Florida Flash

After seeing what I did last year, I was baffled why the FO decided to let Astudillo go and keep Pagan. The Turtle not only was a better pitcher, but he could catch in a pinch and was an okay hitter. Again baffled this year why they are keeping Pagan when Astudillo is available.

Does Kep flat out refuse to even attempt to go the the left side, even bunt, or is he simply incapable of doing it??? A few bunts up the third base line with the third baseman by second would a stopped the overload to right.

If so, what do you see happening to Polanco??

My father in law, and avid avid Twins fan, albeit pretty cynical, assures me that Buxton will be out with a season ending hang nail by May 15th.

Agree with that. I also would like to see if they can get anything for Pagan and Lopez, but I seriously doubt there would be any takers.

I keep thinking the teams will spend themselves into oblivion with these insane contracts, but it never seems to happen. The fans just pay more and more and more but that doesnt drive enough fans away to send a message to baseball FO's. Good for the players if they can get it.

Calvin Griffith was right. "They'll ruin baseball". It has just taken a bit longer than he thought it would.

I doubt anyone would want to pick up that $11M contract based on his recent productivity.

Did it really take $11M to sign this guy?? What other teams were standing in line offering this kind of money,. Yet they didnt want to pay Gio $10 M, which I also thought was high, but I think Gio is a much better player than Gallo at this point in time. Nevertheless, I will be pulling for Gallo, but think that money could have been better spent/

Kepler will be better with the new shift rule since he insisted on hitting into the 7 guys on the right side of the field. Why he didn't simply bunt to the left, or even fake it once in a while was baffling to me. Maybe he just can't but I find that hard to believe. Do that a couple of times and the shift on him would stop.

It seemed to me that with only a few exceptions (Arrez and hmmmm maybe there is another one) everyone was swinging for the fences, because that is where the money is. (ie they still seem to love Sano, 200 K's if healthy, .090 ba, 20 hr's if healthy, slow, but hey, maybe he will hit a home run once in a while) Standard Twins scenario, bases loaded, nobody out, result: strike out, double play. Rarely a sac fly. They dont have to win all the time but they do have to be fun to watch. Leaving runners in scoring position so often is not fun to watch.

As best as I recall I predicted .500, they did worse. Although for the first time in my life, and I have been a Twins fan since day one here, I called the whole division right. Had the East winners right also since I pick the Yankees every year. Picked the Astros also, of course both those picks were no brainers. I had Red Sox, Toronto, and Chicago in playoffs. No way did I think Rays or Seattle would have the years they had..

If the Yankee's want him, that is a done deal, end of story. Same with the Dodgers, (if the Yankees aren't in it) although it would be fun to see a bidding war between those two "the sky isn't even the limit" teams. I think the Twins are out as I think Correa has to be disgusted by the total collapse of the Twins and lack of much offense this year and what looks like the near future. Red Sox or Philly (who would want to live in Philly?) are my choices assuming the Yankees or Dodgers opt out.

I hate to say it but I think the Vesili Warriors or Miesville Mudhens can beat the Twins if they put on Yankee uniforms. No offense meant to Vesili or Miesville.

For sure a new FO!!!!! If we get a new manager, hire a baseball guy that never heard of a spreadsheet.

It looks like Archer could be that middle inning or long relief guy. He seems to be great for about 60 pitches and then things go south. I saw it last night in the 5th and expected it to happen. Although I was pulling for him to finish the 5th and get the W. I thought Rocco stayed with him as long as he could.

Agree. It's Arraez and Miranda mostly. But I think Urshela has been decent offensively and defensively. It seems that Rocco doesnt agree with that. As I have posted before, too much swinging for the fence. Kepler refuses to learn to slap the ball to left or bunt left to stop the overshift that he consistently hits into going for the homerun. But home runs gets the big money contracts, soooo.<

It seems to me that that Twins entire offensive strategy, whether bases loaded with no outs, or runner in scoring position, is hit a home run. Except for Urshela and Arrez it's swing for the fences every time at bat. But home runs is what gets the big contracts, not winning or losing.

Nope. Consider that at least, at very least, one will be hurt in Spring Training and out for the year. At least one will simply "not have it" until they are traded to some other team. Suddenly we are short SP's.

Correction. Should the Twins win the first series, they would face the 2 seed, Houston. Yanks will face winner of 4 vs 5

1. 82 or 83, Offense too weak and inconsistent. Pagan will come back to snatch defeat from a possible victory. Those games the inept bullpen bumbled away earlier in the season will haunt them. 2. Win the Division. Bats would have to wake up and stay woke up. 2 or 3 runs a game wont cut it. Pagan and Sano must remain out. Then they then would face the 6 seed, Probably Seattle or Tampa Bay. However I think they can win a game or two in that series. Outside chance to even win the series. Then.....Yankees and over in 4. 3. Third place. In a worse case scenario I'm thinking the Sox (ugh) win the Division and Cleveland finishes second. Doesn't matter, it is going to be win the Division or go home.

Plus does Correa bring $34 million more to the table than what Palacios will cost next year? I say he does not., not that I do not think Correa is not a great player and fun to watch. I am a bit overly critical of the money Falvey and Levine throw around as they are pricing me out of their market. But from the attendance, no one else sooooooo.

Agree. Duffy leaves some good memories, but clearly didn't have it this year. I hope someone else at least gives him a shot and he thrives there. But Pagan??? Good grief. And what is with using him so often in the sixth inning when the score is usually 2-1 Twins? But at the end of the inning the Twins are behind. Granted, Rocco doesnt have a lot of choices, but Pagan again and again???? All Twins fans have their own ah ah S List. Players get on and then play themselves off the List. Some deserved to be on the List, some not so. Personally Sano has been on mine for years and years. Pagan cemented his position on my List on June 28 vs Cleveland. Rocco was flirting with getting on my List by leaving him in there. Working on getting on again by using him in tight situations. I'm happy for Jake Cave, one of my last years List members, having success. With how he was doing at St. Paul, I thought he should have been brought up sooner.

I hate to be pessimistic, but then I have been a Twins fan since day one and seen it too many times in the past 30 years. I just hope the Twins dont screw these guys up to where they can't get the clutch hit of throw strikes with the bases loaded. The new guys were a welcome relief yesterday.

I think they should DL Buxton as soon as it is clear they are out of the race, which shouldn't be too long. Give him time to heal up before doing some permanent damage. Also, why are they wasting at bats on Sano when they could be getting someone with potential major league skills some experience. Ahhh, the ghost of David Ortez continues to haunt the Twins. Sano is never going to be another Big Papi. Give it up already.