tarheeltwinsfan

Shadows and cold weather and rain and snow would not have been a problem if the stadium had been built with a retractable roof. Just open the roof during the beautiful Minnesota summer days and close it during the uncomfortable for baseball, cold and wet Minnesota days.

If I were Vazquez, I would feel embarrassed and disrespected. I disagreed with not alternating him with Jeffers during the playoffs. That had proven to be successful for both catchers and the pitchers during the regular season. Rocco needs to have a long talk with Vazquez and frankly, admit that he (Rocco) had made a mistake in not allowing Vazquez to play, particularly against his former team, Houston. I know this is not Little League, but I'm afraid Rocco has created a problem for the next two years, if Vazquez is not traded to another team.

Thank you Matthew. Very helpful chart.

The chart which is included with this article is confusing to me. Does the chart show that he can't hit pitches which are low and in the strike zone or is it showing he can't hit pitches thrown low and out of the strike zone? Where is the strike zone in this chart?

After watching today's 9 to 1 loss to Houston, I have one question: "When does the 2024 draft take place?"

I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE! Thank you. I feel better now.

It surely is nice to be October and discussing the Twins playoff games and not discussing the June 2024 draft.

Incredible amount of information in this article. Thank you for your attention to detail. Fascinating.

Seth, I agree that I was pleasantly surprised with AJ and Wainwright. But then anything would have been an improvement over A-Rod and the Yankees announcer.

Well that explains it.

The Twins are in good shape for the next 3 games. Lopez, Gray and Ryan will start. The Astro's used Verlander, Abreu (he was nasty) , Neris and Pressly. I doubt these 3 Astro relievers will be able to pitch effectively, if at all, today , Graveman is not on the Astro's roster due to shoulder discomfort. On the other hand, the Twins have Duran, Jax, Stewart and Varlamd well rested and available and they will also be available Tuesday, with the off day Monday, in Minnesota and probably Wednesday too. The Twins have had a game to get over their visiting playoff team yipps and will be fired up for a key victory today. I know Valdez is tough, but just take lots of pitches, score some runs, get to the Astro's relievers and victory will belong to the Twins. I am more optimistic today than yesterday.

I guess so.

Nick, I was going to write that "the current Twins ain't your grandfather's Twins" either...but then I got to your last sentence in your fine article about the Astros and BANG...you said it. Great article which had the perfect ending to it. One of your very best articles, out of your many outstanding articles this year.

Sonny Gray is a pitcher I would go to war with. Hence the nickname, "Bulldog". I hope the Twins will sign him for three more years with some of the extra revenue the Twins will realize from winning the World Series in 2023.

Don't forget the red Homer Hankies. A nice touch.

video of Newman: "Hmm, you present quite the conundrum. "

Great article. I am so pumped after reading this article Nick. I absolutely agreed with everything, but one statement. "Emanating pure Derek Jeter qualities, Royce Lewis...." Yes, "The Captain", aka Derek Jeter had really good hitting stats in postseason play but "The Captain" was just so "Yankee cocky". I know Dizzy Dean and Mohamad Ali were both credited with saying: "It's not bragging if you can do it." But they were wrong. According to the definition of "bragging", it means "excessive talk or boasting about one's achievements". Both Dean and Ali had great athletic achievements also they both boasted about how great they were. That is bragging. Even in their saying the quote credited to them, they were implying that because they had achieved so much themselves, that they were allowed to boast excessively and the definition of bragging did not apply to them. My "North Carolina nice" raising taught me that bragging was not polite.

As far as I'm concerned, as long as the Twins are still playing baseball in 2023, Rocco is the best of all the managers.

I don't mind. I just close my office door and tell my secretary to hold my calls because I am in conference for 3 hours.

I'm happy with Duran. And like Forrest Gump, "That's all I've got to say about that."

Why is Jeffers at DH instead of Kirilloff? The A's are starting a right-handed pitcher. Plus Jeffers will be catching the day game tomorrow.

And more often it takes young kids time to adjust to the big show. None is bigger than the playoffs.

I feel you are underestimating Kyle Farmer and overestimating a good young player with no major league experience. I must respectfully disagree with bring Lee up to play now and later in the most important Twins' playoff games in 22 years. For me, Farmer's experience and better than adequate skills trump Lee's youth and promise.

Ryan should start the 3rd game, if one is necessary. Maeda can lose a game very quickly for some reason. Funderburk should be in the pen instead of Paddock. Playoff baseball is not the time to see if Paddock will be successful in a pressure filled playoff game. Save Paddock's re-entry to the big leagues for spring, 2024.

I was at Target Field last night. Each pitch was tense. The fans were into the game from the beginning. I watched the scoreboard along with 32,000 other fans as the Guardians' score went back and forth. I was even glad Cleveland finally won last night, so that the Twins could win the Championship by winning the Twins' game at Target Field. When the Twins got the last out on a beautiful Eddie Julien play, tears ran down my cheeks, just like many of the other 32,000 in attendance. My friends, Dick, LaTroy and Justin watched the game with me and as we discussed strategy and memories of past Twins' games and players, they were just as excited as I was the whole game. After the game, my friend, Audra, got me into the Twins clubhouse for the players celebration. She even introduced me to some of the victorious Twins players. I had a great post-game discussion with two other friends, Tim and Katie. We even looked at some videos of key plays, which they had. In the clubhouse celebration, the champaign and beer burned my eyes (I didn't have any goggles in my backpack like Joe Ryan did) and soaked my clothes. Then this morning I got to go back to Target field with my friend, Melissa, and she and I talked about the game and the season and discussed how much fun we had last night. She even showed me an incredible picture she took last night of the giant scoreboard proclaiming the Twins were the AL Central Division Champions 2023. In the picture the fans were still standing, and I swear I could hear them still cheering and yelling in that picture. In Melissa's picture she captured the the green grass of left and center field, the flags waving, the night time Minneapolis' skyline, the excitement of the fans and Minnie and Paul grinning and shaking hands after a thrilling Twins victory. Right now I have tears running down my cheeks, as I remember last night and write this heartfelt comment from my office, 1,224 miles away from beautiful Target Field.