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wornsmooth

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Everything posted by wornsmooth

  1. wornsmooth
    Yesterday Gallo caught a laser rocket line drive for a game ending double play. While it wasn't a superman play. It required good defense that a below average defender would not make. For Julien to improve at second base, he needs to play at second base. He will improve. Tony Oliva was a marginal right fielder. Except for his accurate cannon arm. They left him in right. Didn't mess with his hitting by experimenting with him elsewher. And he eventually became a gold glover with his hard work. I am convinced some of the Twins hitting problems are related to moving players around defensively like they are checker peices.
  2. wornsmooth
    Could not agree more! When did it become normal to stand and admire flyballs, or even drives into the gap? I see it regularly on the highlights, and I frankly don't get it. Are managers reluctant to chastise grown men about the basics of their job?
  3. wornsmooth
    Personal opinion, lacking in any deep knowledge of scouting and opposing team adjustments to any given players skillsets. If any player, seemingly overnight, has a major dropoff in their performance, I immediately suspect they have an injury they are trying to play through. The grind of a full season, being gone from home for long stretches, finding time for a minor injury to heal, has got to wear a person down. Compensating for a small injury can lead to others injuries/damage.
  4. wornsmooth
    Love Julien's hitting. Baseball is a complex game. Baserunning is greatly un derappreciated. One reason I consider runs scored one of the most important stats. He is a great talent. He needs some coaching on running the bases. On different notes.1. Again, Larnach gets an RBI. The guy playes runners. He gets it done. Very happy for J. Lopez. What a job he did in the 10th.
  5. wornsmooth
    He might flame out. Happens more often than not in baseball. Could be the next .330 hitter also. He got 8 hits in row, if memory serves, his last couple games with Twins before being sent down. 8 in a row takes more than luck
  6. wornsmooth
    Didn't read all the comments, so my apologies if repeating what was already mentioned. I expected a big inning the way the pitches were being clubbed. Many hard hit balls only to turned into outs. Hardly any strikeouts. Yet, by the sixth inning it still wasn't happening. The way the contact was today, by just about everyone, scoring only one run was a surprise. Sonny Grey deserved a win. This time I blame the baseball gods. The lineup finally made some contact, but to no avail.
  7. wornsmooth
    All the circumstantial evidence points to his being hurt. Personal opinion is that his injury is severe enough that he is unable to contribute. Can it be repaired to the point where he can hit major league pitching? I obviously have no idea, but putting him in the lineup day after day when everything hurts does neither Buxton nor the team any favors. I have wondered if the trainer gives him pain killing shots or freeze spray so he can play?( don't know if it still leg!l, but used to be) If so, he is probably destroying his body for the long term just to give us fans a few at bats. It ain't worth it. Disclaimer: this is all speculation on part. Some stemming from how players were used and discarded many decades ago.
  8. wornsmooth
    There is.
  9. wornsmooth
    He could DH
  10. wornsmooth
    Only agree partially regarding Larnach. He was (compared to the lineup in general) able to produce RBI's. Playing only part time he lead the team for the first few months in driving in runs. No one other than Donny B seems to be doing that. (Ok....Lewis seems to be able to also) Agree completely on Wallner. I read criticism on his defense. Tony Oliva wasn't the greatest outfielder (except for an accurate and strong throwing arm) in his early years, but eventually earned a gold glove due to hard work and being a fixture in right field. His first few years he was the best hitter in the AL. Maybe Wallner could do the same.
  11. wornsmooth
    Who provides coaching on baserunning? Is it assumed by the major leagues a guy already knows how? Is the lack of fundamentals ever addressed? Such as: Sliding gets you to a base safely rather than walking the last step or two. Or running after hitting the ball, rather than admiring the fly ball as it hits the fence. (Watch it later on the highlights). Or do we just have a third base coach who hasn't already thought of when and why he sends a runner home? Good baserunning scores runs. Bad baserunning gives the opponent an unearned out.
  12. wornsmooth
    They both should be up. Correa and Buxton should not be in the lineup until whatever is affecting their hitting is resolved. If that means 60 day IL, so be it. Lewis, Farmer, Donny Barrels, and Kirillof infield. Waller, Larnach, and either Castro or Taylor OF DH to lad from Quebec Jeffers majority of catching duties. Play full time against right and left handers, unless clearly overmatched. When Polanco returns, adjust infield and DH accordingly. For what its worth.
  13. wornsmooth
    He is good pitcher. It can be argued that Twins would be better off with Arraez, but it is unfair to say he "stinks".
  14. wornsmooth
    Has Taylor had a hit since taking a pitch to the head? He wasn't hitting terrible prior to that.
  15. wornsmooth
    The number of bad calls when Kirillof is batting seems really high. The cherry on top from those events, I would think, would cause a hitter to expand his strike zone to compensate for poor umpiring. Which would add more negative feedback on the next at bat. Paradoxically, the strike zone seems to shrink when Lopez is pitching, so he has to compensate by bringing the pitch into fatter hitting zones. I know my observations are not objective, but sure seems to be happening a lot.
  16. wornsmooth
    Personal observations. (Doesn't mean they have any validity!) Were the Twins hitters the last two games more aggressive at the plate? It seemed to me that they, as a group, went up to bat with the attitude 'if it looks like something I can hit...swing at it'. We had balls put in play with low pitch counts, rather than the 'work the count' type of approach. Much easier to hit if every time you look up the count isn't 1-2, or 0-2. A first pitch down the middle is just as good to swing at as waiting to see if it shows up again after taking 2 strikes. Looks like a bit more aggression on the base paths. An off the glove single to center scores a runner (Lewis?) from first. Thats old time LA Dodger baseball. (they used to win a lot of pennants). Cool beans. Love Ryan's ability to throw strikes. Ya give up a homer or two, but not with two guys you already walked on base. It was a fun game.
  17. wornsmooth
    Is Larnach still leading the team in RBI's?(or at least one of the leaders) Larnach, Solana, and Lewis seem to get hits with runners on base. That counts for a lot.
  18. wornsmooth
    Personal opinion ( but no knowledge) Buxton has struggled since the baserunning collision with the White Sox. Points to an injury that he has yet to recover from.
  19. wornsmooth
    He should be full time dh.
  20. wornsmooth
    Personal opinion. Bouncing guys from one fielding position to another hurts most guys hitting. Some do well at it, but are exceptions. If need to move them during the season due to injury etc, so be it. But moving them around like board game pieces will have a negative impact on their hitting.
  21. wornsmooth
    Because as a team they are beginning to hit. Taylor is hitting rockets. Kirillof and Lewis get a hit almost every game. Solano is on a roll, as is Farmer. Castro not only hits. But can run. (As can Taylor) If a team scores runs, they win games. Multiple small ball innings....1 or 2 runs, adds up to just as many runs as always playing for "the big inning" by keeping baserunners in place hoping for the homeruns or 4 hits in a row. Also, whatever happened to the hit and run? Do Twins batters strike out to often to even attempt it?
  22. wornsmooth
    That fits my memory as well. To my knowledge only 2 players in the majors to do it. Killebrew twice, Darwin once.
  23. wornsmooth
    Good outfielders are standing in the " right place". Which then makes the play look more routine. They should be adjusting both to who is hitting, the situation, and the ball/strike count. Maybe even to who are the pitcher/catcher combo.
  24. wornsmooth
    I have read that Calvin Griffith said he would fire anyone who tried to change Tony Oliva's batting style. Not a bad approach. The Twins had, if memory serves, the 2nd best win record in the majors for about 8 to 10 years, mostly riding on a team that not only could hit, but knew how to score runs. They had a few top pitchers, but pitching was never dominant. It was scoring runs. ( I still believe RBI and Runs Scored to be the two most important hitting stats...runs scored because it accounts to some degree for base running savvy, plus speed) If you have hitters like Kirillof, Lewis, Solano(spell), Gallo,leave em alone. Fill them in on the pitchers, and let em do what they do. Also...if a guy is in pain due to injury, don't ruin his swing by continuing to have him play while hurt.
  25. wornsmooth
    If he is injured, and it appears to be a chronic injury, then for both his own well being and the good of the team he should be put on injured list. Playing injured just puts an almost automatic out in the batting order. Why not have someone healthy, who can swing the bat without pain at least give the DH spot of batting .250.
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