This is easily Gardenhire's worst performance of the year. If the Twins lose, it is 100% on him.

Absolute piss poor managing by Gardenhire. WTF are you thinkin calling for the contact play. It's a sure out at home. If your gonna do something that stupid at least attempt the suicide squeeze. That was absolutely unacceptable.

Exactly, you make them take out at first.

This is easily Gardenhire's worst performance of the year. If the Twins lose, it is 100% on him.

Some bad baserunning can't be ignored either.

What in the name of everything holy was that?

Revere is going to have to hit an inside the park homer for us to win. But with how we're running bases, he'll be meat at the plate. Pulling my hair out.

Some bad baserunning can't be ignored either.

Nor can Perk's wretched outing.

 

And Doumit has gotta find a way to put a ball in play in that AB in the 9th.

Some bad baserunning can't be ignored either.

That's true. But trying to be too aggressive on the basebaths is somewhat forgivable.....those decisions by Gardy aren't.

Hammer time?

And the Hammer is Clutch

Willingham comes through again!

I'm not sure there can be much question about who our all-star rep should be anymore.

Mauer not pinch hitting when the game is tied isn't a terrible decision. The result, of course, didn't work out but when you're tied and you have a limited bench you don't want to end up with poor fielders or players playing out of position. Gardenhire wanted his best defense in the late innings, figuring his bully would hold off the Cubs--that didn't work out. Then he put in a fast guy with Morneau at third and nobody out--while that didn't work out, the move is defensible. I didn't like Revere bunting in the tenth with Carroll hitting next, but his chopper got the job done.

I'm not sure there can be much question about who our all-star rep should be anymore.

Not only is Willingham the obvious choice, but he actually can go there on merit, and not just because the Twins need a representative.

Mauer not pinch hitting when the game is tied isn't a terrible decision. The result, of course, didn't work out but when you're tied and you have a limited bench you don't want to end up with poor fielders or players playing out of position. Gardenhire wanted his best defense in the late innings, figuring his bully would hold off the Cubs--that didn't work out. Then he put in a fast guy with Morneau at third and nobody out--while that didn't work out, the move is defensible. I didn't like Revere bunting in the tenth with Carroll hitting next, but his chopper got the job done.

I concur. This board is designed for armchair managing and second guessing (and I enjoy doing that as well!) but in the end we got the win. Whether it was luck or making the right calls, I'm not going to critique a manager when we get a W.

A terrific W, really. Marcello's triple was big, Swarzak and Capps did the job, and Plouffe, Revere, Morny, the All-Star Willingham.

I concur. This board is designed for armchair managing and second guessing (and I enjoy doing that as well!) but in the end we got the win. Whether it was luck or making the right calls, I'm not going to critique a manager when we get a W.

 

I agree, pick up the W tomorrow with Diamond pitching and we have won 4 straight series.

So if they hit Mauer for Casilla, doesn't he just get walked? And when you can score a run with an out, do you let Casilla hit for that reason (when considering that bringing in Mauer causes some "strange" defensive shuffling if there's extra innings)? As it was happening, I was thinking Mauer for Dozier instead of Casilla because of the "you can win with an out with Casilla up, but not Dozier" factor. If they HAD gone Mauer for either of them, does that make Masto go to 2B? And do the Cubs walk Mauer even if he hits for Dozier leaving Mastro as the pivotal batter? That was certainly a "if this happens, then what happens next" moment. Lots of things to consider.

 

Also, as I was watching without sound and not where I could pay full attention, would Carroll have been safe at third had he not slid past the bag?

Revere is going to have to hit an inside the park homer for us to win. But with how we're running bases, he'll be meat at the plate. Pulling my hair out.

I also happened to call a walk-off inside-the-parker...but Mastro had to go and ruin it by reaching base ahead of him. Such a me-first move.

I concur. This board is designed for armchair managing and second guessing (and I enjoy doing that as well!) but in the end we got the win. Whether it was luck or making the right calls, I'm not going to critique a manager when we get a W.

Yup, plenty of lofty armchairs around here.

 

Nice to see such an exciting W from the Twins (using my new MLB.TV subscription in Ireland!)

Another base running gaffe.

Did you mean, "Another base running gaffe, by Denard Span"??? Probably one of the worst base runners this season for the Twins, who have a boat-load of bad base runners!

Diamond should just walk Soriano every time he is up tonight. Diamond is the kind of lefty that Soriano destroys.