All Things 2024 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

[Gopher_In_NYC]

What the hell did Willis tell Cobb to do with Wallner. It’s like he told him to pitch around him and the throws an absolute batting practice pitch on 3-0. It’s almost like Cobb has money on the twins.

I thought they were going to intentionally walk him at tha point; the argument against thst is that you don’t want to put the go ahead runner in scoring position.

Thst the last place you throw it to a

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Old Man Thielbar isn't going down without a fight.

He’s rounding into form

We need him

 

[From the Parkinglot]

I thought they were going to intentionally walk him at tha point; the argument against thst is that you don’t want to put the go ahead runner in scoring position.

Thst the last place you throw it to a

I thought it was the intentional unintentional walk. Then go get a lefty to face him and see what happens.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Another double play. Vazquez should have sacrificed himself at third to get Martin to second with one out.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Great effort and awareness by Vasquez to steal a run

Love being aggressive

Vasquez is such a menace on the base paths.

That’s a baseball player who stole two runs for us tonight

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

If you have a steal of home, scoring on a balk, and scoring from 1st on a throwing error on your Twingo card, you're sitting pretty right now.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I thought it was the intentional unintentional walk. Then go get a lefty to face him and see what happens.

From my perspective, I’m not bringing in a pitcher when the count is 3-0, then you might have Royce with bases loaded against a lefty.

If you throw him another pitch you make sure it’s not on a tee to Wally

Unless I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying -please correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Cleveland is blinking, they look shook

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

8.9.1.

Throw strikes Richards, you got this

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

1 down, 3 to go

2 down, 2 to go

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Great wins.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

From my perspective, I’m not bringing in a pitcher when the count is 3-0, then you might have Royce with bases loaded against a lefty.

If you throw him another pitch you make sure it’s not on a tee to Wally

Unless I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying -please correct me if I’m wrong.

Walk Wallner and pitch to Lewis at 3-0 not make the change middle at bat. Or get a lefty to face Wallner. Cobbb had struggle against lefties that entire inning.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Walk Wallner and pitch to Lewis at 3-0 not make the change middle at bat. Or get a lefty to face Wallner. Cobbb had struggle against lefties that entire inning.

I think we’re saying the same thing in different ways.

Especially after he almost hit it out to dead central in his previous AB.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Can't lose any ground this weekend, that was the absolute minimum they needed this series. A split of the next two is good, a sweep is better.

 

[TNGophfan]

Walk Wallner and pitch to Lewis at 3-0 not make the change middle at bat. Or get a lefty to face Wallner. Cobbb had struggle against lefties that entire inning.

I think we basically agree. Either you take Cobb out for a lefty and Rocco puts up Miranda or Buxton, or... if you decide to to pitch to Wallner and it gets to 3 - 0, you walk him and bring in a fresh righty to face Lewis. Can't throw Wallner a 3 - 0 middling fast ball down the middle.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

If you’ve ever been blessed to be in a position to achieve something special with a sports team, your job/company you work for or your family, believing is half the battle. When you believe, then you can achieve.

Great quote from a great leader. The one below, not the poppycock above

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5692264/2024/08/10/twins-injuries-sweep-guardians/?source=user_shared_article

“I give the credit to the front office the way we were built, the way our minor-league system is doing right now and all the great players we have that are coming up and getting the job done,” injured shortstop Carlos Correa said in between games. “It’s a collective effort. … Everybody involved in the process is doing a beautiful job keeping us competitive even through all the injuries.”

 

[short ornery norwegian]

this is interesting - according to a tweet from national baseball writer Jon Heyman:

Matt Bowman, RHP with Twins farm system, is exercising his opt-out clause. has 1.37 ERA over 29.2 innings with 33K and 1.01 WHIP in St. Paul. Since moving his set-up to the 3B side of the rubber, has a 0.00 ERA over 8.2 IP with 11 K.

Twins have until Monday to add him to MLB roster or release him.

so - current bullpen: Duran, Jax, Alcala, Thielbar, Sands, Richards, Winder, Dobnak.

I'd take Bowman over Dobnak and Winder right now. Okert replaces someone when he returns from bereavement leave.

 

[TNGophfan]

this is interesting - according to a tweet from national baseball writer Jon Heyman:

Matt Bowman, RHP with Twins farm system, is exercising his opt-out clause. has 1.37 ERA over 29.2 innings with 33K and 1.01 WHIP in St. Paul. Since moving his set-up to the 3B side of the rubber, has a 0.00 ERA over 8.2 IP with 11 K.

Twins have until Monday to add him to MLB roster or release him.

so - current bullpen: Duran, Jax, Alcala, Thielbar, Sands, Richards, Winder, Dobnak.

I'd take Bowman over Dobnak and Winder right now. Okert replaces someone when he returns from bereavement leave.

That is interesting. I didn't know players could opt out mid-year.

I agree though. Bring him up. Can't be worse than Dobber or Winder. For sure another contender would pick him up Monday.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

That is interesting. I didn't know players could opt out mid-year.

From my understanding, it’s a special rider which decent FA vets, can have put into their contract, as there’s competition for their services.

The most prominent recent example, which I’m aware of, was Gary Sánchez in 2023, who opted out of his Giants minor league contract and then threatened to do so with again with the Mets in his subsequent signing; they called him up for three games before DFAing him; next on his merry-go-round were the Padres, who hit 19 HRs for them, thus resurrecting his career.

Gary Sánchez Opts Out Of Giants Deal

The Giants are not adding catcher Gary Sánchez to their roster and he is exercising the opt-out in his contract, …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

I agree though. Bring him up. Can't be worse than Dobber or Winder. For sure another contender would pick him up Monday.

Winder looked good in those three innings against Cubs and has had more success at this level in the past than Dobber, so seems like it’s time for Randy to grab an Uber back to St. Paul.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Get jacked!!!

Screw the non-playoff Purple. The Twins are only 3 games behind the Os for the best AL record, ergo home field advantage for the playoffs - it’s not inconceivable that the last series of the regular season at field against the Os, could decide it.

We’re going to the ALCS, where we lose and win the WS within the next three seasons (2025-2027), as well have two of the best ten position players in baseball, Lewis and Wallner.

I’m doubling down, but I ain’t no .

 

[golf]

Season now rides on 3 players: Festa, Varland, SWR (maybe Matthews). And they may be up to the task. We will see.
Preseason would've thought such a sentiment ludicrous.

Another thing. Right now twins minor league system is producing the best pitching we have seen it produce throughout all of twins history. Going back to 1961.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

From my understanding, it’s a special rider which decent FA vets, can have put into their contract, as there’s competition for their services.

The most prominent recent example, which I’m aware of, was Gary Sánchez in 2023, who opted out of his Giants minor league contract and then threatened to do so with again with the Mets in his subsequent signing; they called him up for three games before DFAing him; next on his merry-go-round were the Padres, who hit 19 HRs for them, thus resurrecting his career.

Gary Sánchez Opts Out Of Giants Deal

The Giants are not adding catcher Gary Sánchez to their roster and he is exercising the opt-out in his contract, …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

Winder looked good in those three innings against Cubs and has had more success at this level in the past than Dobber, so seems like it’s time for Randy to grab an Uber back to St. Paul.

From what I recall, the Twins had to make a similar decision with Kuechel last year.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

From what I recall, the Twins had to make a similar decision with Kuechel last year.

Sounds right - Sanchez popped into my head because him almost opting out twice, getting dumped by The Mets - without a real chance, 3 games in total (it got some coverage here) - started two and then was cut; he was a excellent pickup by The Friars.

I also liked him as well - one of the few recent Yankees that I can say that about.

 

[From the Parkinglot]

Could be a hang nail or his arm was torn off by an alligator. You just never know.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Could be a hang nail or his arm was torn off by an alligator. You just never know.

This post made my day, as “arm fatigue”, reminded me of the master, George Carlin’s bit on shell shocked vs. battle fatigue. So brilliant, how he saw through all the BS.

Enjoy

 

[TRF Guy]

Harmon Killebrew hit his 500th and 501st home runs off Baltimore's Mike Cuellar at Met Stadium on this date in 1971. (Twins lost 4-3.)

The Twins actually gave away mugs commemorating Killebrew's 500th home run back on July 6th, assuming he would have reached the milestone by then, but he was having an uncharacteristically slow stretch in terms of home run production.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Harmon Killebrew hit his 500th and 501st home runs off Baltimore's Mike Cuellar at Met Stadium on this date in 1971. (Twins lost 4-3.)

The Twins actually gave away mugs commemorating Killebrew's 500th home run back on July 6th, assuming he would have reached the milestone by then, but he was having an uncharacteristically slow stretch in terms of home run production.

My uncle had one -

 

[GopherVotary]

Harmon Killebrew hit his 500th and 501st home runs off Baltimore's Mike Cuellar at Met Stadium on this date in 1971. (Twins lost 4-3.)

The Twins actually gave away mugs commemorating Killebrew's 500th home run back on July 6th, assuming he would have reached the milestone by then, but he was having an uncharacteristically slow stretch in terms of home run production.

I still have mine.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

SWR with another excellent start, hitting 96 with the K to close the 5th.

Score some runs, this game is here for the taking.

Everyday Eddie still looking good.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

Martin has made a couple of gems in the last couple of games at 2nd.