mikelink45

I think this is an excellent article and even better advise - players have to be themselves. To protect themselves and change their way of playing is to diminish the player and remove a lot of value. It is really sad to see these things happen, but so many different reasons means that if he does not play baseball in a Sumo suit he is probably going to get hurt. If he adds some more body mass (in a good way) this season like he did last maybe we can get past this. In the meantime he reminds me enough of Pete Reiser that I am going to put up a blog on the topic. Check it out.

I'm ready for some more changes. I think a Larnach should be given a chance to take Caves position. I think Graterol should be showing off his hundred mile an hour fastball on the twins. We talk about all these great players in our minor leagues it's time to bring them up. Arraez has shown that rookies can make a difference and Smeltzer too. Since we did so little at the trade deadlines let's dip into the minors and use the talent that we saved to finish out the year in style.

When you are the best you want to play the best. This should inspire the team. For me I have an extra dislike of the braves. I used to go to Milwaukee as a child in the 1950s and watched Aaron, Matthews, Spahn and all those great players on the championship teams in 57 and 58. they broke my heart when they moved to Atlanta and I have rooted against the team ever since. That made the world series all the more enjoyable for me when we beat them and I got to go to all four home games. So I am ready for round two let's take three.

Until this year Arraez was not a prospect. Ober could be another one of those players who push the envelope. I love the grit. The Kiriloff, Larnach, Rooker issue is fascinating now that they are all ready to move up. I would move Rosario and let Kiriloff and Larnach battle for left and bench. Rooker loses out in my imagination.

You will have to try again - this does not cover a lot of issues - length of start, recent and past injuries for Pineda and Gibson's length of starts and performance in key games. We still do not have a number 2 and we need one.

I really liked it. K's are not the only measure of a great pitcher and Arraez shows that singles also count.

I am delighted with Berrios he has been almost consistent and best pitcher for The last two years. I was really hoping we would give him another strong starter to compliment his efforts.

After all the hype I have to say I find The results to be really boring. I wish I could get excited about them but I am left with indifferent. Not against the trades they were fine but I hope you that we had reached higher.

Getting Greinke to go with Verlander and Cole is amazing. What a staff. I know this is about the Twins but for some reason I am not excited. But I am okay with the move.

I have to add another thought. The cano trade has been lambasted everywhere for good reason, and they could be a little shell shocked. They want to make sure now to be a winner of any trade that comes up or they have to face the wrath of the New York fan.

Thanks for all the comments and inspirations. I'm currently in the gulf of Maine working on a boat with very limited internet. But when I get some is fun to get on and read these comments.

Thanks for all the comments and inspirations. I'm currently in the gulf of Maine working on a boat with very limited internet. But when I get some is fun to get on and read these comments.

I can only say this isn't even s negotiation it is a discussion of a robbery. Pitchers are so volatile I'm always concerned about how they will turn out on any kind of way trade or long-term signing. The Mets know he has not performed as expected. If he had the discussion wouldn't even happen. I am surprised at how many list Garver in their trade scenarios. I value a catcher as high as a pitcher. Looking at Lewis and Kiriloff The question is which of them will we need in the next 3 years? Both of their positions are well covered right now, but do we expect Sano to stay at 3rd? Both are extremely valuable but if there isn't room for them on the roster then they become expendable. Right now they both have a potential to be that which makes them more available for trades. However putting both in one trade is not something I would consider

Interesting to see the impact of the DFAs and call ups - I imagine Bleich and Cheshire are filling in some holes in the organization pitching. Thanks for keeping us up to date.

I would agree with one of the greatest innings, but 8 - 1 would not make the whole game rank here. Thanks for the memory and the video.

I would not trade both Lewis and Kiriloff, but I would trade one for a real stud like Snydergaard and it would probably be Lewis. I like Stroman better and would go for him paired with Giles and move a Lewis, Graterol or similar combo - maybe a multiple Littell, Stewart, Poppen, Eades, and Lewis to give them more to work with. I think volume would mean a lot to the Jays. NY prizes are too high. And for now I would like to see the Twins pair their starters with AAA arms like Littell, Smeltzer, Poppen, Stewart - no more of watching a long starter melt down like we had with Odorizzi or Gibson. Instead the starter goes any number of innings and the second man - the paired pitcher - is ready to go like it is his start.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/sports/baseball/minnesota-twins-home-runs-record.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_190726?campaign_id=2&instance_id=11095&segment_id=15570&user_id=df677009e65a80ff046d9aedfdc120f5&regi_id=275511920726 An article in the NYT about the Bomba squad

No - don't go backwards. Some players do not prosper in certain surroundings. Do not do this - imagine if he comes back and immediately has two bad days!

Ted wrote "Arguably the most exciting game the Minnesota Twins have played in nearly a decade, the home team dropped a 14-12 affair last night (err this morning) at Target Field." In his recent post - Yankees blog. So I got to thinking - what are the best games the Twins have played - win or lose? Do the two extra innings affairs with the Oakland A's count? Certainly the game seven Jack Morris game is number one. I was there and will never forget it. (Don't tell me Jack isn't a hall of famer.) And I would put game six with Puckett's HR in the twelfth right behind it ( I was there too - so bias is showing). How about game seven of the 1987 World Series, the 500th world series game played, with the Vikings having to postpone their game for a day, where miscue after miscue by umps, teams, runners ended up with the Twins winning on Roy Smalley's 35th birthday and in his last game. He would appear four times in the WS and get on base four times. But this was more about Hrbek and first base and hitting a grand slam. Or maybe game one in 1987 which was not a great game except we won behind Viola, it was the first WS game ever played in a dome, and Dan Gladden hit a grand slam? In the 1965 World Series Jim Kaat out pitched Sandy Koufax to win game two and then lost in the best game - number 7 by a score of 2 - 0 with Koufax taking the series title for the Dodgers. In 1962 Jack Kralick won a no-hitter 1 - 0. How is that for nail biting? May 11, 2011 Francisco Liriano won a no-hitter 1 - 0 to tie Jack Kralick's margin of victory. Dean Chance also had a one run margin for a no-hitter 2 -1. When I looked up the Twins longest games I came up with the Tampa Bay Rays beating us in extra innings in 5 hours and 42 minutes this year, and then the Twins winning in 17 on a Kepler hit June 19. I would keep that on the list. Then June 27 we lost in 18 innings! I have to have the 2009, 163rd game on my list - 6 -5, 12 innings, loser goes home final to the season! Bob Kneppel won for us - I cannot even remember him and Fernando Rodney lost for the Tigers! And we came back from a 3 - 0 deficit. Carlos Gomez scores on a Luis Castillo hit! Then there are the Johan games -8/15/2006 - 8 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 10 Ks (when Ks were harder to get) and we won 3 - 2 against Cleveland. 9/17/2005 seven innings against KC. No runs,1h, 1BB. 8in, 4H, 2BB, 13 K against White Sox on June 28, 2002. Poor Texas played against Johan in 2007 in what is arguably his best game with 83 of his 112 pitches for strikes, 8 innings no runs 2H 0 BB 17 K Twins won 1-0. My ranking: Game 7 1991 Game 6 1991 Game 163 2009 Johan Santana 2 hitter versus Texas 2007. 1962 Kralick No-hitter 2011 Liriano No-hitter Johan Santana wins Game 1 - 1987 WS Game 7 - 1965 WS (the only loss I can put on the list) Game 7 - 1987 WS Game 2 - Yankee Series this week for tension and drama June 19th - Kepler wins for us in 17 Fill it up with your favorites.

From now on - bring up the AAA pitcher and let them start and put our current rotation as the second pitcher instead of the first, but not as openers - only when the starter wears down. The Thorpe and Smeltzer have looked better that what we are putting on the mound regularly right now. Is there more we can call up like this? By the way the idea goes away if we bring in something of quality.

How do the pitchers feel about this up and down pattern? Are we ready for to start the AA pitchers on this conveyor? I am ready for the rookies to start and the starters to be the relievers if it fails.