Riverbrian

If you are hearing it and seeing it. I'd be more worried about Winona and Lacrosse.

DOZIER AGAIN?

Doubt it At the pace he's on... Dozier should be at 32 by the end of this month.

Only C Molitor makes him hit clean up once he reaches 32

OK Logan Schaefer doesn't have much of an arm. I just noticed that. I'm gonna make a mental note of it and it will be my opinion of him forever.

I remember begging for someone to fix Brian Dozier back in May. I remember Terry Ryan saying that he needed to be fixed. Looks like he has been fixed pretty good.

DOZIER

The Twins continue their tour of the AL Central today with the Labor Day Opener of a 3-game series against the Kansas City Royals live from Target Field. Baseball players have to work on Labor Day. I know, it isn’t fair. Not only are they poorly compensated under difficult working conditions… the entire weekend simply doesn’t apply to them. If you attend the game today and you notice them staring at you with less than welcoming expressions, please understand that they are jealous of you and the 3-day weekend you are flaunting in their faces. Here are some things to think about: The Twins continue their tour of the AL Central today with the Labor Day Opener of a 3-game series against the Kansas City Royals live from Target Field. Baseball players have to work on Labor Day. I know, it isn’t fair. Not only are they poorly compensated under difficult working conditions… the entire weekend simply doesn’t apply to them. If you attend the game today and you notice them staring at you with less than welcoming expressions, please understand that they are jealous of you and the 3-day weekend you are flaunting in their faces. Here are some things to think about: 1. Personal Trainer – A long time ago… we had Jack LaLanne as a personal trainer. You’d turn on his TV show and he would whip you into shape in black and white. Now personal trainers are growing on trees… master motivators who throw the medicine ball at you and count in loud voices as you do sit ups or something. I don’t personally need one because I get plenty of exercise… jumping at conclusions, pushing my luck and dodging deadlines. 2. Scientist – Back in 1907… Duncan McDougall, a doctor from Massachusetts, devised experiments to measure the human soul. Using 6 terminally ill patients on a specially constructed scale bed he measured their weight before, during, and after death, and he was able to conclude that the human soul weighed 21 grams. Despite the sloppy science and the obvious small sample size. There are some who still believe this a century later. I just want to say that I have confirmed it. The soul does indeed weigh 21 grams. I confirmed it by weighing myself before and after work. 3. Video Game Developer – You can get your video game related bachelors or masters on college campuses across the country. These video games don’t just happen by accident. It is someone’s job to design, develop, program, sell… and… umm… I don’t know… I’m just listing a bunch of words that I’m guessing are related to video game production. Someone in the course of doing their job came up with Dance Dance Revolution for example. I don’t personally know anyone who has played Dance Dance Revolution but it made money. A co-worker of mine had DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION written on her desk calendar in big letters so I assumed she was into it. Turns out that was her actual plan for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Just to be safe… I did not show up for work that Friday. 4. President of the United States – It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. Personally… I want a President who is smart enough to not want the job but that doesn’t appear to be an option. I think the President should be dragged (or is it drugged) into the position kicking and screaming because they are smart enough to know it’s a horrible job. How about that… in my context… dragged and drugged into the position both accomplish what I think needs to be done. 5. Labor Day – This week you get to hate Tuesday. ____________________ Lineups: ROYALS Jarrod Dyson [L] CF Paulo Orlando [R] RF Eric Hosmer [L] 1B Kendrys Morales DH Salvador Perez [R] C Alex Gordon [L] LF Cheslor Cuthbert [R] 3B Alcides Escobar [R] SS Whit Merrifield [R] 2B Ian Kennedy [R] P TWINS Brian Dozier [R] 2B Joe Mauer [L] 1B Trevor Plouffe [R] 3B Miguel Sano [R] DH Eddie Rosario [L] LF Eduardo Escobar SS Logan Schafer [L] RF Juan Centeno [L] C Byron Buxton [R] CF Jose Berrios [R] P Game-time forecast: 80 deg F, mostly cloudy, 15% chance of rain, winds from the SSW at 11mph. Play ball! Go Twins! View full article

True Things change... 3 team trades... Anything can happen.

Neil Walker could influence things but I'd say the Dodgers and Mets would be the teams that could give us a pitcher or two. Neil Walker is the only 2B of decent value in the FA Class. Unless you consider signing Desmond and moving him back to the IF as a 2B. Teams that may feel like a contender and could be significantly boosted by Dozier. D-Backs -- They swung and missed... They have to swing again next year. They got some arms that are worth a shot. Cubs -- They can make room for anyone. Dodgers -- This is a team that will need Dozier. Sign Walker, roll with Kendrick or trade for Dozer. I think they will want to send us Puig in any deal. Mets -- See Dodgers... Sign Walker or trade for a 2B. Dozier would have to be at the top of the list. Cards -- A long shot but I wouldn't rule it out... They are creative...if they think a player can help them. Blue Jays -- Maybe... Dozier could help cover potential FA losses this year. They might throw a decent pitcher our way. Maybe. Teams that may feel like a contender and don't really need Dozier considering what it would take to acquire him. Orioles -- If they move Machado to SS and Schoop or Dozier to 3B. That offense gets even scarier. I doubt they have the arms to give up. Red Sox -- No need whatsoever. Indians -- They could shift some players around and Dozier could be a great addition but they don't have the budget or mindset to do that. Tigers - Don't have anything to offer us. I don't think they give up Fulmer. Astros - No need whatsoever Royals - He'd be a great fit in Kansas City but would KC Give us pitching back... it doesn't seem likely. Yankees -- They won't give up youth or pitching right now. Pirates -- They never give up youth or pitching. Mariners - No Need Whatsoever Giants - They could make Dozier work and improve their lineup. Do they have the pieces to make it worth it. I don't think so.... They'll keep Bumgarner. Rangers - No Need Whatsoever

I'm going to repeat myself again... but that happens when I lack depth of thought. I have believed all year that Buxton's improvement won't be gradual but sudden and amazing. I have no idea how long it will take but it will be sudden and amazing or it won't happen at all. It happens as soon as he stops upper cutting and improves his plate coverage. Which will increase his contact rate and hopefully put more balls on the ground and he can put his legs to use. I don't believe he will sacrifice power doing this... I believe he will just become capable of anything and then own the baseball world. Now I admit that I haven't had a chance to watch the past few games so it's quite possible that Buxton is still swinging upward and proving me wrong for 10 AB's but regardless... I believe Buxton will explode like Jackie Bradley did(actually bigger and better)...when he levels out his swing... like Jackie Bradley did.

Yeah Thanks a bunch for quoting it before I could fix it and therefore locking it in place it for decades to come.

Great Post It wouldn't bother me if Plouffe was brought back next year and it wouldn't bother me if he was paid all that money. However... It would bother me if Molitor played Plouffe every day next year like he is doing this year... right now. Plouffe is not Nolan Arenado. Arenado is the type of talent that you play every day. Plouffe is not that type of talent. Nobody should get extended bench time because you have to get Plouffe into the lineup everyday. Since Molitor tends to play Plouffe every day...the temptation may need to be removed. From a purely business sense... I believe the Twins have to walk away from Plouffe. 1. I'm assuming he is still here because he has very little trade value. 2. If he has very little trade value then he has very little value and paying him wouldn't make business sense. 3. New President of Baseball Op won't have any sentimental attachment.

Talk show hosts and columnists are very skilled in the art of mountain making out of molehills.

Bringing up a third catcher is usually one of the first September moves made by clubs. I agree that Suzuki may be important for stability and a vet hand working with a young staff but I can't help but feel that young catchers also need time working with Vet Pitchers. I'd like to see Murphy and Garver up.

Replaced by Sano cleanly on July 2. I admit not worrying about it at the time because we were in contention and it was Sano who was coming up. But... Yeah... Vargas was starting to heat up when he got clipped. April was when he really struggled... it got him a 3 game benching. After the benching... he turned it around sharply in May with the numbers that you mention. Then he got hurt May 17th. He came off the D.L. in June and he started slow... Got another 3 game benching and he responded to the benching and started to heat up again. On June 26... The Twins went on a 6 game tour of Milwaukee and Cincinatti and with no DH Vargas didn't play and when the Twins returned home. Sano was called up to the Bigs and Vargas was sent down. A case could certainly be made that Vargas didn't deserve that one either. But at least the Twins had a pennant chase and Sano and moments of Vargas struggle to justify it. No such thing this year. He certainly gets kicked to the curb faster than others get kicked to the curb.

It would be...if it wasn't for Everything else effecting it.

Brilliant Post

I am not sure. I assume Molitor since he fills out the lineup card. And because I'm not sure... I have a deep mistrust of everyone. I know it's quite possible that there might be some front office staff who don't deserve it. I've become comfortable with actual guilt and guilt by association since I don't have the access to separate it. The missed assessments have piled up to the point that the floor is sagging and they haven't stopped since Ryan left. I actually considered giving Antony the benefit of the doubt for a moment... just to be fair... in case he was being shouted down when Ryan was here. Then Vargas got sent down with a 1.016 OPS and that moment passed. If player A is out performing player B. Play player A. If you assess that Player B should be playing better than player A. But yet Player A is playing better You were wrong. If you continue to play Player A because you think he should be better than Player B even if Player B is out performing player A. That is Hubris and you work for a team that is not in contention.

Better butter your cue finger up. The show will be a #1 draft pick and TD'ers hotly debating who the pick should be.

7 Runs would be awesome but we will have to avoid giving the Twins any sort of deadline to accomplish it.

GLAD http://d2rormqr1qwzpz.cloudfront.net/photos/2013/07/02/49514-c26-b005gsyxhw-1-l.jpg Not Glad http://www.frugallivingnw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Hefty-Trash-Bags.jpg And of Course... Dazzle http://img.spokeo.com/public/900-600/dan_gladden_1991_10_19.jpg

Yeah... Carlos Pulido... You'd figure his presence alone would have prevented that.

Chargois looks like he should be singing lead for Soundgarden or Audioslave. http://archive.alternativenation.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/chriscornell.jpg