wsnydes

I know it's the Cubs, but its good to see Ryan show that he's healthy and can dominate. Some positivity in this otherwise ugly season.

You are correct. I was on mobile and read the b-r table incorrectly. Thanks for pointing that out. I would agree, that the two starts mean more than the relief appearance. None of this really changes my overall view though.

He's taken the loss in all 3 of his playoff appearances. Part of being an ace, in my view, is going out and shutting down the opposing offense like his counterpart did. To me, that's what sets an ace and a Berrios apart. He didn't necessarily pitch poorly, but he was still losing when he left the game. That's why I don't believe that there are many in the game anymore.

I guess that I never considered Berrios an ace or a bulldog. I view an ace as a stopper that I could depend on without question to stop a losing skid and to take the ball every 5th day. With that said, there simply aren't that many aces in today's game. I like Berrios and think he's a good pitcher that I wish were still here, but I don't see him as anything more than a #2 starter on a good staff. He's one of those "staff aces" that he can anchor an average or poor staff, but not a good playoff team staff. A true ace can dominate a playoff game, and he's been outdualed his fair share. All that said, he was dependable and could be trusted to take the ball every 5th day. But I never looked at him as a true stopper or a guy to even give the bullpen a day off. Still, I'd rather have him than not. Admittedly, by that definition, a true ace is probably a dinosaur I'm today's game. But there are still several left.

Is this like T-ball where everyone gets to bat each inning? The inning ends when the last player hits, right?

Trying to out-Gardy Gardy!

All that does is put a little context on my frustration, not make it better!

I'll believe Berrios has turned a corner when he actually does. I'm not rooting against him, but I've been down this road before. If he does, good for him. Just wish it would have been sooner and in a Twins uni.

Torii and Cuddy were the guys I hated see leave. Those were my favorite players on this squad for quite a while.

Good question. That would be interesting to see. I'd rate it pretty much the same. They've largely stabilized since May, so the issues at their peak was in the first 6 weeks of the season. The major contributing factors are still there in force. Between injuries and the absence of quality pitching (partially due to said injuries and the remainder by FO decisions), even becoming something around a .500 team since May is surprising.

This is what I'm worried about. The biggest reason that I'd like them to go long term at SS is because I fear they'll go ultracheap on a short term deal. If they're going to do that, I think I'd rather they just start the prospect on Opening Day. Going ultracheap just seems like a total waste to me. And I agree that they're more likely to make a splash on pitching.

It doesn't necessarily need to be a BIG free agent. Maybe there's someone that's under the radar that might be a good fit somewhere in the lineup.

SS is my prime target too, as it likely will be for many. I'm not entirely sure I want a long term deal, but I know that I'm not immediately opposed to it. It'll depend on who they sign. I really like Seager, but your rationale for Baez makes a ton of sense. Pitching being the obvious priority, spending a ton on a SS doesn't make a lot of sense unless they've already loaded up on pitching and somehow have room in the budget.

Admittedly, I haven't had a chance to look into the upcoming free agent class much, so my lack of time has turned into curiosity. The pitching on this squad gets most of the attention, and rightfully so. But, what position player(s) are you most interested in the Twins bringing in?

I agree, it just makes sense. You really don't notice that it's there. I was even at a AAA game in which the pitcher was in a direct line between my seat and the clock. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have noticed it at all. The game had a perfect cadence and was probably one of the most enjoyable games I've attended since some of those Buerhle/Silva matchups that would take just over 2 hours to complete. And now is a good time to implement it. It's been around long enough that most, if not all, of the players coming up have had it ingrained in them.