Platoon

Spendimg the day in tears? Is that you Dick Bremer?

Have you considered a new publicly funded studio, the increased revenue, exciting new food choices, the eclectic studio "experience", all would likely allow you to attract and sign FA like Audra, or whatever her name is!

Speaking of interns. Have you looking into hiring Audrey or whatever her name is away from FSN! I firmly believe her insightful views on the Twins would increase Whine Line ratings considerably!

This is breaking news indeed. It was my impression that Prince had went to that great rock video in the sky, now I see he has resurrected in the fashion of Scotty, and that other guy 2000 yrs ago. Shouldn't this be on KFAN or Faux News, or some other legitimate news outlet.

It all depends on who needs what, when. To some teams no value, and to another very nice hole fillers.

Oddly given a choice, everyone would trot out May over Tonkin. Again SSS. Given this team, at this time, I would easily send Jepsen down the road before Tonkin.

You don't try for bonus points by trading players who don't perform when they get there, but you do get wins by trading for players that perform when they get here!

Thank you. I read the whole article and the comments waiting for someone to notice that he can't catch! If he can, it better be off the ground when it gets to the plate. I don't know if his ball blocking abilities, or lack thereof, are career numbers, or a fluke. But currently they are alarming. Another thing that is alarming, is concentrating on offensive numbers in defensive positions. Catcher, SS, and CF. no, they can't all be black hole offensively at once, but you can carry a glove, or two. Or at least you should be able to with a team loaded with DH style hitters. Ugh!

I more or less agree, and have contended much of this last year. Earlier this year I said this: If you have Plouffe as your cleanup hitter, your lineup isn't anywhere near as good as you think it is!

I would imagine the middle of last year is when pitchers finally accepted what seemed like an obvious fact. You can miss anywhere in the entire batters box area with BD, and get away with it, except for one small area. Very top of the zone, and in. Everyone has a weak spot, but few have one that large. And no I don't think it's because he can't hit to the other side, he had three hits there the other day. He thinks he is a HR hitter, he likes that scene. It's kind of a shame, he could be a good player if he wanted.

Today when Dozier dropped the pop up, and Esco dropped the line drive DP flip, I thought the scoring was very generous. We were much harder on scoring in youth ball than that.

I don't think you are far off. As for winning? You can't if you keep this roster, and you won't if you do yours. The good news is yours gives a chance, this one doesn't. The terrible news, is there might be a few cosmetic changes, but it's going to be at about the same pace dinosaurs transformed themselves to fossil fuels!

Today was a cumulative effort. A bad route by Rosario on the triple. The requisite 2 SO's with a guy on third and no out. A IF in CF going back on a short pop up, and an AS second baseman lollygaggimg the catch, and another flip to 1B. Sano the base runner. Esco dropping the relay, and the flip for the line drive DP. And I might have missed a few. Toss in the Twins seeming proclivity for giving up runs almost immediately after getting some, and the result was inevitable. I am not a huge Nunez fan, but he sure as hell would have hit for Suzuki. And bunting to Rosario is stupid, if he does get a hit, it's after an extra base one. Dozier keeps making one out after the other in front of our best hitter(s). There does not seem a cohesive plan for any aspect of the game, SP, BP, or daily lineup.

Back to the bunt. It's one thing to bunt with a plan. (Sorry Chief) but it's another to give up an out with a high SO guy up next. I am not sure what Detroit would have done, but I would have thought Nunez was an option there.

Even though there are about 8000 ways to lose a baseball game, there is still a chance they will cover all of them before the year is out!

I was lucky enough to to catch up on TIVO in the bottom of the ninth. Maybe lucky is a poor choice of words. Sheesh

Wow, no get away day lineup today? We're gettin after it, goin about our business, takin care of things.

Yes, what about Dozier? Polanco? ? I fear his defense will mitigate the offensive upgrade. But by stubbornly leaving Dozier in the top of the lineup, Molitor is telling me that he can't see the forest for the trees, I don't believe in yo yoing guys up and down after two good/bad days. But it's been months of this. The Plouffe/Sano Saga is a different matter. This is the equivalent of the Timberwolves having 3 NBA competent centers, and signing Townes. And keeping all 4 because they all can rebound! SOMEONE has to go, you can't efficiently play with 4 centers. It's not a comment on the other three centers, it's math. (Highly frowned on, at TD!)

And where would Polanco play. And if Nunez and Sano switch, Plouffe? Ergo that is the problem. This is going to take a complete overhaul, not a few plug and plays. Btw, I hope I was clear on SSS. I don't normally put much stake in SSS, but when SSS is inline with expectations in an area, there can be more credence to SSS. For example, if Hughes has a SO rate of 10/9, over 4 games SSS might be likely be a factor. If his rate is 6/9, in 4 games, it's still a SSS, but likely an accurate view of his level.

I am not sure where the Twins go from here. One can talk SSS all one wants, but one also has to take into account that the SSS is backing up some concerns that were evident before the season started. OF defense, SO'S, and a soft BP. SP has been almost a pleasant surprise, recent injuries notwithstanding. For all I know the FO might even have a plan? But if they did, such as promoting youth, it's been somewhat checkered. The three new SP, are going to have to be culled to one. After today, i imagine Duffey has the inside track. And I imagine Polanco will be almost glad to go back to Rochester, when Plouffe returns. Why they brought him and Kepler up to sit is beyond me. And if the plan was to replenish the pen with the Burdis and Chargois of the world, it has been undercut by the BP being a mess earlier than hoped, plus Perkins injury. The insistence on Dozier in the top of the order continues to amaze, Sano did his Marlon Bird impression today, and Nunez was what Nunez is, when you play him too long. The bottom line, the FO took a team with a pitching staff that gives up a lot of contact, and surrounded them with poor catching, mediocre IF defense, and a poor OF defense. They thought they could balance this with a punishing offense, ignoring the rally killing effect of endless SO's and low OBP. Solo HR moon shots are very entertaining. Dick/Bert can get two innings of chatter out of each one, but they don't win many ball games. The Twins are in a place of ther own doing, and I am not sure it was even avoidable. I am often critical of TR, but I am not sure whether there was an alternative outcome. Even my desired trading of some sacred cows, i.e. Dozier and Plouffe for starters would have not brought in the help to turn this around this soon. Neither would buying a Mid level FA reliever. This is going to be a long term, large project. This isn't youth filling holes in a solid team, this is youth becoming that team, and it's gonna take longer than we imagined. It is quite possible that not all the mistakes have been made in the FO, and in the field. Some appear to be made by the fans who expected last years fluky month of May to continue this year. Frankly I didn't expect much this year, all I hoped for is continued patience seeing if the farm system is for real. It's going to take patience and fortitude, but there is no other alternative.

Pitching and defense is what you preach and try to be the most consistent at,” explained Kernels manager Jake Mauer this week, adding, “hitting tends to be more volatile.” Words to live by! Maybe th FO should be listening.

I for one would like to see the good Meyer, just to see what it is. It obviously exists, or he wouldn't have gotten this far.

I have him coming to moms basement for coffee early Saturday. Mom is going to tell him, nobody messes with mom! FO and managers have been at odds forever. But in this case it would be somewhat odd. Unless of course Molitor was Pohlads personal chocie, then oy vea. There is obviously some friction, Molitor was not on the same page on Sano. Bringing up Kepler and Polanco to sit made the team look clueless, The Meyer call up up for "emergency" pitching, when at the time no emergency existed. It's all odd and seemingly contentious. I preferred Dougie to Molitor, but figured, well at least neither is Gardy. Brock or Seth pointed out that Dougie is even more of a baseball dinosaur than Molitor? I don't know. I do know he grew up in the ranks with these players and there seems an affinity. As for Meyer, he was somewhat mishandled, but he has to throw the ball better, period. He also deserves the chance to sink or swim, and if it isn't in this time and place, there never was one.

He needs to start Tues, and in 5 days after that. It's time to see if he can or can't.

Tuesday