h2oface

Usually not the case for Buxton, but he wasn't really loafing, either. In fact, one could be more upset about the fact that he slid at home, risking injury, when he could have easily crossed the plate standing up, still. But you are correct, that these guys still don't run out the play, or pay attention and take off immediately on a missed swinging third strike. I mean really. What else do they have to do? It really isn't that hard of a job, to run full speed to first base. Sano didn't even make it to first tonight - not even close - on and infield grounder. Didn't even get up to 1/3 speed.

Burnt toast!

NO!

If you don't understand the different mental pressure a batter faces with men on base and in scoring position, then you will always make this same argument to discount the value of RBI and the hitters that get them. But I assume you do understand the different mental pressure and context of that in the at bat, and just chose to ignore it in these cases. The run being scored has everything to do with the batter when the batter steps into the batter's box and is faced with the opportunity and added presure and intensity to knock a run in. No ball hit, no walk drawn in and bases loaded situation, and no run scored. But I am not trying to convince you. I just don't buy your angle. And you will make the same argument again. I love RBI guys, and that is why. Always have, always will. They have a history of knocking runs in, and under more mental pressure.

It is looking like there will be a bubble, and no home field, just home team for the game.

I respect your opinion, and I respect those you are disparaging. This is not a normal season. You can't have a 100 win pace in a 60 game season. Not apples to apples. I would bet Rocco is even doubting some of his decisions, regardless of what he says. I hope so. Smart people don't think they are perfect, but always willing to learn.

Which makes it even worse.....

It is clear the number one focus is to be as healthy as possible when the playoffs start. While it may not include winning the central and a better seed (and it still might), it is a smart thing to do in this shortened season. That is why I wish we see no more bullpen games. With starters only going 5 mostly..... the bullpen gets plenty of work. The Twins have probably blown the division title by their performance against KC and Detroit. For this lineup tonight to be competitive was impressive. The folks that let us down were the highest paid on the team.... Donaldson and Cruz. The table was constantly set for them. Hopefully they can step up in October. I will never understand how an umpire missing close pitches, the ones the pitchers or batters earn the most and deserve the most, and missing them for both sides makes it OK. To me, it just means he guessed more wrong, and that is even worse, and certainly always affects the at bat and the game. RBI always are important, and always will be. One can spout that one can't control the opportunities they get for RBI, and therefore it is not a good judge of the hitter, but today is a grand example of just how important those guys that can drive the runners in are. And walks rarely drive in runs, just ask Donaldson today. I always am amazed that a batter will not guard the plate better, and watch a called third strike to end the game. Just stand there and watch it, especially since the swung at so many that were way out of the zone, and this pitch is right on the edge. You just can't stand there. You just can't.

Yup. Looks like the ulna to me, too. I'm betting as an armchair doctor that has had a complete break of the right ulna mid shaft plated, and then a second non-union surgery a year and a half later with allograft and electrical stimulation that created alternating reverse magnetic polarites that I wore as a cuff.... and subsequent removal of plate a year ago after 28 years (many never have it removed, but it was starting to bother soft tissue and doesn't need to be there anymore)..... that it will need immobilized, but will not need a plate embedded, and will heal pretty well with no future problems, especially with his age - still younger than 26.

Now can we get to Chicago? The pitching staff better not be giving up 13 hits in 9 innings to Chicago. This is exciting! While I hope Eddie is OK, it could be an opening, finally, for another spark from the farm.... like Kirilloff (one r, two L's, and two f's)! This type of collision in the outfield now is really frustrating. I mean, it's not like there is too much noise to hear someone calling for the ball, and if they aren't calling for it...... WHY NOT!

Not much info about the injury yet. Whether it is the Ulna or Radius is a big difference. While the Ulna is the non weight bearing of the pair, it can be slower to heal. Heezy? This looks like a minor fracture impact to me. Certainly not a total separation, so no plate needed.

Lindor needs a smack in the face? I doubt it. Baseball players can be the biggest posers there are. They charge out of the dugouts over nothing. They act like they want to fight like a jr high school kid, but they really don't. And then fans act like they are tough, and talk tough, like they should be in a silly school yard fight. Nothing is going to happen if the two just jaw at each other, and no one is going to protect or "have their back" by coming out of the dugout and pushing each other away from some place they don't even need to be. Always the dumbest and silliest thing that happens in baseball.

Bieber crushed us on July 30 and pitched 8 innings of 3 hit shutout ball with 13 Ks, and beat Berrios, who pitched 5 and only gave up a 2 run homer (and Littell andThorpe actually pitched 2 innings each and didn't give up a single run! amazing!) We had Bieber beat that last game on August 25. He was behind 2-1 when he pitched his last pitch of the game and left the mound after the top of the 6th. Alcala came in and wasted Hill's perhaps best outing and gave up a single, homer, walk and a double, and gives Bieber the 4-2 victory and snatches it away from Hill. Poppen even pitched 2 innings of shutout ball to close the game. 4 hits and 10 Ks.... If Maeda is sharp, and someone in the bullpen doesn't flail, we could take this game. A DH and pitcher square off in the MVP sprint, and so far.... Cruz is 0-6 with 2 ground outs and a fly out the first game, and 3 swinging strikeouts the second game.

I don't know why they let these two make up double headers happen, and so close to each other. And then 2 days off. Goofy. I don't care if there was a day less rest for Dobnak. That never stopped the pitchers in the 60s and 70s from performing, and all season in a 4 man rotation. Sandy Koufax pitched game 7 against us in the 1965 Series on 2 - at the end of a 162 game season! Right. Dobnak, and nobody, is Koufax. That's not the point, Captains Obvious. There is never an excuse for the HBP walk HBP walk sequence (right, Baldelli!). 2 of the last 3 outings signal the beginning of the end of the smoke and mirrors around Dobnak. I sure hope the Maeda, Berrios, Pineda trio is backed by an improving Hill, and not Dobnak, in the playoffs. I don't even know if Odorizzi will be around. Pretty bummed he is absent virtually all season.

"Triston McKenzie has come up and been very impressive. The supplemental first-round pick in 2015 is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings over his three MLB starts this year. He has 19 walks strikeouts and four strikeouts walks." FTFY

More interesting to me, and I can't tell from the video or watching the game, did Diaz signal Eddie to advance from second, or did he signal to stop. If Eddie blew through another signal for a second consecutive day......... but if it was Diaz's decision..... maybe Diaz was too busy to get to Eddie? any help here?

4-4 against Detriot (so far) and 5-5 against KC. I just can't get thrilled about it. We really needed to sweep them to take this division back. I doubt we can win it going .500 for 20 games (1/3) of this short season, against the two worst teams in the division.

They really won't when/if the Twins let him go, and he torments us and wins games against us with the same style for the opposing team.

Nitty Nitpic. No, not both right. Good tutorial summary of the difference, but if it is said "the Twins left 22 runners on base", that does not imply that one means "the Twins' individual batters totalled 22 runners left on base throughout the game." The Twins left a total of 10 runners on base as totalled by how many runners were on base when each inning ended. If one is going to say, unqualified, that the Twins left 22 runners on base, it means the team LOB. Always. Always has, and always will. That is why they say it at the end of each inning. Good summary, but no reason to normalize not understanding the difference, and trying to make them both right when one isn't.

"Bullpen Finally Breaks"? A team doesn't lose 4 and 6 games in a row if the pen already hasn't broken several times.

Astudillio catching is a joke. Astudillio is a novelty. I hope the Twins offer him up at the gift shop.

Who is tired of Buxton? Certainly not me! Kenta got "deGrom'd" by his teammate again, this time Clippard. And Clippard's ERA even went down! At least the team got the victory this time, too. Pretty awesome grit shown by this team the last 3 games. Now I just hope the vaunted offense can start hitting.

"Defensively, well, no, he won’t be a Gold Glove winner, but he can play both corner outfield positions. ..... But he will make the routine plays. He can also play an adequate first base if needed. Rooker is also very smart." Well, he didn't look too smart or adequate diving for a fly he should have been smart about and played back for a routine single and not made the dive that wasn't even close that created a triple and allowed a run to score, and maybe both runs in the end. But maybe he will get smarter. I am sure he is trying to impress, but that didn't impress me much. I am glad the Twins are finally calling up some guys from the farm instead of signing guys like Vargas. This should have happened sooner. Wade is a waste of time. Just like Granite was. Time to go with the guys that can be part of the future instead of fillers. I also feel Arraez is a Danny Santana. Great. A good rookie year. But he is making decisions on in the field, and on the base paths, that are horrible. Baseball mentality? And to think folks (including himself) were silly enough to think he could/would/might hit .400. He will be lucky to hit .270, and with no power.

Seems odd and not optimum for the Twins and Tigers to both take the day off today, and schedule the make up game as part of a double header on Friday instead, instead of playing single games on Thursday and Friday. Plus, 7 inning games are little league.

About 300. I doubt he has taken this time to get himself in better shape.