Seth Stohs

The front office provides Baldelli and the coaching staff with all kinds of data for them to review and study. Some is about Twins players, and some is about the other team. The players get as much information as they want as well... 
But as Tingler said... the manager is able to make decisions using that information, but also based on his knowledge of his team. 

I like it a lot. There is such a strange part of fandom that doesn't get that this is the goal of all organizations and how they use analytics. 

I like it a lot. There is such a strange part of fandom that doesn't get that this is the goal of all organizations and how they use analytics. 

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him.
The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. 
The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey.
- I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. 
- I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. 
- Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year.
- Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential. 

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him.
The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. 
The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey.
- I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. 
- I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. 
- Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year.
- Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential. 

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him.
The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. 
The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey.
- I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. 
- I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. 
- Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year.
- Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential. 

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him.
The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. 
The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey.
- I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. 
- I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. 
- Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year.
- Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential. 

I've heard people say that Joe Ryan is gone now because he is so out of his mind angry that Rocco pulled him after two innings. 
The winter of 2028 is gonna suck.   
 
 

Whatever deal Sonny gets next year and whatever team he signs with... One thing is for sure. Sonny has earned whatever he gets and he has especially earned the right to choose. 
He was fantastic last year and he has also been really good over his career with 3.47 ERA over 1,571 innings. Wherever he lands... I'll be happy for him. I'd love to see Sonny back in a Minnesota uniform but will hold no ill will if he goes elsewhere. 
As for the narrative that Sonny and Rocco were at odds over his short starts in 2022. Let's go back to July 2, 2018.
On that day... The Twins front office sent Byron Buxton down to the minor leagues for the rest of the season leaving Byron 12 days short of service time and delaying his free agency eligibility by a full year.
Many in the Twinsdaily crowd were angry claiming that Byron was screwed by the Twins and that Byron was sure to be gone when the opportunity to leave presented itself.  
On November 28, 2021... Byron Buxton signed 7 year extension to remain in Minnesota. 
Just another attempt to climb into the heads of others without a decent sized earhole to make it through. 

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him.
The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. 
The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey.
- I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. 
- I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. 
- Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year.
- Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential. 

Camargo will have to be added before the end of the World Series when he again becomes a free agent. Last year, they were able to sign him to a minor-league deal. I can't imagine him not being a Rule 5 pick, so I think they need to add him.
The Givens: Austin Martin and Emmanuel Rodriguez. 
The Tough Calls: Jose Salas, Yunior Severino, Ricardo Olivar. DaShawn Keirsey.
- I'd add Severino. The power is legit, depth is good. 
- I'd very strongly consider Keirsey. He can play in the big leagues now, and he can be a late-inning defensive replacement, pinch runner, etc. 
- Ricardo Olivar... very tough. Put up strong numbers, but in Low-A. Intriguing player type because he can play LF and CF pretty well, but he also is a catcher. Lots of doubles, but could he stick? Rubel Cespedes is another from the Mighty Mussels, but as a corner infielder, he's probably left off for another year.
- Jose Salas... The Twins kept playing him through Cedar Rapids championship run. Tells me they believe in him, or at least his defense, speed, and his potential. 

I mean, the guys in the booth don't decide what is shown on TV. 

Ump Scorecard for Wednesday night's game: 
 

I wasn't a fan of AJ Pierzynski as a player. His perceived arrogance on the field annoyed me, and I thought it would in the booth too. 
Adam Wainwright just finished playing, so I don't expect him to add anything more than things he might do or about players he's faced over the years. 
Adam Amin is the play-by-play guy.
I was surprised in Game 1 that I was actually really impressed with the call of the game. That doesn't mean I will be in the remainder of the games, but for one game, I thought they did well.
Unlike many of the national guys, AJ does have a relationship with the Twins and has done several of their games, and has played against the organization. And I do think he is good in terms of analysis. I think he does a nice job of just calling it as he sees it and analyzing. 
I actually think Wainwright did a nice job in explaining some things from a pitcher's perspective. He also didn't force things. He didn't overanalyze and talk just to talk. 
And I thought Amin did a nice job of using both of them and calling the game. 
Overall, did they talk more knowledgeably about the Astros? Of course, they're the team that has been to the ALCS the last 5-6 years. We all know a ton about them. But they had a good enough knowledge of the Twins players. 
There was praise for Verlander... as their should have been. But they also fully acknowledged his early innings struggles, but he worked out of them. They were honest about Ryan Pressly's track record in equal parts with his 2nd half struggles. 
So yeah, I thought they did a nice job... I don't expect it to be a Twins broadcast team. I understand the Astros history. But I thought the conversation and analysis were very fair, very good.
Do you agree? Disagree? Discuss. 

I would say the larger the sample, the more accurate it would be in being predictive. There's no way to know that in a 1 or 2 or even 5-game stretch. 

Royce Lewis was immensely clutch in his two games against the Jays. He hasn't been in his past two games against the Astros. What does this mean about his ability to perform in a highly stressful playoff environment? It means something he'll come through and sometimes he won't... just like in any day or week of the regular season. 
I never mean to downplay the playoffs. I get it. That is why they play the regular season and the ultimate goal is the World Series championship. Sonny Gray had one very good playoff start and one not so good. Does that mean he's not clutch? Pablo Lopez was great against the Jays and his Game 2 start vs Houston was legendary... What if there is a Game 5 in Houston on Friday night and he gives up 5 runs in 5 innings? What if he gives up 3 runs in 6 innings and they lose 3-2? Does that alter the narrative?
Finally, was Jack Morris a clutch pitcher in the playoffs? Well, he sure was in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. He lost game 4... and a look back at his playoff starts with the Tigers show he wasn't very good at all most of the time. 
I believe in clutch moments, clutch situations. We all know when somebody comes through in the clutch. 
But I don't believe that anyone can be clutch enough to know with any real certainty what's going to happen, good or bad. I don't believe in the alleged "Clutch Gene." 
What I do believe is that given a decent sample size of plate appearances, if a player is equally successful as his regular season numbers in clutch or high pressure situations, that's really good. 
Who has better playoff offensive numbers? Derek Jeter or A-Rod? Jeter has a few moments that stand out and he was good in the playoffs, but A-Rod was better and people said he couldn't come up big when needed (even though he did). 
Sorry that got long. 

I'm certain he wasn't thinking about his hamstring when he was batting. His concentration is just fine. 
and players go from clutch to non-clutch to hot to cold all of the time, for like 22-23 weeks in the season. They all want to be hot and clutch at all times, especially in the playoffs, but that's not realistic. 

No chance. But I'd have Lewis, Kirilloff, Wallner, Julien all playing. They're facing a right-hander. 

Two options... 
Overreact to a couple of bad games against strong teams, or show those guys you believe in them and their future in this organization. 
Reason #8942 why I hate the playoffs... everything gets overanalyzed and blown way out of proportion. A two-game slump... and its the end of the world. 
Of note - Solano pinch-hit for Kirilloff with a right-hander on the mound. That's probably a sign of things to come tomorrow, maybe. Wallner didn't and worked two really good plate appearances. 
I hope not. Go with the guys that got you there. Stick to the platooning, and go from there. Wallner, Kirilloff, Lewis, Julien... all a big part of the Twins future, and that's a good thing. Stand by them. Or don't, that's the purpose of having all this depth. Try to live another day and get to a Verlander-Lopez game 5... that's the goal at this point. 
But against Urquidy, do you want them to go with Solano at 1st, Farmer at 3rd, Castro in LF with Taylor in CF. Could have Vazquez catch, and let Jeffers DH?

We already saw Baldelli pinch hit Solano for Kirilloff, and that could carry over to tonight. 
The overreaction isn't so much about potential lineup changes as it is about some of the big statements on if a player is or isn't clutch based on two games, or even five games, etc. 

I'm certain he wasn't thinking about his hamstring when he was batting. His concentration is just fine. 
and players go from clutch to non-clutch to hot to cold all of the time, for like 22-23 weeks in the season. They all want to be hot and clutch at all times, especially in the playoffs, but that's not realistic. 

No chance. But I'd have Lewis, Kirilloff, Wallner, Julien all playing. They're facing a right-hander. 

What does the ability to survive on land or in water have to do with it though? 

Two options... 
Overreact to a couple of bad games against strong teams, or show those guys you believe in them and their future in this organization. 
Reason #8942 why I hate the playoffs... everything gets overanalyzed and blown way out of proportion. A two-game slump... and its the end of the world. 
Of note - Solano pinch-hit for Kirilloff with a right-hander on the mound. That's probably a sign of things to come tomorrow, maybe. Wallner didn't and worked two really good plate appearances. 
I hope not. Go with the guys that got you there. Stick to the platooning, and go from there. Wallner, Kirilloff, Lewis, Julien... all a big part of the Twins future, and that's a good thing. Stand by them. Or don't, that's the purpose of having all this depth. Try to live another day and get to a Verlander-Lopez game 5... that's the goal at this point. 
But against Urquidy, do you want them to go with Solano at 1st, Farmer at 3rd, Castro in LF with Taylor in CF. Could have Vazquez catch, and let Jeffers DH?

I'm certain he wasn't thinking about his hamstring when he was batting. His concentration is just fine. 
and players go from clutch to non-clutch to hot to cold all of the time, for like 22-23 weeks in the season. They all want to be hot and clutch at all times, especially in the playoffs, but that's not realistic. 

Not only did the ball stay down, but it was bounding back and forth like it was moving with some english. Definitely NOT a 'routine' double play. Yes, knock it down, try to get the one out... but WAY too much being made of that one play. 
Gray relies on spin, and movement because of the spin... Today, there was some spin, but very little movement... That's why the shadows didn't effect their hitters like they did the Twins hitters who were trying to hit balls that not only spun, but dropped and darted. With no spin on pitches they were looking for... and they did a nice job of sticking to a game plan.