mikelink45

That Saints lineup is really good - impressive and promising. How many will be in Minneapolis next year?

Realignment is the only thing that can address this. As long as our AL Central group is kept together they are only motivated against one another.

Nice job by Varland. I think he is going to be a difference maker. Wallner has been sitting to close to Gallo - make contact!!!! 11 Ks by this team on its crash course to a new strikeout record.

Nice optimism and justified by the way our team is playing. I really give a lot of credit to Lewis - sometimes it is more than a bat - he seems to have the energy and personality to do what we expected Correa to do. Nice to have a real team leader. Everything you said is accurate, what you didn't say is that we continue to let players like Gallo and Luplow take ABs that should go to younger players with more potential.

Some good looking prospects ready to go - Larnach and Kiriloff for Gallo and Luplow? We want the best we have for the playoffs. I know many have been pushing for Martin. Nice to have these high quality bats - good depth, but please FO stop blocking them with mediocrity. I have high expectations for Varland too. Nice arm. We still need a couple more in the BP.

I would give him that and hope he lives up to it. What a great start - just keep healthy. Then add Lee!

Lewis is looking like the player we have dreamed of the last three seasons - how great is this! Hard to give credit to the HRs off Fry, but better than Ks. Lewis has been more than a hitter - he has provided an energy the team really needed. So now we are glad Giolito did not get by the Guardians and get taken by the Twins. But we do have to see one of our next round of RP replace Headrick. He is not ready for post season.

Sad to say, but Headrick and Balazovic are playing their way out of the top 20 as so many are advancing.

They really need Lewis to lead the way and perhaps make a couple of changes by removing dead weight from the Bench/batting order. We can set a season strikeout record, but we don't need to do that in the playoffs too. Polanco has really stepped up to lead, hopefully Correa will too, Julien will keep hitting as will Kepler and Kiriloff will come in and provide a spark. Overall I like the lineup (two exceptions) and the rotation. But the RP that you list have to come in to solidify our true weakness.

I felt like the other posts - Solano has been great Date Tm Opp Result Pos AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS IBB GIDP SF SH ROE BOP WPA aLI cWPA acLI RE24 PO A 2023-09-02 MIN @ TEX W 9-7 (10) 2B 1B 5 1 4 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.255 1.18 0.11% 0.82 2.972 12 2 2023-08-30 MIN CLE L 2-5 (10) 1B 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0.026 1.20 0.02% 1.19 0.345 15 0 2023-08-29 MIN CLE L 2-4 PH 1B 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 -0.061 1.17 -0.03% 0.85 -0.490 2 0 2023-08-28 MIN CLE W 10-6 1B 4 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0.087 0.55 0.05% 0.52 1.064 7 0 2023-08-27 MIN TEX W 7-6 (13) 2B 1B 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.484 2.07 0.19% 1.33 1.342 7 1

I am probably highest on Walker Jenkins. His transition to proball has been fast and productive. I really see him on the Twins after a short minor league career. In fact, the hitters we took in this years draft are the best looking group that I can remember.

It is unfortunate that we are no longer surprised that Buxton is hurt nor are we surprised that he struck out twice. What can be done? Is he coming back this year? What do we need for next year?

I like the fact that they also run, hit, and defend. HRs are nice when they are built on top of a good foundation.

Nothing to make us feel better. Of course if we scored in double digits every game the RP would have less pressure - is this a real expectations?

I expect wild card and bubble teams to claim them and if I were Cleveland I would block the Twins with small amounts left on the contracts for the year and then they are gone. There are 15 teams that would need to pass for someone to get to us.

How sad - Gray did so well. I think we can put "star reliever" to bed for a while. Duran has not been himself this half of the season and we really need him with Jax still in a funk and Pagan not set for high leverage. To bad the bats went to sleep too. Tough loss.

I just do not see these players making it to the Twins. At least not the players we might want to have.

I am not worried about the division lead but share the Gallo comments and the praise for Michael Taylor. We just have to play 500 ball the rest of the season because Cleveland cannot. The big pay days for short stops is not looking so good now. Correa is injured and we do not know if his body will allow him to come back to his level next year, but Story and a number of other ss are playing way below their contract value. But it is not my money.

Have the Twins blown Larnach's chances? Sometimes mental aspects out do the physical. Oh well, I will be in Canada working for the next month, still checking in, but not as well connected. Good luck to my Twins.

Its about time. There is no excuse for carrying 40 man spots for less than outstanding prospects. It is time to move on.

Plantar fasciitis is a really painful experience. Give him some rest, we have enough to cover for him the rest of the season. I have had the good experience of curing my pain with inserts, but each person is difference and a sharp pain like he has can cause a twitch at the worst time. And we have a long term investment to protect.

Unfortunately Jax is an essential part of that BP so it is hard to leave him out of the equation.

I love the give and take in the comments. We all have opinions and it is interesting and frustrating to see how the FO and the fans differ. I know - we are just fans, but as fans we also follow the events daily so Luplow and Gallo are not hard to want to see replacements. The BP has been obvious to fans all year and is still a big issue. How can the fans eye view differ so much from the FO? Oh wait, we got Floro! Sometimes being a fan is as difficult as being the manager!

I am no longer concerned about Cleveland (no jinx intended). Their team has been hurt by injuries and a lack of offense. I do not see them competing unless they decide that they have to do something to honor Francona and play above their heads. The modern 5 inning starter is impacting many BPs. The Orioles have lost their shut down starter for example. A new strategy is needed. I do think giving Duran and Jax an extended rest is a good idea, the same with Ober (so sorry to see his excellent season being hit with fatigue). Varland can take his place while he is skipped for one start. Ober's stats. Date Tm Opp Result App,Dec DR IP H R ER BB SO HR HBP WP IBB PO BK BF Pit Str StL StS GB FB LD PU Unk GmSc IR IS WPA aLI cWPA acLi RE24 2023-08-27 MIN TEX W 7-6 (13) GS-4 4 4.0 5 5 5 1 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 18 73 52 10 7 5 7 1 0 0 35.0 -0.241 0.84 -0.09% 0.54 -2.910 2023-08-22 MIN @ MIL L 3-7 GS-5 6 5.0 2 2 2 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 19 78 50 10 13 5 4 2 2 0 55.0 0.101 0.93 0.04% 0.62 0.590 2023-08-15 MIN DET W 5-3 GS-5 5 5.0 4 2 2 3 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 87 56 11 12 7 2 1 1 0 54.0 0.011 0.89 0.01% 0.81 0.590 2023-08-09 MIN @ DET L 5-9 GS-5, L 4 5.0 11 5 4 1 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 27 93 64 9 20 4 4 7 2 0 35.0 -0.294 1.09 -0.16% 0.97 -2.416 2023-08-04 MIN ARI W 3-2 GS-5 5 5.0 6 2 2 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 22 104 72 15 15 5 11 2 0 0 50.0 0.020 0.95 0.01% 0.93 0.551

If he is down I would like Stevenson, Celestino, Martin - anyone who can play CF to be up.