Chachi

That was you!?!!! Nice catch!

Rondell White

Bret Boone

Remember being at the game In Sept 2006 when Liriano attempted to return to the rotation that year, before the playoffs. Our seats were just above the third base dugout and we could hear a ton of the A’s chatter during the game. Liriano had just dispatched Frank Thomas, and made him look silly doing it, and when he walked past the on-deck batter he told him “good luck to anyone trying to hit that #%+*%#+% today”. HE WAS BACK!..and we knew what that meant!! The feel at the Dome that day was something you can’t forget; Peak Liriano back for the playoffs - no one could stop us!!! Alas, a few innings later, he was pulled from the game and….the dream was over. Regardless, 2006 was the most remarkable and most interesting Twins season I’ve ever seen and Liriano was a massive boost to the plot all summer - thank you Francisco!

In my mind, he took Cave’s spot on the roster and that makes the Twins better with this signing.

Doesn't seem like putting limited discretionary money toward a relative strength is the most impactful way to invest. With that being said - if we somehow turn his signing into another trade deadline acquisition like Ryan you might squint and see a win-win situation.

No animals were hurt during the making of this bullpen analysis.

It’s actually 72%. There’s a rounding error in there somewhere.

Getting rid of Happ = Win. The rest is just details.

It's now settled, the Twins got better today.

It hurts we have been cheated out of perhaps an all-time home run call... "Its hit well, its deep....its Yaba Da Baddoo!!!" (thank you Scooby)

Does Kiriloff's inclusion on the playoff roster impact his service time clock in any significant way beyond what was accrued with his status on the taxi squad over the summer? I'm all for any longer-term benefit he might gain from an early playoff exposure - but hope a year of team control isn't lost in tradeoff?

yes.

Perhaps my eyes deceive me, but it seems to me that Encarnacion is one of the biggest "Twin Killers" around (especially true now that we have hired Donaldson and won't face him anymore). My guess is that if Encarnacion played the Twins every game he's be a runaway MVP....at the very least we have to be his favorite team to hit against in the AL? Maybe he's just a guy I enjoy not liking.

I don't have the science to back this up - but any team with Encarnacion on it is capable of splitting a season series with the Twins.

I can see it now ....and it's another game winning home run.....Domo arigato Mr. Sabato!

Baseball has nearly always been an indelible reflection of our society, long before recent events and far before advanced stats dominated much of the attention. I don't consider baseball in a bubble to be considered only its own lane regardless of the rest of what we are dealing with as a society. Pick an era, pick a contention, pick an attitude, baseball has been affected and created effect, in context. There's beauty in that if you squint and look at it. I'm also in the camp that really finds tremendous value coming to this site for the escape from the day-to-day grid it has earned and provides. However, baseball is, (and hopefully always will be) part of the ongoing story of our imperfect advance as a nation and a valuable part of each of our lives. To tell a story about baseball, while pretending a national context doesn't exist misses many significant points of the journey. Sounds preachy, I admit. But for me and my family, in so many ways, baseball has been important on and off the field. We can listen to how others incorporate or interpret baseball lessons outside the white lines - and maybe we'll be better off for it? That said, I hope all of you, your families, teams, and those you support are well during this time.

Lew Ford made the team.

Seems like he'd be a great fit as a coach in some capacity once he's done playing. I hope he and the Twins are considering it.

The only way the Twins add a front line pitcher will be if they build yet another new bar at Target Field and name it "Front Line Pitcher"

There is an intimidating, and more importantly, impressive command of advanced analytics provided/debated on Twins Daily. I have loved it for years. (thank you!). That said - there's something special about watching Luis play that 'looks' like he can be so great and incredibly valuable to a team that wants to win games. I wish I would have played with many more people with his penchant for (is there a stat for penchant?) doing the right thing at the right point in a game to increase your chances of winning games. Not to mention - is there a stat for "FUN TO WATCH"? I call him Suparraez! and hope he's a Twin for a long time!

I don't have a favorite horse in the race at this time but I will say that it's a really good problem to have that there are numerous characters and talents that deserve consideration for that distinction. Could you justify a vote for what appears to be terrific team chemistry overall? A team so obviously having fun is so much more fun to watch! BTW - the header photo for this article is 100% the best and as effective as one could hope for - nicely done!

Darius - we likely agree on a number of topics - but please don't assume broad swaths of our shared communities don't have great respect for those who risk and give more than they can imagine. That said - much like Hrbek inspired an entire generation of kids to do the splits when stretching for a ball arriving at first base, Joe is an icon worth emulating in his play and class. I can only imagine everyone wishes him well and time will reveal what he truly meant to the Twinkies for this generation.