insagt1

I wish he would stay but clearly there are too many other teams with big bucks that will fatten his wallet. Twins can't compete so he's gone. Next.

If the Twins wanted him that badly, the deal would have been done by now. That he has now opted out means, he isn't coming back, despite everyone 'saying all the right things publicly'. As for the now too cliche-ridden statement about having to take care of family...yeah, its not a good look. How many millions and millions are needed to achieve that in the real world? I would be happier if these guys would just be honest and say...I'm chasing the biggest contract any owner (fool) is willing to pay for my services.

As an O's fan along with the Twins, I was mildly amused at their claiming of Jake Cave. I suspect he was merely a depth signing for Norfolk. Jake was an honest warrior, who played hard despite minimum major league skills. Defensively he was actually pretty decent, but as a hitter, he just couldn't measure up. Enjoyed watching him play briefly in Rochester. He had no future in Minnesota and only played there this season at all due to the incredible number of injuries that really gutted the team. I wish him well. Doubtful he will ever play in Baltimore.

Twins won't be a major player in Correa's search for the big contract. They don't want to spend the money. Lewis may or may not be the replacement. Hope he can come back healthy.

Luis gets his hit and comes out....the AL batting champ for 2022. A tiny silver lining to the lousy season. He finishes .316 and Judge can't catch him now even if he entered the game in the middle innings, which won't happen.Maybe they will give him a cameo pinch hitting chance. Well, Carlos has stated pretty clearly, he will follow the money. If the Twins want him back, they will have to sign him to an extension. Do they want him back? I think they do. Lewis still has a ways to go to get healthy. Can the Twins continue to place their hopes and dreams on so many players that have missed so many games? They've already got Buxton and Kirilloff...and a stable full of pitchers in various stages of hurt. So make him an offer. A decent one, not an overbloated one.

The bunt: some managers always hated it...Earl Weaver for one. However he also had a lineup that had no problems producing runs. Twins OTOH, blow chance after chance because they can't even deliver a 'productive out'. A good bunt, as has been already stated, changes the entire strategy. It turns a routine single into a run scoring chance with another single. It eliminates the GIDP,It also throws the 'd' off. It is a way to beat the shift (that will go away next season) It can also get a slumping lineup out of a rut. Its a great tool, when used properly. Imagine for a moment--Buxton leading off with a single. He gets bunted over to 2nd...he steals 3rd and scores on a sac fly. One hit, two productive outs. Nobody k's or hits into a bang-bang DP. When you're down by 4, its a different situation, but when you need 1 run and you just haven't been able to get one, try a different strategy. It actually works.

Pretty brutal. Watching these guys play lately is like watching the Nats. You just want to close your eyes and hold your nose and put Dead Skunk In The Middle of the Road on the turntable

I'm not (ever) a fan of the overuse of analytics. Its not baseball. Its video gaming. I wish starters could go longer. I wish that when Twins struggle to score runs, they WOULD try something different, like stealing a base, laying one down, or going the other way when half the field has no one defending. I wish Buxton would steal bases again. He may be the fastest player in the AL. (problem is he is so fragile that may never happen again, but it should) Twins were fundamentally un-sound most the season. How much of this was on the manager, and how much was on all the injuries. One thing for sure, the 'talent' on the field in September was hardly major league calibre. And the true major leaguers didn't get the job done. (maybe Correa did) I agree with many of the posters who said there probably isn't anything wrong with Rocco that winning wouldn't fix. It was a real tough year. And the way its finishing is simply awful.

This game as well as the end of the Twins season has been one huge embarrassment. Anyone can disagree but the lack of anything worthwhile in the past couple weeks has been aggravating. the team is totally dead. Hard to believe that on Labor Day these guys were still in serious contention. Then it all fell apart in a big way. Arraez toughs out one hit and currently leads Judge by 5 points. I think his batting title is safe. Judge may not play tomorrow and even if he does, thats a lot to make up in one game. So premature congrats to Arraez....maybe the one thing Twins fans can be proud of in this forgettable season. I'm sure they will find all kinds of positives, but right now I'm really in no mood for them.

Good analysis! My take would simply be...what went wrong? Everything. (and I doubt Sano would have made any difference at all)

I liked the illustration of Ted Williams in 1941. If ever there was a need for co-MVP's it was 1941. Two guys performing feats that will never be repeated. Joe D won the award because 1)he was a Yankee and 2) Williams had a terrible relationship with the press. It will always be debated which 'feat' was harder or more pressure packed. Arraez has sat out the last 2 games, but he needs to play all 3 of the Twins final games. Go out and WIN the title; don't sit back and hope someone else loses it. This has been such a sorry season for the Twins overall, they need something positive to look forward to in these final 3 games.

Another lousy series loss to a basement team. Team is lifeless (eye test...can't crawl into their heads before people complain about this) Twins couldn't even muster enough juice to beat a bad team again. Judge went hitless yesterday, which almost assures Arraez the title, barring a couple of huge games from Judge in Texas, and Arraez either not playing anymore, or going hitless. Its his title to lose. Based on Twins-2022...I wouldn't be betting he gets it done...but I hope he does. A small victory in a useless season. So Correa has pretty much taken his stand. He'll stay if the Twins pay him. So, should they? Prediction: Twins will either get swept by the Sox, or they might possibly win 1 game...and no one will care. I don't know that playing Jeffers is accomplishing anything worthwhile.

Agree about Miranda, Gordon and mostly Gray. And maybe Ryan. There were things to be happy about out of context. I was troubled by the fact that two of our late season recalls (out of necessity) had about 100 combined AB's and could barely hit .100. They were complete failures in the lineup. Didn't expect them to lead the team to greatness, but... uh .100 is pretty bad. I don't think Palacios has had a hit since the Clinton Administration. When Miranda came up, many of us felt he would not last long. the guy stepped up. Garlick and Larnach were major disappointments in important roles. So was Kepler. Sano was a waste.(injuries took their toll) Kirilloff and Buxton injured severely. Kepler and Polanco injured during the stretch run which fizzled like a spent sparkler on 4th of July. Celestino is nothing more than a career minor leaguer who filled a gap by necessity. Jeffers missed a whole lot of the season but has yet to establish himself. I know this is a 'positives' thread, but its just so hard to ignore why there weren't more. Duran was a huge plus. Jax and Thielbar were also pretty decent. Jury is out on Fulmer. Lopez flunked. Pagan flunked. Arraez was Arraez. A guy who always put bat on ball and got his share of hits. He pooped out the final month and I suspect he is really playing more hurt than he is letting on. If he wins the batting title...which is still very much a possiblity, that would be a nice plus. Don't know how to define Correa. From the time he got here, he was always 'out the door'. that got tiresome. Sort of like the Expos...every year the fans were told they were relocating. Never a good look. He did not live up to his 'contract' or hype until very recently. His numbers will look fine. I don't think he hurt the team that much. Everyone knows he is a top talent. If Twins overtake Chicago, and if they finish at .500...all things considered....those would be plusses for me.

Winning a world series is always THE goal...but being realistic of course, only one team can win per year and leaves out a lot of REAL GOOD teams. My problem with the Twins has been their playoff disappearances. That gross playoff losing streak is pretty hard to swallow. A good goal would be to at least become competitive in post season...and then see what happens. The Twins 'core' this year was severely damaged. The new core? Well, the replacements were pretty bad this season. Its troubling to try and 'count on' several players who have been chronically injured and may never reach potential. I wonder if Correa will have the integrity to sit down with management and and try to work something out that doesn't have him just leave with nothing in return...even if he doesn't have to do this. Since he is signed (lets for a second ignore the opt-out) would a trade make sense? (I'm not very familiar with all the terms of his contract so anyone please help me out if I'm wandering aimlessly!) Fans can be critical of Kepler this year. He just isn't progressing. Time to try an new brand. Obviously same with Sano. Lots to do in the off season for sure. For now, beat the Sox, finish in 2nd, and maybe even get to .500.

This was a tough year. My biggest complaint was the constant failure to hit in run scoring situations...or at least to try and change the narrative rather than trying to pull outside pitches, or trying to hit the ball to Winnipeg, when a well placed line drive would do. How many k's, GIDP's or soft fly balls did we see on those many occasions? Next, the injuries to so many key players. While they happen to every team, the Twins lineup second half was embarrassing. Most the players called up from AAA did not produce at all. the bullpen. Ouch. Still a fan. One day they will put it all together. They may even win a playoff game!

Buxton, Kirilloff, Larnach...these guys may never totally 'make it back' to be considered 'core'. Correa will probably leave. Polanco and Arraez...who knows what is in store for them. If Lewis can recover fully (and that isn't a given), Polanco is expendable. I would keep Arraez around. Every team can use a guy who makes contact and also hits pretty well. (what we have seen from him the past 2 years is a drop-off in the final month...is that injury or fatigue?) Sano and Kepler should be gone. Celestino should be in AAA. Jeffers needs a full season. Miranda was a pleasant surprise....even with his dropoff in September. The pitching? Don't even know where to start or finish on that one. What's left? Twins could still finish runner-up if they are motivated to do so. Based on how they are playing, that won't happen. This season just needs to go away. I'll say it again. When Cruz was here, he provided leadership, glue, mentorship, and enthusiasm....all of which did not exist in 2022. Clearly it mattered. No one picked up the ball...at least that we could see. I also fear, as do others, that they have to be careful not to place too much hope on players who have been seriously injured so far in their careers. I'd also like to see a bit less 'patience' and a bit more urgency from the manager.

A simply great article. All of it true. When winning is relegated to 2nd place, failure walks in the door and stays there. Making exuses..and touting great things when you lose is a fools game, at least in pro sports it is. Winning actually does bring communities together....strange as it seems. I live close to Buffalo....a city that is rife with losing. What is going on there now, with Josh Allen and the resurgence of the Bills is something to witness. You can only endure losing for so long, before you actually do give up the ship. Small wins are nice...but the BIG wins are the ones that really matter. The Atlanta Braves won a division title every year for a decade....with only 1 WS win to their credit. The result was an empty ballpark. While there are always exceptions, there will never be an exception to winning in pro sport. And even if you can't win...you had better 'die' trying with all the grape and guys you can muster.

I will be the pessimist here. He will NEVER come back 100%. It will always be something. Not blaming him...his body betrays him at every corner. This wasn't a good year for him. He didn't play enough in the field to be impactful, like we all want to see. His HR's weren't game breakers to the extent needed to overcome a poor OBP, a poor BA and a high 'k' count. He was particularly ineffective with RISP. We all know he played hurt from the beginning. We also know he wants to play everyday. Don't think that will ever happen. I would LOVE to get just one complete season from him, to see how impactful he CAN be. I think that ship sailed. One way.

It was emphasized that Judge's numbers are evenly split between home and road. 30 HR's at home and away. BA identical too. So this year anyway, we can't use Yankee Stadium as any excuse. Pujols got his 700th at Dodger Stadium. If it had to be away from St. Louis, that was the 2nd best place...one because it was in front of a large crowd, an appreciative crowd...and because he played for them last season, and was well liked. It was a great evening for him. I don't think anyone ever expected him to to hit 21 HR's this year.

Heart is the eye test. Bounce it up against teams that show emotion; who run out grounders hard; who are totally engaged in the game. You actually CAN see a lot of that on TV. Fans here are savvy enough to know when the team is having fun--when it digs down deep. I have been watching the Orioles nightly since the 10 game win streak. You want to see 'heart', engagement, committment? Even after their defacto 'face' was traded, they soldiered on. they are doing all the stuff the Twins USED to do when Cruz was with them. I think it is pretty easy to spot a team going thru the motions. I think most of you know how to do that too. The Twins are losing ugly right now. There is nothing there. The 'k's and DP's with RISP on a nightly basis...with absolutely no attempt at changing things up tells a strong tale. Call it what you will....but the team right now is nowhere, doing nothing.

name of this game is still 'win'. We already knew what we 'have' in Celestino (offensively very little) This was THE correct time to pinch hit Correa. You still do try and win, right? The Twins failures in the clutch over the past several weeks has reached epic proportions. Even Bremer seems to have thrown in the towel. As soon as Celestino hit the ball, he said'''and there's a double play ball'. Period. Wash, rinse, repeat. There is nothing there right now. The replacements are a dismal failure. The regulars aren't getting it done. this has been one sorry conclusion to what was still a horserace at Labor Day. A total mess.

thank you. I think I was thinking that no pitcher has more than 1 CG shutout....unless that changed recently.

Lots of opinions. Most all thought out well. As a fan of the great game for 7 decades, it is amusing to see how much things have changed. When for those decades, starting pitchers somehow managed to get thru the lineup the 3rd time with enough success to log complete games, or at least 7 innings..is it now that pitchers have the need to throw the ball 200 mph in order to get batters out? Somewhere Greg Maddux is chuckling. is this really good for the game? Opinions vary. Managers. Do they make a difference or not? Opinions on this vary too. Some say anyone could have managed the Yankees during the tenure of Joe Torre. Was Joe a great manager, or did he simply have the temperament and personal skill to hold a team full of super-egos together, better than anyone else? What made LaRussa and Lasorda great managers? Or were they? Or how about Cox in Atlanta? Gene Mauch was considered a 'genius' by many...why did he never win a thing? In hockey you had Toe Blake, Scotty Bowman, Punch Imlach...all uber-successful...all with the talent to go along with. So you take a team full of talent and combine that with good leadership and you have a nice result. A great leader/manager/coach with a team full of duds, will never win. So it goes. This year, Twins manager and coaching staff made several questionable moves. At the end of the day the players still have to execute. Were they taught properly? IMO, this was an awful season of unfulfilled expectations, given how they started. The 'mix' wasn't very good. The injuries piled up. Too many winnable games were blown. (more than normal I believe...look at our games with Cleveland) I see several players being cut loose. I see sleepless nights in the smoke filled boardroom trying to figure out what to do with the never healthy Buxton. I wonder how Correa plans on spinning his decision once this season ends. We'll be watching.

A few interesting things to watch in the final 2 weeks: Can Pujols get 2 more HR's to reach 700? I think most fans are pulling for him. If he reaches the final weekend at 699, I wonder how many 'meatballs' he might get to reach the pinnacle? Judge battling for the Yankee HR record as well as the triple crown. Can the Dodgers win 116 games? They have 104 with 12 to play...so no, but how many can they win? Will the Mets and Braves go down to the wire in the NL East? Any 20 game winners this year? O's probably ended Verlanders chances last night. He has 17 wins. 'modern' fans don't care about this. Old timers still find the 20 win standard to be a measure of excellence. Can the O's steal a wild card? Very unlikely but still possible (4 back with 13 to play) Will the major leagues have more than 10 .300 hitters this year? Will the Orioles duo of Mullins and Mateo be 1-2 to lead the AL in stolen bases? Will any pitcher have more than 1 CG this year? Just a few items on my radar.

Twins stopped playing fundamental baseball in September. They kept doing the same things over and over and getting the same failed results. So many k's with RISP. So many GIDP's to kill rallies. So many of the 'replacements' rather than taking advantage of their opportunity, just fizzled...swinging from their heels and missing, or hitting weak grounders or pop ups. guys still in the lineup simply ran out of gas. Arraez and Miranda have had a lousy month. Only Correa is hitting at the moment (no coincidence...he is probably 'auditioning' for another team to take a good look for 2023). Gordon has been OK. The team was totally flat vs KC. They looked like an outfit that wanted it all to be over. The AB's were miserable. Bullpen was mediocre. Who should be gone next year? That will be interesting to see unfold. They have a whole room full of chronically injured players, who should probably be gone. What to do with Buxton? It has been the same thing with him every single season. The final standings will show only that Twins made a small improvement overall. Still under .500 and still lacking fundamentals...and yes leadership. Sad to say, when Cruz left, leadership followed him out the door.