How can a guy that knows baseball so well, be so ignorant? Brings Perkins in to face Zobrist a right handed hitter who owns Perkins, result? Base hit of course, Perkins then surrenders another hit..3-1 Royals, Molitor did this same thing against Detroit, brought Perkins in to face Martinez, forcing Martinez to hit from the right side where he was hitting over 500, result hit off the wall, how could you be so ignorant?
Twins need to shop for a closer. Perkins mind is blown, you saw it in full color after giving up the hr, he kneeled in defeat, he has been great for the twins but the run is over. We can not afford to use him in anything like a high leverage situation.
The most valuable Twin? Two possibilities, Eddie Rosario is in the running, but my pick is Eduardo Escobar, what a player He gets so many key hits, plays a great shortstop and now evidently has the approval to swing for the fences.
Do you realize Escobar would have 15 hr if he had been starting all year? Molitor made a mistake with him but i dont think he will repeat it.
Why is Molitor so intent on playing other people at SS. Many of you have made the point way back that Escobar is the best SS we have.
Recently Escobar walk off double Nunez plays the next day (I was shocked)
First game against Orioles - Escobar doubles and homers Nunez plays the next day
WTF? Now Molitor is even making excuses for his inexcusable decisions...Pre-Game Last night, we are going righty heavy lineup against this lefthander...THIS JUST IN..Escobar is a SWITCH HITTER! The righty of course was Nunez, otherwise the lineup was normal...
Please if you have any idea why the Head Psycho is doing this, PLEASE tel me!
I did something I rarely do. I shut the game off. I watch on my computer so I have to take whatever feed I get.
I was watching the Yankees broadcast, their play by play guy reported the following. Mauer moved to first base because of knee problems, (said it twice) Sorry Yank fans, you show respect for one of the greatest players of our time, a three time batting champion, that was disgraceful! Then said about three times this was Perkins first blown save of the season...but thats not what made me mad.(he did eventually correct that)
Arod had already connected twice, true facing Milone is different from facing Perkins....Arod was 5-9 against Perkins with a homerun, Arod was hot....WHY COULDNT THE FRICKIN COACHING STAFF AT LEAST USED MAY AGAINST AROD? Thats what made me mad, when the guy hit the three run hr, I turned it off in disgust.
I think this was Molitors call, well Paul, you blew it. Did anyone not think Perkins was going to groove it, my chutzpah vs yours? BOOM!
The Twins deserved this loss, and Molitor deserves the credit.
Joe Mauer WAS a great baseball player Because of his contract you can't cut him or can you?
ITs painfully obvious that he is filling a position that he is ill suited for. If Mauer was still catching we could live with his batting and lack of power, but now he is clogging the one position you can have an average defender but with some bop. I really like Joe Mauer but playing him at first base is a complete waste. Twins know it but what can they do?
My solution is call up Kepler or Sano If its Sano play him at 3b unless he can play first and play Plouffe at 1b.
Molitor said Vargas was a threat, (NOT) Sano on the other hand would be, Call him up and bench Mauer.
If you call up Kepler he can play 1b or the outfield, but whatever, lets face the new Reality, Joe Mauer is not helping the Twins
His confidence is shot. Just the opposite of last year. Send him down now, so he can work it out, regain confidence and be ready to help the twiins in 2nd half.
You can see he is playing under a tremendous amount of self imposed pressure.
I am believer in Santana although was never a fan of taking ss away from Escobar. Happy Paul plays Escobar in outfield. For those who talked of trading Escobar I said then and now that would be lunacy just for the reason you are witnessing now.
The other thing I would do is keep Rosario, I dont have a clue with what to do with Arcia, Trade maybe?
SInce I have been following the twins, this is the best pitching I have ever seen. I am wondering why. At this point I beieve its Neil Allen, is there another answer?
Hughes is not pitching that badly but not like last year sill his performance has been acceptable.
Gibson whoa....is he on a roll or what? Outstanding!
Pelfrey - Do we really need to talk about him? Interestingly enough on a recent Gleeman and the Geek
Episode...Gleeman and Bonnes pointed to what he believed to be signs that Pelfrey would regress...well sure he can' t keep up this pace but I still expect him to be competitive. Few seem to remember that before Tommy John surgery he was very good at times , although to read this board you wouldn't believe it. Adding the split finger has helped him mightily and I am predicting his continued success there will be bumps but look for his best year ever
Trevor May - a rough outing in his last start, but by and large good and good enough to stay in the rotation.
Nolasco is the weak link - They can't cut him, I say move him to the bullpen in the long relief role. Give Meyer his chance finally before he is ruined mentally, he has to be close.
In summary the pitching has been awesome and at this moment, hat is off to Neil Allen!
You guys should thank me for calling the Twins the worst team in baseball history..notice the trip they have been on ever since?
How fun is it to watch these guys?
Plouffe is playing a Gold Glove 3b, Robinson doesnt realize who he really is..Joe has come through with some clutch extra base hits...wow..
But you know what...we are winning and winning a lot...because..drum roll..our pitching..now how phenomenal is it to be able to say that?
Time for me to work my magic again..here goes..
Nolasco is terrible...I want to see him traded yesterday...yes we will pay half his salary and take just about anybody in return...When I watch Nolasco pitch I think...his pitches are flat...they dont have velocity.whats not to love about him if you are an opposing batter? Ok..you can thank me later if Nolasco is going to rebound it will be now...
What in the heck happened? The Franchise that used to be the model that everybody wanted to emulate is now the franchise that nobody wants to copy.
Is Terry Ryan just terrible? Or, has he had uncommon circumstances that have led to this? One thing that comes through to me, is that there seems to be a terrible evaluation system of prospects. While other teams seem to produce young stars seemingly every year the Twins seem to be in perennial evaluation mode (Plouffe, Arcia.Hicks..etc)
They finally went free agent for pitching, and Nolasco who looked so good, has yet to earn any of his salary. Who could have predicted Santana? They are going to have to open the wallet..and sign free agents as position players because the Twins are so bad thats the only way for them to field a representative team.
I like most of you have waited and watched the minor league system hoping that the normal names are coming to Minneapolis in the very near future....but honestly I dont think there are going to be wholesale improvements do you?
Joe Mauer one of the best players in the game is a hindrance for the team, he occupies a position that is traditionally occupied by a power hitter, sorry Joe 270 and no power makes you a liability not an asset.
When we read the minor league reports we see the Twins farm system is competitive with the other teams, the big mystery is, why doesn't it translate to the major league level?
As much as us die hard fans want to believe, we tried to ignore the anemic offense produced in ST...but now the chickens are sitting on the eggs....
True enough....good hitting would not have saved the Tiger series...with our horrible pitching...Hughes 4 run effort now looks pretty good...
So when all this unfolds..we still have a .270 hitting first baseman with no power, we have a kid Vargas that I think is over matched and easily exposed....we have an outfielder at 10 million that is beyond the sunset of his career,
We have Arcia who has to be the friendliest player in the league..he waves at everything....
and one of the best players on the team sitting the bench...I asked in an earlier post can twins win without Escobar and a certain writer assured that they could..REALLY???
This team is very close to killing off what little fan base they have left.
Is it concerning to you that we hear our offense is better, and yet we score two runs a game on a consistent basis?
Oh..hold..today we got one...I totally get we aren't playing with full lineups...but guess what neither are our opponents.
In addition the pitching we are facing..many are experimenting with pitches, we are facing minor league pitchers as well. A few games ago we hit four home runs, but did you watch that game? How many were wind blown?
I think to compete we HAVE to have Escobar and Santana in the lineup.and while we are at it..Im not sold on Vargas.
1- Why were Buxton and Sano cut so early? I have to assume that they were that far behind. How did Sano look at 3rd considering his inflated weight? Actually the best thing for the Twins would probably be moving him to first, as I think our production there will remain less than stellar.
2-Can this team win without Escobar playing everyday? I would love to think they are that good but I don't believe it.
I sure hope the Twins don't trade him...a young talented player that had a very good year..probably only second to Santana.
I'm really pulling for Rosario in CF, as he has a long term future with the Twins. I believe Hicks is finished, can we get a box of donuts for him? When Arcia was tearing up the Appy league, how many remember it was Rosario that led the league in Hr's?
Pitching looks like it will be average which is definitely progress. I would like to see Meyer as 5th starter or at lease in bullpen, I believe sending him to minors is counterproductive and not the best option for his future.
The issue is NOT who can get the most out of the Twins younger players...
Its not really about style...either.....
I find it interesting that there is emphasis on both Sano abd Buxton basically endorsing Molitor...which may not be the case at all. They might be just saying, and I think they are..that Molitor is knowledgeable and helped them.
We can debate all day long the merits of either to manage the twins..but this is going to come down to one thing...
Who will put the fans in the seats? In that case, DM is the clear winner...
There is one Caveat though..if DM fails....then how do you resuscitate a dead horse?
I get it, decent career ( certainly not hall of fame) He could help a new catcher like Pinto (we already hve a coach on the field -number one selling car in Japan) he knows baseball..no doubt...BUT.....
WHERE IS THE FIRE? WHERE IS THE NOVELTY? WHERE ARE THE HALL OF FAME CREDENTIALS?
The reason Steinbach will not be considered is bottom line, his hiring would AFFECT the bottom line..
Give me DM...he will make errors ..but in two years when the team can contend..he will have needed experience..
and he has the fire..and I have to believe he would definitely improve the bottom line, his is a hire tht
would excite the fan base. On the other hand if Molitor is not picked,it will be last chance Twins have...
I know I will be deluged with, way to early to give up on HIcks...Bah Humbug...Hicks has been given many chances and he is up with the club again, even though he didnt earn it.
The one thing that intrigues me about Hicks is he can hit for power..but where did it go?
I think it went down the Hitting Coach Hole..meaning the Twins are insisting he be a complete hitter...
NOTE to Twins...If he can hit 20 HR's I will live with the 220 average, he is good enough in center field...
but the thing is..the Twins are in his head..the only way for him to improve is move to another franchise that
does not require him to think..as long as he has to think..No way, Jose...is he gonna play...
To further the problem for Hicks...Santana is an adequate CF, Shafer can play there as well..and Buxton hopefully w
able to play there sometime who knows when?
The Twins youngsters have shown pizzaz and this bodes well for next year..but the real question is...
WIll the Twins go Free Agent Pitching again? They will have to..to avoid another 90 loss season.
Well guys, I hate to break it to you.. but next year will be just as bad...and that is a reason to keep Gardy believe it or not.... First of all Gardy will be back if he wants to be back..Twins wont burn 5mil especially looking at next year and realizing..more of the same is coming... Why next year just as bad? Simple .....Pitching.... Hughes had had a career year...will he be as good next year..I think he will be close.... Now what do we have? Nolasco is showing why we signed him..and with the winter off..I think he rebounds to be ok... Now what? Gibson, Milone and who knows? Gibson will be in the rotation, but is that a good thing? He is at best a number 5 on a good team, but this wont be a good team....so maybe he is a 3 on this team. Milone will be in the rotation and I think he will be better, now he knows the team, the stadium etc. Who will be number 5? My surprise guess...Pelfrey.....again Twins dont want to waste money and when you break everything down...he is probably the best option... Obviously May needs more seasoning....Meyer..big ? Berrios? Maybe.... So Twins will be a mess....Gardenhire coaches final year..and Dougie boy..hopefully will replace him...but I think Twins will go with Molitor....and this may be ridiculous..when I look at Molitor..I think OLD.....Lets get through Gardenhire then go with the young stallion...
If you have read my blogs, you know that I am a huge fan of Sam Deduno. I'm sad to see him leave the Twins, but I believe they gave him every opportunity to succeed, he just couldn't harness his "Krazy" fastball.
However when Sam couild harness it, he was unhitable he could beat anybody, anytime and often did. The reverse is true too that he could be wild anytime and walk runners around the bases, then when he tried to throw it straight, opponents would tattoo it.
Last year he was the teams best starting pitcher I was very surprised that he did not win the fifth starter position out of Spring Training, Gibson has made me believe that was the right choice. I wondered frequently how Sam could come out of the bullpen. He did have intial success but as the season went on...I got tired of the experiment as he looked awful at times and got hit hard at other times.
The only pitcher I would make sure to watch was Deduno, loved his charisma, and his stuff...but when he was bad,he was awful.
I understand the move, even agree with it..but this gives me one more reason to not watch the Twins.
Lets be clear about this, There will never be another Samuel Deduno!
How many of you saw Trevor May slamming his glove down last night, and his other childish displays of anger?
Cmon dude, thats little league stuff! No you werent awarded Pitcher of the World tonight, but I hate to say this given your childish reaction, but you pitched a pretty good game against a terrific team.
Face it, rookies dont come up and dominate, ask Gibson who struggled mightily last year and was sent back. down.
I hope to never see that disgusting display from you again and I hope the coaches slammed your behavior.
I know some of you are gonna say, "I'd rather see him fiery than take it and not be bothered by it" That wasnt the case with May, I think he knew the camera was going to be on him and took that time to throw his tantrum.
Angels just lost their Ace, What would they give up for Hughes? I m guessing you could get a Starter, and two prospects...If you are blown away..you have to take it...I know, I know..Hughes and Contract etc..but We could replace Hughes or close to it..AND add...two quality prospects how do you not take that?
Same with Dozier...we are looking pretty good in the infield at the moment...escobar to 2nd...If you got two top prospects for Dozier, would you move him? I would
While thinking about it...do you think Vargas will break camp with the Twins? I thought Pinto would be the primary catcher this year..so..I dont know...what do you think?