AlwaysinModeration

Also, Bremer noted the Twins have a bench of Leon, Cave and Hamilton tonight, so there is that.

Seems to me Rocco is trying to shake it up a bit. I don’t totally mind it. But I’d like the offense to respond by putting up a fight.

I was waiting for the inevitable “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” thread introduction. Twins have lost five of six games to Texas teams in the last week, and their bats are getting absolutely sawed apart.

Wait, what?!? I was ready for the fireworks! I don’t understand this line “guess you are right” line of argument at all!

Sorry, you missed the memo. The bar has been lowered. We are only playing for “get a hit” or “advance runner to third” in a game anymore, not even bothering to try for runs.

Is this your way of saying it’s not a perfect game?

This is one of the most insightful comments I have ever read on Twins Daily.

At this point, I’d rather have a Peacock on this Ark than our daily pagan sacrifice.

And now, a few days later… Rogers 4.56 Pagan 5.24 I’m hoping Pagan has pitched his last pitch for the Twins, personally.

Fair, but it doesn’t help that Pagan keeps shooting holes in the lifeboats.

All three games vs the Angels and the Royals, and then the first two vs Texas.

Nope. 8.

Arihara is giving up a Pagan-like 2.3 HR/9 in his 11 career starts.

Lineup: Arraez DH Correa SS Polanco 2B Miranda 1B Kepler RF Gordon CF Urshela 3B Cave LF Leon C

I will concede that Judge has had a better year than Buxton. And that Buxton had had 338 at bats, and 379 plate appearances. Buxton has played in 91 of the Twins 118 games, a clip of 77%. He’s hit 28 homers, and posted 3.9 WAR over 379 plate appearances. If he keeps up those rates, he’ll play in 33 more games, and wind up with 515 plate appearances, 38HR, and 5.3WAR. All of those numbers would be career highs.

Another way of looking at it: He’s on track for 500 PA, 5WAR and 35+ home runs.

What might really make your head explode is if Kepler gets thrown out at home on Miranda’s single in the 8th, Pagan would have pitched the 9th down a run. Also, the home plate umpire was bad at calling balls and strikes. Buxton looks like he has regressed at the plate.

Julien on base five times today, OBP up to .441 on the season.

That includes two appearances. He has a 5.40 ERA in August (over three appearances). He had a 1.8 HR/9 for his career, and 2.03 HR/9 this year.

I would like to see Emilio Pagan DFAed. The Twins have managed to accumulate some interesting arms in St. Paul right now. Which of these four players would you most like to see in the Twins’ bullpen down the stretch? 2022 stats: Brad Peacock, 46.2IP, 54/20 K/BB, .222BAA, 1.93ERA, 1.24WHIP Jake Jewel, 44.1IP, 50/15 K/BB, .179BAA, 2.44ERA, 0.99WHIP Jovani Moran (not great in 2022, but check out his minors career numbers), 245IP, 366/119 K/BB, .175 BAA, 2.87 ERA, 1.10WHIP Not a reliever, but maybe an option… Louis Varland, 116IP, 134/41 K/BB, .246BAA, 3.18ERA, 1.30WHIP

The bar is very low, just one is really all we need.

I’d prefer the Twins go on a lengthy winning streak and not keep it close at all.

Would be great to get nine more outs and get this win, have an off day tomorrow, and then figure out what the heck is going on with Mahle.

Can Griffin Jax record any more outs at a 0.5 pitch per out clip?

Aaron Gleeman posted a lengthy story on this topic in the Athletic on Monday (“Twins’ blind spot with Pagan may cost them a playoff spot”). Here is one sample paragraph: Pagán has a 3.93 ERA in 287 appearances, including marks of 5.23, 4.83 and 4.50 the past three seasons. He’s posted an ERA better than league average just once in the past five years. His lifetime rate of 1.8 homers allowed per nine innings is the highest in baseball history for a reliever. And it’s rising. Pagán has allowed 18 homers in his last 52 innings, a staggering 3.2 per nine frames.