Twins

[Steve-o]

And if the Twins lose their two free-agent starters next season, we'll be on par with with Cleveland and Chicago again in the worst division of the American League. 

[Gunner55]

I heard they asked about France(1B), & Hernandez (RF) both RH from Seattle but the asking price was too steep.

[Gunner55]

Read where Stewart had some arm soreness after he threw last, so they had him get another MRI. That will set back his return, no word on how long yet though.

[Steve-o]

I feel bad for Ryan.  He isn't fooling anyone right now.  The broadcasters are trying to help explain it, but it is hard to understand how he can go from pitching a full game shutout to serving up homeruns on the first pitch in multiple games.  He's not just getting hit, he's getting shelled.

I'm glad he finally "did something different" in the 4th inning and got some people out.  I know Rocco likes the "trust the process" message that he keeps preaching, but Joe needs a new process, because what he has been doing ain't been working for the past 3 starts. 

[Steve-o]

Twins' Joe Ryan: Might get extra rest

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli suggested late Wednesday that Ryan might get extra rest between his next start, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Ryan struggled again in a loss at St. Louis on Wednesday, yielding seven runs on nine hits -- four homers -- over just four innings. He's given up 17 home runs across his last seven starts, the most of any Twins pitcher over a seven-start stretch in franchise history. Ryan currently lines up to work Monday's series opener at Detroit, but the Twins could push him back to a later date in that four-game set as he works on some mechanical tweaks.

[KEN W]

He will get extra rest alright. Placed on 15 day Disabled list for groin issues.

[Gunner55]

Dallas Kuechel will get a start against the D-Backs this weekend. Gray pitched great tonight & finally got that "no wins since April" monkey off his back.

[Steve-o]

I missed the story where we even had Dallas Kuechel in the minors.  It will be fun to see what he has left in the tank.

Rocco was his cool and collected self in his pre-game interview, but he didn't pull any punches when he said two or three times that Ryan was hiding an injury from the team.

Sometimes teams need underperforming players to go on the IL, and a player's ache or pain will bloom temporarily into an injury for the sake of the list, but I would imagine if they do - the team wouldn't throw them under the bus by saying, "The player needs to tell the team about these sorts of things, and Joe knows this now."

[Gunner55]

I posted that they'd signed him back on 6/24. He's been doing pretty good for the Saints. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38129570/twins-call-2015-cy-young-winner-keuchel-put-ryan-il

[Gunner55]

Lucky for the popped-up bunt as Duran looked a little shaky again last night. Maeda tonight & Keuchel tomorrow the way it looks.

[dutchboy]

August 5th and they are still in first place.

[Gunner55]

Fun game to watch yday .......................so was the 1 in Cleveland.

[dutchboy]

Kepler and Wallner get it done in the 9th.

Twins still in first place.

[Gunner55]

Keuchel gave up 8 hits but only 1 run & hardly anything reached the outfield. Some good glove work by Castro at 3rd helped too.

[Steve-o]

I'm not going to say his name for fear of jinxing him, but one un-named outfielder has got a little somethin-somethin going on at the plate.  He better not change his sox.

Hopefully that will ignite Correa and Gallo, who seem like they are the two easiest outs in baseball - except for Correa, who literally IS the easiest two outs in baseball with all the double plays he hits into. 

[Gunner55]

 That guy behind the plate has been doing his share since about the ASG break too. Correa did get the big 2 out hit in the 6th to knock in the 1st 2 runs though. I agree, way too many DP for him this season.

[dutchboy]

Pounded on Detroit tonight. August 7th and still in first place.

[KEN W]

Biggest lead of the summer.....5 1/2 games over Cleveland.

[Steve-o]

Yep, those bat swingers need to start thinking about being able to beat the Orioles, Rays, Jays, and Rangers.  The Twins' gaudy 6-games-over-500 record is still only good for 4th place in both the AL East/West.

[Gunner55]

Lewis could be back pretty soon, he's starting a rehab with the Saints today. They can use another RH bat.

[Steve-o]

 The Twins Won’t Exercise Max Kepler’s Option…Will They? 

Max Kepler has played nine years for the Minnesota Twins after they signed him as an international free agent out of Germany. His backstory is well-documented, and the son of ballet dancers has become a staple for the Twins. 2023 looked to be the end of the line, but thanks to a recent resurgence, that seems less straightforward.

Coming into the season, for the second offseason in a row, the Twins front office had a straightforward opportunity to trade Max Kepler. They had Alex Kirilloff ready for more playing time, with Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner knocking on the door. Pepper in Joey Gallo for $11 million over the winter, and the log jam for Rocco Baldelli's outfield was piling up.

Without the infield shift, the theory was that it would give Kepler additional opportunities for production. Still, knowing that his downfall has been launch angle more than anything, that wasn't a guaranteed outcome. As of June 18, Kepler has bottomed out with a .189/.261/.365 slash line. His .625 OPS wasn't cutting it, and the otherwise outstanding defense in right field also slipped.

Then he turned it on.

For 40 games from June 20 through August 6, Kepler slashed .291/.343/.582. For a slumping Twins lineup, he had become arguably their best bat. When the trade deadline came, the front office may have had an opportunity to again capitalize on what they believed was fair value for him, but instead stood pat. Kepler has continued to rake and destroyed the longest home run hit this season over the weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was his third straight game with a home run, and shades of his 2019 Bomba Squad season were showing.

...

The Twins would prefer a more straightforward version of success rather than a significant peak having to make up for the valley, but baseball is 162 games for a reason. Kepler has utilized the entire schedule to get on track this season, and he has the runway in front of him to continue being a key cog for a Minnesota postseason run.

It would have been lunacy to pose this question even a couple of months ago, and I was all but out on Kepler myself. At this point, he's at least made the decision worth considering, and he could make it an absolute no-brainer by season's end.

[dutchboy]

Yep, those bat swingers need to start thinking about being able to beat the Orioles, Rays, Jays, and Rangers.  The Twins' gaudy 6-games-over-500 record is still only good for 4th place in both the AL East/West.

Nothing matters except making the play-offs. You can't beat anybody unless you qualify for the play-offs.

[glenn57]

Yep, those bat swingers need to start thinking about being able to beat the Orioles, Rays, Jays, and Rangers.  The Twins' gaudy 6-games-over-500 record is still only good for 4th place in both the AL East/West.

Nothing matters except making the play-offs. You can't beat anybody unless you qualify for the play-offs.

if they do i may just jump on the bandwagon!!!!!!!!

[Gunner55]

  Nooooooo!!!!!  They always play better when you're badmouthing 'em.                 

[glenn57]

  Nooooooo!!!!!  They always play better when you're badmouthing 'em.                 

OK they suck..........there gonna blow it at the end and miss the playoffs.  better!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve-o]

  Nooooooo!!!!!  They always play better when you're badmouthing 'em.                 

OK they suck..........there gonna blow it at the end and miss the playoffs.  better!!!!!!!!!!

Finally, an honest and true MN sports fan molded by years and years of disappointment. 

[Steve-o]

I know they can't win 'um all, but left handed pitching is one of their Achilles heels. 

Sonny Gray can't seem to avoid the big inning.  I know he is having a better year this year, and I remember last year Rocco wouldn't allow him to thru the lineup three times, but...  but...  but...  Heck, I don't know.

Sometimes its just like the ol' song says: "...if they don't win its a shame."

[KEN W]

Simple.....out hit and out pitched by the Tigers. Can't consistently beat the crappy teams in their own division.

[Gunner55]

  Nooooooo!!!!!  They always play better when you're badmouthing 'em.                 

OK they suck..........there gonna blow it at the end and miss the playoffs.  better!!!!!!!!!!

Well,.........................THAT sure didn't work!!                  

[LPS]

I see they play at noonish today.  Good way to kill an afternoon.