Twins Game Recap (9/5): Eddie Rosario Throw Seals 2-1 Victory

Twins' streak of @100 games of extra base hits came to an end and not one complaint from the fan base.

 

Baseball.... such a wonder.

Streaks and records are consolation prizes.

But everything OPS stands for is situational baseball.  For Example last night Sano took two walks instead of swinging at pitches out of the zone to try and hit a Home Run.  Those two walks created the only runs scored in the game last night.  Without the Sano walks we score no runs at all and Eddie can't even be the hero.  Every situation counts and that is what OPS measures.

 

I will give you that Rosario has elite wrists and hand eye coordination and can turn on a ball better than a lot of batters.  He has an elite skill there but he wastes it by not being patient and getting good pitches to hit and in the end that makes him more average overall.  I love the guy like everyone else does when he comes up big but other players come up big too not just Eddie.  I love his passion and that he cares about winning the game in a good way, but the numbers don't lie and his current production looks replaceable to me.

I get your point, but "lies, damn lies, and statistics." Eddie does not play the game like other players. Eddie doesn't have the same approach at the plate, the same decision-making on the base paths or in the field, nor the same level of concentration as many players on this team. However, he's different. There's something special he brings to the field and to the club house.

We are lucky to have so much depth in the outfield in this organization. And it seems we should be able to trade from this position in the off-season. However, Eddie is a big part of this team. He's gone through the worst seasons and hung in there. He does what he does, and often wins us games. I don't think he's easily replaceable.

Seeing this has been dump on Eddie week, there is something else I have noticed.  When the Twins have a win with their RBK outfield playing, the player's meeting in center is different than when one or more are missing.  Just more alive, more energy.  

 

Could be 100% wrong, but I believe there is a huge risk to this team should they trade any of the three.  So many players/coaches talk about team chemistry.  Take away a key part of the core of the group could cause the team to go flat next year, couldn't it?

That is a bit of a slippery slope you are creating there.  I presume that means you would never want to replace any players on the current roster for fear of messing with chemistry then.  So no trades, no FA no new players because chemistry could be broken.  I don't think there is a team in the league that does that.  Most of the acquisitions we got this year seemed to fit right in and actually enhance the chemistry of the team so that in itself might blow a hole in your theory.

That is a bit of a slippery slope you are creating there.  I presume that means you would never want to replace any players on the current roster for fear of messing with chemistry then.  So no trades, no FA no new players because chemistry could be broken.  I don't think there is a team in the league that does that.  Most of the acquisitions we got this year seemed to fit right in and actually enhance the chemistry of the team so that in itself might blow a hole in your theory.

OK, I'll admit it.  I like Rosario, really like him.  Have liked him since that summer long ago when I checked the box score down at ETon every day to see whether he or Sano had hit a home run.  Also think he is one of the core players of this team, both on and off the field.

Will you admit you don't like him?

source?

Well, according to this website bbref.com, Rosario has 47 career assists.

OK, I'll admit it.  I like Rosario, really like him.  Have liked him since that summer long ago when I checked the box score down at ETon every day to see whether he or Sano had hit a home run.  Also think he is one of the core players of this team, both on and off the field.

 

Will you admit you don't like him?

I really like him too followed him the whole way through.  I have looked at pitches he has hit and wondered how he could even reach them.  He plays with spirit no doubt and that is fun to see but his one fatal flaw does really irk me and it really brings down his value as a player if you ask me.

I am not a huge chemistry believer because most of the time it is an answer in search of a problem.  How many trades involve a GM saying this guy only hits 200 but the chemistry he brings should put us over the top?  Or we really need to draft good chemistry guys over guys that have 5 tool potential?  Just how many bad chemistry guys are there out there?  Every story Seth has ever written is about what hard workers these MiLB players are and what good team players they are.  Where is the article about the bad seed?

That being said I know every team wants to create a family type atmosphere or brotherhood.  Wants the guys to be loose and feel supported.  From what I read last year it sounded like the club house was a bit toxic and that is probably the main reason they brought in Baldelli.  A manger closer to the age of some of the players who seems to stress keeping guys fresh and keeping them loose. 

Part of the reason they brought in Cruz is that he is a good club house guy and he has proven that he is.  Also at least early in the year the players frequently commented on how they liked the guys on the team and that the club house was relaxed and a fun place to be. So there is likely more to it than I like to admit sometimes.

My point is ultimately though that it is about production.  Manny Machado has value because of his past and future projected production not because of any chemistry concerns. It just doesn't work that way in todays game.  The statistical edge is always at work and I don't see chemistry in the list of tools at fangraphs.  Teams like most all of their players but production is key and there are service time and payroll constraints as well as age\injury concerns to boot.  They all play a role in who is kept and who is let go.

I like a lot of things about Eddie but he is replaceable just like lots of players on lots of teams.

I get your point, but "lies, damn lies, and statistics." Eddie does not play the game like other players. Eddie doesn't have the same approach at the plate, the same decision-making on the base paths or in the field, nor the same level of concentration as many players on this team. However, he's different. There's something special he brings to the field and to the club house.

 

We are lucky to have so much depth in the outfield in this organization. And it seems we should be able to trade from this position in the off-season. However, Eddie is a big part of this team. He's gone through the worst seasons and hung in there. He does what he does, and often wins us games. I don't think he's easily replaceable.

I hear you he has passion and you can't help but see his love for the game.  I just wish he enjoyed the game of cat and mouse with the pitcher more.   If he did I think he could be an elite player instead of one closer to average.  If he could do that I could see the Twins trading Larnach or Raley or maybe even Kiriloff.  But if they play the game better and have fewer weaknesses then why keep Eddie?  They are going to hit walk off Home runs just like Eddie as well as take walks and work the pitcher which he can't seem to do.  Hard to match Rosario's passion but this game is about production and winning not much else. 

I get your point, but "lies, damn lies, and statistics." Eddie does not play the game like other players. Eddie doesn't have the same approach at the plate, the same decision-making on the base paths or in the field, nor the same level of concentration as many players on this team. However, he's different. There's something special he brings to the field and to the club house.

 

We are lucky to have so much depth in the outfield in this organization. And it seems we should be able to trade from this position in the off-season. However, Eddie is a big part of this team. He's gone through the worst seasons and hung in there. He does what he does, and often wins us games. I don't think he's easily replaceable.

I agree.  He brings the "somebody make a play" quality to the games that stats miss.

I hear you he has passion and you can't help but see his love for the game.  I just wish he enjoyed the game of cat and mouse with the pitcher more.   If he did I think he could be an elite player instead of one closer to average.  If he could do that I could see the Twins trading Larnach or Raley or maybe even Kiriloff.  But if they play the game better and have fewer weaknesses then why keep Eddie?  They are going to hit walk off Home runs just like Eddie as well as take walks and work the pitcher which he can't seem to do.  Hard to match Rosario's passion but this game is about production and winning not much else. 

I hear ya, but really a lot of what you say could have been said about a young Oliva. Bad ball hitter when he came up, etc. But even with that he was ROY. And you ain't wrong when you say Eddie could be special if he learned the strike zone more. Oliva did that. Sano is doing that.  I hope the coaches point to Miggie and get that  point across to Eddie. So for me, I'd rather keep Eddie than trade him.  But in the end, they will offer extensions to Buck and Eddie and the players will decide whether to stay or go. I'm so glad we locked up Keps and Polanco. If Eddie signs an extension I suspect Alex pencils in at 1B in a year or so. If Buck leaves then Lewis might  go to CF. I see this team reloading with new flame thrower starters next year, although Busdar is getting his "welcome to the show" break in treatment. He'll get better. Anyway, I am optimistic for this group of guys.