They've got enough firepower to win it without Buxton, but with him out I wish they would go Rosario/Kepler/Gonzalez in the OF. Cave made a good catch yesterday, but he is really lacking at the plate. Put Adrianza in left as the next option.
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- Thread starter Mtowncyclone13
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They've got enough firepower to win it without Buxton, but with him out I wish they would go Rosario/Kepler/Gonzalez in the OF. Cave made a good catch yesterday, but he is really lacking at the plate. Put Adrianza in left as the next option.
I agree. It feels like we are going to need a lineup capable of consistently putting 5-6+ runs on the board to contend with the Astros and Yankees this year (and maybe more with the Yankees). Cave is a good defensive player, but he's a liability at the plate.
One positive takeaway - The Royals announcers were really trying to find something positive to pull out of the sweep yesterday. When Cave stopped Merrifield's streak with that diving catch to end the game, you could actually feel the string of swear words they wanted to unleash! I was cracking up.
I'd say bordering on reckless. Everyone loves the dramatic defensive saves, but at some point, he needs to realize missing 10+ days vs getting one out is a giant net loss.
Sano just blasts a walk off HR to win tonight. And Cleveland lost.
Amazing result last night. Atlanta's pitcher was dealing. Twins found a way. Need to win one of the next two and would love to get 3 of 4 against Cleveland.
Martin looked pretty damn good to start the ninth, Arraez kind of slapped a broken bat hit with two out and I'm thinking "Might as well send Sano up there with two out, just swing real hard in case you hit something."
Presto!
Presto!
Interesting bit of trivia on Sano's walk off last night from The Athletic:
The team’s first pinch-hit, walk-off homer since Michael Cuddyer hit one to beat the Los Angeles Angels on April 19, 2006, at the Metrodome, Sanó’s home run extended the Twins’ lead over Cleveland in the American League Central to four games as they won for the ninth time in 11 tries.
It also represented the Twins’ first walk-off homer against the Atlanta Braves since Kirby Puckett dialed long distance in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. Perhaps sensing the moment, Sanó said he predicted his heroics to assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez while the two worked in the cage in the late innings.
The team’s first pinch-hit, walk-off homer since Michael Cuddyer hit one to beat the Los Angeles Angels on April 19, 2006, at the Metrodome, Sanó’s home run extended the Twins’ lead over Cleveland in the American League Central to four games as they won for the ninth time in 11 tries.
It also represented the Twins’ first walk-off homer against the Atlanta Braves since Kirby Puckett dialed long distance in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. Perhaps sensing the moment, Sanó said he predicted his heroics to assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez while the two worked in the cage in the late innings.
I may have just got caught up in hype, but I havent seen a player actually punish a ball like that in a while. Sano smoked that thing and players instantly just started walking off the field. Blyleven called it too! "Sano with 18 homers on the year and I have a feeling it's about to be 19." Next pitch- game over.
Love the confidence that he's building. If Rudy can keep him off the breaking stuff, and continue to look to crush fastballs, Sano will be quite the offensive force for the Twins. Watching and learning from a pro like Cruz doesn't hurt either.
So Berrios has the worst outing (earned run wise, anyway) of his career, and gets punked by Hunter Wendelstedt. Hunter is still grinding the axe over Gardy.
On the plus side, Cruz has another multi-HR game.
Hopefully the matinee goes well.....Indians have a doubleheader today, then come here to get exposed by the Bomba Squad.
On the plus side, Cruz has another multi-HR game.
Hopefully the matinee goes well.....Indians have a doubleheader today, then come here to get exposed by the Bomba Squad.
With our firepower, if it's within 7 or less you gotta play to win.
It's a marathon, not a sprint and sometimes you have to ask the starter to suck up some innings when it's just not worth burning up your bullpen. It's the Braves, not the Royals or White Sox, and the night game is followed by a Wednesday 1200 matinee today. Gotta play the long game here especially with Indians coming to town and August is punch them back out of the race month.
Plus Cleveland is playing a doubleheader today, let them be the ones with a tired bullpen come Thursday and Friday.
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The Athletic had a summary of the races for the postseason for all 30 teams. The had the Astros as a fairly big fav to win it all followed by the Dodgers with Yanks falling to a somewhat distant 3rd. The next two teams are what they labeled as "Ascending Contenders", kinda like the terminology. Appropriate to the current series it was the Twins and Braves with Twins clocking in at #4 followed by the Braves.
Linky if you have a subscription:
https://theathletic.com/1116100/201...0-teams-from-the-superpowers-to-the-rebuilds/
Linky if you have a subscription:
https://theathletic.com/1116100/201...0-teams-from-the-superpowers-to-the-rebuilds/
Same starting pitching strategy as yesterday. Down by four, the game must be over so let the starter who's not on continue to get drilled. Not saying you throw Romo or Rogers in there, but at least put one of the kids in for some experience and see if they can do better.
Cleveland won the first game and leads the second. Their pitching has given up zero runs so far today in 14 innings. At that rate their bullpen will be well-rested.
But I'm thinking our guys are going to be ready for them.
But I'm thinking our guys are going to be ready for them.
Them chucking all of those zeros so far today kinda blows the usual bullpen doubleheader workload scenario. Could still go extras though, say like 16 innings or so?
And where was this Mike Lynn last year? Going after his 15 win!
