hitting the free agent market and picking up multi year deals, I've seeing improvement in draft pick success and I'm not seeing consistent losing seasons. Every fan base has a large core of people passionately calling for the firing of the coach or the water boys. I have no plans to be one of those people.