OT: Twins Fans...

[Guest]

if they add a couple pitchers they would be hard to beat the rest of the year. Another starter and a closer.

[Guest]

@AllBS said:
To put things in perspective a bit, in 2018 the Twins had hit 80 homeruns at the end of June.  They finished July at 105, August at 143 and Sept at 166.  Think about it.  We've already hit 1/2 of all the homeruns we did in the entire 2018 season so far this year and I'm willing to bet we add to that mark substantially, yet in May.  Can we add another 20 in our remaining games this month?  We've 37 already this month and it's only the 19th.    

The last time I sort of remember the Twins having a power hitting club was back in the Puckett, Herby days.  So I looked back at that the 1987 season to see how we stack up against that club.  62 at the end of May, 102 end of June, 128 end of July, 138 end of August and 196 end of Sept.  Surprisingly the 2017 Twins hit more homers than the 87 club did, finishing with 206.  But even that club only finished with 94 at the end of June.  So far in 2019, we are seeing a type of baseball we've NEVER seen before in MN.  We are no longer the opposite field, slap swinging club of the past.  Top to bottom, every single one of out players can take you deep consistently if you make a mistake.   This is a team you want to watch!!   

For that era, the Twins were a big-hitting bunch.  I don't know how old you are, but I'm old enough to remember when a player hitting 35 HRs was a great season... and 40 was amazing.  That's why those teams seemed like big-hitters: because- for that era- they were.  To wit (I checked): only 4 players hit more than 40 HRs in 1987.  And the Twins had 3 of the top 30 HR hitters that year (Bruno, Hrbek and Gaetti).

FWIW: in 1986, no one had more than 40 HRs (although 1 did hit 40).    

[Guest]

The Twins belted 8 HRs today to finish off the sweep of the LAA...  best record in baseball and they are leading the league in runs scored.

They are HOT HOT HOT!!!

[Guest]

Wow, that 8 homer day tied a 55 year old team record dating back to 1963.  This teams homerun total (98) in 49 games has already surpassed season totals from years '72, '76, '78, and is one behind 1980 season total.  Here's a snippet from this article: https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-hit...eep-angels
98 team homers in 2019

The Twins have hit a Major League-best 98
homers through their first 49 games, putting them on pace for 324 in the
season, which would shatter the single-season record of 266 dingers set
by the Yankees last year.

This matches the most homers hit by a team
through its first 49 games in baseball history, matching both the 2000
Cardinals and 1999 Mariners. The Twins’ previous high mark for most
swats through their first 49 games had been 79 during the 1986 season.

“It’s a really good feeling to be part of
this offense,” Cron said. “When you’re hitting like this, it’s
contagious, and everyone wants to contribute. And once we start hitting,
it kind of piles on like it did today. So it’s been a really fun
start.”

It's pretty remarkable what they're doing.  I think this pace is sustainable too when you think they're doing this without Sano and Cruz for a good amount of the games so far.  Just wait until those guys heat up.  B)

SKOL Twins!

[Guest]

@HappyViking said:
Wow, that 8 homer day tied a 55 year old team record dating back to 1963.  This teams homerun total (98) in 49 games has already surpassed season totals from years '72, '76, '78, and is one behind 1980 season total.  Here's a snippet from this article: https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-hit...eep-angels
98 team homers in 2019

The Twins have hit a Major League-best 98
homers through their first 49 games, putting them on pace for 324 in the
season, which would shatter the single-season record of 266 dingers set
by the Yankees last year.

This matches the most homers hit by a team
through its first 49 games in baseball history, matching both the 2000
Cardinals and 1999 Mariners. The Twins’ previous high mark for most
swats through their first 49 games had been 79 during the 1986 season.

“It’s a really good feeling to be part of
this offense,” Cron said. “When you’re hitting like this, it’s
contagious, and everyone wants to contribute. And once we start hitting,
it kind of piles on like it did today. So it’s been a really fun
start.”

It's pretty remarkable what they're doing.  I think this pace is sustainable too when you think they're doing this without Sano and Cruz for a good amount of the games so far.  Just wait until those guys heat up.  B)

SKOL Twins!

Hee Hee Hee...
Not your fathers Twinkies.
WIN TWINS!!!

[Guest]

@HappyViking said:

It's pretty remarkable what they're doing.  I think this pace is sustainable too when you think they're doing this without Sano and Cruz for a good amount of the games so far.  Just wait until those guys heat up.  B)

SKOL Twins!

I think it is sustainable too...  they're without Garver (9 HRs in 27 or so games) and haven't had Cruz (7 HRs) in the lineup for the last week.  Sano has played 6 games so far this season and has 4 HRs after missing the first 40-some games.

If they can make those three fixtures in their lineup, I don't see them slowing down.  Rosario, Polanco, Schoop, Cron, and Kepler are all on pace for 20+ HRs.  There is a lot of power in the lineup...  and when you combine that with some good starting pitching, people should be paying attention to this team.

[Guest]

Would you believe... 36-16 after sweeping the White Sox?!  

Best record in baseball (1 1/2 games ahead of Dodgers, 2 ahead of Yankees and Astros)
11-1 in last 12 outscoring opponents 101-44 (um, that's insane)

Twins now have a 10-game lead over Cleveland, the only other Central team with a .500 record (26-26).  

Once Garver and Cruz get back, anything from Sano would be a bonus. 

[Guest]

Hitting coach James Rowson is man behind Twins' offensive breakoutJames Rowson and assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez are at the heart, or at least the calluses, of the Twins' transformation into a feared slugging lineup.
If James Rowson were an NFL coordinator, he’d be famous.
His name would populate the news crawls at the bottom of the screen on every sports channel. Opposing teams would be talking to his agent. Opposing coaches would be trying to steal his secrets.
Rowson is an offensive coordinator, of sorts, as the Twins hitting coach. Because baseball coaching in general and the coaching of hitting in particular is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, Rowson is as anonymous as an accountant’s assistant.
He shouldn’t be. Rowson and assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez are at the heart, or at least the calluses, of the Twins’ transformation. Last year, the Twins finished 23rd in the majors with 166 home runs. This year, they rank first in the majors in home runs with 104 — averaging two per game, putting them on pace to hit 324, which would break the MLB record by 57.
The baseball is harder. More players strive for optimal launch angle. The deep Twins lineup wears down opposing pitchers. Those elements would explain improvement. They don’t explain the most stunning development in baseball — the Twins putting themselves on pace to break home run marks while building the game’s best record.
Before the Twins beat the White Sox 7-0 on Sunday, Rowson tried to explain the inexplicable.
“The fact that the ball is leaving the ballpark is a pretty cool thing right now,” Rowson said. “But the approach is not to hit home runs. The approach is to get good pitches and hit them hard, and more than anything to be yourself in each at-bat.”
http://www.startribune.com/hitting-coach...510458072/

[Guest]

Smeltzer?  Didn't see that coming.  Congrats kid, you just shutdown a very good MLB team!

https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/devin-sme...ut-innings

[Guest]

@HappyViking said:
Smeltzer?  Didn't see that coming.  Congrats kid, you just shutdown a very good MLB team!

https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/devin-sme...ut-innings

he was impressive to watch,  ice in his veins and didnt let the moment get bigger than him.  if he can put up a couple more starts like that he might be tough to send back down.