twinsnorth49

Sweet start.......sigh!!!

Good thing I'm a CFL and a Gophers fan, sorry I just can't watch NFL football, except for at Super Bowl parties and let's face it, that has nothing to do with football. That being said I really hope you guys don't lose your team, that would really suck and I know how much. I would never cheer for any team that was hijacked from my city, I hate the Phoenix Coyotes to this day with every fiber of my soul.......I realize that is completely irrational but I can't help it. Stay on that Jets train R.B. good things are coming! Playoffs in 2013!! Go Jets Go!! Go Bombers!!!

That's one of the most honest posts I've ever read here and probably represents most of society. Professional sports, especially ones that play long schedules and play in large stadiums are, if you think about it, dependent on the bandwagon fan. Most fans don't represent what the majority of fans on this site represent, the ones who revel in every movement of the game, the strategies, the rivalries, the highs of winning, the lows of losing and of course the pure enjoyment derived from second guessing management as if we know better. Most fans enjoy baseball but don't immerse themselves so much into the game as to really care what impacts winning or losing on a micro level, they enjoy home runs, they enjoy great catches, they enjoy the atmosphere and comraderie of being with friends and family and they particularly enjoy winning. You don't need to think about what constitutes great baseball as long as your team is winning, the proof is already their on the scoreboard, why look further than that. Winning begets watching and when any team in any sport is on a roll a far greater number of people that what normally constitutes the loyalists get swept up in the excitement,that's a good thing. NFL football in some cities may be an exception, but not all. Playing only 8 home games plays a role in that however, high demand, low inventory is a good way to maintain interest. Hockey in Canada is an exception, but being from there I can attest that the reasons for it are, there really isn't anything else to do in winter and well, it's hockey and it's Canada. Hockey in the US is most certainly a bandwagon sport, win and everyone loves hockey and always did, full arenas, same for basketball and the same for baseball, winning is exciting, contagious and most of all, fun. Those fans sitting in the park in September with their team 20 games out of 1st place and playing minor league call-ups for a look-see, that's us and the majority are not like us, that doesn't mean the rest aren't welcome to join when and how they see fit, we need them to.

I'm starting to get depressed that we've reached a 22 post discussion on whether Brandon Inge is the way to improve our ballclub right now...................seriously, Brandon Inge, that's thoroughly depressing.:p

Ok, time to snap out of it now, the rubbing your leg part is creeping us out!.............oh and the Chi-Sox jersey is too.

At age 38 and a 2 year $6.5 mil deal, he should gladly take the team shoe shine job if it came down to it. I like Carroll and am in no rush to change anything to do with his playing time but at the end of the day, he doesn't have much leverage to be dictating how the team ends up using him, but I do agree that he shouldn't be the one sent to be the utility man, for now.

I'm not crazy about it but it might give us a bit of stability at 3rd, get rid of the Butera nonsense and wake Valencia the hell up!!! Burroughs sure isn't the answer and in-house help is a couple of years away. Still, I feel a little dirty.

THAT MUCH!!??................you got pretend hosed.

I applaud your full and utter commitment to non-fandom. To not only disavow the team yourself but to also force your kids to disown them as well, that my friend is full on Chicken and the Pig stuff. Just to be clear, Twins Win= good, will cheer or at least politely clap, Twins lose= completely lose the ability to have rational thoughts and descend into bitter, jaded, cynical abyss because Joe Mauer hasn't hit the ball at the right time often enough in the last 19 games and Jim Pohlad refuses to have a public execution outside Target Field involving Terry Ryan, Ron Gardenhire and anyone else who doesn't actually play in the game but is somehow responsible for pitchers who don't know what a strike zone is despite miraculously reaching the major league level. But hey, it takes all kinds, who am I to judge (and I'm not), I just like drinking beer while watching grown men play a child's game.......isn't that really what it's about?

So essentially you don't understand fans who don't agree with you? Fans enjoy the Twins and baseball in a variety of ways, your way doesn't make you more of a fan or a better one. That's how you come across.......just saying.

Couldn't question my fandom, I love the Twins....Win or Lose. Although I don't agree with the negative Nellie/Chicken Little crowd, I don't question their fanhood, they comment because they care, just like everybody who belongs to sites like these.

Kelly has a great sense of humour, I love listening to him, his insight adds so much to the broadcast. He was pretty blunt about a few things against the Sox but didn't sound critical, just stating the facts. Interestingly The Bleacher Report ranks Dick & Bert as the 3rd best MLB TV broadcast team in their latest power rankings. Just behind Dick Enberg & Mark Kneely/Tony Gwynn and of course at #1 the incomparable Vin Scully and no colour guy necessary. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1146624-mlb-tv-power-rankings-ranking-every-mlb-teams-announcers-heading-into-2012

That's about the size of it, I don't think either of them will be around in two years unless something significant changes. Nothing will change if they don't play, platoon them this year and see what happens, if they don't perform then it's only a matter of time anyway.

I'm not comparing him to Bautista and I said that, I'm merely using his circumstance to illustrate how when a player is given opportunity and confidence good things can happen. Up until then no team had really shown much faith or given much opportunity to Bautista. When someone did, it paid off. If Bautista had such a good track record of offensive numbers and power potential, why did he not settle into a regular playing spot until his 6th team and almost 30th birthday. You're missing the point.

Tough, tough night for our young prospect, 4 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 3K, 2BB...........................ouch!!! Just didn't have his location tonight and admitted he got away from the game plan, 13/22 first pitch strikes and plenty of 2-0 counts made things awfully tough on himself. The 15 pitch at bat by Gonzalez seemed to take a toll on him, could have been a little different if he had been able to put him away a lot earlier. Went down 1-0 to Alviles with 2 on and 2 out, threw a bad pitch, deep hole, never recovered. Let's put this one away and come back strong next game.

There are so many instances of teams giving up on players too early, Plouffe may very well not end up being the guy but right now it's not as if it's a numbers game that is keeping him from getting to show what he is capable of, a regular spot is available for Gardenhire to put him, if he chose. I like Gardenhire and I'm not in the camp that believes much of this lies at his feet but I do feel he could benefit by showing a little more faith and confidence in some of his younger players, he has with players such as Parmelee, Casilla and Valencia and I think he should do the same with Plouffe and Revere, they need the playing time. I feel that is the one thing that the younger players lack on this team, including the recently departed Luke Hughes and I feel that lies with Gardy. It's hard to play under the microscope, especially when you don't have a body of work to give you some slack, always feeling that you're one mistake away from the bench again is awfully tough on a young player and it's the manager's job to nurture that confidence, it could be painful in the short term but once a player gets it and feels his back is covered, good things can happen in the long run. How much better would the Pirates look with Jose Bautista in their lineup and they gave up on him twice , the second time came after he played in a few games sporadically as a spare part, never really getting a chance. It's worth noting that 5 other teams also deemed him expendable ( in 1 year), until he stuck with the Jays in '08. It was finally Cito Gaston that gave Bautista the opportunity by taking a chance and showing some unwavering confidence in him (at the age of 30). When they waived Alex Rios in late August of '09 Gaston told Bautista the job was his for the rest of the year, no matter what, even if he struck out every time up (what did he have to lose)? 10 home runs that fall and 54 the following year and the rest is history. Now I'm not saying Plouffe is the 2nd coming of Bautista, far from it, but young players need confidence instilled in them and to be given the belief they can be successful. I only mention Plouffe in all of this because he is out of options, I think Revere falls into the, being given a chance, category as well but he has a little more time on his side to get his opportunity. The Twins have come this far with Plouffe, much like they did with Hughes. It's time to decide what to do with him, I'd much rather see him get his chance to play regularly than to just waive him like Hughes. The team is not going anywhere this year, I'd rather go nowhere with some potential than nowhere with guys like Thomas and Burroughs. On a side note, had Plouffe's hit in game 1 gone over the fence (it was a well hit ball at a high pressure moment)....I question how many people would be talking like this. Baseball is a game of inches, sometimes you just need a bit more rope.

I think Revere should start all 3 games against K.C. , he has the potential to provide some life but he has to perform. If he does and the team wins 2 of 3 he should stay up for the foreseeable future. I think throwing in the towel on Plouffe is a bit premature, he hasn't had that many opportunities in the outfield, he's still a better choice than Thomas.

Does anyone else drink a lot more when the Twins play like this? ....................how about constantly posting every thought that runs through your head?

I think we're beyond needing stats to help us understand how badly this team is playing.........but thanks for reaffirming the sickening sight.

You know it's bad when your team's highlight so far is cutting off a throw to home.

When it rains it pours..........crap!!!!

Unfortunately not rough enough to dull this pain so far.

OK, good I'm not hallucinating.

guys, c'mon make a pitch, get a hit, show some pride......something!

Hendriks gets the start tonight against Buchholz looking for his 1st major league win. Twins desperately need at least 6 innings out of the young pitcher tonight. Let's get it done Liam!