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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    I don't see Pagan on the team next year, which will be disappointing for those who claimed Pagan would be an asset going forward. I'm hopeful he can survive this year.
  2. tony&rodney
    Canterino is old enough to get some time in AAA or the Twins bullpen. I'm fine with the 50-60 pitch limits for him but it might as well be against slightly stronger competition. Great to start Canterino at Wichita but the weather is fine in St. Paul right now.
  3. tony&rodney
    Same as it ever was, same as it ever was .... If the Twins are so constrained with their payroll each year that $130-150 million budgets in an odd year or two are unrealistic, the organization will need to win with rookies and players in their first 3-5 years of MLB. That usually results in looking for magic. I hope they find it but building to win in the vague future will get repetitive. Instead of complaining about individual moves, I want to see the Twins become a very athletic team. Plodding defensive players should be reserved for DH and occasional 1B playing time. Correa, Buxton, Polanco, Kepler, Celestino, Gordon, and Lewis qualify at this time. Larnach, Kirilloff, and Miranda could be exemptions and claim a position if they hit at least .280 with power. The Astros have demonstrated a model for winning with their swing hard first and then adjust for contact approach at the plate, run the bases aggressively, and catch the ball to support a pitching staff built largely from within throwing strikes to a very superior defensive catcher. I'm still thinking that a few Twins could move forward this summer and help them be competitive against good teams. We will find out in June and July.
  4. tony&rodney
    The report card can wait until the All Star game in July. Some players will get opportunities and others will look for jobs with another team down the road.
  5. tony&rodney
    It was just one series, an abysmal display, but only three games. More worrisome, the Twins looked intimidated on a number of instances. Their bats were pretty weak overall. One can only hope that the expectation within the clubhouse was less fearful than what we saw from the action and managing.
  6. tony&rodney
    Tough game and the Twins are trending more towards a rebuild due to injuries and so forth than looking like they belong on the same field as Houston. Hopefully, the bats come alive and Winder pitches well this afternoon. It is a long season and the team will go in many directions at times during these months. On another somewhat related note, it is total b.s. that MLB teams can/do carry 14 pitchers and then resort to using a hitter as a pitcher. Baseball needs to return to 25 person rosters and set the days a player must stay down in the minor leagues at a minimum of 15 days.
  7. tony&rodney
    Justin Verlander took advantage of his experience and the Twins inexperience tonight. Ryan had a rough time on the mound and when he doesn't have pinpoint control he is in trouble. Tomorrow will be a good chance to see how the Twins react to adversity against a good team. Archer needs to get through five innings or more.
  8. tony&rodney
    Has Nick Gordon proven his worth? Yes.
  9. tony&rodney
    This week shapes up to be quite a test for the Twins youth. Jeffers, Kirilloff, Miranda, Lewis, Gordon, and Celestino get to face some really good pitchers and Ryan, Winder, and the younger bullpen pitchers will face some excellent bats. The season is still young but the Twins should be excited to face the challenge of the Astros and Cleveland clubs.
  10. tony&rodney
    This sounds pretty much to be the best explanation yet of why some people insist on stating that baseball is boring. Boredom is a personal choice protected only by one's mind, at least until the final definitive decision from on high is leaked to all. I can watch an entire baseball game standing up in my living room but haven'y watched more than a few minutes of NFL or NBA "action" in the last half century. This year I have been entertained by the Wild, but have turned off a number of games when the players resort to fighting, holding, interfering, or milling around the net for five minutes after a shot on goal. My mind tells me that I am bored but I have not yet resorted to suggesting to others that NFL, NBA, or NHL action is, in fact, boring. By the way, I looked out the window this morning and the grass is growing.
  11. tony&rodney
    My position is that we have no idea about the clubhouse. Players are happier when they win. Even those famous Yankee and Oakland teams that got into fights with each other had loads of laughs as they won a ton of games. What is most evident right now is the improved ability of the pitchers to throw quality strikes and the big improvement by the defense. Despite some errors the past couple of games, the quality of defense is a big improvement over the last couple of years. The Twins lost last night but Gordon made a fine diving catch in left field. Larnach has also seemed much more confident in the field, running down a few fly balls and aggressively charging singles for throws to home plate. The defense is being led by Buxton, Correa, and Polanco up the middle and considerable growth from Jeffers behind the dish. There are so many games still to play but if the Twins can manage to play strong defense and throw pitches that avoid the whooping zone, I like their chances because they have some players that can hit the ball on offense. Players love to make and talk about great defense and winning brings smiles.
  12. tony&rodney
    The title of this post says it all.
  13. tony&rodney
    First base is not a concern for the Twins.
  14. tony&rodney
    Ryan was impressive as he pitched through some weak contact that found holes. The Twins continue to be really good on defense. Urshela's error was an one where he could have held the ball but tried to make a spectacular play; no harm on the play as the batter was going to gain first anyway and was stranded. Correa made a phenomenal catch running into the outfield. His error was on a ball he tried to field too quickly because he wanted the runner at the plate running in from third base and that play wasn't going to be made anyway. Good slashing double from Miranda and Celestino continues to look good. Oh, and Jeffers was impressive blocking the ball and crushing his HR. Buxton and Correa are clearly leading this team and the steady Polanco is right behind that pair to keep everyone calm. For those who were troubled by either Thielbar or Stashak, they both looked really good. The Twins are playing good baseball right now. Baltimore battled in almost every inning but the Twins fought hard too.
  15. tony&rodney
    Miranda is getting an opportunity right now to show his skills. Winder was in long relief twice and had an excellent start against a terrific Tampa Bay team. Sands had a brief look and Duran has impressed from Day 1. When there is an opening the Twins will call up the player who fits at that moment. It would not be at all surprising to see Royce Lewis before July if he continues to take good at bats. There aren't too many concerns about his glove and he could slide into the outfield or infield quite easily. The numbers get tight with Kirilloff, Larnach, Gordon, Celestino, and Garlick all vying for outfield spots along with the two sure players, Buxton and Kepler. Things are also crowded in the infield because Correa and Polanco are locked leaving six others - Sano, Kirilloff, Arraez, Urshela, Miranda, and Lewis who would like to play. Kirilloff, Gordon, and Lewis can swing between if/of. That's a pile of bodies and the guys who hit and field will get their spots. Importantly for the success of the season, the Twins have much better depth than last year. Thankfully, we are also seeing some of that with the pitching staff as well.
  16. tony&rodney
    I get some frustration with Sano but we shouldn't question an injury. He is injured. Sano is an important piece if the Twins want to play extra baseball this year. Let's hope he gets squared away in the next couple of weeks. Arraez is so much fun to watch but Urshela plays strong defense and there have already been a half dozen plays at third base where one can see the importance of defense. Luis will continue to see at bats but he needs to be very productive with line drives because long fly balls won't cut it for him. It is a long season and many players will get opportunities. If someone steps forward with a hot bat and/or glove there will be room in the lineup. We are seeing this right now with Larnach's bat and Urshela's glove.
  17. tony&rodney
    The defense has been quite consistent. We see nearly every regular play being made cleanly right now, but are also watching a number of outstanding plays result in outs. Correa, Buxton, and Polanco have made it tough on players' batting averages. The Twins are also getting strong defense from many others and the more you watch Kepler, the more you realize his simple routes and athleticism shines. For me, right now, the defense has been a big step up from last year and converting batted balls into outs is huge for any pitcher. Nash hits it by highlighting depth. It seems every player on the roster has made positive contributions. I'm liking the clear improvement in Gordon and Celestino both in the field and at the plate. The nature of professional sports requires strong depth for successful teams.
  18. tony&rodney
    A little sunshine and warmer weather heals many ills; keep the faith for the big man.
  19. tony&rodney
    Thielbar will come around. I am more concerned with Pagan and Duffey and they are fine for now. A big positive for this Twins team is their improved defense. Just a pure visual and totally biased observation of mine sees a better defense at C, 2B, SS, LF, CF, and RF this season. 1B and 3B are pretty even and health in CF and RF makes a difference. Correa and Polanco have looked outstanding. Gordon and Celestino bring some speed and defense to the team. Celestino and Gordon are still improving on routes but their speed helps them cover inexperience.
  20. tony&rodney
    Leg (knee) soreness or something similar. He sat out a few games and then had to be replaced during Saturday's game. If he can heal, rest, recover in the warmth of the Fort Myers sunshine, Sano could return in two weeks a new man.
  21. tony&rodney
    Ober is the senior member of the rotation (odd but true) and will slot right back in when he is ready.
  22. tony&rodney
    Celestino looks more comfortable and made a nice catch. Larnach is going to get a ton of at bats with Sano on the IL. Urshela and Arraez figure to play regularly as well
  23. tony&rodney
    Team chemistry is quite different in professional sports than in many other areas, including amateur sports. While it is a definite plus for everyone to mesh their different personalities, talent and some good fortune plays a major role in winning. There are untold ways that positive vibes get reduced, but a good example can be the multiple losses the Twins suffered last April and May due to blown saves. When a team loses a number of games in dramatic fashion the confidence and trust level is diminished. Similarly, winning games late pushes a team together with everyone smiling and laughing. The wins against Detroit and Chicago last week are good examples of that good luck. I'm hesitant to place blame on individual players for dissension unless I personally know specific truths of actions. Baseball is a tough sport because of the great amount of failure inherent in the game. Thus most players are quite good at focusing on the positive with themselves and their teammates. So while chemistry is a good thing, it is talent and performance nudged along with a little bit of luck that is most important towards winning.
  24. tony&rodney
    I thought he was out of options. I would keep him in the system if he has options. Thanks.
  25. tony&rodney
    Stashak and Celestino have looked pretty good today so far. Arraez is a bit silly at first base but he looks ok. Larnach is showing he wants playing time. Even Garlick is looking decent but he just faces a pretty tough numbers game.
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