stringer bell

I watch the standings way too much, but the Twins are currently 1/2 game out of the last wild card. They are 5 behind Detroit and 2.5 behind the Guards and Royals. They haven't fared well on the road and against their divisional opponents. Those chances are coming and while I don't expect six wins on the road trip, winning half of the games would show they are continuing to play good ball. Winning series against the other Central teams can and will put them in the middle of the race. It is interesting that the Twins have gone on a heater since Lewis and Castro have returned considering those two haven't contributed much since returning. Like almost everyone else, I see Lewis as not yet ready to contribute. I don't want to see him play the way he finished 2024. It would appear that the Rangers are having similar problems with Corey Seager. The roster is constructed so that the team has a guy who is a pinch runner and defensive replacement. If that can be done without harming other facets of the game, Keirsey is a perfect fit and right now the roster is allowing the manager to utilize him in that way. The pitching staff is very good, deeper than 2023, with good quality in both the rotation and bullpen. I'd like to see SWR and Paddack put together a couple of good starts working through six innings and I think the last guy in the bullpen will probably rotate through several guys. Despite the payroll of the Yankees and Red Sox, there aren't any super teams out there in the AL. If the Twins can maximize their talent and stay healthy, they should have a chance against anybody.

Nice analysis. It seems the bullpen usage is on a par with most other teams and I don't think overuse has been an issue. I almost hate to bring it up, but health has been a positive for this group. The Twins don't have a significant starter or reliever on the IL at this point, although they have several on the IL in the minor leagues.

The mysterious injury is Michael Tonkin. He’s been shut down, so he won’t exhaust his rehab. If the club maintains relatively good health on the pitching staff, I see a DFA in Alcalá’s future. He’s 29 and just hasn’t performed well consistently.

Each spot in the order either scored or drove in a run. France scored as the ghost runner in the tenth, but everybody else did something to help win the game. The ebbs and flows seem to be series by series. The Orioles couldn't get France out, but he only had one hit against the Giants. Larnach didn't do much against the O's, but was on fire facing the Giants. The lineup hasn't been consistent, but I think that's true of nearly all teams in MLB. The pitching is pretty damn good, even the White Sox have some pretty good arms. I'll mention it here because I really don't see a place to discuss it elsewhere--Mickey Gasper is probably the AAA Player of the Week. He's hit six homers in about 40 plate appearances and his OPS is 1.576. Just because guys can hit in AAA doesn't mean they'll help the big league club. Keirsey got a hit that won a game, but he hasn't come close to replicating his stats at St. Paul. Gasper hasn't looked like a major league hitter in his 40 or so PAs in the big leagues.

Day off tomorrow, so just about everyone should be available on Tuesday.

21-20. 15-6 at home, but 6-14 on the road at the quarter pole. It's early enough that a good game makes stats look pretty good (like for Brooks Lee and Trevor Larnach), but it is late enough that a bad series takes a dent out of your stats (Ty France). Eventually one of the front line starters would have an off day and it was Pablo. He did give the team six innings and kind of keep them in the game. Jax gave up a run when he deflected a probable double play bouncer and Durán allowed a ghost runner to score, but the Twins had enough to pull out the W. I thought Lee looked very good at shortstop. He doesn't play it quite like Correa does, depending on a quick transfer and release rather than setting and throwing a laser to first base. Lee and Keirsey's big hits in the tenth were examples of making contact. The balls were not hard hit, but found the grass in the outfield.

I think Baldelli made it clear that France was going to play a lot this year, just as he was pretty clear that Santana was his first baseman last year. France's performance has done nothing to change the manager's opinion, I'm sure. It would take a long hot spell for Miranda to supplant France and Wallner or Larnach are outfielders--very unlikely that either of them would be moved to first base in mid-season. France is going to be a regular for the foreseeable future. His performance has merited it and the lack of better options would seem to seal the deal.

Checking back to this blog entry after four straight wins. Continued good play would put the Twins in line for at least a wild card. Yes, the division is pretty strong and there are three teams in front of them, but they aren't buried. The coming schedule includes Baltimore and Milwaukee before the Twins get divisional opponents. The team is being carried by the pitching staff. The starters have been outstanding and the bullpen has mostly been solid. Matthews, Festa and perhaps Morris appear ready in AAA. Hitting and fielding have not been consistent, but both have been better of late.

I’d say all three guys have exceeded expectations. Bader is what the Twins thought/hoped they were getting with Margot and with added swagger. Coulombe shows you don’t have to throw 99 to be effective and France has held up well at first base and is getting barely more than pre-arbitration money.

Baseball is fickle. Every trend and the pitching matchup favors the Twins, so naturally Pablo will struggle tomorrow. Also, I don’t think the White Sox record for losses will last through this year. The Rockies are giving up ten runs a game. San Diego is ahead 19-0 today. Must have missed a couple extra points.

Willi Castro might be the most relieved player on the field.

I don't like this.

Sands last two innings in close games have been saved by a Buxton throw to the plate and a Vázquez pickoff at third base.

Me too.

Rocco gave his BP a couple more minutes with his tirade. These small crowds let us hear the players (and manager) and Rocco has some profanity in his vocabulary.

Twins have the sixth best team ERA in MLB, unfortunately they have the third best team ERA in the AL Central.

All five teams in the AL Central won their games last night (5/9) and right now the composite record of the five teams in the AL Central is 103-92, the best record of any of the six division in Major League Baseball. Who'd a thunk it?

Two hours and seven minutes. Quick game and a win.

First win where they scored three runs or less. Nice job pitchers!!

Nope, Shaun Anderson. In my mind, the Twins had one too many left handed hitting fourth outfielders then and traded one. They traded Wade Jr. and kept Jake Cave. Similarly, when the Twins traded for Mahle, they traded a young hitter who principally played third base. In my mind, the choice would have been between Miranda and Spencer Speer.

Yep, Shaun Anderson (acquired for Wade Jr.) had his contract purchased by the Angels today. He's had not much success for any of the seven teams he's played for.

Great job for the Sheriff. I was convinced that Wade would either homer or walk, but he got him on a long fly ball.

The announcers said that Paddack went 8 against Cleveland in May of last year.

C'mon Royce.

They have Coulombe and Varland for sure and I wouldn’t be surprised if Duran could pitch the ninth.