tarheeltwinsfan

We've been here before. Life is still good.

Bullpen was awful tonight. Please bring up Reed, Curtiss and Anderson. Can you select 3 BP guys to be sent down and/or released? I can.

Nick G. is having a rough time getting hits. ? Who will play 2B next year for the Twinkies?

Great article Ted. Thanks. And thanks to Joe Mauer. It has been a pleasure being a huge fan of Joe Mauer.

Why don't we just put Rosario at 2B, since no one in this article, nor in this thread, has mentioned fielding. Not one word about fielding. Therefore I can only conclude fielding must not be important at 2B...so just slide Rosie to 2B, where he has some experience (not that it matters apparently) and bring up Kirilloff to play LF.

Brian, I was able to go into the E-Town clubhouse several weeks ago before a game. I was impressed with the nutrition and strength program and especially the pre-game meal of skinless chicken breasts, sweet potatoes and melons.. Please tell the other readers about these programs at E-Town. Thank you. Good luck in your future career.

OK I watched it again and the pitcher was where he was supposed to be. Garver goofed up.

Did the pitcher cover home plate on the muffed rundown? If not, Garver did the correct thing by holding the baseball at 3rd base.

Why don't we also piggy back position players, like Gordon/Forsythe and Rooker/Austin at DH?

Good article Brandon. Thanks. Ohmmmm!

Goooooooooooooooooo Gonzoooooooooooooooo!

Severino hit a baseball over the light tower in Johnson City several weeks ago.

"The Twins lost their "beloved closer""? Beloved by whom? Not by me and I may qualify as the longest tenured Twins' fan who posts on TD. I have pulled for this franchise continuously since 1954. Fernamdo Rodney was one of my least favorite Senators/Twins due to his showboat arrow shooting.

My immediate reaction is the title of that great Etta James' song, "At Last"'

I really do not think of TD contributors as "average fans". It is my not so humble opinion that TD contributors are extremely knowledgeable fans, who are guided by thoughtful editors and moderators who know more about the Twins than most fans and sports writers I really would not be surprised to discover that the FO monitors TD contributions...especially well thought-out comments by tarheeltwinsfan.

Thanks Nick. A wonderful article which helps me say goodbye to 3 "old friends". Thanks also to Brian, Eduardo, and Ryan for the many wonderful memories and best wishes to all 3.

I left the word "defensively" out of my post. My bad. How do they compare defensively? Arm strength? Accuracy in throwing? Agility? Speed? Turning the double play? Probability of remaining at SS for 10 years? SS, like CF, is such a key to a team's defense, which makes bad pitching better and good pitching great.

Great offensive comparisons, Seth. How do the three young shortstops compare at arguably the most important defensive position on the field?

Good grief. I am behind the times. I am sorry I missed it when it was first published on TD. My bad. Thanks Ben.

Very hope-filled report.

Notes from Elizabethton I spent an afternoon and evening there yesterday, The GM, Mike Mains, could not have been nicer. He gave me free access and took me around the field and clubhouse. Here are some random observations.1) One member of the organization (not Mike Mains) told me that this was the best group of players, both in skills and in character, in 16 years. 2) There were 8 to 10 scouts there (and based on what I saw, they were not there to see the Bristol Pirates players. The night before in Johnson City, there were 3 to 4 scouts to see the Cardinals and the Braves. Not sure what, if anything that says, but I found it interesting. I talked to a Brewers scout and without looking at any of his notes, he readily gave me the numbers for Trevor Larnach, Yunior Severino, Chris Williams and Ricky De La Torre. 3) A Twins coach said that Severino hit a ball over the light poles at Johnson City that week. 4) In batting practice balls hit by Williams andLarnach just sounded crisper than when others hit the ball. 5) Josh Windsor had a no hitter through 4 with only 1 BB, He allowed 1 hit in the 5th and was removed after 5. It was a planned move, because I talked to Moises Gomez, who told me before the game that he was scheduled "to pitch tonight". 6) I was in the dressing room while the players had a pregame meal about 4 pm for a 6 pm game. The menu was outstanding...skinless chicken breasts, diced roasted sweet potatoes, and cut up fresh cantaloupe and water melon..The strength and conditioning coach, Chuck Bradway,(he has a masters degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science from the University of Tampa and extensive experience in this area of conditioning, and who looked to be in top shape himself) was in charge of the meals. After the game, a post game meal was served, consisting of Lasagna and I'm not aware of the other dishes, if any. I was told that the nutritional clubhouse meals had been started several years earlier. 7)The old Washington Senators star, Jim Lemon, had coached there and was revered by long time manager Ray Smith, and long tome hitting coach, Jeff Reed. The4 coaches" lockers were labeled in large letters the following: COBB, RUTH, LEMON, and GEHRIG. 8).I met a new technical analyst, who was working on his computer. Reed told me his help was invaluable. 9) Cupping therapy was being used on several players' shoulders.Cupping increases blood flow to muscle strains and speeds healing by bringing more blood to the cupped areas. It leaves a 2 inch in diameter red circle where each cup hadbeen removed. About 4 cups were used at a time. 10) The first base coach is named Takashi Mioshi. Prior to his arrival from Japan this year, (his first year) he requested information about the history of Elisabethton and the surrounding area from the GM, so he could fit in better. 11) The Watauga River is a shallow river which flows by the Twins' stadium less that 200 yards away. Sometimes after a practice on a hot day, the players will go lie down in the shallow river to cool off and just relax. The players I met and talked with were all polite and friendly...maybe they were just a laid back bunch from the cupping and from lying in the river.

Interesting article in the Atlantic magazine about good team chemistry. Tell me what you think. Does good team chemistry result in winning teams, or do winning teams produce good team chemistry, automatically? https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/07/finding-the-formula-for-team-chemistry/561722/

Great article, Ted. I agree 100%. Brian is a dedicated Christian, having gone on mission trips in the off season. He is a wonderful example for young kids learning how to be a good man. Good luck Brian. Thanks for being the man you are.

Notes from Elizabethton I spent an afternoon and evening there yesterday, The GM, Mike Mains, could not have been nicer. He gave me free access and took me around the field and clubhouse. Here are some random observations.1) One member of the organization (not Mike Mains) told me that this was the best group of players, both in skills and in character, in 16 years. 2) There were 8 to 10 scouts there (and based on what I saw, they were not there to see the Bristol Pirates players. The night before in Johnson City, there were 3 to 4 scouts to see the Cardinals and the Braves. Not sure what, if anything that says, but I found it interesting. I talked to a Brewers scout and without looking at any of his notes, he readily gave me the numbers for Trevor Larnach, Yunior Severino, Chris Williams and Ricky De La Torre. 3) A Twins coach said that Severino hit a ball over the light poles at Johnson City that week. 4) In batting practice balls hit by Williams and Larnach just sounded crisper than when others hit the ball. 5) Josh Windsor had a no hitter through 4 with only 1 BB, He allowed 1 hit in the 5th and was removed after 5. It was a planned move, because I talked to Moises Gomez, who told me before the game that he was scheduled "to pitch tonight". 6) I was in the dressing room while the players had a pregame meal about 4 pm for a 6 pm game. The menu was outstanding...skinless chicken breasts, diced roasted sweet potatoes, and cut up fresh cantaloupe and water melon..The strength and conditioning coach, Chuck Bradway,(he has a masters degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science from the University of Tampa and extensive experience in this area of conditioning, and who looked to be in top shape himself) was in charge of the meals. After the game, a post game meal was served, consisting of Lasagna and I'm not aware of the other dishes, if any. I was told that the nutritional clubhouse meals had been started several years earlier. 7) The old Washington Senators star, Jim Lemon, had coached there and was revered by long time manager Ray Smith, and long tome hitting coach, Jeff Reed. The 4 coaches" lockers were labeled in large letters the following: COBB, RUTH, LEMON, and GEHRIG. 8).I met a new technical analyst, who was working on his computer. Reed told me his help was invaluable. 9) Cupping therapy was being used on several players' shoulders.Cupping increases blood flow to muscle strains and speeds healing by bringing more blood to the cupped areas. It leaves a 2 inch in diameter red circle where each cup had been removed. About 4 cups were used at a time. 10) The first base coach is named Takashi Mioshi. Prior to his arrival from Japan this year, (his first year) he requested information about the history of Elisabethton and the surrounding area from the GM, so he could fit in better. 11) The Watauga River is a shallow river which flows by the Twins' stadium less that 200 yards away. Sometimes after a practice on a hot day, the players will go lie down in the shallow river to cool off and just relax. The players I met and talked with were all polite and friendly...maybe they were just a laid back bunch from the cupping and from lying in the river.

Welcome back Miguel. I wish you well. Now it is up to you.