Dave Overlund

I.... I don't think Stroman is actually all that good.... (ducks)

I'm afraid you completely missed the point of my post, which is no big deal. I was not saying that I am right. I actually enjoy when people disagree with my opinions and I appreciate hearing someone else's point of view. That's part of the fun of baseball. However, in today's world it's not enough to just disagree with someone. Now, the response is to say, "Not only do I disagree, but you are an idiot for thinking the way you do." That's what I am talking about in my post, I am not telling people they can't disagree. People are too quick to insult others, and are not willing to discuss things as trivial as baseball with a polite and open mind.

The Twins are always playing to contend "next year"

Thanks for making my point. "Uninformed fan" is exactly the kind of comment I was talking about in my post, and you led off with it. Well played.

I attended dozens of Twins games every year in the mid-90's as a kid. I sat through lineups composed of Otis Nixon, Butch Huskey, Midre Cummings and Rich Becker. I watched rotations that featured Scott Aldred, Bob Tewksbury and Rich Robertson. Then, the 2000's happened. On one hand, it was very fun to see the Twins consistently contend for the playoffs and win 85-95 games every year. But the team never went out and traded for that one missing piece that would get them over the top and make them legitimate World Series contenders. In the Metrodome years, it was understandable that they would be hesitant to take on contracts like those. The revenue streams were not there to support a $125 million payroll. Fine, so be it. Then Target Field opened and fans were treated to what seemed to be a magical 2010 season. They had everything but a true #1 starter. Rumors flew around at the deadline, with names like Cliff Lee being floated as possibilities for the team to acquire at the deadline. We got Matt Capps, and were promptly swept by the Yankees in the first round. Then, this time as a season ticket holder, I got to watch such studs as Darin Mastroianni, Chris Parmelee and Doug Bernier at the plate, while Mike Pelfrey, Sam Deduno and Scott Diamond "pitched" during the 2011-2018 seasons. Meanwhile, the Twins raked in the money with revenue from the new ballpark and a new TV contract. So forgive me if my patience has worn thin, and I am not content to just "enjoy the ride." I have been a loyal, money-paying, tv-watching, jersey-wearing fan for 35 years. It's time for the ownership to reward me, and the others who have been through the same thing, by unlocking the money bin and making some serious moves to become an actual World Series contender, not just a division crown contender. I think the Twins need upgrades in the rotation and the bullpen. The team has the money and the prospects to get it done, right now. I personally don't give a crap if Trevor Larnach turns out to be a 10 time all star after he is traded if he brings back a player that can help the team win right now. Think of Shields/Davis coming to the Royals for Wil Meyers. Do any Royals fans really care if Meyers becomes a Hall of Famer after they traded him? I doubt it. Don't think Madison Bumgarner is an upgrade over Kyle Gibson? Great. I can respectfully disagree with your opinion. However, calling fans who would like a trade "barbarians" (as Reusse did today) or talking down to people who aren't content to stand pat and see what happens, is just so frustrating. It's great if you are fine to let the Pohlads rake in the dough and try to back their way into titles, that's your prerogative. I just think the narrative of fans who would like to see moves made being idiots, or bad fans, is growing tiresome. Despite what Patrick Reusse, Jim Souhan or even commenters here might say, I personally think it's okay for fans to want more. We have waited long enough, and some of us aren't content with division championships.

Trade for Sonny Gray and Robby Ray? Hey why don't they just go and eat some hay. They can lay by the bay, make things out of clay, they just may, what'd ya say?​

Right, but how can you explain just letting a (potentially) 40 home run guy like Cron just walk after the season? I think the fans would again just assume it's the Pohlads being "cheap" as opposed to seeing the forest for the trees.

I agree "Mad" was not a great word choice! Maybe frustrated/surprised.

Just throwing this out there: Is the Twins' front office actually maybe kinda sorta mad that the team is playing so well? Obviously, this seems preposterous on its surface, but bear with me for a moment. Falvine nailed it with almost every FA acquisition made this offseason, with most of the signings being short-term guys at spots the Twins have heralded prospects coming up behind them. Schoop= Lewis/Arraez/Gordon etc, Cron/Cruz=Rooker/Kirilloff, Perez=Graterol/Gonsalves, and so on. If these guys were performing as well as they have been this season, they would all be valuable trade chips at the deadline to help strengthen an already-strong minor league system. However, their play has contributed to 50 wins well before the All Star break, putting the Twins in an interesting position. Should the team continue racking up wins, there is a good chance most of these guys will be allowed to walk after the season is up, and the Twins will get nothing in return. Can you really see them giving Schoop or Cron a long-term contract when they could call someone up from the minors at a much cheaper price? I wonder if the front office isn't actually a little unnerved that the team is playing so well, much like 2017 when they probably wanted to get rid of Molitor but they improbably earned a Wild Card spot.

So far the Twins look like a great regular season team, which is awesome. However, they have had too many defensive letdowns and shaky bullpen outings for me to consider them actual WS contenders, personally. Not to mention you never know what you are going to get from Gibson/Perez/Pineda on a nightly (or even inning-to-inning) basis.

BRING ME MATT BELISLE

The time Gardy saw Lew Ford at dinner with a few people he didn't recognize and assumed they were friends from his time in baseball. Gardy walked up and introduced himself, and Lew said "These are some guys I met online playing World of Warcraft." Gardy just kind of nodded and walked away, according to legend. ETA: From Star Tribune (2009) You know, it's not something you would tell your kids to do because you don't know who's on the Internet or who you're talking to. But I had my agent with me at the game, and I had already arranged it with my buddies, who I had known from being online for like four years. But by the time I saw Gardy, my agent had taken off. I think he was a little bored because all we were talking about was computer stuff. So it was just the three of us having dinner when Gardy showed up. It was really funny because of Gardy. You should have seen his face when he asked how I knew the guys and they said, "We met on the Internet." He just stood there and stared.

This is true, but at the same time 1) It's the only one I can remember (not counting Lawton for Rick Reed because yuck) 2) 16 years ago

Remember last time the Twins made a splash at the trade deadline? Neither do I.