knothole61

Agree 100%...what a strange cat he is! I'm not sure that I care if he clears waivers.

Ah, but look at you now, and the Twins are still buying ramen!

How do we feel about the acquisition of Josh Bell?

Thanks for the info. There's a chance that a change of scenery from the woeful White Sox might revive the talented, underachieving, Robert. Time will tell...

Could Luis Robert (who will turn 29 next season) be pried from the White Sox grasp for some young Twins? Would you, as president of baseball operations, consider pursuing that?

Rocco was a victim, I think, of some of his faulty concepts and a genuine inflexibility regarding them. I will not miss him as a manager, but I wish him well. It's 7 below out tonight, but only about 60 days until pitchers and catchers report, so we've got that going for us!

Love this guy...more excitement per pound than any Twin I can remember, and he's fiercely loyal to the team and to Minnesota.

Many thanks! Also, Shelton is rocking a .410 MLB managerial record so he’ll fit right in.

Will somebody please change Farek to Derek for me…I can’t figure it out!!

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images In a move many fans will find underwhelming, the Twins chose to push the dials of familiarity and experience as high as possible with their hire to replace recently fired manager Rocco Baldelli. His place at the top of the dugout steps at Target Field will be taken by Derek Shelton, who served as Baldelli's bench coach in his first season on the job in 2019 and coordinated the day-to-day efforts of the winningest team (by regular-season record) in Twins history. Shelton, 55, was poached by the Pittsburgh Pirates that winter, taking over as their manager beginning with the COVID season of 2020. Brought in to oversee a rebuilding team's development and with no support from ownership whatsoever, though, he found little success there, going 306-440 before being fired 38 games into the 2025 campaign. The Twins front office knows and loves Shelton, who took over as bench coach for the final season of Paul Molitor's tenure with the team and stayed on to serve in the same role for Baldelli. He's been a coach or manager almost without interruption since 1998, including eight total seasons as a manager (three of them in the minor leagues, over two decades ago) and long stints as a hitting coach, in addition to roles as quality control and bench coach with the Blue Jays and Twins. He's the most experienced candidate the team interviewed, although he doesn't have the same amount of success under his belt as fellow finalist Scott Servais did. It might seem like a comfortable (and therefore unimaginative) choice, but Shelton offers the stability and competence the organization prizes, and was considered an integral part of the team that set a then-record by hitting over 300 home runs and winning 100 games under a rookie manager. The team faces some of the same daunting questions about payroll commitment and competitive window status as the Pirates did when Shelton took charge there, but they're multiple steps ahead of where Pittsburgh was. If Shelton is a mere placeholder, they couldn't have done any better. He won't bring a major culture change to the franchise, but it appears as though Derek Falvey decided he didn't want one. View full article

Arete!

Well, the sad day has arrived again. Good team or bad, baseball is the great timekeeper of the best days of the year, and now we face another Minnesota winter, and this time without the prospect of a solid Vikings' season to soften the days. The coming of the off season seems to twist a little harder as time goes on. I'd like to thank whomever is responsible for the smooth operation of this site...it's a pleasant place to come for outstanding commentary and analysis and it is run flawlessly and seamlessly by those who keep high standards without being intrusive and who stay behind the scenes and never take a bow. Well done TD! As I head off after another season I'm reminded of the words of Rogers Hornsby: "People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Adios...

Abel, against a very good team in their home park, in a game that they had to win to try to nab the #1 seed from the Brewers...my God man!! 24 year-old, 6' 5", McLean Able was the 15th overall pick in 2020 and I have a feeling that the Twins (fingers crossed) may have captured lightening in a bottle this time. Lopez, Ryan, and tonight's version of Mick Able and 2026 suddenly doesn't seem as daunting. Ah...the hope that springs eternal.

Mike, thanks, that was very interesting. And then, of course, there's this from Walt Whitman at an earlier date: "I see great things in baseball. It's our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us." Love Twain: "...142 days out from Canton - homeward bound."

I can dig it...

Dave, early 70s was a pretty hot time in Indochina. Were you in Country for Uncle Sam?

I sent this to H.B.D. by mistake: You and the pup have survived the Mighty Ragasa...congratulations, man!

The "Fitzgerald Fandango" will be a highlight reel staple for years to come. Wow...

You and the pup have survived the Mighty Ragasa...congratulations, man!

That was fun: Zebby gives up a leadoff HR and that was all, and we gave a merciful dagger to the Rangers' season. Let's finish with 7 wins in a row and then watch other teams play some exciting playoff baseball! How about those Guardians!

The last home game ends with a small win for the Twins but potentially a big loss for the Guards. Baseball is such an odd thing!

Scored runs in only one of 27 innings so far this series...is that right? How is that possible? I take baseball to the bitter end every season...but this is a genuine pain in the rear. Invoking the Bard again: "The smallest worm will turn being trodden on, and doves will peck in safeguard of their brood." The '25 Twins. however, do not appear to be capable of even the slightest resistance to their tormentors. Have some pride fellows--at least a little.

The ball didn't hit too far from the right fielder and Martin was hanging very close to second until the ball actually hit, I think he was determined to make third on a tag. I believe he should have been able to tell that it was going to drop in time to make it home, but that didn't happen.

So many bad relief pitchers that late game collapses are nearly guaranteed, but don't get rid of Funder just yet.

The Twins have won 1 season series from the Yankees in 23 years...did I read that right?