Astros 5, Twins 3: Late Rally Falls Short Again, Twins Drop 5th Consecutive

  On 8/25/2022 at 12:00 PM, TwinsDr2021 said:

The problem with this statement is the Guardians seem to have starting pitching that doesn't care much who their opponents are and go out and pitch deep into games...

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Since 80% of all MLB starters walk out for the 6th inning (on average), I'd say that's all MLB teams except the Twins

  On 8/25/2022 at 2:01 PM, DJL44 said:

Please, for the love of baseball, don't try to rely more heavily on the guy with the 88 MPH fastball.

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Bundy... 89.2mph 4.51 xFIP burn him at the stake! run him out of town! don't trust him!
Ryan... 91.9mph 4.45 xFIP isn't he dreamy??!!! 

  On 8/25/2022 at 1:55 PM, mikelink45 said:

 No matter whether you like Rocco or not, we need something to change. And we also need our front office to wake up and provide us with a better set of players to work with.

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I believe I have expressed the same sentiments recently. Were I to go back over the years, I may well have said the same things before. It is these Twins' legacy.

  On 8/25/2022 at 2:01 PM, Otaknam said:

Good point! Having to convert infielders to outfielders on the fly is an indictment of the FO. And having half your lineup be minor leaguers who can’t hit is a prescription for disaster. That’s on the FO. Then mix in Baldelli’s poor handling of the starters and the injury problems….

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Rocco has 4 outfielders on the roster. Kepler, Celestino, Cave and Gordon. He has no excuse putting an infielder, Beckham, in the outfield under those situations. That's on Rocco. Half the lineup being minor leaguers is due to injuries. Problem is, even the major leaguers aren't playing worth a crap. 

  On 8/25/2022 at 6:58 PM, Aggies7 said:

I just can’t see them canning him.

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A last-place finish from a team that was coming off an AL Central title, followed by an epic mid-season collapse that dropped the team from solidly in first down to third place and missing the playoffs (hasn't happened yet, I know, but we're well on the way). I can't imagine how they could possibly keep him. His players consistently underperform and wither under the pressure. If this team wants to have any credibility, he can't stay. The FO has to realize this, don't they?

Up to now I have remained silent on our manager and just focused on the players. But Rocco's latest speech basically giving the players permission to just go out and have fun, when they were still in contention, was the last straw. Losers are quick to pivot and just tell their charges that playing hard, intense ball isn't necessary when they start to fall apart; but rather just take the pressure off and have fun.

That just doesn't play in my theatre. You are paid professionals and until its mathematically impossible to earn a post season spot, you go out there and bust your tail off and not cheat the fans who buy the tickets.

And if the players support the 'fun' philosophy, you can tell they don't care anymore too. Not willing to put out the extra effort to battle out of the malaise that has dogged this team for over a month now. The 3 games against Houston were carbon copies of themselves. Astros only had to play hard enough to beat a disappearing team.

To be somewhat fair, look at the lineup the Twins are rolling out. Injuries have drastically hurt who they should have been coupled with overall failures of the guys who still can play, but who are having miserable seasons.

But if the leader doesn't care anymore, how can the players care? No, we can't crawl into their heads, I get that, but the 'eye' test is what we have and that test tells us this team just doesn't have it anymore. Can they turn it around if some of the players come back? Maybe, but I'd like to hear and see the manager show us the passion he had with the overturned out at home ahwile back.