Twins (We'll try it again)

[PurpleMustReign]

Keep in mind here, we are all Twins fans here, but we use this to vent, as well as praise and enjoy their season. It is much easier to vent, and for me it is somewhat of a "release" where I can post my feelings where people who know baseball will hear and give their ideas/thoughts. I'm around people who think they know everything about baseball but in reality don't know much more than bat and ball almost all day, so it is nice to hear others give their opinions too.

So, 6-0, Blackburn got, well, burned. We are getting deeper and deeper in a hole we do not want to be in. Gardenhire better get things on track soon, or the Twins will be looking for golf clubs before we know it.

[vikeinmontana]

wow, i really missed a lot here these past few days! i think my only gripe is that while this is certainly a place to gripe, some have made it very very clear that they think gardy is an idiot and can't do anything right. and while you are entitled to that opinion, and i'm not even saying i disagree with them, but it becomes hard for the rest of us to take these comments too seriously because we already know where you stand. same thing happens on the vikes board. certain people will hate childress no matter what he does. honestly, i truly believe the guy could win a game against the best team in the nfl by fifty points and there would still be people saying how dumb he is. well the same thing happens here with gardy. he can't do anything right. i haven't always agreed with all of his decisions, but i refuse to believe that the guy is as stupid as some here think. he's in a unique situation in that we had such a good season that we clinched the division what seemed like a month ago. we have been banged up for some time now, and i was curious as to what moves would be made to this lineup. my only issue is people seem to be thinking the ONLY way we can win a series in the playoffs if we end the season with the best record in baseball. personally, i am more concerned with all of our guys being healthy and rejuvinated come the playoffs. all i'm saying is some think gardy is an idiot, assume every move he makes is wrong, is goijg to criticize these moves, and then make claims that these stupid moves will kill us. well, i've been hearing it all season long, and all i know is we're vying for the best record in baseball. and just a little food for thought....what if we would have stuck with all of the guys that members of this board thought needed to playing right now and one or two of them were lost for the season? what if homefield in the playoffs comes down to our final at-bat of the season and punto comes up and hits a walkoff? and yes...i agree we're a better team without punto but i don't agree that anyone on this board has the same knowledge of his players abilities and health right now than our coaches do. i know everyone knows how annoying some of these armchair coaches and managers can be because i have seen some of gardy's biggest haters on the vikes board telling people to lay off chilly. ultimately the success of these teams to fall on the shoulders of the head guys. but if people are truly being objective they would probably agree it may be too early to pass judgement. what if we would have done every move some of you thought we should do and we still get bounced in the first round? will you 'fess up and say that you may have been wrong or will you make excuses? what if the twins are playing in the world series in a month? will those of you so sure that gardy has done everything wrong this last week come back and eat crow and admit that gardy just may have taken the best approach? there is nothing wrong with venting on a message board. there is nothing wrong with criticism. there is something wrong with losing all objectivity and refusing to acknowledge that they might be wrong. coaches are always going to make mistakes but in the end wins and losses are all that matter. gardy has done a great job getting us wins this year. be great if he can do just as good of a job in the post-season. if he doesn't, it may not be because he's an idiot. sometimes you just play better teams, and sometimes things happen. not saying i think that is going to happen...but i'm not ready to sit here and say that we should be able to easily beat the rangers, rays, or yanks and if we don't it's because gardy is an idiot...


sorry...

[Now its our time]

Guys come on we can't get down every time we lose. Baseball has a long season and one loss doesn't mean anything. For one time we held the best record in baseball and I'm proud of that. This is the best the Twins have done since I got interested in sports

[PurpleMustReign]

For me, the frustrating part is the way they are losing. Clearly they are not giving 100% effort, at least the pitchers aren't. They have given up well over 40 runs in the past 5 games. Against Detroit and Kansas City. They should be playing their tails off for home field in the playoffs because they are not going to win in TB or NY if they have to go there for the ALCS.

[Thaumaturgist]

That's the part that scares me a bit (Giving up 40 runs in 5 games) I would really like them to finish this thing up on a high note. Go into the playoffs feeling good about themselves instead of being down.

[purple guy]

For me, the frustrating part is the way they are losing. Clearly they are not giving 100% effort, at least the pitchers aren't. They have given up well over 40 runs in the past 5 games. Against Detroit and Kansas City. They should be playing their tails off for home field in the playoffs because they are not going to win in TB or NY if they have to go there for the ALCS.

Yup, another ten pack last night. Can you imagine what the Yanks or Rays would be scoring on us right now??? 15-20??? And we mustered 1. These last 5 games is exactly why the Twins should have been desperate to have the best record, they clearly play totally different baseball at home. It doesnt work to coast into the playoffs, of any kind. As good of a season as it was, and as fun as some of these players have been this season (Thome, Valencia for me) if we go one and done, the season means little, we won a division with 3 other bad teams in it. Im not even sure when they play again, no sense in even watching again until they get back to Target Field, it will just be more of the same garbage.

[vikeinmontana]

twins aren't that bad on the road. about .500. pretty much the same as the other playoff teams. think the yanks have won about 5 more on the road than us...the rays have won a couple more. i agree we're getting crushed right now. but maybe the coaches and players are putting more emphasis on their health and rest than homefield advantage? tough to say they are wrong when we haven't even started the postseason. maybe our biggest mistake was winning the divison way earlier than every other team in baseball...

[Noctis]

I'm not too concerned yet. Certainly, Pavano and Duensing went out and pitched duds on their last respective outings, but a lot of the runs scored against us in this losing streak have been while Perkins, Burnett, Manship (neither of these three will even be on the postseason roster), Slowey (won't play a big role in the postseason) and Blackburn (will start a game 4, if Baker doesn't take his place by pitching well tonight) have been on the mound. Yeah, losing five straight isn't exactly going into the playoffs with momentum, but I think they can just as easily flip the switch back on again when they get there.

And because of injuries, guys like Punto, Tolbert, Butera, Morales and Casilla have had a lot of at bats lately. Fortunately, Hardy is scheduled to return soon, as are Thome and Mauer.

And not to get anyone's hopes up, but Morneau apparently has had four good days in a row and is scheduled to take BP and field ground balls.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

Well, we have to win out now regardless to even have a shot at HFA. I just don't think the Twins will go very far in the post season without HFA.

[PurpleMustReign]

ARRRRGH MAKE IT STOP!!!!

[thatguy]

We'll be fine guys.

On the bright side...Morneau might be working out w/ the team in a couple days.

[PurpleMustReign]

Finally. Baker looked decent, maybe good enough to take a playoff spot away from Slowey (although I would rather have Slowey)?

Delmon Young is having a heckuva year. He cooled off the last few months, but he is starting to get clutch hits now.

So, the sky didn't fall... yet...

[DanAS]

Finally. Baker looked decent, maybe good enough to take a playoff spot away from Slowey (although I would rather have Slowey)?

Delmon Young is having a heckuva year. He cooled off the last few months, but he is starting to get clutch hits now.

So, the sky didn't fall... yet...

It's one thing to say Chili is an idiot. That seems to be generally assumed around the country.

But the folks here who think Gardy is a bad manager ...all that I can say is that NOBODY outside of Minny would agree. He consistently gets more with less. And he consistently amazes fans of teams who spend more, whether they win or lose.

Nobody is saying that Gardy is perfect. But I support him wholeheartedly notwithstanding his imperfections.

[purple guy]

Nice, a pitching night that didnt give up double digits. Looks like after than horrible road trip, HFA is a LONG shot, and without that, we wont be around long in the post season. We play exactly .500 on the road I believe, and as of late a lot worse, against inferior opponents. Agagint any of the 3 AL playoff teams, I dont like our chances the way we are playing, and most importantly pitching. On this road trip, we got enough runs to win most of the games, but just like earlier in the season, our pitching was absolutely terrible. Its good many like Guardy, and he does do without the payroll of some/most clubs. He also has the benefit of one of the best farm programs in MLB. The reg season, while fun to watch, with a 1 and done, means little. Winning our division isnt too tough latley, its been a 2 horse race for a while. Win a playoff series or two and then Id think he is worth keeping, without winning in the post season, who cares.

[PurpleMustReign]

The ratio of letters to words there is outstanding... lol

Gardy has two faults, IMO: the way he handles pitchers, and Nick Punto. He takes a pitcher out of the game in the 7th or 8th based SOLELY on pitch count. The game that made me most upset this season was against TB at TF. Liriano never struggled, pretty much breezed through 7 innings with a 4-1 lead but had 101 pitches. So he takes him out and puts in the bullpen and they blow the game. Burnett, Guerierr, and I think Raush came in and served up batting practice for the Rays. I think the final was 8-6. This is not the first time this has happened. He over uses the bullpen, and they all get tired out by the end of the season, and in the postseason they are not effective.
And his love affair with Nick Punto is flat out madening. The Twins went on their incredible run when Punto was hurt (TWICE) but he insists on putting him out there. To me, it is no coincidence that the Twins win more with Punto on the bench.
I agree that he is a very good manager. I just think his strategies lose more games than they win.