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jtkoupal

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Everything posted by jtkoupal

  1. jtkoupal
    The Twins are doing everything to keep us interested for as long as possible! There is still life, more than I saw a week ago today. The Indians are good. Very good. In fact, they are better than the Twins. However, the Indians also have more glaring warts than the Twins do. They are a couple good trades away from fixing those, but the Twins are a couple trades away from being a legitimate threat too, so long as everyone starts performing to expectations.
  2. jtkoupal
    Paul Molitor deserves a share of the blame for what has happened this year. He has made some very questionable in-game decisions. In particular, he has not utilized the pitching staff effectively at all times. However, he has also come along in some aspects. For example, the lineup. He has finally gotten on board with Mauer as the leadoff hitter and dropping Dozier down, while leaving Rosario, the best hitter, in the #2 hole. Mauer in the leadoff spot should have happened 4 years ago. He is not the ideal manager for the modern game of baseball. He is still stuck in his old ways in a number of areas of the game and is not analytics-driven. Undoubtedly, he is not Falvine's ideal manager. However, he will still be spared by the team's good record last year.
  3. jtkoupal
    The Twins are keeping their glimmer of hope alive solely on their ability to beat Cleveland. Cleveland is only a couple of bullpen pieces away from running away with this division, but let's hope I'm wrong Also, I had a great time at the game today. I got a picture with Fernando Rodney and an autograph as well. Always fun to see the boys play on the road!
  4. jtkoupal
    A few things from today: 1. I think it's becoming safer to call the Twins sellers. The only thing that might save their season is a sweep in Cleveland, or at least a convincing series win. Now more than ever, though, it looks like 2018 is probably not a playoff year. 2. If you want to start to point fingers at Paul Molitor, you have every reason to. 3. Sanó has come to a crossroads. He can put up or shut up. Hopefully this is the message that needed to be sent for his own good.
  5. jtkoupal
    We must be careful how much we criticize the front office. After all, they do know more than we do. Let's also keep in mind that they have tried guys like Busenitz, Curtiss, and Duffey with suboptimal results to say the least. I haven't been around the clubhouse, so I have no input on the kind of leadership he brings or the kind of person he is. However, if the front office thinks enough of him to bring him back, I'm sure there is a good reason. It's unlikely they would bring him back if they didn't have faith in him.
  6. jtkoupal
    I must clarify why this roster isn't a 96-win roster. The 2006 Twins team was far superior to this Twins team. The 2006 team had the following: Star Catcher MVP First Baseman Gold Glove CF that COULD HIT! 2 left-handed Cy-Young candidates An excellent bullpen with no less than 5 reliable arms. This team has a lot of potential, but there should not even be a comparison to the 2006 team. We will be lucky to even have a league average catcher. There are no MVP candidates on this team. Our Gold Glove center fielder can't stay on the field. There are no Cy-Young candidates. The bullpen has some good arms, but is leaky. As it turns out, 2017 was a classic case of being slightly better than all the other mediocre teams in the AL while having the benefit of playing in a weaker division. Maybe this team just isn't as good as we thought.
  7. jtkoupal
    This roster isn't a 96 win roster, but that is not to say that it can't get hot. Cleveland is good, but not immortal. Getting the squad healthy/un-suspended will be a huge help. Unfortunately, it's still probably not enough to nab a playoff spot. There are a lot of quality arms in the bullpen, but it's been leaky at the wrong times. The approach at the plate on the part of the hitters is pathetic. We can't count on the starting staff to pitch 7+ innings indefinitely. They've almost been suspiciously hot. Most of all, the Indians are likely an Andrew Miller activation and a trade for a reliever away from being a complete team. The Twins have a 10% chance to make the playoffs. They have a 7% chance to win the AL Central. Hopeless? No. But don't count on it.
  8. jtkoupal
    Good thing Dozier only has approximately 7 weeks left in a Twins uniform
  9. jtkoupal
    I don't know. But one run losses can fluctuate a lot from year to year. It's quite conceivable that we could redo the season up to this point and have several more wins.
  10. jtkoupal
    This is the SAME Twins team that we saw before the Cleveland series. The Indians have picked up where they left off before that series. The Twins sit with an 11% chance to make the playoffs after yesterday's play. Brian Dozier's last game as a Twin is looking more and more like it will be in July and not in October.
  11. jtkoupal
    What frustrates me the most about Sanó may not be his strikeouts, but rather the lack of care he has taken of his body. Look at a picture of him from 2015 and a picture of him now. Sure, he was going to fill out some more, but the difference is astounding. As for Buxton, he has been a slow starter at the plate in his career. I count on him to get hot in the second half, like he did last year, if he ever gets fully healthy. The answer is NOT to give up on these two. They have too much potential. The answer is to keep working with them. The window really begins in 2019. Last year was a bit premature, which is partly what we are seeing this year. If by next year they are still futile, then maybe it's time to consider something else. Until then, let them play.
  12. jtkoupal
    Berríos has to be the top priority to keep in Minnesota. They all are important, but there are also a plethora of outfield prospects coming through. Pitching is such a valuable commodity that it cannot be let slip through your fingers. Developing pitching is hard, but buying pitching is basically not possible. That leaves only one solution... keep the talent you have if at all possible.
  13. jtkoupal
    I told you that the Twins should consider bull penning and starting the game with an opener instead of a traditional starter... and we gave up 4 in the first and couldn't come back from it... Analytics
  14. jtkoupal
    Here is the problem. Despite the big series win over the weekend, the Twins still only have a 15% chance of making the playoffs. Is it really wise to give up pieces to help a team that is still a relative long-shot to make the playoffs? The Twins might be more legitimate contenders in 2019 and 2020, so in that respect, the trade may make sense. However, it will take more resources to get someone with 2.5 years left of control vs someone with 1.5 or 2 years. They will probably be able to get him cheaper down the road, unless he becomes elite. This year may not be the year to go big for a trade piece, as the Twins are probably going to have to sell barring a furious hot streak and a collapse on the part of the Indians.
  15. jtkoupal
    I won't read into Addison Reed's struggles too much at this point. Probably nothing more than just a little rough stretch. He's been great most of this year. Love seeing the offense, spearheaded by Rosario, heat up. It's crazy, decent pitching and some timely offense can beat the Indians. The Twins gained 2 games on the Indians this weekend and have another crack at them in 2 weekends from now. **I will probably be at the game on June 16 in Cleveland!** The Twins play 4 games in 3 days with the White Sox from Tuesday-Thursday The Tribe play a pair of games with the Brewers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Perfect opportunity to bridge the gap a little bit more hopefully! Enjoy these wins, Twins Territory, and enjoy the off day tomorrow. Let's get ready for Tuesday.
  16. jtkoupal
    The Twins have knocked out some tough pitchers the last two days. Bauer and Carrasco have both given the Twins fits over the years. Good to see that and also to see continued quality pitching. Lance Lynn worked out of trouble a few times and gave the Twins 6 innings. A win tomorrow won't come easy against another tough pitcher (Mike Clevinger) so Gibby better have that sinker working against a very elevation-happy Indians ball club. A win tomorrow would be huge against these guys going forward. A series split would be acceptable, but we really need that game tomorrow to keep gaining ground on the guys, who only come to Minnesota one more time.
  17. jtkoupal
    I like how the Twins bats are finally heating up. The pitching has to keep it up, however. If the offense can score like they can/should, an average pitching staff will win lots of games. As I have said, the season is not over yet, but the hole is enormous. It's going to be difficult to climb out of it, and it probably isn't going to happen. However, if it is going to happen, it has to start now.
  18. jtkoupal
    The longer Mauer spends on the DL, one would have to imagine the more likely retirement becomes at year's end. That being said, I have not talked to Joe about his plans, so my opinion is worthless.
  19. jtkoupal
    I like how the Twins bats woke up and made things interesting, albeit against some "untested" Major League pitching. (I'm trying to be nice, here) The Twins went 1-5 on a road trip that they needed, bare minimum, 3 wins. They now welcome in the Indians who have finally started to heat up, especially the bats. The Twins are in a deep hole right now. 7 games below the .500 mark is difficult to come out from at any point in the season. No more excuses. The Twins have simply underperformed this season to this point. The hole they are in is not yet insurmountable, but with each passing day, the likelihood of the Twins contending shrinks gradually as the losses pile up and the Indians start winning. I'm not writing off the season quite yet, but I am closer than I expected to be at this point. A series loss to the Indians this weekend would bury the Twins even further. They can't afford that. These next 4 games have to be treated as playoff games.
  20. jtkoupal
    2018 is rapidly approaching "bust" The only thing keeping us alive is the Indians underperforming to this point. Things have to turn around quickly, and the 7 games that we have against Cleveland in the next three weeks will be telling of the direction the team is going to have to move in the near future.
  21. jtkoupal
    Who would you rather have come in in that situation? If you can't count on Rodney to put out a fire, then how can you possibly count on him to pitch in the 9th inning of 1/2 run games? If he is the closer/relief ace, then he needs to be the guy counted upon in high-leverage situations. Use your best reliever(s) in the situations of the greatest need.
  22. jtkoupal
    Bringing in the closer to put out a fire in the 8th... I like where your head is, Paul. I just hope you did it for the right reason...
  23. jtkoupal
    On Cue, Junis gives up a bomb... It was Sano's third plate appearance of the game.
  24. jtkoupal
    Junis gets a lot worse when he faces the lineup for the third time. His pitch count is a bit lower than ideal, but as long as Lynn keeps pitching well, this looks promising.
  25. jtkoupal
    I like probability. I wish I had access to probabilities of more things than just baseball. Making decisions would be much easier.
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