Article: Just One Of 162, But Twins Win Felt Big

[chpettit19]

Loved the win, and loved the fact that they did it by playing solid, fundamental baseball. Taking walks when given to them and playing good defense. Hopefully they can keep that up all year.

 

That being said, am I the only one with a huge concern over hitting Buxton in the 3 hole? Kid has great potential and looks like a totally different hitter now, but he has still never had real success in the bigs. I know he had a good September, but it's pretty broadly accepted that September stats should be taken with a grain of salt due to roster expansion. He's finally showing that he may be turning a corner after a good spring training so I don't understand why you would throw him in a spot with a ton of added pressure at this point. It very likely may have been simply because Mollie wanted his lefties to hit and they had a tough lefty on the mound, but if that was the concern why not switch Buxton and Polanco? Buxton needs to just go out and play as pressure free as possible to find some success and then move up the order. Polanco has shown he can hit big league pitching. I don't like the added pressure on Buxton at all. I think he's a confident guy and a few bad games in the 3 hole won't kill that confidence, but why even put him in that position?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

tough call at that point. I wonder what my lines would be on that....how close before I don't trade ... though I believe it would depend on how I got there. Let's hope we actually have to discuss if they should deal for help, and not just deal to get more future...

Yeah, it's hard to predict the need/wants of the deadline this far in advance.

 

Here's one scenario:

 

The Twins are five games back. Polanco can't handle short but can hit. Dozier is sitting at 17 homers and .790 OPS. Mejia is struggling, Berrios is meh, Hughes is out for the season or in the pen, and Santana is chugging along with a 3.80 ERA.

 

That's a pretty clear situation where you trade Dozier and strongly consider keeping Santana.

 

And you can run a dozen different scenarios of that type and make a different decision every time.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Yeah, it's hard to predict the need/wants of the deadline this far in advance.

 

Here's one scenario:

 

The Twins are five games back. Polanco can't handle short but can hit. Dozier is sitting at 17 homers and .790 OPS. Mejia is struggling, Berrios is meh, Hughes is out for the season or in the pen, and Santana is chugging along with a 3.80 ERA.

 

That's a pretty clear situation where you trade Dozier and strongly consider keeping Santana.

 

And you can run a dozen different scenarios of that type and make a different decision every time.

 

right, which is why I won't for a while. Too many unknowns right now. Just enjoying a win, and a good game thread.

[Thrylos]

 

 

Grossman did execute a sacrifice - but he is supposed to. In the 3rd and 8th, each time with a runner on 1st, he struck out.

 

Most important thing that Grossman did was taking that walk.  Not sure that Park does that, btw...

[spinowner]

 

Ah ... too bad ... like reading about that kind of inspirational type stuff

Kintzler did not say what Belisle said, but he jokingly remarked that he was ready to go out and fight someone after the speech.

[Ex-Iowegian]

It felt really good to exhale...

Been a long winter.

Hope we can do that all over again. And real soon.

[Deduno Abides]

The thing is that using a linear arc, a 75 win season means they're a fringe contender at the deadline, probably within a few games of .500.

 

If the Twins sell in that situation, I'm okay with that... but I'm going to hope for better because it's in the best long-term interest of this team to win baseball games.

 

It's also possible the Twins are awful in the first half and decent in the second half but I'm not going to hope for bad-then-good. That seems like a bit too much to ask.

 

Look for a recent interview with Brian Cashman where he said he wanted to sell in fringe contender conditions. Fangraphs or ESPN. It's like choosing between one marshmallow now and three later, if you're willing to wait.

[Deduno Abides]

I agree. I don't necessarily like "giving up" on a season either because the future is never certain and I would like to see them be relevant again right now. But if the right circumstances came around to perhaps bolster the roster for years beyond next season I could get on board.

 

Where I think making this sort of trade would be problematic is from a PR stand point.  If the team is in contention and they trade their best pitcher for a bunch of guys the casual fan has never heard of and most likely will not see for a year or two, they could lose some fan interest in a hurry.

 

It doesn't appear that Falvey is afraid to take a short term PR hit if he thinks an action is in the long term interest.

 

Doesn't appear that any post on this thread complained that Park isn't on the roster.

[Blake]

 

If Santana is able to put together another good season, that puts the Twins in a good position going into the break. Either he helps them win ballgames and hang in the race or the Twins have a *very* nice trade piece at the deadline.

But what if the Twins are in the playoff hunt? they've won the opener for the first time in decades! Contract extensions all around!!

 

Seriously, nice to see the monkey off the back. After last years 9 game debacle it will be interesting to see how the team does the first 9 games this year.

[TheLeviathan]

Man, one game.  We're a desperate bunch huh?

 

I too hope Santana is great this year.  And we move him for an arm that will be great for the next 6 years.

[Dantes929]

 

I predict that yesterday will be DanSan's best game of the season.

 

It's nice to open the season with a win.

Couldn't tell if you got Dan Santana mixed up with Ervin.   If you did then I certainly hope you are not right.   Santana pitches like an ace fairly often.    If you did mean you think yesterday was Danny Santana's best game of the year then that is kind of funny since he did not play but kind of mean also.

[rghrbek]

 

Couldn't tell if you got Dan Santana mixed up with Ervin.   If you did then I certainly hope you are not right.   Santana pitches like an ace fairly often.    If you did mean you think yesterday was Danny Santana's best game of the year then that is kind of funny since he did not play but kind of mean also.

 

I did intend that, and agree it was both funny and mean...more the first one though

[Doomtints]

 

Couldn't tell if you got Dan Santana mixed up with Ervin.   If you did then I certainly hope you are not right.   Santana pitches like an ace fairly often.    If you did mean you think yesterday was Danny Santana's best game of the year then that is kind of funny since he did not play but kind of mean also.

 

Woah, tone down the Inferno, Dante.

 

 

[Lee-The-Twins-Fan]

So when was the last time the Twins had a better record than the NY Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs???

 

Relish it while we can.

[Dantes929]

 

Woah, tone down the Inferno, Dante.

The nickname was inspired by the sculpture "the thinker" which was depicting scene one of the Divine Comedy.    I have a talent for looking like I am deep in thought while I am usually just replaying my last round of golf in my head.

[jimbo92107]

If you get a chance, go back and watch that 6-run 7th inning again. Notice how the Twins did just about everything right to take advantage of KC's pitching troubles. First, Jorge Polanco's scratch hit. Doesn't that kid just look like a good young baseball player? Then Kepler's excellent strike zone discipline, waiting for a good pitch to bunt, followed by an excellent bunt and great hustle down the line.

 

Then up steps Eddie Rosario, and he does exactly what we love: He saw the SS not in position to execute the wheel play, so Eddie punches a bunt right to Moustakas, handing him an out at first, but now the Twins have runners on 2nd and 3rd. All along, they did the smart thing, and executed just right. Walk to Dozier, and then Robbie Grossman does what he does best...draw a walk to score Polanco. 

 

Other than Buxton, who is still flailing early in the season, just about everybody did his part to keep advancing runners. Even the new catcher came up with a clutch hit to drive in two runs. 

 

More than just a win, this game looked like a statement. This team seems far more competent than last season. They read situations better, and execute correctly. Great outfield defense, and the middle infield looks solid. Joe Mauer at 1st base could be one of the better fielders at that position now. 

 

If only the pitching staff holds up...

[Doomtints]

 

The nickname was inspired by the sculpture "the thinker" which was depicting scene one of the Divine Comedy.    I have a talent for looking like I am deep in thought while I am usually just replaying my last round of golf in my head.

 

I just wanted to type that.