Twins 34-34 on 6/18
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)
Its now or never
Elvis said it the best with that old classic.
I think we agree. The only problem is that we arent running the show. Mr. "I think Brett Boone will solve the problem" is.
Here is the best reason to get into the playoffs: We wont have to be so damned absorbed with the Vikings. I am so sick of them being the toast of the town while wallowing in mediocrity. They havent been to the Super bowl in 30 flippin years. Nobody ever mentions that.
Lets go Twins.
I think we agree. The only problem is that we arent running the show. Mr. "I think Brett Boone will solve the problem" is.
Here is the best reason to get into the playoffs: We wont have to be so damned absorbed with the Vikings. I am so sick of them being the toast of the town while wallowing in mediocrity. They havent been to the Super bowl in 30 flippin years. Nobody ever mentions that.
Lets go Twins.
I agree with Larsey and leave the team alone, they're 32-8 over the last 40, I don't really see how you can improve on that nor why you should try. The chemistry on this team seems to be working extremely well and I wouldn't want to mess that up. Eventually you'll have to come around and realize Radke is pitching very well and has for 2 months now, since June 1st his ERA is similar to Santana's; 2.57 for Radke vs. 2.51 for Santana, since July 1st Radke's ERA is actually lower than Johan's. Does Minnesota need another pitcher? Yes, but so does every other team this time of year and with New York and Boston being a top that list means the Twins aren't going to be able to afford anyone decent who's out there.
Well, they did it again! Radke did give up a couple of "long balls" however, that was expected. Over all, he threw about as good as a game as he could...
When it works, it works. I still say leave the line up alone! However, after saying that, Lohse has to go...and fast! His additude is horrible and (for some reason???) he thinks he's better than he is!?!?! I say give him a chance (slight as it may be) with another club...or, send him back down.
I still can't get over Mauer...what a dream come true! Can you say ROD CAREW...twice in a row...with POWER?
One down, two to go.
GO TWINS!!!
When it works, it works. I still say leave the line up alone! However, after saying that, Lohse has to go...and fast! His additude is horrible and (for some reason???) he thinks he's better than he is!?!?! I say give him a chance (slight as it may be) with another club...or, send him back down.
I still can't get over Mauer...what a dream come true! Can you say ROD CAREW...twice in a row...with POWER?
One down, two to go.
GO TWINS!!!
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EREmpireStrikesBack
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- Location: Minnesota
Looks like Soriano might be headed to the ChiSox...
I like Carlos Lee better anyway. I think we could get him and sign him to a 2 or 3 year deal. It would be ideal if we could get rid of Stewart in the trade as that would open up a lot of salary room, but regardless I would love to have Lee inbetween Mauer & Morneau.
I can see the point about leaving it alone. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.) But I don't think you can pass up a chance at getting into the playoffs and beefing up the batting order. Garza IMO will not amount to much more than Scott Baker. If we could even get a #5 starter along with Lee, that would be wonderful.
I like Carlos Lee better anyway. I think we could get him and sign him to a 2 or 3 year deal. It would be ideal if we could get rid of Stewart in the trade as that would open up a lot of salary room, but regardless I would love to have Lee inbetween Mauer & Morneau.
I can see the point about leaving it alone. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.) But I don't think you can pass up a chance at getting into the playoffs and beefing up the batting order. Garza IMO will not amount to much more than Scott Baker. If we could even get a #5 starter along with Lee, that would be wonderful.
Elk River AA State Champions- 2001 Boys & 2004 Girls
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Irishmans Shanty
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First of all, great win last night. That was easily their best win of the year. The Twins were able to get a couple monkeys of their back, they beat a great team in their own stadium, they outslugged a power hitting team that has just brutalized them with the three-run HR, and finally they have won three out of four on the road in the division. Radke has taking a beating here all year, I don't take back any of it, but he is sure delivering now.
Second of all, you still need to upgrade this team through a trade. The Twins are 95 games over .500 since 2001. Here are your in-season additions in that time, Shannon Stewart, Todd Jones, and Rick Reed. That's unacceptable. Here's why, in that time span the Twins are 6-12 in the post season. From 02 -04, the Twins were competitive in the post season but they were never a threat to go all the way. Each year a Twins' weakness was exposed, that weakness was hitting. That weakness is still there. Cuddyer, bless him, his tape measure shot changed the whole complexion of last night's game, but he's not a post season clean up hitter. Cuddyer has proven several times this year he can dissappear for 25 AB's, do that in the playoffs at #4 and your done. Punto is hitting .320, but what did he do with men at 2nd and 3rd last night? 0x2, no RBI's, and a walk he had to battle back on. How good are Twins with Cuddyer at #6 and a pesky Punto at #8 or #9?
At the very least, and maybe in this year's market it's all the Twins can do, but improve your bench. In a tight game down the stretch or in the playoffs here are your late inning bats off the bench; Rodriguez, Tiffee, Redmond, and Rabe. Now that is unnacceptable.
Second of all, you still need to upgrade this team through a trade. The Twins are 95 games over .500 since 2001. Here are your in-season additions in that time, Shannon Stewart, Todd Jones, and Rick Reed. That's unacceptable. Here's why, in that time span the Twins are 6-12 in the post season. From 02 -04, the Twins were competitive in the post season but they were never a threat to go all the way. Each year a Twins' weakness was exposed, that weakness was hitting. That weakness is still there. Cuddyer, bless him, his tape measure shot changed the whole complexion of last night's game, but he's not a post season clean up hitter. Cuddyer has proven several times this year he can dissappear for 25 AB's, do that in the playoffs at #4 and your done. Punto is hitting .320, but what did he do with men at 2nd and 3rd last night? 0x2, no RBI's, and a walk he had to battle back on. How good are Twins with Cuddyer at #6 and a pesky Punto at #8 or #9?
At the very least, and maybe in this year's market it's all the Twins can do, but improve your bench. In a tight game down the stretch or in the playoffs here are your late inning bats off the bench; Rodriguez, Tiffee, Redmond, and Rabe. Now that is unnacceptable.
Point taken IS. Everything you say makes sense. My only concern with it is that it could turn out to be like R. White deal. And, whith everything clicking the way it is right now, that scares me. I like Empires line...If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But, at the same time, I agreee with you. Your ideas remind me of of when they got their hands on Jack Morris...what a great move that was!
Go Santana!
Go Twins!
Go Santana!
Go Twins!
Never fall in love with the team you have
Come on you guys,(except for IS), after the Sox won the world championship the first thing they did was sign Jim Thome.
Now, they are working on Soriano.
The Twins have to compete with that.
You cant fall in love with your team because they are doing well. As IS pointed out, at this level, your weaknesses are going to be exposed. The Twins need another hitter.
I agree with IS about that game last night. I watched every inning.
The home plate ump really struggled all night. He blew a call on a big play at the plate late in the game. But Mauer made it insignificant when he hit his HR. That may be a big sequence of events for this team.
Gardy argued the call but kept it to a minimum. I thought that was good. Mauer needed to be thinking about picking up his teamates, not the bad call.
Crain pitched well, very well. They need him to do that,especialy when Radke, Silva and Baker can get them into the 6th close or with a lead. The weakness at the bottom of the rotation will tax this bullpen. Now, Rincon and Nathan are fresh for tonight to finish it off for Santana.
We will see but I have a feeling that the game last night may have been a real impotatnt win for this club. Not just because of the fact that they won, but the way they did it.
Lets go Twins.
Now, they are working on Soriano.
The Twins have to compete with that.
You cant fall in love with your team because they are doing well. As IS pointed out, at this level, your weaknesses are going to be exposed. The Twins need another hitter.
I agree with IS about that game last night. I watched every inning.
The home plate ump really struggled all night. He blew a call on a big play at the plate late in the game. But Mauer made it insignificant when he hit his HR. That may be a big sequence of events for this team.
Gardy argued the call but kept it to a minimum. I thought that was good. Mauer needed to be thinking about picking up his teamates, not the bad call.
Crain pitched well, very well. They need him to do that,especialy when Radke, Silva and Baker can get them into the 6th close or with a lead. The weakness at the bottom of the rotation will tax this bullpen. Now, Rincon and Nathan are fresh for tonight to finish it off for Santana.
We will see but I have a feeling that the game last night may have been a real impotatnt win for this club. Not just because of the fact that they won, but the way they did it.
Lets go Twins.
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Irishmans Shanty
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Things are not broken, in fact, they are far from it. However, a trade isn't made to fix anything, a trade only makes you bigger and better, it makes your bench longer. A trade gives you more bodies who have a higher probability of success. A team 20 under making a trade this week is trying to fix things, a team 20 over is going for it. Now there are no guarantees, an acquisition could hit .167. But, at the very least the organization is saying to me and more importantly it is saying to its players, we want to win now. A trade now is like the insurance we buy on our homes, cars, and bodies. We pay a monthly premium in hopes that we never have to use it. Do you ever sit down and say that the car or life insurance you have is a waste of money? Doubt it. Your happy you can have it and you're happier when you don't use it.
Look at the Sox, they are the defending champs, they are 20 over, they have huge lumber from 3-6, they have speed at the top, they have a playoff tested staff, they have a lights out closer, they have a manager who's won the big one, and they believe that the way they are currently constructed can not win another world series. If the Sox are moments away from going out and landing one of the biggest fish (Soriano) available, how can the Twins think they are set for the stretch with Rodriguez, Tiffee, Redmond, and Rabe on play away from starting.
Look at the Sox, they are the defending champs, they are 20 over, they have huge lumber from 3-6, they have speed at the top, they have a playoff tested staff, they have a lights out closer, they have a manager who's won the big one, and they believe that the way they are currently constructed can not win another world series. If the Sox are moments away from going out and landing one of the biggest fish (Soriano) available, how can the Twins think they are set for the stretch with Rodriguez, Tiffee, Redmond, and Rabe on play away from starting.
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Irishmans Shanty
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Prediction
Talk is the Sox don't want Soriano, they are only trying to drive up the price for the Yanks or Tigers. Once Soriano is dealt, I believe the Sox make a deal for Tejada. Sox give up Konerko and Uribe for Miggy. Thome now goes to 1st full time. Tejada deal leads to a second deal where the Sox acquire a DH at the deadline.
In the meantime, the Twins do nothing.
In the meantime, the Twins do nothing.
The cubboard is bare
I dont know that the Twins have the players to trade anyway.
Does anyone want Kubel or Garza?
Everybody the Twins have that would bring something in return, they cant afford to give up.
Its doubtful that they would be able to swing a deal for Soriano/Lee even if money was no object.
Say, can Don Baylor still hit?
Does anyone want Kubel or Garza?
Everybody the Twins have that would bring something in return, they cant afford to give up.
Its doubtful that they would be able to swing a deal for Soriano/Lee even if money was no object.
Say, can Don Baylor still hit?
Last night
That was a lot of fun last night, if they get one more it'll be a successful road trip. Packerboy, you made a good point about Gardy last night not taking it too far in arguing the call. I'll say one thing in the ump's defense, he did let the players and managers have their say without giving them the thumb.
Another thing that was impressive about Mauer's at bat where he homered was that he had a terrible at bat the previous time, watching a hittable pitch for strike one and swinging through a hittable strike three. And I actually thought he'd gotten under the ball a little too much but it just kept going. That was a big time at bat, sometimes a season can end up being defined by a single game or even an at bat, if the Twins make the playoffs that Mauer homer might end up as one of those defining moments.
Speaking of Baylor, you look at some of the moves that McPhail made, bringing in Dan Gladden, Jeff Reardon and Al Newman at the start of the '87 season and picking up Baylor for the stretch drive. And then in 1988 he trades a popular outfielder, Brunansky, to try to fill a hole. It didn't work out, much like the John Smiley pickup in 1992, but he was always working on ways to improve the team. Right now this team is firing on all cylinders but there's still two months left and Ryan should be trying to shore up some of this team's weaknesses.
Another thing that was impressive about Mauer's at bat where he homered was that he had a terrible at bat the previous time, watching a hittable pitch for strike one and swinging through a hittable strike three. And I actually thought he'd gotten under the ball a little too much but it just kept going. That was a big time at bat, sometimes a season can end up being defined by a single game or even an at bat, if the Twins make the playoffs that Mauer homer might end up as one of those defining moments.
Speaking of Baylor, you look at some of the moves that McPhail made, bringing in Dan Gladden, Jeff Reardon and Al Newman at the start of the '87 season and picking up Baylor for the stretch drive. And then in 1988 he trades a popular outfielder, Brunansky, to try to fill a hole. It didn't work out, much like the John Smiley pickup in 1992, but he was always working on ways to improve the team. Right now this team is firing on all cylinders but there's still two months left and Ryan should be trying to shore up some of this team's weaknesses.
Why should we do something just because the White Sox are? The White Sox are falling apart, spending money for the sake of spending money doesn't work very well, only the Red Sox have managed success with that theory in recent years. The sox can add 3 big bats but if their pitching doesn't come around it won't matter. If you think the Twins are going to get anything in a trade for a Matt Garza, Jessie Crain, or Kyle Lohse you're on something. The big spenders need the same things the Twins do; another big bat and another starter and the Twins won't overspend for this year or any year. In the AL only 4 teams are out of the playoff race; KC, Baltimore, TB, and Cleveland even less in the NL; Pittsburgh, Washington, and the Cubs, it's not like it's just the Twins and 3 other teams looking for something special there are 23 teams in contention.
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Irishmans Shanty
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Night moves
Well ChrisK, the moves old Andy made werern't exactly huge at the time he made them. We didnt have any press conferences when Gladden was signed. But they worked out. (The Bruno trade was one of the worst in Twins history)
Ryan's attempts to duplicate those financially low risk moves havent produced much.
Speaking of which...what is up with Castillo? He had a bad game last night again. He looks a little off...... has the whole year.
He failed to get guys in from 3rd twice and missed a very catchable ball. Lets step it up Louie.
Ryan's attempts to duplicate those financially low risk moves havent produced much.
Speaking of which...what is up with Castillo? He had a bad game last night again. He looks a little off...... has the whole year.
He failed to get guys in from 3rd twice and missed a very catchable ball. Lets step it up Louie.
Re: Never fall in love with the team you have
We will see but I have a feeling that the game last night may have been a real impotatnt win for this club. Not just because of the fact that they won, but the way they did it.
I hope you're right about that feeling packerboy because I have the same feeling.
Now, lets get down to business and... GO TWINS!!!
Feelings, nothing more than feelings
I hope we are right.
As Chrisk pointed out, some times a season can turn on one at bat. (Every once and a while he posts something worth while even if he is still looking for Brett Boone to rejoin the club.)
Or......they could lose their next 10.
If they win 2 of 3 from the Sox, they leave town 2 back.
They have Johan going tonight but the Sox have their best guy on the hill too.
Get the beer cold and the grill hot.
As Chrisk pointed out, some times a season can turn on one at bat. (Every once and a while he posts something worth while even if he is still looking for Brett Boone to rejoin the club.)
Or......they could lose their next 10.
If they win 2 of 3 from the Sox, they leave town 2 back.
They have Johan going tonight but the Sox have their best guy on the hill too.
Get the beer cold and the grill hot.
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jimjackjohnmmmm
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 12:30 pm
We have to get a Lee or Soriano (by the way, Tim Kurkjian from espn the other night was saying he thinks the twins are the sleeper team in getting Soriano, I was pretty surprised by that) but Ryan has to show to his team and FANS that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get a title. Minnesota fans deserve the best, we've waited to long for this organization to show they care.
Regardless, KEEP IT UP BOYS!
Regardless, KEEP IT UP BOYS!
Nope, mom always says go with your first feeling and you'll "at least" be right 80% of the time. I'm seeing it this way boys. That was a MUST win for the Twins and they did it! AND they did it in the late inings against last years WORLD CHAMPS! They have a winning formula and they know it. Right now Santana knows he is going to win this game...period! Infact, the whole team knows it!! I wouldn't doubt the Twins take all 3 games. The Tigers took 2 of 3 from the Sox, and we are going to take ALL 3. The baseball God sent me a message last night and it said... "Look out for the Twins, they're goin' to the playoffs"!!!
WEEEE HAAAA
GooooOOOOO TWINS!!!
WEEEE HAAAA
GooooOOOOO TWINS!!!
Deal or no deal
Some of the fine posters have suggested that making a deal would show the fans and the players that we want to win.
I dont think there is any doubt that they want to win. The Twins have an approach and it isnt necessarily a bad one. Consider that they have won as many games as the Yankees so far this year.
But I think they need to modify that approach when the situation presents itself.
Should they be like the Yankees and try to buy every good player? No.
Like the Marlins.... buying players, winning and then getting rid of them? No.
You have a team that is in the race in a big way. You have gotten there by the draft and devloping players with a sprinkle of affordable free agents.
Now, take the next step. Modify the approach to something in between the Yankees and the Marlins. Not for show but because its the thing to do under the circumstances.
Come on Terry. Come on Carl. The fans are doing their share. The players are doing their share. Lets go.
I dont think there is any doubt that they want to win. The Twins have an approach and it isnt necessarily a bad one. Consider that they have won as many games as the Yankees so far this year.
But I think they need to modify that approach when the situation presents itself.
Should they be like the Yankees and try to buy every good player? No.
Like the Marlins.... buying players, winning and then getting rid of them? No.
You have a team that is in the race in a big way. You have gotten there by the draft and devloping players with a sprinkle of affordable free agents.
Now, take the next step. Modify the approach to something in between the Yankees and the Marlins. Not for show but because its the thing to do under the circumstances.
Come on Terry. Come on Carl. The fans are doing their share. The players are doing their share. Lets go.
Good call packerboy. The Twins are the hottest team in baseball. Anyone who's anyone would love to come to minnesota right now and play on the hottest team around. I say they're just playin' it cool right now and are waiting for a player that WANTS to get in on the action...and isn't gonna charge an arm and a leg for it.
Wasn't it Puckett that said (after winning in 91) "I'd play on this team for free".
Wasn't it Puckett that said (after winning in 91) "I'd play on this team for free".