Platoon

I might have said this once before, at my age I have said everything once before! The Twins remind me of the Lions when Bud Grant had the Vikes. The Lions knew they were going to lose. And they did. In every way imaginable. It was never a matter of IF, only of How!

One other thought. While football and baseball are radically different sports, the Vikings had a team with a well liked coach. But his record was poor, his coordinators not up to the task, and the whole team had a look of disorganization. The GM cleaned house, and at first glance order has been restored. Time will tell.

The players regularly profess their fondness for Gardy. But why? Is he a great clubhouse guy? Big on back pats? Asks them how their mom is doing? Or is it because he is too easy on them? Is that why there are continued misplays, no I don't mean errors. Not following the hitter to second, going to third on a grounder to short, missed cutoff men, throwing to 3rd instead of second, and losing the double play chance. Ad nauseam. Much fun is made of the "Twins Way", but they used to do the little things. Now they don't. And those things are not the result of physical talent. Jordan Shafer and Mike Trout can both throw to the same correct base. (Just not as strong). But these mistakes don't cost playing time. I know rosters are tight with 13 pitchers, but a message here and there is more important than a win. And throwing someone under the bus in the media is not it. A day in the dugout might be more effective. Managers are to be respected, not liked.. There is a huge amount of difference.

There is a lot of talk about Santanna the fielder, but not much about Santanna the lead off guy. This teams offensive problems often stem from hitting with RISP. Needless to say things get even worse without RISP! That said, Santanna is currently the only player we have that has consistent and considerable success in the one hole. Making him a utility player or sending him to Rochester is not good. The problem with the Super Utility role is exacerbated by the possibility that the current management stays in place. What about Joe? Watching him play this year I came to several conclusions. (Opinions). To wit: I like Mauer. I think he is a phenomenal athlete, and I could care less how much Jim Pohlad pays him. I think the amount of abuse he takes is disgusting. But he does seem a man out of place. On the Twins he is the 3 hitter. But he is not a 3 type hitter, and on a team with better talent he would not be in that position. (I played short on a softball team, and even I did not think I was a SS). With the change in ball parks, and the emphasis on playing down the LF line, his limited power is limited! (I wonder what he would do in Fenway)? Anyway I was watching him the other day and I thought: he is a lead off style hitter without lead off style speed. He has large frame, but not much power. He was a great catcher, in a first basemans frame, and he has a right fielders arm, playing first base. These are not criticisms, they are observations.

I tend to agree, but with one obvious notation and question. This offense appears to be much better with Santanna hitting lead off. He so far appears to be the long lost one hole hitter we have been looking for. If he does not end up as a regular defender at SS or CF, will the current manager of record juggle his lineup every game, so he has a spot in the batting order?? That has not been his previous modus operandi!

It just dawned on me, I am watching this on TIVO. that's more embarrassing than getting home from the mn state baseball tourney, and finding I went to the game with my t shirt on inside out!

You left the strip club??

Just simply on his general approach. His external attitude looks better. Is he moping around on the club house? You got me? Just more or less the way he has handled himself in this brief call up.. I should have maybe added the words "for now". I think the word l would use is "comfortable". In the past that word would have been replaced with "dazed and confused". Let's let it play out this fall, I don't think there is anymore room in the league for former Twins outfielders?

It just seems like Hicks has figured it out. And I would be in favor of the 4th OF if I truly thought the Twins were going to actually really truly maybe possibly sometime soon give Santanna a extended trial at short. One of the problems with prognosticating future lineups is not knowing the future manager. If it's Gardy, there is no sense in another OF, Santanna will not play short for him.

Good article. I was not a Schafer fan, but he has started to intrigue me. I also think Hicks just looks different this time, calmer and his PA's are more solid looking. I have always been a big fan of Oswaldo. Still he drives me nuts. Lately some of his hardest hit balls have been at someone, it happens. He looks like he is trying to work the count. He is not a work the count guy. He needs to hit the first fastball he sees that is a strike. As he matures he can look at the finer aspects of hitting. As for the OF he is rough, going to his left is not that bad, but his backhand is not good. But something tells me he is gonna.be really good. He is 23, and I bet there are a ton of teams that would take him tomorrow. Suzuki? Always was and still is an average catcher. Great Gardy guy also. We were handed a gift. We signed him as a third choice, he got unreal hot, and then two teams needed a catcher. So we did what any losing team would do, we extended him two years. Pinto is also rough, and the pitchers claim not to enjoy throwing to him. (Then they should throw better than they have to Kurt). Santanna should finish the year at short. If he can play he can, if he can't he will end up as either a super utility guy, or Dozier's replacement. Other teams have great athletes at short, we don't seem to. The summary: the lineup the Twins started the season with, and mostly still embrace is on the way to -90 again. The players on the field are average. I know it's sacrilegious but I include Dozier, and Mauer as a first baseman. There is nothing to be lost by trying other replacements. What can happen? We could lose 96 I suppose! Yet they treat some of these guys as All Stars. For this team spring training started on the 11th game after the ASG. Lastly, why does it make a difference who we start against contenders. We have shown a consistent ability to lose with the norm, and it's time for us to evaluate our players. Showing Gardy's "respect for the game" should include putting a decent team on the field in 2015!

Is it my imagination, or did it seem unfair that we brought up Arcia and Suzuki in late inning clutch time, and they brought in Trout an Pujols!

Well at least it was quick and painless..... Except to hughes

On a more serious note.... I listened to Marnies expert analysis on Rasmus. And she passed on that the boys were supposed to skip working the count tonight because he would not pitch long enough to bother to drive out of the game! Which caused me to ask........ With some of today's strong bull pens, and specialists is it always a good idea to work the count to that extent? See the fast ball hit the fast ball. Hmm should I have started this comment with: Well Marnie....

The police chief in Atwater would just cut it's head off with a shovel?

Not sure what it means, but when they yell it in hospitals everyone starts running? Maybe it's slang for the ice cream truck is in the parking lot??

I wonder if on my last day, I will look back on my life and wonder if this was how I should have spent nights like this?

I had the sound down, did dick and Bert hypothesize on why perk is not doing the tenth? Hmm. Would not throw to pinto?

Who would have thought trout and Arcia have similar defensive abilities?

It better have been then, otherwise he would have looked ridiculous in a blue leisure suit!

I was trying to figure out where I saw this shoe maker guy before?? Duck Dynasty!!

Not sure you would walk away from the cash? Unless they said, Ron you go quietly and we will pay you. Or we fire you and pay u, your choice!

We can be happy Max Kepler is not a catcher, I don't know if we have any German pitchers! Ya vohl ! We do have a German manager tho! "I KNOW NUTTING, NUTTING!

There is no doubt Joe M is working with a different zone than when he caught. All umps do it. You never ring up your catcher on a bad pitch, cause then he wants that pitch for his guy all night. So his zone is a little smaller.. That will never change.

That's it I am going to bake some brownies

I like Perkins, but it's been a little bit of a tough stretch lately.