Holy S**t...Offense!

by Jesse on Aug 9, 2007 12:09 PM EDT in News

Twins "explode" for 11.

Two homers between Cuddyer and Hunter, six innings from Johan Santana, and the Twins are back within five of the Wild Card. Just good enough to not fall out of the race, not consistently good enough to outscore the opposition, it's tempting to still believe that Minnesota is good enough to make the playoffs.

I'm not trying to kill anyone's buzz, because when you're out by five games the situation can change dramatically if the team directly in front of you loses three in a row and you happen to capitalize. But the fact that the Twins happen to be five out of the Wild Card has just as much to do with Cleveland and Detroit's inability to run away with things as it has to do with the Twins taking care of business. The Twins aren't taking care of business. The Twins are barely above evens.

I believe the Twins have the potential to be a good team. With the addition of a couple players in key positions, I believe the Twins could be a great team. Up to this point in the season, however, they haven't shown me enough on a day-in day-out basis to make me believe they should be a playoff team.

We keep waiting for the Twins to seal their identity...are they contenders or are they not? The further the season wears on the more I believe that the Twins are neither--they're stuck in purgatory, somewhere between those who belong and those who clearly aren't good enough to make the cut.

Still the season will continue, and we'll still continue the debate until the bitter (or surprsingly exciting) end; rightfully so. In two hours the rubber match with the Royals ensues, and a series victory is always something to be happy about.

Let's go Twins!

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Wow

PA & Dubay just read my email on the air.

That's awesome.

by Jesse on Aug 9, 2007 12:12 PM EDT reply actions

What email is that?

Do you feel important today because of their reading your words? ;)

by mbennett on Aug 9, 2007 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions

No, I feel important because

I'm the balls. I don't know how to say this but...I'm kind of a big deal. GOULET!

The email:

Hey guys,

You keep asking the Twins to reveal who they are, to win 8 or lose 8 in a row. I think they've already shown us who they are...they're a .500 club with a solid core but as a team are incomplete.

Winning 8 or losing 8 consecutive would, at this point, be nothing more than luck. Their true identity is exactly what it has been up to this point in the year: mediocre.

by Jesse on Aug 9, 2007 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

hahaha...

awesome Jesse.

Ya, I kind of was starting to think we had a shot because I believe in Casilla, the pitching is settling down great, and I thought Buscher would be able to at least upgrade 3b to passable. Plus White at DH adding a LITTLE bit. But now with White/Buscher both not able to really go, that makes it that much more dreary.

I still think we'd have a shot if TR added someone like Piazza though. I'm just not sure that will happen at this point.

by djskilbr on Aug 9, 2007 1:02 PM EDT reply actions

Rondell

White is batting .143 on the season. He's actually subtracting quite a bit with his presence.

As far as the race goes, could we please stop pretending that we're still in it? We aren't. This offense couldn't hit their way out of a paper bag most days.

Replace Nick Punto.

by rayken on Aug 9, 2007 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

RonDL

thurs game

men on 2b and 1b w/ 2 outs, down 1 to nothing, RonDL swings at a ball so far off the plate it was in kansas. Yeah Ron go ahead and retire

by caluofmn on Aug 9, 2007 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

That is what it looked like

I am following on gameday, and I really thought...if he swung at a ball in the left handed batters box...i have three little letters in mind.

D-F-A

by mbennett on Aug 9, 2007 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions

long as this is the game thread...

Good god, Joe. Swing at the first pitch. For me? Just once? When it's a chest-high 89mph fastball?

by ravenfly on Aug 9, 2007 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

Amen ...

Anyone notice a pattern for Joe's at bats before, say, the 7th or 8th inning?

BP fastball down the middle taken for strike 1.
Curveball thrown on 0-1 for 0-2.
And now the fight begins.

Give Joe credit - he's a heckuva hitter to carry the stats he has given how often he gets behind in the count these days.

But I have to believe he'd get better counts & results if pitchers didn't "know" they can pour a nothing fastball in there for called strike one.

by BD57 on Aug 9, 2007 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions

And another chance to score missed

With Cuddyer striking out to end the inning.

by caluofmn on Aug 9, 2007 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

Ya, this is pitiful...

Garza now set to be 1-3 with a 1.70 ERA! That's just pathetic. Gotta feel for the kid.

by djskilbr on Aug 9, 2007 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

ah

no you don't. Just because he doesn't have Wins? He's a major leaguer with a bright future. Will likely make millions of dollars and generally live the lifestyle of a major leaguer. Sorry if I don't shed a tear for him.

If I were a pitching coach I would preach the stupidity of wins and losses, and anyone concerned with them would be kicked off my team.

by TMoney on Aug 9, 2007 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Ugh

This is 2005 all over again...

1-0 again? Really? Our offensive production is more inconsistent then a System of a Down song.

-Flip

by Flip27 on Aug 9, 2007 5:35 PM EDT reply actions

now that was funny

by caluofmn on Aug 9, 2007 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Unlike today's game which was anything but

Funny

by caluofmn on Aug 9, 2007 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

S.O.A.D.

My and my friends like to joke that System of a Down makes music designed to surprise you. There's a long ballad-ish section of a song and then suddenly, without warning, it explodes into the hardest, fastest metal music ever. -And the listener jumps because he/she is caught completely off guard.

-Flip

by Flip27 on Aug 10, 2007 1:09 AM EDT up reply actions