ewen21

Our cleanup hitter. Eduardo Escobar

We aren't going to bunt our way out of this funk in NY. Asking guys like Mauer, Sano, Morrison, almost anyone makes no sense. I bet it would take a whole lot of attempts for any of them to lay down a successful bunt and in the process they'd get behind on the count, or pop up or screw up in some way because they don't know how to do it effectively. Have we learned nothing from the station to station ball Gardy would have us play? THat just doesn't work here. Maybe MAYBE if you are playing a weak National League team, but sure heck not here. THat has been proven over and over

We can be specific in this case. He bunted in a situation where he had no business doing so. I don't like the mindset out of him there. He isn't Luis Aparacio. He is a BAD bunter. TO anyone saying he's a genius for trying this, please get back to me on how many bunt hits he actually has in his career. Do that then re-assess the strategy

No, he isn't a genius because I give him less of a chance of getting on base via a bunt than he would just standing up there with the bat on his shoulder looking for a walk. I don't like anyone bunting in the first inning especially Mr. 2,000. He is supposed to be the best hitter on the team and he is the guy with the longest tenure. By bunting in that situation he lets the pitcher off the hook. He also guarantees that he won't hit a ball that travels more than 50 feet. Nothing smart about that unless he is a very skilled bunter and he is most certainly not. In general it is unsound for a lumbering first baseman to bunt in that situation. Add to it the fact that Joe has been on the losing end a billion times at Yankee Stadium. His season ended there three different times and we seem lose there 90% of the time. The place is a band box. What about beating the shift by pulling the ball down the left field line? Small ball NEVER has worked against the Yankees. You would think Joe'd understand that.

Most of our players look glazed over when we are in NY. For the life of me, I have no idea why Joe would bunt in the first inning. I have no idea why anyone would do that unless they are Phil Rizzuto, Luis Aparicio, or Maury Wills....Not sure I can recall the last time he bunted for a hit and besides, he has to come into that band box thinking to drive the baseball. He conceded the at bat right there and that started the game on its course. I really don't want to hear "if he bunts for a hit it's a good bunt" That is a poor mindset for Mauer to have, imo

Oh but he can frame pitches!

Ryan LaMarre "Hoyt" coming in.

Grossman is brutal. I look forward to the day where his name is no longer discussed

There is life. Let's see what Mauer does here

Tough to find anyone deserving of praise

I don't fault the Twins for trading Hicks. He was dreadful for us

I hate to "like" this post, but ........

Bunting on your first at bat at Yankee Stadium. If he wants to beat the shift how about aiming for the right field foul pole?

Once again, we are baffled by Mauer's approach. For years he has come into this stadium losing nearly every single game. His idea is BUNT in the first inning. Does he think he's Luis Aparicio or something? Joe basically conceded an at bat right there. His mindset in Yankee Stadium (on a 60 degree night) should be to swing away. It's a band box. Maybe....just maybe.....he gets one over the wall. Perish the thought

if Sano is Eskimo then why can't hit in April?

Hey I get it. Don't look at the hole in the donut.,....look at the WHOLE donut

Blunt, concise and yet perfect

This weekend takes me back to that series we were swept at Tropicana in four games right in the middle of a pennant race. This was bad, but THAT was a whole lot worse

All I know is I'm happy Denard Span was shut down

He got judged harshly by me and that is the price of admission when you are paid to play a sport for millions of dollars. He's a big boy. I think he has weathered harder stuff than me.

I don't like what he said in an interview. Why does it bother you that I have an opinion about it?

I am not judging him as a person. I am judging him as a BASEBALL PLAYER and the way he has navigated his way through this term with the Minnesota Twins. This might entail things that go beyond numbers. His actions, affectations and comments effect my opinion. My "disgust" for Hughes extends only to the things he has done related to baseball. That he may very well be a great husband, father, Christian, etc....doesn't figure into it. I do not care that he may have misused the term "playing with house money". There are a number of small things I have seen that have left me scratching my head. The Bachelor viewing was another thing that I was not too fond of--and while that might seem harsh--it isn't the kind of team building thing I see as being productive. Maybe they could have gone fishing, went bowling, done something involving some more human interaction, competitive spirit and a bit more "manly" if they were trying to indoctrinate Park into their little circle of trust. Not for anything, but Hughes says a lot of things in interviews that make me roll my eyes. Might as well write his epitaph on his days with the Twins as follows: "Here lies Phil Hughes. He never tried to do too much"

I hated the Perkins extension

Interesting to look back on Hughes now. I was very much pleased with the signing when we first got him. I can remember getting an alert on my phone that the Twins signed him. I was actually impressed with Ryan and thought that these were the types of risks we needed to take rather than the dumpster diving that was so emblematic of what we did. Signing Hughes to a three year deal at that time was a respectable deal and a good one. When he just missed the performance incentives for innings he became a very sympathetic character in my mind. I was upset for him that he was not given the chance to make it. What the Twins did instead puzzled me. We had him for two more years anyway. Why did we extend him? Were we THAT confident? I know I wasn't. Then during our nightmarish season in 2016, I completely flipped on Hughes. I was watching a national broadcast of a game the Twins were playing in Cleveland on a weekend afternoon in May. CJ Nitkowski was doing an in game interview with Hughes. When Hughes was asked about how hard it is to approach his job when things get away so early in the season, Hughes said: "It's like we are playing with house money now" What the HELL is that? Playing with house money in May. There you have it. No need to even read into a remark like that. If he is simply misusing and misapplying the term he is (at best) a moron. If he REALLY looked at it that way then he is part of the problem. Having players like him who adopt a "playing with house money" mentality when the season is already shot in MAY is a problem. We can't afford to have veterans with that mindset. I've done a complete 180 on the guy. I liked the deal for him coming over a lot. Was pissed that the Twins didn't see clear to allow him to pitch another 0.2 of an inning to reach his performance incentive. Then I was mystified by the extension. Not against it, but kind of puzzled by it. At this point, I would rather not see him pitch. Especially when you consider he has thoracic outlet syndrome and TJ. Why recovers from having both of those?? Hughes should just walk away with the "house money" and be satisfied.

It might be time for an intervention from my favorite superhero of all time: