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Mark G

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Everything posted by Mark G

  1. Mark G
    In my extremely humble opinion one can only begin a discussion like this at the top. The FO, to their credit (and, trust me, I have rarely given them credit), gave this team the players to compete with, at least within this division. Competing with Houston and NY, on the other hand.................but I digress. They have given us a chance, even a damn good chance. So........how does the manager and staff bring out the best in the players and put them in positions to succeed? That debate could rage for the rest of the year, but clearly they haven't been completely successful in this area. The use of the pitching staff and the never ending round robin line ups can realistically be questioned. I still remember the fire in the belly Rocco showed after that replay ruling; where has it gone? Time to show how much it means to you, Rocco, before the season slips away. And it is time to play your best players the rest of the way. You specifically saved them for the stretch run; well, my man, it is the stretch run. RUN!! As for the players, leaders lead by example, and yes, the veterans need to show some fire as well. Players need to step up and take accountability for their play, and hold each other accountable as well. Expect more, and you get more. Own your failures and celebrate your successes, but always expect more, both from yourself and your teammates. It becomes a culture, and, right now, the culture does not appear to be coming from the manager and coaches; the players have to step up and take ownership. They have the ability. They need to demand results from themselves and each other. They can do this!!
  2. Mark G
    I say this tongue in cheek, but if they have all that knowledge about the players health, how come it seems like every pitcher they bring in is either just coming off an injury, or about to get one?
  3. Mark G
    Just one time I would like to be a fly on the wall when the coaches do their strategy sessions. Maybe I would understand more the thought process behind the things they do, because I sure don't now. Sands is another perfect example of what I don't get with the usage of starters and bullpen. I guess they are just smarter than I am. At least that is what everyone keeps telling me,
  4. Mark G
    It's a good time in our schedule to be playing teams that have pretty much packed it in. Hopefully it will build up momentum going into the games against teams who haven't.
  5. Mark G
    I think I would wait a year (or two?) to see if any injury issues come up, or is he pretty durable. We have seen too many times our Buxton's, Kirilloff's, and many more young players come up and give us hope, only to go down time after time with injuries. We have time to see if Miranda is going to be alright long term, and if he is, make him an offer that is good for both sides and will keep him around a very long time.
  6. Mark G
    Assuming we continue on the overall plan of 5 starters and 8 bullpen guys, we should be seriously looking at who can pitch multiple innings, not just who can pitch multiple days in a row. Starters pitching deeper is desirable, but is not likely to happen with this management team so long relief specialists and 2 inning guys would bridge the gap between the starters and the closers. Having to have 4 or 5 pitchers on each and every game is just asking too much of most bullpens, ours very much included.
  7. Mark G
    Makes sense.
  8. Mark G
    Just out of curiosity, how? The Twins were a .450 winning percentage team for the season. Royals today .403. I must be missing something?
  9. Mark G
    Proves the old adage that even a broken clock is right twice a day.
  10. Mark G
    It seems that our best young players and prospects are SS, 3B, and OF. See above free agents. Do you see any catchers, first basemen, or pitchers? Seems to me that those positions are what we should be looking for; any of those out there that look good?
  11. Mark G
    An old school guy would say that is what your minor league system is for. You take a young, healthy pitcher you drafted or traded for, and you slowly stretch him out throughout his development. If he proves capable, you bring him along as a starter; if he shows he can't handle the workload, but can do well in much shorter stints, you bring him along as a reliever. Babying him in the minors because you are afraid he will get hurt on his way to the majors, and then babying him in the majors because you are scared of him getting hurt from too much work, the work he should have gotten in the minors, is what has gotten us into the position we find ourselves in year after year. Maybe todays guys should have gone to our school.
  12. Mark G
    I think the key is Maeda. Until we know if he is sound again, Bundy would be an insurance policy. And I seem to remember Paddock might not be ready for spring training, but later in the season. Again, how will he come back? And Archer appears suited better for long relief than starting, averaging almost exactly 4 innings a start. For that matter, Winder and Ober have spent their share of time on the IL, and maybe this won't be the last time. If the decision were today, I would pick him up. We may or may not be as deep as we think we are when it comes to health.
  13. Mark G
    They have scored 3 or less in 47% of their games so far this year.
  14. Mark G
    I seem to remember giving two separate situations then, and I surely gave a separate one today. And the one today involved us issuing the IBB, not the opposition, and using it to pitch to their version of Cave (or at least a lesser batter than the clean up hitter on their team). More than one person told me going for the strike out is better then, and I am wondering if we felt that way last night. Either way, it didn't work for them last time, and it didn't work for us last night. Maybe we should try it now and then.
  15. Mark G
    10 hits, 6 walks, a hit batsman, and 2 ghost runners equal 3 runs. Take away the solo home run and you have 18 base runners, add in 3 stolen bases, and come out with 2 runs. Frustrating. As an aside: a few days ago I started some talk about why we don't use the IBB more often as part of game strategy in these extra innings situations. When you are the visiting team and are tied in the bottom of the inning with the ghost runner put at 2nd, the IBB sets up a force at every base and allows more options for the defense and that run doesn't mean anything anyway. I was answered, for the most part, with the game has changed today and strike outs are the goal, not potential double plays. Go at the hitters and try for the strike out. And that appears to be our strategy pretty much throughout this season. Today, we have the ghost runner on 2nd and the clean up hitter leading off. Behind him, the bottom 5 of their order is really weak, and setting up a force at every base sounds like a reasonable strategy. We pitch to the clean up hitter and.........wait for it...........he walks us off. Now, I know it is easy to look at this in hind sight, but I was wondering, again, in the moment why we weren't doing it tonight. It is not the first time this year one could question the in game strategy. Maybe it is just me. Alas, our BP appears to be weak tomorrow as well, having used Doran and and Lopez back to back with a fair amount of pitches. They likely will be considered unavailable, and with Archer not noted for his lengthy starts, the pen is going to be needed again. Hopefully Archer will put us in as good a shape as Mahle and Bundy did.
  16. Mark G
    A question: Is it only players who could be back this season that are considered? If you are out for the season you are not? If it is all players, I would rank a healthy Kirilloff ahead of all 3 with the possible exception (it could go either way) of Ober. OF and 1st base and a solid hitter when healthy. If out for the season doesn't count, I would concur with your list.
  17. Mark G
    As an old school guy, it begs a question or two about the new numbers. If RISP is such an important stat and means a lot for run production, why is RBI more and more obsolete as an important stat? Doesn't one lead to the other quite a bit? I would even submit RBI's is more accurate, because you can drive in runs by putting balls in play that are outs, but score someone in the process. That out reflects in your RISP numbers, but produces a run. Just wondering how others feel about the two stats and their importance.
  18. Mark G
    Great start for Mahle; I think he would have done well no matter who he was pitching against the way he was going. But you do have to take a look at that lineup and wonder how they score at all. The bottom 5 range from .108 to .226. The highest average in the lineup was .272 AFTER getting 2 hits. Pretty pathetic. I have high hopes for Bundy tomorrow and Archer after that.
  19. Mark G
    If there is a difference between being hurt and being injured, does that mean injuries don't hurt?
  20. Mark G
    The same team that just went 30-35 in their last 65 games is going to go 31-23 the final third of the season? Including 5-3 against Cleveland, whose pitching staff is, overall, better than ours? (as of right now we lost the 2 to the Dodgers, so we have to go 31-21 the rest of the way). I love the thought, but am lost as to the underlying thought process that makes one believe it will turn around so quickly and so completely. Personally, I think it is a crap shoot, and I have no clue who is going to sneak this one out. If I had to bet, it would be Cleveland based on their pitching, but we could make a run at it just as much as Chicago could, and maybe take Cleveland like you predict. Head to head is the key, as it should be, and we have to step up. I hope you are right on.
  21. Mark G
    Agreed. The Twins had a couple of medium streaks in April and May, and peaked on May 24th at 27-16. Since then we are 30-37, and the longest winning streak we have had is 3.........once. Tough to get excited or overly hopeful with that level of consistency. We do play 23 out of our last 26 games in the division, so it will be decided in September. There is still time, but there will have to be some urgency. Here's hoping.
  22. Mark G
    For a while now I have been seeing them say he is experiencing "chronic" tendinitis in his knee. Now, I am not a doctor, but I know a couple, and the term "chronic" means it isn't going away anytime soon, if ever. It is time to accept what we see is what we get. I don't know if Buck himself is resisting going to DH on more of a full time basis and leaving the field to others (with the exception of late game replacements due to pinch hitting/running, etc.), or is it management that wants to see how much longer he can keep playing? Either way, what they are doing now isn't working.
  23. Mark G
    That is another head scratcher. Beckham is the best option against the best team in baseball? Let me see if I have the bench right: Urshela, Celestino, Buxton, and Leon. Assuming Buck is unavailable (again) (sigh), why Timmy? Unless Urshela is hurt, he must be thinking "was it something I said"? Hell, even Leon takes a walk now and then. I am really rooting for Beckham and Cave; they have put in a long stint in AAA trying to get back and they finally are. I would like to see them do well, but playing both against the Dodgers is just asking too much. Someday I hope to understand all of this, but it won't be today.
  24. Mark G
    Can someone please tell me why Kepler, 0 for his return, is hitting clean up? Get him back in the game and let him work himself back into a groove, but clean up?? That makes as much sense as batting Arraez 7th or 8th. As much as I love the fire he showed the other day, I still just don't get his thinking.
  25. Mark G
    We all know I am not a fan of Rocco, for reasons I have mentioned here before. But, dang, Rocco, you did what you needed to do at that moment, and I am dang proud of you!! I have been waiting for the fire in the belly during a tight race, in a tight game, and you showed you have it. Now, keep it!! Good job, Rocco!!
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