Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Game Thread: Cleveland @ Twins 7:10 8/16/2021

Otto von Ballpark

Recommended Posts

Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

Community Leader
Posted
Posted

Let the battle for the division begin!

With 10 games remaining vs Cleveland, and 4 vs Detroit, the Twins pretty much control their own destiny:

  W L GB
CLE 57 59 --
DET 58 62 1
MIN 52 66 6
KCR 49 67 8

Wait -- what's that? You say there is a team above Cleveland in the division standings? And their record is?

Oh.

Let the battle for *second place* in the division begin!

 

CLE Lineup

1. Myles Straw (R) CF

2. Amed Rosario (R) SS

3. Jose Ramirez (S) 3B

4. Franmil Reyes (R) DH

5. Bradley Zimmer (L) RF

6. Oscar Mercado (R) LF

7. Owen Miller (R) 1B

8. Andres Gimenez (L) 2B

9. Austin Hedges (R) C

Starting Pitcher: Cal Quantrill, RHP, 3-2, 3.13 ERA

 

MIN Lineup

1. Max Kepler (L) RF

2. Brent Rooker (R) LF

3. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B

4. Josh Donaldson (R) DH

5. Luis Arraez (L) 3B

6. Miguel Sano (R) 1B

7. Jake Cave (L) CF

8. Ryan Jeffers (R) C

9. Andrelton Simmons (R) SS

Starting Pitcher: Griffin Jax, RHP, 3-1, 5.45 ERA

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 126
  • Created
  • Last Reply
h2oface Cedar Rapids Kernels

h2oface

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

Is Donaldson getting hurt and being out for the season the only way we get to see Miranda get his two hits (at least) a game, .347 BA, and 1.028 OPS for the Twins instead of St. Paul? 

Amazing how stubborn Baldelli has been about Rooker batting #2. He has been hot for a couple games, for sure, but it really is amazing how Baldelli sees him as a 2 hole hitter. Don't even get me started about Kepler this year......  It is hard to say who should bat where though, when almost your whole line up is hitting so poorly. I guess Refsnyder needs some rest?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

Community Leader
Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Amazing how stubborn Baldelli has been about Rooker batting #2. He has been hot for a couple games, for sure, but it really is amazing how Baldelli sees him as a 2 hole hitter.

Batting near the top is the best to way to maximize PAs, and Rooker is RH so he can bat between two lefties.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

Community Leader
Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Is Donaldson getting hurt and being out for the season the only way we get to see Miranda get his two hits (at least) a game for the Twins instead of St. Paul? 

I'd say it is as much Simmons at SS blocking Miranda at this point. They can't bench Polanco or Arraez.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Squirrel GOAT

Squirrel

Community Leader
Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

I'd say it is as much Simmons at SS blocking Miranda at this point. They can't bench Polanco or Arraez.

yup ... I'd concur with this ... Simmons would be the odd man out (or should be, imo)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
h2oface Cedar Rapids Kernels

h2oface

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

I'd say it is as much Simmons at SS blocking Miranda at this point. They can't bench Polanco or Arraez.

?? Because they would play Miranda, who is not a SS, at SS? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
h2oface Cedar Rapids Kernels

h2oface

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

No. Notice that Arraez is playing 3B.

If you didn't have Simmons at SS, you could put Polanco there and Arraez at 2B. Then Miranda and Donaldson could take 3B and DH.

I feel with the "notice Arraez is playing 3B " (yes, I can read the lineup) and "Batting near the top is the best to way to maximize PAs" I am being "fansplained" to, and that is not necessary. Very obvious notes. 

The way this team, and others now, bring players up and play them in positions they have never played before (ie Nick Gordon etc), it doesn't seem to matter, especially if the point of the rest of the season is to look forward. But I am not a fan of moving all players around and making each position weaker defensively when you could only make one position weaker, perhaps. Polanco makes the team better at second, not at short. Arraez .... I don't know where you play him that makes a team better in the field. There is certainly something to be said to have a team that every player can be moved around (the Dodgers do it tons). I don't see the SS blocking Miranda. He may need replaced, but it is not by Miranda.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RickOShea First Round Pick

RickOShea

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, h2oface said:

The way this team, and others now, bring players up and play them in positions they have never played before (ie Nick Gordon etc), it doesn't seem to matter, especially if the point of the rest of the season is to look forward. But I am not a fan of moving all players around and making each position weaker defensively when you could only make one position weaker, perhaps. Polanco makes the team better at second, not at short. Arraez .... I don't know where you play him that makes a team better in the field. There is certainly something to be said to have a team that every player can be moved around (the Dodgers do it tons). I don't see the SS blocking Miranda. He may need replaced, but it is not by Miranda.

Exactly, my feeling is that best player for a position, plays that position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RickOShea First Round Pick

RickOShea

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

What is the love affair with cave?  He plays a decent, but not a great outfield.  His offense is spotty.  He can hit the ball a mile, but 3 months between shots, isn't good enough.

Yes, I've seen him hustle and seems to get along with everyone..But I just don't see how he earns all the playing time.  Maybe's a relation to J. Pohlad?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

Community Leader
Posted
  • Author
Posted
2 minutes ago, h2oface said:

The way this team, and others now, bring players up and play them in positions they have never played before (ie Nick Gordon etc), it doesn't seem to matter, especially if the point of the rest of the season is to look forward. But I am not a fan of moving all players around and making each position weaker defensively when you could only make one position weaker, perhaps. Polanco makes the team better at second, not at short. Arraez .... I don't know where you play him that makes a team better in the field. There is certainly something to be said to have a team that every player can be moved around (the Dodgers do it tons). I don't see the SS blocking Miranda. He may need replaced, but it is not by Miranda.

That's fair, but it is Arraez who has been playing 3B the most the past 2 weeks, and in Donaldson's other absences from the position this season. I don't think Donaldson is blocking Miranda directly any more than others are blocking him indirectly at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RickOShea First Round Pick

RickOShea

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, MMMordabito said:

I'm not predicting anything about Jax, but that was a situation on that missed double play where we would see Berrios (as good as he was) get mind-f'd and spiral. I appreciate Jax's composure there.

I'm not sure. but from comments here and there, it seems that Berrios was wound a little. tight

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Aggies7 Minnesota Twins

Aggies7

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Just now, Danchat said:

They're calling that a single?! That was clearly an error on Jax, dude just needed to throw it overhand.

I think that’s a hit. Mental error maybe. But it was fielded cleanly and thrown cleanly, albeit slowly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund
The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Twins community on the internet.

Become a Caretaker
×
×
  • Create New...