MIN 5, MIL 3: Smeltzer Shines in Emotional MLB Debut

Since Pineda was only supposed to miss one start, what happens to Smeltzer?? Are we really gonna demote him after such an impressive performance?? I mean, he would be a nice addition to the bullpen, but that would be kind of waste wouldn’t it, especially after what he showed what he’s capable of yesterday.

Watch out Twinkies, Tribe is comin... Our .069 hitting center fielder hit his first homer of the year and the indians accidentally beat Boston at Fenway last night..Jose Ramirez (consensus top 5 player in baseball for 3 years, who now is maybe the worst statistically), got TWO hits... all in one game.. he's scorching at .201 now, and is primed to hit more homers than the entire Twins lineup combined.  Tribe right on your tails only 10 GB.... Be afraid, my Minny friends...be very afraid

Watch out Twinkies, Tribe is comin... Our .069 hitting center fielder hit his first homer of the year and the indians accidentally beat Boston at Fenway last night..Jose Ramirez (consensus top 5 player in baseball for 3 years, who now is maybe the worst statistically), got TWO hits... all in one game.. he's scorching at .201 now, and is primed to hit more homers than the entire Twins lineup combined.  Tribe right on your tails only 10 GB.... Be afraid, my Minny friends...be very afraid

Im honored to provide comedic relief to my Twin fan buddies, lol

In all seriousness... This is what baseball needs right now... this very second and shouldn't wait until tomorrow. 

 

They need to market their players and their stories. Baseball sucks at this. 

 

The baseball audience is primarily old white and male. They are not going to grow trying to get more old, white and male audiences. They will grow by reaching all the others.

 

Telling the stories of players will help baseball reach new audiences.

 

My wife will sit and watch Survivor, the Bachelor and the Voice just to see who gets voted off. She watches the produced biographies of each contestant and she listens to what they have to say and why these moments are important to them and she lets those production pieces determine who she wants to get chosen and then she watches to see who gets chosen. 

 

While my wife watches these shows... I tell her that Baseball has all of this ten times over. Players are voted off the island all the time but baseball does a crappy job of telling their stories and as a result... declining numbers and poor name recognition beyond the baseball fan elite. 

 

I told my wife about Smeltzer surviving cancer as a 9 year old... She listened to his parents being interviewed... She watched the game and cared about Smeltzer. 

 

I love the Smeltzer story but there are a lot of stories that need to be told. Tell them and baseball has a chance of increasing it's audience base. 

well said... and kudos for getting the wife to watch baseball with u...andrea would not watch a single second with me, tho i did get her to jump on the Cavs bandwagon when Lebron dragged my talentless cavs to the finals last yr...she hates sports and prob hates me a little for loving them lol

IALTO

Hey! No using acronym internet speak, btw...lol.....wait, nm.....  ahhh! ive been infected by milleniall-itis

IMO the issues with Rodgers and Parker have more to do with how much and when they are used. In our last series with Detroit we had a chance to sweep them but in the lone loss Roco refused to use Rodgers in the eighth inning instead going with someone else. Detroit ended up winning the game when Roco should've brought Rodgers in to pitch the 8th and Parker to pitch the ninth. Unwritten rule is when you're at home and the game is tied you use your set up man and closer like you're a head. ON the road you don't use the set up man and closer until yo have the lead. At home you use them when its tied because you have the last at bat. This is the way its been for the last 15 to 20 years. Now you have last night and IMO Roco should've left the young kid in there to pitch at least one more inning. And now he's flip flopping the relievers all over the place. Bringing in Parker before Rodgers and it's starting to screw with these guys. You could see the relievers were more than a little disgruntled. This is a good team Roco just needs to not trip them up and we'll be going to the playoffs. I understand the pitchers need there rest and I'm ok with the 100 pitch count for the starters but when you start pulling them after only 60 some pitches while pitching a shut out you have to wonder if it's set them up for failure down the road. On the positive Smeltzer pitched his hiney off. I love those types of pitchers. It isn't how hard you throw it and he beats them with great control. Throwing strikes and hitting the corners. I'd like to see them recall HIldenberger and send May down. 

Not just millenials. You probably haven't had occasion to read the site's Comment Policy, which contains this passage written by an old fart:

BAHAHAHAHA, that is amazing...u guys are all great

They are pretty much polar opposites in everything from pitching style to build.  I may be missing sarcasm because there probably couldn't be two pitchers more different.

 

The only thing they have some similarity in is maybe the pitching motion and the way that motion kind of hides the ball and slings around their body before reaching their release point causing hitters to struggle to time pitches well.

Sarcasm guys, sarcasm.