Otto von Ballpark

Even the double negative of injury and demotion failed to slow the Twins this past week, and conversations in the TD forums kept pace. As foretold by both Macbeth and @mikelink45, Paddack was called to surgery and Lewis to St. Paul, but the Twins gained two series wins to stay in first place. The Twins Daily community discussed those moves and more. After being swept at home last week, @alexthegreat looked back and asked, What did we learn from the Astros series? Maybe just "win"? Too simple? How about, "don't not win"? Whatever the lesson, the Twins bounced back. @ScottyB looked ahead and called the Next 17 Games Crucial. Perhaps it's because the upcoming schedule is filled with non-contenders, or perhaps Commissioner Rob Manfred copied the Harlem Globetrotters' "four-point circle" and made these games worth double. Either way, there's an opportunity for the Twins to pad their division lead. Wins seem more frequent with our star centerfielder in the lineup, which prompted @stringer bell to discuss Handling Byron Buxton. Recommendations for the Twins ranged from the Traveling Wilburys "Handle With Care" to protect Buxton, all the way to the Georgia Satellites "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" and let him play every day, in the first-ever Twins Daily forum thread fully translated into 1980s rock songs. Yogi Berra once allegedly said, "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded." That's apparently not the case at the Twins ballpark, where "The Wave" looks pretty pitiful these days according to @strumdatjag's Rant on Empty Seats At Target Field. If you are one of the multitudes following from home, Twins Daily game threads are a wonderful substitute for authentic ballpark chatter (even featuring optional waves ??). Finally, @wsnydes revived an old Twins ad campaign. No, not the Pete Redfern Miracle-Gro giveaway, but rather Get To Know 'Em - Twins Daily User Edition. Featuring introductions from new and old posters alike, you can take a break from ball and learn about the people behind the screens. After you introduce yourself, go ahead and ask a question or share an idea in forums. Unlike the Twins, contributors here are guaranteed not to be optioned to the minor league forum! View full article

No prob. Wasn't sure if you were among the folks who think 3B should be off-limits to Lewis.

No need to make him learn "2 or 3" new positions. 3B plus DH plus occasional SS is enough to have Lewis in the lineup almost everyday. And since we shift the 3B over to SS nearly 50% of the time anyway, 3B is more like half of a new position to Lewis. Seriously, though, the positions are pretty closely related in modern MLB.

No third base for Lewis at all? I like the DH at-bats but I think they should be mixed with 3B to ease him in over there.

Gordon is an interesting case. What is his role on this roster? Last year, Gordon made some sense -- we wanted to see what he could do, and Lewis was out, Simmons was underwhelming, Celestino was an unknown, etc. But now? There's no path to playing time for Gordon in the middle infield here, and while he has playing outfield with Larnach out, his bat is obviously miscast in the outfield, if not everywhere else -- 77 wRC+ last year, 78 this year. He's basically replacement level, 26 years old, and out of options. People talk about Lewis not having a position on the roster with Correa back, but Gordon is even more without a position, even before we activate Larnach, frankly.

Foreshadowing the 21st century, the Twins blow a lead to the Yankees for the second consecutive night in this WCCO report. Trying to protect a 7-3 lead in the 7th, Twins pitchers Pete Filson and Curt Wardle each walk in a run before Wardle serves up a grand slam to Ken Griffey (not yet known as Sr.). Watch that day's full newscast here. Presented in partnership with TC Media Now. View full video

Knoblauch probably doesn’t need any additional misfortune! I’d nominate an active ex-Twin on a current Twins rival. Lance Lynn is already injured. Liam Hendriks?

This is amazing, thanks for sharing!

To sweep, or be swept, that is the question. Not all tragedy, thankfully, but the drama at Target Field has carried over to the TD forums. Whether 'tis nobler in the forums to suffer the slings and arrows of the outrageous Astros, or to take arms against the Oakland A's, the TD community found itself looking closely at a changing roster all week, as well as pondering rosters that might have been. @4twinsJA celebrates Gilberto Celestino in Have Twins found their 4th outfielder? That's two signs of progress in one post: Celestino's stront start and the performance of our "starting" three outfielders. We hope those trends continue. Looking west, the eponymous topic Taylor Rogers finds @CRF acknowledging the closer's solid season. Unfortunately, it's for the Padres, as Twins fans are left pondering the trade returns and how his absence might ultimately affect our 2022 season fate. No such regret is detected from @Trov in Did Twins Trade Berrios at right time? Our former ace has scuffled a bit in Toronto, while the Twins rotation has started strong this year and the prospects received are nearing the bigs. Another cautionary tale of a one-time "player who got away" is Akil Baddoo-What a Difference a Year Makes. @zwiefz notes his fall from Rookie of the Year candidate a year ago to the minor leagues now. Finally, did you know the Twins magazine is not only distributed at the ballpark, but also online? @shortround81 shared that tip in the forum last month, and this month suspects a "cover jinx" in the magazine with Could It Be? Stay tuned to see if any players are willing to pose for the June cover. Got a roster move to break, a player to discuss, or a superstition to share? The community welcomes it in the TD forums. View full article

Bump for added video description!

With the vacant Met Stadium now demolished, plans for new development on the Bloomington site are discussed on WCCO. Meanwhile, in New York, an 8-0 Twins lead over the Yankees is reduced to 2 runs in the 6th, thanks to a 3-run home run by former Twin Butch Wynegar against Mike Smithson. The Twins hold the lead into the bottom of the night, but Ron Davis puts two Yankees aboard with walks before surrendering a two-out, 3-run walk-off homer to Don Mattingly. Watch that day's full newscast here. Presented in partnership with TC Media Now. View full video

Update:

Are the uniforms of good young pitchers mysteriously changing to Twins uniforms, or are the Twins this good? The TD forums know the truth! The 7-game win streak may have ended, but the Twins kept rolling on the East Coast while the conversations kept rolling in the TD community. You may not know this (probably because it isn't true), but there is a print version of Twins Daily, being compiled by a team of reference librarians for publication after the internet inevitably crumbles. And @Brock Beauchamp's So, about that pitching pipeline... was the first TD post in quite some time to be filed under the index heading "Pitching, Young" but not also "Pitching, In Desperate Need of". File that under "Progress" too! But it's not just the youngsters. Looking beyond the stat sheet, Veteran Pitching Leading Twins Success says 2022 forum rookie @Marshall_P. And even the stat sheet isn't as bad as last year's free agent pitchers (who shall not be named). While a steady diet of sliders is generally considered bad for one's health, @Lucas Seehafer PT found a Twin that is feasting on them: Trevor Larnach is crushing sliders. Could an endorsement deal with White Castle be next? In light of recent success, @wsnydes asks us to update our count of chickens mid-hatching in So, now how many wins? The correct prognosticator could (but most likely won't) win a supply of Larnach-branded sliders! And after a first month that felt like winter at times, the community warmed up to @snotboogie's discussion of a popular summer pastime: Herb Carneal and Cory Provus (and kinda John Gordon) Listening to the Twins. Which one is your favorite radio announcer? Got your own question to ask, an idea to suggest, or a memory to share? There's room for all that and more in the TD forums. View full article

If the Twins sign on, this new service in the Twins market would offer all of the Twins games carried on Bally Sports North. The speculation about “out-of-market” is whether the Bally Sports North games would also be available in, say, Detroit, and whether the Bally Sports Detroit games would be available in Minnesota. I would be surprised if that was true.

Reserve outfielder Randy Bush hits a grand slam and Kent Hrbek collects 4 hits in Frank Viola's complete game win in Baltimore. Viola's bid for a shutout is spoiled by a Fred Lynn home run in the 9th. WCCO notes ominously that the Twins road trip will continue the next two nights in New York... Watch that day's full newscast here. Presented in partnership with TC Media Now. View full video

Whether you prefer the Beach Boys or the Funky Bunch, worst-to-first means the vibrations are good for both the Twins and the TD forums. Last Friday, the Twins were in last place. This Friday, they're in first place, with seven wins in a row. How did this turnaround happen? Many community members credit the pitching; a growing congregation recognizes a certain cloven-hoofed, ruminant mammal. There's still room on the bandwagon to contribute your own theory. Symbolizing the vibe is the aptly named @OptimisticTwinsFan, with a detailed breakdown of Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober: Reasons for Optimism - How optimistic should we be about the Twins rotation and their young starters? It's a compelling statistical case that the good vibrations can continue. Of course, statistics alone can't explain the wackiness of our walk-offs. Any win streak has a spiritual component, and @aTwinsFanInMaryland called our attention to the mystical power of Ritchie The Rally Goat. At a rumored price tag of $9.95, any positive effect from the goat is undoubtedly a good value too. Evidence of the improved clubhouse atmosphere came from one of our latest additions, with Correa open to long-term deal with Twins, reports @AlwaysinModeration. Carlos will likely cost more than Richie, though. But as the old baseball adage goes, "mo wins, mo problems." For one thing, we now have to wonder what pitcher is going to close out all of these victories. @LewFordLives has a suggestion: Archer as Closer? If the rest of our starting staff keeps performing well, the veteran Archer could really stand out in the pen. And for a refreshing change of pace, instead of complaining about the team, we direct our complaints toward those who disrespect our team instead. The healthy shoulders of our pitchers can give us fans a healthy chip on our shoulders, as @Brandon has stern words for the producers of this MLB.com power rankings BS. What's your explanation? And what's the roster going to look like after the May 1st cuts? Join a conversation or start your own in the forums. View full article

Here you go: ESPN.com: Lohse's future in doubt after damaging door, self