jimbo92107

Problem is, the Twins can't afford to have a rally-killing hole in their lineup for two months, even if Sano gets red hot later. Sano's notorious early cold spell was one of the reasons that the team fell profoundly out of contention before the halfway point of last season. For that reason I would get rid of Sano, replacing him with a high-average hitter like Kirilloff or Miranda. Late in a tied game with two outs and a runner on second, I'd rather have untested rookie Miranda at the plate than Sano. Kirilloff for sure, if his hand is okay.

Bring up Smeltzer. Never enough lefties, and never enough multi-inning relievers. Plus, the guy throws strikes.

Byron Buxton, OMG. He appears to have transitioned from mere mortal to some higher plane of existence, where swashbuckling sword fights and shooting holes in tossed coins is normal. The rest of the team just pats him on the back, slightly incredulous. Nick Gordon's expression from yesterday was right - This guy is cray-cray good. Even his teammates, guys that get to watch him from close up, can barely relate to the ease with which Buxton deals with batted balls and opposing pitchers. Here's a question for my fellow TD fans: How many of us, after Buxton's injury-hobbled first few years, wanted to trade him? How about now?

Something very odd is happening with this team, and maybe it's time we started adjusting our expectations. Usually, fans like us talk about multiple "If's" needing to go well in order for the Twins to be any good at all. Usually we conclude that it's just too many if's (wishes) to come true, and that the team will once again be mediocre. Maybe it's time we start seeing that this team has enormous potential. How good are these guys? How good can they be? It begins with the starting rotation. When the Twins acquired Sonny Gray, we celebrated. Finally, something like an "ace" to go with Ryan and Ober and whoever else they could scrounge up. Multiple rookie prospects were considered, but then Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer and Chris Paddack were added, leaving room for just one prospect, Josh Winder. Now, we were looking at one "ace," two unproven semi-rookies, and three veterans with histories of arm trouble. Plus one more rookie, Winder. Besides Gray, were any of them going to pan out? A ton of nervous "If's" at the most important position, and that's just for starters...heh-heh... It continues with the position players. Could Buck stay healthy? Would he perform? Could they get anything out of Larnach? Would Jeffers learn to hit? Was Arraez going to be hobbled by that knee? Would Sano start to hit? Would Kirilloff recover? Would Gordon continue to improve? Would Urshella be any good? Would Correa become a leader? Would Polanco keep hitting and playing top 2B? Could Sanchez ever field a bounced pitch? Another ton of "If's." Results so far for the starting pitchers has been little short of astounding. They're all pitching well, even the rookies and the retread veterans. Especially good has been Dylan Bundy, the big power hurler that lost his upper 90's fastball, now learning to be an artist on the mound. Using a new mix of off-speed stuff and pinpoint control, Bundy has been a revelation with a sub-1.00 ERA. Results for position players has been puzzling. First couple weeks featured an awful lot of whiffs and bad luck. But now, sparked by a mature superstar Byron Buxton and bat-wizard Louis Arraez, the offense is coming alive. As a squad, they're starting to believe in themselves. That can make a team very dangerous. How good can these guys be? It's beginning to look like this 2022 Twins team can be extremely good.

A few threads ago somebody asked if Duffy was done with baseball. I said something about making adjustments. Last night, Duffy showed us what adjustments he needed to survive with sub-94 mph stuff. You have to hit spots with your heater, and you need to bring a very good curve ball. Other pitchers have survived with exactly that combination, and Duffy can, too. As long as he can hit spots with that heater... Pagan showed us what that means, too. Last pitch of the game, bases loaded, full count - fastball, nailed the low-inside corner. Under pressure, that's throwing a bullseye.

This is the kind of nail-biting win that tells a team.... ...They better battle all nine innings, or they're going to have the worst record in baseball.

Pretty nice situation with the starters, assuming Gray comes back healthy. Each of the six has delivered at least one solid performance, where they kept their team in the game for at least 5 innings. In this game, Baldi then used his best three short relievers, not a bad plan to win a 1-run shutout. The question this early season remains, what the heck, Twins hitters? I sure hope we're not facing every team's ace every game. In fact, I'd say it's high time the Twins greeted an opponent's starter with some rudeness. All strictly legal, of course. How about ten runs in the first couple innings? That would be nice for the home town fans.

I have little doubt Ryan's stuff would play all nine innings. We are watching the rise of an ace pitcher.

This offense should be averaging 5 to 6 runs per game, even without Buxton. The starting rotation appears pretty solid. Even my initial horror at Paddack's first start was gratefully wrong. He's not a recently converted short stop. He's a good, not great mlb pitcher. That appears to be how we could describe most of the starters, except Ryan, who looks great, Ober, who looks efficient, and Bundy, who looks like a mature professional pitcher.

If Duffy can't bring it at 94 mph, he gets pounded. His only resort then is to go back to throwing outrageous curves all the time. His heater at 89 to 92 is a tater looking to get mashed. As for being "done," we can't know that yet. Pitchers spend their careers adapting, so maybe Duffy will develop a cut fastball or something that isn't quite so hittable. Look at Caleb Thielbar. He was "done" at least twice before. He made some changes, then came back. Duffy needs to make some changes, or...

Irrelevant. Umps aren't missing calls because of a vague strike zone, they're missing calls because humans suck at judging fast moving objects. If mlb wants to rigorously define the strike zone, great. Whoever programs today's electronic strike callers appears to have a good understanding of what's supposed to be the strike zone. If that changes, then so will the code. Meanwhile, whatever the zone dimensions, electronics provides accuracy down to millimeters, whereas we see human umps commonly blowing calls by half a foot. Let's use modern technology to make the game more fair.

Pulls a guy (Gordon) that already hit a triple for Garlick, and then puts in Duffey when the guy can't throw his heat over 92, which is doom for Duffey. Rocco, you are managing to lose.

Robo Ump, right now! I see too many skilled pitchers getting screwed by bad calls. I also see too many hitters getting screwed by bad calls. They don't "even out," either. Bad plus bad equals more bad.

I don't see a problem. Larnach has been a hitter his whole career. He'll learn the ropes at this level, too. The man is built to belt. I agree that Kirilloff should play 1B instead of Sano. Play the hitters!

Actually, this game was pretty encouraging. Josh Winder stepped in for his first long relief appearance, and he didn't unravel or look particularly overwhelmed. He did give up a homer to Boston's hottest hitter, but I expect that's going to happen to a lot of pitchers. Let's remember, this is his rookie year. He's not pitching like a rookie. Trevor Larnach had a good day at the plate. Also good to see.

Joe Ryan is even better than I thought. He was toying with Red Sox hitters, getting them to swing at pitches outside the zone, Then, a guy came up that looked like he was ready to be patient. Ryan drilled a strike, right down the middle. This kid can put his fastball anywhere he wants, and his slider is getting there. If his change gets more consistent, that could become another out pitch, too. If he can avoid that notorious middle-in zone on power hitters, he'll have a very small ERA. Hey, now I'm wondering if Emilio Pagan was the best part of the Taylor Rogers trade! Looks like a pretty good closer to me!

Trade him to the Red Sox. Worked really well for them last time. Demand a sack of baseballs. A case of beer if he becomes Big Papi 2.0. Then call up whoever is playing first base for the Saints. I don't even care who it is, they're bound to be a better hitter and as good a fielder. This 2020 squad is quickly devolving into fool's gold, and nobody exemplifies that like Sano. The Poof came early this season. Sano's a hole in the lineup until July. High-average, power hitting Kirilloff is gone. Paddack looked like he just converted from shortstop for his first game. Is he un-coachable, or is he too hiding arm problems? Okay, I'm projecting misery because I just had a Pfizer booster yesterday. Chills, sore joints, headache, nausea, Kinda entertaining, in a way.... Back under the covers...

Sass. I like my players a little sassy, and Luis Arraez has that in spades. He's sassy. Shows up in his busy-bee plate appearances. Follows every pitch right back to the catcher. Shakes his head impatiently if it's out of the zone. Come on man, don't waste my time! He smells the ribbies, he sees the field. Slap! See how far this one goes! In the field, he's a little shaky. Not enough playing time? Might be part of it. Tips and tricks from superstar Correa might help a bit. Perfect form and balance helps, too. Knees are the problem. They don't tend to get better with more pounding on the field. That's why Baldy's plan right now is probably about right. Sub him in, DH him, move him around the infield, and pinch hit him. DH doesn't need to be a home run monster, if he fits in a certain lineup.

I was just thinking last night that Kirilloff's slow start was improbable, given his extremely well-trained swing. Now we hear it's the wrist again. Damn, that's the kind of nagging injury that can really screw up a player's career. Can the ligament be replaced with teflon-coated kevlar? Kidding...sorta.

First, let me get this out of the way: Dylan Bundy was boring. All he did was toss the ball in there, lower half, bending left and right, and a fastball spotted pretty well down low. No drama, and the players behind him kept it boring for Seattle the whole game, except a couple exciting goofs by Arraez and Kirilloff. Come on guys! Keep it boring! Second, I hate to see Jhoan Duran get pigeon-holed into the closer position. I know, he threw a bunch of pitches over 100 mph, and he literally blew away three Seattle hitters. I'd still rather see him pitch more than one inning. I respect his desire to eventually graduate from the bullpen to the starting rotation. On the other hand... woof! That was a lot of hondos! This guy is definitely better than Graterol. Duran throws his heater with a more efficient motion, and much better command. Third, if you're looking for excitement, nothing this season will match watching Gary Sanchez try to field Tyler Duffey's bouncing curve balls. I have literally seen little league catchers do a better job trapping balls in the dirt. Dick Bremmer wins the unintentional comedy award for saying, "Nice stop by Sanchez," after a Duffey curve bounced off his pads, hit the batter in the leg, then bounced back to Sanchez. One sign of a good team is that they can win efficiently. That's exactly what we saw today.

Ghaa, RoboUmp gives Ober at least three more strikes, so far...

As I mentioned in the game thread, Tyler Duffey is easy to predict. If I were the bullpen coach and Duffey's warming up, I say to him, "Show me 94 high and tight, then low and outside." If he can't hump it up and hit those two corners, I don't send him out there to get murdered. Duffey cannot survive with 92 mph heat and so-so command. That is exactly what we saw today when he tried to close. He absolutely requires those extra two ticks and the corners of the zone. Otherwise, Alcala.

Tyler Duffy's game is simple: If his fastball is below 94 mph, get him the hell out of there. If it's 94 or better, keep him in there. Thus....Get him the hell out of there!

Kirilloff looks like he has no idea when to get his swing started. Sure hope he finds his groove. Meanwhile, Sweet. Luis. Arraez!

Not ready for season predictions, but for today's game... Twins score 6, Ryan K's 7, gives up 1 HR, then a variety of arms give up a few runs, but all's well because Taylor Rogers comes in to slam the... Oh wait...