All Things 2026 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

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Ope3 said:
While I lamented the 2025 Trade Deadline purge, my vitriol towards the Pohlad's has been pretty minimal to none (IMO),
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I didn’t grow up in Alexandria

EGYPT - ain’t no da Nile there (MN), just a few cricks😃

Ope3 said:
especially on the spectrum of this board.

$2 beers. All hail Tom.
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
@Ope3

This dialogue made me think of this Grammy winner and Si cover. I may be dining on 💡 tonight. Thanks 😃

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The Video is blocked, but I think I remember the tune somewhat.

Charboneau could open a bottle of beer with his teeth. Legend, albeit a flash in the pan.
 

howeda7 said:
It could be deadly to have the same vitriol for the Pohlads you have for THE WILFS......
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All the Wilfs have to do is lower the price of suds to $2.
 




howeda7 said:
Vikings games would be scary if they did that. Too many drunk people already....
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Ope3 said:
Good point. Lowering to $10 would probably still be a mess.
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Cardinals unveil plan to lure fans back to games: all-you-can eat concessions​


How many hot dogs can one person eat at a baseball game? St. Louis Cardinals fans will have the opportunity to find out.

St. Louis is introducing its “Coca-Cola Unlimited” ticket package, starting at $29 and including all-you-can-eat concessions. As much soda, hot dogs, french fries, ice cream cups, and popcorn — among other snacks — as one can eat, all the way until the eighth inning.


They’re not the first to ever offer an all-you-can-eat option. Other franchises, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and Cincinnati Reds, currently have similar promotions.


The reason teams like the Cardinals are willing to take a loss on concessions is simple, says Andrew Zimbalist, the author of “May the Best Team Win: Baseball Economics and Public Policy” and an Economics professor at Smith College in Northampton, Mass.

“They’re induced to come to the ballpark because of it,” Zimbalist told The Athletic. “Even though the Cardinals might lose money on it because they’re giving away too many hot dogs and french fries, they can view that as a loss leader. Now this guy’s coming with his whole family to the ballpark, and he might not come otherwise.”

For the Cardinals, bringing supporters back to Busch Stadium is a priority. Since fans returned to ballparks after the 2020 COVID season, the Cardinals ranked in the top 10 in average attendance in MLB every year — before plummeting to 19th in 2025.

“As an organization, we are making a concerted effort to improve the fan experience,” said Vicki Bryant, the Cardinals’ vice president of event services and merchandising. “From the time they purchase a ticket until the time they leave the ballpark, we’re looking at every aspect of our operation.”
 



Gopher_In_NYC said:

Cardinals unveil plan to lure fans back to games: all-you-can eat concessions​


How many hot dogs can one person eat at a baseball game? St. Louis Cardinals fans will have the opportunity to find out.

St. Louis is introducing its “Coca-Cola Unlimited” ticket package, starting at $29 and including all-you-can-eat concessions. As much soda, hot dogs, french fries, ice cream cups, and popcorn — among other snacks — as one can eat, all the way until the eighth inning.


They’re not the first to ever offer an all-you-can-eat option. Other franchises, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and Cincinnati Reds, currently have similar promotions.


The reason teams like the Cardinals are willing to take a loss on concessions is simple, says Andrew Zimbalist, the author of “May the Best Team Win: Baseball Economics and Public Policy” and an Economics professor at Smith College in Northampton, Mass.

“They’re induced to come to the ballpark because of it,” Zimbalist told The Athletic. “Even though the Cardinals might lose money on it because they’re giving away too many hot dogs and french fries, they can view that as a loss leader. Now this guy’s coming with his whole family to the ballpark, and he might not come otherwise.”

For the Cardinals, bringing supporters back to Busch Stadium is a priority. Since fans returned to ballparks after the 2020 COVID season, the Cardinals ranked in the top 10 in average attendance in MLB every year — before plummeting to 19th in 2025.

“As an organization, we are making a concerted effort to improve the fan experience,” said Vicki Bryant, the Cardinals’ vice president of event services and merchandising. “From the time they purchase a ticket until the time they leave the ballpark, we’re looking at every aspect of our operation.”
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When they announce that there's only a handful of hot dogs left even after I've already eaten 6

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Buxton update from his WBC manager -

Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch in Team USA’s World Baseball Classic opener, but he seems to be just fine. Buxton was removed with a big lead after being hit on the arm. Manager Mark DeRosa was asked about Buxton after the game and indicated minimal concern.

“He got hit on the forearm,” DeRosa said. “X-rays are fine. Just caught him in the meat of his forearm. I just felt [with us leading] 7-1 at the time, get [Pete Crow-Armstrong] in there, get him off his feet and get him right.”
 





Ope3 said:
Ober is a huge question mark.
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That's true but his 1st start was very positive. I've never liked Zebby as much as some others have. Decent stuff but not sure he understands art of pitching. Ober, if healthy, has shown ability to be very effective.
 


TNGophfan said:
That's true but his 1st start was very positive. I've never liked Zebby as much as some others have. Decent stuff but not sure he understands art of pitching. Ober, if healthy, has shown ability to be very effective.
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He had 5 strikeouts today in 3.2 IP so that part is a good sign at least.

We do always have to take these outings with a grain of salt to some degree. His last outing was 11 days ago and you don't know what the strategy was for the outing. It sometimes can be to work on a certain pitch or certain location that is different than in a regular game.

Or it could just be that he sucked too. Either way, I think they have to find a way to get Abel into the staff. He's been lights out.
 


Ope3 said:
Ober is a huge question mark.
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It also depends on who has options left.

IIRC Zebby does and everyone else basically doesn’t.

Additionally, excluding last year, where he was battling injuries, he’s proven himself to be a key cog in the rotation; he’s earned a spot based on that alone from my cheap seat🤷‍♂️
 

TNGophfan said:
That's true but his 1st start was very positive. I've never liked Zebby as much as some others have. Decent stuff but not sure he understands art of pitching. Ober, if healthy, has shown ability to be very effective.
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
It also depends on who has options left.

IIRC Zebby does and everyone else basically doesn’t.

Additionally, excluding last year, where he was battling injuries, he’s proven himself to be a key cog in the rotation; he’s earned a spot based on that alone from my cheap seat🤷‍♂️
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The low velocity is still quite a concern. Also his quotes prior to Friday indicated, he's a mess.

puckettspond.com

Twins starter Bailey Ober's first spring start concerning despite two perfect innings

There's one big reason to be concerned about Ober after his first Grapefruit League start of the spring.
puckettspond.com puckettspond.com
 

The prospect the Twins got in the Polanco trade, Gabriel Gonzalez, had a great season last year at 3 different levels. He's continued to hit the ball well in Spring Training, hit a HR today and up to .477 BA in 17 at-bats. He just turned 22, likely he gets called up this year at some point.
 

Ope3 said:
The low velocity is still quite a concern. Also his quotes prior to Friday indicated, he's a mess.

puckettspond.com

Twins starter Bailey Ober's first spring start concerning despite two perfect innings

There's one big reason to be concerned about Ober after his first Grapefruit League start of the spring.
puckettspond.com puckettspond.com
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We need all the effective starting pitching we can find. Hope I'm wrong. Think Abel might leave them no option but to put him in rotation so then you're picking 3 out of SWM, Zebby, Ober and Taj.
 


Ope3 said:
The low velocity is still quite a concern.
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Not surprising in his first start that he wasn’t throwing 100%; I’d be much more worried if it was his last start of camp. He can always be put non the OL if he doesn’t improve in his next couple starts🤷‍♂️
Ope3 said:
Also his quotes prior to Friday indicated, he's a mess.
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Or he’s more honest than most.

May I interest you in the Parable of the Chinese Farmer?



Ope3 said:
puckettspond.com

Twins starter Bailey Ober's first spring start concerning despite two perfect innings

There's one big reason to be concerned about Ober after his first Grapefruit League start of the spring.
puckettspond.com puckettspond.com
Click to expand...
 


Amazing article regarding Manny Rodriguez’s potential MLB arc by Gleeman.


Here’s a taste -

I’ve spent the last 20 years writing about and ranking Minnesota Twins prospects, and the franchise has never had a prospect this close to the majors with a wider range of potential career outcomes than Emmanuel Rodriguez.

The Positive

Among all minor-league hitters with at least 1,000 plate appearances since Rodriguez’s debut in 2021, his 156 wRC+ ranks second behind only Ben Rice, an older prospect who last year became a lineup regular for the New York Yankees and hit 26 homers.

———

The Negative


Because he’s in so many deep, two-strike counts, and his rare swings are often whiffs, he has also batted just .254 with 389 strikeouts in the minors, a rate of 30.3 percent.

Plenty of good big-league hitters strike out that much, but they didn’t in the minors. There are 10 active MLB players with a strikeout rate of at least 28.5 percent and an above-average OPS in 1,500 or more plate appearances. Not one batted less than .269 or struck out more than 28.9 percent of the time in the minors.
 

Taj with a nice outing today

5 IP
1 ER
7 Ks

Chafin’s ERA is down to 2.25 - he’s a great pickup
 




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