Kelly Vance

You can never have enough good pitching. Every manager knows this, from little league to the majors. Good pitching is rare. The teams that are still in it have ii. Houston, wow. And for all the talk about the Yankees staff being average, we have not seen that. They have pitched great. Tanaka has been a sure thing. The BP is great. But Houston's pitching is better. The Twins best years came when we had 2 guys at the top of the rotation that were as good as anybody. There is a message in that. You need 2 studs to compete for a WS ring. Cole and Verlander, for example I'd offer Mike $22 million for 2 years. I think he want to stay.

Second guessing and 20-20 hindsight aside, these are supposed to be major league pitchers. They are supposed to get hitters out. Its not on Rocco what happened. The guys he called upon didn't do the job. But I agree that he was managing like these were regular season games and he had a lot of games to play. In the playoffs, you win the game you are in and worry about tomorrow when it comes. Screw saving your best guys for the late innings. You can lose a game in the 5th inning as easy as the 9th. If you get down 5 runs by going to your middle relievers, its too late. My second guessing goes like this: I would have said "YES" if he had brought Taylor in in the 5th or 6th. Get 2 good innings in, and now you only have a couple innings to go for May, Duff, Romo etc. And you are still in the game. Taylor keeps you close. But then, what if he got shelled? Again, it comes down to the pitchers need to get guys out. Rocco ain't throwing off the mound, But hey, Rocco did great this year. I'm happy with him.

I disagree with this article and all those calling for Rosie to be traded. He drove in 109 runs and hit 32 homers. Does anyone really think one of the rookies will replace those numbers? He is a bad ball, low ball hitter. He doesn't hit for high average. So what? He makes plays. I know he has some moments when you think he may be dogging it, but he played a good part of the year on bad wheels. I would trade the prospects before this guy. I know they look like the shinier pebbles right now, but that is all just speculation. Rosie has proven he can play at the major league level, which is more than you can say for the prospects. Plus, he is a difference maker. When he is healthy, and comes up with runners on, I expect something good is gonna happen. Twins hit him 4th. That means they are high on him. But if they trade him to the Yanks, he will hit 45 homers

Miggie is our third baseman and I am happy with that. He has a cannon and has made great improvements from after surgery. His weight is down and his agility is improving. Remember, he had a titanium rod in his leg. He makes some incredible plays sometimes. In ALDS, he was out of position on two plays. That's on the coaches not Miggie. And for some reason, Miggie's headlong dives for those balls escapes mention. I see guts and desire in this guy and I am so glad we have him. Besides all that, he has improved his hitting immensely.He has 50 HR potential. He is being more selective at the plate. You see shots of the bench, he is always being positive for others, so he is a great teammate. I hope they extend him for 5, and I hope I don't see any more hit pieces on the guy. That's just not fair

Pretty unfair. You write a headline like this, making it seem Miggy was at fault for not being athletic enough, then you bury this admission in the story Neither hit was Sanó’s fault, exactly. The smart money says he was instructed to move off the line before the Gardner single by the Twins dugout, to better align him with the rest of the shifted infield. The Torres ball was hit hard, and the team hadn’t had a shift on against Torres, so Sanó was a step further from the line than he might have been otherwise.

Yeah, I agree with the Graterol/Big Mike idea. If Busdar is ready to start the season as a MLB starter. Time to find out. If Cole doesn't want to come here, (even if we offer $5 million more than anyone else) we go next man up. I think Cole will listen to the Angels or Padres or Dodgers the most, being a SoCal guy. Mad Bum isn't ideal but he has been there and his leadership would be welcome. I think stud FA pitchers would be more open to coming to Minnesota after this year. We have a fun bunch with great team chemistry

I'd QO Jake and try to extend Sano, Buck and Eddie. I would let Cron and Schoop go with a big thank you. I'd bring Castro back and see if Cruz wants an additional year. All those guys fit. I'd guilt Big Mike into signing at market or a little below. But I would absolutely overpay for Cole. Absolutely. Cole, Berrios, Odo, Graterol and Dobber (eventually Mike) gives us a chance at a decent rotation 1-162. After Cole, we go with the hot hand in the ALDS and ALCS. Methinks that will Be Jose and Jake as 2 and 3. But short leash with Mike in the background. Curious to see how Busdar adjusts back to starter Dobber/Gibson (if healthy) become long relief/ swing men out of the pen. AND CRUZ IS SPECIAL "The 39-year-old Cruz reached the 40-homer mark for the fourth time in the last six seasons, and he's hit at least 37 homers in all of those years. Cruz became just the fourth player in Major League history to post a 40-homer season in his age-38 season or older, joining Barry Bonds (2003-04), Darrell Evans (1985) and Hank Aaron (1973). Cruz finished the 2019 season with a .311/.392/.639 slash line and a 1.031 OPS that was second in the AL behind Mike Trout." Yes, make it two more years for Nelson

I don't like to go negative and most of the conflicts I have had with some of the TD faithful came about while I defended Doze and Joe, and Buck and Sano. But..... The attempt to go through this season with this rotation was incompetent ownership and management. Sure, there were not that many stud SPs available at the deadline. But why wait until the deadline? Last off season they did pretty well on Dollar Store signings (Cron, Schoop, Gonzalez) but that does not win the games in October. And it is pretty uninspiring. A couple years ago the Astros thought they had a chance if they only had one more stud pitcher. Enter Justin Verlander. Problem solved. You need great #1 and #2 starters to win the World Series. And a pretty good #3. And you need a good bullpen, not a couple or three good guys you don't use (that's on Rocco) and a couple unproven rookies. Why bother to have Rogers and May in the pen if you aren't going to use em? What Twins management did this year was bet that 2020 was the year, not this year. They needed to be good enough to contend. Then if the rookies panned out, they'd save a ton of dough on pitchers. But Romero failed and Buster is just now almost ready. Almost. Absolutely incompetent. And greedy. And disrespectful to the fans. Pitching costs money, and that is the problem. You need to pay $20-25 for a number 1. Ownership won't do that. Its a small market team they say. Well, yeah but attendance will be there if they put a Cole in the rotation, for example. But ownership wants to buy Fox North.... That is its priority. Look, I have been a Twins fan since 1960. Even Cal Griffith understood that you need a Pascual or Perry or Kaat level pitcher. Pohlad tries to look like a player, but he is a pretender. This year's team was a waste, and its on ownership and its on management.

Yeah, you win the game you are in. Especially in October.

It hit his glove only because he had to dive to his right. C'mon man, be fair. If he makes that play its a top 10 highlight reel play. You sound like it was a routine grounder and he pulled a Buckner.

Rosie waving feebly at three outside pitches looks like he is confused. Jorge at least got a liner to the bleachers. They are going to try to pitch around Nelson it seems. Rosie and Miggie gotta do something when they do

Luis is the second baseman and second batter of the future. His contact skills make him a natural #2 hitter. If Buck can't lead off then maybe Polanco becomes the leadoff hitter. Nothing wrong with starting off with two high average hitters ahead of Cruz and Sano. I'd hit Rosie 5th, but he being a lefty slots him between the two righty big boppers. I think the Altuve comparison is a little bit of a stretch. Jose hits for more power usually. But they are both good sticks

I like Garver. I always have. And I always loved catchers. But Sanchez is the standard by which AL catchers, including Garver, are measured. Actually I'd say Perez is, but he is out this year. Garver is improving his defense, but he is not a top of the line backstop yet. We have all shook our heads at passed balls over the past couple of years that Mitch should have stopped. My guess is he would be the first to admit this. He played only 93 games, so is only now becoming the Twins starter, over shadowing Castro who we signed as a top free agent a couple of years ago. Just becoming the starter is cool, but it doesn't make him the best in the business. But I would say, he is on his way. Castro is a very good catcher and his framing skills still surpass Mitch's by far. And. look, catcher is basically a defense first position. So a defense challenged catcher is not a strength, unless he hits like 30-40 HRs. That forgives a multitude of sins. Thing is, this Garver kid can hit, and how. If he plays 120 to 130 games, which is a big ask for that position, he could hit 40 HRs. That is Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench elite. But he is not there yet. Garver is a young player on the come who is improving dramatically. But I am not ready to say that he is better than Sanchez, or Perez, who I hope comes back strong after injury. But if Garver has a big series and overshadows Sanchez, maybe the sports world will take notice. I really hope that happens, because it means the Twins will most likely advance to the ALCS. And a WS MVP Award would give Mitch the kind of notice that might bestow a shot at the All Star game next year, if he continues to improve. I liked the article though. Thanks.

Yanks are favored and should be. Opening at Yankee stadium is a mixed blessing. Twins are road warriors this year, but the Yankees are home and will get close calls on balls and strikes. I think the Yankees have the experience "been there before" factor. Berrios and Odo have been inconsistent lately. But either one, if he is on, can shut down the Yankees. We have a lot of injuries and even if Keps and Marwan are back, it takes a while to get in a groove. Its going to be like opening day for them. We won't see Luis until next week. So I think Rosario and Sano are the key. If they are more selective at the plate and swing only at strikes we could see two homer games from either. I think the Yankees try to pitch around Cruz. Thing for me is, we have dangerous hitters 1-9. No easy outs anywhere. I want to believe that Marwan comes back like he did a few weeks ago and rakes in his first at bats. If Keps has his timing, he might be the difference maker.

Luis, get well soon. We got time. Glad we got the home run record. I don't know why. I'm just glad. This team kind of deserves it. If they loosen the strings on the ball next year, who knows, the record may stick for a couple years.I am hoping it is a good omen for beating the Yanks in round 1

Kel, don't kid about stuff like that... Yeah, I know, but I would rather laugh than cry. Which I feel like doing. I expected Luis to have 2 hit games all playoffs. Man, I'm bummed

Well maybe all the talk about post season rosters on TD made the Turtle think he had to knock someone out in order to make the 25. JK

"Games like this, screw it. Tomorrow is another day." Scarlett O'Hara

In a word, No. Next question.

Jake Reed is a quality guy, and an Oregon Duck to boot. Wish the Twins would give him a shot one of these days.

Someone has to mention that Sano has a titanium rod in his leg. And his hustle was worth noting too. Man, if I am a catcher I am not blocking the plate when that guy has a head of steam up All those who said, cut him, trade him, he is done.... please make your apologies as public as your criticism was. Crow is on the menu for you. I am really happy for Miggie. He has found his stroke.

I agree. You know, I remember in the off season when many were crying about the Twins not having high OBP guys as table setters. Well here is one and he has done it for half a season. So what do people do? Criticize his fielding/range/arm and say he is not that great. Are Minnesota fans the only ones that are this negative? No. Philly fans once booed Santa.

Well, look, over half a year Polanco hit like this and he was the starting All Star SS. I think a half year is long enough sample size to project that the kid can be a .300 hitter. There aren't too many of those. I am all in on Luis

#29 is a good number in Twins history. This guy even hits like him a little

What's his chances for Rookie of the Year?