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Game7-91

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Everything posted by Game7-91

  1. Question is contending for what exactly? If its 3rd WC, they have a chance. If its legitimately winning games and series in the playoffs....just not happening with the current roster, and that's without the spate of injuries. It's going to be patch and hope for awhile. I would prefer Archer or Bundy to reinforce the 'pen, but we need Ryan and Gray to return asap and ready to put up #'s similar to what they have so far. But Archer/Bundy doesnt solve all the BP woes...and yeah, agreed with Nick, the Rogers trade looks like a loser in retrospect. It may be heresy to say this, but I will say it again...they have value in experienced infield positions, and lots of young options that need rep's real-time. And so I am looking for one of Correa or Polanco to move at the deadline, preferably Correa. Either (should) bring a pitching prospect in return, and moving one of them opens a spot for one of the young guns. I would be looking at it because I dont believe 2022 is a legit threat to make a run in playoffs, even if they get there this year. They need to prep their young guys to perform next year, and build more quality, and more depth, front to back in the pitching staff for next year.
  2. Agreed. I like Gordon more off the bench, not starting, but no other choices right now. Fingers crossed Gray and Ryan are back soon, and if so, it seems a good time for one of Bundy or Archer to move to the pen. Leaves the problem with #'s in rotation, but we haven't seen a quality start from either of them for some time, and probably should not expect its going to get any better. Maybe those two combo for 6 innings, but I dont trust them 2 times through a batting order at this point. Maybe Sands can show something tomorrow. Smeltzer deserves a long look, he has earned a chance to stick around this time. Depth looks good one day, then an injury or two, and suddenly not so much. This has the makings of an ugly two week stretch.
  3. I double that question. Gordon was the obvious option Sunday. Raises further question for Kiriloff. Other options are emerging for Twins....Arraez is supported by Rocco at 1B, Celestino is emerging as genuine player, Larnach seems to be figuring things out, Kepler shows signs of life, Steer, Miranda, Martin knocking on the IF door....if reporting on Kiriloff's injury status is true, no further surgery needed on wrist, does he just need to figure out how to adapt? Maybe the competition will prod for him. All that said, I hope the wrist is not a serious long term injury concern. He looks to have great career potential. But the Twins are developing depth and legit options. I dont see any position guaranteed for him, at least not today. Provactive proposition of the week: Assuming Lewis is good to go by July 4th, should not the Twins take offers on Correa? Regardless of standings. Lewis showed enough to give us hope that he is the future at SS . Twins are not legit WS contenders this year. If they were, then holding Correa would make sense. For 2-3 months of Correa at about 15M, somebody would more than likely pay a high level pitching prospect. Twins should explore trade possibilities, and if something emerges that makes sense to build SP or BP for 2023 and beyond, then make the trade, and let the Lewis era begin at SS....assuming, he is not dealing with a longer term situation with his knee.
  4. Ah yes, a radio, the Twins broadcast, and chores.......doesnt get much better than that!
  5. Excellent posting, and lots of hope for Correa and Twins
  6. Sums it well. Good piece Nash, and agree there are reasons for optimism. SP is key, and keeping Buck healthy, two fragile propositions. But if it holds for, Twins could Win. A lot. And that is a fun thing to think about on this dreary autumnal afternoon.
  7. Correa says robbing a hit is better than producing a hit....I like that! D-Fence works, just ask Detroit and CWS?
  8. Thanks Melissa, I like your positvity?, hope you are right on Sano. I just cant see the SP sustaining this over the full season. Then again, early returns says there is no favorite in AL Central. 8 straight L's, ugly ones at that, are a blaring red flag that CWS have a lot of work to do to fix multiple areas currently failing that roster. So youre right, if Twins can get some steam it could set them to maintain relevance into ASG....after that who knows. Seems highly doubtful anybody will run away with this division.
  9. It was scored a base hit. That is amazing. Wild, entertaining, and amatuerish last play....but we will take it....good bounces have a way of evening out, so enjoy it while it lasts..
  10. Spot-on. I'm really glad Godoy worked that AB and it worked out. OTOH, there is no excuse for Hendricks. CWS play this weekend shows an undisciplined, unfocused squad. 7 straight ugly L's to me means the division is up for grabs. I hope the Twins can improve the quality of the depth at C. If Godoy proves he's capable, great, but if not, burn the phone lines looking for it. We cant rely on the ineptitude of the other guys to regularly set the plate for us.
  11. It's a concern, they need a reliable 3rd, maybe one of Godoy or AAA can provide, if not keep looking for transaction opportnities . While I wasnt a fan of moving both Garver and Rortvedt, Garver is negative WAR with atrocious lines right now, and Rortvedt has yet to play, apparently will be #3 now in NYY depth when he does come back. All of this settles favorably if Jeffers develops. He still needs time, but I am hopeful he will develop decent power and on base, and potentially consistent, if not elite defense.
  12. Lots to chew on here, thanks Nick for the excellent analysis of whats been and whats to come. LH gauntlet this week will be a challenge. One thing to add: kudos to Larnach for the throwout. Defense still counts, nice to see Twins making big plays to save runs. And looking like Buck is fixin' to have a season for the ages. Prayers to the baseball gods to keep him healthy....he can carry the team. We havent had a guy of this caliber since Puck. Puck and Buck. Nice ring to it....
  13. It was an unorthodox way to finally come through for the new team but we'll take it. Amen to that. It's a win, counts just as much game 162. I didn't take this conclusion away from Nick's comment. If some experienced the game as nailbiter, that's great. It was a sloppy April night, but it was also a sloppy game, and that seems to me the point. Sloppy play, along with the cumulative effects of the things mentioned throughout this thread, cumulatively add up to tedium. If that game had been crisp, with professional execution of pitches and at-bats, it's a different type of experience.(Case in point-the CWS dude who takes strike 3 to end the game, regardless of the viability of the call, is inexcusable.....he should be collecting butt-slivers today...swing the d**n bat.....) The MLB-version of baseball is lacking in consistent quality of play and weighed down by cumbersome processes and rules that are diminishing the beauty and intricacies of the game. If they keep asking fans to sit through crud, (endless at-bats with batters adjusting their gloves/cups/helmets/spewing spit-streams between every pitch, mind numbing time to get defense into position and the pitch decided, let alone executed, mound visits more amenable to negotiating a nuclear arms treaty than throwing the ball.....on and on.....they will get what they deserve, poorly attended/watched and little long-term interest. TV/radio #'s show MLB has fallen behind basketball in ratings and viewer shares, and continue to decline. Soccer may (probably will) equal MLB in 12-15 years. Baseball will always survive, but MLB is on its way to fending off the NHL in terms of viewer interest. Sad, because it is the most entertaining sport of any to showcase.
  14. Pitchers always seem to be ahead of hitters in April, but that doesnt mesh with the solid hard hit #'s. They will start scoring more, question is how much. Agree with LA Vikes on this: It is a lineup that if kept together will underperform all season long....every night at least 1/3rd of the order is black hole territory. I dont doubt they will have some collective hot streaks and raise their stats, but at best this will be inconsistent bunch. Seems to me they need to just some of the inexperienced guys play-Larnach, Gordon, Celestino, eventually Lewis, Martin, etc.....and start figuring out how to move on from Sano, Kepler, Urshela, probably Arraez, and the likely need to trade Correa in June or July. This needs to a tryout season basically.
  15. Should be kind-of-entertaining this weekend. Somebody's gonna right the ship. The Rodon-less Sox are good as any place to start getting bats revved up. Nick, nice reminder about that bullet Twins FO dodged in not pursuing Rodon, sure glad we avoided him and his diminishing velocity. Can't see how we could have fit him into this staff anyhow, what with Thorpe lurking in the wings. Whew, that was close one......
  16. Looking for Polanco to start hitting again, last year he didnt really start hitting well until June I believe. Correa's line says he will get things together too, Comparing his splits to last few years, his hard hit rate is higher than previous years in April, but so are his strikeouts. Line drives are noticeably increased. Seems a timing thing for him, and when it starts to straighten out, I think he will begin to contribute. We dont know enough about the offense to make a judgment, other than that it is virtually impossible for them to be this bad for a prolonged period of time, even with their motley collection of AAAA types weighing down the order. Buxton has to stay healthy, Polanco and Correa are going to start to hit, Arraez will do his thing....it's 4 run per game outfit. Problem is on most nights the pitching sequence has too many holes in the chain....winning 50% of the time will be stretch but it could happen if Buck can stay off the IL and other pieces converge to the mean. But it could also be that Twins will be competing for a Top 3 draft pick in 2023. Who knows........
  17. As Cito Gaston famously quipped after game 4 of the 91 ALCS, "It aint over 'till they beat us tomorrow."
  18. Yes and yes and yes. Protecting 1-run leads is their job. But the reality of current current bullpen construction across MLB is that each bullpen is only as good as its weakest link. It is exactly the 1-run leads that are most at-risk when running a succession of low-leverage guys 6th-9th. Historical win rates for all home teams entering bottom of the 6th with a 1-run lead are 77.5%, 82% in the 7th, 89% in the 8th. (Stats found here: https://gregstoll.com/~gregstoll/baseball/stats.html#H.1.8.0.1.0.0,) So, if we are 80% confident the good guys will hold a 1 run lead in the home half of the 6th inning, we are in Lake Wobegone Land, just above average. Is anyone who follows the Twins 80% confident right now? 50/50 confident? (Not me- less than that in my opinion). If Twins did achieve a 50% hold-rate, how would that translate into W-L? 2021 Twins records gives a clue. It's not Duffy's fault-he is pitching at mop-up level right now, and that's where he should be until he gets straightened out. The quality is not presently there to create rotations capable of consistently holding thin leads. Seems to me that the BP rotations are now as important if not moreso than SP rotations, which means quality is needed at every link in that chain.
  19. Like Larnach and Kiriloff a lot. As they develop they can form a better LH tandem than M and M boys of yesteryear--if they stay healthy......Larnach needs time to work things out at MLB level, I hope he stays put, let him play and develop. Even if it means (say it ain't so Joe), moving on from Garlick at some point in the near future.
  20. And: Checking in at airport for int'l flight only to discover passport was forgotten 2 hrs away at home. Discovering too late that what you thought was Colgate toothpaste was actually the wife's toenail antifungal cream. Taking a 2AM swig of milk from the fridge only to find out it was the old buttermilk instead. Being forced to clean up dried buttermilk spray off kitchen walls the next day by a certain person with no sympathy or humor. Colonoscopy without sedation, which is actually much more pleasant than swigging putrid buttermilk.
  21. True enough, and agree with that. But also the statistical piece is that 3- 9th inning outs with a 1-run lead is more valuable than 3-6th inning outs with a 1-run lead. Over 162 games, the noise balances out a bit. But in a 5 or 7 game playoff series, there is less, or no, room for error. I couldnt find much statistical comparatives, but this came close, an analysis of 2020 season blown saves using WPA...doesnt address specifically 9th inning one-run blown saves, but still interesting. Exec summary quote: In a short season, a bullpen that can close out games — irrespective of score or runs allowed — is key, and that is demonstrated there. http://www.coverthosebases.com/blog/the-impact-of-the-bullpen-in-60-games
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