Minnesota Sports Forum

Camden0916 wrote:

khans2k5 wrote:

Camden0916 wrote:Have you learned nothing from the Royals, and every other wildcard team that's made a significant run in baseball? All you have to do is get in the tournament. That's what the Twins should have been trying to do. I'm not saying make a huge deal to go all-in this year, but you have a great arm who dominated AAA and wanted the call-up, we could have definitely used him in the rotation, and it wouldn't have effected his service time with the Twins. Instead we rolled with Pelfrey's bum ass.

How in the hell is this rotation and bullpen good enough to make any kind of playoff run? The Royals made the run with a top end bullpen that shut everyone down. We have nothing to hang our hat on when it comes to our staff. Now is definitely not the time to risk anything in the future for a playoff run. Nobody lucks their way deep into the playoffs. We simply don't have the staff to compete come playoff time. We had years of getting into the tournament and were outmatched every year and it showed because it's not just about making it in. You have to have the pieces to make that run and we don't. Every wild card team that makes a run does something really well that helps them advance. For the Royals it was their bullpen. For the Giants it's been some of the best starting pitching in postseason history. What's ours because I don't see it? We have no top end starters. We have a shaky bullpen to relieve what we do have starting games and we have a shaky closer down the home stretch of the season. If by some miracle we get in and beat the Yankees we'd have to beat the Blue Jays who literally do everything better than we do with the exception of save percentage and fielding which we are .01% better than them. It's not about just getting in. You have to do something really well to advance and all those wild card teams who have advanced had that and we don't.

I never said the Twins would win, or that they would make a legitimate run in the playoffs. I said they should have been doing anything and everything that they can within reason to make the playoffs this year. That's the goal at hand. They could have brought up Berrios for a handful of starts and it would have been a big help to the rotation, or at the least they could have used him out of the bullpen. Instead they didn't utilize him at all, nor did they use all of their September call-ups.

And who knows what the Twins would or could do in the playoffs. What if we had a really hot September like we did in May where we were driving in practically every runner in scoring position? Things happen, especially in baseball. You telling me that they were right for leaving the rotation as it was is unacceptable to me.

If you feel that calling up a prospect risks their future, then wow did we make a mistake by calling up Sano, Rosario and Buxton. What were they thinking? Why did management think those prospects could help the big league team win? They must be idiots... Oh, wait, Sano and Rosario were two of our best players in the second half? Go figure. Playing and managing scared gets you no where.

I didn't realize Sano, Buxton and Rosario were pitchers. Are you kidding me with that stupid fucking argument? There is a very clear and real difference between the process of developing a pitcher versus a fielder. If Berrios hit his innings limit he's done. End of story. You don't risk his future for a shot at the second wild card seed. Tommy John would push his timeframe of being able to help us 2 years minimum and maybe for the rest of his career. That's why you can't be a dumbass and risk that injury for a play-in playoff game. It's not scared, it's smart. Being reckless with pitcher's arms is the worst thing you can do when trying to build a winner. You may get lucky and get out injury free, but 1 Tommy John surgery is all it takes to make you look like a dumbass for pushing it for a wildcard spot. We're a year ahead of the rebuild schedule. Why should we get impatient and stupid pushing for a playoff spot this year when we can keep everyone healthy for a run next year and beyond? That's seems like a very short-sighted trade-off.

I will say this when it comes to pitchers right now no MLB franchise seems to have a clue as to what to do to keep guys healthy especially young pitchers. If the Twins feel like they wanted to limit a guy I guess that's fine I guess it just seems really tough to say. It's the most fickle position in all of sports IMO both physically and performance wise also. Who knows every MLB organization (or youth programs or whatnot) might be doing something incredibly stupid when it comes to young pitchers. I don't want to sound like I am defending the Twins decisions exactly I am just saying it doesn't seem like anyone really truly knows and I know for sure I don't. Lol the Twin may be doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Or the right thing for one guy and the wrong thing for another guy etc etc.

Nice win tonight this is some exciting stuff

LST I have been a Pelfrey supporter. All I know is somehow the Twins are in a position to get that last wildcard spot piecing together a starting rotation with basically nobody that's probably better than a 3rd starter at least this year. Pelfrey was a guy I was expecting basically nothing from and he ended up having a good chunk of starts that keep the team afloat early on. I guess he gives hope that if Nolosco can get healthy maybe he can give us something next year. Pelfrey success and failure this year also shows that you can never have enough starting pitching.

Yep, this is exciting stuff monster...great to be in a real race! Duffey was brilliant last night, at least until he grooved that one fastball, and the Twins were resilient enough to rally after Joe 4-6-3'd in the clutch again. Terrific game! I have tickets for Saturday afternoon, and it will have meaning even if the Twins lose to KC tonight...more fun if they win tonight and Houston loses though! It's too bad that KC is battling Toronto for home field advantage because I thought they may be laying down this weekend.

Twins starting pitching has been weird this year. They probably have the best group of #4 and 5 starters in all of baseball, but they lack that consistent top of the rotation starter...Duffey if the closest they have, but it's scary to rely on a rookie. Next year the pitching is going to be much improved.

I don't want to jinx the Twins, and the reality is that they are 1 game out with only three to play, but there are some reasons to be guardedly optimistic about their chances:

1) While the trail Houston by a game, Houston travels to play in Arizona and is a very bad road team (31-47). Plus they lose their DH in Arizona and need to have their pitchers hit...a big disadvantage for the Stros.

2) I was hoping that this weekend would be meaningless for KC, but they are battling the Jays for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. But Toronto holds the tie breaker, so KC could realistically be playing for nothing by Sunday.

3) KC is really banged up. Holland is already out for the season, and their replacement closer Davis was unavailable last night with a bad back. In addition Lorenzo Cain was out last night after fouling a ball off his kneecap, Perez has a swollen thumb and Morales left the game last night with a quad issue. Some of the KC sportswriters are advocating for conceding home field to Toronto and resting their wounded warriors until the playoffs. That would be very good for the Twins.

Game on!