Dodgers 6, Twins 3: Too Little, Too Late

I know this is not a popular opinion but winning last year against the Blue Jays in the postseason may have been a mistake. If our playoff futility would have continued, that would have likely meant less time with this front office, their philosophy, and the manager.

Pulling Ober yesterday for the "spooky" third time around the lineup while rolling with pitch count under 70 was dumb. Allowing Varland to throw 97 times while allowing the back breaking 3-run bomb was even more dumb.

The positives - Martin had a great night. Correa and Kirilloff are playing well. Alcala isn't injured and pitched. Bullpen is looking good without a lot of guys that we planned on. That's about it. Need a lot more hitters to do something.

48 minutes ago, twinzcynic said:

winning last year against the Blue Jays in the postseason may have been a mistake

Winning in the postseason is never a mistake. The mistake is ownership not taking the next steps to try and make sure it happens again soon.

Yawn, yawn, yawn.  Another early season disaster.  It's OK.  Rocco says games this early don't matter.  It's obvious when only 17,000 made it to the game tonight and 15,000 the previous night.  Were talking the Dodgers here.  Not the Royals.  Right now the team is very boring just like last year's start.  It's tough to play such rotten boring baseball that people don't go.  A very poor spring training didn't excite the fan base much.  It continues to bore us the first 9 games.  Go Twins!!

No other team will let Tonkin on the mound, but he is added to the TD proclaimed best bullpen in MLB, just like that? SMH.

Unwatchable:

Runs in MLB (fewest)

- Chicago White Sox (23)
- Minnesota Twins (26)
- Oakland A's (34)

Twins could go out there and drop 8 on the Dodgers today and still be 29th out of 30 in runs. 

Batting Average (worst)
- Minnesota Twins (.181)
- Miami Marlins (.204)

23 points separate the Twins from the next worst team. People say batting average doesn't matter. It does to me. I like watching a team that gets hits. Who doesn't? 

Stolen bases in MLB (fewest)
- SF Giants (0)
- Minnesota Twins (2)

Even when they get on base, they just stand there. 

In short, they can't hit, they can't run, and they can't score. The most difficult team to watch in MLB right now from a fan's perspective and frankly it's not even close. 

I was completely unaware because I pay attention to the Twins, but... did I see Glasnow pitched 7 innings for the Dodgers? Are you still allowed to do that in todays game? How did the Twins not score 15 runs in the 7th inning if they were going through the lineup a third time!?!  

At present, Correa, Buxton, Lewis, and Kiriloff are the only players on this team that anyone else would covet. Other than that it's a team filled with AAA 1/2 players. I'd love for them to prove me wrong, but until the managment's philosophy of all or nothing changes this team will not succeed against any good teams.

Louie looked pretty good out of the pen last fall; not so good in 2 starts this year (9 runs in 9 innings).

Time to reassess his role??  Anyone in St. Paul we might want to look at instead?  

If we are going to go with 12 pitchers for any length of time, we need more than 4 or 5 innings a start, and we are already being cautious with Paddock; how long can the pen throw 45% of our innings pitched?  Will we get our offense going at the same time our pen fades from overuse?  

Stay tuned for these answers and more in the next installment of "As the Twins Turn".  😉

8 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

The positives - Martin had a great night. Correa and Kirilloff are playing well. Alcala isn't injured and pitched. Bullpen is looking good without a lot of guys that we planned on. That's about it. Need a lot more hitters to do something.

The bullpen is doing their job to date, unfortunately it doesn't matter when you cannot score runs while striking out nearly 40-50% of your AB's. 

Tomorrow the brooms are brought out and on to Detroit where 1-3 would be a win. Who could have seen this coming with the plate approach deployed by Rocco and Co.?

6 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I'm a huge Wallner fan, but he looks like he's totally lost out there. The 2nd inning strikeout was BS. Called 3rd strike was way low. In the bottom of the 5th, Wallner was just a statue taking a pitch right down the middle for strike 3. Ump missed a ball called a strike inside on the 2nd pitch on Wallner again in the 7th.

Even though he's getting the shaft seemingly a solid couple times a game, he can't be letting strike three sail by in the dead center of the plate. 

Starting the season 12 for 15 is bad? opps that K's, he is actually 1 for 15.

7 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

Rocco says games this early don't matter.

Show us this quote, please.

6 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Attendance has become a real problem.

Everybody I know (everybody that I talk to about the Twins) say they are holding off going to games until after memorial day, For multiple reasons, payroll being #1, but the Wolves season isn't helping, just going downtown, and team is hard to watch on TV, why pay to watch it.

Really, payroll is the number one reason why some will not attend? I just find that so odd.

9 hours ago, twinzcynic said:

I know this is not a popular opinion but winning last year against the Blue Jays in the postseason may have been a mistake. If our playoff futility would have continued, that would have likely meant less time with this front office, their philosophy, and the manager.

Pulling Ober yesterday for the "spooky" third time around the lineup while rolling with pitch count under 70 was dumb. Allowing Varland to throw 97 times while allowing the back breaking 3-run bomb was even more dumb.

And if Ober had given up the 3-run dinger you'd be burying Rocco for that. If Varland had gotten yanked you'd be burying him for not giving the kid a chance or something. Position noted: you hate the manager, you hate the front office, and want them all fired. Got it.

If the offense doesn't get going, it might happen to all of them.

That said, anyone who thinks that winning a playoff series last year was a bad thing isn't much of a Twins fan.

26 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Everybody I know (everybody that I talk to about the Twins) say they are holding off going to games until after memorial day, For multiple reasons, payroll being #1, but the Wolves season isn't helping, just going downtown, and team is hard to watch on TV, why pay to watch it.

I think it has more to do with how inconsistent weather is in april in MN; today is going to be in the 60's and lovely. monday was dreary, cool, gray, and with showers. people don't want to spend a packet on tickets and then have it be cold and/or rainy for baseball. when it's sunny and nice, a day game at Target Field is glorious. when it's cold and grey and raining...it's ain't as fun. and night games when it's in the 40's can be rough.

1 minute ago, stringer bell said:

Almost every team goes through a funk. Last year, the Dodgers, Rays and Braves had their funk in the playoffs. The Twins aren't as bad as they've played, but some of the guys need to get it going soon or St. Paul is in their future. I've thought Varland could be a decent starter, but I am starting to wonder whether his call might be the bullpen. Move him there and see if Woods Richardson can be a credible starter.

If he doesn't solve his 3-run HR problem, he'll be in the bullpen. Giving up too many HRs are a problem for any starter, but it's mitigated when you keep runners off base in front of them. If you give up a hit and walk and then the bomb, you're in big trouble. 

I do still like SWR as a potential rotation option.

I'm a fan of Martin, & stood up for him against all the negative hype that's floating around. I knew it was a matter of time before Martin would start rolling. RH Martin showed that he can play every day by hitting ace RHP Glasnow which very few on this team have shown that they can. I believe that Martin will prove me right that he'll impact the Twins much more than many believe.

Varland had pitched 3 great innings, I advocated & still am for Varland to piggyback with Paddack. To gradually add to his innings. Bring up Headrick to help supplement the pitching staff. The BP have been very good, A BP game against LAD, IMO was not out of the question.

We out-homered the opposition but lost again. We haven't hit very many HRs but when we have, many times they are solos.  Focusing on HRs isn't the answer it's getting clutch hits not striking out in the clutch. I hate to keep hitting a dead dog but I don't think the dog is dead. & this FO will try to resuscitate the dog when they finally turn things around. (sorry about the analogy, I'd never beat a dog)

39 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

And if Ober had given up the 3-run dinger you'd be burying Rocco for that. If Varland had gotten yanked you'd be burying him for not giving the kid a chance or something.

 

What was the difference that allowed Varland to face Ohtani a third time and not Ober? the score? it being the 5th and not the 6th, somebody thought we can't beat Glasnow so don't wast the pen? Was it because of the first games they pitched? Ober hadn't given up a run since the first, Varland just gave up a three run homer. I just don't get the inconsistency?

And yes I would be burying Rocco if Ober game up a three run homer, but not for the reason you think (which I assume would be bringing him out in the 6th, no it would have been because he left him in long enough after giving up base runners that allowed a three run homer, so you know like he did with Varland )

EDIT Addition - I haven't complained about leaving Varland in and I only questioned why Ober was taken out the game before.

31 minutes ago, Verified Member said:

Really, payroll is the number one reason why some will not attend? I just find that so odd.

Why, the Twins cut the payroll spending by 20% or something, and the price of attending went up? I can see why that would make people shy away, I honestly believe it is some combination of that and the weather, how the game is played, the timberwolves, being downtown and the lack of seeing them on TV. My best Twins fans friends have said it is kind of a weight and see, if things are looking good they will end up going to games this summer, but if they are a .500 team chasing teams in the Central then they will probably spent their money elsewhere.

8 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Attendance has become a real problem.

I cannot fathom why.  

1 hour ago, Verified Member said:

Really, payroll is the number one reason why some will not attend? I just find that so odd.

Did you think the Pohlads actively making the team worse was going to increase attendance?  My theory is that some fans are very sick of the Pohlad greed are deciding to spend their money elsewhere.  

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Bring up Headrick to help supplement the pitching staff.

Nope. He is on the IL.

In case you haven't heard. Glasnow set a major league record last night, he is the only pitcher ever to strike out 14 while throwing fewer than 90 pitches (he threw 88)