Twins 14, Athletics 4: Twins Crush Oakland, Secure Series Win

There are some games where there really isn't much to say or needs to be said.  Glad to have the win. 

Talking about lighting a fire under the team. Amazing what happens when every player who has played worse than Royce Lewis realizes that they may be sent down or cut. 
  
Do players actually think in these terms  

Fortunate for fan morale that Correa came back with a fine game after the demotion of Lewis........

Great to see Jeffers get a couple hits. He is starting to be a lot like Drew Butera regarding production.

Pretty surprised to see Duran, as Baldelli was "managing his ass off", clocking up the pitches/innings for the season in the ultra low leverage blowout. 23 pitches..... and not available for tomorrow (edit: day off tomorrow) in a close one if needed........ Did he really need the work?

22 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Morale.

That said, Correa is a far better SS than Lewis. I’m glad to have him back regardless of Lewis being up or down.

Well excuuuuuuuuussssssse, me! or excuse....... Thank you for the spelling correction, and attention.

Yup. Correa definitely a better SS than Lewis, and you and me, and everybody else, most probably, glad to have him back. Not really the point, as many including me felt Lewis could have stayed independent of Correa coming back (aware of all the reasons and angles), but agreed.

Works counts, gets hits, Arreaz is under-rated. Good to see Correa back, Sanchez hitting, Gray settling down. Should've been a sweep.

I love seeing Twins hitters pile up 10 walks in a game. 

Winning a series on the road makes me happy, regardless of who they are playing. Oakland tore down a lot, and they are clearly nowhere near where they were last season, but they still have enough talent to steal games, so I'm happy to see us put the foot on their necks and not give them hope.

49 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

What do you mean? Everyone in the lineup contributed at least a hit or a run today. I’ve seen you write paragraphs in losses and controversies. This was a great win! Turn that frown upside down! 

.You misunderstand - this is not cynical, but when everything goes right I can only congratulate them.  There is nothing more that needs to be said. 

9 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

That should be celebrated, no? With more than a passing comment of good job?

I had a shot of Scotch - does that count?

What was the last Miranda AB like (HBP)?

Only saw it on Gameday and the timing seemed...iffy.

Miranda got hit by a 43 mph pitch by a position player according to the radio announcers.

Kirilloff wants to be back up playing 1B for the Twins. 4 for 5 with 3 rbi's including a double and homer and the game isn't over yet tonight for the Saints. Only one game but it's a nice start.

1 hour ago, Shaitan said:

What was the last Miranda AB like (HBP)?

Only saw it on Gameday and the timing seemed...iffy.

Chad Pinder, who usually plays LF for the A's, was pitching and trying out some sort of breaking ball that he clearly hasn't tried throwing in years, and it harmlessly bounced off Miranda's leg. It was quite comical.

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

I suppose. I’ll call you out the next time you write more than a nonchalant response the next we lose.  

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

I suppose. I’ll call you out the next time you write more than a nonchalant response the next we lose.  

Chill

4 hours ago, Eris said:

Talking about lighting a fire under the team. Amazing what happens when every player who has played worse than Royce Lewis realizes that they may be sent down or cut. 
  
Do players actually think in these terms  

 

Nah

So the Twins are obviously a better team than the A's. We're supposed to win. Guess what? We did!

I know A's pitchers produced a ton of walks. But can we give at least a little bit of credit for the Twins batters to not bite and take those walks? How about 14 runs scored and not a HR struck? That means, as bad as the A's might be, the Twins still took professional AB and made things happen.

Gray may have faced a low leverage lineup, overall, but he got his groove going and did a good job and should build on this going forward, healthy again.

There is nothing about this game not to like.

There has been conversation about how weak the next few weeks are on our schedule.  Maybe so. These things are fluid based on injury and hot streaks. But it's also a perfect time to pad a lead, but more than that, it's a perfect time for a few bats to "get right" and show what you are capable of. And it's the perfect time for Bundy to "get well" again as well as Archer to start believing in his stuff and start pounding the zone again and stretch himself out to at least 5 IP per.

NEVER apologize for winning. And never apologize for opportunity to get better.

9 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

I suppose. I’ll call you out the next time you write more than a nonchalant response the next we lose.  

That's good - I enjoy it when I get reactions.  I happen to be on Martha's Vineyard at the moment and thus my attention is divided and I only get a little internet.  So I will do my best to get you to react.

This morning I have some internet and some time - I am on Martha's Vineyard and heading to Newport Rhode Island.  But I feel I let Vanimal46 down because of my short but sincere post so here is a longer more detailed post.

It was the perfect team for Sonny Gray to start against - their team BA going in was 199 and he did what was expected of him and most important went 6 innings - let's make it 7 next time.  12 hits for the A's from our 4 pitchers is too much, but that is the only negative I can find.

Arraez did what we all love and is not batting 323 after 3 hits in 5 ABs.  Love his approach.

Welcome back Correa - the rest seemed to do you well, although Lewis might have also given you some incentive to get the bat going.

Two stolen bases - hallelujah small ball still makes sense. 

Celestino has really found his groove and I am really pleased for him. 

Miranda is lost - I would like to ask the obvious, why Lewis and not Miranda, but I won't - you didn't read it here.

That's it - make sure Vanimal46 knows I wrote this. 

So when Larnach comes back we know Miranda should go.    What if Kiriloff builds on last night and needs to be back at 1B, who then goes?   My guess is Garlick.   Still no room for Lewis - unless an injury hits and we don't need that.   I am torn on Lewis up or down.   IF, and a huge IF Correa was going to sign a long term deal then we could start the move to 3B or OF, but for now Lewis needs to play SS if that is his future.    Would like to see the team package either Martin or Miranda with lower prospects for a SP though

13 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Sorted by fWAR on FanGraphs. Fun fact, 14 catchers are hitting above .250 and only 1 hitting above .300 this season. 

Where is Yasmani Grandal? How much is CWS paying him again? Interesting that Jeffers is higher than Sanchez and both are higher than Garver.