MIN 12, TOR 6: More Like Er-win Sweep-tana!!!

So i guess were back to wait and see after this sweep in terms of selling? I mean i can see Lynn still being traded but not sure about anyone else if we get to the deadline 5 maybe 6 games tops back.

It’ll be really interesting to follow Santana’s pitch usage, but as a veteran who’s had to make plenty of adjustments over his career, one would think he can still be an asset even without his best stuff going.
 

The question is, an asset for which team?

Also it looks like Sano could be back anytime now. He could take over DH and split with Escobar and Mauer on a rotation......we could release Morrison at that point since the results just arent there.

It's cool that the Twins are beating up on some of the bad teams... Toronto's roster looks a lot worse than their record implies IMO. I still fully expect the Twins to trade some players within the week. I don't suspect the Twins match up to the Red Sox like they did in the last series.

So i guess were back to wait and see after this sweep in terms of selling? I mean i can see Lynn still being traded but not sure about anyone else if we get to the deadline 5 maybe 6 games tops back.

I mean, sure, someone will probably take Lynn and give you a non-prospect for him. The Twins are probably better off starting Mejia, and I can't imagine teams vying for the postseason would want him when there are better options out there.

Huge game from Garver, game saving innings from Garver and a big extra innings double from a Dozier lead to nice win. It is great to be able to just sit and enjoy the game of baseball.

Twins won a WS with Brian Harper as catcher, a very good hitter who was deficient on the defense. 

I think Garver is better defensively, but a notch below offensively.

I'd like to see the Twins turn it over to him next season, with Castro as backup.

Twins won a WS with Brian Harper as catcher, a very good hitter who was deficient on the defense.

 

I think Garver is better defensively, but a notch below offensively.

 

I'd like to see the Twins turn it over to him next season, with Castro as backup.

I think he has improved this year. I think he is spending a lot of time outside of games both working on technique and learning the league. The development of a catcher is a slow one.

When Castro went down, people were excited to see Garver.

 

I thought the loss of Castro was possibly the worst thing that could happen to Garver.

 

It appears Garver is improving but I think he could improve more backing up Castro.

They likely had a plan for his development and Castro was a part of that plan. Wilson was plan B. I wish they had a better plan B but any veteran catcher signing with the Twins knew plan B starts in AAA. I hope and kind of expect we will see Garver starting 4 times a week. He hasn’t been catching Gibson or Berrios very often. When he does that will be a sign of getting the larger workload. In fact he had been catching only Lynn and Idorizzi for a while. This week he caught both Mejia and Santana. The Twins may already be increasing his usage. I hope so.

They likely had a plan for his development and Castro was a part of that plan. Wilson was plan B. I wish they had a better plan B but any veteran catcher signing with the Twins knew plan B starts in AAA. I hope and kind of expect we will see Garver starting 4 times a week. He hasn’t been catching Gibson or Berrios very often. When he does that will be a sign of getting the larger workload. In fact he had been catching only Lynn and Idorizzi for a while. This week he caught both Mejia and Santana. The Twins may already be increasing his usage. I hope so.

THIS. ABSOLUTELY.

Some want to like on Castro's poor production before he hit the surgeon's table. But unknown to us, he was playing on a bad knee. I believe all along Garver was supposed to be the backup and learn and be groomed. Suddenly he was thrust in to a role not intended. Wilson was supposed to be the veteran AAA catcher to work with the staff there, and come up for a short stint here and there if necessary. Obviously things haven't worked out that way.

BTW, no rose colored glasses, he wasn't dominate and threw way too many pitches, but the SO were OK, and 1 more IP would have still been a quality start. Yeah, I know, optimistic. Just saying, was better than I expected.

Question I have is, another, better start or two, is he trade value with the August waiver wire? Or do you bank on a fully healthy Santana for a 1 year deal for about 7M with incentives for 2019?

Started a great DP to end the game today. I don't see him being released. And I don't see Sano back that soon. He's had one good game at Rochester.

I meant by the trade deadline give or take a few days.

Wow! A sweep of the Blue Jays...Garver was hitting everything in sight. Oh how I wish I could have watched this one. 

Those must have been a couple of interesting (ugly?) innings by Belisle. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as if Toronto bailed Belisle out instead of the other way around. I can imagine him being brought into games more frequently instead of being released...

I think Hildenberger is STILL the most reliable person in the pen, but he has pitched in four of the last five. He was probably exhausted.

Twins won a WS with Brian Harper as catcher, a very good hitter who was deficient on the defense. 

 

I think Garver is better defensively, but a notch below offensively.

 

I'd like to see the Twins turn it over to him next season, with Castro as backup.

I think Garver can be as good offensively, and his arm is better than Harper’s. Harper’s receiving skills, though, were good...Garver, yikes!

We’ll see, I hope. Need to play him (basically) every day behind the plate and see how much better it can get.

Nobody was giving Harper much of a chance. His first year with the Twins was his first shot at being an every-day catcher...at age 28. Garver is 27.

Credit to Santana, he gritted this one out. Have to tip your cap to the guy. First MLB start in a long, long time.

When Garver gets hot, he really is a great addition to this lineup!

Twins score 12 runs, Morrison goes 0-4 with two K's and 3 men LOB. His batting average is now .192. Only Joey Gallo (who has 25 HR and 55 RBI) and Chris Davis (just plain terrible at .153) are worse among qualified batters. That's in all of MLB, not just the AL.

That sweep to KC looks worse every day.

Welp, on to Beantown. I would absolutely love to see the Twins go on a tear and win that series! I know it's a pipe dream, but that's what being a baseball fan's all about.

Started a great DP to end the game today.  I don't see him being released.  And I don't see Sano back that soon.  He's had one good game at Rochester.

I agree, No point in releasing Morrison. Sure, he's been a major disappointment this year. but I keep hoping he'll get hot before the month is over (hmm... not much time left) or in early August, and then maybe maybe maybe some team will give up a low level prospect for him. Gotta keep hoping for a miracle.

Wow! A sweep of the Blue Jays...Garver was hitting everything in sight. Oh how I wish I could have watched this one. 

 

Those must have been a couple of interesting (ugly?) innings by Belisle. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as if Toronto bailed Belisle out instead of the other way around. I can imagine him being brought into games more frequently instead of being released...

 

I think Hildenberger is STILL the most reliable person in the pen, but he has pitched in four of the last five. He was probably exhausted.

Belisle pitched well. He kept hitters off balance and was not hit hard. He was in trouble in his 9th inning as a result of a two singles. The second single was a weak bloop just over the infield. Bad luck for the Twins on the bloop. Bad base running for the Jays on the double play. A single, two strike outs and a lazy fly ball to right field in the 10th. 

A very good performance. If doesn't mean anything for the rest of the season but he executed his pitches and kept hitters off balance when the Twins desperately needed a few innings.

Wow! A sweep of the Blue Jays...Garver was hitting everything in sight. Oh how I wish I could have watched this one. 

 

Those must have been a couple of interesting (ugly?) innings by Belisle. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as if Toronto bailed Belisle out instead of the other way around. I can imagine him being brought into games more frequently instead of being released...

 

I think Hildenberger is STILL the most reliable person in the pen, but he has pitched in four of the last five. He was probably exhausted.

Belisle looked good to me.  Not some dominating flamethrower, mind you.  More like what he--and Santana--are: wizened, ultra-calm vets. Its like having Yoda and Mace Windu pitching. He even mind-tricked Morales into getting doubled off for the second time.  I would like scouts to invent a 100 point scale, with Greg Maddux on the top end and Nuke Laloosh on the other, that basically just describes how well a pitcher (and catcher?) actually knows how to pitch strategically.

I agree, No point in releasing Morrison. Sure, he's been a major disappointment this year. but I keep hoping he'll get hot before the month is over (hmm... not much time left) or in early August, and then maybe maybe maybe some team will give up a low level prospect for him. Gotta keep hoping for a miracle.

There absolutely is a point to releasing him. To give someone else the at bats. Vargas if anyone still thinks he can be helpful or more likely Lamonte Wade.

There absolutely is a point to releasing him. To give someone else the at bats. Vargas if anyone still thinks he can be helpful or more likely Lamonte Wade.

Looking at his statcast numbers he really isn't that far off last year in his batted ball numbers. His xWOBA was .371 last year and .360 this year. The batted ball results (slash stats) are poor but they are not reliable for future projection at a partial season sample.

I think the xWOBA provides a better projection for the future. I would certainly keep him if I can't find a trade partner. 

This is a pretty weird Twins team. They're definitely under performing overall, they've had some bad luck, and they just haven't had a lot go right.

Coming off a nice run into the all-star break, they fall flat on their face against an awful KC team. Then they come back and sweep Toronto?

Glad to see Garver hitting. He's actually been pretty good this season, taken a solid step forward from his cup of coffee last year. He's still got work to do on his catching to stick back there as a starter, but he's already a nice asset with his hitting and positional flexibility.

Oh, another "fun" Twins stat: Record in One Run Games: 5-17  .227 Yuck. There's your margin with Cleveland right there.