Rubberband

[kdrupp09]

So is this rough patch a sign that the Rubberband has truly broken, is it just a case of tough teams (Angels), lots of injuries (Plouffe, Nunez, Santana) and some not so awesome pitching (Nolasco)?

 

Thoughts?

[snepp]

I think it's a little bit of both.

[glunn]

I think it's a little bit of both.

 

Or a lot of both. I don't see Texas as a tough team right now, and even the Twins players who are healthy have not been producing.

[old nurse]

Yes they have faced a tough team in the Angels

Yes they have injuries with a real lack of depth

Yes they have a few starters not perform will

You are correct on all three statements.

[TheLeviathan]

Yeah, I have to agree it's a bit of a combo. But if people think adding Plouffe and Nunez back is going to do something magical they should take a look at what the heart of our order has been doing. Morales has been only slightly better than Arcia. (Who has been awful) Willingham is only a bit better. Mauer has been a bit better lately but he's been pretty bleh all season. Escobar has reverted to expectations. Fuld's been Fuld which is why he should be a bench player.

 

The squeaked one out today which is a good thing, but the offensive problems are dramatic and widespread.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Free May and Meyer and Johnson.

[snepp]

Free May and Meyer and Johnson.

 

Sounds like a law firm.

[Craig Arko]

Sounds like a law firm.

 

Except they'd never be free.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Sounds like a law firm.

 

You're always in good hands with Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe.

[jokin]

I think it's a little bit of both.

 

Which "both"?

[snepp]

Which "both"?

 

Take your pick, they all work.

[Craig Arko]

Take your pick, they all work.

 

A little bit country; a little bit rock and roll.

[D. Hocking]

Sounds like a law firm.

 

I used the firm Marquis, Bartlett and Capps. Said they had years of experience and could be obtained for reasonable rates, but it did not go as I had hoped.

[snepp]

A little bit country; a little bit rock and roll.

 

tiny bit NSFW

 

[iTwins]

I think it's a combination of tough teams with some inopportune injuries. Plouffe being out hurts the offense two-fold. His bat is gone and a lesser bat is used fulltime elsewhere. Santana's injury on top of it just exacerbated the problem. Those were two key cogs to the offense that the team doesn't have the depth to endure. (Especially after Nunez's injury).

 

The pitching also picked a REALLY bad time to regress to 2013 levels.

 

In short, this has been one rough stretch - but at least didn't happen with a fully healthy roster and behind good pitching - THEN I'd really be concerned.

[JB_Iowa]

A little bit country; a little bit rock and roll.

 

Always liked to change that to "A little bit country; a little bit rocky road."

 

Twins definitely know about the latter. I guess Dozier provides the former.

[Craig Arko]

Always liked to change that to "A little bit country; a little bit rocky road."

 

Twins definitely know about the latter. I guess Dozier provides the former.

 

Sounds like a good description of Matthew LeCroy.

[Halsey Hall]

Yes, the rubber band has broken, it snapped big time. Face it, this team just isn't very good. Think about it, any team that counts on Plouffe and Nunez coming off the DL to improve it belongs in last place.

[Mike Sixel]

combo platter:

 

1. they aren't GOOD, they are ok (which is better than last year, btw)

2. the guys replacing the injured players are quite not good

3. they hit a stretch of really bad pitching

4. the lack of depth at AA and AAA is kiling them

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Sounds like a good description of Matthew LeCroy.

 

I think LeCroy had a lot of Rocky Road.

The fans should have given him a cool nickname like Billy Butler ("Country Breakfast")

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

What was wrong with LeCroy-zie?

 

Are you on board with is, or are you not?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Matthew LeCroy's Home cooking:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2014/06/09/matt-lecroys-superstitious-banana-mayo-sandwich/

 

 

Ok, Sorry, that's way off-topic. Rubberband feels broken at the moment, but I think the rest of the homestand with tell the story.

[stringer bell]

combo platter:

 

1. they aren't GOOD, they are ok (which is better than last year, btw)

2. the guys replacing the injured players are quite not good

3. they hit a stretch of really bad pitching

4. the lack of depth at AA and AAA is kiling them

I want to dispute #4 on the list. Both Rochester and New Britain have winning records. They have guys who can help major league clubs, unfortunately those guys are not power hitters, center fielders or lead off hitters. Rochester doesn't have a single hitter on the active roster who I see as more than the last man on the bench (Pinto is still DLed right?), but they have pitching. New Britain has a potential 1B-DH along with Hicks and Rosario in the OF.

[Mike Sixel]

Rosario was not around for two plus months, that is killing them. Rochester has zero hitters, that is killing them. Hicks is only depth because he failed up here. There is a lot of pitching, which somehow cannot crack the roster, even though the team is one of the five worst starting staffs in the majors. I guess there is some depth, but it isn't being used, so how good can it be?