stockdogg

Absolutely agree...seemed so sureal until the playoffs, Then it felt normal. Of all the playoff disappointments, I think 2020 ranks right up there. Couldn't beat a sub .500 team at home. "Just when you think it can't get any worse" seems to be something I've said about our boys, the last 17 years. Now that I am on this tangent...I used to think that if we ever did win a game, that the floodgates would open. But does anyone else think like me, in that , the odds of us winning a game and then losing another 12 straight, wouldn't honeslty be that impossible?. But I'll take that one win.

Well, I felt like 2018 started off well and with some hope but then the snow came and froze our season. I also thought about 2020 but 2020 should be erased from the history books.

Since 2015, has anyone guessed the Twins record within 10 games? Be honest.

I think he’s saying we had Span and Revere on same roster and that was the last time we had a 4th outfielder be a “cf type” Which seemed to be kind of a hot potato type situation. Then , what in two years or whatever we had neither of them.

I totally agree. You almost need a “Buxton Jr.” to kind of offset that loss when he leaves lineup. But the Twins have always handled the CF strangely, in my opinion. Anointing Gomez and Hicks too soon, then trading Hicks when he started to produce. Nothing compares to how they handled Hardy, but I digress.

I still have this eerie feeling he will be our closer again in April. I hope not. Just cut him now and move on.

When Buxton broke his hand, I researched how the Twins have done with and without him since his first game. Since 2015 6/14 his first game, the Twins are 255-204 (.555) in 459 games he's played. Without him they are 211-266 (.442) in 477 games. This is current as of tonight. This blew me away...In that 5 year span, we are 50 games better when he plays, and 50 games under we he doesn't. Insane. I hope his agent had these numbers, but I am the biggest "lets move on from Buxton" guy there is. I think that the absense of Buxton, especially defensively destroys this team. This half and half thing isn't going to work anymore.

I believe our bullpen got into trouble partly because Odorizzi and other starters, while not having bad starts, were only lasting 5 innings, maybe getting pulled in the 6th. A whole pitching staff can't rely on having good starts max out at 6 innings and expect 3-4 guys to remain fresh and effective for long stretches. Which, yes, I think maybe that's where this "6 man rotation" idea comes from, but I still don't think its a good idea. If Odorizzi is your ace and he gives you a solid 5 and a third, then Berrios goes 6, that puts a lot of strain on the bottom 3 guys as well as bullpen.

Well in the case of Odorizzi, he most certainly falls off 3rd time through the lineup. Berrios last year went from about .670 OPS to .750 OPS 3rd time through, Odorizzi low .600's first 2 , .850 the 3rd time through. Which was better than the year before. My hope is that he continues to "stretch out" and continue to be just as effective around 100 pitches and 3rd time through lineup as he is early on. At least, close the gap. Jake can be dominant first 4-5 innings of games, piling up strikeouts. But Rocco most definitely has commented on the "3rd time thru" theory, I just can't find it anywhere at the moment.

There really is no excuse to run 20mph dead into a wall, no matter what the score is. I love his fire, but that could kill him. Why don't you see other guys do it that try just as hard? He seems to lack spatial awareness. You would think your own body wouldn't let you do it, after so many times. Its really quite odd to have it happen so many times. If we aren't allowed to call Buxton "injury prone", then no other athlete in any sport should be allowed to be called that.

Maeda's postseason numbers look promising. But nothing about his numbers suggest that he is much more of an upgrade than Kyle Gibson, the last few years. Hopefully his slider and BA against hold up well in a league full of hitters that have limited experience with him. But I kind of chuckle at the idea that he is the "impact pitcher I have been looking for". I hope and pray to be proven dead wrong.

right...and 140 innings isn't far from what Odorizzi pitched last year. I know I've already said it once, but I don't think expecting LESS from Odorizzi, Berrios, and others is a good idea. Hopefully Wes is working with them on endurance and fighting through fatigue. Not sure if its them or just the Twins "6 or 100 pitches" way, but it can be extremely frustrating at times. Odorizzi loves to hand out souvenirs at games in the way of foul balls, not sure how you remedy that, other than he continues to try to put hitters away earlier in the count. He was fantastic at that, but only early in the game. I also think Rocco's mindset is "the 3rd time through the lineup vs a starter is very dangerous territory" and while the stats back that up, why not work harder on pushing the GOOD pitchers you have? That's the only way they learn to see what they have left in the tank.

I'd like to see Odorizzi have another healthy season, this time actually qualifying as a starting pitcher. Throwing less than 160 innings in an injury free season is not acceptable. I'd also like to see Rocco and the team throw out the "6 or 100, and you are done" mentality. If we truly want to become playoff winners, these starters will need to be pushed. Way too many times last year were Berrios and Odorizzi pulled a little early. I would be HIGHLY against a 6 man rotation.

Exactly...but then again I'm not sure the Orioles put that much thought into it, that is, until Dozier "answered a question ". I would be shocked if anything other than "Hey let's try to bunt here to start a rally and maybe knock him out of game since they are shifting us" was on Orioles mind.

Also, Dozier could have said "well, Berrios fought thru and still got the shutout, so the bunt didn't matter"....I blame the media for a lot of things, but some of the garbage that has fallen out of Doziers mouth the last month, I don't blame them.