Twins

[Gunner55]

Cleveland's record is worse that the Twins, so they have priority with the waiver wire & they have already claimed all 3of those guys yday. I heard someone say that they snatched 'em up, just so the Twins couldn't. https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/transactions/_/name/cle/cleveland-guardians

[Steve-o]

R'oh-oh.     You called it.

Guardians will start Lucas Giolito on Monday against Twins in showdown series

Manager Terry Francona went to bed Wednesday night thinking the Guardians might claim one player on waivers before the Aug. 31 deadline.  “I never in a million years thought we’d get three pitchers,” said Francona.

Well, that’s exactly what the Guardians got as they claimed right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez and left-hander Matt Moore on waivers from the Angels.

[LPS]

 

[LPS]

Buxton pulled from AAA Saints game with sore knee.  LOLOL.   He won't be back.

[glenn57]

Buxton pulled from AAA Saints game with sore knee.  LOLOL.   He won't be back.

he's worse then Maurer was at the end of his career!!!!!! and all the money they gave him. they should trade him for a couple baseballs!!!!!!!

[Gunner55]

Keuchel gets the ball today, @ 6:15 & it's on Fox too.

[Steve-o]

Buxton pulled from AAA Saints game with sore knee.  LOLOL.   He won't be back.

The boys on the broadcast - i think - were beating around the bush at this last night when they were talking about how Baldelli is going to have tough choices in picking the players who are contributing most to be on the playoff roster.

If Buxton came back gang busters, God bless him and the Twins.  But if he can't hit and can't play the outfield, the last thing they need is a roster suck.

[glenn57]

dutchy........i got the Twins tuned in.  first game i'll have watched for a good year and a half!!!!!!

watched a couple college football games.........the coverage on Deon Sanders was way over the freakin top!!!!!!

[KEN W]

Nice win last night. Twins used 9 pitchers. Texas used 7. Made for a long game. Still a 5 game lead over Cleveland.

[Gunner55]

Keuchel & Pagan both struggled with their control but when you use that many pitchers, it's bound to happen. Solano had a great day at the plate & saved a couple runs with that catch in the 8th. They were 5-10 w/RISP & had 6 RBIs with 2 out. Maeda today @ 1;35.

[Steve-o]

Twinks dodged a bullet last night.  Early i questioned Baldelli's choice to not use his middle relievers mre than 1 inning - especially when a few of them only threw 6 or 8 pitches.

But I think TX proved his point when they put Chapman back in the game in the 10th after sitting.  His control just wasn't the same.

Plus, now Baldelli should have all his relievers again today.

Buxton coming out of a AAA game with knee soreness might also make another decision Baldelli needs to make easier.

[dutchboy]

Baldelli isn't pulling any strings on Buxton. He is the guy on the end of the string not the guy running the strings.

[Steve-o]

Time will tell.  They goona leave Julian off the roster so Buxton can come in cold and go 1 for 17 as a DH in the wildcard round?

I have hope they have the sense to say, "Sorry, Byron, this just wasn't your year.  Rehab, get heathy, and, we'll see you next February."

I really wanted him to be the spark plug, but last nights setback - I think - is setting up for Byron to be done early.  Yeah, they're saying all the right things, and keeping their options open, but Buxton knew the consequences of coming out of a game that he needed to stay in.  I think his injury is more than just day-to-day knee soreness. 

[Gunner55]

Taylor is rumored to be going on the 10-day IL before today's game & Castro looks like he might play. Kirilloff will start a rehab mid-week & Stewart threw a bullpen session a week ago Friday. But there's no news since then. Hope he makes it back; they could use him.

[Gunner55]

It was good to see Maeda settle down & get through 5, that allowed 'em to save most of the bullpen. Lopez goes today, @ 5:10.

[dutchboy]

It's interesting how Buxton has gone from a local hero to a yawn so quick.

[Steve-o]

Baldelli gave him a long leash to figure things out this year as DH, but it just didn't happen.  Other guys have stepped up, they earned their playing time, and the Twins are again playing meaningful games in September.

[Gunner55]

 Tentative date for Stewart's return was 9/10, we shall see. Sands to the Saints & Varland, who has been coming out of the bullpen, is called up.

[Steve-o]

Just when you thought you'd seen it all...  Cleveland puts a position player in to pitch the 6th, 7th, 8th AND 9th innings. 

If he already wasn't there, Brent Headrick probably solidified himself at the back end of the Twins pitching staff - having trouble throwing strikes over the plate and hitting two batters - in a game that was long since decided. 

Tonight's game shapes up to be a dandy.

[dutchboy]

Twins had more walks then strikeouts for a change.

Lopez only struck out 3 I think.

Sept. 5th, Twins are still in first place.

[Steve-o]

The thing I had to keep reminding myself last night was - even though the Guards threw in the towel and the game was over - each individual Guardians hitter hadn't given up.  They battled all the way.

And I'm sure they'll want some revenge tonight for having a hit batsman twice AND the Twinks tee-ing off on the position player-pitcher. 

What else were they supposed to do, you ask...    Nothing.  But that won't stop them from coming into tonight's game with a big chip on their shoulder and the Twinks better be ready.

[Gunner55]

Lopez had guys on base every inning but managed to work his way out of it, except for in the 3rd & by that time the game was all but over. Same time tonight...................go get 'em Sonny!

[KEN W]

Batting practice for 4 innings with a catcher pitching 55 mph fastballs
6 home runs.

Cleveland's Ace Bieber pitching tonight. Hope they still have some hitting left.

[Gunner55]

  Their 2 best starters, Bieber & Mckensie, are still on the 60-day IL according to ESPN. I thought Bremer said something yday to the effect that they wouldn't be back for at least a couple weeks. Bibee today & Williams tomorrow according to ESPN's schedule. https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/injuries/_/name/cle/cleveland-guardians

[Steve-o]

The thing that struck me last night was Castro's unwillingness to put ANY velocity on HIS slop ball pitches to throw strikes in the bottom half of the 9th. 

He must have been instructed to do it the way he did it.    Most of those pitches he made looked like a girl scout lobbing in the first pitch of the game.   

[Gunner55]

Pretty sure they wouldn't want him to hurt his arm pitching.

[KEN W]

I mixed up Bieber and Bibee

[Gunner55]

 Easy to do, Ken. It was good to see Rocco go out to talk to Gray & let him finish the 6th inning. Castro's double in the 8th was on a real good pitch & was a big part of the winning rally. Been kind of expecting to see Pagan get a chance to finish a game pretty soon too. Ryan @12:10 today.

[dutchboy]

I believe the Twins have a 7 game lead on Sept 6th. They win today with Ryan and barring a collapse it's over.

[Steve-o]

I mixed up Bieber and Bibee

And I was thinking...     How could you mix up these guys?   

 

Shows you how much I follow the Guardians pitching staff.  And the good new is...  NOW I don't have to!!! 

Maybe a tad too soon to throw out all of the celebration emojis, but well done by the Twins to have two convincing wins agains the team chasing.  They are indeed playing their best baseball at the most important time. 

Parcells always said, "You are what your record says you are."  But I have to think, if they would have hit close to their potential all season, they would have been better than a .500 ballclub for most of the year and their record would look more like those of the other division leaders.