Riverbrian

I try to look at the bright side. IT's better than Delmon Young, Dave Kingman and Greg Luzinski.

That would go viral!!!

If our ground balls find holes... I got no problem facing a ground ball pitcher.

Imposter!!! Rocco asked me to answer for him. Dear Thieres Rabelo, Thank you for the thoughtful letter, I can't express how grateful I am to be part of this organization. We are blessed to have such talented bloggers along with a devout passionate fan base. You raise some great points and rest assured we are constantly working on improvement in all areas. Infield Defense: I agree that infield defense along with defense in general is very important. Any play not made creates an extra out, each extra out creates the potential for big innings against you, along with plays made that take away outs, which make scoring runs that much harder for the other team. Rest assured that we work hard every day to improve our defense but I want to make sure you understand that I have full confidence in the abilities of all of our defenders. However, you must consider that there are always trade-offs. Could we find a better defender than Miguel Sano at 3B, I'm sure we could, but I'm not sure that we could find one that hits the ball as far as he does. Jorge Polanco has come a long way defensively and he can still get better but the combination of his bat and defense makes us a better team. We believe in our team defense, we believe in our offense and you better believe that we believe in the total combination. Bullpen: Wes Johnson and the entire Twins organization has done a nice job working with our pitching staff. The job is without end because of seemingly brand new challenges to address every day. It's kind of a moving target. Ultimately, when it comes to the bullpen (entire pitching staff for that matter), we need to listen to Riverbrian more. We have to find a way to become less reliant on a small core of performers by creating depth on the pitching mound much like we have done with our offense. This is what he terms as getting "bullpen serious". Depth is created by opportunity, we need to stop preventing opportunity of potentially better arms by filling up roster spots with average arms. In hindsight, we feel that we made a mistake using up valuable roster space with arms that were ultimately released in July. They were great teammates, great competitors but we should be further along in the identification process of talent that will help us win games in the upcoming playoffs. Rest assured this organization will continue to work with our pitching staff to meet any future challenge. Injuries: The Twins organization recognizes the importance of keeping our players on the field and in full health. To help us in this regard, we employ consultants, doctors, physical therapists and others, who work directly with our coaching staff, to provide everything humanly possible, in pursuit of an extremely difficult goal of total health at all times. The truth of the matter, it's a long season. Over 162 games, players are going to get hurt, history has taught us that this is something that we must expect and plan for. As an organization we mitigate the injuries that will naturally occur with depth up and down the roster. We use our depth for occasional rest to heal small issues before they become bigger issues. We use our depth to not become overly reliant on a single player. Anytime one of our players goes on the injured list or is unavailable to us due to injury, we will miss the talent that they bring to the table... however, as we have demonstrated this year, we have multiple players that also bring talent to the table in their absence. Thank you for your steadfast, honest and loyal reporting. Keep pushing us onward. GO TWINS!!!

Ah Yes... That's the Monkey in the Wrench.

Problem solved... No reason not to sign him then.

You do it for one reason and one reason only. The playoffs and that is the only reason you make this move. We got a pretty good idea what Hamilton is. He has proven that he is not an MLB hitter but he is the very top of the scale on the basepaths and that is why you sign him. You roster him as a late inning pinch running option in a tight score, late in the game situation during the playoffs. I'm not sure why folks can't see the value or need for that with this team. Forget his hitting... forget his stats... they don't matter. We are not going to ask him to produce an OPS 800 Plus and put him in the lead-off spot. He's not an off-season acquisition that you try to find 500 AB's for during the course of a season. He's not going to hit in the playoffs. You roster him, you ask him to stay loose and you insert him as a pinch runner late in the game with the game on the line. He's not going to hit in the playoffs. If everyone is healthy... we may not have room for Hamilton but if just 1 player is hurt during the playoffs, you will have room for Hamilton on the playoff roster. If nobody is hurt going into the playoffs, you decide between Hamilton and Schoop (for example). If you go with Schoop, then Hamilton isn't rostered for the playoffs. It's that simple... but you have to pick him up now so you can use possibly use him in the future. If you don't pick him up now... that option is no longer an option. Come playoff time... Baldelli is going to lock in. He might set up some platoons but he's going to roll with a set bunch of guys. It's not going to be the rotation you are seeing during the regular season. We might see, Cron on the Bench as a late need a home run right here option. Hamilton would be a late need a fast guy on the basepaths option. The roster is fantastic but we don't have a Hamilton type option for the playoffs. There is surely someone on the 40 man who can cleared for his addition. The 25 man roster is the problem and that's the part I'm not sure how to handle in August. Come September we will have the space. Come playoff time, he will be on the roster for a specific role, only If someone is hurt and there is a chance that someone will be hurt at the end of September. Yes the Twins should strongly consider it.

I'm retired. Your kids are safe. Although, I personally, don't consider asking players to keep playing, intense.

We are pretty stacked on the offensive side so normally I'd say no. However, come playoff time, having Hamilton on the bench, would be a late inning weapon. Imagine a tie game in the 8th inning. Cron leads off with a single... Hamilton coming in as a pinch runner. After Buxton... we don't have that type of option and we may need that option at a key moment. So Yeah... I strongly consider it. I don't know how you fit him on the roster... but I strongly consider it.

Back when I was coaching. I remember being down 10 zip or something ridiculous like that. The other team had a runner on 3B with nobody out and my pitcher uncorked a wild pitch and the opposing coach held up the stop sign, yelling stay stay stay, freezing the runner in his tracks when he would have easily scored. I called time... Walked right past my pitcher and over to the opposing coach in the third base box and said "I appreciate what you are doing but please don't do that. I'm telling my kids to compete regardless of the score, I'm telling them that I want them to try to win the rest of the game and I'd appreciate it if you do the same so it means something if we do, Besides... I consider holding up your runner more embarrassing then the actual wild pitch... or the scoreboard". I think we ended up losing the game 84 to 1 but I'll do that every time. If 15 year-old baseball players can handle it... so can grown men making large amounts of cash. There is never a time to throw at a batter.

The Tigers are on the schedule again. Every year it seems.

When the playoffs begin. Everything that happened prior... happened prior. It’s a brand new day... everyday.

I’d throw Thorpe on Tuesday in Milwaukee.

1. The post was directed at anyone who was posting its over and people were posting its over. 2. People were posting its over. If they don’t truly believe it... they shouldn’t post it. 3. I agree. Not in total control sincr every team they play gets a vote in this democracy. 4. The flipping jockey is Gardenhire.

We would have to Milwaukee Brewer this thing together. A couple of innings here and there until the game is over.

He isn't going to publicly admonish Diaz and rightfully so. Privately, he better at least bang the stapler real hard.

Minor Critique: If it was me... Considering that Left-Hander Brad Hand was on the mound. Considering that Jake Cave is faster Adrianza Considering that there was one out Considering that Schoop would hit after Marwin Considering that Schoop has been struggling lately Considering that Adrianza has come up with some clutch contact this year. Considering that Cave can move to RF and Marwin can move to 1B and Adrianza can play 2B afterwards I would have pinch ran Cave instead of Adrianza and pinch hit Adrianza for Schoop in the 9th. This is debatable and my opinion so I consider it a minor critique but still valid. Major Major Major Critique: On the Diaz windmill in the 9th. After you look at the view from behind home plate. There is no doubt that he can see the throw arriving to the cut, there is no doubt that he can see Adrianza rounding the base as he is clearly windmilling his arm to go for it. Everyone knows that a thrown baseball is 3 to 4 times faster than a runner can ever be. He should be fully aware that this is the professional level so a clean transfer and decent throw is good possibility. And there are big scoreboards placed around the stadium that says 1 Out. I've seen a lot of baseball games and I'm sure I've probably seen a worse 3B coach decision... but honestly... I can't recall one. I'm normally forgiving, Oops... Move on and let's do better next time. I can't excuse this one. There was one out... Tito probably walks Schoop to load the bases for a possible double play and we got Kepler against Hand. No guarantee Kepler comes through but I like the odds and Diaz removed that possibility. Stunning Mistake: I'll be thinking about it and shaking my head until Tuesday in Milwaukee. Diaz should be placed on a PIP for HR purposes for that mistake alone. BTW... I'll be in Milwaukee on Tuesday. It's another day... Go Twins!!!

I've reviewed the 9th inning windmill ten times now. It's inexcusable each time. I'm not going to watch it an 11th time.

Again

With Puig/Cron yesterday. If the ball was up the line either way. Cron could have scored. They forced Puig to make a professional throw and he did. You gotta make a quick decision... Sometimes it works... Sometimes it doesn't. The odds are against you either way, because a hit is a 3 out of 10 coin flip. Today... They had 1 out. A Fly Ball or squibber to the left or right of any infielder by Schoop wins the game. Brutal Decision... Not even a teaching moment bad decision because it was completely obvious. You call him into the office and you yell at him.

Diaz was clearly windmilling. He made the call.

I'm not much for beating up the third base coach. I can make an arguement for sending Cron with two outs. This time... Especially with the view from behind the plate showing the runner rounding third and the ball reaching the cut... and in consideration of one out. That was a very bad send.

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