All Things 2024 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

I went to Wrigley yesterday and saw the Cubs lose to the Angels 7-0, getting 3 hits and I don't think they even advanced a runner to 2nd base.

I was way off, looking at the MLB.com box. They actually had 4 hits (not 3), all singles. The Cubs did get 1 of those runners to 2nd base. In the Bottom of the 9th with 1 out, Nico Hoerner singled to center. He later advanced to 2nd on a Wild Pitch. I think at that point I was checking my phone for Miranda updates.

That was the only runner the Cubs had in scoring position all day as the final hitters both whiffed.

They rebounded yesterday, beating the Halos 5-0 and taking 2 of 3 for the series. That is your official Cubs report.

Still kind of jarring to hear Ron Coomer be associated with them even though it's been a decade now as their announcer. He gets introduced as "Major League All Star...Ron Coomer" and every time it makes me chuckle to myself.
 

can't remember if anyone noted this, but former "top prospect" Jordan Balazovic has left the Twins' organization. He was sold to the Doosan Bears - a team in the Korean Baseball Organization.

Balazovic started his career very well. put up good numbers in the lower minors and appeared in the Futures game. But numbers got worse in AA and Triple-A. did spend part of one season in the majors. (also known for sustaining a broken jaw in a Spring Training off-the-field altercation)

as of now, his major-league career consists of
18 gms, 1-0 record, 4.44 ERA, 24.1 IP, 12 BB, 17 K, 5 HR,
 






of that list of stats, the one that jumps out to me is K rate. last season, the Twins set a new all-time record for most times striking out at the plate. and one season later, they are striking out the 2nd-fewest times of any team in MLB.

that is a pretty significant jump. would enjoy seeing one of the beat writers do a deep dive into how this was accomplished.

as an old-timer who is not a fan of the "3 true outcomes" approach to baseball, this makes me happy. now if I only had some gum from a pack of baseball cards.
 

of that list of stats, the one that jumps out to me is K rate. last season, the Twins set a new all-time record for most times striking out at the plate. and one season later, they are striking out the 2nd-fewest times of any team in MLB.

that is a pretty significant jump. would enjoy seeing one of the beat writers do a deep dive into how this was accomplished.

as an old-timer who is not a fan of the "3 true outcomes" approach to baseball, this makes me happy. now if I only had some gum from a pack of baseball cards.
Not re-signing either Gallo or Taylor has to be a significant reason for the improvement on the whiff ratio.
 
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of that list of stats, the one that jumps out to me is K rate. last season, the Twins set a new all-time record for most times striking out at the plate. and one season later, they are striking out the 2nd-fewest times of any team in MLB.

that is a pretty significant jump. would enjoy seeing one of the beat writers do a deep dive into how this was accomplished.

as an old-timer who is not a fan of the "3 true outcomes" approach to baseball, this makes me happy. now if I only had some gum from a pack of baseball cards.
I'm not an old timer, but i was pretty pissed in bottom of 8th, Twins didn't bunt when there was runners on 1st and 2nd and none out. Lee goes GIDP. Vasquez bailed out Rocco in bottom of 9th
 



I'm not an old timer, but i was pretty pissed in bottom of 8th, Twins didn't bunt when there was runners on 1st and 2nd and none out. Lee goes GIDP. Vasquez bailed out Rocco in bottom of 9th
Hindsight is 20/20 - you should very very rarely (if ever) have a hitter of Lee's caliber bunting.
 

Hindsight is 20/20 - you should very very rarely (if ever) have a hitter of Lee's caliber bunting.
Agreed. I don’t know how good Lee is at bunting but I’d rather have him swinging away in that instance anyway, despite how it ended up.
 

Hindsight is 20/20 - you should very very rarely (if ever) have a hitter of Lee's caliber bunting.

speaking of bunting - in a recent game, Willi Castro tried to bunt and popped it up for an out. it has been confirmed that Rocco called for that one from the bench. was supposed to be a squeeze play but Castro didn't execute the bunt.

could also get into a wrangle over whether you should bunt the Manfred Man to 3rd base in extra innings. If I was the home team, and the visitors did not score in the top of the 10th, I would absolutely bunt the Manfred Man to 3rd. then you can win the game with a Sac Fly from the next batter, or a hit from either of the next two batters.
 

of that list of stats, the one that jumps out to me is K rate. last season, the Twins set a new all-time record for most times striking out at the plate. and one season later, they are striking out the 2nd-fewest times of any team in MLB.

that is a pretty significant jump. would enjoy seeing one of the beat writers do a deep dive into how this was accomplished.
Ask and you shall receive.
as an old-timer who is not a fan of the "3 true outcomes" approach to baseball, this makes me happy. now if I only had some gum from a pack of baseball cards.
Not resigning either Gallo or Taylor has to be a significant reason for the improvement on the whiff ratio.
Not directing these comments at any of you three, some of my favorite baseball ⚾️ posters, but there is a bias against and tendency not to give credit to Rocko or the staff for the positive outcomes produced on on the field. Criticism is fine, of course, but crediting them shouldn’t be verboten, especially when they players compliment the Rocko & the staff regularly.

To wit, here is a good article from Dan Hayes/The Athletic on our hitting coach David Popkins



MINNEAPOLIS — For 2 1/2 months, the Minnesota Twins’ bats have drowned out the noise of all the voices who previously wanted to see the team shed its hitting coaches.

From April 22 through Thursday’s 12-3 victory, the Twins had scored the most runs in baseball (356) and produced the majors’ highest OPS (.785).

Those figures may seem shocking given a dismal 20-game start that led to critics calling for the heads of hitting coach David Popkins and his assistants, Derek Shomon and Rudy Hernandez.

But with improved health, stars producing at expected levels, warmer weather, year-over-year roster continuity and a staff players believe in, the Twins have solidified themselves as one of baseball’s top offenses. The team’s status is about where Popkins, now in his third season as the team’s hitting coach, expected the club to be and it’s why he didn’t panic when everyone struggled early and the pitchforks again were out in force.

“You realize it’s part of the gig,” Popkins said. “Things are going bad, you’re the guy that takes the blame. Sometimes when you’re good, you get more credit than you deserve. It’s a double-edged sword. It’s something that’s always going to happen with this job. Your goal is to find the information, find the things you need to work on, address it, improve it and then make as many people eat crow as you can.”

If you’re a fan who experienced the team’s 7-13 start, there’s a chance you voiced a complaint or two about Popkins and the hitting group. At the very least, your loud uncle did.

It’s OK, Popkins expects the noise. He works in a results-oriented business and the Twins were abysmal.

Through their first 20 games, the Twins scored an average of 3.4 runs per contest. The team produced the third-fewest runs in baseball (67) and its .609 OPS ranked 29th of 30 teams, sitting a stunning 89 points below the league’s overall average.

Of course, the Twins were without Royce Lewis, Max Kepler and Carlos Correa for significant chunks of time as each suffered injuries. Byron Buxtonalso struggled to find his footing in the early going, as did veteran Carlos Santana.

Times were tough, but not nearly as difficult as in 2023 when the team’s struggles extended into mid-July. Previous experience allowed Popkins to remain steadfast, as did Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.

Correa’s been in Popkins’ corner since he arrived in the Twin Cities in 2022. He cited his hitting coach’s proximity in age (Popkins is 34) as a reason the two easily relate. Shomon also is 34.

“He’s young like us, he played just like us and he understands that sometimes you can have a good swing in the cage, and that’s cool, but if you don’t have an approach in the game, you’re never going to hit,” Correa said. “This year he’s emphasized more on the approach than mechanics and he’s taken his game to another level and you can see it as a team, you can see it the way we’re operating right now, the way we’re putting at-bats together as a team. It’s all because of the plan they have for us.”

Kyle Farmer thinks good health for Correa and Buxton is playing a large role in the team’s outstanding run, as does roster continuity. But he believes one reason for success is the coaching staff doesn’t adhere to a one-size-fits-all approach with hitter’s swings.

“The whole staff does a good job of knowing what type of hitter you are instead of implementing one approach or one swing,” Farmer said. “Everybody has a different swing. Everybody gets to the same spot, but in a different way, and they know how to tell us that. Pop probably watches video all night on hitters. He does a good job of relaying information to us.”

Popkins thinks he’s improved at streamlining the information he provides over his two-plus seasons as a coach: “The foundation is similar — I think things have become more efficient” he said.

But it’s not as if those first two seasons were unproductive.

Despite a horribly slow start in 2023, one that included multiple team meetings during a dreadful June, the Twins ended the season 10th in runs scored and sixth in wRC+, a stat that accounts for additional factors like ballparks and eras. The Twins finished eighth in wRC+ in 2022 even with an injury-riddled roster, but only 17th in runs.

He’s enjoying the team’s current success as it’s blistered the ball nightly for more than 10 weeks. As good as the Twins have been, a run that has them sixth in runs and tied for sixth in wRC+, he refuses to get too high. Experience tells him a downturn will come soon and the team could go cold for a few weeks, which will have critics again calling for his job.

Instead, he’ll prepare for the next round of punches and focus on providing hitters with the best information he can.

“You can’t speak too soon in this game,” Popkins said. “You’ve got to wait it out. You’ll eat your words. This game will humble you in all aspects. Always approach this game with humility, especially when you have opinions.”
 



speaking of bunting - in a recent game, Willi Castro tried to bunt and popped it up for an out. it has been confirmed that Rocco called for that one from the bench. was supposed to be a squeeze play but Castro didn't execute the bunt.

could also get into a wrangle over whether you should bunt the Manfred Man to 3rd base in extra innings. If I was the home team, and the visitors did not score in the top of the 10th, I would absolutely bunt the Manfred Man to 3rd. then you can win the game with a Sac Fly from the next batter, or a hit from either of the next two batters.
I honestly don't know what the math says, and of course the approach may change depending on who the hitter is, but I think a lot of people who are always pounding their fist for a bunt in that situation

a. Are assuming the batter will be able to successfully lay down a bunt.
b. Overstate how easy a sac fly is in that scenario.
 


Ask and you shall receive.


Not directing these comments at any of you three, some of my favorite baseball ⚾️ posters, but there is a bias against and tendency not to give credit to Rocko or the staff for the positive outcomes produced on on the field. Criticism is fine, of course, but crediting them shouldn’t be verboten, especially when they players compliment the Rocko & the staff regularly.

To wit, here is a good article from Dan Hayes/The Athletic on our hitting coach David Popkins



MINNEAPOLIS — For 2 1/2 months, the Minnesota Twins’ bats have drowned out the noise of all the voices who previously wanted to see the team shed its hitting coaches.

From April 22 through Thursday’s 12-3 victory, the Twins had scored the most runs in baseball (356) and produced the majors’ highest OPS (.785).

Those figures may seem shocking given a dismal 20-game start that led to critics calling for the heads of hitting coach David Popkins and his assistants, Derek Shomon and Rudy Hernandez.

But with improved health, stars producing at expected levels, warmer weather, year-over-year roster continuity and a staff players believe in, the Twins have solidified themselves as one of baseball’s top offenses. The team’s status is about where Popkins, now in his third season as the team’s hitting coach, expected the club to be and it’s why he didn’t panic when everyone struggled early and the pitchforks again were out in force.

“You realize it’s part of the gig,” Popkins said. “Things are going bad, you’re the guy that takes the blame. Sometimes when you’re good, you get more credit than you deserve. It’s a double-edged sword. It’s something that’s always going to happen with this job. Your goal is to find the information, find the things you need to work on, address it, improve it and then make as many people eat crow as you can.”

If you’re a fan who experienced the team’s 7-13 start, there’s a chance you voiced a complaint or two about Popkins and the hitting group. At the very least, your loud uncle did.

It’s OK, Popkins expects the noise. He works in a results-oriented business and the Twins were abysmal.

Through their first 20 games, the Twins scored an average of 3.4 runs per contest. The team produced the third-fewest runs in baseball (67) and its .609 OPS ranked 29th of 30 teams, sitting a stunning 89 points below the league’s overall average.

Of course, the Twins were without Royce Lewis, Max Kepler and Carlos Correa for significant chunks of time as each suffered injuries. Byron Buxtonalso struggled to find his footing in the early going, as did veteran Carlos Santana.

Times were tough, but not nearly as difficult as in 2023 when the team’s struggles extended into mid-July. Previous experience allowed Popkins to remain steadfast, as did Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.

Correa’s been in Popkins’ corner since he arrived in the Twin Cities in 2022. He cited his hitting coach’s proximity in age (Popkins is 34) as a reason the two easily relate. Shomon also is 34.

“He’s young like us, he played just like us and he understands that sometimes you can have a good swing in the cage, and that’s cool, but if you don’t have an approach in the game, you’re never going to hit,” Correa said. “This year he’s emphasized more on the approach than mechanics and he’s taken his game to another level and you can see it as a team, you can see it the way we’re operating right now, the way we’re putting at-bats together as a team. It’s all because of the plan they have for us.”

Kyle Farmer thinks good health for Correa and Buxton is playing a large role in the team’s outstanding run, as does roster continuity. But he believes one reason for success is the coaching staff doesn’t adhere to a one-size-fits-all approach with hitter’s swings.

“The whole staff does a good job of knowing what type of hitter you are instead of implementing one approach or one swing,” Farmer said. “Everybody has a different swing. Everybody gets to the same spot, but in a different way, and they know how to tell us that. Pop probably watches video all night on hitters. He does a good job of relaying information to us.”

Popkins thinks he’s improved at streamlining the information he provides over his two-plus seasons as a coach: “The foundation is similar — I think things have become more efficient” he said.

But it’s not as if those first two seasons were unproductive.

Despite a horribly slow start in 2023, one that included multiple team meetings during a dreadful June, the Twins ended the season 10th in runs scored and sixth in wRC+, a stat that accounts for additional factors like ballparks and eras. The Twins finished eighth in wRC+ in 2022 even with an injury-riddled roster, but only 17th in runs.

He’s enjoying the team’s current success as it’s blistered the ball nightly for more than 10 weeks. As good as the Twins have been, a run that has them sixth in runs and tied for sixth in wRC+, he refuses to get too high. Experience tells him a downturn will come soon and the team could go cold for a few weeks, which will have critics again calling for his job.

Instead, he’ll prepare for the next round of punches and focus on providing hitters with the best information he can.

“You can’t speak too soon in this game,” Popkins said. “You’ve got to wait it out. You’ll eat your words. This game will humble you in all aspects. Always approach this game with humility, especially when you have opinions.”

They also get to face the White and that pitching staff for 3 games starting tonight and none of them will be pitched by Crochet.
 


They also get to face the White and that pitching staff for 3 games starting tonight and none of them will be pitched by Crochet.
We’ve won 5 or 6 series in a row, let’s win another one and keep rolling!!

Edit: just saw the Yanks have lost seven series in a row and have the worst record in all of baseball since mid June

The more we win, the more I hope it convinces/puts pressure on ownership to be open to trades before the deadline😃 🤞
 
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Zebby Matthews gets a lot of pub but Andrew Morris relatively none. Wonder why given they have similar stats. Both at AA and Morris 1 year 4 months younger.
Anyway, two good pitching prospects.
 

speaking of bunting - in a recent game, Willi Castro tried to bunt and popped it up for an out. it has been confirmed that Rocco called for that one from the bench. was supposed to be a squeeze play but Castro didn't execute the bunt.

could also get into a wrangle over whether you should bunt the Manfred Man to 3rd base in extra innings. If I was the home team, and the visitors did not score in the top of the 10th, I would absolutely bunt the Manfred Man to 3rd. then you can win the game with a Sac Fly from the next batter, or a hit from either of the next two batters.

100%. When we are in extra innings I hope our opponent doesn't bunt, while hoping we do.
 

Not re-signing either Gallo or Taylor has to be a significant reason for the improvement on the whiff ratio.
Ask and you shall receive.


Not directing these comments at any of you three, some of my favorite baseball ⚾️ posters, but there is a bias against and tendency not to give credit to Rocko or the staff for the positive outcomes produced on on the field. Criticism is fine, of course, but crediting them shouldn’t be verboten, especially when they players compliment the Rocko & the staff regularly.

To wit, here is a good article from Dan Hayes/The Athletic on our hitting coach David Popkins


No offense taken, and just to clarify, not re-signing Gallo or Taylor is just "one" significant reason for the improvement on the strikeout ratio overall. The other data from the article you posted outlines a more complete picture for the progress.
 

Skenes should start ahead of Sale & Suarez.

It’s an entertainment exhibition and who doesn’t want to see Skenes against Judge in the first inning -

Heck yeah!!
 


The Yankees have been the worst team in all of baseball for like a month now. Not saying they are not a talented team, but no way should they be 5th in the power rankings right now.
 

of that list of stats, the one that jumps out to me is K rate. last season, the Twins set a new all-time record for most times striking out at the plate. and one season later, they are striking out the 2nd-fewest times of any team in MLB.

that is a pretty significant jump. would enjoy seeing one of the beat writers do a deep dive into how this was accomplished.

as an old-timer who is not a fan of the "3 true outcomes" approach to baseball, this makes me happy. now if I only had some gum from a pack of baseball cards.
You can find "new old stock" all over the Internet for what claims to be unopened wax packs of cards. The gum is as edible and tasty as it was 40 years ago.
 


I honestly don't know what the math says, and of course the approach may change depending on who the hitter is, but I think a lot of people who are always pounding their fist for a bunt in that situation

a. Are assuming the batter will be able to successfully lay down a bunt.
b. Overstate how easy a sac fly is in that scenario.
Correct. Bunting is largely a lost art and sacrifices are far from a sure thing.
 


Zebby Matthews gets a lot of pub but Andrew Morris relatively none. Wonder why given they have similar stats. Both at AA and Morris 1 year 4 months younger.
Anyway, two good pitching prospects.
Morris is rated higher on the top 30 prospects list. Both have been good.
 






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