Twins

[LPS]

I read that this is the first time we have played there since 2005. 

[KEN W]

Yup......2-11 at Dodger Stadium.

[Steve-o]

The Twins ran wild too, stealing 4 bases for the 1st time since 2017.

Bremmer was thinking there might have been something wrong with the catcher's throwing arm.  He said he was throwing side arm or even submarine to get the ball to 2nd base.  He must have been hurt.

Buxton was on 1st and a threat to steal.  Kershaw made one legit pick off attempt with Buxton back safe.  Next pitch Kershaw made a light toss over to 1st.

Remember, the pitcher ONLY gets two tosses over to first - if he does it again, he either needs to record an out or Buxton takes 2nd on a balk.

Kershaw, thinking that Buxton MIGHT take off now that the 2nd pick-off attempt had been made, threw over to 1st for the 3rd time, but Buxton wasn't fooled.  Buxton takes 2nd on a balk. 

Bremmer had never seen that happen this season, and again figured it was their best shot at picking off buxton because the catcher was having problems thowing.

[Gunner55]

 They scored a run in the 5th without a hit , small ball, would love to see more of it.

[Gunner55]

Pagan couldn't find his cutter & Gordon to the IL, a fractured shin. I didn't see all of Tuesday's game, but did hear 'em say 4 SB & the box score still says that. But, your right S-o, that would be a balk & not a SB.

[Steve-o]

I didn't pay too much attention to the LA series... I just happened to see the Kershaw/Buxton sequence.

Maybe you guys who have been watching closer have a more informed opinion, but Pagan is the bullpen guy I trust least.  Maybe they didn't have anyone else to use in that situation.  Maybe the manager thinks he has to keep giving Pagan opportunities to figure it out.  But until he does, it's costing the Twins games.

[Gunner55]

He got shelled early out in Boston, but he's been pretty good the last 2-3 weeks. Personally, I like Jax better as he's more consistent IMO. Yeah, a lot of the bullpen was unavailable after the 1st 2 games. It does seem like Rocco has been giving Pagan the ball when the game isn't really in question, lately, to see if he can figure it out. They are going to need Pagan, but they really miss Thielbar as he comes in & throws strikes.

[Gunner55]

 I kind of like this Stweart that was brought up when Thielbar got hurt too. He has 2 wicked breaking pitches & they go both directions, so he's tough on right & lefthanded batters both. Good movement on his fastball too & throws 95+. Sure hope they keep him around. The Angels at 8:30 tonight, Ryan starting.

[KEN W]

Twins do not have ANYONE in the top 20 in ANY hitting category in MLB. That's average, home runs, or  RBI's. 

[Gunner55]

Another quality start from Ryan but Jax allows 2 runs late again, he's 2-6, & the Twins lose. Another late game tonight, 9:00, & Varland gets the ball.

[KEN W]

Between Jax and Moran, might as well give them the game. Jax especially lately can't hold a lead. Losing to many games in the late and extra innings.

[Gunner55]

  But then Moran only needs 9 pitches to get out of the 2 on/nobody out jam in the 6th yday.  He has good stuff but he often struggles with his control.

[dutchboy]

Couple of observations on relief pitchers.

1) They have a short shelf life.
2) The other teams hitters get paid to hit and win games.
3) Giving the same guy the same situations game after game won't work.

Send down another position player or two and bring another pitcher or two up. Position players need to play daily and not be utility / spot players to stay sharp. Pitchers need to pitch but not in high leverage situations day after day.

Twins pitching this year far exceeds what I expected. The hitting is far underachieving, so who's really to blame for those losses?

[KEN W]

Buxton said when the Twins were playing Kershaw from the Dodgers last week that the Twins hitters are Nasty.....

Twins batters have struck out 63 times in the last five games. Only the Angels (65) have struck out more in the past week of MLB action, though they've played one more game so the Twins are striking out more times per game since Buxton's "nasty" comment than any team in the majors.

[Gunner55]

Of the 54 outs in the last 2 games, 29 were strikeouts. The game they won against the Angels, they only struck out 7 times. 

[KEN W]

Getting to be tough to watch.....Hitters not hitting. tonight losing because the bullpen gives up TWO bases loaded walks. 

Pretty tough with 10 players on IR. Larnack added yesterday.

[Gunner55]

The Twins are the MLB leaders with 486 K for the season , followed pretty closely by the Astros & the Braves.

[LPS]

My brothers and I did a bet for total wins.  I took 79 one brother took 84 and one took 86.  SO I have up to 81 and my brother has 82-85 and the other everything over that.

[KEN W]

Finally get the win. Though sloppy play by San Fran helped quite a bit. Bullpen did their job. Could tell Doran was well rested. Flame throwing at up to 105 mph.

[Gunner55]

Ryan had to throw 107 pitches in 5 innings but was at his best with RISP. Julien gave 'em a spark & they played some pretty solid D.  Stole home too. 

[Gunner55]

Varland takes the mound tonight, 7:10 1st pitch against Toronto.

[Steve-o]

A two game lead in the AL Central is the same as being 10.5 games back (last) in the AL East or 5.5 games (second-to-last) in the AL West. 

[KEN W]

Yeah......Twins are in the worst division in Baseball. They are the only ones above .500.

[KEN W]

Friday is a big day for the Minnesota Twins because it could be the day when $200 million shortstop Carlos Correa goes on the injured list.

Correa missed games Tuesday and Wednesday due to what the Twins originally said was a sore heel, but it turns out that he's since been diagnosed with a muscle strain in his left foot arch and plantar fasciitis, according John Shipley of the Pioneer Press.

“I think we get to Friday and some of our decisions might be made for us,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said

What's concerning is that plantar fasciitis is one of those things that doesn't typically go away very fast. According to the Mayo Clinic, "most people" with plantar fasciitis "recover in several months with conservative treatment, such as icing the painful area, stretching, and modifying or avoiding activities that cause pain."

[Steve-o]

Hmmm.  I hope it really is ONLY planar fasciitis and NOT a reaggravation of the mysterious injury that kept two other teams from signing Correa in the offseason.   

Either way, the move is starting to look like a bust.  36 hits for 169 At-Bats with 6 HR for an average of .312, 63 points BELOW is career average.

Heckova defensive player, but right now this team needs offense.

[dutchboy]

Not a bust. He isn't doing any worse than anu of the other so called stars on this team.

[mike89]

sounds like he's playing...

[KEN W]

Yup.....must not have been as bad as they thought. He is in the starting lineup.

[KEN W]

Here is the biggest problem with the Twins. These are the 2 highest paid players and always hit in the top 3 of the batting order. They are number 2 in pitching ERA in the league. And leading the league in strikeouts.

"Buxton is hitting .147 with RISP and Correa isn't much better at .175. Combined, they have 74 at-bats with runners in scoring position and just 12 hits. The rest of the team is 87-for-309, good for a .281 batting average with runners in scoring position."

[dutchboy]

So, assuming you want to sit $50 million in payroll who do you want in their places?