And Purdue has tied it...

I'm letting things get by me, too.

It's our fault for crossing you up.

 

 

And Purdue has tied it...

And fell in overtime.

 

That's 2 big ten teams upset.

Again, another evening game starting round 5pm.

 

Hope it isn't past anyone's bedtime.

 

Bedtimes are important. As are beds themselves. Did you know there is a size of bed named after our baseball team? I think it is even the most common single occupancy size of bed. Not many teams can say that.

 

Anyway, i might get some beauty rest in before the game. Not for me of course.

 

Tampa Bay:

0. Michael Wacha (R ) P
1. Manuel Margot (R ) CF
2. Randy Arozarena (R ) RF
3. Francisco Mejia ( S ) C
4. Austin Meadows ( L) LF
5. Mike Brosseau (R ) 3B
6. Wander Franco ( S ) SS
7. Rene Pinto (R ) DH
8. Dalton Kelly ( L) 1B
9. Miles Mastrobuoni ( L) 2B

 

Tiwns:

0. Kenta Maeda (R ) P

1. Luis Arraez ( L) 2B
2. Josh Donaldson (R ) 3B
3. Nelson Cruz (R ) DH
4. Byron Buxton (R ) CF
5. Miguel Sano (R ) 1B
6. Mitch Garver (R ) C
7. Andrelton Simmons (R ) SS
8. Kyle Garlick (R ) LF
9. Willians Astudillo (R ) RF

I'm curious about today's lineup for the Twins. I know Polanco is dealing with a minor lower body injury, but really that looks like the opening day lineup for the Twins...besides RF. I wonder if Kepler is nursing some injury. 

 

Bedtimes are important. As are beds themselves. Did you know there is a size of bed named after our baseball team? I think it is even the most common single occupancy size of bed. Not many teams can say that.

 

Well, we do have a Simmons in our lineup, and a Serta sorta in Sano. Don't sleep on Sano this year. Better yet, don't let Sano sleep on you. That would be curtains for sertan, er, certain.

Just a reminder, there is a thread posted about game thread introductions during the regular season. We’re less than two weeks from Opening Day and it would be a plus to have volunteers early rather than at the last minute.

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/49812-2021-regular-season-game-threads/

Maeda looks stellar again today. There always are guys like him who don't break the radar gun but are truly tough to hit. 

Dunno why I watched the game today with the college BB going on, but you have to be impressed with Waddell. Two innings, 5 Ks, the only balls in play a grounder and a pop up.

 

Also Broxton scored from first on a single and had a double in his only AB (although he ended up running into an out because the runner in front of him stopped at third). He offers speed and defense off the bench With the bat-first candidates for left field and little speed on the bench, I think there should be a place for him on the bench.

If I'm not mistaken Waddell allowed all of his runs in his first appearance and has struck out just about everyone since. Of course, the guys he's been facing are AAA at the end of the game mostly, but could be a nice depth piece at some point.

 

If I'm not mistaken Waddell allowed all of his runs in his first appearance and has struck out just about everyone since. Of course, the guys he's been facing are AAA at the end of the game mostly, but could be a nice depth piece at some point.

I do think he's allowed runs in two outings, but he's been really effective since his first outing. I will grant that Waddell has faced less than the top of the line opponents although the opponent quality is on a par with most of the other pitchers projected to make the staff.

Oh yeah...

 

Winnah.

 

(better late than never)

Oh yeah...

 

Winnah.

 

(better late than never)

Chicken breakfast

 

Chicken breakfast

Do eggs count?

Do eggs count?

Not until they hatch, it is said.

 

 

Not until they hatch, it is said.
 

Got it.

 

Alas, then i was a mite premature on my chicken breakfast from bk.

Dunno why I watched the game today with the college BB going on, but you have to be impressed with Waddell. Two innings, 5 Ks, the only balls in play a grounder and a pop up.

 

Also Broxton scored from first on a single and had a double in his only AB (although he ended up running into an out because the runner in front of him stopped at third). He offers speed and defense off the bench With the bat-first candidates for left field and little speed on the bench, I think there should be a place for him on the bench.

I’ve long wanted a right handed hitter who can be a legit backup center fielder. Perhaps Broxton is it.

 

Dunno why I watched the game today with the college BB going on, but you have to be impressed with Waddell. Two innings, 5 Ks, the only balls in play a grounder and a pop up.

Also Broxton scored from first on a single and had a double in his only AB (although he ended up running into an out because the runner in front of him stopped at third). He offers speed and defense off the bench With the bat-first candidates for left field and little speed on the bench, I think there should be a place for him on the bench.

Broxton should have had his eyes on third as he rounded second on his triple. It's easy to understand why he thought third would be open because in a normal game the runner ahead of him would have been sent and almost certainly would have scored. But no need to create a possible injury scenario on a play at the plate in ST.

Sure looks like Astudillo and Garlick both want to make the team. Kepler? He's like truth still putting his shoes on, slow to join the game. Come on Max. The season starts in just over a week. Some signs of life would be nice. The alternative could be a platoon.

Garlick needs to make the team. Sure it's just spring training, but he's one of the few batters right now that is actually performing. At this point I think the outfield should be Rooker, Buxton and Garlick for opening day. Have Kepler on the bench. 

Garlick needs to make the team. Sure it's just spring training, but he's one of the few batters right now that is actually performing. At this point I think the outfield should be Rooker, Buxton and Garlick for opening day. Have Kepler on the bench.

Yikes, no.

 

Spring training stats don’t correlate to regular season success. Say it with me.

 

Of course, if the Twins are convinced Garlick is the best option based on what they see outside a box score, keeping him is the right decision.

 

But the box score *does not matter*.

 

Yikes, no.

Spring training stats don’t correlate to regular season success. Say it with me.

Of course, if the Twins are convinced Garlick is the best option based on what they see outside a box score, keeping him is the right decision.

But the box score *does not matter*.

 

It's hard to ignore how well Rooker and Garlick have played this spring, and it's also hard to ignore how poor Kepler has looked. I give pitchers a lot of slack in spring training because they're testing new things out and ramping up, but position players have tons of time to get extra batting practice in and should at least be hitting close to how they will be in the regular season. 

 

Also its not only that Kepler is slashing .069/.069/.069 in 27 spring at bats, but this is also after Kepler experienced a substantial decline in offensive production last year. If the Twins want the best team on the field at the beginning of the season, I truly believe Garlick would be the better choice right now. 

 

I know people are really attached to Kepler for some reason, but at the end of the day it's about who will give the Twins the best results. 

 

 

Also its not only that Kepler is slashing .069/.069/.069 in 27 spring at bats, but

...

 

... ...

 

... ... ...

 

 

 

 

 

(nice)

It's hard to ignore how well Rooker and Garlick have played this spring, and it's also hard to ignore how poor Kepler has looked. I give pitchers a lot of slack in spring training because they're testing new things out and ramping up, but position players have tons of time to get extra batting practice in and should at least be hitting close to how they will be in the regular season.

 

Also its not only that Kepler is slashing .069/.069/.069 in 27 spring at bats, but this is also after Kepler experienced a substantial decline in offensive production last year. If the Twins want the best team on the field at the beginning of the season, I truly believe Garlick would be the better choice right now.

 

I know people are really attached to Kepler for some reason, but at the end of the day it's about who will give the Twins the best results.

I’m not “attached” to Kepler an any way except that he’s a better player, by a country mile, than Garlick.

 

You said it yourself, 27 at-bats.

 

In spring training.

 

I just don’t get how people fall into the same trap every March. I’m happy Garlick has hit well, it’s certainly better than the opposite. But, ultimately, it means close to nothing in terms of making a baseball decision to open the season.

The Kepler situation is "Totally and in all other ways inconceivable".

And for all who like me weren't paying attention la bomba squad was in fine form today, with 6.

 

Let's see... if we average that, 6*162=972, right? Nice!

 

 If the Twins want the best team on the field at the beginning of the season, ...

Well, I think this premise is false. I think the Twins want the roster to be the collection of players they feel will win the most regular season games.

 

Noon game!

 

The antiwitching hour?

High Noon? A showdown in the classic western style? Remember, rifle beats pistol. Spin rate is important. But metal plate beats rifle. Here zone coverage is important.

 

Braves:

1. Ender Inciarte ( L) LF

2. Jake Lamb ( L) 1B

3. Austin Riley (R ) 3B

4. Johan Camargo ( S ) 2B

5. A. Almonte ( S ) RF

6. Cristian Pache (R ) CF

7. Alex Jackson (R ) C

8. Ryan Goins ( L) SS

9. Kyle Wright (R ) P

 

Twins:

0. Jose Berrios (R ) P

1. Max Kepler ( L) RF

2. Josh Donaldson (R ) 3B

3. Nelson Cruz (R ) DH

4. Jorge Polanco ( S ) 2B

5. Byron Buxton (R ) CF

6. Miguel Sano (R ) 1B

7. A. Simmons (R ) SS

8. Jake Cave ( L) LF

9. Ryan Jeffers (R ) C

 

Have at it!

One team using the DH while the other team sends the pitcher up to bat is fun. I kind of like how the league is going farther with the "rules don't matter" approach this spring training.

Pretty sure the DH rule allows you to bat a DH for your pitcher, it doesn't require you to.