Week in Review: Running into a Wall

Can't remember the last time the tone of these reviews was any different. Pretty much the last 3+ months in a nutshell.

If they don’t go on a run here you can pretty well put a fork in this team!  
 

if you can’t put up runs and win against Texas what makes you think you are against the Astros or Yankees or Cleveland 

When do heads start to roll?   I don’t think we have really won or come out on top with trades made?  It doesn’t seem like player development is even good. The few players that have made it as MLB quality are few and far between.  Keeping players healthy has been horrible.   Questionable day to day lineup’s and pitching management not even average.  Kepler should be DFA’d or at the very least benched instead he often hits in prime spots.  Not even sure how to categorize the lack of getting the team to even appear that they want to win.  A few really put their hearts in the game.  We are now 2-3 years past being the competitive team we were supposed to have.  It doesn’t seem like they are rebuilding.   Basically if most of us were this incompetent we would have been fired a long time ago.  

59 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

When do heads start to roll?   I don’t think we have really won or come out on top with trades made?  It doesn’t seem like player development is even good. The few players that have made it as MLB quality are few and far between.  Keeping players healthy has been horrible.   Questionable day to day lineup’s and pitching management not even average.  Kepler should be DFA’d or at the very least benched instead he often hits in prime spots.  Not even sure how to categorize the lack of getting the team to even appear that they want to win.  A few really put their hearts in the game.  We are now 2-3 years past being the competitive team we were supposed to have.  It doesn’t seem like they are rebuilding.   Basically if most of us were this incompetent we would have been fired a long time ago.  

I would argue that there has been some exciting new faces (player development this year). If Larnach and Kiriloff would have stayed healthy Kepler's dismal performance wouldn't have been on display as much.

6 hours ago, nokomismod said:

I would argue that there has been some exciting new faces (player development this year). If Larnach and Kiriloff would have stayed healthy Kepler's dismal performance wouldn't have been on display as much.

It is a combination of failures.   I know all teams have injuries but the medical staff of the Twins has to be at the bottom.  How on earth did they think Mahle was healthy?   Far too many.  

The Twins are flat lined with clutch hitting and run manufacturing. As much as homers are fun this team isn't doing that or actually much of anything in the batter's box. We have serious issues when two long term Twins like Buxton and Kepler cannot hit. It is very weird to me to hear the accolades for BB when he often does not play in CF or even DH. I actually am glad when he does not play, as most on the team that can play CF hit better. So, what if he hits a homer? He doesn't hit or whiffs very often. Both he and Kepler are incredible defensive ball players, but cannot hit. 

We have no offense at catcher. LF right now is void of hits. Adding woe is the fact that Polanco is having a very poor year batting. I'll take a SS that can hit .265 - .270 any day, even if his name is Correa. 

Luckilly, we have Miranda and Arraez. Even Gordon has surprised! Injuries have zapped the rest of the team that does not take the mound. 

Love this team but there is not any emotion, energy, consistency or leadership in the dugout. I'll cheer and support the team the rest of the way to the end of 2022.

See you at Spring Training 2023 with high hopes. This team will be on fall and winter vacations. Go Twins.

Twins Geezer.... out!

Gleeman and Bonnes talk often about 60/40 decisions for the Twins. Simply, a lot of the decisions that Rocco and the FO make are entirely defendable decisions. They would seem - theoretically, at least - to be wise decisions. BUT ... a 60/40 decision still has a 40% crash rate, and that 40% has hit this team consistently. Add in the unexpected disasters - Wes Johnsons resigns, Royce Lewis tears ACL again, pipeline arms falling off - and it's just a snakebit organization living under the curse of some uprooted spruce.

And sadly, this has all happened at exactly the wrong time. After an 0-18 run in playoff misery and a crash-and-burn year in 2021, there is simply not much charity or grace or optimism left in the fanbase. We're only 1.5 games out with plenty of games left against key rivals, but most posters here (myself included) are declaring the season dead.

So, it seems like there are only two options left. 1) Set aside disappointment and just root like hell for this club over the final stretch. Our beleaguered losers need a boost that only a loyal fanbase can provide. Or 2) Pack it in, watch it burn, and push very hard for a total organizational rebuild starting in 2023. No Rocco. No Falvine. New coaches. Start fresh, and let a 5-7 year rebuild play itself out.

I haven't made up my mind yet which option I prefer, so don't feel bad if you haven't either.

It doesn't take much imagination to find a 2-5 or 1-6 record as a distinct possibility. The Astros have a distinct advantage in Tuesday night's TBD v. RHP Justin Verlander matchup. I'm sure glad that game is getting featured on MLB Network. 

IMO the offense is dead overall because of BP losing those games that the offence had won, in the 1st half. Now that the BP is mainly on track the offense doesn't have that spark

Also Buxton is the heart of this team. His defensive plays, stolen bases, triples, taking that extra base & HRs. really fires up this team & fan base. Him playing DH & floundering doesn't help the team. IMO Buxton & Kepler needs another break on the IL to get them healthy again & fired up. I know we really need him right now but not the way he is.

I'd like them to bring up A Sanchez & keep him up as long relief even when Mahle returns.

One change in baseball from the 2019 and 2020 seasons is the increased competitiveness of teams with losing records. The Twins  feasted on Kansas City and Detroit and everyone rolled over Baltimore. The Twins are definitely in a funk right now with the bats and we should expect more from Correa, Buxton, and Polanco among others. September is right around the corner and the Twins are above .500 and hanging in the division, meaning that we can still hope for good baseball to be played down the stretch. While it is always nice to sweep teams that are lower in the standings, especially at Target Field, the Twins need to show some talent versus those teams similar to them and also against those markedly better. The Twins have 10 games before September 1 and despite some dispirited play recently, the team could wake up in first place before their weekend series in Chicago against the White Sox.

1 hour ago, LastOnePicked said:

Gleeman and Bonnes talk often about 60/40 decisions for the Twins. Simply, a lot of the decisions that Rocco and the FO make are entirely defendable decisions. They would seem - theoretically, at least - to be wise decisions. BUT ... a 60/40 decision still has a 40% crash rate, and that 40% has hit this team consistently. Add in the unexpected disasters - Wes Johnsons resigns, Royce Lewis tears ACL again, pipeline arms falling off - and it's just a snakebit organization living under the curse of some uprooted spruce.

And sadly, this has all happened at exactly the wrong time. After an 0-18 run in playoff misery and a crash-and-burn year in 2021, there is simply not much charity or grace or optimism left in the fanbase. We're only 1.5 games out with plenty of games left against key rivals, but most posters here (myself included) are declaring the season dead.

So, it seems like there are only two options left. 1) Set aside disappointment and just root like hell for this club over the final stretch. Our beleaguered losers need a boost that only a loyal fanbase can provide. Or 2) Pack it in, watch it burn, and push very hard for a total organizational rebuild starting in 2023. No Rocco. No Falvine. New coaches. Start fresh, and let a 5-7 year rebuild play itself out.

I haven't made up my mind yet which option I prefer, so don't feel bad if you haven't either.

Before we go giving away the next 5-7 years, let's see what we have when they get Winder / Ober / Maeda / Alcala / Kirilloff / Larnach / Jeffers and eventually Paddack and Lewis back.  Plus they will have $60M to spend in free agency.  

3 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Before we go giving away the next 5-7 years, let's see what we have when they get Winder / Ober / Maeda / Alcala / Kirilloff / Larnach / Jeffers and eventually Paddack and Lewis back.  Plus they will have $60M to spend in free agency.  

Yes, if the Twins can win tonight and sneak 2 out of 3 from Houston and San Diego can get a two game mini sweep of Cleveland then things might smell differently. I'm surprised to see so many Twins fans on the ledge.