Game Thread, Twins @ A's, 7/18 @ 8:05pm CT

[DiscGolfer]

I think May only comes in when Dozier can hit a walk off, it's a rule or something

[mikecgrimes]

Never challenge anything, unless of course it's a losable challenge in the first inning.  I don't care if there was only 0.1% chance of winning the challenge you challenge in that situation 1000 times out of 1000 because you will win it once.  Knowing when to challenge calls is a big part of a managers job, and I'd be shocked if Molitor isn't the worst in baseball.

[Halsey Hall]

I could kinda feel this coming.  Poof with 4 ab's and makes 6 outs.  Any hit and we win. 

[Aggies7]

Him not PH for Suzuki is, him not bringing Perkins back out for the 10th is, him choosing fien over May is.

Why would Perkins be brought back out in the 10th especially after not getting the job done in the 9th? There's another game tomorrow. It's a long season. Someone else in the pen needed to step up there and again it didn't happen. The guy can't pitch every big inning late in the game. If the twins plan to reach the postseason, finding out now who can and can't pitch the pressure innings will help them down the road.

[Linus]

If there is a goat, it's Susuki. The "wild pitch' charged to Perk was pretty lame, if you are going to contribute you have to come up with the pitch. The steal of third can't happen against a quality catcher.

[Aggies7]

Never challenge anything, unless of course it's a losable challenge in the first inning.  I don't care if there was only 0.1% chance of winning the challenge you challenge in that situation 1000 times out of 1000 because you will win it once.  Knowing when to challenge calls is a big part of a managers job, and I'd be shocked if Molitor isn't the worst in baseball.

I'm also shocked he didn't challenge. Probably wouldn't have won it though. But it's like taking time outs into the locker room.

[DaveW]

Why would Perkins be brought back out in the 10th especially after not getting the job done in the 9th? There's another game tomorrow. It's a long season. Someone else in the pen needed to step up there and again it didn't happen. The guy can't pitch every big inning late in the game. If the twins plan to reach the postseason, finding out now who can and can't pitch the pressure innings will help them down the road.

He pitched one inning all freaking week, he was fresh! He didn't give up any "hard hits" in the 9th and gives you your best chance to win with the top of the A's order coming up.

[twinsnorth49]

Him not PH for Suzuki is, him not bringing Perkins back out for the 10th is, him choosing fien over May is.

Perk even being a thought for the 10th shows the deficiency in the pen, after that 9th I'm not all that convinced Perk escapes the 10. Could have PH for Zuke, May is a mystery.

 

Game should have been over before that.

[Twodogs]

twins need to seriously go after bullpen help, now. someone who can dominate the 8th inning, like a paplebon or someone like that. then in a situation like today, that guy could have come in in the 10th instead of fien.

 

oh well, we will see what they do from here.

[TheLeviathan]

 

He pitched one inning all freaking week, he was fresh! He didn't give up any "hard hits" in the 9th and gives you your best chance to win with the top of the A's order coming up.

 

And when the middle of the order comes up?  Perkins still?

[Aggies7]

He pitched one inning all freaking week, he was fresh! He didn't give up any "hard hits" in the 9th and gives you your best chance to win with the top of the A's order coming up.

He may have been fresh, but they may need him tomorrow and the next day and the next day. Who would you really feel comfortable with in a save opportunity in the 9th if not Perkins? I ant really think of a guy.

[TheLeviathan]

 

He may have been fresh, but they may need him tomorrow and the next day and the next day. Who would you really feel comfortable with in a save opportunity in the 9th if not Perkins? I ant really think of a guy.

 

Don't worry, if Perkins was unavailable tomorrow and Fien blew the save....Dave would still blame Molitor.

[DaveW]

And when the middle of the order comes up? Perkins still?

at least you live to see another inning (and the top of the order get at bats for the twins at least)

 

Instead you wave the white flag and trot out fien, who can't get anyone out these days.

[Aggies7]

Someone call Jesse Crain and Matt guerrier. Wonder what they're up to these days.

[DaveW]

Don't worry, if Perkins was unavailable tomorrow and Fien blew the save....Dave would still blame Molitor.

You bet your ass I would blame him, Fien shouldn't be brought into high leverage games at all anymore and probably should be DFAed

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I honestly don't think May is really part of the bullpen.

So don't use him at all? Good luck with that line of reasoning.

[TheLeviathan]

 

at least you live to see another inning (and the top of the order get at bats for the twins at least)

Instead you wave the white flag and trot out fien, who can't get anyone out these days.

 

There is only so much of this you can do.  Face it - it doesn't matter what Molitor does.  When we get into a battle of bullpens - we're almost always going to lose.

[twinsnorth49]

You bet your ass I would blame him, Fien shouldn't be brought into high leverage games at all anymore and probably should be DFAed

I don't think that's Mollie's pay grade.

[TheLeviathan]

 

So don't use him at all? Good luck with that line of reasoning.

 

I'm not defending it.  It's my biggest beef right now.  May is one of the team's best arms and they've all but banished him into some weird limbo that I can't understand for the life of me.

[Aggies7]

If you're looking at things honestly, the A's gifted those runs in the 9th. A silly error and a hit batter. The twins took advantage, which is what good teams do, but they got an awful lot of help. Plus, loading the bases and not scoring in the first, then proceeding to do absolutely nothing offensively the next 7 innings all added up to a game they should have lost anyway.

[DaveW]

I don't think that's Mollie's pay grade.

It's his decision who to bring into the game.

[Aggies7]

Who else just knew the offense would do nothing after not scoring in the first? Heck, kazmir threw close to 30 pitches in the first inning and almost threw a CG!! That's rotten offense.

[stringer bell]

More bullpen help is needed. That is obvious. I'd say make a trade, but currently both Fien and Boyer don't look capable of handling high-leverage innings. Neither strike out enough guys. It is tough that they are kind of going four corners with May and nursing along a Rule 5 guy. That leaves the leverage to Fien, Boyer, Duensing, and O'Rourke. Right now, the left handers are performing all right, but I wouldn't put money that it will continue and the right handers just aren't getting the job done.

 

One other note, Lawrie absolutely made up for his error in the ninth. He was busting it on his one-hop liner and made a great base-running move to advance on the ball in the dirt. Scoring from second with two out was easy. 

[Twodogs]

If you're looking at things honestly, the A's gifted those runs in the 9th. A silly error and a hit batter. The twins took advantage, which is what good teams do, but they got an awful lot of help. Plus, loading the bases and not scoring in the first, then proceeding to do absolutely nothing offensively the next 7 innings all added up to a game they should have lost anyway.

but when you put yourself in position to win a game you should have lost, and then blow it, that is kinda frustrating. especially when we pretty much all know that the team that pulls out those types of wins will be the ones playing in october. it seems like kc has been pulling out games they should have lost all over the place lately.

[stringer bell]

Suzuki's throwing on the steal of third really wasn't the problem. That a real good base stealer was emboldened to go to third with nobody out is the problem.

[twinsnorth49]

It's his decision who to bring into the game.

I meant DFA'ing Fien. The guy has **** for options but I agree I don't know what the **** this team is doing to Trevor May.

[DaveW]

Suzuki's throwing on the steal of third really wasn't the problem. That a real good base stealer was emboldened to go to third with nobody out is the problem.

Fien did a piss poor job of holding him on as well. The twins staff as a whole haven't been very good this year.

[twinsnorth49]

Suzuki's throwing on the steal of third really wasn't the problem. That a real good base stealer was emboldened to go to third with nobody out is the problem.

You become way more emboldened when you have zero concern the catcher is likely to throw you out.

[Aggies7]

but when you put yourself in position to win a game you should have lost, and then blow it, that is kinda frustrating. especially when we pretty much all know that the team that pulls out those types of wins will be the ones playing in october. it seems like kc has been pulling out games they should have lost all over the place lately.

It sure is frustrating, but having won 7 of the last 8 prior to this one, and a quick turnaround tomorrow, a good performance will make us forget about this one we should have had.

 

Also, I doubt we are catching KC. It could happen, but with a 4 or so game lead in the wild card, that should be the focus. I think we still have the second best record in the AL. No sense is getting worked up over what the royals are doing.

[Aggies7]

My mistake, we now have the 3rd best record in the AL by a few points. Get em tomorrow then a big series with LA.