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

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?

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.

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.

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)

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? 

Just now, h2oface said:

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

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.

21 minutes ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Batting near the top is the best to way to maximize PAs,

No half-measures, then! Rooker For Leadoff!

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.

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.

"You don't wear sandals, when laying football,  unless it's Maaden"

I have to laugh when Sano gets a hit to the outfield. The outfielders look like they're playing infield.  The balll gets to them in a hurry.

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?

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.

Whew.  Now we get the double play.

hmmm ... what's going on with Watkins?

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.

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

SCORE!!!

Nice running by Polanco

That is how you beat Tony "rally killer" Diaz. Just pretend you don't see him.

That's one of those plays where you had better succeed.

Cmon, big man! Flash some power!

2 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Cmon, big man! Flash some power!

Well ... okay ... was being hopeful ...

Sano's nickname should be K-zone

Boy, if you’re a fan of sloppy baseball, this is the game for you

Underhand from 25’ away from first. Interesting strategy

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

Gawd, I thought Hedges got all of that.

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.

12 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Sano's nickname should be K-zone

Or as the Apache's call him ."Big Man with Hole in Bat".