Twins

[Steve-o]

On TV they go to inning breaks so fast.  Gladden on the radio broadcast noticed it before they went to their commercial break and gave the listening audience the run down.  I'm sure by the time the TV guys got back, they were already into the batter at the plate and ready for the first pitch - might not thought to have gone back to describe the moment when the Twins took the field in the 9th.

[Gunner55]

  Pretty sure that's exactly how it went down.

[Steve-o]

I do still enjoy baseball radio broadcasts as background noise.

I loved listening to Herb Carneal.  Wasn't such big fan of John "Touch 'em All" Gordon.  And I like the Cory Provus  / Dan Gladden team.  Of all the guys from that era who might have transitioned to the radio booth as a color guy, I'd of never guessed it would have been Gladden - but he is good at it. 

[Gunner55]

Just an FYI, no Twins today, at least not the usual way , Apple TV+ only.

[Steve-o]

I'll be listening to Provus and Gladden on the "Good Neighbor" 830. 

[Dotch]

Is Cannon still on? 

[LPS]

I got the money!!!   

[mike89]

he was great!!!   and all his gang!!! 

[Steve-o]

Yeah, I just checked.  He retired 26 years ago and passed away in 2009.

[Steve-o]

Which Twins lineup will show up each game?   
The one that knocks the cover off the ball (very rare)? 
The one that barely strings enough hits together to score enough runs to eek out a win?   
Or the one that can't get two hits in the same inning?   

[KEN W]

Twins select left handed hitting outfielder Walker Jenkins a High School player from North Carolina with the 5th pick in the MLB Draft.

18 yrs old.....6'3" 210 lbs.

[Steve-o]

Interesting...  I don't know nothin' about nothin', and even less about the MLB draft, but...    This is SO different from the NFL draft.  I didn't pay too much attention, but all the "experts" said there were 5 guys in the top echelon of the draft and the Twins picked 5th. 

Maybe because starting pitchers only take the mound every 5th day that they aren't deemed quite as important as NFL Quarterbacks, or maybe because it takes so long for pitchers to develop to the major league level, or maybe because so many of them don't pan out, but...
 I'm surprised there weren't more pitchers in that group of the top 5:  one pitcher and 4 outfielders.     I guess you take what the draft gives you.

Meanwhile, the Twinkies limp into the break with a sweep by the Orioles culminated by a 15-2 drubbing.  You guys that know stuff about baseball...  Was it that most of the Orioles hitters were just in the zone?  Or were the Twins pitchers just serving up 'taters?   

[LPS]

My brothers have been baseball fans much longer than me.  They texted me that the worst loss we had was in 1961 and we lost 20-2

[Steve-o]

More than just a knee-jerk reaction...

Time for the Twins to fire Rocco Baldelli? Skor North's Judd Zulgad thinks so

"I have a very simple question: How is Rocco Baldelli's job secure going into the All-Star Break?" Zulgad asked in his postgame commentary Sunday. "This team has played bad baseball in one form or another since the 2021 season.

"Yes, the pitching has been good in 2023, but you know what the bats have been? Absolutely anemic."

"I could go down the line of bad at-bats that we see, and the lack of accountability that this team has, and yes the pitching deserves more, but the hitters are a complete joke, and nothing is changing. It seems like something should, and it probably should be Rocco Baldelli."

If they fire Baldelli, I hope they don't make the hitting coach the interrum manager!   

[KEN W]

Giving up 13 runs over 2 innings is ridiculous. I would guess Rocco gave up by the end of the 6th and let the score go up. 

[Steve-o]

Since it does take so long for baseball draft pick to develop, I took a look at this article...

MLB Draft: Grading every Twins first round pick since 2010

• Alex Wimmers (2010) – P, 21st Overall Pick - F
• Levi Michael (2011) – SS, 30th Overall Pick – F
• Byron buxton (2012) – OF, 2nd Overall Pick – A+
• José Berríos (2012) – P, 32nd Overall Pick (supplemental) - B
• Kohl Steward (2013) – P, 4th Overall Pick – C+
• Nick Gordon (2014) – SS, 5th Overall Pick – B-
• Tyler Jay (2015) – P, 6th Overall Pick -F
• Alex Kirilloff (2016) – OF, 15th Overall Pick – B
• Royce Lewis (2017) – SS, 1st Overall Pick – A
• Trevor Larnach (2018) – OF, 20th Overall Pick – B+
• Keoni Cavaco (2019) – 3B, 13th Overall Pick - C
• Aaron Sobato (2020) – 1B, 27th Overall Pick - C
• Chase Petty (2021) – P, 26th Overall Pick – A
• Brooks Lee (2022) – 3B, 8th Overall Pick – B+

The real swing-and-miss came in 2013 (Kohl Stewart), when the team that historically likes to collect outfielders like rare coins passing on a guy named Aaron Judge who went No. 32 overall.

Minnesota used Chase Petty as the centerpiece of a trade with the Cincinnati Reds that landed Sonny Gray. It's yet to be seen how well this grade ages, as Gray deciding to leave the Twins in free agency this winter will knock it down a few pegs.

It's still super early but the hype for Brooks Lee is rivaling the kind we saw with Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis. Everything about Lee suggests he's going to be the next great Twins prospect to help carry the team into the future.  An ideal infield would have Correa moving to third base with Lee taking over at shortstop and Lewis moving to the outfield.

[LPS]

So a high school kid.  Has he graduated?  Will he play for the Saints now? 

[mike89]

he could go to college also.... 

[LPS]

Ok I wondered that too. 

[Steve-o]

I think it all depends on the kid and the Twins at this point.  They'll sit down and have a talk about what is best for him and his development.  If he really wants to go to college, I don't think the Twins could or would stop him, but I'm not sure.

This article explains some of it, and here is an excerpt.

MLB Draft: High School vs. College

What is Signability in the MLB Draft?

Signability refers to a prospect’s willingness to sign a professional contract.

For example, if Player A is a high school senior and is committed to a top tier college program and tells MLB scouts that he is going to college regardless of who drafts him and when, then scouts would say he is not signable.

On the flip side, Player B is a high school senior and is also committed to play in college, but he has made teams well aware that he would rather play professional baseball than go to college if given the opportunity. He would be considered signable.

Even if Player A is more talented than Player B, Player B may have a better chance of being drafted because of his signability. Teams may feel as if they would be wasting a draft pick on Player A.

[LPS]

Thanks.

[KEN W]

I watched the Twins make that pick. They showed his whole family watching and celebrating when he was chosen. So maybe he wants to get right into the pros.

[LPS]

A lot more confusing than the NFL.  Or at least to a novice like me.

[KEN W]

The Minnesota Twins selected Florida high school pitcher Charlee Soto with the 34th overall pick in the MLB Draft.

Soto, a 6'5", 210 lbs. high school pitcher out of Reborn Christian Academy in Florida, was initially a shortstop before outgrowing the position.

His strength is a fastball that sits in the high 90s and flirts with 100 mph at times, but he also has a hard slider and a splitter that made him the No. 28 prospect on MLB.com's top prospect list.

[Steve-o]

I just saw an article that claimed Twins fans should be optimistic because the Twins have the easiest remaining strength of schedule in all of baseball.     Well, duh.  They play in the worst division in the American League.   

Further, with the Twins sub .500 record, all of the other good teams out east and west are looking at the Twins as easy wins.   

[Gunner55]

 Rocco said that Stewart should be back soon after the ASG break & I think Thielbar is gettin close to returning too, that should help the bullpen. Polanco is going to start to do a rehab stint with the Saints pretty quick, so he might return soon as well.

[Gunner55]

Miranda back on the IL & Wallner is called up. Thielbar threw a bullpen session on Friday & Polanco is scheduled to start his rehab in St Paul today too.

[dutchboy]

They should send China Doll to the DL and give his at bats to Wallner or .............hell the bat boy would hit the ball more often.   

[Steve-o]

I was thinking the same thing.

[LPS]

Looks like he just swings and doesn't even see the ball.