In the last 18 games, the Twins are 3-15 with a -61 run differential.— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 29, 2016
The Monday print column is about the shoddy defense, with an emphasis on the errors this team has piled up. I wrote the thing Sunday morning. A few hours later, the Twins starting outfield consisted of Robbie Grossman (leads the American League in errors by a left fielder), Danny Santana (a shortstop) and Max Kepler (leads the American League in errors by a right fielder). And on the first play of the game, Grossman and Santana collided on the warning track, with Santana spraining his left shoulder.
The Twins after the game put Santana on the disabled list and called up the legendary Logan Schafer, who they plucked out of an independent league in June. Not Byron Buxton, who can at least make some plays in the outfield and just had a four-game home run streak at Rochester. Nor Adam Brett Walker or Daniel Palka, who've had impressive power numbers (admittedly, neither is a center fielder).
Seth Stohs:
Between today and the end of the AAA season, Walker/Palka will each get 30-35 plate appearances. With Twins, they'd get 8 maybe.— Seth Stohs (@SethTweets) August 29, 2016
Calling up Logan Schafer is not exciting in any way, but I'm OK with him getting 2 games in 8 days while Walker/Palka keep playing daily.— Seth Stohs (@SethTweets) August 29, 2016
I don't think the loss of 35 August at-bats matters a whit in terms of development. I think the Red Wings still have a chance of making the International League playoffs, and Twins are loathe to take a big piece of their lineup out to sit on the big league bench.
Which is, perhaps, part of why they still have their valued affiliation with Rochester. It sure does nothing to make the big league club more watchable or interesting.
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