J-Dog Dungan

Any chance the Twins could lobby to have the Ben Revere play changed to a hit, but not change the game score? Long shot, but I want Revere to keep the hit streak going.

Yeah, he has cost Duensing all 4 runs not scored in the 1st innings. He has looked lost, made showboat plays when he didn't need to, and lost a ball in the sun and then started walking away from it after it hit the ground. The only good play he made was on a double play ball from Casilla in the 5th inning, and Mauer had to use some skill to keep it from going by him.

You know, just watching Nishi be so horrible makes me wish that statisticians could charge ERA to an infielder; cause I think Nishi would have an ERA around infinity minus.

Well, Dick and Bert just expressed their thoughts that Nishi isn't good in the Bigs. Just saying, there aren't many players that earn their seal of disapproval.

I was thinking about going with that for my believeable dream, but my believeable dreams were too strong for my wildest dreams to get a hold of them.

I think the Twins are stuck with whomever they want in-house to play the middle infield, because looking at the list of 2013 MI FA on MLBTR, there is not much hope for the Twins to upgrade. They should work on acquiring pitching, and worry about getting MI later, if at all. Carroll and Dozier, while they haven't been great, have been good enough so we don't vomit every time they come onto the field. I am okay if the Twins have a little less defense on the infield if they keep their defense in the outfield great and their lineup potent.

So, the Twins have 52 games left in this 2012 season. We can all agree that the first two months of the season were probably the hardest things for us to watch since last year. The ray of light that has us moving up the standings comes from the Twins being 13-12 since the All-Star Break, and at least four of their losses were very close and could have gone either way. So, I am much more of a late-night person than an early morning person, so I decided to look at the Twins' record against the Central when they have been successful. It was overwhelming; the years that the Twins were successful were years when they were putting it to their rivals in the Central. So this brings me to the point of this post. While the chances of the Twins making a postseason run are virtually nonexistant, there is that .000001% chance that they do make one, and I believe that it would involve taking it to their rivals in the Central, with whom they still share much of their remaining schedule. (Just go with me on this, I need to express the feeling of hope that is growing inside of me.) Of the next 52 games, 29 are against the Indians, Royals, Tigers, and White Sox. In the last decade (2002-2012), they have played their foes in the Central to an average win % of .561. Theoretically, if the Twins were to go by the average of this %, they would win about 16.3 of the 29 games (must include extra innings). With the way they are playing however, I fully believe that they could play to a winning percentage of .585, which would mean they would win about 17 of those games. The other 23 games are comprised of 14 versus the West, who the Twins have played to a .523 winning percentage over the last decade, and, unfortunately, 9 games against the East. Of course, the Twins' woes against the East are well documented, especially against the Yankees, so I think the Twins should be happy to win 4 of those 9 games. Now, against the West, the Twins, if the averages are correct, would win about 7 of those games. I think they will do better than that, because in recent years they have seemed to have Texas's number. So give them around 9 out of 14. Given the math, and then my guesses, here is what I am predicting for the Twins' record over the last 52 games: Math: 27-25, about the record we were expecting the Twins to have this year, just around .520 My wildest dreams: 35-17; a .673 winning percentage and very close to a wild card spot My more realistic dreams: 29-23; a .557 winning percentage and should give them 3rd place, barring a collapse from Detroit and Chicago and a hot streak from the Indians or Royals.

So, the Twins have 52 games left in this 2012 season. We can all agree that the first two months of the season were probably the hardest things for us to watch since last year. The ray of light that has us moving up the standings comes from the Twins being 13-12 since the All-Star Break, and at least four of their losses were very close and could have gone either way. So, I am much more of a late-night person than an early morning person, so I decided to look at the Twins' record against the Central when they have been successful. It was overwhelming; the years that the Twins were successful were years when they were putting it to their rivals in the Central. So this brings me to the point of this post. While the chances of the Twins making a postseason run are virtually nonexistant, there is that .000001% chance that they do make one, and I believe that it would involve taking it to their rivals in the Central, with whom they still share much of their remaining schedule. (Just go with me on this, I need to express the feeling of hope that is growing inside of me.) Of the next 52 games, 29 are against the Indians, Royals, Tigers, and White Sox. In the last decade (2002-2012), they have played their foes in the Central to an average win % of .561. Theoretically, if the Twins were to go by the average of this %, they would win about 16.3 of the 29 games (must include extra innings). With the way they are playing however, I fully believe that they could play to a winning percentage of .585, which would mean they would win about 17 of those games. The other 23 games are comprised of 14 versus the West, who the Twins have played to a .523 winning percentage over the last decade, and, unfortunately, 9 games against the East. Of course, the Twins' woes against the East are well documented, especially against the Yankees, so I think the Twins should be happy to win 4 of those 9 games. Now, against the West, the Twins, if the averages are correct, would win about 7 of those games. I think they will do better than that, because in recent years they have seemed to have Texas's number. So give them around 9 out of 14. Given the math, and then my guesses, here is what I am predicting for the Twins' record over the last 52 games: Math: 27-25, about the record we were expecting the Twins to have this year, just around .520 My wildest dreams: 35-17; a .673 winning percentage and very close to a wild card spot My more realistic dreams: 29-23; a .557 winning percentage and should give them 3rd place, barring a collapse from Detroit and Chicago and a hot streak from the Indians or Royals.

I don't know about the rest of you, but the two teams that aren't the Twins that I want to clinch a Wild Card spot are the A's and the Pirates (not that I don't want the Twins to go on some improbable streak and somehow clinch the spot for themselves). I want the A's to win to show the Angels that buying the top two free agents in the offseason isn't always the formula for winning, and I want the Pirates to clinch a spot because I don't think they have while I have been alive.

Yup. Probs my favorite baseball movie

Well, I am no judge of anything artistic, but I think the St. Paul Saints stadium isn't that bad and despite what other people say, I didn't think the Snapper's stadium was all that bad (except for the seats, they are really umcomfortable molded plastic)

I think you are missing the point

How small of a stadium are we talking about? Because I would recommend going to Miller Park (Brewers) and PNC Park (Pirates), and they are both really nice parks.

Hey, what would happen if we traded Sam Deduno to the Indians? Would Charlie Sheen's glasses become his best friend, and would Corbin Bernsen want to punch him in the face? (You see what I did there?)

He has seemed kind of shaky (Robertson), so I wouldn't count on it. I would rather have one of Slama/Waldrop/Guerra take over for him (even though none of them are lefties).

How new of a stadium is Cedar Rapids, and how would the Twins benefit from having their team there? Not saying I don't want them to move, I am just ignorant of baseball politics.

Yes, but he had been missing that same pitch before he made the adjustments we have been talking about.

No, Nishi is definately worse

I believe that you knock on wood to get jixes to go away

I agree with most of what you are saying. When he is healthy, I think he and Willingham are our best players, in the power game, anyway. Revere and Mauer beat both of them in average any day of the week. I agree that we should keep our best players together, but if we could clear the books of the money that Morneau is owed next year and know that Parmelee was ready to take over for him, on offense and defense, I would trade him in a heartbeat if I could get a decent MLB-pitcher for him. It would also give us $14 million to add onto the money already coming off the books this offseason, $14 million more we could spend on an ace pitcher for possibly competing in 2013, even.

Does anybody know how Andrew McCutchen is hitting .369 this late in the season? Actually, better question: What is his BABIP? It must be off the charts right now.

well, the Royals win some, and they lose a lot more often. Hehehe. So glad we weren't the ones trying to give him up to somebody who'd take him (although he might be an improvement over Tyler Robertson)

No, you were right to post this. Revere has been an amazing bright spot for the Twins this year, both with his defense (which everyone knew he had) and his offense (what everyone was less sure about). I think after the game today he was five AB's short, but if you saw it your way, you saw it your way.

Don't count Cole DeVries out for that last rotation spot either. Honestly, the twins really only seem to need one or two bullpen arms, a quality #1 starter, and a shortstop (not to mention help from the magic protecting-the-players-from-injury fairy). With the utter domination that Parmelee is displaying down in AAA, I wouldn't be surprised if 1) he is called up in September 2) He alternates with Morneau 3) the Twins use it as a gauge of whether or not they can trade Morneau and if he is ready to take over 1st next year.

He is still struggling to swing a bat without pain; could still join Twins on Friday for series v. Rays, but sounding less and less likely.