Another blog, another reason why it can't last

by caluofmn on Jul 13, 2008 1:59 PM EDT Comment 5 comments

From the site Tiger Tales: "The big reason for their success seems to be their high batting average with runners in scoring position. This is something that is very difficult to maintain over a full season even for a strong offensive team. It doesn't add up. You keep thinking it can't last."

Here is the link to the site : http://www.detroittigertales.com/

You know all these people might end up being right at the end of the season but for now the Twins are still making it happen and staying in the race. It might be luck but I will keep saying that the deeper into the season we get, at some point people are going to need to give the Twins some credit. It feels alot like when the White Sox would complain about the Twins winning the division even though they were not the better team.

Games are won on the field, not on paper. The same goes with division titles. This years Twins may not be the best team in terms of stats but they are winning games, more than most thought they would. The reasons might be luck. It might be that even though the Twins are an average team statistically the rest of the division is no better but they are winning regardless of the why.

If the Twins play the second half like the first half, they have a real shot at the division. Most didn't think this was possible. The stats may point that this is improbable but games are won or lost on the field and so far it feels like the Twins might be able to pull off the impossible.

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I couldn't agree more . . .

With all these writers that it can’t last, there’s no way they can keep this up etc. etc. However it just seems that the Twins are defying the odds and if they’ve done it this long why can’t they continue. I also have to believe that if we looked at some of these statistics over June and July it would show the Twins have improved and been better than 7th or 8th in things like OBP OPS etc.

If you look at some of our replacements and their performance it goes to show there has to have been improvement in the offense.

Harris/Buscher/Macri > Lamb
Harris at SS > Everett
Casilla > Harris at 2B
Delmon Young June&July > Delmon Young April & May
Span > Cuddyer (It’s sad to say but it’s true for this season)
+1 Cuddyer was hitting a lot better before he got injured than he was early in the season

Kubel has been hitting really well since May, Mauer and Morneau are both about the same overall with Morneau hitting for more average but less power recently.

So I’m not sure where to go to see where teams ranked in June or July rather than the whole season but I’d be interested to see if the Twins offensive statistics look so bad mostly because of a slow start.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Jul 13, 2008 6:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fat, old, slow

You can probably toss stupid in there for a couple of positions.

Those are some of the Tigers’ problems. Hell, they’re better with the kids they’ve been calling up, and Thames, than with Sheffield and Pudge, and even though Cabrera has some numbers, he’s a sled on the basepaths and he fields like he’s wearing a waffle iron instead of a glove. What a collection of liabilities.

At least they are re-proving that Jim Leyland – like all managers – is as good as his players, just like Colorado originally proved about him in ‘99.

by Johnny Safron on Jul 13, 2008 10:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The guilty author

I’m the one who wrote the article. It was written more out of frustration with the Tigers than disrespect of the Twins. Any team which is 1 1/2 games out of first at the all-star break is a legitimate contender. The Twins offense may be somewhat lucky to be third in the league in runs but I like their young pitching staff and it should get even better in the second half. I think the Twins need to make some moves if they are to keep pace with the White Sox but they should stay in the race.

Lee

by tiger337337 on Jul 13, 2008 11:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for stopping by Lee

I agree that the Twins need to make some moves-I think it’s the number one frustration with the fan base, and it’s magnified around this site. And I certainly can’t blame you for being frustrated about the Tigers-they were the favorites to win the division coming into the season, and with good reason.

Feel free to drop by again to offer a Detroit perspective!

by Jesse on Jul 14, 2008 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Los Tigres

I think the Tigers are old and lack intensity/enthusiasm. When they get going, they can really feed off each other and jump on a team. But most of the time, they seem to be waiting for something good to happen rather than making it happen. I wonder where this team would be without guys like Matt Joyce, whom nobody thought would be an important part of the team going into spring training.

It reminds me of what the manager said in Bull Durham. They lolligag around first base. They lolligag around second base. They lolligag in the infield. They lolligag in the outfield. They’re just a bunch of lolligagers.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Jul 14, 2008 11:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs