Twodogs

True, except when you plate 11 runs. Should be able to hang on to that one. Belisle just isn't a great choice in my opinion with his 87 MPH fastball when you have guys that are amped up to hammer the ball to win the game. Need someone who can get a guy to swing and miss a little

I'd like to see them give Pressly a shot at closing, Belisle doesn't have the stuff to close, is ok for mid inning relief, but I don't think he is ideal in that situation. JMO

Shouldnt lose after scoring 11 runs.

Rod Carew was handy with the bunt. I feel it's kind of like pitching, even if it's the norm to throw a breaking ball in the dirt on an 0 - 2 pitch, if you do it every time then you become predictable and I feel that you want that other team to always have to consider how to defend different possibilities everytime you are up at the plate. I don't think they should bunt everytime in that situation, but you need to bunt in that situation sometimes so they know you can and will do it.

Are they really going to run Belisle out there in the ninth?? I mean he's like ancient, why not play someone there that could be a closer of the future.

Dillon Gee, I thought they lost him? They should have tried him right before they brought in Bartolo, should have given Bartolo one more minor league start. Gee now seems like a moot point?

I say give Pressly the first shot, his stuff grades out as a closer, he hasn't done a bad job lately, he might blossom in that spot and if he doesn't bring up Curtiss in September. But I'd say no to Rogers, Belisle, or Hildendinger, keep them in set up roles.

I think for the Twins to compete next year, which they could, they need to sign one big free agent SP this off season and maybe a cheaper scrap heap starter also for depth. Try the young guys that they have in the bull pen, a few of them should exceed expectations, if not get a RP at the end of spring training. But they have to spend on at least one good starter.

I wouldn't mind seeing them try out Pressly as the closer. He has the stuff, he has pitched better as of late, he grades out as a closer, put him in the spot and see if he runs with it. He might all of the sudden blossom, I think it's better to try that rather than put Rodgers or Belisel in there.

It happened in Animal House. John Belushi's character was trying to rally the troops. He didn't want 9 years of college to go down the drain

Not only that, but if you trade him and get a minor leaguer where there isn't any guarantee then you need to go out and sign a FA to replace him in the rotation, who by the way, will most likely be more expensive than Santana.

So why does everyone want to trade Santana?? If the depth in the minors isn't promising why would we reduce the two ok starters down to one?

Well I felt the same way, even though the Twins had leads in some of these games I certainly did not feel confident that they were going to win any of them. However, I know he hasn't provided a lot with the bar, more so lately than early in the season, but missing Buxton has affected the Twins in the field for sure, I know I have seen a couple of low flairs that Granite let fall for base hits that I'm 100 percent sure Buxton would have tried to make a play on and about 80 percent sure he would have made that play. Which if a couple of those plays makes a difference of a run or two then the Twin probably pull an extra win vs both the tigers and the dodgers. Also missing Sano the last couple I feel also hurt. So missing those two guys probably hurt more than we think. Also they can trade after the deadline, just have to pass them through waivers first. Guys not under contract like Gimenez or Kintzler could pass through more easily than guys under contract like Santana and Dozier, so moves can still be made after Monday. Last, even with Gonsalves and Romero and guys like that there is no guarantee that they can pitch in the MLB, god I hope they all can that would be awesome, but until they prob that they can I'd keep Santana. If you get rid of him and all those guys bomb, the twins wouldn't be too far from losing 100 again. I mean if the youngsters bomb your 3rd best pitcher would be Gibson, assuming that Santana is traded and Garcia, Colon etc all leave. That is scary

Yes this, my whole stance at this point is that when you are in a playoff run I think you need to throw the promises to the side. That is my whole argument.

Ok let's leave predictions out of it. Who's numbers are better this year. Gibson's or Colon's??

I agree if you are talking about the future, but you can't tell me that Colon is part of the future?? I mean why did they trade for Garcia?? That's not for the future, they did that to try and make a push for the end of the year. At that point don't you want to go with the hot hand?? I mean you have to admit, Gibson has looked good for 4 or 5 starts in a row, how has Colon looked?? I mean playing favorites because the guy is 44 and makes a nice story over a guy who pitched into the 8th inning last time out is likely a lot worse than looking at a one month sample, and for that matter what are Colon's numbers for the whole year?? Are they better than Gibson's?? I think not. All I am saying is that Gibson has been one of the better pitchers as of late, I mean he has rivaled Santana over a short period of time. The Twins have, realistically, a short window to stay in the race. So we are talking from here on out a fairly small sample size. So keeping a guy who has shown this year to not be able to get out of the 5th, over another guy who wasn't able to get out of the 5th most of the year, at least until this last month or so, in which he has been able to; is a bad choice. At least to me, I mean you want the guys who are performing the best at that moment to get you there right??

What are his stats over the last month? What are Colon and Mejia stats over the last month?? A month or two ago I would have been screaming to send Gibson out, but I don't think this was good timing?

Well the twins got Johan Santana as a rule 5 pick so it has worked out once, but I think it might have been a different story had the Twins been 30 - 50 and in last place, then they probably give Haley more looks along with Gonsalves, Jorge, Romero, etc.... had the season been lost then theyd probably give some of those guys a few more chances, I remember Johan during that first year didn't pitch a whole lot and the Twins finished like 60 something and 90 something so it didn't really matter much that he was taking up the space. This year however, the Twins are around .500 and have a shot of meaningful games in August and September. So I think it was a matter of the Twins, this year just had no room for him. Now whether he ever turns into something or not is a totally different debate, but I think sometimes Rule 5's, at least to me, can get caught up in how the team is doing that season.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kenny+rogers+the+gambler&oq=kenny+rogers+the+&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j5j0.14033j0j4&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

His deuce looked good today, Upton and Cabrera were flailing because of it.

I think they kept Hildenberger one inning too long. I kinda felt that coming

Lead off walk

Well if they call up Jennifer Garner then team morale might pick up a little bit?

Well he pitched into the 8th inning and only gave up 3 runs, he did great, I think if the starter is going good keep sending him out there, no better way to build confidence than to pitch deep into the game. Kudos Gibson

Yes, I too sometimes wonder what free agents think about going to Minnesota? They have a long history of dumping people, they did quite well with free agents back in the late 80's and early 90's, (Jack Morris, Don Baylor, Chili Davis, etc....) but I can't think of any real good ones as of late, except the big singings of Nolasco, Hughes, and Santana