Glimpses of Incompetence

[powrwrap]

After decades of being a die hard fan, I have only seen one Twins game in its entirety this year. That was a day game against the Indians back in July that the Twins won 3-1. The only reason I watched the whole thing is because I was at the game. (This is the only year I can remember in decades that I've only attended one game in person.) Otherwise my viewing time has been limited to a couple of innings here and there. Lately, I can scarcely stand to watch an inning, because I see so many goof-ups, mistakes, dicey managerial moves, mental errors, etc.that it's better I not watch at all.

 

Let's look at the Friday night vs. Cleveland. Eighth inning. Twins are down 4-3. Schaefer is on first base, no outs. Here comes Santana. Bunting situation, right? Indeed. Realize the two fastest runners on the roster are involved in this play. Santana's impatient and bunts at the first pitch. He can't get down a good bunt as the pitcher fields it and throws out Schaefer at 2nd base. Really?

 

OK, Santana's safe at first. Steal situation, right? Yep. Except, let's wait for a couple of pitches before we steal (why, Gardy?) and then let's have Dozier foul pop out. Here comes Mauer. Here comes the half-hearted attempt to disguise an intentional walk. Which brings up Vargas. Ah yes, anxious to be the hero, Vargas strikes out. Inning over.

 

Ninth inning.Suzuki doubles. Nunez comes in as a pinch runner. Good move. Except when Arcia singles to left center Nunez hesitates and has to stay at third base. He should have easily scored. So then Ron, I Need Three Catchers on the Roster, Gardenhire lifts Oswaldo Arcia from the game, a player that can win a game with a swing of the bat, for a pinch runner, Chris Herrman, back up catcher. So now the Twins need a fly ball to score Nunez. Instead Hicks grounds out to SS, who might have gotten Nunez at the plate but instead threw to second base.

 

Tie game. Not all is lost because you have speed on first base with Hicks. Steal situation, right? Ummm...no, no. Don't want to do that. Schaefer ends up striking out to end the inning.

 

Top of the tenth and your lineup now contains Chris Herrman and Eric Fryar instead of Kurt Suzuki and Oswaldo Arcia. Boy, that's an upgrade, especially as you head into extra innings.

 

I flip the channel in disgust. I really don't care what happens to this team. This makes me sad.

[drjim]

Spoiler alert - the Twins won!

[nicksaviking]

In the game thread I noted my dissatisfaction with pinch runnng Hermann for Arcia.  It is a absolutely terrible move as there was one out and runners at the corners.  Arcia as been one of the best hitters on the team and Hermann is perhaps the worst.  Gardy does this all the time, as it seems he has no considertion that the game could go extra innings despite the fact that with one out and runners on the corners, that is THE most likely outcome.

 

I get wanting to have speed on the basepaths, but the chances that Hermann's speed advantage over Arcia would come into play is very, very slim, as opposed to the very likely possibility that that spot in the order would come up again.  I mean really, how many batted balls could Hermann actually score on that Arcia could not?  Not many.  To put it in perspective, if Vargas (the slowest player) and Santana (the fastest) took turns hitting balls to the same spot on the field, how often would they be standing on the exact same base?  95% of the time?

[Willihammer]

The only part of that sequence that bothers me is the decision to have Santana bunt. Schafer can get to 2nd on his own, we don't need to give free strikes and probably a free out to accomplish that, certainly not from a guy batting .320. In fact, Schafer is fast enough to score from first so there is really no need to get fancy at all in that spot IMO. Not until there are 2 outs.

[powrwrap]

The only part of that sequence that bothers me is the decision to have Santana bunt. Schafer can get to 2nd on his own, we don't need to give free strikes and probably a free out to accomplish that, certainly not from a guy batting .320. In fact, Schafer is fast enough to score from first so there is really no need to get fancy at all in that spot IMO. Not until there are 2 outs.

A valid point. Why not have Schaefer steal while Santana shows bunt? Or have him steal with Santana trying to bunt? One of the mistakes was bunting at a pitch that was not a good pitch to bunt.

[powrwrap]

In the game thread I noted my dissatisfaction with pinch runnng Hermann for Arcia.  It is a absolutely terrible move as there was one out and runners at the corners.  Arcia as been one of the best hitters on the team and Hermann is perhaps the worst.  Gardy does this all the time, as it seems he has no considertion that the game could go extra innings despite the fact that with one out and runners on the corners, that is THE most likely outcome.

 

I get wanting to have speed on the basepaths, but the chances that Hermann's speed advantage over Arcia would come into play is very, very slim, as opposed to the very likely possibility that that spot in the order would come up again.  I mean really, how many batted balls could Hermann actually score on that Arcia could not?  Not many.  To put it in perspective, if Vargas (the slowest player) and Santana (the fastest) took turns hitting balls to the same spot on the field, how often would they be standing on the exact same base?  95% of the time?

 

 

Arcia is not one of the best hitters on the team, but he can certainly end a game with one swing. You're right that the speed advantage is not enough to pull Arcia out of the game. You're also correct that Gardy manages as if there won't be extra innings (FWIW, Kelly did this as well.)

[powrwrap]

Spoiler alert - the Twins won!

Yes, they won in spite of themselves. Do you see, say, the Angels failing to score on a single to left field after putting a pinch runner at second base? Do you see ANY other team taking a power hitter out of a game you are losing in the eighth inning and inserting a backup catcher?

[powrwrap]

Another random memory. There was a game where the batter hit a foul ball down the right field line at Target Field. Arcia went over to catch it, put his glove above the wall into the stands to catch the ball AND CLOSED HIS EYES! A fan stood up and caught the ball, his mitt a couple of feet above Arcia's glove. What professional ballplayer closes their eyes when attempting to make a catch?

[drjim]

Yes, they won in spite of themselves. Do you see, say, the Angels failing to score on a single to left field after putting a pinch runner at second base? Do you see ANY other team taking a power hitter out of a game you are losing in the eighth inning and inserting a backup catcher?

 

I think both of your questions happen more than you would think, but your points are well taken. This is a team with really bad fundamentals. I actually think they have a little bit more talent than the record indicates but the fundamentals cause them a few games.

 

I just found it funny your rant was on a game that they won.

[nicksaviking]

Arcia is not one of the best hitters on the team,

Well he has the third highest OPS on the team after Santana and Vargas, and Vargas probably falls under the small sample size disclaimer.  He may not be overly impressive leaguewide, but Arcia certainly is one of the best hitters the Twins have.

[powrwrap]

Well he has the third highest OPS on the team after Santana and Vargas, and Vargas probably falls under the small sample size disclaimer.  He may not be overly impressive leaguewide, but Arcia certainly is one of the best hitters the Twins have.

Yes, if OPS is the only stat you consider to be of worth when judging a hitter, then he is one of the best hitters on the team. And, yes, I agree that OPS is a good statistic to use. But in my mind a good hitter is someone that actually gets a hit, or failing that he gets on base with consistently and reliably. Arcia's OBA and AVG are terrible. He gets his OPS somewhat respectable by having a decent HR/AB ratio.

 

A good hitter is not someone that swings and misses with alarming regularity (like Arcia). Is Adam Dunn a "good hitter"? He's a good comp to Arcia this year.

 

When you really need a guy to get a hit, are you looking to Arcia? I'm not. For that matter, isn't Dozier a better hitter than Arcia? Suzuki? Mauer? Even Plouffe? They all have higher BA and OBA than Arcia.