Front Page: Twins Need Rosario to Rein it In

[puckstopper1]

I have mixed feelings on Rosario. His defense is clearly not up to par this season, and yes - he does look foolish at times at the plate.

 

He has, however, come up with some of the most clutch hits of the season - second maybe only to Kepler.

 

I also feel that his digression may somewhat be contributed to his ankle injury.

Edited September 4, 2019 by puckstopper1

[joefish]

Eddie's numbers pass. But he fails the eye test. Terrible at bats. Swing at anything the almost reaches the plate. Does not run hard. Defense is careless. Up and down. All over the place. I'd settle for a steady Eddie. Playing hard and smart. Swinging at strikes. He I infuriates me.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

 

I don't know if i call it a transformation. He's still striking out at near career highs and still not walking as much as did in 2105 which was 15.8%

 

The overall strikeout number is high, but look at the drop since July.  Curious to see there is more improvement and where the season number will come in.  I'm sure Rowson's long-term goal is to get his SO% under 30% or even better.

 

Not sure what to make of the ungodly 2015 walk stat, except that he only had 335 PAs.

[Darius]

Uh, no. He had a most unfortunate check swing habit that he has learned to control. He is earning walks at a heretofore unseen pace. These improvements in his judgment mean that opposing pitchers can no longer get away with throwing him unhittable crap outside the zone.

Uh, no. Calling Sano an undisciplined hitter is so wrong that I’m not sure you’ve actually watched the guy a whole lot, or just read other peoples’ takes about strikeouts.

 

Sure, he had a bit of a lapse earlier this year and last year with breaking balls (due to so much missed time due to injury, etc. IMO - pitch recognition take tons of work actually seeing live pitches - I think people forget he’s missed an entire offseason, two spring trainings, and significant portions of regular season play). But, throughout his career Sano has largely been a very patient hitter. He just doesn’t swing often at marginal pitches early in the count. His objective is to get a fastball by getting ahead in the count (or getting the pitcher behind in the count). It always has been his approach.

 

It’s kind of unbelievable. I’ve never seen so many incorrect misconceptions developed by a general fan base about a player. Some of the things I’ve read in the comments section of this website regarding Sano are so ill informed that I can’t even be upset about them. Nitpick his defense? OK. Have an issue with Ks? I think it’s ridiculous to nitpick the method of getting out, and think routine ground balls are the worst thing you can do, but I can still recognize that as a debatable stance. But, saying he has discipline issues on par with Eddie Rosario is the direct opposite of true.

[Squirrel]

 

Funny, at the end of last season, to an intermediate fan such as myself, Rosario and Berrios were the ones who I hoped to se extended. They extended Polanco and Kepler.

 

Falvine must have a crystal ball. 

I thought they tried also to extend Rosario but he turned it down? Did I confuse that with someone else?

[Darius]

First, thanks for enforcing a fact check. It's important to be certain of the numbers if our opinions are to mean anything.

 

It was indeed a surprise to find Sano leading the team in BB/PA (45/363, 12.4%). Next best is Castro at 28/242, 11.6%. Sano's MLB BB% has never been below 10%, but he only has two seasons with more than 400 PA. Of Twins players with over 400 PA this season, only Kepler and Cruz are at/over 10%. Rosario (18/497, 3.6%) and Schoop (16/397, 4.0%) do least well in this category among major batters in Twins 2019 lineup.

 

Rosario does much better than Sano at not striking out. This season he has recorded 71Ks for 14.3% of his PAs. Sano leads Twins batters with 132 (36.4%).

 

The first half vs second half and monthly stats tell a fuller story of Sano's improved discipline. His BB% rose from 11.3% to 13.3% at the same time his SO% dropped appreciably from 38.1% to 34.9%. This is particularly noticeable in the month of July, but he slipped back in August. He has significantly reduced his number of swings at pitches outside the zone this year, a major Rosario issue. The perception has been that the number of strikes called on those irritating check swings has also dropped, but I can't locate data to support this at the moment.

 

Rosario and Sano are certainly different classes of hitters. But if Sano can apply what he's learned from Rowson and Hernandez, then Rosario should also be able to do so.

But, you’re arguing that Sano is an undisciplined hitter in terms of swinging outside of the zone. In reality, Sano is leading the team in pitches per plate appearance significantly. People rave about Polanco and Kepler’s discipline - Sano sees nearly a full pitch more per AB than Kepler, and .5 more than Polanco. Where is the endless bitching about them?

 

If you want to debate strikeouts, knock yourself out. The guy has a 1.000+ OPS for over half the season. Aside from Cruz, he’s been our best hitter for months. Strikeouts and plate discipline are included in that number. His BB/K% is .34 - Cruz is .39. His runs created per 27 outs is right on par with Polanco and higher than Kepler. His isolated power is only about .15 behind Cruz (and I’m guessing would be higher than Garver is Garver played every day). He’s got the same number of XBH as Cron despite playing 30 fewer games. His XBH/game played is nearly identical to Kepler, is higher than Polanco and Garver, and is pretty similar to Cruz. His AB/HR is right there with Cruz. His OBP is identical to Kepler. He’s OPSing more than Kepler, Polanco, and Arraez significantly.

 

There are endless statistics out there that will tell you Sano is a pretty damn good hitter. The numbers above also include his entire season, massive slumps and all. You look at July 1 until now, and it’s pretty incredible. He’s out OPSing Juan Soto, Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Ronald Ocuna, etc.

 

Why is it people always feel like he’s loafing, and they need to get more out of him? What more do people want? Any more than what he’s done since July 1 and he’s arguably the best hitter in baseball. You’re talking about an expectation baseline of one of the greatest hitters of all time.

 

It’s time for people to take the blinders off and appreciate Sano. He gets criticized to no end while out producing Kepler and Polanco - and those two guys are lauded by fans like Caeser after the battle of Alesia. It makes no sense to me.

Edited September 4, 2019 by Darius

[jimbo92107]

I've been wondering for a while now if Rosario is playing hurt. His normal eager look has been replaced by something more like a scowl of frustration. 

[Dman]

 

Uh, no. Calling Sano an undisciplined hitter is so wrong that I’m not sure you’ve actually watched the guy a whole lot, or just read other peoples’ takes about strikeouts.

Sure, he had a bit of a lapse earlier this year and last year with breaking balls (due to so much missed time due to injury, etc. IMO - pitch recognition take tons of work actually seeing live pitches - I think people forget he’s missed an entire offseason, two spring trainings, and significant portions of regular season play). But, throughout his career Sano has largely been a very patient hitter. He just doesn’t swing often at marginal pitches early in the count. His objective is to get a fastball by getting ahead in the count (or getting the pitcher behind in the count). It always has been his approach.

It’s kind of unbelievable. I’ve never seen so many incorrect misconceptions developed by a general fan base about a player. Some of the things I’ve read in the comments section of this website regarding Sano are so ill informed that I can’t even be upset about them. Nitpick his defense? OK. Have an issue with Ks? I think it’s ridiculous to nitpick the method of getting out, and think routine ground balls are the worst thing you can do, but I can still recognize that as a debatable stance. But, saying he has discipline issues on par with Eddie Rosario is the direct opposite of true.

 

When Sano first came up his rookie year I agree he had better plate discipline than I expected and he was so good that he got an All-Star nod.  Since that time though his results are far more mixed with his K rate climbing due to being pretty undisciplined at the plate IMO.  So in MLB he has about as many games being disciplined as undisciplined so which is he?  I hope he stays more disciplined. I agree with you that his injuries had a role to play but results are results. 

 

I also agree with you that he and Rosario take completely different approaches at the plate.  Sano Strikes out a lot but when he gets a hold of a baseball it is getting hit really hard or not coming back.  Rosario is more about contact so he doesn't strike out a lot but he also is willing to expand the strike zone to try and get hits.  Since he doesn't K that often he gets about 20% more at bats to make outs in BABIP than Sano who K's over 30% of the time.  Sano does offset the K rate with more walks than Rosario as well but as you stated two different approaches.

 

I believe the only reason some (myself included) are comparing the two is because this year once Sano layed off some low and away stuff and started taking walks he got better pitches to hit and started hitting more home runs.  That same theory still applies to Rosario.  If he can lay off the tough pitches he has a chance to do more damage.  The ultimate comparison is Arraez who with his great eye at the plate has on OBP of 400 to Rosario's 300.  Not saying Eddie has to be Arraez but you can see that with just incremental improvement he can likely up his OPS significantly.  I mean Arraez who is not a power hitter has OPS of of 850 to Rosario's 800.

 

There are certainly times when Rosario's swing at anything close can work and work well but if he can be more disciplined it would make him more unpredictable and even harder for pitchers to deal with.  It is a skill he should definitely work on as in IMO if he can get better at plate discipline he will be a perennial All-Star otherwise he just is what he is and I believe that is someone who can be replaced.

[Bomba2026]

Regarding Eddie, whom I like a lot, I think there is some kind of underlying issue. Maybe his personal life, maybe he needs glasses, maybe he just needs to be told the Twins still WANT him. In every job, If you don't feel needed, you stop caring. Why are baseball players any different? I think if the Twins were to lock him down now, he will get more than 91 RBIs this year....Everyone is always praising Sano and Arraez and they are great, but the Twins heed to appreciate Rosario as well.

[Darius]

I think this topic is somewhat similar to the demands for the FO to somehow force Buxton to quit playing at 100%. It’s nice in theory. I’d also like to teach my dog to get me a beer out of the fridge. I’m sure it can be done, but is it realistic? Will it really make my life that much better? (Bad example, because yes it would).

 

Rosario is what he is. He ebbs and flows in terms of his chase rate, but his ability to hit any ball from his shoelaces to helmet visor 500 ft is what makes him a special player.

 

Do I want him swinging at everything? Of course not. But, if he wants to take a hack at a fastball at his shoulders in an attempt to tie the game with a 3 run HR in the 8th - I love it. He’s proven he can do it, and it may be the best pitch he gets.

 

The thing that doesn’t get considered is what that does to a pitchers’ psyche. When you intend to stay away from Rosario and you succeed, and he still bounces one at 120 mph off the limestone out in right, that has to affect confidence and get in your head somewhat.

 

Similar to Sano, expectations are everything. .280 with 30+ bombas and 100+ RBI for Rosario is lacking in some way? He’s still OPSing over .800. What are we asking for, here? .330 and 50? We have to keep perspective. All players slump. Eddie Rosario just can’t be peak Eddie Rosario for 162 games. Mike Trout isn’t peak Mike Trout for 162 games. Expecting that, and complaining about the player when it doesn’t happen, is bordering on lunacy.

 

I’m much more concerned with his defense, but still not ready to cast any stones at a 27 year old who currently has the longest track record of production as a Twin.

 

Dollars to donuts that Rosario shows up huge in the playoffs. He’s shown over and over again that he has the “clutch gene.”

Edited September 4, 2019 by Darius

[Darius]

Regarding Eddie, whom I like a lot, I think there is some kind of underlying issue. Maybe his personal life, maybe he needs glasses, maybe he just needs to be told the Twins still WANT him. In every job, If you don't feel needed, you stop caring. Why are baseball players any different? I think if the Twins were to lock him down now, he will get more than 91 RBIs this year....Everyone is always praising Sano and Arraez and they are great, but the Twins heed to appreciate Rosario as well.

Everyone praises Sano? As we speak people are still complaining about his plate discipline and strikeouts while OPSing over 1.000 for 2+ months and hitting monster clutch home runs 2-3 times per week.

[DocBauer]

I've been wondering for a while now if Rosario is playing hurt. His normal eager look has been replaced by something more like a scowl of frustration.

I am about 99.9% certain I've heard reference to his ankle still bothering him. Without healthy legs, any batter may struggle some.

 

But as was pointed out earlier in the thread, really kind of hard to blast someone hitting .280, pushing 30HR and having 92RBI with almost a month to go.

 

Like any hitter, Rosario will have hot and cold streaks. IMO, it is the very nature of how he plays, and those crazy swings that sometimes connect, and sometimes don't, that seem to exaggerate his highs and lows over others.

 

I don't really like much not to like about Eddie. But as bug of a fan as I am, I think it remains realistic that just a fraction more discipline could make a very good, very dangerous hitter downright lethal.

[ewen21]

 

Eddie Rosario's batting .281 with 27 homers and 92 RBI. The Twins are in 1st place by 6.5 games on September 4th.

 

There is literally nothing to complain about, so it's "hate on Eddie" week? I know that in this day in age, we all need our daily blog posts to provoke some controversy and conversation. But c'mon man.

 

Eddie's a free swinger. Been that way since he hit a HR in his first MLB at bat many years ago. He's had some huge hits for this team. He's carried this team on his back for long periods of time.

 

Yes, Eddie is going to swing at some bad pitches. So what. Let the guy play his game.

What?

 

Are we only to discuss the shiny happy things and leave it at that?  Rosario is a good player and the original poster would acknowledge that, but why shouldn't he learn to go up there with a plan sometimes?  What exactly is did the original poster say that was out of hand?

 

I don't see this kind of analysis as "complaining".  It is a discussion about a good player who can be a little better if he sharpened up a few things.  The assessment offered by the original poster was accurate and fair so I am not sure what the problem is

[wabene]

I don't know if i call it a transformation. He's still striking out at near career highs and still not walking as much as did in 2105 which was 15.8%

I just can't get over the fact that Sano has been able to cobble together an 89 year career!

[Dman]

 

I think this topic is somewhat similar to the demands for the FO to somehow force Buxton to quit playing at 100%. It’s nice in theory. I’d also like to teach my dog to get me a beer out of the fridge. I’m sure it can be done, but is it realistic? Will it really make my life that much better? (Bad example, because yes it would).

Rosario is what he is. He ebbs and flows in terms of his chase rate, but his ability to hit any ball from his shoelaces to helmet visor 500 ft is what makes him a special player.

Do I want him swinging at everything? Of course not. But, if he wants to take a hack at a fastball at his shoulders in an attempt to tie the game with a 3 run HR in the 8th - I love it. He’s proven he can do it, and it may be the best pitch he gets.

The thing that doesn’t get considered is what that does to a pitchers’ psyche. When you intend to stay away from Rosario and you succeed, and he still bounces one at 120 mph off the limestone out in right, that has to affect confidence and get in your head somewhat.

Similar to Sano, expectations are everything. .280 with 30+ bombas and 100+ RBI for Rosario is lacking in some way? He’s still OPSing over .800. What are we asking for, here? .330 and 50? We have to keep perspective. All players slump. Eddie Rosario just can’t be peak Eddie Rosario for 162 games. Mike Trout isn’t peak Mike Trout for 162 games. Expecting that, and complaining about the player when it doesn’t happen, is bordering on lunacy.

I’m much more concerned with his defense, but still not ready to cast any stones at a 27 year old who currently has the longest track record of production as a Twin.

Dollars to donuts that Rosario shows up huge in the playoffs. He’s shown over and over again that he has the “clutch gene.”

 

I guess we see these comments differently.  I don't see people really ragging on Rosario's production as much as saying there is a clear way he could be a better player.  There are two players in MiLB right now that are putting up the same type of numbers that Rosario did when he was there.  Larnach was just named player of the year and his OBP is around 80 points higher than his batting average meaning he has good plate discipline.  Kirilloff has a sweet swing just like Eddie and I don't believe he expands the zone like Eddie does. Can they put up his numbers at the MLB level maybe, maybe not but they both look like they have the chance to surpass his production to me.  Eddie is going to need to prove he is better than they are if he wants to keep his spot.  One way would be better plate discipline. I think that is all most people are saying.

 

Yeah he is a productive player probably not playing at 100% right now but when you are hurting and not playing that well wouldn't it be nice to have a tool (i,e, Plate discipline) that allows you to work the opposing pitcher and get on base and help your team instead of flailing at something low and away for strike three?  I think so.  If he can't do that then maybe there are better alternatives out there.  I think the Twins will have two of them possibly as early as late next year.

[ewen21]

 

This is good stuff! What a fascinating read. 

 

I love Eddie like a rock. In addition to his often-productive bat, he brings a lot of intangibles to the club with his attitude and how he approaches the game. But the mental lapses at the plate and in the field- they're beyond the level of maturity he should be showing by now. 

 

 

This right here is what I am talking about.  I think almost every avid Twins fan I know feels this way.

 

And I wouldn't call this "complaining"

 

I don't get this "we must be positive" stuff.  We are in first place and it's a beautiful thing.  There are always things to improve.  That's how I view things in my own life and I don't view it as being "negative" 

Quite the contrary

[Mr. Brooks]

Don't get me wrong, I understand the Twins may have to deal some of their pieces to acquire pitching. Not sure Eddie's going to get the Twins much, but that remains to be seen.

 

I just don't get the hate and vitriol towards one of the better Twins players, who seems to be liked by his teammates and is having a good year. I can see how it's annoying to watch him swing at bad balls, but every player has his quirks. I can see if the Twins had lost 10 of 12 games and Eddie was 0-29 during that stretch or something. But that's not the case.

Hate and vitriol? What are you referencing? There certainly isn't any of that in this article or thread, so if you're referencing a different thread, I'd like to know which one.

[DocBauer]

I guess we see these comments differently.  I don't see people really ragging on Rosario's production as much as saying there is a clear way he could be a better player.  There are two players in MiLB right now that are putting up the same type of numbers that Rosario did when he was there.  Larnach was just named player of the year and his OBP is around 80 points higher than his batting average meaning he has good plate discipline.  Kirilloff has a sweet swing just like Eddie and I don't believe he expands the zone like Eddie does. Can they put up his numbers at the MLB level maybe, maybe not but they both look like they have the chance to surpass his production to me.  Eddie is going to need to prove he is better than they are if he wants to keep his spot.  One way would be better plate discipline. I think that is all most people are saying.

 

Yeah he is a productive player probably not playing at 100% right now but when you are hurting and not playing that well wouldn't it be nice to have a tool (i,e, Plate discipline) that allows you to work the opposing pitcher and get on base and help your team instead of flailing at something low and away for strike three?  I think so.  If he can't do that then maybe there are better alternatives out there.  I think the Twins will have two of them possibly as early as late next year.

Great post Damn! I think you sum things up perfectly.

 

As good as Eddie is...and he's damn good...he could take his game another level with just a slightly improved degree of discipline. He doesn't have to change his game or re-invent himself, just tone down some of the crazy out of the zone swings. Now, at times, those crazy swings connect for a hit or extra base hit. That's the kind of strength and talent he has. But just a few less swing and miss/SO and a few more BB and he just becomes that more dangerous.

 

I think bringing up Larnach and Kirilloff is fair. Rosario is proven and each of them remain prospects. Both seem to have quality hit tools, comparable or better than Eddie. Both seem to make better contact and have a more disciplined approach. I think it's safe to say neither has Eddie's speed. Can they match his 30ish HR power? Just too early to say. Barring a surprise, at some point, it just seems 1 of these 3 will be moved for SP help. It could happen as early as this off season, though I hope not. It is my sincere HOPE that the depth of the system will be enough to add a quality arm to go along with Berrios, 2 re-signs, and roll with Graterol-Thorpe-Smeltzer-Perez to fill things out.

 

This would be ideal, allowing for another year for both Larnach and Kirilloff to become MLB ready and then see how things play out from there.

[USAFChief]

Rosario OPS by month: 

 

Mar/Apr: .886

May: .825

June: .810

Jul: .772

Aug: .742

Sep: .400 (Small sample, of course.)

 

 

Eddie's lack of plate discipline has always been an anchor holding him down. He will never be a consistently good offensive player given his refusal to make the opposing pitcher throw strikes. He's managed an OBP over .300 in only two months (May, Jun) this season, and the best of those was only .326. He's walked 18 times this season, 11 times since April. 

 

I can't even count the number of times I've watched him get ahead 1-0 or 2-0 in the count, only to get himself out by swinging wildly at the next pitch no matter where it is. 

 

 

[Dman]

Great post Damn! I think you sum things up perfectly.

As good as Eddie is...and he's damn good...he could take his game another level with just a slightly improved degree of discipline. He doesn't have to change his game or re-invent himself, just tone down some of the crazy out of the zone swings. Now, at times, those crazy swings connect for a hit or extra base hit. That's the kind of strength and talent he has. But just a few less swing and miss/SO and a few more BB and he just becomes that more dangerous.

I think bringing up Larnach and Kirilloff is fair. Rosario is proven and each of them remain prospects. Both seem to have quality hit tools, comparable or better than Eddie. Both seem to make better contact and have a more disciplined approach. I think it's safe to say neither has Eddie's speed. Can they match his 30ish HR power? Just too early to say. Barring a surprise, at some point, it just seems 1 of these 3 will be moved for SP help. It could happen as early as this off season, though I hope not. It is my sincere HOPE that the depth of the system will be enough to add a quality arm to go along with Berrios, 2 re-signs, and roll with Graterol-Thorpe-Smeltzer-Perez to fill things out.

This would be ideal, allowing for another year for both Larnach and Kirilloff to become MLB ready and then see how things play out from there.

Yeah Kiriloff and Larnach are a stretch for next year as you stated they both lack Eddie's HR power and speed. Larnach arm is probably better though. He is proven and they are not and if they are like Kepler it will take them a while to transition if like Arraez then they will take someone's position. Hard to say how it will go.

 

I really, really like Eddie but he also drives me crazy. If he let the game come to him.more I think he could have an All Star year. His aggressiveness makes him too easy to defend pull side and too easy to strike out once he has two strikes. He needs to make some adjustments to continue to be successful. If he doesn't I think next year might be his last year with the Twins.

 

Edit: And the Eddie goes and hits a Home Run on a ball out of strike zone just to show me how wrong I am about him.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Dman

[DocBauer]

Yeah Kiriloff and Larnach are a stretch for next year as you stated they both lack Eddie's HR power and speed. Larnach arm is probably better though. He is proven and they are not and if they are like Kepler it will take them a while to transition if like Arraez then they will take someone's position. Hard to say how it will go.

I really, really like Eddie but he also drives me crazy. If he let the game come to him.more I think he could have an All Star year. His aggressiveness makes him too easy to defend pull side and too easy to strike out once he has two strikes. He needs to make some adjustments to continue to be successful. If he doesn't I think next year might be his last year with the Twins.

I think we are on the same page, as are most of us in this thread.

 

There are a couple outcomes for Eddie over the next couple of seasons.

 

1] He is traded for pitching help. [i don't buy this as of yet due to a lack of suitable replacement]

 

2] He signs an extension, improvements made or not, and continues to be a key member of the team. [He could always be traded later]

 

3] He is still under control for 2 mkre seasons and could end up walking away BUT the Twins have the talented duo of Larnach and Kirilloff more than ready.

 

Obviously I don't have an answer or crystal ball. Were I able to write the script, he would sign an extension similar to Polanco and Kepler. The Twins would keep their top 4 prospects and trade from the rest of their top 30 prospects for a controllable SP and make a hard choice, potentially, in a year or two when Cron and Cruz may be gone.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

But, you’re arguing that Sano is an undisciplined hitter in terms of swinging outside of the zone...

 

There are endless statistics out there that will tell you Sano is a pretty damn good hitter...

 

Why is it people always feel like he’s loafing, and they need to get more out of him? What more do people want...?

 

It’s time for people to take the blinders off and appreciate Sano...

 

Abriged for brevity:

 

But, you’re arguing that Sano is an undisciplined hitter in terms of swinging outside of the zone...

You might think so, but that is not the case.  The post points to a noticeable improvement in this area.   Even the great can get better.

 

There are endless statistics out there that will tell you Sano is a pretty damn good hitter...

True.  A number of them were cited.  Posts elsewhere note still more cold hard facts that say Sano has been good and is getting better.

 

Why is it people always feel like he’s loafing, and they need to get more out of him? What more do people want...?

There are indeed Sano haterz out there.  Please do not confuse VivaBomboRivera! for one of them.

 

It’s time for people to take the blinders off and appreciate Sano...

Could not agree more.  Let me buy you a drink and we'll watch the game.

[singlesoverwalks]

This aged well.

[laloesch]

 

The overall strikeout number is high, but look at the drop since July.  Curious to see there is more improvement and where the season number will come in.  I'm sure Rowson's long-term goal is to get his SO% under 30% or even better.

 

Not sure what to make of the ungodly 2015 walk stat, except that he only had 335 PAs.

 

I agree.  If he keeps up the trend then it is absolutely a good thing. It will take time.

[John Buckeye]

 

Curious why you think Arraez is well suited to hit clean up but not lead off. Seems to me that Arraez leading off with Kepler clean up makes all the sense in the world vs RHP.

Arraez would be a good leadoff, but why mess with a good thing with Kepler? There's no reason to so significantly reduce his amount of at-bats by dropping him to fourth, when he is easily one of the top two hitters on the team (possibly the best). Cleanup no longer has to be some big bopper that hits it a mile, so with Arraez hitting there, it'd still just be about keeping the line moving.