strumdatjag

I was only 6 years old but I remember Ray Scott doing the play by play with Halsey Hall doing the color commentary. Bob Wolff was less memorable. Over the following years, Merle Harmon and then a young Herb Carneal came on board. These announcers pronounced our shortstop’s last name Ver-Sall’- Lees for years before they pronounced it correctly Ver-Sye’-Yez. Only a few home games were televised and not all of the road games. There were a lot of Hamm’s Beer and Twin City Federal commercials. Harmon Killebrew was the star of the team as a left fielder (in later years moving to 3B and 2B) . My Grandfather would call him “Killer Harm-a-brew”. As a young fan, I don’t remember Cookie Lovagetto (can’t even spell it) as manager, only Sam Mele. If one bought popcorn at the game, upon eating all of it, one could rip out the bottom of the cone-shaped cups and turn it into a megaphone to cheer (hey, this is the stuff six year olds remember). Long before Wally the Beerman, the Twins had a fun beer vendor who would often confuse the brand he was selling “Cold refreshing Grain Belt Beer —— No this is Hamm’s!” My friends and I would order a beer from him and he would say “Milk for you son!” Pat Reusse later wrote that the vendor had been a pretty good player himself (either in the minor leagues or negro leagues, I forget). He was a fixture at the games for decades in the third base lower deck area, later donning a black umbrella hat. During the 7th inning stretch the organist played “The Mexican Hat Dance” (not “Take Me Out to the Ball Game) while the crowd responded to each line with two claps (some slowed down and some sped up as a “challenge” for the fans). . The electric scoreboard displayed the line score and also gave messages on the “Twins O Gram” (it became “Vikings Logs” for the Vikings games). There were no “dance-offs”, no mascots, no overplaying and displaying if commercials. It was about the baseball, the organ player and the food (“Get your frosty malts!”). Who needs more?

Keep sending him out there. Prielipp has shown the ability to pitch longer into games.

Yep - that MAY be the SECOND one as noted above.

I’m hoping the hip is not a chronic injury. But saying that reveals my worry that the hip is a chronic injury.

The Twins also have an abundance of catchers in the organization next year (even after Ryan Jeffers leaves)? In addition to Caratini and Jackson, the Twins have Top 20 prospects Lackey, Tait, Diaw and Tinney - all catchers. The Twins need to balance their organization by trading one or two of those catchers, as well as two or three left-handed outfielders. In return, they can improve areas with less strength. such as right-handed outfielders and pitching.

Keep Pablo Lopez, along with other returning injured pitchers Festa and Abel. The Twins will probably trade Joe Ryan, but there will be enough here for a big competition for the starting rotation. Some will ultimately get converted to being relievers. Signing the likes of Casey Mize (even if they could) provides little benefit. 2027 is likely a CBA marred transition year once the season starts. The Twins drafted a bunch of arms. Let’s see what develops for 2028 and beyond.

Then again. Look at who the Padres had at 1B last night, a Gold Glover and Clean-up hitter in Ty France. Maybe just maybe The Twins could have kept him on board (with Royce Lewis ultimately taking over at 2B). I like what Josh Bell has done but that would seem to have a better overall benefit to the Twins. Find a DH in the organization. With Matt Wallner’s resurgence in AAA, he could fill the DH role now (although he wouldn’t have done it all season).

If there was a return for Eduardo Tait, another left-handed batter,, wouldn’t that be something to consider? He is having a mediocre season in Cedar Rapids, with an OPS of .701. There are concerns about Tait’s defense behind the plate. Finally, he is not athletic like Lackey. Tait is still highly regarded and could net a great player in return. He should not be viewed as untouchable. On the other hand, Diaw might not stick at catcher, That could make it harder to trade Tait.

Agreed. But the Twins have some minor league depth, Lackey, Tait and Diaw. One could be a piece in. a trade.

Once the CBA issues are resolved (and who knows when), some of that outfield (and catching) depth should be traded to bolster positions of need.

I’d like German Marquez to make a comeback, as well as Max Kepler. Just think of the upcoming momentous occasion when German pitches to a German. It’s probably happened already.

Whoever wrote that script had no idea about how the vast majority of us would say it. It’s “PLAY CATCH”!!!!!! and by the way - It’s POP (in Minnesota not “Soda”). Don’t let them easternize us!

Morris is the cat likely to be the closer of the future. Hopefully, Shelton starts to give him more big-time 9th inning appearances.

Anthony Banda will be healthy in 2027, but is only on a one year deal for this year. He was looking good before his injury. Cole Sands would be back in 2027.

For you Debbie Downers. Remember what you expected from this team at the start of this season. Today, they took on the best pitcher in baseball pitching for the team with the best record in baseball, in THEIR ballpark. The Brewers needed two ridiculous plays by their right fielder Lara in order to win this game. Put Clemon’s throw a few feet more to Kody’s right and that last play is an out. Meanwhile, the other Kody (Funderburk) is turning into a very good reliever I am having a lot of fun watching this team this year. And it’s not just because I started with low expectations. Go Twins.

I need to dust off my old Vikings Jersey with Daunte’s last name on the back.

Jenkins can be added when rosters expand in a few weeks.

Actually, it’s better to have two good players in the line-up for over a season than to have them in the line-up for just 7 weeks.

Someone asked me whether this is true about service time. I have just seen this idea posted here and presumed it’s true. I have not looked at the rules myself (that would be a real snoozer!).

Culpepper and Jenkins would then accumulate service time throughout all the lost part of the 2027 season (list time due to labor strife in negotiations of the new CBA). Bad idea.

The Twins overdid the firesale last year and suffered a massive drop in attendance and fan interest. They were worried that would increase even if they only sold Jeffers this year. or it is possible that they did not receive an adequate offer for him. Don’t underestimate the possibility that the fan revolt motivated the failure to properly move Jeffers. That is the only big mistake of this deadline (unless there was no offer for Jeffers that approached that offered by Boston for Adley R - who knows?) I don’t buy into the Pohlad-Falvey philosophical feud posited here. That presumes too much

With this .500 team in a year when the Dodgers have broken the bank to win its 3rd title in a row, I like the idea of making fewer buys at the deadline. Actually. I was hoping Jeffers could be dealt for something but I think the ownership is worried about further angering of the fan base (screaming “Cheap Pohlads”). That’s probably correct financially but wrong from a standpoint of fielding a better team till 2030.

Rutschman has had repeated injury issues and was just about to start a rehab assignment for the O’s. Jeffers’ hamate bone injury is not the chronic type which can return. There are arguments to be made that Jeffers was the better catcher even with the expiring contract. I’m disappointed that Jeffers did not ignite a bidding war from which the Twins could take advantage. Cleveland got better by adding an All-Star starter to its rotation.

I’m presuming the offers for Jeffers were not good enough. I’m worried that the front office was worried about criticism, however. I would have liked to have seen the Twins win a bidding war for Jeffers. But alas …

In the Jeff Hoffman trade, the Twins got some cash to cover his salary and gave up some international pool money (they got some in a previous trade).