Twins

[dutchboy]

Twins didn't trade Ortiz, he was claimed and there were a bunch of other teams that passed on him. He also was mentioned in the Mitchell report has having tested positive for steroids, after he had left the Twins.

[Steve-o]

I know.  I know.  I'm just a jaded Minnesota sports fan.  Some guys just don't take off until they get into the right situation.  And back then, the Twins weren't the right situation.

[Steve-o]

Twins, Luis Arraez Avoid Arbitration

The Twins and utilityman Luis Arraez have agreed to a one-year contract for the 2022 season.  The two sides will avoid an arbitration hearing, as a deal wasn’t reached between Arraez and the Twins prior to the deadline for filing arb figures.

Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but Arraez filed for a $2.4MM salary, while the Twins countered with $1.85MM.  (MLBTR’s Matt Swartz projected Arraez for a $2MM salary.)  This is the first of four arbitration-eligible years for the 25-year-old, who gained an extra arb year as a Super Two player.

[Gunner55]

Another good start from Paddack, except they got him a couple runs this time. So, he got his 1st W of the season. Smith only needed 2 pitches to get out of the jam he came into. The bullpen was spotless from there. Correa & Jeffers had the big hits for the only 2 RBI's. Ryan goes today, same time.

[dutchboy]

Baltimore needs to fix that left center field wall. Gordon could have been hurt pretty bad had he hit right on the joint.

Need more bats to wake up.

[Gunner55]

  Sometimes it's good pitching by the other team too. Only 3 Twins without a knock, 1 was playing his 1st game in the majors, another didn't get an at bat, so it was only Kepler who didn't get a hit. Twins had 7 hits but could only scratch 2 runs. Yeah DB, I was glad to see Gordon get up as he hit that wall pretty hard.

[dutchboy]

I'll give credit to great pitching, however they aren't seeing great pitching IMO. I worry what the team will look like when this pitching bubble of ours burst. They are doing great so far but they as a group aren't this good. Time will tell I guess. I'll take this over that crap we had to watch last season at this time.

[Gunner55]

Sunday was the last day of the expanded roster, so they had 6 roster moves yday. https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/jose-miranda-called-up

[KEN W]

I'll give credit to great pitching, however they aren't seeing great pitching IMO. I worry what the team will look like when this pitching bubble of ours burst. They are doing great so far but they as a group aren't this good. Time will tell I guess. I'll take this over that crap we had to watch last season at this time.

I don't know......the last 2 teams they have played, Tampa and Baltimore have pitching staffs with ERA's in the top half of MLB. The Twins are at number 5 in MLB.

[Gunner55]

Ryan struggled with his control, but the bullpen had his back. Jeffers & Polanco had the big hits & it's another W.

[Steve-o]

When is the last time the Twinks won 11 out of 12?    

I hope I didn't jinx 'em just now. 

[dutchboy]

So different and so much more fun than last year.

[LPS]

It is making a fan out of me.  Fun to watch them.  Was hard to stay interested last year. 

[Gunner55]

Give 'em a couple extra outs & all of a sudden, they've got 6 runs. Twins had been catching most of the breaks in the last week or so, but not yday. Not many regulars played but that was 13 in a row. Archer goes today, same time.

[Steve-o]

Yep.  I jinx'd 'em.

I'd like to have thought it would be a different game if Sanchez wouldn't have gotten hit by that screaming liner to end the rally in the top of the 4th. 

I know its a long season, and as a manager you need to give pitchers the time and space to learn how to pitch when you don't have your best stuff, but Bundy couldn't throw a strike in the 3rd unless it was right down the middle.  I was disappointed to see him come back in to pitch the 4th, and the rest is history.

The good news is, Twins fans are paying attention again.   

[KEN W]

Couldn't believe a starting pitcher is left in to give up 9 runs.

 

[Steve-o]

I know, hindsight is 20/20.  It would have been ideal if Bundy would have come back, settled down, and got out of the 4th without giving up any runs, but the Twins caught some bad breaks in that inning as well.

I kinda like the notion that you don't always go to the bullpen at the first sign of problems.  Pitchers have to learn to bounce back from a bad inning and they only way they learn to do that is by going right back out there.  If they always get the hook, they never get the chance to figure it out in a game situation.

Perhaps being 11 out of 12 hot streak left Baldeli thinking that he could afford to give Bundy that chance.

[KEN W]

Baldelli, Arraez, and Bundy all out with Covid.

[dutchboy]

Correa getting hit by a pitch twice is the one I worry about. If that hand is bad the ship will spring a leak.

[Gunner55]

  That was my 1st thought too, Steve-o, you jinxed 'em. I was thinking the same thing on the play were Sanchez couldn't get out of the way of Celestino's hit. Way too many DP's the last couple days(7(?)) & I think Urshela has hit into almost 1/2 of em, 3. Those are real rally killers. Looks like we could be without Correa for a while too, as early reports are sayin he has a broken finger.

[dutchboy]

Another nail biter again last night. Twins pulled it out 2-1 but not until Pagan loaded the bases in the 9th.

Miranda got his first dinger, Buxton hit another bomb and Lewis picked up his first MLB hit and played well at short.

Winder breezed through 'em again last night. Is this kid for real? Time will tell.

[KEN W]

Good game all around until the 9th. Nail biting ending.

[Gunner55]

 Smith & Duffy looked really good as did Winder. Wish Pagan was able to start getting ahead in the count more again though , it's much easier to watch. 

[KEN W]

Great fastball at 103 MPH. Just all over the place with it.

[Gunner55]

  Might've been a little too pumped-up, usually he's closer to 100-101. He has 4-5 really good pitches but usually doesn't have control of all 'em at the same time. He's young & still learning with a chance to be really good IMO, if he can stay healthy.

[Gunner55]

Some nice work by Stashak & Thielbar to pick up the slack from the short start. Miranda & Polanco had the key knocks. A much-needed day off before Houston comes to town. Hope they can find their bats again against them.

[KEN W]

I think they need Buxton, Arraeize, and Correa back in the lineup.

[Steve-o]

Good thing they have been piecing these wins together...  In the last 10 games the Twinks, Sox and GuardiIndians ALL have gone 7-3.

[Gunner55]

  Heard Bremer say that he was told that Correa & Buxton should be in the lineup tomorrow. Something was also mentioned about Rocco, Arraez, & I imagine Bundy as well, flying back here yday. I would think they'd at least need to test negative for the virus again before rejoining the team.

[Gunner55]

MLB protocols call for negative tests on consecutive days & approval from the league before they can rejoin the team, is what I read.