insagt1

Agree with all the comments about Jax. He was the last guy on the staff I figured for this horrible start.

So many injuries. And honestly Lewis is becoming Buxton...injured all the time. Becoming more and more useless to the team.

Talk about a dead team. This lineup that failed in September is mostly the same one that is failing now...except that both Correa and Buxton are also failing and constant complainer/perpetual injury Lewis hasn't played yet. This is a terrible team and is likely to 'battle' the Chisox for the basement. I don't see where the turnaround exists. Hope I'm wrong but the Twins are unwatchable.

Team looks like they are just playing out the string like last September. No life. Key guys not hitting at all . Lifeless. Not a great look so far. What will it take to awaken these guys? Glad we still have hockey.

Twins just off to a miserable start. Looks like last September all over again. Only this time Correa and Buxton are nowhere to be found. Pitching is awful. A complete mess this team is. Is this who they really are?

Twins did virtually nothing to improve so it's no surprise they look like the exact same team that mailed it in last September. It's only 4 games..but is it really?

Royce Lewis has become one of those players that is always hurt. He is unreliable . Everytime you look up he is on the injured list. And last year in September when he did play he was terrible. How long will Twins hang with this guy. They already have Buxton who is hurt every year like clockwork. Hard to build a team with players that are part time all the time. Will this team battle the Sox for the basement in 2025. They did practically nothing in the off-season to move the needle. Hope this changes.

I can't think of another organization not named 'orioles' who has done less to improve their team so far for 2025. Don't know how Rocco can do much better with a roster that disappeared collectively in 2024. It's frustrating bring a fan of 2 teams that 'could' do more but continue to play the small market card and shop the basements and dumpsters hoping to find a misplaced diamond in the rough.

The O's think their young prospects will carry the day. They like the Twins have done virtually nothing this off season except probably losing Santander and Burnes. They have a mega rich owner and a mindset that they are still a poverty stricken small market team. They haven't won since 1983 and don't seem any closer today. They are the blueprint for perpetual rebuild. In fairness they had miserable luck with their pitchers last year. Nearly all their rotation plus their ace closer were shut down.

Meant to type Julien never arrived.

Twins have done nothing to improve their lineup correct? Nothing at all. So are they honestly serious about winning? They are hoping for good health from Correa and Buxton...both bad bets and major improvements from many others. Miranda and Lewis were late season busts. Julien overeat he'd. Lee..who knows. And on down the line. How is any of this going to keep the fans engaged. They were a 4th place team in a 5 team division on merit. How are they remotely better than that? Is this a throwaway or experimental year?

I've said this before. Let's see who the manager is in April. Virtually all GM's/owners make statements like this immediately after a failed season. Why? Because at the moment, there are no alternatives. But given time and searching and learning who is or might be available, current managers/coaches have been let go. Not saying this will happen here, but it might as history as shown us. Players also, come to the defense of their manager, in nearly every case...unless the manager is openly and universally despised. They will take the bullet and say that failure was their fault. So its not surprising that the Twins players have nothing bad to say about their skipper. I agree stability at the top is an important factor. Look at NHL's Buffalo Sabres. They have missed the playoffs a record 13 straight seasons and they seem to change coaches every year or two, trying to find the 'right guy'. It hasn't helped. This point can and has been debated hotly every year. Is Rocco that 'right guy'? Have his in game decisions helped or hindered the Twins? Everything fell apart this year. How much of it is on him? Over in the AL East, Hyde of the O's is facing the exact same criticisms as Rocco. Many have questioned some of his decisions and use of players as the Orioles fell apart yet again when it mattered most. And yes his bosses have declared 'he'll be back in 2025'. We'll see. I don't place much money on what is said right after a team's season comes to an unsuccessful end. Rocco may be back. Or not. Is he still the right guy for the job. Thats for the guys in suits who make the 'big bucks decisions' to determine. In any case, it makes for great discussion in the off-season as many of us have already seen our favorite teams fall on their swords.

Houston and now Milwaukee are out. Two more division champs are on the sidelines. In recent years it has become more obvious that what you did in the regular season doesn't mean much. Teams get hot at the right time and often they are the wild card teams. Interesting to note that despite not being able to score runs, Mets pulled it out in the 9th with a wild win over Milwaukee. Their key guys came through, unlike the O's key guys who simply went down with a whimper.

for me thats like many fans (especially in hockey for example) so eager to jettison veterans to get those 'prospects'...always playing for draft picks and 'next year' we'll be great. Always chasing next year and not paying attention to 'this year'. The day is long gone when one team wins multiple championships. In baseball there is a new WS winner every year it seems. So when you have a chance to win, go for it. Teams today can and do go from 100 losses to the playoffs the next season. So what really is 'sustainability'...discussed so well in the above article. Orioles have won 192 games the past 2 seasons and are 0-5 in post season. Thats all the fans care about. Twins blew their season in 2024. No one wants to hear the platitudes. They take the pain and stench of a failure season over the long off-season. No one really wants to hear 'we'll get 'em next season. We'll be ready'.

Well the 'fire Hyde' rumblings in Baltimore getting real loud. When you fail (badly) in post season, your job is always in jeopardy. Twins didn't get to post season and should have. O's won 101 and 91 last 2 seasons and couldn't win a game in post season. This is the stuff that gets managers fired. Detroit and KC came on to steal the the last 2 wild cards....and looky here...they both swept their opponents, good opponents, in the first round. No matter what anyone in either organization is saying right now, I have to believe both managers are on serious thin ice.

Million dollar question. I don't know. Thats up to management to figure out. My only contention has been that when you see a collapse like the 2024 Twins, it may be time for a different voice to take the reins. It happens all the time. So I won't be surprised if Rocco is ultimately let go. But I guess I won't be totally surprised if he stays. But I lean towards the former, not the latter. Not a satisfying response, I know.

One thing..I don't for one minute think that Rocco coming back is a done deal. Yeah thats what Falvey said NOW. But things can change on a dime. I suspect if a 'better' managerial choice floats to the surface a change will be made and the FO will work out the numbers. If not, he may return. Tune in in late March! I saw a good documentary yesterday 'The Un-Civil War...the Yankees-Dodgers rivalry. A great march thru the history of Yanks v. Dodgers...especially the Reggie-Billy-George drama's. Back then George was an owner who totally interfered with the day to day running of the team. Charlie Finley did the same for the A's. One extreme. When Martin was fired mid-season 1977, Bob Lemon took over and told the players to just do what they do best. He wasn't going to interfere. Other extreme. (Yanks won the WS and Reggie became Mr October) One other thing I noticed regarding pitchers in 2024. The MLB leaders in complete games threw exactly TWO complete games...and I believe there were only 3 of them who did it. For fossils like me, that is simply astounding. Postscript on this discussion. I live in Rochester, NY and we have always been spared extreme weather. We complain about snow in the winter but that is so insignificant when you see the disasters and heartbreaks that take place every year with fire, wind, rain, temperature extremes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods...my heart goes out to all those who have lost everything.

The players have all closed ranks and have given Rocco a vote of confidence...saying the blame is all on them for not getting the job done. Well OF COURSE thats what the players say 99% of the time. (only when the manager is universally despised do the players NOT back their manager and that is pretty rare) I don't place much credence on any statements by players or Falvey or anyone else right now. The landscape is littered with statements like 'our manager (coach) is not going anywhere. He's our guy' only to see him get canned sometimes as soon as the next day. Yes, Rocco is under contract for another year, right? And the frugal Twins aren't likely to pay two managers' salaries for a year, right? But maybe they would if the right manager floats to the top. Historically collapses like this result in a leadership change. So we'll have to see. Rocco may well be back, or not.

When you are 17 over .500 in August and finish just 2 over, yeah, this was a gut punch. What was most disturbing to me was the WAY the Twins lost games down the stretch. Mentally they looked they were somewhere else. Unable (or unwilling) to be creative in getting runners home with less than 2 outs. Having players they were counting on totally disappearing. Most disappointing season ever? Totally subjective. Its what each fan sees, remembers and is affected by. No wrong answers. No scolding if one happens to disagree. Some here go back a long way. Some don't remember the stuff prior to 1990. I think this was a VERY disappointing season based on how so many players simply stopped doing what they are paid to do best. We can argue about whether they were 'trying', or did they 'give up' on Rocco or any number of things we all saw through our own lenses. What did seem to be clear though is by these past few games even the radio guys, who are mostly paid to be 'positive', or even 'homers' were fed up. Not used to hearing that. And even the O's Jim Palmer was exasperated by the Twins mis-steps on the bases...fundamental baseball. That 'looked like' the guys just didn't care anymore. But we'll never know for sure. My opinion only: given the way this season degenerated, I truly believe there needs to be a shakeup with the on-field leadership. Its not unusual for teams to change managers and coaches, sometimes just to get new direction. Perhaps the current manager has 'favorite players' he was protecting. A new manager could come in with a clear slate and more objectivity? Real good managers do get fired. They also get new jobs rather quickly because the baseball powers that be understand the 'system'. If you truly aren't a good manager or coach, you don't get re-hired. Perhaps a small litmus test? Twins need a flush. And I still believe it will happen no matter what Falvey is saying 'now'.

Buck and Correa had decent seasons, but again, both missed too many games at a time when they were needed most. Santana was a surprise contributor IMO but his baserunning blunders in the final games were bothersome. Players who regressed real bad: Julien, Lewis, Miranda, Kirilloff. Lewis and Miranda especially troublesome since they are supposed to be our future. Both were invisible in August and September. Jeffers hit 21 HR's but his weak weak weak AB's while the Twins still had a shot at a WC were aggravating. Wallner and Larnach were fun to watch. Castro tailed off pretty badly down the stretch which corresponded with so many others disappearing from the radar as Twins completed an epic choke. Overall, a total team 'effort' caused their demise. Even the 3 listless games they played against the Orioles at home were mostly hard to take.

O's have their best lineup out there today, less Santander. They want to win this game. Unlike the Twins, they are not resting their 3 recent returning injured players. They want to play and they will be playing on. So why not let the fans see Buxton and Correa one more time? Why?

KC and Chisox with very early leads. But if that holds KC will go to Baltimore Tuesday. Careful what I wish for. Not wanting to face the juggernaut Detroit and their Cy Young pitcher in game one is preferable, I suppose, but KC won't be a pushover either....although I think O;s have a much better shot at beating them in a short series. Long ways to go. Ohtani made an out 1st AB further diminishing his chances of catching Arraez.

I wouldn't place much credence on what Falvey says right now. Owners and GM's have said stuff like that the day before they can a coach or manager. Lets see how the off-season goes. Disappointed that Buck and Carlos aren't playing. Why rest them? (shakes head vigorously) Lewis at cleanup. (shakes head even more) Well maybe today he fills up the tank and hits one out for old times sake. I definitely wouldn't start Margot. Why not give him one more shot at getting a pinch hit. Twins sure know how to take the fun out of losing.

Buck had a decent year. Glad he played CF. Wish though that the period of games he missed this season didn't correspond to the Twins falling flat on their faces. When they needed him and Correa most they were on the shelf and clearly it made a difference. While its also painfully true that Lewis, Jeffers, Miranda, Castro, Julien et al also fell apart at the seams, Buck and Carlos are our go-to guys and they missed games that mattered. Not blaming them...just pointing out the obvious. Injuries cost the O's the AL East. Once they got their guys back in the last week, the team perked up again. No magic there. However beating Detroit will be a hill they may not be able to climb.