h2oface

Yes. All good for Castro. And many other teams have their lists of back door all-stars, for sure. Many more than our Twins, perhaps. I don't mean to criticize Castro, as he had nothing to do with it all. But for the writers and announcers who so often talk of him and introduce him as "All-star Willi Castro"....... I think that falls into "the term "All-Star" is diminished" when it is done so cavalierly.

? ?? ? On 5/19/2025 at 5:34 PM, h2oface said: ...was only an all-star by default. That is an important distinction, almost always not considered by the home town writers, announcers, and fans... That was a weird edit of my quote, leaving only Castro out of the sentence...... Castro was only an all-star by default. And then nothing at all about Castro. I get it though, and very interesting data summary, thanks for that, I did show how Correa was involved in the progression that lead to Castro representing the "no real all star available" Twins, and Correa was also the official required administrative pick, and Castro wasn't his official replacement, but Altuve's. Correa will probaly only ever be an administrative pick, regardless of his first half seasons, as fans and players hate him (except most in Minnesota now and Houston) for his choices and not apologizing for it. And in my opinion, he deserves that unwritten punishment, as he got away scott free from any penalty for his long term extended cheating. Plus even a future administrative nod will probably be rare, because mostly Correa has proven to suck at the plate in the first halves, last year being the sole exception since he left Houston. And when his absent second half of 2024 is included......... I have always had a problem with all-star picks only being considered, whether voted by fans, sportswriters, or players throughout baseball's history, .....only being considered according to the months of April, May and June, and a few days in March and July, and all the arguably more important months of July, August and September never even being considered and added on to the first half of the next year for the next all-star game. It always seems that half the all-star teams fielded wouldn't have even been considered on a full years play, and the hot second halfers never get credit for it the next year to go with their first half. All-star Teams fielded are cheapened by it, and we end up too often with too many guys sporting the only 3 month hot streak of their career. And the multiple fan votes - voting 25 times and then using a new sign in and doing it again....... I don't even vote now, I just enjoy the game for what it...... isn't.

Personally, I feel the "all-star" horn tooting for Castro is always over the top. "All-star" Castro was only an all-star by default. That is an important distinction, almost always not considered by the home town writers, announcers, and fans. Correa was the 2024 "required" administative pick to complete the one player from each team rule (he will struggle to be picked by fans or players no matter how he performs now because of his reputation as an unapologetic cheater, and there are so many really good shortstops available to chose from). "Carlos Correa chose to attend the 2024 MLB All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, despite not playing due to an injury. He was named to the American League All-Star roster but was replaced by Corey Seager due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Correa opted to attend the event with his family, allowing his young sons to experience the experience." Castro only got the nod as an administrative replacement pick for, ironically, Correa's former complicite teammate, Jose Altuve (who chose not to play because he suffered a 96mph HBP on the left hand from now former Twin, Josh Winder, on July 5, and wanted to let it rest - and probably avoid the incessant boos that would happen on the national broadcast)! It was known Correa was not going to play, so Castro became the unwritten default pick. His .219/.298/.329 (.627 OPS) post All-star game line failed to keep up on what was already certainly not one of the shining stars that the game is designed for. He did get one at bat. Hyping "All-Star" for Castro always feels contrived, to me. Clemens production is welcome, and I hope it continues and if nothing else, lights a fire for Castro, because Castro's past two years could very well be his finest, and I would hope we can find much better.

Hall of Shame worthy. All sports should include a Hall of Shame in their Hall of Fame for the worthy.

He belongs in the Hall of Fame, in the Hall of Shame room, along with others that deserve it. They are part of the the famous baseball story, Warts count, too.

I wasn’t calling for Gasper, and a 30 year old man is not a kid anymore, for a long time.

The next Mickey Gasper (isn’t he doing great again …. in AAA ball, too?) 2 week experiment? Originally a shortstop that can take the field anywhere except catcher. Of course he can. Wouldn’t it be nice to have REAL depth, instead of “what a great story“ depth?

Topa pretty damn lucky. That last pitch couldn't have been more down the middle.

"Easily" is sure a matter of opinion, and with only 25% of the season on record, not really a thing yet. 2006 wasn't bad.... especially when Santana AND Liriano were peaking before Liriano tragically went down.... Johan Santana, Liriano, Radke, Nathan, Guerrier, Crain, Neshek, Reyes....... that team should have won a championship with the MVP, Batting Champ, and Cy Young winners. If only Liriano had not lost his arm......

Well that is some fuzzy math, and 15 games ago, the Twins were 10-16, 5.5 games behind Detroit, and 15 games later (11-4) they are 21-20 ....... still 5.5 games behind Detroit...... but I get what you are saying. 😇 15 games is real close to a 10-4 record, and it sure seems as if they should have made up a lot of ground.

That can’t be normalized. FIRE BALDELLI! …… and seemingly being “positive” while stereotyping women as negative and downers? 😇

Lewis is nowhere close to being ready. If they don’t pull him back and give him more time, he could face a 50 game or less season. I hope they IL him again until he can play full speed. If the team can get to the playoffs, they will need his …. potential.

Of course I have. I watch all the games. I also saw Greene pitch and hit at Notre Dame High School. Lewis has been lost since the last half of last year. That's a long time, now. I saw Danny Valencia hit for the best part of a year, too. You can't hit if you can't stay on the field, for sure. Potential is cheap. Delmon Young had amazing potential. Enough for the Twins to foolishly trade Matt Garza for him. Potential really doesn't get many wins. Neither does hope and dreams. Or if I just chose to be a homer and just have tunnel vision and not notice what is happening around the rest of the league. Of course I wish the best for him. But I also am not selling out to potential. Win streaks are fun, but this is still the same team, the same team construction. Hey, anything can happen, and will. It is enjoyable right now. Good to be a .500 team instead of in the bottom third of the league.

According to Cody Christie, it would be better to trade Ryan for a bunch of hope and dreams. Right. Very astute. I would rather trade Lewis for ........ Hunter Greene. Correct the original mistake of not selecting him in the draft when they had the chance. What is Mr. "I don't do Slumps"? 0 for his last 35? Ever since he said that, it is all slump. Umpiring. I will never understand why folks still want a human to call balls and strikes. Even if they are consistent. Consistently wrong is still wrong, and cheats all players of the game, batters and pitchers.

Baltimore, with all its hitting this year, has only scored more runs, at 138, than 5 other teams. We just swept them this year. We need their hitters? They sure were good for most of last year...... but suck so far this short year.

I understand all the stats et al, but what I see in the games is an enormous amount of contact. Maybe not the last 2 games, but last year and the beginning of this year, almost every pitch the batters would swing at they would touch the ball. Batters make contact on almost all his pitches. It got to be the feared Eddie G save. At least a hit and a walk every outing with two men on base, and hope for the best. Soft contact too often still results in runs at crunch time, especially with the Twins sad defense these days. If he continues to become "that" pitcher, with his increased offerings, he could be a starter, as he has expressed a desire to do, for his next team, when the Twins are too cheap to keep him.

Apple announcers praising Correa for smart base running. He didn't even make them make a throw to get him out! Yes, he took attention to second (France looked like he would score regardless), but to just stop, and not make them make a play to get him out....... is that good baserunning? Just give up? He could have gone back to first, created a run down. Anything can happen, at that point. Not likely, but it can. Just like running out the third strike when the ball is not caught by the catcher. But just concede the 3rd out is smart baserunning? They had to tag him for the out. Just lazy in my book.

Yah, but he was running........ into the wall.

Amazing how once injured, they injure something else before they can even return. Something is terribly wrong in this organization. Every year. Top prospects.

Falvey is in love with himself.

Baldelli Ball. A DH that hits under .200 leading off. LEADING OFF! Now we have Gasper AND Kody Clemens (hitting under .100) getting starts, and an AAA Keirsey who is hitting way under .100. Remember when bench players were actually bench players, and not 1/3 of the lineup starting? Lopez. Pitchers continue to throw the ball away to one of the bases, and then Stewart couldn't have been more middle middle middle - throw meat right down the middle late in the game we have a good chance to win for a crushing 3 run homer in the 7th. 3 SB against Jeffers, Santana one of them. Who knows how it would have come out because Jeffers' throw is so horrible that it hits a squatting Stewart in the back of the glove elbow. And Correa is back to 2025 normal and goes O'fer and Ks 3 times. So hard to watch.

He is fooling himself, thinking he can control where the ball is going..... that is, unless he thinks he can blow it by right down the middle.

One run from the offense. Should have saved a couple from yesterday. Baldelli Ball now has Coloumbe and Varland after Jax and Duran? Back to pulling the starter doing well with 76 pitches. I thought he might have progressed after the Ryan and Ober success. Too bad our guys watch so many of those right down the middle like Varland offered. If they would swing at those instead of the sliders a foot off the plate........ Maybe then would score more consistently.

There could be a flagrant HBP for 2 bases. Like the NBA, it would be a judgement call based on more detailed description of the types of HBPs that qualify. Personally, I think the pitcher should have to suffer some kind of pain for hitting a batter "flagrantly". Maybe a flagrant 1 for just a horrible pitch that he lost control of, and a flagrant 2 with more penalty for doing it on purpose and/or perhaps causing injury, and that includes pitching way inside on purpose and then hitting the batter. (The sadist in me wants the batter to be able to throw it at the pitcher like dodgeball. It would be great fun to watch, too. The batter hit would get one throw and have to throw it at the pitcher below the waist, or a penalty for the batter. The pitcher at least knows the ball is coming and can dodge it. More consideration than the batter gets.) And accidents should still suffer consequences. If a pitcher can't control the ball, he will learn to not throw it so hard. I know, sick idea. But pitchers should not just be able to hit somebody and not suffer consequences. The whole idea that the other team's pitcher should hit another batter to "have their back" is schoolyard BS, just like the running out of the dugout because someone looks at somebody with a dirty look or trash talks the pitcher. I want the offender to feel pain, too, not some innocent teammate. As for that batter hitting the pitcher with a batted ball? More pitchers should be ready to field after pitching. Most aren't aren't even close to trying, and are totally out of control/position after the pitch. Not like Greg Maddux or Jim Kaat, who finished each pitch ready to field a possible comebacker.

His in game decisions to often create rage in this calm heart. Even if I ignore the early game pinch hitting and management of the pen and his early pitch count decisions, the stubborn pinch hitting of Margot last year screams 🔥 fire him 🔥 all by itself.