stringer bell

Four innings and all the "hitters" in the lineup have struck out once.

Do you really think they can make contact any better by trying to bunt for a hit?

I don't get ESPN. I get the feeling I might be fortunate today.

I didn't say they would do any better.

Well, Vázquez and Bride can't do much worse than the first six hitters.

According to BBRef, Larnach has started eight games against left handers and his splits are pretty lousy (.172 BA .475 OPS), Wallner has started four games versus southpaws and his splits are so-so as well (.207 BA, .717 OPS) and Bride has started 16 games against left handers and is terrible as well (.196 BA and .507 OPS) against left handers. Wallner's "good" numbers were mostly accrued before his injury and he has struggled lately. There aren't any great choices and if Bride is to have any role this is where he should be used. There has to be somebody better in the system and this really looks bad when Vázquez is catching.

John Curtiss will get another big league shot. He broke in with the Twins way back in 2017, making 17 appearances in 2017 and 2018. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/diamondbacks-designate-tayler-scott-select-john-curtiss.html

Certainly the whole Twins organization is ripe for criticism, from the players to the front office. I do it myself. I just don’t think it’s fair to register knee-jerk criticism and ride hobby horses and it sours the threads to me. So and so got a hit, but the guy we didn’t keep threw a shutout. Buxton homered, but he struck out with two on. And so it goes. Be critical, but be fair and it makes the threads much more enjoyable (to me). I’ve seen complaints that some posters seem to want to contribute only to pile on and I agree to some degree. I know everyone should be able to offer an opinion, but peeing in the punch bowl makes it a bad experience for most of us.

One correction to the 40-man roster posted above is that Michael Tonkin was outrighted and is now off the 40-man roster. Also the outfielders were listed twice FWIW.

I remember Pagán saving three consecutive games for the Twins. He didn’t hold the closer role because he failed too many times.

Could be interesting if all the infielders are healthy, but there will probably be an injury or two by the time the injured guys are activated.

Good game for the Twins. Need a win Saturday with Skubal ready for Sunday.

Gotta hold 'em to one here. Torrez didn't hit it hard, but found grass.

Baez will chase.

Yup. An infield of France, Lee, Correa and Lewis is epically slow.

Loved the "Frank" AI commercial the first time I saw it. Much less so the two times since in the last half hour.

Really nice play on the force by Lee. Almost got the DP.

I know Wallner got a start vs. a lefty in Houston. I was there.Larnach has gotten more play against lefties. Neither have been pinch hit for much, mostly because they don't have great options. Wallner has been struggling, so I'd say it's defensible.

You got your wish.

Yep, certainly a debatable call. I'd rather see Wallner, too. What is true is that Rocco has pinch hit far less and his lefty hitters have gotten far more chances against lefties than in any of the last three years. Also, I'm disappointed Lee didn't take second on the overthrow to third.

Because of the results in 2022 and 2024, I think there's quite a bit of negativity and it's grown with each passing year. I don't blame people for being critical and cynical. I blame people for being unfairly negative.

Who's left? And do you want to use three of your bench moves in the 6th inning? Because, the only logical pinch hitter would be Jeffers which would lose the only backup catcher and then someone would have to play second base (Bride, with Lee going from third to second).

Okay, time for a rant. I come to game threads and post-game threads and see posters second guessing literally everything that doesn't go right. The manager, front office and players are all justifiable targets, but it seems endless. You run and get caught stealing, you get roasted. You don't run and the guy hits into a double play, you get roasted. You bring in a reliever and he gets hit, you get criticized, keep the pitcher in for a third time through the order--similar snark. Clemens has been a big surprise and he's criticized for his BA. I was hearing howls when Wallner was rehabbing to bring him up right away. The same for Lewis, but when they struggle, they should have stayed down longer. I think Rocco Baldelli is lucky he is managing a team in Minnesota. He may well have been fired if managing in rabid cities like Philly, Boston and New York and maybe he should have earlier this year, but he's not the worst manager the Twins ever had (Ray Miller), but the incessant second guessing and meritless criticism for players' struggles is too much. The Pohlads seem totally tone-deaf and pretty unconcerned with a product that is losing interest and attendance, but I don't think the Twins owners are the worst in baseball. I've been a Twins fan since they moved here and I've seen most everything from world championships to "total system failure" and I like to be entertained by my favorite pro sports team. I also like to compare what's going on with my favorite team versus what other teams do. For example, Gipson-Long has used behind an opener until his last two starts and the Tigers have been really successful. Other managers pull their starters after two times through the lineup. It isn't just Rocco. Every other team has players who make fundamental mistakes, I guarantee it. End of rant.

Kody Clemens, coming into today, is hitting .220 for the Twins, but with an .820 OPS. That's better than anyone but Buxton. He's got 1.0 WAR in 46 games, more than France, Jeffers, Castro and as much as Larnach in fewer games. Yeah, it might be a mirage, but he has earned playing time as much as anybody.

Yeah, maybe you could steal a run there. However, it's gone on forever that LH hitter like having the first baseman hold the runner to open up the hole. If Buck is a near-lock to reach second there, I still want him to go.