chaderic20

Only a week into spring training games and already umpires have had a couple bad-look stories. First CB Buckner refused to shake the Cardinals manager's hand (he was apparently still bitter about an argument from last August), forcing MLB to step in and make them hug-it-out. Now today, in the Pirates/O's game, the umpires refused to work an extra half inning, when the Pirates, the home team, had already technically won the game, but the O's wanted to get one more reliever some in-game work, so asked the Pirates to still play the bottom of the ninth. The Pirates agreed, but the umps refused to work the extra half inning and walked off the field leaving the teams to call the bottom of the inning for themselves. Both of these instances made the umpires look very childish in my opinion.

Count me in among those that say the rule hurts the Twins no more/less than anyone else. This paragraph is just laughable. Run differentials of -3, +2, and +1 is "drastic volatility of outcomes"? Lets see, that means over the whole history of the rule the Twins are at a differential of...doing the math...oh, exactly 0 runs compared to their opponents. Wow, that really must have hurt them! The only way this "hurts" a team is if they have a worse bullpen, or their hitters aren't as good at driving in a runner, or in other words, if they're the worse team.

Is there any reason, other than we fans don't like waiting, for things to move faster? If not, then there's no need to artificially accelerate the FA market.

Yay! No more Kasota Gold! Yay! No more Baby Blues! I love the cream "Twin Cities" home alternates! I think I like the standard home whites the least, but can't put my finger on what exactly I don't like about them. I wasn't a fan of the "M*" cap until I saw that it's the old Washington Senators "W" turned upside down. I appreciate that nod to the franchise's history. And the star ties them in with other MN sports franchises, as shown in pictures others have posted in previous comments.

I heard there was a 38-year-old reliever we could sign for league minimum with that money instead, that would clearly help more than additional coaching and development.

For those of you who obviously didn't go read the linked UniWatch article, and are complaining about the color change of the T and the button (aka squatchee), and the patterns on the left and right of the logo, here is what UniWatch said about those: So, the notable changes that are POSSIBLY part of the rebrand are the thickening of the letters, the subtler serifs on the T, the shape change of the C, and the slight spacing change (due to the shape change of the C). I would not be surprised if the T changing from white to cream IS part of the rebrand though, as the Twins do have a history of using cream. In fact, I kinda hope it is, as I've always liked the use of cream instead of white.

The UniWatch article notes that all the "southwest" caps had that cream color instead of white. An interesting idea being discussed in the comments of the UniWatch article is that they may rebrand from the Minnesota Twins to the Minneapolis Twins or Twin City Twins, as not many professional teams use state names anymore, most use city names.

I think people saying LA won't sign Correa because the fans hate him, are vastly underestimating the fickleness of fans. As Jerry Seinfeld says: ""Loyalty to any one sports team is pretty hard to justify, because the players are always changing, the team can move to another city. You're actually rooting for the clothes, when you get right down to it. You know what I mean? You are standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city. Fans will be so in love with a player, but if he goes to another team, they boo him. This is the same human being in a different shirt; they hate him now. Boo! Different shirt! Boo!" I think you can change that last part to "Fans will hate a player, but if he joins their team, they love him. This is the same human being in a different shirt; they love him now" and it still applies.

Bring back the cream-colored pinstripe home jerseys! Those were my favorite.

Copy/pasting my comment from the forums: I like the pitch clock, and I think in 5-10 years it will be a complete non-issue. Some of the current veterans will put up a stink, but they will slowly get used to it and/or retire. I think pitch clock infractions will become about as common as balks, just a few per year per team. Get the ball, get the sign, pitch the ball. Get the ball, get the sign, pitch the ball. Let's go! Larger bases, I don't really care one way or another. I'd be curious what the data says about whether or not it increased SB attempts and/or success rate in the minors. I feel like I did see an article about this somewhere once, but I don't remember what the conclusion was. Limited disengagements, I think this will have minimal impact as you rarely see a pitcher throw over or step off more the once or twice an at bat anyway. I dislike the shift limitations. I feel like this year we were finally starting to see some batters make the adjustment to hitting the other way, and now MLB limits shifts, so everyone can go back to being pull happy. I've said before, and I'll say again, hitting the other way doesn't mean you have to do that for the rest of your career. You just have to show the other team you're willing and capable of it, and it will no longer be worth it for them to shift you. Then, once they no longer shift you, you can start pulling to your heart's content again. And if they then starting shifting you again, you put a few the other way, and repeat they cycle.

I like the pitch clock, and I think in 5-10 years it will be a complete non-issue. Some of the current veterans will put up a stink, but they will slowly get used to it and/or retire. I think pitch clock infractions will become about as common as balks, just a few per year per team. Get the ball, get the sign, pitch the ball. Get the ball, get the sign, pitch the ball. Let's go! Larger bases, I don't really care one way or another. I'd be curious what the data says about whether or not it increased SB attempts and/or success rate in the minors. I feel like I did see an article about this somewhere once, but I don't remember what the conclusion was. Limited disengagements, I think this will have minimal impact as you rarely see a pitcher throw over or step off more the once or twice an at bat anyway. I dislike the shift limitations. I feel like this year we were finally starting to see some batters make the adjustment to hitting the other way, and now MLB limits shifts, so everyone can go back to being pull happy. I've said before, and I'll say again, hitting the other way doesn't mean you have to do that for the rest of your career. You just have to show the other team you're willing and capable of it, and it will no longer be worth it for them to shift you. Then, once they no longer shift you, you can start pulling to your heart's content again. And if they then starting shifting you again, you put a few the other way, and repeat they cycle.

You mean, like, 2 innings ago?

Pssh, TD is thicker than blood! (kidding, use your son)

If you end up going with Fi, send me your email address and I can send you a referral link that will get us both a $20 credit.

My wife and I just got new Pixel 6's with a switch to Google Fi service, using the Pixel Pass program. Paying slightly more than I was for my Verizon service, but getting similar service/coverage, plus new phone every two years, YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, and Play Pass (certain apps/games are free in the Play Store).

That was a pretty pitch from Gray

Same, all three audio tracks are just the youtube guys in varying qualities.

YouTube Control Room: "Anyone know what this 'mute' button does?" ... "I dunno, just keep pushing it until we figure it out"

Yes! I know they're required to put the photo credit on there, but as a reader I'm like "I don't care who took the photo, I want to know who's IN the photo!"

That might happen this game too

Blackouts have nothing to do with in-person attendance, it's to protect the cable providers.

Welcome to the world of MLB.TV blackouts.

I think there are number of options that we will likely see some combination of. To make roster room Buxton goes on the IL and/or Miranda gets sent down. I think it's time to give Buxton a good couple weeks to try to get that knee healed up, and I don't think one good week from Miranda now suddenly means he can't be sent down. Then, for playing time, stop DH'ing Jeffers/Sanchez when they're not catching. Arraez and Kiriloff can primarily combo at 1B/DH, with Arraez occasionally seeing time at 2B/3B, and Kiriloff occasionally at LF/RF. Celestino is the primary CF, Larnach is primary LF, and Kepler primary RF. Garlick starts in RF/LF versus lefties. Gordon goes back to a true super-utility role, starting 4ish days a week all over the field, and coming in as a defensive replacement or pinch runner/hitter when not starting. Finally, once Lewis is healthy there's another CF, LF, and SS option. And as has been mentioned, another injury to any of those players is bound to happen, opening up more roster and playing time space. And eventually MLB will go back to the 13-pithcer limit, right?

No, I don't. I have to accept it, because I can't, and shouldn't be able to, force them to choose differently. But I in no way have to respect it, and I don't. In fact, I disrespect their decision.

Now what am I supposed to do with all this chicken I bought for this week?