Western SD Fan

Multiple things can be true at the same time. Of course, Tom's statements at the beginning of the season were designed to create interest in a team that many fans have quit paying attention to. It ultimately depends on how you are measuring and your expectations for the season. If you're measuring against a normal MLB GM trying to address needs to make a serious playoff push, this deadline was a clear half-measure. If you are measuring this against what other Twins GM's and current ownership have done since the year 2000, this is about as "all-in" as the Twins get. That is more indicative of how the Twins operate as a whole. Now to the expectations part. If your expectations were to make a real push for a WS or a deep playoff run, this was just a half-measure and likely not moving the needle other than the relievers will help us not lose winnable games in the late innings. I'm not concerned on what we gave up for Kremer. I'm more concerned about Kremer himself as a pitcher being able to meaningfully contribute. I'm not sure he is any better than Zebby, who's spot he replaced in the rotation, and who many people here want converted to a bullpen arm. My expectations were to make moves to keep us in contention while not selling the farm for a marginal chance at a playoff spot. I think we accomplished that with this deadline. Compared to where many people pegged this team at the beginning of the season, we are close to playing with house money at this point. Sometimes it's about staying the course, even if we don't know what the course is at times. We could have maximized some trade potential, such as moving Jeffers and Larnach, I am fine that we did not do this. That is probably the fan in me vs what the correct move would have been to make. Look up Tankathon's SOS linked here: MLB Remaining Schedule Strength | Tankathon Compare this to the WC standings. Most of the teams that are near, or chasing us, have weaker SOS than us the rest of the season. That doesn't mean we can't make it. It's just another tool to use when aligning your expectations on how the deadline went and how it aligns with Tom Pohlad's statements.

I'm curious on how the QO will work for Jeffers this offseason. It was reported that he would decline any QO that was offered to him. The players hate the QO and I would guess many of the owners hate it as well, especially the ones who have to pay the QO tax. My opinion is that the QO does not survive the next CBA. The QO must be offered and rejected prior to the end of the current CBA (Dec 1st). If the QO really doesn't survive the CBA, has Jeffers's value really went up because he is expected to refuse the QO? How would they account for this if the QO doesn't survive the new CBA? Would there be a transition offseason? That has been a missing piece on where I think Jeffers's value ultimately lands.

Was listening to Foul Territory earlier today. Their rumors were that the Yankees actually believe Austin Wells's bat is picking up. They like his defense and handling of the pitching staff. This could very well be setting up the fan base to when 6 pm ET rolls around and they didn't pick up a catcher.

You and Shelton had the same philosophy. In the postgame presser, Shelton said the exact same thing. He didn't want to face Young if he didn't have to. Chose to go after Emerson. Emerson did his job and won the game. Happens in baseball.

Some of us have survived better than others. 😉

Sorry. I wasn't paying attention and misread it. Too many people here stamping their feet demanding they want him up here yesterday. Just trying to point out why that is not happening.

In the postgame presser, Shelton said he did not want to face Young in any situation. Young has been torturing the Twins all weekend. He took a risk to get Emerson and Rivas out, didn't pan out. I'll refer you to the handy chart I posted earlier from baseball-reference. Today is the first time since coming off the IL that Culpepper is playing SS for the 3rd game in a row. We all complain about Buxton's lack of availability. I want Culpepper's to be at least that good before he is called up here. I could see him being called up in another week after they make sure he isn't showing any lingering signs from his glute injury that put him on the IL. I know everyone wants him up here. The best ability is still availability.

Cory said there was no one at 2nd when Gray cut off the throw. Should have been Lewis's play to be there. That eliminated a potential double play opportunity and forced Gomez to try to get a strike out.

Hawt take: I half expected Bell to GIDP so him just striking out is still giving us a chance.

I believe the Twins did this to Munoz last year in Seattle. That was the crazy game they scored 6 runs in an inning.

Kreidler is out. Gray is PR for Larnach and Caratini batted for Kreidler.

I agree with you there. It was Selig that nixed the original deal, which would have ended in a couple of years (2028 or 2029) had he been allowed to do it. It was a deal MLB made to get McCourt to sell the team since he refused to sell the team even through divorce proceedings and bankruptcy. MLB also made a deal, although not as lucrative, with the Wilpons to get them out of the Mets ownership. There are more issues that need to be addressed than just this poor media deal that MLB made with the Dodgers. They can't control that one so they can only do what they can control. Probably not the best way of looking at it.

That's only partially true. The MLB did cut a deal with the Dodgers, but it was over the divorce and subsequent bankruptcy court rulings. The bankruptcy court really undervalued the fair-market value of the Dodgers and now the current deal is in place until 2039. I don't understand enough about bankruptcy laws to know why this deal still has to be in place even after everything related to the Dodgers have been settled. Oh, and according to the article linked below, the gift is $2 billion. Why Bankruptcy Court Shielded Dodgers Revenue From MLB Sharing

Yes. Technically the Big A was also reconfigured for football when the Rams were in LA before they moved to St Louis. I think they removed that configuration when the Rams moved, but I could be wrong.

That trade was a bit of a surprise for me. Maybe the Twins have told them they are not trading Jeffers. Ben Rice is also a catcher. Maybe they fix their catcher problem by moving him back behind the plate.

It's all one offs now. They have played a college football game at Target Field and Wrigley. They host bowl games at Fenway and Yankee Stadium. I believe the bowl game that used to be played in SF was played at Oracle. Petco Park has hosted the Holiday Bowl before. But, these are all one offs now as no stadium anymore does double duty.

Here are the game logs of Culpepper since coming back from injury. Last night was the first game that he has played SS in back-to-back games since coming back from the IL. I want to see Culpepper as much as the next guy. I also want to make sure he can play the position every day before calling him up. If he can't play the field every day, he needs to stay in AAA until he can.

I believe the last person called directly from AA was Celestino. I could be wrong about this, just the last one I remember. Celestino was called up out of desperation and didn't do well at the majors.

Watching the Cleveland game. There was a TC Bear sighting in Cleveland. The broadcast said it was Slider's birthday this weekend in Cleveland, so a bunch of the mascots flew out there to be a part of it.

And I still like our chances tomorrow with Bradley going. Win that game and we tie the season series with a team still chasing us in the standings. We are still fine.

There's only a couple of choices on how to look at this. You can accept that he is learning a new position on the fly and will make tough mistakes. I advocated for his move to first in the offseason so we wouldn't be going through this learning curve in August. Had they committed to this, Bell likely doesn't get signed and we save money which could have put into the bullepen at the beginning of the season. Shelton stayed the course to see how the players would react before making wholesale changes. Lewis is a professional and knows he messed up and will learn. The other option is to fire him into the sun, or the baseball equivalent, DFA him and move on. I guess you could send him to St. Paul. That option almost automatically leads to a combo of Bell, Caratini, and Jackson playing 1B. Clemens is not a permanent option there as they need his flexibility to plug holes elsewhere in the lineup. Idk if it's true, but I would bet that Lewis is still a better defensive option than the combination of Bell, Caratini, and Jackson at 1B.

This is a learning curve for Royce. If you watch the replay, Rodriguez dances into Lewis's throwing lane and he panics. Had he made the decision to throw home right away, Arozarena is dead at home. It sucks that every new situation at a new position you have to learn the hard way, but you do. There will be better days for Lewis.

Appears like Larnach had a chance to get Arozarena had he not jogged over to the ball.

I don't understand why Caratini didn't challenge either one. He had both at his disposal in the 9th inning.