RobDeer 45

I feel like he really needs to get some love on these boards. He was bashed so much on here and has really been amazing so far this year. I thought he was done but I'm eating my words and I'm glad that I am. He's been nothing but humble through the good and bad. Good for your Teen Wolf!

I totally agree. I don't get to see a lot of the games but listen to most. I have noticed though that instead of planting his feet on some balls he's charged he throws on the run (even though he had time) and made throwing errors. How many of his errors have been throwing and how many have been with the glove? Maybe I've just caught the throwing ones but I feel I've seen that more. I think we will all be amazed at how he settles in at short. No worries here.

I think the pitching has a good amount to do with his and everyone's def this year. When pitchers can't throw strikes it doesn't keep the defenders in the game. And if they are behind in the count and giving up rockets that won't help either. I expected growing pains with him and I'm confident that he'll come around and be pretty solid. But you all are correct, Hardy did not screw up. Maybe wasn't flashy but smooth. I think Escobar can be that way too.

He has a lot of movement on those pitches too. Look out, could have another spot. How cool would that be if he would play the utility role and pitch. Super utility you might say.

Was at the Twins game and missed the radio call on this but was watching my game tracker on the phone. Awesome win! Lets keep the momentum rolling here and get back within 5 games of the lead. And how about Cappy coming back now too! Great day.

SO AWESOME! I hope he does well and stays healthy. I too am happy with soup in his new role. I say keep him up for now.

Rob Deer/Tequilla - Go big or go home!

Because it takes the sac fly out of the equation. I just don't think it's an effective play and I don't think they are concerned with the runner on 1st because he means nothing to the game. So they will either have a play on or the catcher will fake to 2nd and throw to third. Either way I don't think it produces a run. I understand you want Macha do do more but I think there is a time and a place for it. I'm up for manufactoring runs or trying a trick play every once and awhile but probably not in that situation. Numbers were in our favor that we'd be able to score him. As for a squeeze, I could see that if our best player wasn't up.

And on a side note the middle infielder will charge the throw and not be near the base when catching it so no the runner will not get in the way of the throw.

You would have called for his head if he tried that and failed. This is not little league, that stuff rarely works. This is a little commical

Wow, gross win. I understand the PH of the pitcher but man, that's tough to swallow. We should not be in these types of games with these types of teams.........unless we are one of these types of teams.

Do you think it would be better on his arm to start him? I haven't followed too closely but how many innings did he pitch in his last start? I'm just thinking when a pitcher knows when he's going to start he's going to tend to be loser. Also, I believe it to be easier on their arms if they got 6 innings and rest 5-6 days then go two innings rest a few days and go two more. I'd say whatever is best for his arm we should go with but I'd love to see him up if he's ready.

Melvin is doing a great job in my book. Look at where we were, look at where we are now. Look at how many people come out to see this team play. I know that has changed a lot of expectations and we all want them to get to the next level but it's very difficult to do with our resources. Yes I want a winner, but I'm happy to actually have a chance at the playoffs each year instead of hoping we don't finish last. I also think our farm system has become way more exciting.

Again, what would Stetter have gotten for us? Not a lot. It's so easy for us to look back and say.... ya we should have traded him on July 18th of last year, so dumb that he didn't. You can't just trade guys that are playing well, doesn't make sense. And lets not over value everyone who puts together a few good months.

Well that was a terrible game to go to! Beautiful night for a game and then boom, punched in the face in the first inning. Oh well, hopefully we can get going tomorrow. Read the Star Trib today and Gomez apologized for his antics last night. He said he got really excited and didn't know he hit Mauer with his bat. When he came back to home Mauer was barking at him and so he made that gesture because he thought he was getting it for no reason. Ya he shouldn't have pimped it in a blowout but hey, the guys got fire and passion and I'm all for it.

Hoffman, maybe he can hit instead of pitching. That will at least save us a few runs given up.

He's got to be done. I hate to say it but I hope he has enough pride to retire.

Ship out the old guys and let the young guys play!

I'm laughing right now (and wanting to cry at the same time).

I have no idea how to rank the divisions in baseball but I hear a lot of talk about how certain divisions (like the AL central) are the weakest in baseball. What do you base that on? Where do you think the divisions rank? I think after we see some inter league play we'll have a better idea.

Exactly Teatoe993, would the Braves have given up Hansen for Prince last year.....doubt it.

Thank you rluzinski! Too many of us have a distorted view on trade value. To get a can't miss pitcher we'd have to give up a guy like Prince Fielder (early in his career) and who knows what else. I keep hearing this Hart and Hardy stuff and there is just no way we could have gotten a "stud" pitcher that was almost major league ready. And someone else said it and I said it in my last post but it's impossible to predict that a player is going to go from all star to being benched in a matter of 3-6 months. You just can't flat out expect him to make trades like that. You don't typically trade all star players unless they are with in a year or year and a half from FA. You probably don't do it if you are a year out or more unless your team is falling apart. I'm sorry but this is not Fantasy Baseball where you just add drop and trade guys left and right. I will fault him for not stocking our minor league system with stud arms but until recently he hasn't had the trade bait to acquire these types of players, period. Sheets would have been a good one but his health really killed us so there was no trade value there. Now we have a guy like prince that could (and might have to be packaged with some of our blocked prospects) fetch us a stud or two and I hope he pulls it off.

I love the new look and have seen it posted on here before. Can this or has this been presented to team officials? As for the old unis, I love them but wish they'd only pull them out a few times a year. Makes it more exciting!

You can't blame him for not tradig guys in their prime when they are not clos to FA. You'd have to see the future to do that. The theory is you trade them a year or two out from FA, not when they get hot. That's just unrealistic to expect that. I too agree that fielder won't fetch a ton but we could get a few above average players. People who think we should trade people like counsell and hart now, what do you think you will get? A bag of balls and few bats? This all goes back to pitching for me. Pitchers are the most valuable prospect and fetch outrageous amounts at the trade deadline when they get older. You build a small to mid market team through pitching!!! As for the AL Central being bad competition, I don't get that. I don't think the brewers would do any better in that division.

I have talked about this many a time with friends and mentioned it on here too. I too have that feeling of being stuck in "average-ville." My theory is that you need to do it like the twins do. You win with pitching and young prospects. You get these players by trading your studs and re-stocking the farm. I agree that it is a long process but I'm not sure if we've done a good job at bringing in young arms. Whether through the drafts or trade we just aren't getting them. I also think that our GM puts more emphasis on power bats and not on D and pitching. I could be wrong but it just seems that way. Or maybe that's just what has worked out the best for us. I would much rather see us more consistent with good pitching and maybe frustrated about our offense then to see us go on such violent swings of really good and really bad. I think we need to trade guys like Prince at this time to replenish our pitching. Then when we have a chance for a run at the playoffs you make a trade here and there but you don't cut the life line of your team by giving up top notch prospects. Unless it's a legit chance to win the whole thing, not just make the playoffs. Prospects are the most valuable thing for mid to low market team and you have to put priority on keeping your farm system full of them. As other posters have said, we are not going to ever get a top notch FA, we have to bring them up within, take a chance on signing a few of them longer term. We can't spend our money on guys like soup, it won't get us anywhere. We can bring a guy like that in on a year to year basis or maybe a 2 year deal but the focus has to be on young talent from within!