Squirrel

I edited my reply. I’m talking about shortening the season. But it won’t happen because money.

Why do they start so early? Ask Manfred and MLB owners. I, for one, think the season should start two weeks later (playing fewer than 162 games/season) and still scheduling it so games are played in southern states. On that we can agree, because these things will always be an issue, all year long, but especially early in the season. But cold weather can be dangerous for athletes for many reasons. Inclement weather isn’t only defined as storms and precipitation, it’s also defined in temperature. I applaud their decision to change it to make it more comfortable for all involved, and hope the Twins can find a way to compensate those ticket holders who can’t alter their plans. But, whenever you buy a ticket, this is the risk. It sucks, but that’s what it is.

Of course they are and of course they have feelings about being traded. Change is hard. But this is also the business. To suggest that being traded is still affecting him, now, after one and a half season later, I don’t think is the case. Something is wrong, but that has nothing to do with trading him mid-season in 2021. Or, if nothing is wrong, maybe he’s just reached his limit. I feel for him because of how much he puts into it, and hope he figures it out and adjusts. But, there is also the possibility that he is just not the pitcher he was because that’s just what happens with athletes after a time. I still think it was the right trade to make at the time, on that we will just have to agree to disagree.

Ugh, hate seeing anyone writhing around in pain

Uh, just no to Contreras

As I said, I was okay with the day off, but, the questions do linger and are fair about when or if he will play CF. I mean, if he plays 4 and is off one, and does that for the season, he will be playing more than any of us ever suspected. However, I’d like to see most of that in CF and that’s where my wondering begins. Others in the game thread weren’t understanding of the day off.

The colder you are talking about is 10-15 degrees, and at this time of year, that’s a lot, and makes it inclement. And it wasn’t moved just for the fans’ comfort, imo, but for the well-being of the players, too

In the game thread yesterday there were a few comments about this. Some are convinced that he’s not healthy and the the FO is keeping something from us, that this is more than managing his recovery from off-season knee surgery. We weren’t told that he is having any lingering issues here, so when he has a day off after 4 games, it makes some wonder. I think if he plays in every 4 of 5 games this season, that’s more than anyone expects, so I’m okay with the day off even if he’s only DHing at this point. However, it is frustrating to see him NOT play in CF and that the timeline is sometime in the future they will reevaluate. At this point it’s difficult to say he’s the starting CFer because he’s really not. I get managing him, but at some point when will it be acknowledged that he is the primary DH and not the starting CFer, because that really feels like that’s what’s happening.

If our trading him screwed him up so badly that it’s the reason for his current woes, he’s in the wrong business. He knew that the Twins would either extend him or trade him because that’s how it works, so trading him should have been no surprise, especially not in this case as that possibility had been talked about for a while. And given the awfulness of the Twins’ season that year, I think it was the right decision. It’s not bashing him to say so, nor is it a casual fan pov. It wasn’t any surprise to us at TD whether we wanted that to happen or not. But given Berríos’ make up, how he trains, his focus and his will, and love for the game, I don’t think what you’re suggesting is the case, at all. He simply is not weak-minded and wants to win and the Twins gave him a huge chance to do just that. Yes, it’s difficult to accept a new job, a new role, with a new team in a new city. The interviews I read he talked about how excited he was to be given a chance to win and how much he and his family liked his new city. Change is hard. But to say that this affected Berríos this much, well, for me that seems to fly in the face of the Berríos I knew and saw pitch for the Twins. With the complaints here that people are bashing him, what you are suggesting isn’t too flattering to him, either, imo. I think you are projecting a bit. It is possible that the Twins FO knew something we all didn’t and simply made the right trade at the right time. It isn’t bashing anyone to suggest that. It’s not a false front to hope he turns it around, but also suggest that maybe his time as a front end starter is waning. It’s the reality of this game.

Dude, seriously … Alcantara is an ace … one of the best pitchers in MLB. You are just whining to whine here. How many pitches did he throw, and how many pitchers have thrown the same? Our starters have each thrown one game of the season. If their pitch counts aren’t higher and they aren’t going deeper into games in a month, I’ll be complaining, too. But so far I don’t see it the same as last year. And using Alcantara as the comparison is just comical

Their first starts of the year. The majority of pitchers across MLB only went that far into the games. A few longer, but most not. If next month they are still only going 5-6, come talk to me and I’ll likely agree. Until then, I don’t think you’ve dispelled anything.

I don’t think that dispels the myth at all. Alcantara is an ace pitcher, not just a good pitcher, let alone average or below like we had last year

Dislike! I think we’ve pushed the envelope enough this game 🙂

Yeah, I wasn’t actually serious, but … I could see it, maybe

Does Pagan come out for the 8th?

I took some Prilosec just in case

How is that dissing? I guess thinking more recent. And yeah, I think Maeda could hold his own against a few #2 pitchers we’ve had in the past

Well, if it were any other team, they’d probably have scored 3 there

Dick seems shocked Maeda is doing so well.

I’d say he’s better than the 2nd, 3rd or 4th we’ve been given in past years.

If he plays every 4 out of 5 days for the year, that’s way more than any of us expects. Heck, I expected him to have a day off already, so, dunno. I get that it’s what we do here, speculate, but I’d rather not borrow trouble, especially concerning Bux, and just take it at face value until told otherwise. Although, I do wish he were playing. I do consider that a negative on the year, but starting 4-0 … perspective is good.

No, but the quota of Buxton is obviously not healthy and the FO is hiding it from us has been

https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-home-opener-on-april-6-postponed

CONSPIRACY THEORY ALERT!!! 😄

I disagree. We needed a starter last year. That's what the trade was about. Unfortunately it didn't work out last year, but if Mahle contributes to a winning season this year, we got what we traded for. I get that down the road it could be lopsided, if the ifs pan out, but at the time of the trade, it's what we needed. And I'm glad we didn't trade for the other two Mike mentioned.