It’s embarrassing how bad our catchers have been at throwing out baserunners. Thank god not many teams steal anymore. Even Mauer wasn’t very good at it. That being said, I don’t think our pitchers are getting much coaching to hold runners either. A lot of the time the guys are stealing the base off the pitcher not the catcher.
How about letting a pitcher throw more than 60 or 70 pitches. Tired of hearing the color guys say “well their arms are conditioned yet at this point of the season….) ?! What have they been doing all off season and spring training.
Give me a break. If you let em go longer maybe that will help? If they get in trouble then pull in a reliever but man, this really gets me. I don’t care how many times the “order” has seen them, if they are doing fine, let em go.
How about letting a pitcher throw more than 60 or 70 pitches.
Agreed. Lavelle had a good rant about this on KFAN last week, basically saying they limit pitches to protect the pitchers, but the pitchers are breaking down at historic levels…so maybe limiting them is the problem.
I think I heard one of the Twins brain trust say that a catcher that can “frame” the pitches successfully will contribute more to outs than throwing out a base stealer.
I think I heard one of the Twins brain trust say that a catcher that can “frame” the pitches successfully will contribute more to outs than throwing out a base stealer.
This is the same braintrust that has dazzled the fans with Shoemaker, Simmons, Colume. Lets not get to carried away.
I think if you look at baseball as a whole (stolen bases, sac bunts, station to station baseball) strategy and non analytical tactics are up. This tells me that the league is beginning to realize that basing decisions solely on analytics is not working. NO CRAP. But luckily they are starting to go back to real baseball.
As for the pitching crap, it drives me insane. Yes pitchers are breaking down at historic levels, but that’s more because of how hard they are teaching these guys to throw. Elbows and shoulders cannot handle that stress. My frustration is when they say, “third time around the lineup is when pitchers get crushed”. Well I wonder why? If you never let these guys learn how to pitch longer in games, and when they are getting a little tired, they will never be able to do it.
Look at the Yankees starters. I think the Cole, Cortez and the other kid they have were averaging almost 8 innings a start when they came to town. And surprise surprise, they have the best rotation in the league.
Training and coaching in the league is at it’s all time worst in my opinion and it shows on the field.
Good news for the Twins, Sonny Gray and Joe Ryan should be back this week.
I think I heard one of the Twins brain trust say that a catcher that can “frame” the pitches successfully will contribute more to outs than throwing out a base stealer.
Bremer likes to throw that out all the time. Absolute BS but pretty sure he is paid to never say a bad thing about the team. Nobody watching Jeffers get abused can say that with a straight face.
I have said numerous times the pitch framing stat is complete BS.
Buxton is on fire again by the way. Named player of the week and started tonight off with another bomb.
I saw Kirillof hit 2 bombs over in St. Paul last weekend… where do you put a guy like that now?? Barring injury, Larnach and Celestino seem to be a mainstay with the big league club now..
Also, funny how you never hear anything positive or negative anymore about Sano… he’s really just become irrelevant..
That’s been the issue with Kirillof in his young career, rakes in the minors but struggle in the majors. Hopefully he can put it together. Pulled Archer after 67 pitches tonight.
Sanchez had a big save as he threw out the runner with a strikeout in the 8th after it hit the backstop on a nasty Dhuran pitch. He has a cannon for an arm. So I believe a lot of the runners stealing are not on the catcher.
That’s been the issue with Kirillof in his young career, rakes in the minors but struggle in the majors. Hopefully he can put it together. Pulled Archer after 67 pitches tonight.
That’s not true. When he was first brought up he crushed the ball for about a 1/4 of a season and then got hurt. He’s been off and on injured ever since.
Sanchez had a big save as he threw out the runner with a strikeout in the 8th after it hit the backstop on a nasty Dhuran pitch. He has a cannon for an arm. So I believe a lot of the runners stealing are not on the catcher.
For as much crap as he takes that was a helluva play and at a big time to do it.
This is the same braintrust that has dazzled the fans with Shoemaker, Simmons, Colume. Lets not get to carried away.
Not getting carried away. I endorse what Tom Kelly said in the late 80s. It’s all about pitching. Until Pohlad opens up the pocketbook and gets some very good pitchers, the Twins will keep dabbling at being good. The brain trust says they can spend the money if they feel it will help the team but that’s just lip service for the fans.
I don’t think the brain trust’s goal is to win the World Series. The brain trust talks about winning the division. They need to build a team that can beat the Yankees and then the Twins might go someplace.
Bremer could be the biggest “homer” broadcaster of all time.
Agreed NETGUY, been saying for years “they can spend the money” then do it!! It has been our most consistent lack of performance over the years. Watch our relievers come parading thru after the starter gets pulled in the 4th. After a 3 or 4 game series it’s no wonder the bullpen gets fried.
Our owners keep banking on the “Cinderella Season” again. That mindset aint putting my butt in a seat.
How about the umpires? Think they’re not aware of the love iof framing right now? Someone said it here last week, “you can’t frame EVERY pitch!!”
I would really like to see more emphasis on hitting to the holes these teams create when they shift and more aggressiveness on the bases. Maybe with the reduction in the ability to shift next year that will become a moot point but still valuable in my opinion. Really hoping they can do something with the human rain delays on the mound and the batters stepping out EVERY time to re-adjust gloves, take a swing, look at the footing, dig into the box……..
That would help tremendously.
I think there’s a solid chance they go after Montas from the A’s or Castillo from the Reds at the deadline if they are still in it. We have plenty of prospects to get one of them and either of them would be a huge addition to the rotation. Montas has a year of control also I think.
Agreed NETGUY, been saying for years “they can spend the money” then do it!! It has been our most consistent lack of performance over the years. Watch our relievers come parading thru after the starter gets pulled in the 4th. After a 3 or 4 game series it’s no wonder the bullpen gets fried.
Our owners keep banking on the “Cinderella Season” again. That mindset aint putting my butt in a seat.
How about the umpires? Think they’re not aware of the love iof framing right now? Someone said it here last week, “you can’t frame EVERY pitch!!”
I would really like to see more emphasis on hitting to the holes these teams create when they shift and more aggressiveness on the bases. Maybe with the reduction in the ability to shift next year that will become a moot point but still valuable in my opinion. Really hoping they can do something with the human rain delays on the mound and the batters stepping out EVERY time to re-adjust gloves, take a swing, look at the footing, dig into the box……..
That would help tremendously.
You see it already with the kids they call up from the minors. They step on the mound, get the sign and start the windup.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Bremer could be the biggest “homer” broadcaster of all time.
Not sure I agree. Did you listen to Paul Allen last season?
Really hoping they can do something with the human rain delays on the mound and the batters stepping out EVERY time to re-adjust gloves, take a swing, look at the footing, dig into the box……..
That would help tremendously.
I miss the days of J. Santana and Greg Maddux when a game could reasonably be expected to last two and a quarter hours. Throw a strike, get the ball back, throw another strike. Wash, rinse and repeat…
Also miss some of the nastier pitches of my youth – Drysdale, Gibson, et al. Step out of the box, mess around with your cup, swing the bat and you could expect some chin music.
They said last night Buxton has hit 45 homeruns since he last hit into a double play. Seems crazy as much as we hit into double plays. Every time i think a batter is taking to long I just think at least is not Nomar Garciaparra he had to be the worst ever. The loosen and tighten batting gloves on every pitch i wanted to choke that duesch.
“They said last night Buxton has hit 45 homeruns since he last hit into a double play.”
This truly is an amazing stat when you think about it ~
its impressive for sure, now if we could just get him on the field for a 140 games we would have a chance to compete. We just took 5 of 9 from Toronto, Tampa and New York with Devin Smeltzer as are best pitcher. We may have a chance this year if Ryan and Gray can pitch like they have and stay healthy. Our bullpen has not been too bad either. Jax has pitched good and with Dhuran and Pagan, things could get interesting.
its impressive for sure, now if we could just get him on the field for a 140 games we would have a chance to compete. We just took 5 of 9 from Toronto, Tampa and New York with Devin Smeltzer as are best pitcher. We may have a chance this year if Ryan and Gray can pitch like they have and stay healthy. Our bullpen has not been too bad either. Jax has pitched good and with Dhuran and Pagan, things could get interesting.
For what it’s worth, Buxton has been playing much more lately. I think he will surpass that 100 game goal they set. I don’t mind if he’s at DH especially the way Celestino has played. If we were still trotting Jake Cave out there I’d be thinking differently.
The issue with the bullpen is Rocco’s love of taking his starters out in the fourth inning. His bullpens have started each season he’s managed here very strong (other than Colome last year) and then completely imploded in the second half. Because they are asked to work 4-5 innings each night. It is not sustainable and I suspect it will happen again this year.
It’s a can’t miss absolute lock that the bullpen implodes again this year. I’ve said it from the first week, Rocco will kill it dead. When the only goal is 4 innings from your starters your pen is dead.
But then, starters aren’t paid to win games, if they don’t win you don’t need to pay them big money. Bullpen guys are a dime a dozen. Buy them, burn them up, release them. Rinse & repeat. I believe the goal is to win games without a huge (or even average) investment in starting pitching.
I believe the goal is to win games without a huge (or even average) investment in
starting pitching.a championship team.
Fixed it for you. The Silver Spoon Pohlads have no desire to even attempt to win a World Series, act accordingly. 
Until they extend Correa for $350 million!
But then we definitely won’t be able to pay for any starting pitching.
Don’t look now but the Guardians with Francona are only 2 1/2 games back.
Really hoping they can do something with the human rain delays on the mound and the batters stepping out EVERY time to re-adjust gloves, take a swing, look at the footing, dig into the box……..
That would help tremendously.
Yup. Since the average number of pitches per game is 250-300, if you cut back the TBP (time between pitches) by 10 seconds, you would shorten the game by 40-50 minutes.
Not sure I agree. Did you listen to Paul Allen last season?
I avoid listening to Paul Allen at all costs. He’s calling a long run and he tells you what the runner’s favorite breakfast food is (who the hell cares) while the runner covers 30-40 yards.
The biggest ongoing delay in baseball games are the analytics that suggest managers should make multiple pitching changes to create statistical match ups. I’m not arguing on some level that it doesn’t work, but all those changes, commercial breaks, etc are what have added 30 minutes+ per game in the past decade or so. Speeding up batters and pitchers will help but not nearly as much. Overuse of analytics is driving many fans, especially younger ones away ~
These youtube announcers are terrible.
i thought they were pretty good but i ducked in and out quite a bit. the big guy really knew his $hit almost Tony Romo esque. i don’t know what the grasshopper eating bit was but it was pretty neutral commentary i thought.
all they do is win series these days! i think i am going to take my daughter to a game next week. i was going to walk up and just buy tickets at Target field. is there a better way? it’s been 8 years since i last went. i actually wanted to hit up a saints game but they are on the road next week
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