Before we go nuts about not doing anything at the deadline, let’s remember:

 

1. Our rotation currently consists (starting tomorrow) of Pineda, Berrios, Dobnak, Maeda, and Hill. All of these guys are good enough to win playoff games.

 

2. Adrianza and Vargas won’t be splitting playing time forever. When Donaldson comes back, and Arraez is fully healed, watch out.

 

3. Byron Buxton and Mitch Garver should also be back by the end of the season.

 

4.The bullpen is pretty much set. There’s 6 guys I trust in high leverage situations, plus Jorge Alcala.

 

5. The first round this year has 8 teams in a best of 3 format. More luck than usual will be needed to win it all this year.

 

I won’t be able to watch much of the game tonight (3 hour college labs are sooo much fun), but the team needs a win badly. Let’s hope they get one against the surprisingly great team from the North Side. If Giolito pitches like he did last time...... let’s not think like that.

 

Lineups:

 

Minnesota Twins

 

SP Rich Hill

 

RF Max Kepler

SS Jorge Polanco

DH Nelson Cruz

LF Eddie Rosario

1B Miguel Sano

2B Luis Arraez

3B Marwin Gonzalez

CF Jake Cave

C Ryan Jeffers

 

White Sox

 

SP Lucas Giolito

 

SS Tim Anderson

LF Eloy Jimenez

1B Jose Abreu

DH Edwin Encarnacion

C James McCann

CF Luis Robert

3B Danny Mendick

RF Adam Engel

2B Nick Madrigal

 

Let’s Play Ball!

Much like the Twins did with their bullpen in the middle of last season, I'm hoping the team does a major overhaul of their bench. A bench of Gonzalez, Kirilloff, Rooker, Blankenhorn, and Jeffers would have the potential to be a big step up from Gonzalez, Adrianza, Vargas, Cave, Wade, and Avila.

The trade deadline definitely came at a bad time PR speaking for the Twins, but Diesel's post is largely correct.  The Twins do have a passel of competent to good starters all of whom, barring further injury, will be available in the playoffs.  The bullpen has been rocky lately, but that can happen when you haven't had a scheduled off day in over two weeks, and had played for 16 straight days before that, especially when there have been multiple bullpen games.4

 

The one area I'm worried about is the lineup, which has not looked in sync all year, which makes the non-acquisition of Marte frustrating.  Given what Miami gave up, I would have thought perhaps Rooker + an a ball pitcher would have got it done, but alas.

 

Hopefully we do to Giolito what we did opening night, and get some positivity going.

Tough assignment tonight with Giolito dealing for the Sox. Hoping for six good innings from Dick Mountain. The Sox are righty heavy, so this is a challenge for Hill as well.

 

I do agree with Diesel above. The Twins need to get their guys healthy and productive. They’re built for success now and have plenty of proven veterans that have underperformed thus far. It’s up to them to get going.

Done with kid gloves for the IL. They only have to play 60 games. They only have 28 games left. Get whatever can help you in the lineup now. Sure, we might make the playoffs, but I don't want to be on the low seed of that. Were better than this (or should be)

South Side!

Diesel nailed it. Odo will be back at some point for the rotation also

 

Done with kid gloves for the IL. They only have to play 60 games. They only have 28 games left. Get whatever can help you in the lineup now. Sure, we might make the playoffs, but I don't want to be on the low seed of that. Were better than this (or should be)

I'm going to shamelessly steal a very good take from Aaron Gleeman here. Wouldn't you rather over-rest players now while the games are much less meaningful than they will be four weeks from now? It may seem like they are being overly cautious with guys like Donaldson and Buxton, and maybe they are, but it does the team no good to bring them back too quickly and risk re-aggravating injuries, which would put them in doubt to play at all in the postseason. By giving them extra rest now, they are (hopefully) setting up for a situation where they can come back soon, use September to find their groove, and have them locked in for the playoffs. If they're sacrificing a couple of regular season wins in the name of this strategy, I'm completely fine with it. Now, this all rests on the hope that these guys will be able to work through any issues they have in the next four weeks, which is far from a given... But I have no problem with how they're handling the guys on the IL so far this season.

What i miss?

We have no idea what Pineda will provide. No idea if, or when, Odorizzi will be healthy and productive. Hill is iffy at best.

 

We don't have 5 starters ready for the playoffs.

Go Twins! Need a W today.

For a minute there I thought Sano was gonna crash right into Arraez

Today is a good day to play.

Five more innings like that would be nice.

I've seen worse starts...

 

to a start.

Good start by Hill. Now let’s get some of those first inning runs

CAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good eye Eddie!

Rosario walks.

 

Think!

CAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did Cave make a good fielding play?

Why did Rosie slide there? Could he have scored....certainly?

Nice hit Sano!!!!! Thank you Engel!

Rosario should have scored

Attaboy Luis (and forgot to give props to Sano)!

ARRAEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

How about a patented 4 or 5 run Twins inning early in the game?

ARRAEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Concur.

Hmmm I'm starting to think that there's something to this "stringing hits together" concept.... Maybe they should keep doing it?

Need to get that second run in here.

I'm guessing the 3B coach held him since there were no outs? ::shrug::

 

It all worked out in the end, at least.