All Things 2022 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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Give me Jon Daniels as new GM and Joe Maddon for 2023. (Or right now if you want, Jim!)
 


Shama's friend chimes in:

A Sports Headliners reader and long-time Twins fan emailed that his friends are challenged to give away tickets to clients because people don’t want to go downtown. “And I have yet to talk to anyone that is happy with the way Rocco (Balldeli) manages his pitching staff. Of course we are all happy to be in the hunt for a playoff spot but many feel we could be seven games ahead if we had managed our starting pitchers and relief pitchers differently.”


Win Twins!!
 

JimmyJamesMD said:
I know everyone thought they were a great hire. But time is up. They have proven nothing
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Falvey's had 6 years. More bad than good. Rocco just isn't a good manager. I wouldn't mind Thad Levine staying, especially if we got Daniels, since they worked together.
 

Buxton is on the 10-day IL.

Aaron Sanchez is called up from St. Paul to pitch the 1st gm of the Astros series. Catcher Caleb Hamilton also up from St. Paul. Devin Smeltzer is optioned back to St. Paul.

go get 'em, Twins.
 


howeda7 said:
Falvey's had 6 years. More bad than good. Rocco just isn't a good manager. I wouldn't mind Thad Levine staying, especially if we got Daniels, since they worked together.
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I'm not dying on a hill for Falvey, but objectively there has been at least as much good as bad.

2017 they surprised with a Wild Card, 2018 they regressed. 2019 & 2020 back to back Division Titles including 2nd most Ws in Minnesota history and MLB HR record. 2021 huge disappointment and again a surprise contender in 2022.

Through it the post-season ineptitude has remained status quo since 2004 (no Ws), 2002 (no series win), 1991 (no AL or WS pennant). Same old, same old.

Personally, I think the Falvey regime has bought them some time, though I wouldn't be against a change. The clock is ticking and if they don't develop solid arms pronto, it will be sooner rather than later.
 

Ope3 said:
I'm not dying on a hill for Falvey, but objectively there has been at least as much good as bad.

2017 they surprised with a Wild Card, 2018 they regressed. 2019 & 2020 back to back Division Titles including 2nd most Ws in Minnesota history and MLB HR record. 2021 huge disappointment and again a surprise contender in 2022.

Through it the post-season ineptitude has remained status quo since 2004 (no Ws), 2002 (no series win), 1991 (no AL or WS pennant). Same old, same old.

Personally, I think the Falvey regime has bought them some time, though I wouldn't be against a change. The clock is ticking and if they don't develop solid arms pronto, it will be sooner rather than later.
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2019 was certainly great, but even then he refused to get a starter at the trade deadline and we ended up running Randy Dobnak out there in the play-offs. He lost me that day.

But he was brought in primarily to fix the pitching and it hasn't happened. The only two to show anything at the MLB level are Ryan and Ober and the later is a stretch. Cleveland and Tampa, the teams we allegedly model ourselves after, turn out 2 or more starters better than that every year it seems. It's been 6 years. It's past "just you wait and see!" time IMO. Tonight is the perfect example. Who are we calling up from the minors in a pinch? Aaron Sanchez, a washed up has been.
 

howeda7 said:
2019 was certainly great, but even then he refused to get a starter at the trade deadline and we ended up running Randy Dobnak out there in the play-offs. He lost me that day.

But he was brought in primarily to fix the pitching and it hasn't happened. The only two to show anything at the MLB level are Ryan and Ober and the later is a stretch. Cleveland and Tampa, the teams we allegedly model ourselves after, turn out 2 or more starters better than that every year it seems. It's been 6 years. It's past "just you wait and see!" time IMO. Tonight is the perfect example. Who are we calling up from the minors in a pinch? Aaron Sanchez, a washed up has been.
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I wonder if the Sanchez move is to not burn a 40 man call up. I suspect he will get DFAd if not after tonight, then whenever Mahle returns.

Agree on the pitching development, and that's Exhibit A if they regime gets blown up. Exhibit B is lack of postseason wins continuing.

In the end, my gut tells me the past 6 seasons were much better than the previous 6, so they get another year or two to see how it plays out.
 

howeda7 said:
Falvey's had 6 years. More bad than good. Rocco just isn't a good manager. I wouldn't mind Thad Levine staying, especially if we got Daniels, since they worked together.
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The Falvey and Levine hate is complete nonsense. 3 playoff appearances in 5 seasons, and still have a chance to make it 4 of 6. This team has been ripped apart due to so many injuries beyond their control. In the 6 years prior they had 0 playoff appearances, and finished last in the central in 4 of those 6 seasons.

This is the best 6 year run since 01-06, and they will be setup well to compete again next season. It has been far more good than bad.
 



Ope3 said:
I wonder if the Sanchez move is to not burn a 40 man call up. I suspect he will get DFAd if not after tonight, then whenever Mahle returns.

Agree on the pitching development, and that's Exhibit A if they regime gets blown up. Exhibit B is lack of postseason wins continuing.

In the end, my gut tells me the past 6 seasons were much better than the previous 6, so they get another year or two to see how it plays out.
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I mean if he pitches decent, that would make him 2/2. Hard to send him right back then. But if he gets lit up, then yes.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
The Falvey and Levine hate is complete nonsense. 3 playoff appearances in 5 seasons, and still have a chance to make it 4 of 6. This team has been ripped apart due to so many injuries beyond their control. In the 6 years prior they had 0 playoff appearances, and finished last in the central in 4 of those 6 seasons.

This is the best 6 year run since 01-06, and they will be setup well to compete again next season. It has been far more good than bad.
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Their injury situation, this year at least, really isn't any worse than most other teams. Buxton is what he is. They're not missing any other super stars. Sure you'd like to have a healthy Kiriloff/Larnach/Ober but their upside is mostly theoretical. A complete flop in 2021 followed by failing to win the -85 games necessary to win the worst division in baseball is enough for me, if that's how it plays out.

If they manage to make the play-offs and win a game, by all means they should get another shot. If they don't, let's move on. It feels the same as Speilman/Zimmer in 2020. Sure you can give it one more year, but it's not going to change anything.
 
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GopherWeatherGuy said:
The Falvey and Levine hate is complete nonsense. 3 playoff appearances in 5 seasons, and still have a chance to make it 4 of 6. This team has been ripped apart due to so many injuries beyond their control. In the 6 years prior they had 0 playoff appearances, and finished last in the central in 4 of those 6 seasons.

This is the best 6 year run since 01-06, and they will be setup well to compete again next season. It has been far more good than bad.
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The Twins' fan base has become irrational.
 




GopherWeatherGuy said:
The Falvey and Levine hate is complete nonsense. 3 playoff appearances in 5 seasons, and still have a chance to make it 4 of 6. This team has been ripped apart due to so many injuries beyond their control. In the 6 years prior they had 0 playoff appearances, and finished last in the central in 4 of those 6 seasons.

This is the best 6 year run since 01-06, and they will be setup well to compete again next season. It has been far more good than bad.
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The problem comes from roster construction. The fact that they have no right handed hitting outfielders except for Garlick and Buxton is not great. Garlick has been gone for I think 3 weeks now and every left handed pitcher is just picking the line-up apart. They should have traded for some sort of right handed outfield mer too that was simply living and breathing as Garlick was hurt before trading deadline was over.

The front office has not been perfect but they are hardly the biggest problem this season. They did everything they could do, except for above, at the trade deadline and the veterans in the line up decided they just wanted to suck for the better part of 2 weeks.
 

5 strikeouts in the first 2 innings and the only base runner reached on a passed strike 3. Man it’s gonna be a long 3 games.
 

You mean to tell me you are not required to pull the ball into the shift every time. That was professional hitting from the Astros in the 2nd.

Sanchez did not look too happy about the RBI single going right where the second baseman should be standing.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
The problem comes from roster construction. The fact that they have no right handed hitting outfielders except for Garlick and Buxton is not great. Garlick has been gone for I think 3 weeks now and every left handed pitcher is just picking the line-up apart. They should have traded for some sort of right handed outfield mer too that was simply living and breathing as Garlick was hurt before trading deadline was over.

The front office has not been perfect but they are hardly the biggest problem this season. They did everything they could do, except for above, at the trade deadline and the veterans in the line up decided they just wanted to suck for the better part of 2 weeks.
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Two righties at a time is just fine, it’s just been that those two have been hurt a lot and the only other right handed OF they could bring up is Celestino. For whatever reason, most of the OF prospects that have done well in the system are left handed. I wouldn’t mind if they go get someone like Pham next year.
 



Sorry, but 39 year olds don't throw like this with all the wear and tear........unless they cheat
 

Rocco has been ejected from the game for going off on the umpire.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Two righties at a time is just fine, it’s just been that those two have been hurt a lot and the only other right handed OF they could bring up is Celestino. For whatever reason, most of the OF prospects that have done well in the system are left handed. I wouldn’t mind if they go get someone like Pham next year.
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The injury thing is the problem. Ever since Buxton appeared and was subject to injury they needed an actual back up center fielder to play. They finally find that person in Celestino and they won’t play him cause he can’t bat. I can also not think of any player that got hurt as a twin that recovered in the estimated amount of time. They all take way longer than even the twins say in public. Bailey Over may be dead for all I know and it’s just a groin injury.
 

gophersfan said:
Rocco has been ejected from the game for going off on the umpire.
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Did no one on the twins bench notice that Rocco went onto the mound during the benches clearing thing. I mean the bleeping tv people saw it. What a stupid ass look for Rocco.
 

91 pitches after 6. If a no hitter, will have to be combined.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
Did no one on the twins bench notice that Rocco went onto the mound during the benches clearing thing. I mean the bleeping tv people saw it. What a stupid ass look for Rocco.
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That’s on the umps. Rocco went on the mound for a second after all benches cleared. Calling that a mound visit is a judgment call. The TV people saw it because they have a birds eye view of the ump and the ump motions towards the official scorer. Both dugouts had their backs to the ump when he made the call.

That’s 100% on the umps, they should have known the uniqueness of the situation and should have made sure the Twins knew they considered that a mound visit.
 

Ope3 said:
That brings to mind Ron Davis. Eventually he was jettisoned by the Twins to the Cubs for George Frazier and Ray Fontenot in 1986. I happened to be in Chicago when the trade happened, and tuned into the Sports Writers Show.

Old timer Ben Bentley was asked his views one the transaction, to which he stated, "It's like trading 1 bag of manure for 2 bags of manure."

It turned out to be an astute assessment of the situation. Frazier wound up being as bad as Davis though he did get a ring on the '87 Twins.
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Epic post - as all my HCP are staring at me wondering why I’m laughing.

That was a great show and WGN a great regional network.
 

howeda7 said:
Their injury situation, this year at least, really isn't any worse than most other teams. Buxton is what he is. They're not missing any other super stars. Sure you'd like to have a healthy Kiriloff/Larnach/Ober but their upside is mostly theoretical. A complete flop in 2021 followed by failing to win the -85 games necessary to win the worst division in baseball is enough for me, if that's how it plays out.

If they manage to make the play-offs and win a game, by all means they should get another shot. If they don't, let's move on. It feels the same as Speilman/Zimmer in 2020. Sure you can give it one more year, but it's not going to change anything.
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So you're saying this team doesn't have many superstars? It takes a long time to build that pipeline up in MLB, and they came into an organization void of talent. Their next tier of stars of Lewis/Kiriloff/Larnach have been out most of the season. Miranda looks very promising, but he's a rookie. Polanco is having his worst season. Although he's been a bit of a disappointment offensively, they signed a superstar SS in Correa, which never happens here.

It's not like Spielman/Zimmer at all. Turnarounds happen much faster in the NFL and Spielman was here for 16 years. Next year's rotation is setting up to be one of the best in recent Twins history. While the gripes with Rocco are legitimate, Falvey and Levine are not going anywhere. This organization is in a significantly better position today than it was 6 years ago.
 

I assumed the move for Buxton to the IL would be bringing Contreras back. They recalled Hamilton and are carrying 3 catchers? Two of which can't hit and one who is slumping badly at the plate and isn't great defensively.
 

Ope3 said:
Just mentally, and something I recalled when browsing the standings today.

Not to pile on the potential situation, but it would really irk me if somehow the Twins plight is impacted by MLB abolishing Game 163. However, the Twins other late game meltdowns would be more the source of blame in that situation.

FYI, to get to 101 Ws, they are going to have to go 40-5 the rest of the way.
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Looks like we don’t have to worry about that call anymore
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
 


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