July 23, 201511 yr The Hicks thing looked worse because of whatever it is that was on their warning track. Still - he didn't have a particularly good read on that ball, that's why he was trying to put on the brakes like that in the first place.
July 23, 201511 yr Hicks fell again?He was tired. Grass is soft. In all seriousness, I think Hicks is going to always be "that guy" who drives you nuts on occasion because he takes a play off or doesn't hustle. As long as it doesn't happen too often, I can live with it.
July 23, 201511 yr He's actually lucky he didn't get hurt, so it was fortunate in that sense. Not a good route/read on that ball though.
July 24, 201511 yr Thank goodness the Angels were slightly lower energy today than the Twins.They were just sad to see their old friend Ervin pitching for a different team. ;-)
July 24, 201511 yr just started reading this today, and can't believe we got 4 pages of posts on this. Baseball has 162 games. There's no such thing as an undefeated season. This was the rant of George Steinbrenner. Calling for Molitor's head is about the most moronic thing i've heard this year. The simple fact that it's Jul 23, and we're still watching them with "playoff" talk should tell us Molitor, and the rest of the changes, have been a positive impact. This team was very "soft" under Gardy the last couple years. Having a couple bad games is hardly indicative of the entire season. I, for one, am still dancing every morning when I wake up, and realize Gardy is gone!
July 24, 201511 yr Actually, one of the traits that has improved their record is their ability to bounce back and avoid losing streaks. Most of that comes from having an improved starting staff. Santana shut down two good-hitting teams on the trip and Hughes gave the club a good chance to win as well. There will be ups and downs and since the first week of the season, the Twins have managed to avoid week-long lulls, mostly because the starters have picked them up.
July 25, 201511 yr The Hicks thing looked worse because of whatever it is that was on their warning track. Still - he didn't have a particularly good read on that ball, that's why he was trying to put on the brakes like that in the first place. I think that the warning track in Anaheim is comprised of the same substance as the infield. I have seen Torii make harder catches on that same warning track (in Torii's gold glove years), sometimes using the padding on the wall to reduce his chances of an injury. It also seemed to me that Hicks was not concentrating 100% when the ball was hit and that he should have reacted more quickly and had a better sense of where the wall was. I am hoping that Torii is giving him good advice.
July 27, 201511 yr Author I blame lack of energy. Energy has never been the issue, it's just bad approaches at the plate after a tough loss it seems.
July 27, 201511 yr I don't know, there seems to be something about the energy too. Hunter has seemed to have some fun moments after wins with young guys, but "teaching" guys to have energy probably doesn't work. Arcia, Vargas and Santana have all been various degrees of disappointing, but the best part about last year was seeming those three pumped up and at the top step of the dugout every game. Get Arcia and his unearned confidence/arrogance back up, this team could use a bit more a hole.
July 27, 201511 yr The Hicks thing looked worse because of whatever it is that was on their warning track. Still - he didn't have a particularly good read on that ball, that's why he was trying to put on the brakes like that in the first place. I think that the warning track in Anaheim is comprised of the same substance as the infield. I have seen Torii make harder catches on that same warning track (in Torii's gold glove years), sometimes using the padding on the wall to reduce his chances of an injury.Yes, in defense of Hicks, it appears the outfield warning track in Anaheim is synthetic and basically made of plastic (like everything else in Cali) instead of dirt. I would say Hicks read the ball fine and was going to reach up and make the catch, and was only putting on the brakes to brace himself against the fence after he caught it. If he was wearing plastic cleats, that would explain his heels slipping out. Here's Lance Berkman slipping in Yankee stadium in 2010—different surface but same deal. It's a little overkill to claim every ball that lands in the outfield somewhere is the result of a Hicks misread or misplay. Hicks definitely misplayed the ball on Saturday night but it's not a stretch to say he is playing extremely well since his call up.
July 27, 201511 yr Calling a team soft is a weak cop out. If they'er not trying or quitting on plays is one thing but I haven't seen much of that over the course of the season so far.
July 27, 201511 yr I agree this team is soft... on talent. Drive to win? I'm sure they have a drive to win. The problem is they have a bunch of mediocre/bad players and the luck well has run dry. I believe Denny Green famously said something that could be accurately applied to the 2015 Twins.
July 27, 201511 yr I also think if they were truly soft they would have been buries 3-4 times already this season. Maybe this is the stretch that finally kills them, but I'll wait until it actually happens. They were a couple of Perkins blown saves from a winning record over that stretch, which would have been impressive.
July 27, 201511 yr I agree this team is soft... on talent. Drive to win? I'm sure they have a drive to win. The problem is they have a bunch of mediocre/bad players and the luck well has run dry. I believe Denny Green famously said something that could be accurately applied to the 2015 Twins. No room for cry babies?
July 27, 201511 yr I don't know, there seems to be something about the energy too. Hunter has seemed to have some fun moments after wins with young guys, but "teaching" guys to have energy probably doesn't work.Arcia, Vargas and Santana have all been various degrees of disappointing, but the best part about last year was seeming those three pumped up and at the top step of the dugout every game. Get Arcia and his unearned confidence/arrogance back up, this team could use a bit more a hole. I'll be surprised if Arcia isn't traded, no matter how much I disagree with it.
July 27, 201511 yr I also think if they were truly soft they would have been buries 3-4 times already this season. Maybe this is the stretch that finally kills them, but I'll wait until it actually happens. They were a couple of Perkins blown saves from a winning record over that stretch, which would have been impressive.This is true, its easy to lose sight of after a bad loss. I mentioned earlier that the team was one Perkins out away in Oakland that would have put them at. 500 on the West Coast swing. That ain't shabby.
August 5, 201511 yr Not a lot of fight tonight, what can you say? Another horrific night at the plate, barely a whiff of battle. I'm usually a pretty positive guy but everyone not named Sano needs to get their heads out of their ass and start adjusting, everyone else has. Sadly, the talent just isn't their right now.
August 5, 201511 yr Author Not a lot of fight tonight, what can you say? Another horrific night at the plate, barely a whiff of battle. I'm usually a pretty positive guy but everyone not named Sano needs to get their heads out of their ass and start adjusting, everyone else has. Sadly, the talent just isn't their right now.0 for their last 18 with the bases loaded by my count. 1 RBI. That isn't bad luck, that is just piss poor approaches to at bats. Then of course, once they fail to get in anyone with the bases loaded (or just one tonight) they go into a classic 15-18 retired in a row funk. Something has got to change
August 5, 201511 yr None of them look to have much of a plan at the plate, Sano aside, he at least looks like he knows what he wants to do. The rest just look like deer in the headlights.
August 5, 201511 yr The offense has been really, really bad. It desperately needs an infusion of new blood - get Arcia up, put Polanco in at SS, and drop Mauer in the lineup.
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