Riverbrian

I'm going to add Magill to my list of poorly timed asset usage. I'm keeping the list on my fridge. Eventually... I'm going to need a longer fridge.

Ugly game or not... I absolutely enjoyed it. As for the bench clearing stuff... It doesn't matter to me who started it or what started it. I like it when the Twins show a little attitude.

Ump: We got a challenge on that play at home. New York Guy: Yep, I've reviewed the tape. Frame 278 taken from Camera A which is the overhead camera clearly shows that the runner crossed the plate before the tag. Camera B shows that his foot touched the plate and was safe on the play. You can take your headset off and make the safe call. Ump: Wait... Hold On... They are not challenging the out call. They would like to challenge if the catcher was illegally blocking the plate. New York Guy: Seriously... Just tell him that he should challenge the out call instead. I don't want to review it again... He was safe. This game is already behind schedule and I got an immigration appointment in Miami tomorrow. Ump: Hey Paul... Are you sure you want to challenge the blocking of the plate? Paul: Yeah... His foot was in the way. Ump: He wants to challenge the catcher blocking the plate. New York Guy: OK then... the rule states that the catcher can't block the plate unless he has possession of the ball. Video review clearly shows the ball entering his glove for possession of the ball and not leaving his glove which further indicates possession of the ball. Call Stands. Ump: Out Paul: What you mean out. He was clearly safe. Ump: Yes he was safe but the call is out. Paul: Ok.

Yep... It's a 25 man Roster. I'm getting tired of Molitor treating roster spots like the NHL treats those accountants who serve as Emergency Goalies.

I'm actually disappointed because I thought that Molitor broke his mold and did a little out of the box fancy managin'.

I'm not following your thought process here. After the last Slegers start (which they lost) the Front Office that originally sent Romero down may not be thinking they are back in contention and they may not have planned to bring Romero back after the Slegers start with the All-Star Break just around the corner. They also may have been waiting to see how Slegers shoulder responded before making any decisions of this nature and it didn't respond well apparently. In the meantime... before they get to picking a starter on Sunday. The offense continues to show signs of life after 3 months of not showing signs of life and the team has won 8 out of the last 10 games and would love to make it 9 out of 11 going into the all-star break. They need to pick a starter or throw a bullpen game after the bullpen got used on Saturday. They probably conference with Molitor and Molitor is telling them that it's starting to come together... get me Romero and let's go into the break on a positive note. They are 7.5 games out and that could look different by the time July comes to a close and I don't think Molitor is as willing to lay down as we are.

I appreciate that Kelly and I share your disgust over expressed hatred toward our guys although I'm not sure that hatred is the right word. Mauer and Dozier pair together quite well in my opinion because they balance each other out. It seems that those who criticize Mauer tend to criticize him because he isn't your typical power producing 1B prototype. Having Dozier on the roster negates that potential deficit because Dozier has more power than the typical 2B prototype. Some seem to be critical toward Mauer because he spends time on the DL every year and Molitor gives him scheduled time off in order to keep him as fresh as possible. Dozier is the opposite of that. Some seem to be critical toward Mauer because he never swing at the first strike and Dozier jumps all over that thing. Some seem to be critical toward Dozier because of his streakyness while Mauer tends to be more consistent. Dozier is dead pull and Joe is incredibly not. 2019 is gonna be interesting if we have new people playing 1B and 2B after all of these years. I'll miss them both.

Just my quick glance opinion but there looks to be quite a few teams that may have a need for a 2B next year and that might drive his price up a little.

In my opinion... others may feel differently but in my opinion, Despite two below average starts June 16th and June 22nd, Romero was our third best starter at the time of his send down on June 24th. If a team considers itself in contention they don't send down their healthy third best starter because they need a bullpen arm and even if they did do that as some form of (only option) to get a bullpen arm. He would be back as soon as possible. I have always assumed despite contrary opinions from others that Romero being sent down was a service time decision under the context of out of contention. I don't believe the front office felt they were in contention on June 24th and now recognize the slim possibility now that the team is starting to hit. So when considering who would replace Slegers... Romero becomes a spot start consideration as the best of the options and maybe he stays to see if the team can get closer to the Indians. If the team doesn't get closer to the Indians as the deadline approaches. I think Romero will be returned to Rochester to finish out the year. Just guesses... as always.

Everybody is entitled to feel the way they feel but I really have a hard time understanding this sentiment. To each their own I guess. I would absolutely trade him for the best return before the deadline because of his pending free agent status but to express such disdain for him is beyond me. I have my list of concerns about Brian (everybody on the Twins roster for that matter) but after nearly a decade in the Twins organization, he's been a big part of my Twins experience and the thought of Brian Dozier playing elsewhere gives me a little bit of sadness. I think he plays too much... I've often stated that he could play less while he is one of those lengthy funks but on the other side of that is the fact that he shows up everyday to play. I assume he has played through some injuries to show up every day and play because nobody gets through unscathed. The Twins had a very disappointing start in 2016 and a disappointing start this year and when you look at those disappointing starts... Brian Dozier has been very disappointing at the same time. It is easy to blame Brian Dozier during those stretches and I do sometimes but on the other side of that coin is the consideration that maybe this shows the importance of Brian Dozier because team success seems to follow the same path as Brian Dozier success. Then there is the important consideration of who will replace him in 2019? I haven't got an easy answer to that question and that takes the whole situation from not just sadness over the departure of one of my players to sadness plus concern because we don't know who comes next.

If you are going to have a hitter pitch. You can't be bringing it at 86.2. The hitters can time that. Bring in Grossman and let him do that 60 MPH thing he does. MLB Guys pop that stuff up.

And Hicks... We are good at it in CF.

I still believe in him. The Talent is obvious but we've been burning a lot of control waiting for it.

April, May and June Twins Offense. http://imoviequotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/8-Tommy-Boy-quotes.gif

I got his service time at 2.160 If he comes up for 12 days with the Twins this year he will be a free agent in 2022 at the age of 28. If we don't see him again this year... He will be a free agent in 2023 at the age of 29. If he is a Free Agent at age 28... It is quite possible that he will become what we want him to be... about the time that his agent starts fielding phone calls from other teams. He will be in Arbtration next year as a Super-Two regardless but with an OPS of .383... it better not be very lucrative. We have already wasted maybe 2.070 of the 2.160 getting well below average offensive production mixed in with multiple DL stints while we have waited for him to develop into the Buxton we all want him to be. He owes us an extra year of good play in my mind. This is a no-brainer... I think it's perfectly fine to get another year of control out of Buxton in case he finally blooms. If the Twins call Buxton back up this year... it could be one of the stupidest front office moves ever unless he never figures it out. In that case who cares... However, if he never figures it out, drafting him 2nd overall and failing to develop him will end up being one of the stupidest moves ever with all that talent. Keep him down on the farm, get him prepped for 2019 and remind him that he still has an option remaining if he has another year like this one.

Playing most days... batting lower in the order and not facing lefties. Why is he batting 8th today? Molitor obviously believes in some sort of consistency... I assume? Why did it take 3 months (actually 4 years) before moving Dozier out of the lead-off spot? Why did it take 3 months before Sano was moved out of RF in 2016? Why did Plouffe have an everyday job just moments before becoming a player barely hanging on to a career in AAA because nobody had a major league job for him? Why hasn't Morrison been batting 9th or 8th when Wilson catches? There are many questions like the one you just asked me that I can't answer but assume it is some sort of auto-pilot style of making out the lineup.

I agree with your sentiment with one small issue. I'm not a starting 9 guy so I'm not comfortable with the designation "4th Outfielder". If you make 25 man roster as an outfielder that is what you are... an "outfielder" on the roster. If you make the 25 man roster and you play better than the "3rd outfielder" that 4th outfielder designation gets pretty silly. I'm just curious to see if he can help us win games and so far he is helping us win games (more so than others). I hope he is given the chance to continue with no illusions if he can or can't. It's up to Molitor to give him a chance for it to be up to him.

I'm also cool with a Manager being surprised by the unpredictable changing tide. I only ask that the Manager is able to notice when the boat is in the water and notice when the boat is on the beach.

Cave hasn't established a Major League base line yet to be confident about his mean to regress to. But, His minor league BABIP numbers are consistently above average. Including .414 last year with the RailRiders over 297 AB's. Maybe this guy can hit a little... Maybe.

.417 isn't sustainable but he has been stroking the ball pretty good and I believe coming by it honestly. However... If that .417 is some sort of indication of luck. I'm cool with that... The Twins could really use some lucky hitters.

No idea what his future holds but I sincerely hope that he gets enough opportunity to give himself a future with his own hands. Through 71 AB's... Jake Cave has been our best hitter. In 2018... Jake Cave leads the team in BA, SLG, OPS and is 2nd in OBP. He is 13th in AB's in 2018. Over the past 30 days... Jake Cave leads the team in BA, OBP, SLG, OPS. He is 8th in AB's over that same time frame. Over the Past 15 Days... Jake Cave leads the team in BA, SLG, OPS and is 3rd in OBP (.429). He is 7th in AB's over that same time frame. Over the Past 7 days... Jake Cave leads the team in BA, OBP and OPS and is 2nd in SLG (.778). He is 8th in AB's over that same time frame. He's getting into the lineup so I'm not complaining about that... but... I am using this as another opportunity to point out how actual performance on the field is not and has never really been the primary consideration when it comes to Paul Molitor giving out playing time or who hits at the top of the order. He might cool off but until then... Let him keep doing it.

I'd love to have Realmuto but I can't rationalize the price that needs to be paid to acquire him. You could acquire a lot more bat at other positions for the same price. More bat that doesn't come with the standard required catcher rest and typical catcher dings that seem to send catchers to the DL more often than other positions. I have no idea (how could I) but I think it's a fair assumption that it would take more to acquire Realmuto than it would for Eugenio Suarez. If that's the case you might as well go get Suarez instead because he will produce more at the plate and play more often. Maybe the Pirates will give up Marte for the price you would pay for Realmuto. Many seem to be willing to declare Sano as the starting 3B in 2019 and therefore don't see a need for Suarez. Many are ready to declare Buxton as the everyday guy in CF come 2019 and therefore don't see the need for a Marte. I will never understand that logic when you look at the Sano and Buxton puddles lying in the middle of the 2018 street. How can any GM or fan for that matter look at Sano and Buxton and say to themselves... We are covered at 3B and CF? Why wouldn't you pickup a Marte to join Rosario, Kepler and Buxton if you could? Let Buxton earn his playing time. If he can't beat those 3 for playing time than he isn't what we need him to be in 2019. If all 4 kick ass... Great problem to have. Why wouldn't you pickup a Suarez to play 3B if you could? Let Sano earn playing time by... you know... performing. Sano could start on the opening day roster as a 1B/3B/DH. If Sano is earning everyday playing time... he could play some 1B or DH. If Mauer comes back... Sano could slow Mauer's playing time by... out performing him or DH if Mauer is performing... again... good problem to have. If Mauer doesn't come back... pick up Matt Adams for 1B to compete with Sano and Suarez. Play Adams in the OF on occasion if you like the matchups or all 3 are hot and you want to DH someone else. We were 5 hitters short this year from a decent starting 9 players. I don't understand how anyone van put together a potential 2019 lineup with Sano, Buxton and Kepler etched in stone and feel comfortable that we have 3 positions covered adequately for 162 games next year. I'm saying this and I believe in all 3 of those guys. So that leads to the question? But... who will play Catcher... We will have Castro and we will have whoever they sign in Free Agency. If you are giving up Lewis or Romero plus Nick Gordon plus that Brudar kid plus Kiriloff or whatever you are willing to pay for Realmuto... Spend it on someone who will dent the scoreboard more often... GO BIG and don't let the presence of Sano or Buxton stop you. About the only way I'd be comfortable trading for Realmuto was if the Twins could get Starlin Castro as a throw in or even lower the prospect price for taking on that contract. I doubt that would work but at least that way you improve a couple of areas instead of a cannonball through the farm system for a Catcher improvement alone.

Oh I get it... your point was basically my point. I was expressing something without (wink wink) expressing it. My larger point is gonna be: What a fantastic atmosphere for Mr. Garver with all of this public non-expression.

Ruesse: "Garver is not an adequate receiver. Nobody is expressing it, but it’s obvious the pitchers want to throw to Wilson and not Garver". If Nobody is expressing it how do you know that the pitchers want to throw to Wilson. If Molitor is playing Wilson instead of Garver because the pitchers want to throw to Wilson. Somebody must be "expressing" that directly to Molitor or "expressing" it to someone who reports to Molitor. But obviously nobody has "expressed" to Reusse before he "expressed" it to us because he can be quoted as saying "Nobody is expressing it".

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