ewen21

I like Hildenburger still. However, he is on the precipice of becoming "The Hindenburg" with a few Twins fans I know

Kepler has inadvertently forced me to think of my high school physics teacher more than a few times. It's the only cross thing I can say about the kid.

Neither add up to one Bobby Korecky!

This kid Reed is going to make me forget about Phil Dumatrait.

There is a fan at the game texting all his friends saying...... "You hear that WOOOOOO. That's me!" How cool is that?

Thanks, I need all the help I can get

It was for Dick Van Patten

I hurried home just to catch this. I we lose this one I am heading to the bar. Good thing it's just a ten minute walk

When Gardy brought in Guerrier to face A-Rod with the bases loaded in 2009 I think I never hated him more. I hated him because I knew what was going to happen. I actually went downstairs to get a beer and by the time I poured it into the glass and walked it up the stairs the bases were empty and the Yankees had scored four runs. I will say this about him. The guy has a genuine love for the game and he does a good job at the desk. Hard to say anything bad about the work he has done in front of the camera. I don't think there is anything phony about his baseball work.

THanks, but I meant to say it was my dad's birthday. He would have been 78. Lost him in 2000. FYI-My birthday is 4/20

Mine too

Way too soon to for that kind of talk At least give him another week

Why assume there is some underlying issue? Does every single post have to be ...."AH-HA! I found it. This is the statistic that is the answer to...."

This the classic case of what are we paying him for? Reward him for what he did vs. what he is going to be over the next several years. A lot fans seem to think of Dozier as a leader. What makes him a leader, I ask? Is it his personality? Is it what he says and what he does? I remember two seasons ago in spring training. I thought Dozier went out of his way to show everyone covering the team what a fun loving guy he was. During that camp, there were articles emphasizing what a fun loving group the Twins were and how much they laughed. Dozier seemed to be knee deep in this campaign. I recall they did a little profile on how Dozier and Escobar were "brothers" and in this little skit Dozier came off way too clownish for me. The whole piece seemed to be about how Dozier loved to bust Escobar's chops. It actually rubbed me the wrong way when he poked fun at Esco's accent. Dozier was quick to point out how he starts breaking Escobar's chops every day. To me it seemed like Dozier was trying to be something he really wasn't. Almost like he was trying to be Torii Hunter. There certainly were a group of "fun" guys on this team that spring and several players from this "core group", which included Plouffe, Hughes and Dozier tried to show everyone how they were bringing Byung Ho into their "inner circle" by inviting him over to watch the Bachelor. Look at how fun we are. Look at us building camaraderie! That was the pinnacle of ridiculousness for me. That whole spring training everything I heard about was how loose this bunch was and it all seemed so contrived. Then the season started and when things went sour Dozier got to be mopey. He did not run out a few grounders and he was just being strange. At one point, it was said Torii had a conversation with him about "being a leader". Then when we finally did win our first game in Houston, during the post game "celebration" he went to goof around with Escobar and Esco wanted no part of the silliness. He gave Dozier a very stiff cold shoulder. I will give Dozier full marks for turning things around that season and I will say that he has been a solid player for the last two and a half seasons. Can I say he will be THAT player next year and several seasons after that? Nope. And in fact, I would bet against it. When does a guy hit 32 years of age and then maintain a level of play they only just discovered a couple of years prior? Can someone site an example of a player with that type of career trajectory? I have watched baseball since the early 70s and I am coming up blank. Now, If someone wants to believe Dozier is one of those very rare individuals than who am I to even argue that? Historical data for players who hit that age (at every position) tells us otherwise so why even bother engaging in a debate? THis has nothing to do with hating on a player or thinking "negatively". It's about historical data and doing what is best for this organization. Statistically and numbers-wise, a 5+ year 100 million+ deal here is absolutely insane when you consider historical data and how players decline during their age 32 season. Especially when you consider how we have a couple of decent replacements who will remain cost controlled for a while. As far as Dozier and his "intangibles" are concerned I am not seeing it. This "face of the franchise" stuff really needs to end, in my opinion. Not just with Dozier, but in general. I remember in the early 2000s there was no such thing as "the face of the franchise' or "voice of the franchise" (as Cuddyer was labeled). During that era it was more about a group of guys pulling as one. No one seemed to be designated with any special tag. In the end, Dozier has been around through a lot of losing. I think that he has as many flaws as anyone and really isn't a guy who should be thought of as the "face of the Twins" (nor should anyone for that matter. Again, why that label?).. I question it. Especially when Molitor has to insist Dozier is comfortable at leadoff to a level where he cannot even explore the option of hitting him lower in the lineup in order to capitalize on his power makes me wonder. Why wouldn't Dozier step up and say, "I will bat wherever skip wants to put me. If he thinks I could be more valuable batting 6th so I could help this team score more runs then I am excited to do that" Dozier instead has been radio silent on that. He also made a jackass of himself last week with his comments on the Cisco bunt. Even before then, though......I couldn't go along with anyone who was saying Dozier's leadership is important to this team. As a matter of fact, if we cleared him out, maybe we could spend dollars in other areas to make a better team? Maybe a new and even better chemistry will emerge. Sorry to say, but Dozier reminds me of the old guard. He was a big Terry Ryan supporter and spoke quite a bit about how much Ryan meant to him after he was fired. So many little things Dozier has said and done that are head scratching to me.

It would be perfect to have a Redmond type backing him up. Dare I say, someone who can hit for a little average

That thread was like chocolate. I knew it wasn't good for me, but I nibbled away on it

The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy were all over the TV all the way into the mid 80s. I think the Simpson's buried American culture and we never recovered

Add homonym? Not necessary.

Put it this way. If we are behind 7-0 and Morrison lays down a bunt to beat the shift, I am saying: "Good for him. He should do that again" Anyone think Dozier or anyone on the Twins would think he did something wrong? How could it be a veteran on the Orioles would want to correct that????

This. So this. Can this be over already??

Hey, if the Twins were shifting the defense then they were not conceding. Dozier felt the Orioles conceded, but we did not so that means it is still "game on" The kid was well within his right to beat the shift any way he could. That is baseball

It took about 18 hours for us to see the shoe on the other foot. Would be a great time to see Joe pull one into the right field corner and let out a triple

The Yankees were snowed out today, but then tomorrow it is supposed to be high of 50 or something. I think high 30s is about as bad as you want to tolerate. Once it gets down to around freezing that calls for a cancellation, in my opinion. You just aren't going to get the kind of quality play you pay for. Football is different. When both teams need to battle the elements it actually makes the game more interesting. Not so with baseball. I am sort of old school. I am not sure why the season starts in March. I don't see why we can't go back to the old days where double headers were written into the schedule. Don't see why the season can't start a week later and be played in even less time. Schedule in a double header every four weeks. I am sitting here and out the window I see four or five inches of snow on the ground. I guess it could be 70 and sunny another year, but this weather boy.....enough

I was not concerned at all because he had a very low pitch count. He was underneath 90 pitches going into the 9th inning.

I read this post last night and was not sure what you meant about being upset. I know Dick reacted, but Bert quickly responded saying it was a good play by Cisco. I figured that was what you meant. I come to find out today that at least Dozier and Berrios spoke out against the play. I personally don't see the problem. IF they were up 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th and did that I could see it. Even then, though..... I can give Berrios a pass since he was pitching a shutout, he is young, etc. Dozier commenting on it the way he did doesn't come off well, in my opinion. He said: "I could’ve said something at 2nd base but they have tremendous veteran leadership over there." ​​From the Orioles perspective, what exactly are they supposed to do? Stop trying to win?? It's not like they were piling on. If facing a similar situation the Orioles faced yesterday, I sure hope this team doesn't decide...."Well, we are down 7 runs, let's pack it in. Gotta respect the game" I don't get it. Oh well Great outing by Berrios. I am GLAD my family did a get together Saturday instead of Sunday because I was able to watch this game without interruption. This makes up for missing that gem he pitched last May in Cleveland!