h2oface

I don't think you necessarily need an ace to win a division. But you will need one to advance in the playoffs if you get there. Better to have two, then, and that may not be enough. Just ask the Dodgers.

Ace. Twins' fans are desperate to have an Ace. They want it so bad some call Phil Hughes one, and now Gibson is considered. It takes more than a couple months to be an Ace. It takes more than a year of consistent lights out pitching to become an Ace. Two years........ OK, then you might have an Ace, it depends how he starts the 3rd year in a row. Right now, we have a hot pitcher that is improving. Phil Hughes....... still not an Ace. Kyle Gibson..... great game, Kyle.

I knew that, too. That jet that flew over my head just missed me..... good one. Thanks for the insight on the pitch count for Berrios.

It is nice to have depth. The Dodgers thought they had too many outfielders, and traded Kemp and tried to trade Eithier. Now, Crawford and Puig are out and Ethier and Van Slyke are needed desperately, and both are doing great. No need to trade Milone if he can be ready when....... and I mean when and not if....... when the injury happens and he is needed. They are paying him 2.8 million no matter where he pitches.

Meyer's day to start was yesterday, and Fien got the relief inning, and Meyer was not used today in favor of Achter. I hope Meyer gets in some games if he is going to be developed. Maybe the games were too close and they want to win the minor league game more than be developing? There should be a rule against blowing someone's save, tacking on runs to their ERA, and then stealing the win. It just doesn't and has never seemed fair. That pitcher shouldn't get the win. Maybe there already is, but it is never used by the official scorer. Official Rules: 10.00 The Official Scorer 10.17 Winning And Losing Pitcher (a) The official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher that pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, unless (1) such pitcher is a starting pitcher and Rule 10.17(b.) applies; or (2) Rule 10.17(c.) applies. Rule 10.17(a) Comment: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the winning pitcher is concerned. Once the opposing team assumes the lead, all pitchers who have pitched up to that point and have been replaced are excluded from being credited with the victory. If the pitcher against whose pitching the opposing team gained the lead continues to pitch until his team regains the lead, which it holds to the finish of the game, that pitcher shall be the winning pitcher. (b.) If the pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, is a starting pitcher who has not completed (1) five innings of a game that lasts six or more innings on defense, or (2) four innings of a game that lasts five innings on defense, then the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the relief pitcher, if there is only one relief pitcher, or the relief pitcher who, in the official scorers judgment was the most effective, if there is more than one relief pitcher. Rule 10.17(b.) Comment: It is the intent of Rule 10.17(b.) that a relief pitcher pitch at least one complete inning or pitch when a crucial out is made, within the context of the game (including the score), in order to be credited as the winning pitcher. If the first relief pitcher pitches effectively, the official scorer should not presumptively credit that pitcher with the win, because the rule requires that the win be credited to the pitcher who was the most effective, and a subsequent relief pitcher may have been most effective. The official scorer, in determining which relief pitcher was the most effective, should consider the number of runs, earned runs and base runners given up by each relief pitcher and the context of the game at the time of each relief pitchers appearance. If two or more relief pitchers were similarly effective, the official scorer should give the presumption to the earlier pitcher as the winning pitcher. (c.) The official scorer shall not credit as the winning pitcher a relief pitcher who is ineffective in a brief appearance, when at least one succeeding relief pitcher pitches effectively in helping his team maintain its lead. In such a case, the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher the succeeding relief pitcher who was most effective, in the judgment of the official scorer. Rule 10.17(c.) Comment: The official scorer generally should, but is not required to, consider the appearance of a relief pitcher to be ineffective and brief if such relief pitcher pitches less than one inning and allows two or more earned runs to score (even if such runs are charged to a previous pitcher). Rule 10.17(b.) Comment provides guidance on choosing the winning pitcher from among several succeeding relief pitchers. (d) A losing pitcher is a pitcher who is responsible for the run that gives the winning team a lead that the winning team does not relinquish. Rule 10.17(d.) Comment: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as the losing pitcher is concerned. (e) A league may designate a non-championship game (for example, the Major League All-Star Game) for which Rules 10.17(a.)(1.) and 10.17(b.) do not apply. In such games, the official scorer shall credit as the winning pitcher that pitcher whose team assumes a lead while such pitcher is in the game, or during the inning on offense in which such pitcher is removed from the game, and does not relinquish such lead, unless such pitcher is knocked out after the winning team has attained a commanding lead and the official scorer concludes that a subsequent pitcher is entitled to credit as the winning pitcher.

Not for the month of May! 27th with a 13 K cushion at 131.... only 84 behind the leader, the Brewers at 215. Things are looking up!

Well......... it was a tongue in cheek joke. Sorry to get you all worked up. But I am still in the No NO NO NO NO camp. And since you asked, strikeouts always bother me. I can live with them, and prefer them to grounding into a double play, but otherwise.... not a fan of strikeouts from the hitters, but a big fan of Ks from the Twins' pitchers. I want Tulo. I don't think Santana or Escobar are the answer. Maybe Polanco or Gordon, but I want Tulo. Trade Santana, Meyer, and Arcia (I like outfielders who can play the position and hit, and I like Vargas better for DH) for Tulo.

Exactly. As I said earlier in this thread........Get Tulo. He is going to be traded. We have 4 shortstops....... Santana, Escobar, Polanco, and Gordon. Let then take their pick. I would even include Meyer now. I would hate to, as a Meyer apologist, but I think this org is not helping Meyer at all. I would not include Plouffe in the trade at this point.

Howard could help the Twins set a new team strikeout record! Twins are only on pace for 1300 so far this year.... and the record was 1430 in 2013. Ryan would be good for that 130 for the rest of the year by himself.

Thanks. The original question was ...... is he on a pitch count? That would be for Jeremy, the author of the article, or someone who knows and is not guessing. I don't think that has been answered. It doesn't have to be 100 pitches - I agree that is totally arbitrary...... and I believe they should go more, even. Gibson was at 93 after the 7th today, and ahead 8-1, and he came out in the 8th for another 13 and finished with 106. Why have Gibson pitch the needless 8th, ahead 8-1? Arm strength, perhaps? I replied to your post because I could think of a reason. I am not trying to second guess Doug Mientkiewicz, and I am not arguing with you, just asking questions and hoping that someone that might know will answer. Sometimes, having a pitcher pitch when he is not at his best, can help him become his best. Sometimes, pulling him so he still has confidence after an outing can help more.

I would love to see a prospect trade including Danny Santana for Tulo to play short. Remember the 4 prospects for Santana? Only one was a keeper (Gomez), even though Gardenhire and Ryan ran him out of town. Tulo's contract is reasonable ..... 113 mil left for 6 years.......30 now. Maybe even include Meyer, as this org apparently is not helping his developement. The Rockies could get something, sure, but they may get nothing, or the Twins can keep the same. In regard to Howard and Revere...... it looks to me like Brad Johnson is just trying to create his own rumor.

Made me chuckle. Hey, as Steve Martin says "Comedy is not pretty."

............ status interruptus?

Only 88 pitches......... how about to increase arm strength to be able to go deep into games? That seems like a pretty good reason to me. They were always pulling Meyer last year in the 80s, but he was on a pitch count for his arm........... Berrios threw 55 strikes in 88 pitches - still 62.5% strikes. Ahead 8-2, it would make sense to have him go to around 100 pitches. It seemed the only thing that prevented him from going deeper into the game was they didn't let him pitch the 7th. Reading his line and looking at the box, I guess you had to be there to see how he managed to just survive six innings. I can't see it in the line. It makes sense to be stretched out if nothing is hurting one's body. "Jose Berrios wasn’t great tonight, but he managed to survive six innings. He allowed two runs on a walk and six hits. He struck out five. Berrios was not his normal self, throwing only 55 strikes in 88 pitches. And while his inefficiency didn’t cost him runs, it did keep him from going deeper into the game." It looks like Casey Fien got the relief inning Meyer could have gotten on his former day to start.

88 pitches, ahead 7-2 after 6 innings, and Berrios is yanked. Is he on a pitch count or something? Is there a reason for not letting him pitch the 7th?

Just because "most posters" agree on something, I don't know that that is a good thing. I hated the one for one trade - an leadoff hitting above average major league centerfielder for a AA minor league hope. No time travel needed. Even little Ben Revere brought a major league pitcher and and minor league pitcher. I liked that trade just for the 2 for one, and getting rid of the noodle arm. To me, the Span/Meyer trade is already a proven bad deal because Meyer didn't start helping the team last year. Span could very well be a free agent by the time Meyer makes the show, if he ever does now. 3 years of valuable play in the majors compared to a prospect that devalues himself just about every time he takes the mound. Didn't like it then, and don't like it now. How many other new pitchers have made the show since the trade? Washington definitely didn't have that much faith in him. I still hope and root for Meyer, and wanted him up last year. Good luck to him. He needs it now.

No mention of inherited runners and inherited runners scored, which is, to me, the ultimate stat for a reliever. It shows if they really relieved or just did well for themselves, and not necessarily the team. Trouble is, I can't seem to find stats for inherited runners scored anywhere except in the daily boxes. Can anyone help me with a source?

It worked. It doesn't affect the future or the past. Molitor was a genius last night. Great to see Graham pitch so well, too. And watch a fastball from a Twin hit 98.

Growing up in baseball. I love it.

I read this reply as "so what you are saying is that you are accusing Seth of being a fair weather Twins' fan." Please correct me if I am wrong, as I do not want to put words into your mouth. That is not what I said or meant. It has everything to do with changing ones picks after the start of the season (in what contests is that even allowed?), and not even the person that did it. Hence, "that is pretty fair weather picking". As I understand from a past warning point awarded, this is called putting words into my mouth that I didn't say. Perhaps the the mods that like your comment feel different than the mod that issued a warning point for the same thing? I guess I am quite confused now about what the rule is and how and to who it is enforced. So, let me say to Seth, if he in fact is offended and thinks that is what I meant, my apologies. An uber fan is in no way a fair weather fan. I hope this clarifies my comment. I will stick with the picks I make before the season starts, because I believe that is the only time a fair prediction can be made.

Well that is pretty fair weather picking. As long as one can just change at anytime in this Twins Daily prediction world, I think I will change my prediction at the end of September, maybe even the last day of the season.......

Nope. When is pace the pace? On pace to win 89 games now, eh? At 1-6, they were on pace to win 23 games, so I guess that means we can expect only 2 more wins. But that wasn't the pace? It was fools' pace? Is this fools' pace, now? I didn't change my prediction because of Santana going out, because I figured that Santana, at best, was a .500 addition to the team. Nothing to help and nothing to hurt, just classic blah. 50 some million worth of more blah. I'm at 79-83. Prime numbers, baby. In my mind, you only get one prediction, and that is at the beginning of the year before the season starts. I don't care if your brackets are blown up. You only get one pick.

A 34 year old with options? After playing every year in the minors since 2002 and in the majors with Colorado in 2008 and with the Twins in 2013, 2014, and now 2015?

Great idea. Jeff Smith is out of date.

The Nats have taken us twice. Ramos for Capps and Span for Meyer.