AlwaysinModeration

"Like"

There is your run-of-the-mill "like."Then there is the "I've run out of likes, so I will just type "LIKE." Then there is your nomination for POTD. Now, nomination for post of the month...you are flying real close to the sun, right there, Samplesizeofone!

Did you find this on the internet?

Is this your way of telling us you have taken up the world's oldest profession?

Santana-Berrios-Santiago lined up for the first place battle with Cleveland this weekend. Sano served his suspension, Dozier is back in the lineup. Let's go Twins, win at least a pair this weekend.

So I read through the game thread, found out what happened...although the reaction was fairly muted...and then went to MLB.com to watch Joe's AB. I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to see that Joe hit his walk-off homer one a two-strike pitch the opposite way. What was actually surprising was the fact that he swung at an eye-high fastball. How many times do you think Joe has done that in 14 years? It was a Dozier / Rosario stroke of genius. Apparently (at the behest of Daniel Murphy) Ryan Zimmerman has changed his swing path to increase his launch angle this year and his consistently hard hit balls are now consistently traveling further. Player analytics in the statcast era. Joe needs to look at what Zimmerman is doing this year. Great win. Let's pour some more mezcal on that fire this afternoon!

Late to the party, but I just want to thank RB for bringing Joe Mantegna to the Joe M party. Probably should have gotten at least one Joe M visiting a Menards into Barks sanomobile montage. One more comment...Buxton hit the ball before his upper deck shot, a line out to LF, really hard. I foresee some triples for the young man in the near future.

I don't know, looking at the numbers, I might have to give it to Turley. Between Turley, Santana and Berrios, those were some mighty fine looking Aprils.

I don't know about the rest of you, but Berrio has shown me enough. Looking forward to seeing him pitch in Minnesota on Saturday.

Another good Joe M conversation. Any chance you could work in Joe Mantegna or maybe even José Mesa, who I remember the folks on ESPN call him (the last time I watched ESPN) "Joe Table."

He prefers to go by "Stahoviaksee."

Small sample size alert: Buxton has reached base 8 times in the past three games, and 10 of his last 18 PAs going back 5 games. I really want to see him legging out some triples, though.

If you think people have been unkind to Buxton on this thread (and other threads) due to his slow start...for what it's worth, my nine-year old watched the game recap with me this morning, and when they showed a Buxton single, he said "Whoa, Buxton can hit?!?"

Small sample size alert: Buxton slashing 367/500/454 over his last four games, spanning five games, one of which he was benched.

Great piece, I love the premise. Of the guys you mention, Buxton has gotten between 6 and 21 fewer plate appearances. So far he has been benched three times, pinch hit for three times, and moved down in the line-up three times. He got hits in back to back games for the first time this season Friday and Saturday...and then was pinch hit for in the 9th of the second game, and then benched on Sunday. Tim Anderson went 2/4 and 3/5 in his last two games, raising his batting average from 159 to 208. It seems to me that confidence is a critical element in baseball. Last year, Dozier was not good for two months and they stuck with him, allowing him to get his timing down and gain his confidence. The other players mentioned in this article seem to be being given a considerably longer leash than Buxton to get on track. With the almost continual demotions/benchings/lineup downgrades, it seems like Molitor / the Twins have been actively trying to hurt his confidence, not build it up. Stick him in a set spot in the lineup every day, preferably 7th or higher so he gets a few extra ABs. Quit pinch-hitting for him. Don't even think about, or hint at, sending him down to AAA. He is going to start pushing less and striking out less. He is going to put up a two-hit game, or maybe go 3-4 one game. He is going to hit some triples and some home runs. That is going to build his confidence. The hitter he was in the minors (and perhaps September) is going to come to the surface. Give him time to do it, and stand behind instead of undermining him. It's really the most important thing for this organization to be doing right now.

So what you're saying is, Mauer did not swing at the first pitch when he pinch hit?

Did not see the game, but reading through the gamethread, a few thoughts: Last year Dozier started slow, and then started making solid contact, then started making really solid contact. If he made some loud outs yesterday, he might be getting it together. Last year Buxton started without a leg kick, then added it in a stint in AAA and came on strong down the stretch. If he added a kick in the game Monday, that's good news. Hopefully he will get his timing down and start to get some hits. Way too early for the sort of sky-is-falling commentary I saw in the thread. Too bad he got pinch hit for in the 9th though. Would have been an opportunity for him to be the hero and possibly kickstart things even faster. Finally, Chief really pulled that joke out of his Angus files.

Jumbo Shrimp. I like a good oxymoronic nickname.

Agreed. I'm onboard the Hunter Greene bandwagon/harbor cruise boat. Seems like a special talent and amazing kid. Also think that Falvey would like the work with Jaeger. Description of work ethic and drive reminds me of Berrios.

Mark Prior would have been on that list.

I don't know, I feel that you're being a bit pessimistic. Let's give him a real shot this year and see if he can stick as a starter.

Nice, nice work with "radar rattling righty"

My predictions for Joe's next two years: -almost never swings at first pitch -hits fewer than 14 home runs per year -sideburns as sharp as ever -every TD forum related to Mauer diverts at least once into a debate over his HOF chances Oh, and also: -posts best numbers since 2013 in both years, not vintage Joe, but pretty close, say 290/390/400 -gets several key hits during post-season games; draws many Todd Helton-like "last hurrah"-type articles. I've said this before, but Morneau took three years post concussion to get it back - and then he won a batting title. Joe's now three full seasons post-concussion. I'm not expecting him to post a 300+ season in either of the next two years. But it wouldn't surprise me.

Actually, that is Dozier. You were probably confused by the flowing golden locks.

Umm, Chicken, didn't we go over that?