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I'm disappointed in Donaldson for getting himself kicked out of this one. You're playing the team you're chasing, in a game you pretty much have to have if you want the division, and it's a nailbiter. Instead of acting like the 34 year old leader he's supposed to be, Donaldson decides to throw a tantrum because he didn't like the ump's strike zone. I've got news for you--that's going to happen from time to time. It's surely happened to Donaldson before, and it will happen again. Control your emotions, and stay in the game for your team.

My insight for the day: Byron Buxton is so fun to watch!!

Pretty childish and disgraceful display from Donaldson. That's something you see from the spoiled coaches' son in little league - not a grown man playing the game at the highest level. Getting kicked out on purpose in what was clearly the most important game of the year? Stunningly ignorant. It's just plain awful in terms of leadership. It didn't "fire up" the team, it took the wind out of their sails. Clippard and Romo are just hanging on by a thread, I can't see either of them getting signed by a contender next year. They're washed up 40 year-olds throwing 85 MPH meatballs out there in close games - recipe for disaster. Toss Rich Hill into that group also. Time for the Twins to stop going to the antique store when they are looking for arms.

I agree with everything you said but I still laughed and will remember it, and I don't even particularly like Donaldson. Entertainment..

Although covered by a few others, I have to add my 2 cents on a few items: #1 Sick and tired of Baldy hooking our SP's when they have more gas in the tank----especially with Maeda. I'm sure Sox hitters were drooling when he went with Wisler in 6th, which May bailed him out. #2 Donaldson: Love the fire, but seriously, in SUCH AN IMPORTANT game to win (tiebreaker advantage to Twins if they win season series), you cannot, blatantly show an umpire up the way he did. You know HP ump was looking for a reason to toss Donaldson after his HR and JD just, in his mind, had to give him a "middle finger" by raking dirt over the plate when he got home. If he controls his emotions, maybe he cuts off Abreu's grounder in bottom of 7th that would've preserved a 1-run lead. If he controls his emotions, he gets another AB in the 8th instead of Adrianza (3 pitch whiff). #3 Kepler: Getting really tired of his lack of production with the bat (2 for 19 since coming off IL), but his WEAK and off target throw in 7th that would've easily...and I mean easily doubled off Dyson, was INEXCUSABLE!! Kepler had maybe a 150 ft throw to double off Dyson, who was stealing on the pitch and at least 70 feet away from 1B when Kepler caught the ball. An AVERAGE high school OFer would make that play 90% of the time. Not Kepler. Just pathetic. As is his season avg. of. 204 with an abysmal .692 OPS with 31 Ks. Rocco needs to quit massaging his EGO and drop him down in the order--if he can stay healthy, which with Kepler's mental toughness being comparable to a flower, is no guarantee.

Hill actually pitched a pretty good game.

My bad. An uphill battle once again. Nice job by Donaldson catching the runner off 3rd.

Watching this series with my girlfriends family of Cubs fans....please pray for me

I find Donaldson very difficult to root for. His strikes me as the selfish, overly-competitive personality that lead some players to a post-career series of domestic disturbances. I don’t want my daughter to end up with a Josh Donaldson type. Funny thing is, my own reaction sheds light on how much I can spin a moment like that. I think if Astudillo did the same thing, I’d probably laugh along and cheer him for his lovable outrage... because I find him likable and sympathetic. Do I actually know these guys? Heck no. I’m a fraud!

I'm hoping they get swept by DET and PIT and then sweep CHW.

I think right now Buxton should leadoff, but once Arraez comes back I think he should take over the duty. Buxton has been extremely impressive right now, but the only thing that concerns me for him being in the leadoff role is the inability to take a walk. Arraez does a good job taking pitches and working the count when he's going good. I think you swap Arraez for Buxton in the order. I also think having Buxton batting before Sano and Donaldson would be nice. I'd go with: 1. Arraez (2B) 2. Polanco (SS) 3. Cruz (DH) 4. Rosario (LF) 5. Buxton (CF) 6. Donaldson (3B) 7. Sano (1B) 8. Kepler (RF) 9. Jeffers © Arraez and Polanco are the table setters with Cruz and Rosario providing some right-handed and left-handed pop, respectively. Buxton can also provide pop and he can also be a guy to get on base before some big swingers. If he gets on base, he can distract the pitcher with his speed, and that could force the pitcher to throw less off-speed stuff to Donaldson and Sano.

Isn't it wonderful to keep having Kepler and his 204 average batting first. Thanks for your consistency or should I say stubbornness Rocco. I have been told in other posts that Kepler has a better OBP than Buxton. I am tired of hearing hit. Byron is so hot - lead off, bat second - get him up and Kepler down. Move Donaldson down too or are you afraid he will throw a tantrum. On another post I was criticized for saying I would drop Clippard from the post season roster right now. I know he was great at the beginning, but he has not been great this month. It time for Romo to shut up and step up. I know it is old school, but starters are allowed to go more than 5 innings Rocco. This series has been a disaster except for the third game.

They're gonna play the Yankees, and they're gonna lose. Get ready for winter.

Yeah, this is 20/20 hindsight but it's easy to wonder why Maeda only threw 86 pitches today. Seems like he should have had another inning in him had Rocco wanted to put him back out there.

After watching this series I'm more than ready for the electronic balls and strikes. As the AI improves I'd suggest letting the computer do the rest of the officiating as well and fire those bums. Will never forget the time in Yankees stadium when the ball landed three feet fair and the umpire called it foul. Incompetent AND crooked, what a combination.

This short season it sure seems like the Twins have aimed to be healthy and primed for the playoffs as they rested players often and let opportunities slide in a few games. Now, with only 8 games to play, the team looks both talented and very vulnerable. The list of horrors: no Garver; Sano, always dangerous, but waving futilely too often; Polanco looking slow in the field and flailing off balance on off-speed pitches; Rosario seemingly too cautious; Cruz, suddenly baffled by sliders; and Kepler playing lost. Of course, this could all flip like a switch tomorrow, but the strikeouts, failures to move runners, non-existent speed, and difficulties with fundamentals mount. I wonder how much the protocols and life changes have affected some of the players. I watch way too much baseball to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the quality of play, while constantly hyped by announcers throughout all the teams as a pr stunt, seems less than optimal or at the very least less than in a normal season. Let's hope that there is some gas left in the tank and that the pedal hasn't slipped off of the lever.

Welcome to What I'm Reading. This is a collection of interesting or insightful articles I’ve read this past week. Behind Nelson Cruz’s Maniacal Preparation: From his Seattle Mariner days but a reminder of how much work the 40-year-old Cruz puts in to maintain his elite level of play. Nap time can vary, but it’s daily. “If we play at home, I like to do it after BP,” he said. “If we are on the road, I do it before BP.” Post nap will include a dip in the cold tub for about five minutes, followed by some time in the warm tub. Cruz’s on-field workout is another process. He doesn’t walk into the cage and try to bomb homers. There’s a plan to his batting practice, which includes driving the ball to the opposite field. Sure, by the end, he’s launching balls over the fence at distances his teammates only wish they could reach. But he’s become a more complete hitter by showing this discipline in batting practice. Though he rarely plays in the field anymore, Cruz will still take fly balls on most days because he still wants to play in the outfield at some point. He’ll even take ground balls in the infield to keep his body active. “It’s fun for me,” he said. Kansas City Royals Pitching Development Has Changed: “We’re not going to draft a guy, have them come in and be like, ‘We need to do this, this and this,'” Stetter said. “The biggest thing is, you have to trust your eyes. If a pitch is working, the hitter is going to tell you. The hitter is going to let you know if your stuff is good enough. And if it is, you’re going to keep going with it. And if you get to Double-A and the hitters start hitting it, you’re not getting swings and misses, we’ll know what kind of changes we might make to that pitch to make it better.” {snip} “A lot of times, if you’re having a guy throw a four-seam, and it’s got a two-seam tilt, it might not always add up that he should be throwing all four-seams,” Stetter said. “There’s some stuff with Rapsodo and Edgertronic camera where we can sit there and make a decision on a guy, where, it might be more beneficial if he throws more two-seams, or it might be beneficial that he throws more four-seams. With new technology, you can tailor it to the guy. Certain grips play better to horizontal-breaking sliders.” Joe West Never Missed A Call: "This is what people don't understand: When an umpire has a bad night, he goes back and looks at it," he said. "There has to be a reason you missed the call. Three ways you can miss a call: lack of concentration, lack of positioning, lack of timing. The Denkinger play at first base [in 1985 when the] Cardinals lost the World Series to the Royals. Don Denkinger overhustled on that play. He took himself out of position to see that play. Is that a bad thing that he hustled? No. But he put himself in the wrong spot. He's one of the best umpires the American League has ever had. He's remembered for that call. That's not fair. There's no batting average for performance for an umpire. They grade you, yes. But when you miss some, you can't go out and hit a homer. You have no recourse to get that back." 99-Year-Old Roger Angell On Modern Baseball Statistics: I think some of the new stats are useful. Good baseball played by Major Leaguers is so far beyond us—it’s the hardest game in the world to play well. And what underlies [the stat revolution] is, I think, a conscious and effective way to get some of this back, to say, “We know better. We know what the batters are doing. They don’t know what they’re doing.” It’s understandable, but it doesn’t add to the joy of the game for me. I’m not very statistical by nature, so I could be wrong about this. And I know a lot of people now use these stats and talk about them with interest. But also, it’s part of the huge alteration of the game itself. People tilting their swings and swinging for homers and striking out in huge numbers. This is a gigantic change in the game. I think home runs are OK, but on the whole, I prefer a triple. Are We Teaching Wrong? Mr. Hirsch also takes issue with grade schools’ focus on “skills.” Whether it is imparting “critical thinking skills,” “communication skills” or “problem-solving skills,” he says such instruction is a waste of time in the absence of specific knowledge. He describes the findings of the National Academy of Sciences on the subject of the “domain specificity of human skills.” What this means, he explains in the new book, “is that being good at tennis does not make you good at golf or soccer. You may be a talented person with great hand-eye coordination—and indeed there are native general abilities that can be nurtured in different ways—but being a first-class swimmer will not make a person good at hockey.” He cites the “baseball study,” conducted by researchers at Marquette University in the 1980s, which found that kids who knew more about how baseball was played performed better when answering questions about a text on baseball than those who didn’t understand the game—regardless of their reading level. The conventional response in education circles is that standardized tests are unfair because some kids are exposed to more specific knowledge than others. In Mr. Hirsch’s view that’s precisely why children should be exposed to more content: Educators “simply haven’t faced up to their duty to provide a coherent sequence of knowledge to children.” What I'm Listening To (Spotify Playlist) What I'm Listening To (Podcast Recommendation)

I almost posted this in a front page thread but decided it needed it's own. I know we are in a playoff push with mixtures of optimism and consternation, but Dobnak has been brought up more than once lately and I thought it was time for some evaluation and honest reflection in the guy. There has been so much "story" and early success surrounding him that I think perspective has been lost. I think what gets lost is he is a ROOKIE MLB SP. He pitched a total of 29.1 innings in 2019 which is about what a late fill-in/September audition might be expected to tnrow. And he has all of 49.2 IP in 2020 to the time I post this. These are his current ML numbers: W/L ERA IP H BB SO AVG WHIP 8-5 3.12 75 77 18 50 .266 1.27 Yes, the ERA is not a be-all stat and is skewed from his 1.59 in SSS from 2019. But his 2020 is still only 4.05 even with a couple recent bad games. Regression was always going to happen. There is nothing in his repetoire/arsenal that suggests he will ever be a big SO pitcher or a dominate front of the rotation SP. I counter with "so what"? He is a sinker/slider control pitcher who induces pop ups and ground balls with the occasional hard hit liner. He seems intelligent seems to have a bulldog mentality and has the frame to throw a lot of pitches and innings...as long as his stuff is working decently...though Rocco has pulled him "early" in a few games. Time will tell how good he can be. It's easy to say his last couple of games are reality and he was just a good story or an aberration. But again, we are talking about a ROOKIE SP with 75 IP under his belt. Simple math shows that to be about 1/2 of a normal season to this point, OR, he has pitched roughly 1/3 of a "normal" season if you only look at his 2020 numbers. I am NOT attempting to build him up to be anything but a back of the rotation #4 or #5 starter. But look at the numbers thus far, or even just his 2020 numbers...still solid and not going to bore everyone with tons of stats...and tell me you wouldn't be at least a little excited the Twins had found themselves a nice back end rotation piece? There is no room in baseball for a sinker/slider guy with control and SOME projectability with experience going forward? Again, I'm not projecting stardom for the Dobber. And the 2021 rotation starts with Maeda, Berrios and Pineda. And we will have the off-season to debate any additions or a re-sign of Odorizzi, but I feel pretty comfortable going forward with Dobnak as my #5 starter with some other really nice arms coming up behind him. For now, he probably fits best in the pen for the post season, with everyone healthy. But I don't think a productive rookie with a couple bad games recently should be dismissed for what be has accomplished thus far and what he could potentially develop in to.

Alright, Hill has settled down and looks to be grooving. Let's get him some runs, please.

I agree. The proposed 13/14 pitcher roster limit was suspended for 2020 too, so teams could really go wild with pitchers on their 28 man postseason rosters! Yes, I assume that rule hasn't changed.

Garver is back and will start today's game. Astudillo has been optioned to make room for him.

The reason Alex Kirilloff is a top prospect is because his approach at the plate is top notch, even better than some current members of the Twins. We have seen his scatter chart, which shows almost no trends to let opposing teams make defensive shifts. He is a high-average hitter with very high contact rate, has gap power with occasional dingers. Closest comp on the team would be another Luis Arraez, with a bit more pop. When healthy, Arraez has been an excellent table setter that also can knock in a guy on second base. Could the Twins use another guy like that? Um, yeah. They have really missed Arraez's bat in the lineup these last few games. A few extra hits might have made a difference. A counter argument is that Kirilloff might scuffle at the plate initially, which is possible. But scuffling is less likely when you've got a high-contact approach at the plate. Arraez was hot pretty much right away, and his scatter chart is not as scattered as Kirilloff's. Table setter, RBI getter. Twins could use another bat like that, and his defense should be good enough to give Rosy and Kep a day off on the grass. I'd bring him up yesterday.

Will double down on the above comments. I also was disappointed in Donaldson's antics. Also don't understand why Maeda didn't go another inning, although not being in the dugout means I don't have the information they did. As for the playoffs, looks like it is going to be the Yankees. Huge to play well enough these last 8 to stay ahead of them for home field which would be huge with how this team has played at Target Field. I see a key being getting Arraez back asap to have someone in the lineup who is going to take great at bats and battle to get on base a lot. Other key is to keep Buxton hot and get someone, anyone else heated up. Gotta believe we will see Maeda game 1, who goes second is a big question mark.

This is ridiculous and I think you know it.

If the White Sox go deeper into the post season than the Twins, I'll be rooting for them.

Finally something feels normal about 2020

This should be the batting order throughout the playoff. 1. Buxton (CF) 2. Polanco (SS) 3. Cruz (DH) 4. Rosario (LF) 5. Sano (1B) 6. Arraez (2B) 7. Donaldson (3B) 8. Kepler (RF) 9. Jeffers ©

If this season has been about keeping players healthy they have failed. We have a miserable health record - I know nobody got Covid. If this season was about getting ready to dominate the playoffs they certainly have not given me any confidence. It has been the rookies - Jeffers, Rooker, Alcala, Stashak, Blankenhorn that have looked like they had energy and spirit, not the veterans. I am sorry I had to leave Dobnak off that list of the second half. It is not easy to turn on the gas for a sprint to the finish. We need to start now.

But Colome hasn't been generating many strikeouts this year. Jeffers K rate is 33% right now but that doesn't seem too egregious. More than contact, you need to reach base to stay alive at that point, and Jeffers has a .365 OBP -- Astudillo's MLB career is .319. And ideally, you want a double or HR to plate the runner from first, and obviously Jeffers is a better bet for that too. Jeffers even drew a walk from Colome back on August 31st, so I'm not sure what about that matchup would scare Baldelli.

only possible reason for the pinch hitter was perhaps Jeffers was probably a strike out candidate....as Twins have been whiffing all week long with reckless abandon. The hope was The Turtle would at least put the ball in play...which he did, but not very well. But overall,it was just a lousy game.

Not really hindsight -- 4 innings to protect a 1-run lead looked like a tall task after the pen threw 5.1 innings last night. Edit to add: unless they simply planned to lose the game, so the pen would only have to throw 3 innings.

Yeah, the game summary here really missed an important detail with Kepler's offline throw. Doesn't show up in the box score as anything, but it was the difference between two out nobody on, versus a speedy guy on first base with one out. We had the lead. We didn't exit the inning with it. Game changer right there. Gave away two outs that inning, Buxton's baserunning booboo being the other.

not to worry... it'll be aight!

"This division race is OH-VAH!"

Good evening, I'm your guest introducer of today's game thread as the Twins play the Cubs at Wrigley Field tonight. The Twins are solidly in the playoffs, but are a longshot to win the Central Division after losing three of four to the White Sox earlier this week. Only eight games remain and the Twins trail by three games and lose a tiebreaker to Chicago. They have a similar lead over Cleveland for second place in the division which will most likely mean either a #4 or #5 seed and most likely a chance to end the jinx against the Yankees. The Cubs comfortably lead the NL Central, as the only team in the division with a winning record, Starting pitchers are slated to be Rich Hill for the Twins against Kyle Hendricks for the Cubs. Hill has missed approximately half of the shortened season and has not yet exceeded 5 innings in any start. Hill has compiled a 2-1 record with a 3.81 ERA. Hendricks is 5-4 with a 3.29 ERA, yielding only 6 walks in more than 60 innings. he Hey, news from the lineups. Buxton has been moved up to leadoff. Maybe he can add to his one base on balls and one stolen base. More likely he'll add to his home run total. Silver Slugger Mitch Garver is back and in the lineup tonight. Kepler gets a day off. LINEUPS: Twins (31-21) Buxton cf Donaldson 3b Cruz dh Rosario lf Sanó 1b Garver c Cave rf Polanco ss Gonzalez 2b Hill p (2-1) 3.81 ERA Chicago Cubs (30-20) Rizzo 1b Bryant 3b Contreras c Schwarber lf Baez ss Heyward rf Maybin cf Kipnis dh Hoerner 2b Hendricks p (5-4) 3.29 ERA

Oh well. Thanks for the company!

And like Hamilton earlier, what the f is the point of having Buxton in the leadoff spot and getting on base to start the 9th in a 1-0 game if you're not going to run him???? Make them make a play!!

This team cannot compete with the Yankees offensively.

I'm still a fan. I think he'll adjust and be a Twin for a long time. I love the way he goes about his business.

Lineup is posted. Buxton leading off. Works for me.

Gotta beat the Yankees some time! I think this is the year. (If I keep telling myself that, I feel better...)

Odorizzi to the IL, and Sean Poppen recalled too. Odorizzi will be eligible to return on the season's final day, Sep. 27.

If Dobnak makes the postseason roster, than who doesn’t?? Alcala? I would rather have Alcala.

Well, Odorizzi might be hurt and they apparently don't trust Dobnak all that much, so Bailey could be #5. Or help in the pen? Piggyback with Hill? I'm sure they won't just hand him a playoff spot, but I suspect they'll give him an opportunity to return yet this season if he can get ready in time. He's been active in St. Paul, from what I understand. Bailey was pretty good vs the Yankees down the stretch for Oakland last year.

That's very generous, considering what college tuition is these days.

It's the Yankees in the play-offs. None of it matters. We don't have the bullpen to hold them down and Cruz, Rosario and Kepler aren't clicking so we're not winning any 11-10 games either, I'm afraid.

Watching Cave hang out at 1B today made me think ... what is the harm in having Royce Lewis on the roster. He has speed and can be used defensively. Saving him when the next collective bargaining agreement may remove the current club advantages is pointless. Lewis as a pinch runner is more valuable than the 25th player. He is the gas the Twins need now. Astudillo, Wade and a pitcher can be spared. Love Wade. Love Astudillo. Lewis fits the Twins roster better right now.

Thank god donaldson’s ejection fired up the fellas. They managed to fumble through the last few innings with more gusto than usual!

Housekeeping: "Home Runs: Rosario (11), Buxton (10)" - you missed Sano's there. For those who keep arguing AGAINST small-ball, the Twins hit 3 HR last night....and scored just 5 runs. That's not unusual for this team. Hitting a few singles and moving runners over, especially when the opposing pitcher is in a good groove would be helpful IMO. Twins could have won the first two games also had they done that. Nice win last night, much needed. Is Buxton taking the reins and becoming the team leader right now?