John Bonnes

I'd agree with all of that, except for one nitpick: (whispers) I don't think the Yankees are even a half step better than the rest of the Wild Card teams. Maybe a quarter step. Bring 'em on.

There is plenty to be worried about with this team, to be sure. But the closest team to them is just two games over .500; they're all flawed teams. Otherwise they wouldn't be behind the Twins. The point here is that besides being flawed, the other teams have challenges to overcome with their schedules and with the number of games they need to catch up. The Twins don't need to go on a 13-6 run - though they would probably be the best-positioned to do so. They just need to grind out a requisite and reasonable number of wins against a pretty favorable schedule.

The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. Except for now. Now it is a SPRINT. RUN Forrest, RUN! The Twins entered last night with 19 games left in the season. In 19 games, anything can happen. In 19 games, the best team in baseball can go 3-16. That’s not hyperbole; it is currently happening this very minute and thank you Los Angeles Dodgers for proving the point. Nineteen games is a small sample size and nothing needs to make sense anymore. So let’s try to make some sense of it.(All records below are before yesterday's games. I need to get some sleep.) In the five years in which there has been a second Wild Card, that second team in the AL has won between 86 games (2015) and 93 games (2012). This year may set a new low, with 85 wins looking like a very real possibility. By taking a look at the schedules of the AL Wild Card’s top four contenders, one can get a little perspective on the path each team must travel to advance to the postseason. The Los Angeles Angels (73-70) have a very tough 19-game schedule ahead of them with only four games versus also-rans and NINE versus the best teams in the AL. The easiest path to 85 wins includes: taking five of the nine games versus the division leaders Houston and Cleveland,winning four of six in their two series against Seattle and Texas andtaking three of four games versus the White Sox.Summary: It can be done, but there can be no stumbles, not even against great teams. The Texas Rangers (72-71) have a little easier 19-game finishing leg, with seven games against non-contender Oakland. But they need 13 wins, which looks like: Taking two of three in their showdown at home versus HoustonWinning six of nine games they have versus other AL Wild Card teamsCapturing five of those seven games they have versus Oakland.Summary: Again, that’s not impossible, but that’s a lot of consistent baseball for a .500 baseball team. The Kansas City Royals (71-72) have the easiest 19-game stretch left, but also the fewest wins of the four, so they need to find 14 wins in their last 19 games to get to 85. Let’s see if we can get them there: Take two of four versus the Indians this weekend.Win eight of 11 games they have versus the White Sox, Detroit and Toronto.Beat the Yankees in their makeup game on the 25th.Take two of three against the Diamondbacks in the last series of the year.Summary: That still only gets them to 84 wins. So they either need to sweep the Diamondbacks, take the series from a red-hot Cleveland team, or win nine of eleven versus the also-rans. Yikes. The Rest – The Orioles, Mariners and Rays all entered last night’s games with as many wins as the Royals, but with fewer games to play. To get to 85 wins, the Orioles and Seattle would need to finish 14-4, and the Rays would need to finish 14-3. Summary: The baseball gods humble those that dismiss the absurd, but that’s a tall order for teams that haven’t played .500 ball through 140+ games. Finally we get to the Minnesota Twins, who have 74 wins and perhaps the easiest schedule. Of their remaining 19 games, 13 are against second-division teams. To go 11-8 down the stretch, this seems reasonable: Win four of six this week versus the Padres and Blue JaysWin five of 10 on their upcoming road trip to Cleveland (one of three?), Detroit (three of four?), and Yankees Stadium (one of three?).Take two of three versus Detroit in the final home series of the year.If you’re wondering why the Twins always seem to be favored in whichever playoff odds probability report you check every day, that’s why: the Twins road to 85 offers the least resistance and makes the most sense. But with 19 games left, baseball doesn’t need to make sense. To steal a quote from our boy Forrest, "Baseball is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get." Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins re-taking the Wild Card lead, Trevor Hildenberger and Matt Belisle stepping up, ending an era of Royals baseball, Byron Buxton's ongoing hand problems, Ehire Adrianza's surprising pop, vintage Joe Mauer, late-night scoreboard watching, and Robbie Grossman at the bottom of the lineup. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link. Click here to view the article

Yeah, but that's not the only definition of accountability. Souhan is accountable to his readers for what he writes, too. The Star-Tribune is accountable for what they publish to their subscribers and even their non-subscribers, who provide the impressions for which they sell ads. And when a writer violates that accountability on a semi-regular basis, they don't get to lecture us about who to trust. They've already demonstrated how much disdain they have in trust. Trust is nothing more than a flag they can wave to get to what they really want: attention. So too is outrage, which was the whistle that Souhan was really sounding in that original story. Maybe that is part of what I'm trying to get to in the story. Traditional media wants us to focus on (and even praise) their process of gathering news, but washes their hands of their presentation and its affects. Perhaps new media can occasionally be criticized for focusing more on the presentation and reach, taking for granted the sources. I'd have to think more about that.

Shoot! Thanks. Fixed.

That's a dig at Perkins. He's saying he is not working hard enough, not keeping himself in shape. Basically that he retired early, while still drawing a paycheck.

Souhan did have a point, and had he made that point honestly in his first story, I think there would have been far less criticism of it. In fact, if he had made that point exactly as he did in the blog entry - here's what was said to me, here's what I checked on, here are the concerns - I think it would have been a good column. (And, for the record, part of what make Souhan so infuriating is that he is capable of very good columns. Yesterday's story on the Fort Myers scout was excellent.) But he didn't write it that way and he's smart and skilled enough to know what he was doing. He wrote a bunch of insinuations without saying anything straight out. It was designed to prod the worst, angriest fans to scream and have a topic to play with for the next decade. That's why you saw people who care about sports writing attack it. Because they know the choices he made and they can foresee the impacts.

Fair question. Yes, the Twins grant credentials to Twins Daily, including me, on a game to game basis and for the entirety of spring training for the past several years. But I wonder why you think that matters? This is part of the point I'm trying to make. The perception that Access is something about which we have an ax to grind is silly. The perception that it makes people special is ludicrous. It is a tool, and sometimes a valuable tool. For instance, if I'm wondering what Molitor was thinking batting Niko Goodrum in the DH spot versus a right-hander, I might be able to ask him about that postgame. But that is a small part of what creates quality content. And infinitely overrated.

Jim Souhan responded to widespread criticism of his August 22nd Sano-Is-Too-Fat column yesterday, and after defending the column, he shared his philosophy on how to evaluate sports writing. It is a philosophy that I have heard shared by a few other journalists. It is the Cult Of Access. Access is the focal point of the philosophy. It is so esteemed, it becomes the basis for all evaluation. Those who have more of it are better than those who have less of it. If Tom Kelly answers his phone when you call (SWOON), it puts you in the penultimate spot on the professional (and moral) pyramid – right behind the team’s announcers. Those who have Access even have a higher moral character than those who don't. You’ll find all of these clearly referenced in Souhan’s diatribe.That philosophy is somewhat understandable. For a sports writer, Access is both a big part of the job and also one of the pain points. Hanging out in a locker room is mostly tedium, but writers are often required to be there in case news breaks. For instance, sometimes announcements are made regarding injuries. Missing that news when another outlet reports it looks bad to one’s supervisors. Yes, Access can give you a chance to talk to players and coaches, but it’s similar to walking around an office building, interviewing people at their desks when they’re working. Most of the players are polite and answer questions; that’s not the problem. But you are not their friend. They don’t really know you. They shouldn’t really trust you. It is often not in their best interest to reveal too much to you. Plus, they have work to do, or people they want to talk to, or maybe they just want to go home, or screw around with their teammates a little. Or maybe they just don’t want to talk right now. Navigating that environment takes a lot of energy and a lot of time. It is the most visible and tangible part of the job. It is not surprising that it is held in high regard. However, that philosophy is also mighty convenient. If Access is the differentiator, then the quality of one’s work is secondary. Embracing that philosophy puts a columnist near the top of the Ponzi scheme. He can disparage others’ quality stories because they don't have Access. He can sling crap against the wall, see what sticks, and talk about how the duty of a columnist is to get people talking. (It also helps if I decide that the platform that someone else has built, maybe singlehandedly, is an undeserved accident. After all, if having a bunch of readers and listeners had anything to do with merit, then why isn’t anyone listening to my brilliant reality-based daily podcasts with various sports luminaries? Answer me that!) That philosophy can also be a clever bit of misdirection. With one hand, you trumpet how important it is to have Access. Meanwhile, the other hand actively lobbies to restrict that Access to the very people you’re disparaging. But mostly, that philosophy is just some guy yelling and pointing at a velvet rope. He wants it to be a divider; a barrier that he has conquered. He is on one side and we are on the other, and the resulting hierarchy should be intuitively obvious to everyone. That might fool some people. But most people know: a velvet rope is an illusion. Relying on it to differentiate oneself is an act of impotence. Insisting that it lends some moral superiority is an act of desperation. It's all bull. It's reducing a genuinely valuable tool into an exclusive little club to boost one’s ego. As Souhan suggests, you get to choose who to read. So allow me to share my philosophy, which simplifies the choices considerably. You can either read people who reward your trust in them with thought-provoking, entertaining coverage of the Twins. Or you can rely on those who feel justified in regularly breaking that trust with incendiary garbage due to some fictitious self-important exclusivity. I’d ask that you make that choice carefully. You get decide if the velvet rope is real or not. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the Twins entering September with the Wild Card in their sights, a missed opportunity against the Royals, Byron Buxton's miracle recovery, Jorge Polanco's crazy power surge, Joe Mauer hitting like the old days, Kyle Gibson getting everyone's hopes up again, Joe Nathan's retirement, and the new analytics hire. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Click here to view the article

Finally, I should mention, you won't have any trouble finding the group from bar to bar because of the red t-shirts. :-)

There is a fair amount of street parking around Ray J's, or you can walk from downtown to there across the scenic St. Anthony Bridge. The walk from the first bar to the second bar is about 25 minutes and, weather permitting, should be beautiful across the Mississippi. We also do it in groups. The distance between the 2nd and 3rd bar are literally across the street from each other. And the last stop is just two blocks from Target Field.

Yes & yes. Ticketless options will be $15 tomorrow only.

We're cutting off sales at noon on Friday for the Touch 'Em All Pub Crawl, so you only have about 24 hours to get your crew together. For $40 you get a Twins ticket, a Pick and Shovel t-shirt (pictured), two premium Three Olives Vodka drinks, and two 612 Brew craft beers. Buy them before they're gone. Plus a legendary pregame with passionate Twins fans at Ray J's American Cafe, The Loon Cafe & Brothers Bar & Grill. You can find our other updates below.Wednesday Update I’ve got good news, bad news and really good news about 9/16 Touch ‘Em All Pub Crawl. The good news is that we're including two more free craft beers at our final stop. The bad news is that some folks had problems buying our early bird tickets yesterday. So the really good news is that we’re extending the early bird ($30/$15) price for one more day (buy it here). Here’s all the news: Our third and final stop will be at Brother’s Bar & Grill, where you’ll get a free 612 Brew craft beer. In addition, you’ll get a chit for a free beer (BOGO) at your next visit to 612 Brew. And of course that’s on top of the free Three Olives premium vodka drinks you’ll get at the first two stops: Ray J’s American Café and The Loon Café. Plus you’ll get a free Pick and Shovel t-shirt AND a ticket with us to the Twins Game versus the Blue Jays. Finally, you’ll be talking Twins with Seth, Parker, Nick, Aaron, John and one hundred other Twins fans and writers. And for tomorrow only, it’s still just $30. And sales end on Friday. Get yours here. TUESDAY STORY Today is your chance for you and your friends to get the early bird discount ticket for 9/16's Touch 'Em All Pub Crawl RIGHT HERE. Don't forget, this special $30 price ($15 if you have your own Twins ticket) lasts just one day. In addition, we're able to announce the Three Olives Vodka will be sponsoring the crawl and providing premium vodka cocktails at each of the first two stops! Here are more details: You get: 1. An exclusive "From Worst To Thirst" t-shirt from Pick and Shovel (value $25) 2. A free Three Olives premium vodka drink of your choosing at Ray J's American Cafe. ($6, 1st stop, noon-2:00 PM). 3. A free Grape Ape, the The Loon Cafe's signature drink make with Three Olives premium vodka. ($6, 2nd stop, 2:00-4:00 PM). 4. Yet one more stop with free drinks to be announced on 8/30 (value $12, 3rd stop 4:00-6:00). 5. A ticket to the 9/16 6:00 Twins game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays (value $16). Sales end Friday the 1st, but the special $30 price is only available on 8/29. So grab your fiends and join us now! MONDAY STORY From Worst to Thirst. Twins Daily’s annual “Touch ‘Em All” Pub Crawl will take place Saturday, 9/16, and tickets will be available for an early-bird sale 8/29 for ONE DAY ONLY. You will want to spend today rallying your friends, because for $30, you’ll be able to get a Twins ticket ($16), a limited edition Pick & Shovel T-shirt (picture, value $25) and … we'll be announcing at least another $20 worth of great stuff tomorrow and Wednesday. You (and your crew) will not be disappointed. This is a legendary event. It is 100-200 people. It has included Wally the Beer Man. It has included a mascot race. It has included an IN-GAME round bought by Glen Perkins. God knows what it will include this year, but at the very least, it includes a playoff race. It is a glorious mess. But it is also a VERY limited opportunity. Tomorrow, Tuesday the 29th, before we’ve even announced all the stuff you get, is the last time you’ll be able to buy tickets for $30. And if you don’t get a ticket at full price ($40) by Friday, you’re just out of luck. (We would love to keep it open, but we need to order the fantastic t-shirts.) So call your friends. It is a pub crawl, it is a glorious September afternoon in Minnesota, and it is a pennant race. (And it is also great deal.) You and your friends do not want to miss this. We'll see you back here tomorrow. Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about Byron Buxton's monster game, Kyle Gibson pulling everyone back in, the pillow fight that is the second Wild Card spot, last-minute trade options, September call-ups, Miguel Sano's injury and bad columnists, the dangers of foul balls with Bye, Goff, and Rohde, and Jason Castro's concussion. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Click here to view the article

Aaron and John watch Aaron's favorite players, Kyle Gibson and Kennys Vargas, lead the Twins to a victory over the White Sox while answering questions from listeners at Fair State Coop. You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Click here to view the article

Aaron and John talk about the maturation of the Twins' young lineup, their soft schedule coming up, Byron Buxton's transformation, the buzzkill around Miguel Sano's injury, Glen Perkins' return, Mitch Garver replacing an injured Robbie Grossman, looking stylish with Bombfell, Andy MacPhail and Michael Cuddyer going into the Twins' Hall of Fame, and potential August waiver trades.You can listen by downloading us from iTunes, Stitcher or find it at GleemanAndTheGeek.com. Or just click this link.http://traffic.libsy...3?dest-id=74590 Click here to view the article