mikelink45

And we play Garlick, Kepler, Larnach and now expect Gallo back - what does Wallner have to do. Please Twins learn from Arraez - hits matter.

Yesterday's lineup - Garlick 179 bats 3rd, Pinch hit for by Larnach - batting 200, Correa 212 hits 4th, Kyle Farmer is hitting well at but PH for by Kepler 188. We have Julien and Wallner at St Paul, Of course we will play Correa there are millions of reasons why, but Kepler, Garlick, and even Larnach do not belong. We are a 500 team right now. Time to play the best options. Lewis and Kiriloff have shown what young players can do and Luis Arraez is showing why basehits matter. Why are we waiting. Do we really think that Kepler will be in demand at the trade deadline?

I came looking for satire and found a factual account of the game - what gives?

Yes strikeouts matter. I have argued that for years, I also believe in BA, I believe singles count, that contact is essential to making things happen. It might not be the on field leadership that needs to change. It might be the nerds who are sending messages that don't work. Let's change both.

I did not mean that - I see a minor league DFA - he is still blocking if there are pitchers ready to rise.

I don't want it. I want to see the younger batters take the field and drop the veterans who can't crack 200. We dropped the ball with Spencer Steer who now has a +`127 OPS. We have Wallner and Julien who are ready for the majors - especially for a team that can't score runs - don't trade them. We have a good pitching staff and it just needs a supplement - Winder? I didn't even like the big Correa contract with Lewis and Lee coming on. If we trade it needs to be a Polanco/Kepler/Gallo player or two, no more prospects at this time.

Aaron Sanchez is in line for a DFA if they promote any younger pitchers. Julien and Wallner should be in Minneapolis for the powerhouse lineup that continues to shine with 0-1-2 runs a game. Can't the FO see the difference between Kepler and Wallner? So frustrating. Even Larnach could be replaced by Wallner.

I think his star has flashed bright and now he is just an independent league pitcher with a good paycheck. I liked Randy and it was a good story, but not good enough.

Well that does not excite me. If these arms are up we are down.

This was on the athletic and I had to share it. As they said, it is a work of art. Luis Arraez spray chart.

Arraez is the prize. I take him over Lopez any day. But as the all-star voting moves forward and I see on the Athletic the addition of Rooker and Raley to the all-star team I have to wonder about our player evaluations. When we grab a guy like Sabato are we just looking for big swings and don't care about misses. Because Luis is the complete opposite of that style and I loved it. We are a team that needs base hits. I watched the Rays hit long and short. A player gets on and they move him around and home while we fill the bases and strike out. We need something to change. Correa and Buxton are not leading us to the promised land and Gallo replacing Luis in the lineup is not goint to do it. I even miss Luis' smile.

It's really hard to comment in such a frustrating time. What about the hottest hitter that we sent down and continues to be hot in St Paul? Wallner. Do we wait until he cools off before we call him up.

I think you just posted my post without my knowing it. Thanks for the comment because that's exactly what I thought

The summary was terrific and the comments have been right on. I can't really add much and unfortunately I also can't subtract Kepler. This team needs hitters who can get on base as well as hit home runs. And our two highest paid players need to earn their salary. We can't be so gentle with them that we accept for performance when we have somebody who might be able to step in and give us a spark for a while.

I like the speculation that looks to the future. All the names have been in the comments above. So we need to see the vets like Kepler moved out of the way. They don't need to resign Gallo, and if they move Kepler layout field is open to the players that are knocking at the door. The biggest? Is Miranda. I just wonder what happened to him. I really felt he was going to be good, but that is the issue with the young players until they come in and move past the first adjustment that the rest of the league makes. We just don't really know. I think you are right though Ted. Appreciate the article.

This is so accurate. Thanks for posting it.

I totally agree.

We still have to ask about Lopez. If he's not going to perform the bullpen is really hurting

I am not thinking that he's not working, but the same concentration that he had at the beginning seems to have slipped. It is possible to relax after something is good as as contract comes and lose the edge that he started with. But also look at his baseball reference page. It has never sustained the quality that we all know he has in them and that he demonstrated at the beginning of the year. Whatever it is he needs to get back.

Wonderful to win in a game like this. Both pitchers s named Lopez have had it long bad streaks. We need Pablo especially to get out of this funk. Time to stop celebrating the contract and get back to work. And I agree with everybody who wants to bring back Wallner.

Wallner should be up. Look at the production from our current OF. Balazovic still not productive. Time for Thielbar to come back.

I loved this game - maybe the best of the season. Varland has proven he belongs in the major league rotation. I do agree I would have let him go to the 8th and if a shut out the 9th. To have offense and pitching both clicking is great. Too bad Lopez had to implode. I have never seen a worse appearance. But it is not a single event. Look at his last games. He threatens to become this years Pagan. After a poor second half last year what is our confidence level. The BP needs help. Last 5 Games 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 2023-05-31 MIN @ HOU W 8-2 8-8 1 0.0 2 2 2 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 4 16 9 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 -0.029 0.14 -0.02% 0.14 -2.982 2023-05-29 MIN @ HOU W 7-5 (10) 8-8 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 6 4 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.029 0.52 0.02% 0.52 0.478 2023-05-27 MIN TOR W 9-7 9-9 3 0.0 3 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 22 14 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 -0.136 0.66 -0.08% 0.61 -2.974 2023-05-23 MIN SFG L 3-4 7-7, BL 1 1.0 2 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 18 11 2 1 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 -0.359 1.56 -0.22% 1.61 -1.537 2023-05-21 MIN @ LAA L 2-4 7-7 0 0.1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 12 6 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 -0.276 1.58 -0.19% 1.84 -2.066

Because I work all over North America I bought the MLB.com package a couple years ago and was hit with blackouts even when I was in the midst of the Maritimes and in the waters of Alaska. I really hope things work out or I will not purchase any packages. Even Audacy will not bring me radio in other markets.

The problem is - it is not a bad stretch - it is his best stretch and we are 1/3rd of the way through the season, not opening month.

I was sorry to see them go - Mahle's health record was a red flag. Now I root for them to succeed in their new roles and I think the Reds will be really pleased. Look at Mahle's history. What made us think he was a star? 017 22 CIN NL 1 2 .333 2.70 4 4 0 0 0 0 20.0 19 6 6 0 11 1 14 4 0 1 92 168 4.01 1.500 8.6 0.0 5.0 6.3 1.27 2018 23 CIN NL 7 9 .438 4.98 23 23 0 0 0 0 112.0 125 68 62 22 53 7 110 3 0 1 507 84 5.25 1.589 10.0 1.8 4.3 8.8 2.08 2019 24 CIN NL 3 12 .200 5.14 25 25 0 0 0 0 129.2 136 82 74 25 34 0 129 6 1 2 556 91 4.66 1.311 9.4 1.7 2.4 9.0 3.79 2020 25 CIN NL 2 2 .500 3.59 10 9 0 0 0 0 47.2 34 21 19 6 21 0 60 4 1 2 201 137 3.88 1.154 6.4 1.1 4.0 11.3 2.86 2021 26 CIN NL 13 6 .684 3.75 33 33 0 0 0 0 180.0 158 78 75 24 64 0 210 10 0 4 759 125 3.80 1.233 7.9 1.2 3.2 10.5 3.28 2022 27 TOT MLB 6 8 .429 4.40 23 23 0 0 0 0 120.2 104 61 59 16 43 0 126 2 1 3 503 100 3.87 1.218 7.8 1.2 3.2 9.4 2.93 2022 27 CIN NL 5 7 .417 4.40 19 19 0 0 0 0 104.1 91 53 51 12 39 0 114 2 1 3 440 102 3.60 1.246 7.8 1.0 3.4 9.8 2.92