A great day for a Minnesotan...
DaBeef
Posts: 2,478
in Sports Talk
After the Twins won the 1st 2 vs the White Sox, once AGAIN they are right there. For those of you that don't pay attention to the AL Central, the White Sox have had a lead in the division all year, and the Twins have been right on their heels all year. They have tied them for the lead I think 2 times this year, but quickly have dropped back to 1-2 games back. I think there was a day they had a .5 lead last month.
Anyways, at about 5:30 the White Sox were up 6-1, I had planned to go to my deer stand behind my land regardless of the score (Hey I gotta eat right). So after harvesting my first archery doe (42 yards, double lunger, thank you), I came in to hang the deer only to see Go-Go come in to tie the game at 6, then of course seen Alexi win the game in the 10th!
The Twins are everything that is right about baseball, regardless of if they can win the division this year or not, they have a bright future. They are a very young team, all the starters are under 26. I still miss Garza, but we are looking good.
Anyways, at about 5:30 the White Sox were up 6-1, I had planned to go to my deer stand behind my land regardless of the score (Hey I gotta eat right). So after harvesting my first archery doe (42 yards, double lunger, thank you), I came in to hang the deer only to see Go-Go come in to tie the game at 6, then of course seen Alexi win the game in the 10th!
The Twins are everything that is right about baseball, regardless of if they can win the division this year or not, they have a bright future. They are a very young team, all the starters are under 26. I still miss Garza, but we are looking good.
Am I speaking Chinese?
0
Comments
good teams year after year.
(now the vikes...they are a sham! LOL)
JS
<< <i>I am totally in awe of the Minnesota Twins organization. They are just amazing in their ability to develop good players and have
good teams year after year.
And to think Selig wanted to "contract" the team a few years ago.
The Royals have been playing very well in September and aren't even in last place anymore.
Besides, it's not like losing a couple more games is really going to re-define the Royals' season.
"If I ever decided to do a book, I've already got the title-The Bases Were Loaded and So Was I"-Jim Fregosi
If you were at the dome this weekend, you would not be put to sleep, you'd be asking for ear plugs...
When the dome is rockin' for Vikings playoff or big Twins games, the energy is more electric than anyplace you'll be...However, when it is not...it sux.
Erik
At least your Twins don't have to face Zach Grienke tomorrow, he was scratched as the starter.
Mauer should get another batting title, Morneau has a great chance of receiving the MVP. Mauer gets on base and Morneau hits him in. and the twins insert five "faster" guys to get around in the #7, 8, 9, 1, and 2(sometimes 3) spots in the order the base path anyway that they can. and add two "harder" hitting guys and you have yourself a great team. year after year the Twins apply some hit and run "small ball" baseball and win a division.
great season!
and go tigers
Go Twins!
Good luck to both teams fans.
Steve
I've always liked the Twins; that's a darn good organization. I'm sorry they lost today, but good luck to Griffey Junior.
Dave
Either they stuck with him because they were stupid in thinking he 'knew how to win', or they stuck with him for financial reasons. Whichever is true(and it is a bit of both), means all of their managment needs to be fired. It cost them the division.
Dave
IrishMike was right on. The Livan/Liriano fiasco is a perfect example, and one that cost them dearly.
Taking another no power, no plate discipline donkey for Garza and throwing in a real shortstop as a box topper was completely idiotic as well. Despite it all it came down to winning two of three vs. the f'n Royals. Massive fail. I'll hate these guys again until April.
It is a shame, because they have some nice players too.
You are right about Johan...it would have been a cake walk with him. Carlos Gomez and his .297 OB%, ouch!
<< <i>.... They were not even expected to be in the hunt, so you HAVE to be happy in the long run.... >>
This is the BS cop out that Smith used last winter. The fact about the AL Central is you don't know who is going to be good until the games start getting played.
We could easily have been in the playoffs with Johan vs. a field not including the **** Yankees.
Steve
For example the Sox got rid of 3 quarters of their 2005 world series starting pitching staff and are back in the playoffs. The jettisoned Maggilio the year before and Frank Thomas in 06 and are back. There are ways to do this so quit already with the small market excuses. There is NO right way, there is winning period.
Isn't it also funny how the cretins come in with their advice on how to run a baseball team after the team loses.
<< <i>Delusional, that's funny
Isn't it also funny how the cretins come in with their advice on how to run a baseball team after the team loses. >>
Not sure what your point is as I am not a Twins fan but Chisox and Cubs and a baseball fan since the early 50's. As a baseball fan regardless of which team one is talking about I am just tired of hearing that small market teams have to jettison big money stars. If that strikes you funny then so be it. My delusional comments was in regards to the Twins doing it the right way. If you disagree with that, well that's ok with me as we are all entitled to our thoughts. However I suggest you go read some comments on various message boards that Twin fans have posted. I think you will find many that are tired of that excuse, i.e. we have to trade player X because we can't afford them. This is 2008 not 1950 and if you can't afford to own a team and compete find an owner that will. Twins fans have shown that they will be loyal and pay to see their team. It's a shame to watch a kid grow up in your organization, prosper, do well and then have the owner tell the fans they can't afford him.
If you want to disagree with that, then so be it. But any one who thinks that is the way it should be or that the Twins did it the right way is deluding themselves.
This offseason Bill Smith gave up on the season before the first pitch was thrown. He thought Cleveland and Detroit were locks to be 90+ game winners. He traded away Santana for Gomez and two guys who won't ever contribute. Gomez could easily be in Triple A next year if the Twins don't find a way to move a horrible contract in Cudyer.
People asked the question in the offseason: Should they just let Santana walk or take less at the trading deadline?
The answer was should have been YES. Keep Santana until you are out of contention. Then acquire Gomez at that point if you must. Or if you are decent, keep him and try to f'n win. Knowing you will get two draft picks as compensation, both of which could have ended up as good or better than Gomez. I don't even want to get started on the trade with the Rays. Needless to say it was a big reason the Rays are in the postseason and the Twins are not. This is the AJ Pierzynski trade coming back at us in spades. The Twins won 96 games two years ago and Torii's offensive contributions (low OBP) were obviously replaceable.
On the other hand the Twins consistantly bring up guys who know how to pitch. Now with Casilla and Span showing promise to go with Mauer and Morneau, they have a decent core to work with. They need to spend some money on a DH. That has been ownership/managements biggest failure to date.
As for their future being bright, I'm not so sure. I'm very worried that Casilla/Span/Gomez/Young all had career years. The Twins had incredible clutch hitting this year, that is not a way to build consistant offense. Cleveland and Detroit won't suck forever. This was a major opportunity lost.
As far as Santana, I personally think that they should have taken the Boston as he did not want the Twins $80 million/4-year deal. The Tampa deal might work out but I did not like Garza leaving for Young. Bartlett I did not mind leaving because the Twins have plenty of players in the middle infield.
I believe that Terry Ryan should have stayed on until the Santana deal was complete and then handed it over to Bill Smith, but I will trust that Bill learned his lesson. You also have to give credit to the twins for giving long term contracts to Nathan, Mauer, and Morneau. H
Hunter leaving was in the works for a while, since he tried punching Morneau in 2005. I thought the Twins would have traded him after the end of that season, but they seemed to work it out. But Torii decided to go somewhere else a long time ago.
Silva well enough said
<< <i>
<< <i>Delusional, that's funny
Isn't it also funny how the cretins come in with their advice on how to run a baseball team after the team loses. >>
Not sure what your point is as I am not a Twins fan but Chisox and Cubs and a baseball fan since the early 50's. As a baseball fan regardless of which team one is talking about I am just tired of hearing that small market teams have to jettison big money stars. If that strikes you funny then so be it. My delusional comments was in regards to the Twins doing it the right way. If you disagree with that, well that's ok with me as we are all entitled to our thoughts. However I suggest you go read some comments on various message boards that Twin fans have posted. I think you will find many that are tired of that excuse, i.e. we have to trade player X because we can't afford them. This is 2008 not 1950 and if you can't afford to own a team and compete find an owner that will. Twins fans have shown that they will be loyal and pay to see their team. It's a shame to watch a kid grow up in your organization, prosper, do well and then have the owner tell the fans they can't afford him.
If you want to disagree with that, then so be it. But any one who thinks that is the way it should be or that the Twins did it the right way is deluding themselves. >>