35thstreetswarm

I understand the logic of favoring a bump to later in the season but damn, I was really feeling a win in this one with Lynn on the mound and some late-inning momentum from yesterday. Would have liked to salvage the split and leave town up 3.5. Oh well.

The Chicago Cubs for obvious geographic and historical reasons that some people make a sport out of denying and/or willfully ignoring. (And the volume of the protestations of those who claim they are *not* rivals -- from both sides of town, but particularly the Cubs fanbase -- only further proves the rivalry). IMO this is, and will always be, the Sox #1 rival. Every team in the AL Central for competitive reasons: I honestly think you just put whichever team is currently best at the top of the list, though there does seem to be a special history with the Twins.

It depends on whose "expectations," I suppose. PECOTA projections (which I recall you crediting more than most posters here) had us pegged at 83 wins and 3rd place when released in 2021, and 82.5 before the 2020 season (updated to 31 wins before shortened season).

Correct, and I suspect both ideas coexist in the minds of most reasonable fans, who realize: (1) the team is playing well, for which TLR deserves some credit; (2) TLR has made some very questionable in-game moves and created unnecessary controversy, which is concerning; (3) we hope the questionable decisionmaking improves or is eclipsed by the team's overall success and talent, and that we win the WS and are too overjoyed to concern ourselves with which of those things it was. There - come out of your trenches, maintain some flexibility and humility, and enjoy this great season.

Yes, I think this far more accurately captures the conventional wisdom coming into the season both on this board and off. I say that as someone who is terrified of TLR in the playoffs, but the team as a whole has exceeded expectations for a full roster, and far exceeded them for a team missing two core players.

No - you beat all the best teams always. It's what real bros do. Anything less and standings, run differential, offensive/pitching statistics be damned, *I* am unimpressed.

Cubs with a big May, but against the very bottom of MLB in Pittsburgh, Detroit, Washington, etc. Stepping into a schedule buzzsaw now playing SD for two series, SF, Mets, Brewers, 4 at LA. Will be interesting to see if they fall out despite playing in what's looking like a weak division.

Good because he’s been f’ing kryptonite for us. Hoping third time’s a charm.

Winning does not insulate a manager from criticism (see e.g. Ricky last year, who got plenty of well-deserved criticism while managing a winning team.) BUT, I freely admit you can reach a point where the results are good enough that banging the “manager sucks” drum starts to just sound a little silly. Not quite there yet, but I sincerely hope we get there. I promise you will not hear me talking about Tony’s (objectively bad) decision to leave Giolito in an April game at a hypothetical WS rally.

Never made it there, sadly, so not sure. Got waylaid at Revolution brewpub (which is very much open, and the best-kept secret in the park is that you can avoid the looong beer lines in this no-vendor period by taking a few steps up the Revolution stairs to a dead-empty bar).

If it makes you feel better my sons got SIX mlb balls hanging around the two bullpens pregame and talking to the pitchers warming up. That was worth the price of admission.

Thought it was. The upper deck craft kave mini store is. I will investigate?

I can confirm that it is NOT open. Tried to go today. They said mid-June.

Is this real

I honestly don't think Cease looked gassed in the way Giolito did. I was screaming for Gio to get pulled that night; not so with Cease yesterday. FWIW I wouldn't have blamed TLR at all if Cease blew it as I was hoping he'd get the chance to pitch out of it.

From my radar it looks like they get this one in.

Oooh, good idea. I'd buy that.

Yeah I was on the online store within an hour and Eloy was the only player left...hotcakes!

joke

Like I said in the Diamond Club thread, way more interesting than those atrocious Boston UCLA unis. But I was pining for white on white, and I can't help but see echoes of those knockoff jerseys you sometimes see popping up on sale racks. Will also need to see the weird off-black background up close to pass judgment on whether it's better or worse than straight black. Edit: the response I'm seeing is overwhelmingly positive, which is all that really matters. If these get people excited about this awesome, supremely likable, "game-changing" team I'm 100% on board.

Gangsta! IMO better (less boring) than the Boston unis, though I was reeeaaaally hoping for a white-on-white design. These look a bit like knock-off jerseys you sometimes see popping up on sale racks. Hopefully they sell well and people like them.

I think that's the only explanation. If there were not two outs I GUESS he could have been worried about the run scoring...but even that's very hard to imagine.

Why is everyone talking about throwing home?! There were two outs! Tag first base and the inning is over. Hell, tag it after a run scores and it doesn’t even count. That’s the beginning, middle, and end of this story.

Yeah, Kluber was the one vet starter I was really, really disappointed we didn’t get this off-season, but this was always the big risk. Fingers crossed on Rodon’s health, of course, but so far looks like we made the right move.

You had a nearly identical post before the Twins series discounting our prior wins and saying you wanted to see us perform against better competition in the Twins and Yankees. I see our beating up on the Twins didn’t impress you much once we actually did it. Does beating St. Louis drop them a weight class?