Western SD Fan

Unfortunately, those are the differences between Taj going 5 or 6 innings+ in a start.

I'm not sure this was worth the challenge even if I do believe that he is safe.

That play was going to go by however it was called on the field. Since Martin was called safe, he stayed safe. I'm reasonably sure that if he would have been called out, the call would have stood as well. Use the break Twins!

One of them could have been challenged, but the situation really didn't deem it necessary. Nobody on and two outs.

It took a decent defensive play by Lowe to get Keaschall out. Both Keaschall and Larnach took a lot of pitches. Over 30 pitches in the 1st by Abbot is great at working the count. I'll take the 2-0 lead!

Opportunities are quick today to see if what some of us have been clamoring for actually works! Wallner has taken a seat for Larnach. Kreidler is in CF to find out whether he replaces Outman on Monday. Keaschall has been moved down in the order to lessen the pressure on him so high in the lineup. I have to applaud Shelton. He doesn't look like he is blindly filling out batting orders and is willing to try different things to jumpstart the offense.

I believe multiple things can be a problem at the same time. I didn't watch the game live but did when I got home. Keaschall is definitely in a phase where he needs to move farther down in the lineup. Keaschall left seven of the nine on base including twice with the bases loaded and one of those times with less than two outs. As for his defense, I have the same question that I do for Lee. Is there someone currently better that is ready to take over that position? I don't think there is and I'm willing to wait him out and see if he can improve before I replace him. There was also a comparison to Keaschall about his ABS challenge in the 3rd inning. Some context is in order. Keaschall's ABS challenge was on a 2-2 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs that clipped the inside corner of the strike zone. For example, the April 1st game against the Royals, Wallner burned a challenge in the first inning with two out and nobody on. I don't have a problem with Keaschall's ABS challenge since the situation was at an important point in the game. I have been highly critical of Wallner because it appears like he has no real approach at the plate and just looks lost. His walks and HBP are driving his OBP, not his ability to hit the ball. Wallner currently is Joey Gallo with worse defense, and we all know how much we loved Gallo on TD. Wallner's defense has deteriorated to the point that I'm willing to try Larnach out in the field just because I would prefer his bat, even against LHP. Even with all of that, I'm not ready to give up on Wallner yet, but it is quickly looking like he needs a reset, possibly in St. Paul. In case you don't like my comparison to Joey Gallo, here is a comparison to Wallner this season vs. Gallo's season with the Twins. I understand that this is still early in the season, but sometimes criticisms are still warranted.

Even Vegas favors us tonight!

It's pretty early in the season. There were people that wanted to cut bait with Abel after his "relief" appearance against the O's. My hope is that he finds himself somewhere in the middle of that appearance and his last start. Which to me, looks like 5-6 innings, 6-8K's, and 1-3 ER. That means he's giving us a chance to win every start.

The Twins at least forced the Red Sox to fire up their bullpen again. It may not show in the scoreboard, but it is the little things that affect a bullpen as the season goes on.

So you're saying there's a chance........

Cards finished off the win! We are still in 1st place!

For some happier news, the Cardinals are leading Cleveland 5-3 going into the top of the 9th in St. Louis!

You still need someone in the rotation. I just don't see anyone, either here or in St. Paul that can start instead of Sim. I personally don't think Morris is any better. I definitely don't want to hear about a bullpen game. We complain about the bullpen now, just think if you had to go an entire game with the bullpen. 😬

I know people are tired of hearing about options. but it seems to me that Sim is out of options. I'm not sure I want to lose him for nothing unless I absolutely have to.

This is Rojas's last AAA start in 48 pitches: Does not look like he's ready for the show yet. His 2025 campaign in St. Paul was 27 1/3 innings and a 6.59 ERA. I'm not suggesting he will be a bust. I am saying he's probably not ready to face an MLB lineup.

And as much as 7 runs, 6 earned is bad for the ERA, he still gutted out 5 innings and didn't put undue pressure on the bullpen. As we are currently seeing with Banda now, more bullpen outs are not the answer.

When there is someone who can replace him. Right now, there is no one who can replace him in St. Paul.

I would be curious how many defensive runs saved that they estimate Wallner has due to the arm strength. Maybe he gets an extra out or two? My eyeballs tell me that the estimated outs saved is not worth the outs he is creating in the batter's box.

I'm willing to suffer through Larnach's defense at this point just to get his bat in the lineup, even facing a lefty, Larnach's bat has at least shown some kind of life.

We all knew that this was a possible outcome going into the season given the defense. The game is not over yet. Everyone has a clunker. Hopefully, we can limit damage and keep ourselves in the game.

I had suggested that the Twins were doing well against lefties since the hitters have just been seeing the ball from that side with all of the AB's they have taken against lefties this year. Watching the game last night, Molitor quickly told me that I was full of it when that question was broached during the game. Molitor's opinion was that since many lefties have odd release points, that you're never really used seeing the ball. I would also think that the Twins will probably come back towards the mean at some point in the season. I just hope that they don't go back so far as looking helpless against any lefty. I also wonder the effect hitting coach Keith Beauregard and veterans such as that Josh Bell has had on the team. Bell is a professional hitter and may be more accessible to the younger hitters than Correa. I could be wrong about that. They have been discussing player dinners and player events this year. We never heard about these types in previous years.

Yes. My bad. Cleveland refuses to give the Twins sole possession of 1st. I fixed it!

Nah. Bullpens are like backup QB's. The less you see them, the better your team is.

Cleveland still refuses to give up sole possession of 1st. Ahead of the Cardinals 5-4 going to the bottom of the 9th.