Autumn Dreamin

Getting a lot of handshake practice this series

Not sure any player has ever vindicated my faith in them quite like Colson Montgomery lol

3 rookie catcher RBIs, very cool. Rough starts for Abel and Bradley adding insult to those deadline injuries for Twins fans.

Today specifically wasn't confirmed until last night, but a late August return was always the timeline.

As someone who got accused of "gaslighting" in spring training threads for suggesting they weren't evidence of another 120 loss season being imminent, it's kind of funny to see a sort of "well, progress was inevitable" take. The team was obviously set to break their own record, until they weren't, at which point it became apparently obvious that they were never going to I guess. And in a sense I actually agree that they were never going to! Last year required so many things to go wrong that it would be hard to repeat that outcome if you tried. But also saying that a few months ago got you accused of shilling for Getz' dumpster dive signings or whatever. Regardless, even though improvement was necessary, or even inevitable, the nature, magnitude, and source of that improvement is still relevant. Not because of what they say about the low bar of last season but because of how they might project going forward. It matters if they can convert MiLB success to the majors, or change approaches to hit for more power, or identify swing/stuff tweaks to reclaim past talent from their acquisitions, or build a cohesive clubhouse atmosphere, or otherwise improve in any number of ways. We know they need all of these improvements, we want them to happen, but apparently don't want them talked about until it's all done I guess? I don't know. My last paycheck didn't make me a millionaire or even get me measurably closer, but I'm not upset when the bank tells me how much it was just because previously being a broke college student set a low water mark.

What an interesting scenario for Taj Bradley. Sent down after a bad start against the Sox, traded, and then called back up to face the Sox again.

This sucks

Assess ➡️Adjust➡️Boom 💣

Scoring has been a little off in this series, quite a few missed plays that have been corrected later. Both free runners are unearned now.

Rikuu with back to back walkoff RBIs, Barons win 2-1 in 11. Both walkoffs against RHP Kenyon Yovan who happens to be a fellow Oregon alum.

You can also catch the handshake after Colson's HR if you watch closely bottom right They've got some chemistry.

Feel like you rarely hear people talk about this as a reason for players to resist coaching.

Underrated positive tonight was Tyler Alexander with a nice 3IP to save the pen. Pitching to a solid 3.40 ERA/1.17 WHIP here compared to 6+ ERA/1.49 WHIP in Milwaukee. If the team splits were swapped it might get credited to coaching, but alas.

That's out if his leg wasn't sore

WS won 9-5. Zavala and Perez both 1-4 with a double and walk. McCants 3-4 with a double and triple. Lodise 2-4 with a triple and HR.

Wow Vargas got screwed in that AB

Good time for some insurance

Cannon 6.1IP, 1 ER (solo shot), 5H, 5K, 1BB. Good progress.

Kannapolis broadcaster Dan Helotie maybe getting some kind of late season cup of coffee in the bigs?

Zavala in August: .296/.408/.438 with 11 walks to 6Ks. Jeral Perez in August: .400/.456/.643 with 8 walks to 7Ks, plus 4 HR (8 XBH total). BMont in August: .358/.456/.552 with 10 walks and 10 doubles in 19 games.

Barons win Game 2 of the DH 4-3. Braden at DH went 1-3 with a walk, August slash at .358/.456/.552 Antonacci 1-2 with a double, a walk, and 3 (!) stolen bases. Could be joining Braden in the .900 OPS club soon, he's at .895. Murphy went 5 IP with 1 unearned run.