theBOMisthebomb

I mean, yeah sure guys. You just kinda have to shrug your shoulders and smile at these type of Buxton stories at this point in his career. They are the Buxton version of the 'fat guy in the best shape of his life' stories. After Buxton's career is finished there will probably be quite a fascinating history with this theme. If the guy could get 80-100 games in the field in a season, I think most Twins fans would take it going forward.

As incredible it is to even think it is possible... Right now, it's the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Vikings will be never win the Super Bowl. The Wild are the definition of mediocre. Our Twins have a long shot chance due to the expanded MLB playoffs and the randomness recently experienced in the playoffs. Shockingly, the forever terrible Timberwolves have a legitimate team so far this season and appear to have a decent chance at an NBA title in 2024.

In another life I was in the collection industry (flexible hours, large commission checks was the draw for a 22 year old). These type of excuses such as family member/beloved pet death, some type of current political event (real estate/stock market crash/some industry collapsing highlighted in the news) were next level stalls right behind no job and divorce.

I would seriously consider rescinding my Twins fandom if they signed Tim Anderson. l also don't quite understand the OP's reasoning on the fight with Ramirez. Anderson squared up like an olde tyme bare knuckle boxer and started the fight. Ramirez wasn't innocent up to that point, that I agree with. Anderson initiated the fisticuffs, got knocked out, and looked like a chump. The OP sounds like the president of the Tim Anderson fan club or a relative.

No more Joey Gallo type signings is one big positive.

Yes, Ron Washington doesn't seem the type of player you place on a media guide based on the on field production. Great guy, great coach, great ambassador of the game. Hopefully, he can get a ring now as a manager with Mike Trout and the Angels.

Gary Ward.

🎵🎶 Just say no to Sano. Just say no to Sano. Just say no to Sano. Just say no to Sano... 🎵🎶

I don't like this. It's too painful.

Melissa, thank you for having your finger on the pulse of what is happening at Target Field. While many writers in today's sports world don't even operate from the stadium (which is fine, I don't want to open that debate), I really appreciate the vantage point you offer from Target Field. As for the hankies, I'm going to stock up as always and pray for a deep postseason run. I'll be waving my Homer Hanky at game one. Win Twins! I also remember the original song about my baby waving the Homer Hanky.

Friday night worked out well for me. I had concert tickets that I ended selling because nobody wanted to go with me. The thought of seeing the Angels without Trout and Ohtani was not appealing until it became apparent the Twins could clinch the Central on Friday night. I went solo (pathetic, I know) to the Twins game and bought a $25 SRO ticket. It was well worth the effort to get to Target Field. Anytime that you can celebrate like that as a Minnesota sports fan you have to take advantage. This Twins starting pitching plays and I'm hopeful they can make a run to at least the ALDS. Why not the ALCS or even the World Series. Let's play the games and see what happens. These Twins have a chance.

It was BS in a chef's salad how MLB allowed the waiver wire to unfold. Shame on MLB for allowing this loophole. The Twins should be outraged. If the Twins do choke away the Central, I hope all the waiver wire pickups for Cleveland play a pivotal role.

Here is what I believe is the applicable rule. Good luck sorting out what the umps say what would have happened since the check swing wasn't initially questioned and the play naturally stopped. 8.02 Appeal of Umpire Decisions (a) Any umpire’s decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach or substitute shall object to any such judgment decisions. Rule 8.02(a) Comment: Players leaving their position in the field or on base, or managers or coaches leaving the bench or coaches box, to argue on BALLS AND STRIKES will not be permitted. They should be warned if they start for the plate to protest the call. If they continue, they will be ejected from the game. (b) If there is reasonable doubt that any umpire’s decision may be in conflict with the rules, the manager may appeal the decision and ask that a correct ruling be made. Such appeal shall be made only to the umpire who made the protested decision. (c) If a decision is appealed, the umpire making the decision may ask another umpire for information before making a final deci- sion. No umpire shall criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpire’s decision unless asked to do so by the umpire making it. If the umpires consult after a play and change a call that had been made, then they have the authority to take all steps that they may deem necessary, in their discretion, to eliminate the results and consequences of the earlier call that they are reversing, including placing runners where they think those runners would have been after the play, had the ultimate call been made as the initial call, disregarding interference or obstruction that may have occurred on the play; failures of runners to tag up based upon the initial call on the field; runners passing other runners or missing bases; etc., all in the discretion of the umpires. No player, manager or coach shall be permitted to argue the exercise of the umpires’ discretion in resolving the play and any person so arguing shall be subject to ejection. Notwithstanding the foregoing, correction of a missed ball-strike count shall not be permitted after a pitch is thrown to a subsequent batter, or in the case of the final bat- ter of an inning or game, after all infielders of the defensive team leave fair territory. Rule 8.02(c) Comment: A manager is permitted to ask the umpires for an explanation of the play and how the umpires have exercised their discretion to eliminate the results and con- sequences of the earlier call that the umpires are reversing. Once the umpires explain the result of the play, however, no one is permitted to argue that the umpires should have exercised their discretion in a different manner. The manager or the catcher may request the plate umpire to ask his partner for help on a half swing when the plate umpire calls the pitch a ball, but not when the pitch is called a strike. The manager may not complain that the umpire made an improper call, but only that he did not ask his partner for help. Field umpires must be alerted to the request from the plate umpire and quickly respond. Managers may not protest the call of a ball or strike on the pretense they are asking for information about a half swing. Appeals on a half swing may be made only on the call of ball and when asked to appeal, the home plate umpire must refer to a base umpire for his judgment on the half swing. Should the base umpire call the pitch a strike, the strike call shall prevail. Appeals on a half swing must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the half swing occurs during a play which ends a half-inning, the appeal must be made before all infielders of the defensive team leave fair territory. Baserunners must be alert to the possibility that the base umpire on appeal from the plate umpire may reverse the call of a ball to the call of a strike, in which event the runner is in jeopardy of being out by the catcher’s throw. Also, a catcher must be alert in a base stealing situation if a ball call is reversed to a strike by the base umpire upon appeal from the plate umpire. The ball is in play on appeal on a half swing. On a half swing, if the manager comes out to argue with first or third base umpire and if after being warned he persists in arguing, he can be ejected as he is now arguing over a called ball or strike.

The Minnesota sports fan defensive reaction has my gut telling me the Guardians will overtake the Twins and win the division. The heck with logic, I need to protect myself.

I miss the old Saints days at Midway. Times moves on, so I try to enjoy the AAA Saints at CHS Field while not glamorizing the past too much. Good for Strawberry, it seems his Saints experience was a pivot time in his life. I'm going to a Saints game on Friday, I'm excited to see the Strawberry jersey in its retirement glory.

I watched the guy play baseball starting in high school so I get what you are saying. When/if St. Paul's Joe Mauer gets inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame I plan to attend in person.

Yes, nice memories. I was at that game and remember being slightly amazed how Colon was accomplishing the complete game feat. I wasn't a big fan of his before his time with the Twins, those few months he played here won me over. Although I still contend the Cy Young that Colon earned stopped Johan Santana from having a puncher's chance at the Hall of Fame.

That's easy enough to say and difficult to counteract your rise colored glasses statement. However, I will try... Correa and Buxton can't really be this awful at the plate. I believe the starting pitching is legitimate and we will not see further regression. If they win the AL Central they get three playoff games at home in the wild card round and this pitching should play to good results in the playoff environment. I use the Walmart vision center in Apple Valley for my glasses prescriptions.

This summary seems much too negative after a three game sweep on the road.

Yes, nice for the players. The guys who don't make the ASG roster can darn near take a real vacation.

Four of the five weekends in August, the Twins are at home. That's a heck of a homestand August 23 - September 1 with St. Louis, then Atlanta, and then Toronto visiting Target Field. I'm bummed to get the Dodgers, once again most likely at a cold Target Field in April.

Kirk Gibson was the biggest surprise to me. Gibby was a personal favorite and I loved his grit and hard nosed attitude. It appears no ASG appearances for Gibby due to a combination of some poor first half production and stiff competition: https://motorcitybengals.com/2020/03/16/detroit-tigers-examining-kirk-gibson-never-star/#:~:text=The All-Star Game took,t deserving of a selection. Tim Salmon is a heck of a player as well for no All Star games.

I went to the Saints game on Monday night instead of the Twins game. I was a bit disappointed driving to CHS on Monday night with my choice of games since favorite Joe Ryan was pitching for the Twins. I figured it might be my only Saints game this season (I liked the independent AA Saints better) so I thought I'd make the best of it. Anyway, my wife and children like the smaller CHS venue better anyway and they don't really care about the product on the field so they actually prefer Saints games. Anyway, we had a great night at CHS despite the hour plus rain delay. Larnach went out of the stadium for the go ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Saints let fans go on the field for the fireworks show viewing. It was an awesome night.

That's unfortunate because I was a Dave Kingman fan during my youth and not so much of Joey Gallo. Looking at the player comparison on BB Ref, you are fairly accurate with the comparison.

From 1964 - 1971 Tony O played in 161, 149, 159, 146, 128, 153, 157, and 126 games. After only appearing in 10 games in 1972, he appeared in 146, 127, and 131 games from 1973 - 1975. Buxton's games played pale in comparison.