Platoon

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?

Good idea! Wrong order!

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!

And that is the best argument to find someone else to man the dugout in Minnesota. He can't see past the next inning, barely past the next AB!

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.

Yu must have missed Hunter's swan song season, 2015? He was still flailing. Btw, don't forget Cuddyer.

Is Cave having a bad inning or is that my imagination?

It's Cleveland that's in Dire Straits. We win the next three and we are only something like 7 games behind...... Then it's jut a matter of time before the enormous pressure gets to Clevleand and they wilt...... Then we walk into NY and...... and..... Sorry, an image of both the Hindenburg and Les Nessmans Turkey Promotion flashed in front of my eyes! I can't go on............

Its rare to find such consistency in a MLB player these days. So many are streaky nowadays.

Rest his soul. There may have been no one funnier for fans of sophomoric humor than Leslie Nielsen. Now I am tempted to turn the game off and watch Airplane.

In keeping with yet another mantra this evening, "Sultans of Swing" could easily be incorporated into a promotion for MLB. While It may be hard to work "and miss" into the tune, it could be any worse than "This is how we Baseball".

Kepler and Forsythe looked like Alphonse and Garstone on that one. Or as someone would tweet, "Alfonse".

I did not know that. And in keeping woth my positive GT mantra, I will ignore suggestions on where the title "Money for Nothing" would be appropo in relation to our 2018 MN Twins.

Since GT's are much more enjoyable when lighthearted and positive, I am glad to see Garver getting a well deserved rest, and that Matt Belisle hasn't been overworked and is available when our reigning MOY feels the situation is in Dire Straights. .

Someone waives 'em, we claim 'em, we promote 'em. Rival GM: Sorry son, we just waived you. Player: Thank god, now I will get a chance to start in MN!

Everyone one of us is outside , looking in. And most of us have bemoaned at one time or another the lack of "investigative" reporting on the inner workings of the Twins. Yet, once something comes out, some of us want to "kill the messenger". Something does seem amiss on this club, there is enough talent that it should not be playing this poorly, this long. Someone above suggested that Molitor could be formenting rebellion against the FO. That doesn't seem sensible. But it does in a matter of speaking seem possible. Not outright rebellion, but maybe a lack of respect for, or comments made about the moves made during the season. It is the managers job to keep a clubhouse in order. He doles out playing time, which is the ultimate enforcer. Tales of Torii Hunter straightening out Morneau are wonderful, and maybe Hunter did have an impact. But Hunter never gave or took away an inning in Morneaus career. Hunter could have been an example of "how to go about your business", but that's not necessarily that hard to find in a pro clubhouse. Players generally like structure, they like to have an idea of when, and even why they are playing given the situation. When pitchers see Belisle in the game, and they have sat for 5 days, I would imagine something besides confusion sets in. When a Wilson gets an inordinate amount of starts, given this season, questions are raised. Who wants to pitch and look in RF and see Grossman out there? My point is there have been some serious head scratchers when Molitor is managing. If you win, those crazy moves are overlooked. When you don't, things ferment. I have never had the feeling that Molitor and the FO jived. He is an owners favorite, his hiring by the new FO was probably not voluntary, nor was there a rush to a new contract until the heady MOY award. And Molitors recent comment about having no interest in seeing anyone from Rochester for the remainder of the year was either true, stupid, or an intentional shot over the FO bow. Given the contract status of the current roster, and the talent level of same, he should want to see all of Rochesters players, and Chatanoogas also. As for the Doze, maybe it's best he is gone if he wasn't happy. It was a tough year, salary drive with no drive, another lost first half of the season both personally and team wise, and I am sure the perception that he missed the market for FA by about two years. I doubt anyone would have been too happy in those circumstances.

Its very difficult to be front and center when you are having the season he was having. And last year, one of the primary reasons the team sold at the break was his lousy first half. Yet he was the most vociferous about giving in too soon. It would have sounded far more inspiring if he had played up to abilities.

When I first heard that Molitor said that, I thought it was a GT joke. It obviously wasn't a GT joke, but it was a joke!

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.

The Twins have a myriad of problems to solve before they get to Joe Mauer being one. lol