IndyTwinsFan

Don't know how it could be, as a Blizzard is an experience unto itself. 

You should really leave a note in their comment box.  This is brilliant!

The only problem with the pumpkin Blizzard is its too heavy and bulky to consume. I wish they used the miniature pumpkins instead

Howz about we score another 10 runs for Pablo tonight? He pitched great in his last start and got Jaxxed. 

I assume he’ll do one year deals from here on out……,bottom line is he’s our 3rd best guy out of the Pen & he’s cool when in the tight spots, late. Very valuable!!

His contributions have been totally underappreciated. A lot of Twins victories this year were kept safe and boring by clean innings from Thielbar.

It's much easier to find above-average offensive contributors than it is to find above-average starters. With Pablo Lopez, we don't have to worry about 1/5th of the rotation for at least five years, while Solano can step in and be a key offensive contributor. I would much rather have Lopez and Solano than Chris Archer and Arraez.

I agree with most of this.  This is the textbook win/win for both organizations at this time.  You know the saying: Better to trade them a year too early than a year too late.

That being said, I think the outlook is much higher for the Twins to "win" this trade.  Arraez's knees are still a ticking time-bomb.  The Twins were able to lock up a solid 1/2 pitcher for a very reasonable contract over his prime age years.  I would also take high-end starting pitching over high-end hitting every day of the week.

Lopez reminds me of Brad Radke.  Head down, not always dominating but gives his team a chance to win every day, quietly a very good pitcher that flies under the radar.

Huge fan of Arraez since he was in the lower minors.  Loved the kid and was hopeful he would remain a Twin for his entire career.  So I am saddened that Arraez is no longer leading off for the Twins.
With that said, understand the reasons the Twins made the trade and even agree with them.  Am elated that the trade has worked out so well for both teams.  The Twins will enter the playoffs this year with a real chance of winning a round or two because of the strength of their starting pitching with Lopez as their #1 guy.  Aren't those the best trades, where both teams win?  
 
 

No one in Minnesota liked losing Arraez and his bat was sorely missed the beginning of this season, but the team had a glut of players to plug into his position and had a great need for top of the rotation starters.  The Twins needed a Pablo type pitcher even more than keeping around one of the best hitters in the game which sounds crazy as I write this, but given Julien's OPS is currently .842 and Arraez is at .842 it sounds less crazy.  They get there in different ways but the production is close enough to cover for the lose of Arraez at least in IMO.  Don't like OPS then Julien's WRc+ is 135 and Arreaz 128.  Like War better Julien is at 2.3 and Arraez is at 3.1.  Pretty much anyway you slice it they are close enough and we didn't have anyone close to the level that Lopez is at.
Did I want the Twins to trade Arraez, No.  Do I think they made the right move Yes I do.

Nice article. Most Twins fans held and still hold Arraez in high regard. But I think we can probably conclude something similar about Pablo Lopez.

Thank you for bringing in another voice from the other side, Ted. 

Royce has single-handedly solved the Twins bases loaded problem. 
 
With the bases loaded this season, he is 6-11 with four homers and 20 (!) RBI. That a 2.219 OPS. 

Hopefully Lewis, Kirilloff, Jeffers, and Lee will be the Puckett, Gaetti, Hrbek, and Brunansky core for years of success to come. 
If all goes well, Correa and Buck will be welcomed icing, but not the cake going forward..... 

Maybe Jax can build off of tonight's appearance going forward.
I still would have used Duran in the 9th on Wednesday instead of Jax, now he has not pitched in 3 days and may not be as sharp when he is actually needed. He needs to pitch tomorrow no matter how the game goes, as do Pagan and Thielbar. 6 and fly for Lopez tomorrow!!

Great W all around with the solid return of Ober, timely hitting---Thank u Royce! and another impressive night from our bullpen.
Time to keep grinding.  No reason to think about or focus on what CLE is doing.  
Hitters need to keep taking professional ABs and our pitchers to attack the strike zone.
Lets get another game tomorrow night!
Go Twins!
 

It's unbelievable.  The young MN batters who have emerged in the latter half of this season are a joy to watch, none more so than Royce Lewis!

I was watching the Vikings game instead of the Twins, and I feel bad for missing Maeda go 7 innings! Not to mention that beautiful swing Eddy put on that home run. It's also getting easy to take Lewis for granted with his consistency this year, in spite of his injury interruptions. I admire his skill and persistence.
In all seriousness, when was the last time Maeda went 7 innings?? Not because of ineffectiveness (necessarily), but simply because of workload... I know, it was against the error-ridden South Siders, but nonetheless. I still think he's best suited as a piggy-back guy for the playoffs, though.
EDIT: I found that this was just the third time in in his last 40 starts that he's gone 7 innings, and the second time this year.
This is the kind of win that a playoff team gets against an inferior team. Love to see us stop playing down to the competition.

Nice to see the offense kick it into gear the 2nd time through the order as the first trip produced nothing.
See Ober is being recalled to start tomorrow night. 
What is the corresponding move?  I'd seem to think it will be Headrick getting sent down as Thielbar and Funderburk provide enough help out of the bullpen. If thats the case, will Keuchel be moved into a long/middle relief role?  Or...will Keuchel remain in rotation with Twins going to a 6-man rotation for remainder of year?
Sorry for the questions as I wasted my evening watching the Vikings play another inept game.  
Need to take care of business this weekend in CHI before moving onto Cincinnati.
 

Should have watched this rather than the Vikings game. Uffda.

I will never complain about kicking the crap out of the White Sox 

Oy, just don’t watch. This was a good win, setting the tone for the weekend. Maeda pitched well, the offense took advantage, it was a good game.
You are whining just to whine

10 runs. A couple homers. I guess they need to score 20 to be a little less boring. 

Easy one tonite. 8 game lead. They would have to basically stop playing to blow this now. things can happen fast (like the O's were 4 up on TB 3 days ago and now its 1..as O's go into choke mode) but Cleveland has kind of mailed it in. Twins need to get/stay healthy and remember that first series is best of 3.

Viking game ,    ishh