Front Page: Twins Game Recap (8/5): May Throws Fire, Sano Launches a Walk-Off Bomb in Twins Win

[Riverbrian]

I sometimes check out the oppo team's sbn board, just to see how their fans are reacting- and maybe, just maybe, for a little chuckle of schadenfreude.

 

True to form. Of course, just like folks we know (and are), they're kvetching about their recent bullpen acquisitions not paying off, and I got another chortle about one fan's musing that Twins fans must also be cursing their bullpen for giving up the lead. (True dat).

 

But one thing that I appreciate so much about this board- once Arraez got that bloop, F-bombs everywhere, and after the Sano blast, some of them started personally sniping at each other, going so far as to cut and paste weeks-old posts to rub stuff in someone's face.

 

I look at this place as one refuge where fans can bitch and moan and celebrate together-without resorting to personal beefs, and keyboard warriors are not something we have to deal with. (That's what twitter's for). My kudos to the admin's, and to the people on this board itself.

 

I gotta say, these past few days-- my country is grieving and tearing itself apart, and Hong Kong where I live, is literally tearing itself apart. It's incredibly scary here right now; yesterday and last night were some of the worst hours of my life. I needed this couple hours of respite for my very soul today. I'm happy for the Twins win. And I'm happy to share it with folks like you.

 

Thanks.

Perspective is wonderful.

[Blake]

I'm hoping May just took a big step forward last night. If he did, the Twins bullpen just got a lot better.

[Alex Schieferdecker]

A little bizarre that Cave is getting dragged for his error in right when it was Adrianza's missed scoop at first and Castro's passed ball that allowed the Braves to threaten in that inning anyway. Harper was pitching fine, the guys behind him just didn't make the plays, and it wasn't just Cave.

[nicksaviking]

 

If we have bench players this would be a concern.

Baldelli plays everyone so I don’t see a concern.

 

Yeah, in past years I'd agree with not bringing up a top prospect to ride pine, but no one does that. Every hitter on the active roster has over 100 PA and Adrianza has played in 62 games. If say Rooker was the call (once healthy), there would be ABs for him as the 4th OF and back up 1B.

[nicksaviking]

 

A hearty thanks to Mr Acuña for a very classy reaction to that home run. Little things like that make a memorable game stick in your mind.

 

Yeah, I wonder how that played in his own clubhouse. I'm hoping for Not Well.

[Blake]

 

A little bizarre that Cave is getting dragged for his error in right when it was Adrianza's missed scoop at first and Castro's passed ball that allowed the Braves to threaten in that inning anyway. Harper was pitching fine, the guys behind him just didn't make the plays, and it wasn't just Cave.

The problem is that Cave needs to bring his "A" defense because his bat is MIA.

 

Adrianza has shown some ability with the bat this year and his glove work has been extremely good.

 

Same with Castro.

[ashbury]

Yeah, I wonder how that played in his own clubhouse. I'm hoping for Not Well.

Just a guess, but I'll go with "not an issue" with his buddies. It came across to me as "that's game, let's get 'em tomorrow." More professional than some kind of histrionics, or fake hustle going to the wall to watch the ball clear it by 50 feet or whatever.

[Riverbrian]

Yeah, in past years I'd agree with not bringing up a top prospect to ride pine, but no one does that. Every hitter on the active roster has over 100 PA and Adrianza has played in 62 games. If say Rooker was the call (once healthy), there would be ABs for him as the 4th OF and back up 1B.

Yeah... you wouldn’t even have to label him a 4th OF. Just call him an OF.

[Trov]

Sano has been crushing lately.  I have been way down on him over the years, but he is showing he is putting in the work.  The hardest thing for some players is to change what has worked their whole lives, even harder when it does not work right away.  I think he is finally learning he does not need to pull everything, he can put the ball out to any field.  I hope his next step is to plan out the at bat, and not just react.  

 

So many times in the past, not so much recently, he would go up there and try to pull outside sliders and just miss or weak contact.  If he would go up and look for that pitch, step into it, he could smoke that thing off of or over the RF over and over.  

 

If we play in NY during playoffs, I hope he thinks about fact a pop up to RF is a home run in NY. 

[ashbury]

Yeah... you wouldn’t even have to label him a 4th OF. Just call him an OF.

As long as Byron is the 1st outfielder, Max is 2nd, and Eddie is 3rd, I'm not hung up on labeling the other outfielders.

[nicksaviking]

 

Just a guess, but I'll go with "not an issue" with his buddies. It came across to me as "that's game, let's get 'em tomorrow." More professional than some kind of histrionics, or fake hustle going to the wall to watch the ball clear it by 50 feet or whatever.

 

Buddies probably not. Catchers and pitchers tend to be quite sensitive when it comes to optics though, so I'll cheer for a rift to grow there. At least for the next two games. 

 

Eh, make it all year. I don't much care for Atlanta.

[ScooterDance]

 

Please share!

 

[Tomj14]

 

Sano has been crushing lately.  I have been way down on him over the years, but he is showing he is putting in the work.  The hardest thing for some players is to change what has worked their whole lives, even harder when it does not work right away.  I think he is finally learning he does not need to pull everything, he can put the ball out to any field.  I hope his next step is to plan out the at bat, and not just react.  

 

So many times in the past, not so much recently, he would go up there and try to pull outside sliders and just miss or weak contact.  If he would go up and look for that pitch, step into it, he could smoke that thing off of or over the RF over and over.  

 

If we play in NY during playoffs, I hope he thinks about fact a pop up to RF is a home run in NY. 

Sano had a five game slump, and it sounds like he spent the whole game in the cage working, which to me is almost as important as the homer he hit. It does seem like something has clicked this year and I give credit to Cruz those two seem like they are pretty close. (from my 5000 ft view)

[Blake]

Side Note: I enjoyed listening to Jim Kaat and Bert in the booth last night. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Buddies probably not. Catchers and pitchers tend to be quite sensitive when it comes to optics though, so I'll cheer for a rift to grow there. At least for the next two games.

 

Eh, make it all year. I don't much care for Atlanta.

You know, with Sano walking slowly out of the batter's box, the pitcher hunching over as if he dared not look back to see where the ball would land... I really doubt that Acuña will get singled out for his reaction on that play.

[SF Twins Fan]

Such an exciting game to watch and pumped the Indians lost their game and the lead in now up to 4 games!  Arraez is my new favorite player on the team.  Love his hustle and his hitting ability. 

[Mike Sixel]

The Twins aren’t going to call up Rooker to have him be a bench player.

If he were healthy, why not? He's 25or 26.... Plus, Cave is playing.... That said, I'd consider one of the young AA outfielders if Cave doesn't hot the next couple weeks.

[Dantes929]

 

Buddies probably not. Catchers and pitchers tend to be quite sensitive when it comes to optics though, so I'll cheer for a rift to grow there. At least for the next two games. 

 

Eh, make it all year. I don't much care for Atlanta.

I think very much a non issue.   I don;t know how it could be called classy but don't know how any teammates can have an issue with it either.  Watch the pitcher himself.    He knew it was gone immediately and only turned to look to see how far.

[nicksaviking]

 

Side Note: I enjoyed listening to Jim Kaat and Bert in the booth last night. 

 

As did I, though I enjoyed one of them much more than the other.

[nicksaviking]

 

Sano had a five game slump, and it sounds like he spent the whole game in the cage working, which to me is almost as important as the homer he hit. It does seem like something has clicked this year and I give credit to Cruz those two seem like they are pretty close. (from my 5000 ft view)

 

Yeah, every batter who played for the Twins last year has reduced his strikeouts this season. Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference, but Sano may have benefited from spring training when whatever change struck the organization occurred.

[Riverbrian]

As long as Byron is the 1st outfielder, Max is 2nd, and Eddie is 3rd, I'm not hung up on labeling the other outfielders.

People have tried to label me and found no success in their attempts.

 

We keep trying to put players in boxes.

 

Is Schoop the back up now or is he part of the roster and simply utilized?

 

Is Arraez the starting 2B next year or is he part of the roster playing 2B, 3B and LF?

 

If Rooker goes nuts does he have to go nuts once a week or can the manager make it work.

 

Labels are counter to how Baldelli is doing things and I couldn’t be happier.

[ashbury]

Catchers and pitchers tend to be quite sensitive when it comes to optics though

Yeah, McCann can get a little salty. I notice that he didn't stick around behind the plate to shake Sano's hand when Miggy came back around. "If my center fielder is giving up, I may as well too."

[BINGBONG69]

 

This might be Cave's last chance to show something with the Twins. He really needs to start being a productive player as Rooker is probably ready for a call up, with Kirilloff/Larnach not far behind. 

Watching Cave play is painful. I'd much rather give Larnach a chance to show what he can do.

[ashbury]

People have tried to label me and found no success in their attempts.

 

We keep trying to put players in boxes.

 

Is Schoop the back up now or is he part of the roster and simply utilized?

 

Is Arraez the starting 2B next year or is he part of the roster playing 2B, 3B and LF?

 

If Rooker goes nuts does he have to go nuts once a week or can the manager make it work.

 

Labels are counter to how Baldelli is doing things and I couldn’t be happier.

I'm sure you understood I was just throwing some absurdist humor at you.

 

I love positional flexibility. I want my best players to get the most innings^*. I don't think there is a contradiction between these two views.

 

 

^{*_{and with injuries being a fact of life, and one pitcher not being the same as another, "best" is a fluid term from game to game}}

[big dog]

 

Just a guess, but I'll go with "not an issue" with his buddies. It came across to me as "that's game, let's get 'em tomorrow." More professional than some kind of histrionics, or fake hustle going to the wall to watch the ball clear it by 50 feet or whatever.

Yeah, based on Martin's response to the swing he was probably in the dugout long before Acuna got there.

[strumdatjaguar]

When was the last walk-off homer against the Braves?   Oh I remember - "And we'll see you tomorrow night!!!!!!!!".   I'm there tonight - hoping Berrios pitches a 10 inning shutout.   WOW  Gotta love this season!

[Darius]

Still a lot of back/handed complements regarding Sano (“better than watching him strike out”....etc.)

 

I’m not sure when people are going to realize his changes are for real. His emergence is arguably the key reason the Twins are still ahead of Indians right now.

 

That’s his second monster clutch home run that I recall this year (the should be winner against the Yankees the other). I feel great when he comes up in situations like that. It’s a shame that more fans aren’t appreciating he good of a player he actually is. That win last night was massive.

[luckylager]

 

As did I, though I enjoyed one of them much more than the other.

 

I'd much prefer a team of Dick Bremer and Ted William's defrosting head to the pair doing the Royals TV broadcast this weekend.  Regardless of Dick's partner in the booth, we haven't got it so bad. 

[Darius]

A little bizarre that Cave is getting dragged for his error in right when it was Adrianza's missed scoop at first and Castro's passed ball that allowed the Braves to threaten in that inning anyway. Harper was pitching fine, the guys behind him just didn't make the plays, and it wasn't just Cave.

I don’t think is bizarre at all.

 

First reason: Adrianza isn’t a first baseman. He shouldn’t be there. If Cave booted a ball at third base people wouldn’t care as much (they’d more wonder why he was there - similar to my reaction to Adrianza playing first so much). When an outfielder, who has always been an outfielder, is misplaying balls - it’s a bigger issue than a shortstop botching a scoop at first. It’s a matter of expectation/proficiency at your normal position.

 

Second reason: This isn’t the first time Cave has botched a play in a massive situation within a massive game. He botched a play against the Yankees that was a major factor in losing the 8-2 game and the series.

 

It’s not that people don’t like Cave and like Adrianza (only can speak for myself), it’s that he’s having a much larger detrimental impact on the club than Adrianza. Adrianza has contributed all year. He’s produced offensively, he’s played multiple positions, he’s pinch ran, etc. Cave hasn’t produced in any facet of the game. He’s just not helping. It goes beyond looking at each play in a vacuum.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Darius

[Tomj14]

 

Still a lot of back/handed complements regarding Sano (“better than watching him strike out”....etc.)

I’m not sure when people are going to realize his changes are for real. His emergence is arguably the key reason the Twins are still ahead of Indians right now.

That’s his second monster clutch home run that I recall this year (the should be winner against the Yankees the other). I feel great when he comes up in situations like that. It’s a shame that more fans aren’t appreciating he good of a player he actually is. That win last night was massive.

Zero facts to back this up, but it seems when somebody else gets in the home run groove, he tends to slide back into the, I am going to pull ever pitch over the left field fence, then get he starts to get going again when he starts going with pitch.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Tomj14