MIN 6, PIT 4: New-Look Bullpen Boosts Twins Over Buccos

Three different Twins relievers have thrown 40 plus pitches (and a 4th with 37) since the last time Trevor May threw 1.

Different names. Same idiotic usage.

There's a couple of quality wins right there.  Let's change the culture.

They are building a very good home record for a team that is well below .500

Maybe there is a reason May hasn’t pitched. Arm troubles, or maybe having some discomfort. Think most of us want to see him pitching more.

And so does Molitor.

Maybe there is a reason May hasn’t pitched. Arm troubles, or maybe having some discomfort. Think most of us want to see him pitching more. And so does Molitor.

Then he should probably be on the DL.

Bobby Wilson -- what more can be said? Well done! Women want to be like him. Men want to have his baby.

Magic Number Update:

Division: 56

Wild Card: 59

Red Sox Number to finish with best record in the AL: 33

For those a little more pessimistic:

Cleveland Magic Number for Division: 32

Another reason MOY shouldn’t be manager next year, Adrianza starting at 1st. Austin and Garver on the bench.

This is swell!  Just swell!  These young not old fellas in the  bullpen are stepping up to the plate toeing the rubber and getting her done.  That is, if the game of baseball has a gender.  If not, then they are getting it done.  Either way, I think this is just tops.  The cat's meow.

Pittsburgh's FO zigged where the Twins' zagged, and look who came out on top in this scrum!  Memo to Molly--and this is coming from a live-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of guy--Look out a couple of days ahead and try and give a guy like Mauer a day off from the field on days when...blah blah...so you don't end up with Ehire...nevermind.  Keep zagging.

Seeing Duffey pitch well and having Moya be decent... good thing we had Belisle pitch so many innings, right? I'd throw May's name in there but I guess he's the new Magill.

They have stated they will be careful with May’s use. That is a tough mix with the need to get him in front of major league batters. They do have enough arms in the pen to manage his more limited use.

Thorpe was good tonight, that is a great sign

#1] We won! Awesome!

#2] I can't dislike Wilson because his work behind the plate is solid, and while I haven't checked recently, his RBI were almost in line with his actual hits. But come on, Garver has a future and Wilson doesn't. Still, it seems Garver has been getting more time lately, and that's important.

#3] Berrios is too good to be worried about. Virtually every pitcher goes through stretches.

#4] Moya has looked pretty good since his recent promotion. SSS? Maybe. Or maybe growth and opportunity are meeting? Think about Hildenberger last season. All the more begs the question about "where is Busentiz, Curtiss and Reed?

#5] Drake is the flier you bring in on a milb contract with an invite. Like Magill. You might get lucky. You don't let him block anyone or keep him on the 40 man.

#6] Hadn't heard about a bug bothering May, but makes sense if that happened. Regardless, no matter what he's shown...which has been very good and looked very good while in Rochester...he is still on the proverbial "come back trail" and should be handled a bit gingerly. Interesting that he actually told the Twins he should be in the pen in Rochester as he felt better and more productive there considering stamina and time off.

#7] I like Mejia. Disappointed in his injury. I think his stuff plays as a solid SP. Just needs to learn how to put guys away quicker. I think his stuff could, potentially, play up even better in the pen. I believe he's out of options. He will be with the club next season in the pen, if not the rotation.

Personally, been a huge fan of Gonsalves since the day he was drafted and thought we got a steal! Every single year, at every single level, he has performed and performed well. Usually, not surprisingly, he has struggled a bit on initial introduction, worked and developed, and then excelled. I expect the same thing to happen at the ML level. Decent FB from a lanky LH. Great change. By all reports, his breaking pitches are starting to work better and better. His BB have risen this season, but this too has been better lately. When does he get his feet wet because this wait is getting ridiculous. While I like Mejia, I think Gonsalves has an even better future in the rotation.

And I think Thorpe, especially considering his age and lost time and what he's been doing, has an even higher ceiling than Gonsalves!

Busenitz, Curtiss and Reed . . . sounds like a law practice.

Kudos to Thorpe being promoted to Rochester; last night pitched a quality start but lost 3-2, 9 strikeouts 0 walks, not a bad start.

Adrianza at 1B, really?

Can I both dislike Logan Forsythe because he is not Brian Dozier, and like him because he is not Brian Dozier?

Slated to toe the rubber tonite in the minors: Romero, Enns, Pineda, Enlow.

Great to see the team playing well at home. Addition by subtraction with Dozier being gone? I can't quite put my finger on why he bugged me so much, but I have to think if we were team mates that I would not want to share my Fogo De Chao with him.

14 days til Gopher Football!

You know how the season is going when almost a third of the posts are about players who didn't even play in the game that was recapped in the OP.

Impressive afternoon from the bullpen.  Rogers is looking like a real weapon against lefties late in the game.