Platoon

And it's about, as an aside, pulling Stewart with two outs in the fifth the other night. That's a "message" that's normally reserved for a pitcher who displeases his manager for some reason or another. TK was quite fond of it as a disciplinary maneuver. In this case Stewart should have been given a chance to get that last out as a confidence booster. That is if he hadn't been pitching (unknowingly) in the 7th game of the WS!

The single act itself is not the problem. The problem is the timeline, 4th inning. The problem is it basically eliminated any chance of scoring a "crooked" number. The problem is to score around 5 runs per game, you would have needed to do this 4 out of the last 5 innings to get to that 5 run average. The problem is our pitching staff generally does not support low run outcomes. Speaking of problems, I would have not had a problem with the play if it had tied or given a lead in the bottom of the 8th. This didn't. This was a move that would have caused fans at a Legion game to question whether their coach knew what he was doing!

Wonderful article. Thanks. If Mauer had played on a "coast" team his legacy and likely induction into the HOF would already be secure. Alas he didn't. And his quiet private personality, and a career long success in not drawing attention to his talent has at times almost made him seem invisible. But for years we were able to see someone play one of the most demanding defensive positions in baseball as good or better than anyone who preceded him in the history of the game. There were likely equals in certain aspects of that position, possibly a better arm? More power? Obviously not batting average. But there was no one who wrapped it all in one package, as he did when healthy. It's sad the the guardians of Jim Pohlads purse strings struggle with that fact. Lastly, while the concussions definitely affected Mauers offensive numbers for several years, his move to first cemented one indisputable fact. He wasn't simply a great catcher, he was a great baseball player. I would have enjoyed watching him move to third also. There are few players who have a set of hands like he does. That ability would have made him a fine defensive third baseman.

If JP did not notice this, nor pays enough attention to detail to have a chance to, then perhaps he should let his baseball people make the managerial decisions, and he should concentrate on managing dads estate?

MOY? Friday night. Man on second, down 1-0, no outs. Bunts his 4 hitter Polanco, and Sano hits the sac fly. They score a run, but effectively limit any damage to one run. In the fourth inning? I could see this late in a game, when one run does serious damage. I have said it before, and repeat. Being a MLB HOF member does not guarantee a feel for the game. He never seems to think any further than the inning right in front of him.

As for JP naming the manager? There's an old saying that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. An owner who is his own GM has a fool for a GM. I would think Falvey would be sending out his resume if he would want to remove Molitor and couldn't. If I was gonna sink or swim in a job, I would want my own guy.

Grade D. The aforementioned BP issues, which include no semblance of anyone having a specific place with the exception of Rodney. Leaving Dozier seemingly dictate his batting position for way too long. Way too much Wilson and Grossman for the situation his team is in. If not an actual distrust of younger players, certainly the perception of one. And an inability to instill the need for fundamentals. The players have all been taught fundamentals from Jr. high up. They know them. It's up to Molitor to impress on them that not adhering to them costs playing time. And he hasn't done that at all. Lastly I just don't get the impression that him and Falvey have ever really been on the same page. It's sort of an arranged wedding, with JP being the "arranger"! N

Or you could do what St. Louis has done successfully and broke some of these guys in on relief duty.

From Nicks Post: >>>>>>"People seem way overly worked up about Rosario. Outside of the shiny ERA he hasn't been good for the Cubs this year. Rodriguez is a great story but does anyone really think he'd have even gotten a shot here? Chargois is the loss that bums me out, but it's not a given that he's gonna have more success than Drake".............. My question is why wouldn't Rodriguez have gotten a shot here? Because our pitching staffs have been so overloaded with talent we haven't room? I am not nit picking the Rodriguez issue, but I am nitpicking the Matt Belisle type wasted roster spots. What is the difference if you send. Belisle clone out there in a 5 run game, or a Rodriguez. It can't be about Rodriguez's clock ticking, since you got rid of him anyway. That is the part about FO decisions that mKe me crazy.

Cave would definitely be an upgrade as a 4th OF over Grossman, but that's about it. If we aim higher than that, we do have problems. And Austin sort of fits that category. RH platoon bat, but that's sort of limiting with the short benches. Drake? 31 yrs old. Funky RH arm? 5th team this year? Hmmmmmm, what could go wrong. If your claim to fame as a FO is thinking that you alone can find something in a player with that resume, then you are like that blind squirrel they talk about. Yes, he will find an acorn. But he also will likely starve, since one acorn does not take you through either a winter, or a season!

The point isn't really if May can go out there two or three days yet, time will do that. The question is can he mentally handle the closer role. And there is something to that concern for any pitcher. The closer role may become passe, but there is a different stigma to giving up a walk off win in the ninth, than giving up the lead in the seventh or eighth. And some guys can't handle that. You dont have to pitch 3 days in a row to find that out.

I would concur with the the idea of giving other pitchers a shot at the job, regardless of whether a Hildenberger had two games back to back or not. But does anyone really think the reigning MOY would do that? He is still in 7th game of the WS mode, managing for wins, not development.

IF I had a closer it would be May, no contest.

I don't know if the FO will bring some of these guys up? Would it do any good. Paul (it's always the 7th game of WS) Molitor likely wouldn't play them anyway. Not when you have Garver handy!

If internally they believe he won't ever get serious about his career, I could see this happening. But if they think he wil, and while they have a period of control over him, they will keep him. If they end up thinking he won't work his craft, I would concur with trading him over the winter. Btw, I understand launch angle, but Sano's recent uppercuts seem to be pretty steep. His launch angle is currently about 155 degrees.

Hopefully the message it sends to the clubhouse, and to the fans, is that they are now rebuilding the roster their own way. I know they spent more of Jims money than usual last spring, but the consistent reliance on aged veterans resembled a Ryan Roster. Or worse a Molitor one. Otherwise all that comes to mind is a paraphrase of Colonel Jessup, 'Is that all, tell me you have something more Danny'. It could be an unsettling off season?

It was nice for a change to see someone with a pitch count under 100 starting the 5th inning. I thought his composure was good for a first start. He does look like he has a chance to pitch in MLB. But there is no doubt that he cannot survive defense like today's. On another note, I find it odd that he was accused of facing a AAA lineup. It makes me wonder what sort of lineup the Tigers pitchers were facing today? Finally, while I am not sure how Goodrum fares against other teams, he sure does nicely against the team that didn't give him a chance. But I guess with the plethora of talent we have on this roster there just wasn't room?

I am of the opinion the FO is going to go pretty deeply into a rebuild. They are a little short of a basis to just add some pieces, and sort of too talented to completely tear down and start over. I think to have a chance to be competitive they will need to move quite a bit of dead weight. And I doubt 2019 will be that great a year, since some of their better prospects seem another year away. I would think May is currently their best chance to have a legitimate closer style arm, if he holds up physically? Last but not least, I just do not see how they can go forward with Molitor. I simply cannot find one item that makes me believe in his ability to manage a MLB team. And what compounds that feeling is the timing of the future roster. It's going to take some patience and frankly losing some games to move forward. He has shown no inclination to do that in any year he has been here. No one like to lose, but there are times when it's the key to a winning future.

There are also two different types of players to evaluate. Those you think have it, and those you suspect don't. The only way to find out is give both of them a chance. Who knows. Maybe Stewart becomes a BP piece? Frankly I don't see him making it as a starter, but they have enough invested in him to find out.

What concerns me more than who is starting in his place is the Mejia injury. It's starting to follow a familiar progression. Just a little sore wrist, be ready in ten days. Well the forearm is a little sore, rest will help. Then more rest. The a rehab. Then a second opinion by Dr. (Fill in the name). Then TJ surgery. I think I read this book this once or twice before.

First off I don't think the FO gave up anything. There was nothing to give up. In the context of the Twins orginisation, the FO went as far as "all in" as they could this spring. And then some bad luck, and bad performances happened. They are well documented. But what does surprise me is that some of the players who were the cause of the sell of, are the most vocal about giving up. There was no reason to continue the present course any further. Expiring contracts for next year made that inevitable. For those who thought we could resign Dozier, the only way that was going to happen is if nobody else took him. For amateur GM's like me, that should be a non analytical value of his services. Time will tell if the Twins have enough MiLB talent to put together a competitive team. But at least this FO made the move to find out. I say this with the expectation that as time goes on they will continue to transition the lineup. I don't expect them to wave a magic wand. 40 and 25 man roster issues, and frankly service time issues impact those decisions, far more than I can comprehend. Yes I want to see Belisle gone, and guys like Rooker and Romereo up for a look see, but not if it costs a year of control. As for Gordon, no. He doesn't seem to be able to handle AAA yet. Finally, Molitor has to go, period, full stop! His lack of any sort of enthusiasm for any player under thirty without ten years in the league is non conducive with the direction this team is going. His BP usage is ridiculous, he has pitchers sitting while he puts catchers on the mound. No, that didn't impact that game, but I bet they loved him in the pen. He has to go, you cannot do a rebuild with someone like him in the dugout. I just hope that his continued employment is not determined by Pohlad. Sadly we will never know. JP forever poisoned that well with his "Molitor will stay" proclamation!

This! One of Astudillo's "problems" is he is a baseball player, who doesn't look like a baseball player. And it would take far more imagination than MOY has for that to be seen in the Twins dugout. True MOY does not take a guy who has never played a position before, stick him there, and use that as a measure of his talent. Oh wait, I said a true MOY! I don't know how much success Astudillo would have in MLB over the long haul, but I do know he is better than some of the players currently on this roster.

Sort of scares me to ask where you from?

Maybe they are simply in the doldrums of another losing season? But the baserunning, fielding, and throwing errors are piling up. A CATCHER getting picked off second? Why? Where the hell did he think he was going? Morrison not sliding into second? Maybe three days on a bench would help? Pitching to Lindor with Hildenbergers frisbees? Good grief this is as lost a looking baseball team as one can find.

This week’s roundtable discussion question is: “Which Hall of Fame player with ties to the Twins had the greatest impact on the organization?>>>>>>>>>>> Since the question seems to lend itself to the impact on the whole of the orginisation it sort of takes simple field performance off the table. And it makes post career performance pertinent. But here goes: Harmon, great player who continued as a baseball ambassador his entire life. Reportedly as nice in person as he appeared to be as a player. He hit a prodigious amount of home runs without steroids, something some of those who passed him cannot say. While I think it was Jim Bouton who called him "the fat kid", very few pitchers viewed him in that context for long. His power was pure, and legitimate. Kirby, another great with a ton of on field ability, but who's post career issues negated much of his charisma. So was the bubbly Kirby an act? His WS series heroics can't be washed away, nor can the suddenness of his forced retirement. I am sure all players, as all humans in general have demons. The question is can one control them? Tony O, who I still think was the best hitter I ever saw. That's a pretty inclusive statement. But he hit anything anywhere, for average and power. He could run, had a great arm, and had issues with the glove, and seemed to always enjoy playing. Think Rosario X 10. He also continues to contribute to baseball and the Twins in many capacities, not the least of his connection to the Hispanic community. Carew, lacked Oliva's power, but was the ultimate contact hitter. His numbers speak for themselves, and his career was not cut short like Olivas. Some like George Will called him a magician with a bat in his hands. His career was started by Calvin, and his Twins tenure was prematurely ended by Calvin. Never afraid to be heard his voice is now directed to causes like his Heart campaign. Another former Twin who has not simply faded into retirement. A case can be made for any of the above. But for me it's Harmon, he checks all the boxes, plus he seemed to be simply a very good baseball player for his era, who remained basically a baseball player his entire life.