Platoon

>>>>>>>>>>. THIS was how the owner's plan was supposed to go in the Major League movie. I saw that one already. It was much more entertaining." Love the reference, but just cannot get the thought of a cardboard cutout of Jim Pohlad in the locker room out of my head!

When Cave is playing his best and Buxton is playing his worst, Jake Cave is a better offensive player. When Jake Cave is playing his best and Buxton is simply average there is no difference offensively. With both at their best offensively Cave doesn't have a prayer. It's a floor ceiling issue. As for defensively, I won't even bother to debate that question.

Even by Molitors "standards" this was a weird game. First of all, what happened to Molitors legendary respect for the game? Giminez at first? Then pitching? Not sticking up for his pitchers? The lineup seemed to be purposely inept, even by Twins standards. It was a considerable coincidence that a veteran like Belisle hit Beltre, and I don't believe in coincidences. Between the quick thumb for Belisle and for Reed Molitor should have made enough of a stink to get tossed also. Something just doesn't seem right. For being so legendarily competitive, Molitor has become basically a zombie in the dugout. Does he know he is done after the year, or are these bizarre lineups and bland behavior his way of making a statement to the FO? Or both?

Years ago in a Little League game, we needed to complete one more inning before dark, or else make a 45 mile round trip the next night to finish the inning. We simply bunted back to the pitcher to finally get the three outs needed. I highly recommend that idea in this game!

I don't think it's a mistake Belisle hit Beltre. Nor do I frankly mind it. But keep it below the belt. Always! Two other thoughts. Molitor simply seems to be sleep walking through the last half of the season. And if was one of the other three umpires I would ask the home plate guy: WTF, do you know how hot it is out here? Don't toss someone when it's this warm!

Just following along, and behind on TiVo. I don't have any particular belief or knowledge that the "opener" idea is good or bad. Just not enough history of it so far. But I do have a belief that someone, anyone other than Giminez should be playing first base. Austin? Sano? Maybe even Garver. Giminez playing is just one more reason why Molitor needs to go. There is simply no reason for his spot on the roster, much less actually being on the field. Molitor didn't put him on the roster, but he did put him on the field.

I am a firm believer that Buxton will end up a defining player in the Twins future, as I still think his talent will show through. So there are parts of me that want to see him play and develop ASAP, and those that want to keep the year of ST. The current FO approach does both. But at what cost? The wrist issue is being under played here. Is it legitimate? Is it FO deflection? IF it is legitimate and Buxton is not completely healthy I can see the FO feeling some justification in him being withheld a year of ST. Just keeping him on the MLB roster to burn this month if he really can't swing effectively isn't a sound business decision. And MLB is a business. Yet the fan side of me says I would rather see him play now. Btw, Jake Caves playing time isn't an issue for me. Jake Cave is a fourth OF type, with more power than one would expect and a little less defense than one would expect. He has had a pretty lengthly audition, and I doubt the FO needs further info on him. But the biggest reason is his ceiling isn't making or breaking any team. Buxton on the other hand is a player who is a key piece in the teams future. If he doesn't fulfill both his inherent talent and frankly his hype, their is little chance for this team to ever reach the peak that Sano and him onetime dangled so enticingly in front of us. He can/could be that good. That's what makes this decision different than the Caves of MLB. Reverse Cave and Buxton and no one would have cared if Cave left four years from now in a hissy fit, or if he came up and burned that year. While I have went back and forth on this issue, I have came to the conclusion that forced to make the decision myself, I would make the same one. But there is a qualifier herein! If the FO is willing to make such a hard core business decision regarding this issue, I fully expect to see it continue forward in that vein of practices. Meaning, cleaning up the 40 man roster, and further improving the field staffs of all the teams. Moving sacred cows on and off the field. Someone, somewhere, or possibly all over the orginisation is NOT teaching the appreciation of fundamentals to these players. The orginisation has been littered with the likes of brothers of players. Sons of managers. And a seemingly endless stream of "special assistants"? While that doesn't preclude them from being good baseball minds, it doesn't necessitate it either. Lastly, four years hence? Buxton becomes the star that is possible, and I envision? What then? Will the CBA remain the same? Will the financial situation of MLB and the entertainment industry in general remain as it currently is? No one knows. What we do know is that most players will take the best deal for themselves and their families, just as we would. For family reasons we and even some players may give a discount? That said, Byron Buxton is not Joe Mauer, there will not be either a hometown discount or a familial tie to this area. He will likely follow the money. Many consider him the heir to other Twins center fielders. In that context all one has to do to consider Buxtons likely actions in four years is see Hunter, Torii. He was adored here, he expressed a similar adoration for the local fans, and then he followed the money right out of town. MLB is a business, for both the owners and the players.

It appears from LEN that Falvey acknowledges that service time is an issue, and that they will have to invest in the relationship in the future. Almost seems like a "we will make it up to him" is part of the discussion? This is sort of a confusing one. I doubt the lack of AB's this fall will make or break him. I doubt he is totally healthy from the sounds of it. He is likely getting "screwed" out of a year of service time. The handling of his toe issue was ridiculous. Some of the issues are on him, such as performance and his penchant for getting injured. There are a lot of moving peices here. While I can't imagine the relationship being fully repaired, I doubt any of us will be in the room when an attempt is made. Does this cost the Twins in the long run? Buxton alone will determine the long term effect of this decision. From here on he holds the cards. Perform at an elite level, and the team will beg forgiveness. Perform at his current level, and service time will be the least of his, or the Twins problems!

If this is redundant I apologize, but this is LEN3 take on it. By far the most opinionated I have saw from his pen. http://www.startribune.com/twins-postgame-what-game-byron-buxton-isn-t-coming-up-let-s-discuss-that/492278811/

According to the Strib the decision is to send Buxton home when the Rochester season ends. While I can see this as a motivational tool, I can also see it as a way to gain another year of control. In fact it could be both. But the bottom line is the handling of Buxton and his career this year have been on of the most confusing I have seen in quite awhile. From being so important that he needs to play with a broken toe, to not getting called up in September, is pretty much the far edges of a very large spectrum!

i can see an incomplete grade. Falvine was left with a mess. I totally agree with the posters who view Ryans tenure as an effort to stay "middlin"! I think this FO will not use that as a long term approach. I also agree with the disappointment in who were the first call ups yesterday. Good grief. Now I know callups have to be on the 40 man, so the list is in essence only 15 players deep. Some of the players I would like to see get wet feet aren't on that list. Maybe the 40 man roster needs addressing. It certainly doesn't seem to include enough player that will improve the 25 man next year. What I do fear is that if Stewart and Gonsalves are representative of what we consider top MLB pitching prospects, what do those that we don't bring up look like? That said, I would rather lose while sorting out our MiLB depth, or lack thereof, than lose while providing a home for the Belisles, Wilsons, and Drakes of baseball. That would indicate a process. The aforementioned three simply make me think the FO is kowtowing to Molitors veteran preferences.

I was surprised Polanco didn't bunt those guys over in the first inning. Last night there was no doubt that his first inning bunt was instrumental in the teams 10 run explosion!

Its important for the the am to see what young prospects can do during this last month of the season. Belisle and Giminez are important cogs for the future.

.........that's is not the question.

Well if Polanco did that again, this would be a good time to put him back on the bench, so he doesn't do it anymore The last time the Twins bunted a double over to third with no outs in the fourth I thought there is absolutely no way anyone would ever be dumb enough to sac bunt in the fourth inning! And I was right! .

The Twins are playing sloppy baseball. That's not an illusion or a metric. They are playing baseball that would be sloppy at any level. Sloppy = Throwing to wrong bases, missing cutoff men, standing at third holding the ball with the bases loaded and a confused look on your face, poor efforts catching throws on tag plays, running into outs all over the base paths, chasing fly balls into fences and watching the carom go flying past you, running over singles into doubles. I could go on. I won't begin to touch on the lost at bats the hitters seem to incur. All of these issues have been touched on to all of these players since at least high school ball. They know what to do, they don't do it. They don't seem to give a semblance of thought beforehand to the situation. Situation = runner, score, inning, etc. these aren't teaching moments at this level, they are disciplinary moments at this level. With the added benefit that no one loss will matter due to someone sitting for awhile to refocus, it's a perfect time to set an effort level for play. Nothing in either rosters, lineups, or reactions to endlessly unmotivated effort seems apparent. Most of that's on Molitor. It doesn't take talent to know who a baserunner is or what the score is. It simply takes some interest in the game you are playing. Currently this bunch doesn't express that, or the effort to get to that point. While Molitor may have exhibited great situational awareness as a player, he has not been able to translate the need for that quality to his players.

Remember in tennis the lines NEVER move. The strike zone has 4 sides. Two of which change every time another hitter walks up to the plate. Some one, likely a human, will have to set the up and down due to his vision/version of where a point somewhere below the knees and midpoint on the chest is. That still will leave discretion to a human. I would imagine that it will be more consistent, as would replaying every foul and penalty in football.

Several comments: All sports involve adjusting to what an official accepts that day. And yes I know the strike zone is more defined than some rules are, but it is never the less called by a human. As are helmet to helmet hits, and touch fouls. Which technology would allow each and everyone to be reviewed. This isn't tennis, there is no visible line that a ball touches when it crosses the plate. Garver really was a butcher last night. You can't catch the ball continuall going away from the zone in MLB. So many pitches are borderline at this level, you have to give the guy behind you a chance to call it a strike, and not look like a fool. And yes, if the low low strike isn't being called, try and move it up a notch. I think Mauer leads the team in several offensive categories? And plays elite defense at first base. I remember many espousing RG when he was the king of the base on balls? And couldn't catch a cold in the OF? My personal take on Mauer is I wish he would retire for his health and family. But if he wants to come back, he should. Once the Twins solve all their other problems, lousy base running, mediocre defense, substandard catching, an inconsistent BP, and terrible hitting with RISP, then they can address Mauer, and have the luxury of an Austin type 3 outcomes defenseless hitter at 1B.

I would rather it be Magill than Belisle. But I do think that some of this is accumulated angst. Twins FO types have been dumpster diving for years. I know lots of teams do it, sign, try, and release. Maybe it's just me, but it seems ours are expected to be middle of the BP reliable fill ins? I on the other hand think they should be hig margin inning eaters. But maybe that's just me?

There is no way we lose this game 8-1 if Belisle is healthy!

It's sort of weird that so many who hate Reusse's writing and consider him old and cranky, still read his columns, and then comment how old and cranky he is. Few things pile up the page count on TD like a Reusse column.

I thought the significant comment was the Twins were the only team that called. That makes the Twins either extremely clever, or extremely "not clever". Keep writing Seth, and don't worry about the comments. People who post on here are generally wrong anyway! :)

But sadly a common Twins moment!

This is a pretty disinterested looking bunch right now. Sadly I am talking about the players. The fans have been disinterested a lot longer. The defense has been horrible. All over the field. Never ever did I think at the end of the 2018 season would this be the product that the Twins put on the field. Ugh!

Catching up on this atrocity on TiVo. Yet another reminder of what happens to an infield when your first baseman can't handle a glove was shown to us by Sano. Mauer eats that up and you have an out, and a great play by Astudillo. Meaningless in this game, but those hops happen several times a game.