MLB: Minnesota Twins are nothing more than mediocre

[DolphLundgren]

Agreed. Twins suck. They cannot compete with the Rangers, who they were 9-3 (?) against this year.

They suck. Screw em, especially since they could end up with the best record in baseball.

MEDIOCRE!

 

[jdoggivjc]

Can not beat the New York Yankees.
Can not beat the Boston Red Sox.
Can not beat the Tampa Bay Rays.
Can not beat the Texas Rangers.

They can beat everybody else, but they can not beat the teams (I should say team) they'll have to face in the playoffs. They'll be one and done as always in the playoffs. If they're lucky to even hold this 3.5 game lead.

162 games for it to all be over in 3.

So, considering the Twins have the best record in MLB and the 3rd best record all-time in the AL since the All Star Break, and are 1/2 game out of the best overall record in MLB, are we still of the opinion that the Twins are "mediocre"? :biglaugh:

 

[GeronimusClone]

OP should be stripped of Twins Fan status.

 

[VeloClone]

I'm no Twins fan, but I recognize this as bunk. You don't make the playoffs with one of the best records in the league with a mediocre team.

These guys can really crank out the runs. Consistency could be better, but baseball is a fickle sport; hence the series scheduling rather than just one game against a team.

 

[RING4CY]

So, considering the Twins have the best record in MLB and the 3rd best record all-time in the AL since the All Star Break, and are 1/2 game out of the best overall record in MLB, are we still of the opinion that the Twins are "mediocre"? :biglaugh:

Okay, I was wrong in saying they wouldn't be able to hold the 3.5 game lead. They certainly have extended that. They do however still have to win a playoff series (or 3.) Even now they have given me some hope that they won't be one and done in the playoffs, and here's why:

The only time the Twins have won a playoff series under the Gardenhire era was in 2002. That year they won the AL Central by 13.5 games. In other years they've won the Central:

2002: 13.5 games
2003: 4 games
2004: 9 games
2006: 1 game
2009: 1 game

Outside of 2002 and 2004, the Twins have basically have had to go down to the wire of the season, essentially using all their gas to win the division. In years such as '02 and '04 where the Twins won the Central convincingly, they had time to rest some players, get their pitching staff setup for how they want for the playoffs and such. That is my hope this year as well now.

With the magic number down to 8, hopefully the Twins can wrap up the division in the next 10 days or so, allowing them a week to rest some guys and get their pitching situation to the way they want it for the playoffs. Be able to have Pavano or Liriano ready to pitch game 1 of the playoffs rather than having to use them in games 162 or 163.

While that is happening, hopefully the race between the Rays and Yankees goes down to the wire (or maybe even a game 163 for them,) forcing them to have to use everything they have to win that division title out of the East.
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1.03.01

 

[RING4CY]

OP should be stripped of Twins Fan status.

You're right. Because I'm sure you have had 100% faith in 100% of your teams 100% of the time.

 

[GeronimusClone]

You're right. Because I'm sure you have had 100% faith in 100% of your teams 100% of the time.

Wow, JFWY big timer.
And, when you claimed they are mediocre they were 17 games over .500 or something like that. That's a little extreme, even for me.

 

[MrGreg]

I get the OP's lack of confidence. Twins fans have been burned a lot this past decade. Don't get me wrong, making the playoffs is great, but they usually go to pieces when playing the big boys. The Twins are having a heck of a run right now and I'm excited, but I'm still skeptical of how they will do in the playoffs. But maybe they will surprise me this year :smile:

 

[colbycheese]

Knoblauch had some good years in NY, but then he completely lost the ability to throw it from second to first.
Ortiz got better because he started doing roids.

Didn't Knoblauch get caught doing roids too a year or two after he went to the Yankees?

 

[jdoggivjc]

I get the OP's lack of confidence. Twins fans have been burned a lot this past decade. Don't get me wrong, making the playoffs is great, but they usually go to pieces when playing the big boys. The Twins are having a heck of a run right now and I'm excited, but I'm still skeptical of how they will do in the playoffs. But maybe they will surprise me this year :smile:

The one thing the Twins have going for them this year is they have a clear 1-2 punch between Pavano and Liriano, and then Duensing is definitely pitching well enough to be #3. All you have to do is then debate whether you want to make Blackburn or Baker #4, or if you want to limit it to a 3-man playoff rotation.

On top of that, analysts are saying that the Twins picking up Fuentes is at the very worst the most underrated move, if not the best move. They also argue the Twins have the best bullpen going into the playoffs.

Additionally, the Twins have one of the best offenses in the game as well. They are second overall in both batting and hits, and fifth overall in runs scored. Yes, they are 20th overall in home runs, but part of that is everybody is hard-pressed to hit home runs at Target Field. That being said, the Twins are a MLB-best 48-23 at home, and considering their overall offensive numbers, it means the Twins know how to put up runs at Target Field in spite of their inability to hit for power there.

I think the big factor will be the Twins' ability to land home field advantage throughout the ALCS. If they are able to secure this, I think there's a good chance a lot of us will have a lot to cheer for a month from now.

 

[edr247]

Unfortunately, unless we can make a run for the the #1 record in the AL, we might get stuck playing Yankees in the first round. For whatever reason, mentally, these guys seem to scare the Twins.

 

[bawbie]

Unfortunately, unless we can make a run for the the #1 record in the AL, we might get stuck playing Yankees in the first round. For whatever reason, mentally, these guys seem to scare the Twins.

Unless the rangers end up with a better record than the twins (which isn't likely), the twins will play the wild card in the first round with home field advantage. The twins being #1 doesn't affect whether they'll play the yanks or not, that depends on the who wins the east.

 

[jtd9046]

Unfortunately, unless we can make a run for the the #1 record in the AL, we might get stuck playing Yankees in the first round. For whatever reason, mentally, these guys seem to scare the Twins.

#1 record doesn't mean they can't face the Yankees. If they Rays win the division, the Twins will face the Yankees whether they are the #2 or #1 seed.

 

[jtd9046]

Unless the rangers end up with a better record than the twins (which isn't likely), the twins will play the wild card in the first round with home field advantage. The twins being #1 doesn't affect whether they'll play the yanks or not, that depends on the who wins the east.

Beat me to it and said it in better words.

 

[VeloClone]

Wow, JFWY big timer.
And, when you claimed they are mediocre they were 17 games over .500 or something like that. That's a little extreme, even for me.

When GC says something is a little too extreme for him, even E. F. Hutton listens. :wink:

By the way, I think I have a big plate of crow to eat. Before the season started I think I poo-pooed the Twinkies' chances. I think I said that I didn't see the fire in the team and I might have questioned the problems with a team built for the dimensions of the dome making the transition to Target Field.

I. Was. Wrong.

To make amends, I have been 100% behind the Twins since I have not had anything to cheer about again this year (see MLB fav. team). So when I said I'm not a Twins fan, I guess that isn't accurate since about the All-Star break.

Any suggestions on recipes for Corvus brachyrhynchos?

 

[drmwevr08]

This thread title cracks me up.

I hope they can grab home field cause that could really make the difference. Although if they have to face TB at any point, they have the best road record I think. Worst case scenario would definitely be losing to the Yanks in the first round.

 

[IcSyU]

This thread title cracks me up.

I hope they can grab home field cause that could really make the difference. Although if they have to face TB at any point, they have the best road record I think. Worst case scenario would definitely be losing to the Yanks in the first round.

The girl scouts would beat the Yankees right now. No pitcher under 270 pounds has been worth a damn for a couple weeks, and ARod is off the DL which is killing the offense.

 

[drmwevr08]

The girl scouts would beat the Yankees right now. No pitcher under 270 pounds has been worth a damn for a couple weeks, and ARod is off the DL which is killing the offense.

I really hope you are right but I've seen it too many times with the Twins to feel confident.

 

[GeronimusClone]

When GC says something is a little too extreme for him, even E. F. Hutton listens. :wink:

By the way, I think I have a big plate of crow to eat. Before the season started I think I poo-pooed the Twinkies' chances. I think I said that I didn't see the fire in the team and I might have questioned the problems with a team built for the dimensions of the dome making the transition to Target Field.

I. Was. Wrong.

To make amends, I have been 100% behind the Twins since I have not had anything to cheer about again this year (see MLB fav. team). So when I said I'm not a Twins fan, I guess that isn't accurate since about the All-Star break.

Any suggestions on recipes for Corvus brachyrhynchos?

Must be a Cubs thing. My brother, lifelong Cub fan, has been taking credit for the Twins success because he jumped ship in June and got onboard with the Twins.

 

[VeloClone]

This thread title cracks me up.

I hope they can grab home field cause that could really make the difference. Although if they have to face TB at any point, they have the best road record I think. Worst case scenario would definitely be losing to the Yanks in the first round.

It is sickening to see the fans lined up outside the Wankees hotel for autographs whenever they are in town. :no: