Riverbrian

The mermaid thing was just me being me. I'm a good guy at heart. I should have put a smiley face by it. I understand that you feel the way you feel... and I will also concede that some managers tend to be static in their batting order assignments so you are clearly not alone. But... what I'll consistently fail to understand is... If a guy hits in the 2 spot and moves to the 5 spot... Why does it do damage to the player? How does batting every day in the 2 spot create some sort of looseness or confidence? IMO... Lineups tend to become static because managers are trying to get the best hitters at the top of the lineup and hitters toward the bottom. But... if a player must be moved... why is that an issue? Or if you give one of your top players the day off... why do you have to take that bench player and slide him into a top 3 position to keep the integrity of the lineup intact. The 2023 Twins... In my opinion... Have role played themselves into wasting a pretty damn good pitching staff.

Jorge Polanco played 2B and SS in the minors. In 2015 he primarily played SS in Chattanooga. In 2016 he switched to primarily playing 2B in Rochester. It was odd timing because the Twins moved him back to SS primarily when he got called up to the big club although he did get some 3B and 2B action. Why did the Twins shift him to 2B in the minors before promoting him to play SS in the majors. SS was where the need for him was and they probably don't have a crystal ball to able to predict the needs of the team at the time. In 2017 Jorge Polanco was our primary SS for the next 4 years. The Twins made the playoffs in 3 of those 4 years. In 2021 Jorge Polanco shifted to become our primary 2B. The point of bringing up Jorge Polanco is this. If you staple Julien to 2B... his fate is blocked by Polanco... If you allow Julien to flow into where he is most needed that also makes some sense... You can find a spot for a bat that looks like it will improve this club. Julien to 1B, Kirilloff to the OF... Easy Peasy.

The Brewers caught the A's at the wrong time... and it's probably safe to say that Twins caught the Brewers at the right time. It's why I love baseball and why I don't use all of my knowledge and bet on it so I can retire. You live out in the Bay Area? California is a beautiful state. The area around Carmel, Pebble Beach is one of the most scenic areas in the country in my opinion... especially as you head south on the pacific coast highway. It's a jaw dropping drive. Vegas is looking as close to a done deal as a done deal can look. I feel for the Oakland fans but all sports teams have fled the city and I can only guess it's because the city has bigger fish to fry beyond keeping an owner of a baseball franchise fed because what I saw suggested that Oakland had to fix some stuff beyond keeping sports teams. I took in a game last August at the Coliseum and I was shocked by the condition of it. They don't even bother cleaning up the blocks and blocks of garbage lining the streets that surround the stadium. It wasn't just a loose McDonalds Filet O Fish wrapper... it was garbage piled up to the point that you couldn't see the sidewalk. Even Detroit can keep the area around the stadium clean for a couple of blocks. Modern stadiums have all kinds of additional revenue streams built into them and if Oakland doesn't build one for the owner... another city will. That city is Las Vegas according to the state representatives who quickly got the money together to lure the franchise in. Watch out for earthquakes my friend and I'm sorry that you can't give the gas pump an extra squeeze to top of the tank.

Just poking fun. I waited until the streak stopped before posting this. Pirates, Brewers and Rays

I couldn't disagree with this more. How many less breaking balls does the leadoff hitter see? How many times does the leadoff hitter actually hit leadoff in a game? If Aaron Judge was the nine hitter: Would he see more strikes because he is the nine hitter or would they still pitch him like he is... I don't know... Aaron Judge? Cleanup hitters MIGHT feel? Leadoff hitters MIGHT feel? Confidence? Consistent Routine? I couldn't disagree more. No offense intended but I'll file this writing next to the article I read about mermaids written by a teenager who just watched the movie Splash. That might be harsh but I know there are a lot of people who believe this stuff. To all those people. There are no mermaids. If your team goes 1-2-3 in the 1st inning. Your cleanup hitter is now a leadoff hitter. If 6,7,8 in the order load the bases... your nine hitter is now a cleanup hitter. You still have to grab a bat and swing it when it's your turn. Each at bat will have a new context based on the conditions that exist at the time. The leadoff hitter is only guaranteed to hit lead off one time but the leadoff hitter is guaranteed to have more plate appearances so why not put your hottest hitter in the leadoff spot? If Gallo is 0 for 27... I think it's ok to move him out of the leadoff spot. You think Correa has bounced around in the lineup. I find it ridiculous that Carlos Correa remained near the top of the order despite a two month slump. He couldn't be moved to 8th in the order when he has forgotten how to hit and then back to the 3 spot when he started to show that he remembers how to hit. Would it be a blow to the confidence of Carlos Correa if he moved down in the order? Tell him to go look at his contract... it might restore some confidence. Is it a bigger confidence blow to move a vet in the batting order or is it a bigger confidence blow to send a rookie like Wallner down to the minors and recall a Garlick over him? Who should be better equipped to deal with a crisis of confidence... the guy making 35 million or the rookie being sent to St. Paul? Max Kepler was our leadoff hitter... should he still be there for the intrinsic benefit... whatever that is. If Buxton hit 1st on Monday, 6th on Tuesday, Bench on Wednesday, 2nd on Friday, 9th on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday. Would that really blow his mind or would he start to understand... Hey... I got to hit the ball no matter where I hit in the order. What if you decide that Correa is your 3rd hitter and you lock him in like you suggest. What happens when his heel hurts and Farmer has to play at SS for a day. Does Farmer just go into the 3 spot no questions asked? You'd have to because if Farmer doesn't go into the 3 spot... you'd have to move your 6 spot guy into the 3 hole and now the apple cart is all turned over. Mermaids.

Julien is the leadoff hitter... they know he can hit. Actions speak pretty loudly. It would take a certain something to send down a player hitting the baseball when you need players hitting the baseball. If Julien continues to hit while Polanco is out. He could get the same treatment Miranda got last year as he forces himself into plans.

Has to be Buxton... if not it's Miranda. It won't be Wallner with the Boyd matchup tomorrow and I don't think they can call up Garlick. . If I had to place a bet... Kepler will play against lefties and Solano will sit.

Nice sequencing.

Venmo Works

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I know... my wife lists that stat on her facebook market place postings.

It's kind of funny. Back in the 60's... Salesmen used to come to your house and sell encyclopedias and vacuums. Then that stopped and people went to Walmart to get encyclopedias and vacuums. Now... encyclopedias and vacuums are back to just showing up at your house again.

Got one pitcher left then.

No Matter what happens. I support the use of Duran in the 8th inning. But at the same time... I know there will be hell to pay if someone coughs up the 9th.

Back when I was playing basketball against my 3 year old son. When I was at the free throw line and the coach was going to sub me out of the game after. I'd miss that 2nd free throw on purpose to keep playing. Since Castro appears to be the designated pinch runner for Julien... Maybe he should avoid leading off the inning with a walk.

I'm kind of the Max Kepler of husbands and my wife is the Thad Lavine of whatever she is. No Value so she keeps rostering me.

Ah... Come on now. My wife measures everything. Hair length, Eyebrow Length, arm length, Snore Decibels. Then she posts the data on Facebook Market Place trying to find someone who will buy me. 3 People showed up last week. I had to hide. I'm not going for that price.

My wife measured me and she rules the household.

I am right 5 foot 9 That also explains my occasional struggles against my 3 year old son in basketball.

How did I know that Milner would come in against this specific spot in the batting order. I must be a lucky guesser. I'm going to guess that I am 5 foot 9. I'll find a ruler and measure. Let's see if I'm right.

Brilliant