Twins

[Gunner55]

Stewart is playing catch but needs a couple weeks to build his arm back up now. I agree on Buxton, he's been terrible.

[KEN W]

Top 5 hitters in yesterday's lineup were 0-18. Buxton struck out 3 times again.

[LPS]

Buxton looks like he is so used to striking out that it doesn't even bother him anymore when he walks back to the dog house. 

[Steve-o]

Yeah, he looks like he's waiting for someone to pull him out of the lineup. 

He reminds me of me at the plate.   

Here is a good read:  Did the Twins make a mistake by re-signing Byron Buxton?

[Steve-o]

Twins Daily:  The Twins Shouldn't Trade Sonny Gray Out of Panic

Gray holds more value to the Twins by remaining in their rotation for a possible playoff run, then returning for one more year, or at least getting high-end draft picks in return if he signs elsewhere. Barring some mythical offer that is too good to pass up, trading him now would be a decision based on panic and nothing more.

Twins Daily:  The Twins Should be Shopping Sonny Gray

The Twins established enough pitching depth to continue to compete in the pillow fight that is the AL Central race without Sonny Gray.  In what should be a pitching-thin market, they could have an opportunity to get a difference-making return on a 33-year-old All-Star who may not be in the league next year, let alone with the Twins.

 

[dutchboy]

I laugh about any "difference making" player for any Twins pitcher. If the guy was a difference maker he wouldn't be on the trading block for a guy who can opt out after the season.

These trade rumors in baseball are a bigger joke than the FBI not being able to find out who brought Cocaine into the Whitehouse.

[LPS]

I just read that Buxton is 1-31 since July 5. 

[Steve-o]

I think Baldelli is treating Buxton like a starting Quarterback in the NFL...

In the NFL they have this mind set that if you bench your starting quarterback - you can't EVER go back to him.  You have to stick with the new guy.  The ONLY way they go back is if the new guy gets hurt.

I never completely understood that rational in the NFL.  I've heard all the explanations, but I refuse to accept that the psyche of starting QBs is so fragile that they can't bounce back from the starter being benched for a couple of weeks.

Or maybe Baldelli has a situation like the Wild had with Ryan Suter and Zack Parise in the locker room - where the coaches (Bruce Boudreau, et al) were afraid to take away their playing time when their performance dipped.

[Steve-o]

Twins' Byron Buxton: Getting day off Tuesday

Buxton is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game in Seattle, Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Matt Wallner will be the Twins' designated hitter. Reusse categorizes it as a "mental break" for Buxton, who is 0-for-21 with 13 strikeouts over his last five games. ... his 31.3 percent strikeout rate would be his highest since 2016.

[Gunner55]

Ober needed a little help to get out of the 1st inning but was really good after that. He only gave up 1 more hit & ended up being 21/24 on 1st pitch strikes. 

[Steve-o]

I didn't watch the game, but nice to see Pagan did his job.

[Gunner55]

  He pitched in the 1st & last game of the Oakland series with good results too. Both were 1 run games. 

[KEN W]

The young guys are getting the job done and providing much needed offense. Julien and Kiriloff. Even Keplar is getting hits. BUT, what will they do with Julien when Polanco comes back in a couple days? And what about Lewis, when he is ready?

[LPS]

First thing is to can Buston and fill his spot with someone that cares. 

[dutchboy]

The young guys are getting the job done and providing much needed offense. Julien and Kiriloff. Even Keplar is getting hits. BUT, what will they do with Julien when Polanco comes back in a couple days? And what about Lewis, when he is ready?

Polanco will platoon until he starts swinging well, then maybe get some DH at bats. When Lewis returns he will be the starting 3rd baseman unless somebody can challenge him for the job. Miranda had the inside track but to this point has failed.

[Gunner55]

First thing is to can Buston and fill his spot with someone that cares. 

  Bremer said during Monday's broadcast that it would be hard for anyone to convince him that Buxton's struggles at the plate aren't directly related to his knee issues that keep him from playing on defense & I'm not so sure he's not right. 

[Steve-o]

Combo platter.  Hitting is physical and mental.  Confidence and ego play a big part too.  Every case is different.

I know I've seen pinch hitters who could barely walk crush pitches and hobble down to first and get replaced by pinch runners.

[Steve-o]

Miranda had the inside track but to this point has failed.

You always wonder about the intangibles in sports...  I wonder if some of the success Miranda had last year was because he shared a clubhouse with a guy like Arraez.  They always talk about locker room chemistry, how some players have the ability to make other players better. 

[LPS]

I truly believe that team chemistry is paramount.  In the NFL also. 

[Steve-o]

I don't doubt that this Twins team gets along with each other, but from a lineup perspective, they just don't have that "It" factor like they did last year when (a healthy) Buxton and Arraez were going good.  Success and confidence are contagious and this year's lineup seems to not have much of either.

It is nice to see that Correa responded appropriately to being moved to lead-off and we can only hope that Kepler will sustain his latest hot streak beyond a handful of games.  Time will tell if that is enough to ignite the offense for the 2nd half of the season.

[Steve-o]

What happened to the Twinks last night.  Did the bats go completely cold again or was it more that they ran into buzz saw pitching?

Only 5 hits.  Scattered, I'm assuming.
 

[Steve-o]

What happened to the Twinks last night.  Did the bats go completely cold again or was it more that they ran into buzz saw pitching?

Only 5 hits.  Scattered, I'm assuming.
 

Never mind.  I found it...   

Twins shut out in 5-0 series finale loss to Mariners

Twins record 13 more strikeouts in the shutout loss.

Eduoard Julien set the tone early for the Twins, striking out in the first at-bat of the game, and the Twins reached the 1000 Ks mark for the season with Kyle Farmer's eighth inning strikeout.

Byron Buxton closed out the game with his second strikeout of the game as he stretches his hitless streak to 0-26.

[dutchboy]

Buxton got a 3 run dinger in the first inning against the White Sux. they lead 5-1 with Ryan on the mound.

[dutchboy]

China Doll just hit his 2nd of the game, a 2 run shot. That's 5 rbi & a 7-1 lead against the White Sux and Lance Lynn.

[Gunner55]

Thielbar threw a bullpen session Thursday & was to throw a live BP yday. Polanco will see some time at 3rd during his rehab.

[Steve-o]

I sure wish Gray looked sharper on his last several outings since his complete game.   I hope his trade value isn't shrinking too much.  The national broadcast guys mentioned there will be a lot of teams looking for starting pitching at the trade deadline, and there aren't many available.

I hope the Twins get what they can for Gray, and that they get some other team to over pay for once.

[dutchboy]

Gray has had like 2 bad outings all season. I don't know what more the guy can do. You don't build a starting rotation, get into first place and than dismantle it.

 I'm not sure they will or should do anything. Maybe another bat or reliever. The pieces are on this team, they just aren't hitting.

[Steve-o]

I wasn't paying close attention early, but I knew he was pitching well enough to win and was getting no support.

The first time I really watched him pitch was his complete game shutout.  He was dominant.  And since that time - to me, who don't know squat about baseball - he looked shakier.  But it is also the sign of a good pitcher that he can get out of jams with minimal damage when he doesn't have his best stuff.  I'd say that is where Sonny is now.

And despite being in 1st place, I think they should consider Sonny trades at the deadline.  Maybe they can find a bat or a relieve who can help this year with a year or two of additional team control.

I don't think they should throw in the towel this season, but with all the injuries this team has suffered, and most of the lineup underperforming their career averages this season, I think they need to keep one eye on making another jump up next year - and Sonny won't be part of that team.

[Gunner55]

  https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/twins/twins-all-star-sonny-gray-hasnt-ruled-out-retirement 

[Steve-o]

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/twins/twins-all-star-sonny-gray-hasnt-ruled-out-retirement 

Have to take him at his word.  Maybe a lot depends on his wife continuing to want to live the MLB lifestyle, having the kids 100% of the time when dad is gone.  I can imagine that would be tough.  And I'm sure he doesn't want to miss out completely on their growing up either.

But on the other side of the coin, wouldn't it be cool if dad played in "The Bigs" long enough for the kids to get old enough and remember it?

And I'm sure he has all the money he needs, but who wouldn't want to work 2, 3, or even 5 more years at $20 Mil/season?   

My opinion means nothing, but I'll bet he plays next season for someone.