Helping The Future

There's no sugarcoating it, the Twins are bad. However, let's get optimistic up in here. While some of the team's biggest stars were some the biggest disappointments on the season, there are some players who have cemented themselves into the team's future plans. Let's take a peek at some under-the-radar guys who have quietly had good seasons.


Taylor Rogers


It started out real bad for Taylor Rogers this year, but he's turned it around for a really solid season. After April his ERA was almost 9. That's bad. Since the calendar flipped to May, Rogers has posted an ERA of 2.64. That's good. He's also has a 11.2 K/9 during that timespan. He's been death to lefties his whole career, but he's shown this year that he might deserve some more high-leverage innings moving forward.


Mitch Garver


#FreeMitch was something that Twins' fan were flooding social media with during the summer. Garver, who has shown to be an above-average bat for a catcher, was finding himself basically splitting time with journeyman Bobby Wilson. As the season has moved along, Garver is getting more and more playing time, and he's making it count. On the season, Garver is slashing .260/.331/.415, for an OPS+ of 101. Not exactly Joe Mauer in his prime, but having someone hold his own at the plate, while I believe making strides behind it, can be a valuable piece for next season.


Jake Cave


Ok, Jake Cave has been a good outfielder for the Twins. He is stretched defensively in center, but he will be a good corner outfielder. Then he's shown to have some pop at the plate, hitting .263/.313/.449. However, let's pump the brakes on saying he's the outfielder of the future and the Twins should trade Buxton or Kepler. That's not happening, and it shouldn't happen. What Cave has done has been really encouraging, and he deserves to make the opening day roster next year, just as a 4th outfielder with some upside.


Gabriel Moya


Video game numbers. That's what Gabriel Moya has had throughout his career in the minors. Seriously, look them up. It's bananas. Now, those amazing numbers are translating to the MLB. Since his latest call up, he has pitched to a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings with just one homerun allowed. He's pitched some high-leverage innings as well as multiple innings when a starter doesn't go deep into the game. He's definitely an intriguing arm to watch.


Tyler Austin


I think Tyler Austin has hit a couple homeruns lately that haven't landed yet. The dude has stupid power. WARNING SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT: Tyler Austin has an OPS of 1.155 with the Twins, in just 12 games though. However, in a little larger sample, Austin has shown to be death to left-handed pitching. In his MLB career (120 plate appearances) he is hitting .304/.383/.657 with 11 homeruns against southpaws. That's a great skillset to have, especially with a lefty-heavy lineup. He could be a great platoon bat for Joe Mauer if he decides to come back next season.


See Twins' fans? It's not all sadness. It mostly is, but I'm trying here.

Exciting News

Well my last post caught the attention of a website much cooler than this one! Bat Flip Sports, a Minnesota Sports blog, reached out and said I can do some writing on its site. I obliged, and I broke down my 10 most heartbreaking moments as a Minnesota sports fan. Check it out here:

http://www.batflipsports.com/top-10-most-heartbreaking-minnesota-sports-moments/ 

Also, I will probably write things for them in the future because it's fun. Check out their site regularly, and if you see the alias "Sugar" on there, that's my scribbles. It's cool to be able to get my mediocre work in front of more eyeballs! 

How to Survive a Terrible Season

It's all about picking your battles. As a Minnesota sports fans, I know all about watching my teams play meaningless games at the end of their respective seasons.


Sadly, this Twins season is no exception. The hometown nine have 42 games left, all of which have no drama or postseason implication. That's a lot of games, so how can a fan make it to the end without losing complete interest? Don't worry, I got you covered. Here are my tips and tricks to survive a terrible season by your favorite team.


DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN WINS AND LOSSES
In these final games, aside from draft position, these games mean nothing for the Twins. That's why when you're watching don't worry too much about the final result, but instead what happens during the game. It will lower your stress level and make it easier to just six back and relax.


PAY ATTENTION TO THE YOUNGER PLAYER'S DEVELOPEMENT
There's always next year right? Well, for next year to be successful, you need younger players to take strides. Derek Wetmore of 1500 ESPN wrote an article laying out some of what Twins' fans should look for with some of the younger players on the team. A couple weeks back, Nick Nelson of Twins Daily also gave his readers some players to track in the final months. Keeping an eye on what the fresh faces are doing will help keep you invested longer.


DON'T PLAN YOUR LIFE AROUND THE GAMES
If my team is in the home stretch of a playoff run, it's difficult to pry me away from my TV. Right now, if I have nothing else to do, I'll sit down and watch some baseball. However, if you have plans or just want to do something else to entertain yourself for the night, it's probably a good idea to do that instead of watching a bad team struggle.


GET OFF THE COUCH
The Fox Sports Go app is my best friend. It lets me watch the Twins while I'm doing things around the house. During last night's baseball game disguised as a football game, I was able to watch it on my phone while during chores around the house. I don't need to fully focus on the game, and I cleaned out our pantry, swept the floor, and unpacked the dishwasher. I got to watch the game, and my wife doesn't hate me. It's a win-win, until I find a way to screw it up. And no, Fox Sports Go doesn't sponsor the blog...yet.


MUTE THE BROADCAST
This one is just a personal preference. If my team isn't doing well, I can't listen to local broadcasters try to spin it to a positive. It doesn't help me cope with the dumpster fire. It just gets me more upset. Plus, there's only so many clichés and canned responses I can listen to, especially if the team is bad. Having the broadcast muted just gives me more freedom to read something else while I watch my team get their teeth kicked in.


AVOID COMMENT SECTIONS
Whether it's the team's social media pages, or an article on the Star Tribune's website, don't look at the comments. It will suck your soul right out of your body. Just don't. Seriously...don't.


Those are some of the ways I can through a difficult season. So remember, just take a deep breath, and we'll get through it. There's always next year right?

Why am I doing this?

What's the point anymore? That's the question I'm asking myself a lot lately.


For my whole life, sports have been a very important part of me. I still tell myself that I remember the Twins winning the World Series in 1991, even though I was barely 3 years-old at the time. Every aspect of my life has revolved around playing, watching, or writing about sports.


Fast forward 27 years, and that most likely made-up memory of sports goodness is all I have. As a Minnesota sports fan, there have been very few highs and a lot of lows. Aside from the amazing run of the Minnesota Lynx, this state has been a championship graveyard for years.


With each passing year, and each passing failure, that burning passion of sports is slowly fading. I have a beautiful wife Sara and an amazing son Quinton who now take up most of my love and time. Don't get me wrong, I still watch sports on a regular basis. However, while I watch the Twins play the White Sox on a Tuesday night when it's beautiful outside I ask the question, what's the point anymore?


I feel like starting this blog will help me answer that question. I will be looking back at some of the heartbreaking moments as a Minnesota sports fan, as well as my thoughts about what is happening currently.


It might be therapeutic, it might be terrible. Either way, it will help pass the time until the next heartbreak.