LanceJS

This post is excellent and covers it all. Although when he mentions bringing in MLB ready players, I wonder how much will their readiness will be taken into account over their service time. We have already seen how much service time matters to the FO, given their history with Buxton for one example. Plus, I really wonder why Kirilloff was brought up only for a game that doesn't count toward his service time. If he was really MLB ready for postseason, wasn't he good enough to bring up in the regular season when injuries were mounting? Or were they afraid of the clock staring to tick on his service time?

I understand that - especially with what happened to those A's starters the following years - what would be wrong with going to the same format at the 2014-15 Royals? Not an ancient team that actually won with small ball and dominant pitching. The "three headed monster" out of the bullpen wasn't exactly a new revolution either, as other championship teams had quality relief pitching.

Something I am starting to wonder - if the heavy use of analytics and lack of "going with the gut" is something like Moneyball - fine for the regular season, but not so great for the postseason. Yes, it's fine to pull starters pitching like Maeda and Berrios in June and July but in this situation, don't you want to keep with a good thing? I am not talking of doing a Grady Little here, but don't be scared of that third time through the lineup either just because the computer says so. The only team that has used analytics heavily and won is the Astros, and they needed help to do so. Look at the Nationals last year, the Royals in 2015 (gee, small ball worked for them). Even the Cubs in 2016 didn't rely completely on spreadsheets like the current Twins do.

7th overreaction - the team is cursed. Although I have been joking (maybe only half joking) that the Twins are under the curse of Big Papi. Haven't won a series since 2002. Last season Ortiz was on the Twins? 2002. It took a victory over the Yankees for the Red Sox to break the curse of the Bambino. Maybe it takes a victory over the Red Sox to break the curse of Big Papi.

I agree with all of these and also wondered why Romo in the 9th? Yes, the unearned run was the unraveling and the runs would not have scored had Polonco and Arraez made the play - but if we had to pitch Romo, I was not comfortable with him coming in a tie game in the top of the 9th when he has struggled the last two weeks. I would have preferred Rogers and I can give benefit of the doubt if Baldelli felt Rogers is more comfortable in his old 7th-8th inning role, but there has to be better options in the 9th than Romo.

Just for clarification - are these for any series, any round or just the first round? The reason I ask is when it is mentioned in the Yankee section about "turning to Cole twice in a short series", I hope that refers to the Division Series and not the first round.

Is it just me, or is the overall defense played by everyone on the team improving? Not just the flashy stuff like the 6-2-5 DP the other night, but much less mental mistakes, throwing to the wrong base, etc? The worst last night was the attempted tag by Sano on the wayward throw from Maeda but even that wasn't Sano's fault with the collision - couldn't believe they charged him with the error.

Agree with the failures of the Hunter/Mauer/Morneau teams meaning absolutely nothing now (except to the media who loves to write about them when the teams meet) and that even 2019 may not mean so much because everything is so different in 2020. The big problem IMO in a Yankee series is that they bring stellar starting pitching as well. Cole is back to being Superman after a couple starts where he was mortal. Not comfortable facing Tanaka as well. I could very well see another game like last Friday in which Hill was magnificent, but Hendricks was just slightly better. Not to say the Twins are doomed - far from it, but there still are legitimate reasons to not be comfortable against New York, either at Target Field or Yankee Stadium.

I'm still ambivalent about labeling Maeda as an "ace" Has he delivered far more than expected? Absolutely? Is he one of the better pitchers in the AL? Yes. But should we make this judgement after only nine starts? After all, the article stated that maybe Lynn shouldn't have been judged as a bad pitcher due to his one year with the Twins (my take on that part) so I believe the same is true for Maeda. I am very happy to see him doing so great, but I just need more before I'll put him in that category.

Good article and I agree with practically all of it. I am only hoping that the 16 team postseason format is for only this season - much like the expanded NFL playoffs in 1982's shortened season lasted only that season. I get it for this year, to maximize interest, but we all know that the Marlins, Orioles and Giants would not be close to postseason in any season before 2020. I too like the 7 inning games for doubleheaders but you KNOW they won't stay and the split admission doubleheader will return. Lastly, I know it's not popular with many - but I LOVE the runner at second base to start extra innings. Before this season, I attended several minor league games in which that rule was in play and it added juice to the extra frames. Plus, never saw a game go beyond 11 innings with that rule.

I would not call playing .600 ball a "fall" - it just means the competition in the division is better and the certainly is the case this year in the AL Central. As for the Yankees, their injury replacements are not the same caliber as last year. I also believe that shows that the lack of a minor league season creates this problem. AAA players can practice all they want at the alternate site, but actual game action is completely different.

Can't really blame the hitters when Bieber was on his game like that - the '27 Yankees would struggle when seeing that breaking ball. Another commenter has the right attitude - tip your cap, be glad that he doesn't pitch ever game and get ready for the next one.

I heard the best overraction from a buddy Friday night - Kepler will threaten Bonds' record even in a shortened season. I took it as a joke (I hope)

Is the "Trade Sano" overreaction really a new one or did those who kept calling for that last year simply wake up once the season started?

"I'm going to guess (and it's only a guess) that this will point to an issue that Black American athletes are choosing football and basketball over baseball." - THIS! Why not dig into that instead of blaming the whites and other non-blacks in baseball? Baseball is the most diverse of the major sports, especially among the players. "Diversity" does NOT equal "black", it means ALL. Why the influx of Asians and Latinos in the game is never included boggles my mind. Also, why is Mr. Falvey talking about the Twins' failings in hiring? Who will really say that Rocco Baldelli is not the right man to manage the team with his record so far? Is he not the right person only because of his skin color?

Another media source that just doesn’t understand that not all whites and police are racist, not all blacks are criminals and yes, it IS possible to support law enforcement while condemning the horrible actions of bad cops. What’s next, the defense of the people who destroyed businesses that employed and in some cases, were owned by people of color, the very people these “protesters” supposedly were trying to help? If, I want to get lectured about how evil white people and law enforcement professionals are, I can get that many other places, not a forum where I thought the topic was a baseball team.

How about the trade on December 13, 1999 when the Twins traded pitcher Jared Camp to the Marlins for a Rule 5 pitcher named Johan Santana? That is one I would put in place of Perry for Kralick (although that was a good one)

This is no surprise to me - all along I figured Schoop was just a temporary stop-gap until Lewis was ready - then the move would have been Lewis to SS and Polonco to 2B. Of course, the arrival of Arraez complicates that, but it still makes my original thought all the more valid - that this would be the only season that Schoop would wear a Twins uniform.

I thought it was a humorous caption to the picture, without the smiles!

The FO reputation is under the radar moves. This fits in precisely with the off season signings of Cron, Schoop and Gonzalez. Those work nicely. I feel the same as many...this can’t be the only deadline trade, but to think the Twins MUST make the big splash just because it garners the big headlines is foolish.

As long as Lewis and Kirillof are not part of this, the fact that he is under team control for five more years looks really good. It might be tough to give up a top 10 for a guy who lost the closer role this year, but it would be better to at least try to get some bullpen help. Much better at least from a PR standpoint, to try than to simply do nothing, and given some of Falvey's comments, I fear that is a strong possiblity.

Even if the Twins don't beat up on the also rans, Cleveland will certainly slow down when they stop playing them. Seven games left head to head. My feeling is that I don't care if the Twins finish one game ahead or twenty one, as long as they can hold on. As for trades, the Twins haven't been buyers for a number of years, even 2017, so hard to find that prospect that haunts them. Also, for all the complaints about the lack of activity, keep in mind this is a seller's market. I expect very little to happen until Tuesday or Wednesday, then a couple of contenders will panic and overlay for pitching. The Twins are one of those team I can see doing that.

Just for laughs, picture this. Latest rumors have the Rangers as sellers and one of the pitchers available is...Lance Lynn. Think he’d want to come to all of his wonderful 2018 memories at Target Field?

Glad to see I am not the only one who is having flashbacks of 2001. Yes, completely different teams but so similar

Yes to Smith and Greene for the bullpen, but my ideal starter wou!d be Boyd to be in a package to the Tigers.