Game Thread, Twins @ Blue Jays, 8/5 @ 6:07pm CT

[BK432]

LINEUPS

 

Twins
CF Aaron Hicks

2B Brian Dozier

1B Joe Mauer

DH Miguel Sano

3B Trevor Plouffe

RF Eddie Rosario

SS Eduardo Escobar

C   Eric Fryer

LF Shane Robinson

P Tyler Duffey

Blue Jays
SS Troy Tulowitzki

3B Josh Donaldson

RF Jose Bautista

DH Edwin Encarnacion

1B Chris Colabello

C   Russell Martin

2B Ryan Goins

CF Kevin Pillar

LF Ben Revere

P Drew Hutchison

 

--------

 

Well, well, well. Isn't this fun. The Twins, with yet another loss Tuesday, dropped to just two games over .500 and, for the first time in over a month, out of the playoffs (were they to start today). And to boot, we still have another two games to play at the place where baseballs get smashed to smithereens, Rogers Centre

 

(By the way, I've hated Rogers Centre ever since one of the most disappointing regular season games I have ever watched on April 1, 2011. Yeah, you know the one. Opening Day 2011. The one that signaled that 2011 would surely be nothing like 2010. Or 2009. Signaled what the next four years would be like. Awful. Remind yourself here.)

 

And while we have a pitcher making his MLB debut tonight for the Twins, his is hardly the most-hyped of the night. Luis Severino will be making his debut at Yankee Stadium against the cellar-dweller Red Sox. I'll be watching a couple innings of that game tonight alongside the tilt in Toronto.

 

In any event, here we are. A season that has felt so fun and successful at times, now at a crossroads and feeling perilously close to the proverbial cliff. A win tonight would go a long way toward righting the attitudes of many Twins fans, at least for a few hours anyway.

 

1. National Press

 

Sure, the Twins start losing, the national articles start coming. Hey, I'm a big Will Leitch fan but any article that contains the phrase "Glen Perkins has been the best part of a bullpen that's probably the team's strength"....well, it tells me you really aren't paying that much attention. There is literally no metric by which one could argue that the bullpen is a strength of the Twins team in 2015. So I think the takeaway here is that the Twins probably will garner very little attention until they make a playoff run. Which quite honestly is just fine - that will be coming soon enough.

 

2. Pitching Matchup

 

We have Tyler Duffey making his MLB debut tonight for the Twins. A converted reliever, he has been a bit of an unexpected revelation, improving each year since being drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 draft. After rookie ball in his draft year, he played two levels (A and A+) in 2013 and three levels (A+, AA and AAA) in 2014. After beginning 2015 in Chattanooga, he was promoted quickly to Rochester and has pitched very well there. In 132 IP this year, he's given up 1 HR. That's not a misprint - he's sort of the anti-Phil Hughes. He's sporting a fine 8.0 K/9 this year with an ERA of 2.66 and a WHIP of 1.12. Nothing screams out that he's not prepared to have some level of success in the majors and, at just 24 years of age, some improvement can still be expected. Tonight could be the start of a several year major league career.

 

The same was definitely expected of Drew Hutchison, but the youngster has struggled in 2015. Blessed with a good slider and a good changeup, he had good K rates in the minors and debuted in 2012 at age 21. But despite the ability to miss bats, he seems to have been snakebit by opposing BABIP, which could be bad luck, or could point to a fairly flat, hittable fastball that runs about 91 or 92 MPH. His xFIP of 4.02 for 2015 is quite a bit better than his actual ERA of 5.42, which is pretty incredible and screams out that the kid has been unlucky. But for his career, including the minors, hitters have hit .312 on balls in play against him - so while this has maybe been somewhat unlucky, it may be time to face the fact that when players make contact against Hutchison, they are able to square up well and drive the ball. Can the Twins take advantage? Well, that's the big question, isn't it?

 

3. Slump Buster

 

5 games. 7 runs. That ain't good. Someone needs to help this team step out of this funk and put some runs on the board. That said, the whole team has been pretty soft at the plate the last 5 games, so it's difficult to envision who that might be. If I'm Molitor, I just mix the hell out of the lineup. Bat Mauer first. Bat Dozier 2nd and Sano 3rd. Get guys out of their routines and shake it up a bit (I'm writing this before lineups come out, so I know my suggestion likely won't be in place).

 

If there would be a potential feel good game in place, this would be it. Hittable pitcher in a hitter friendly park. I'm calling it - 6+ runs tonight. If Duffey can keep them off the scoreboard, the Twins could be back tied for a playoff spot before the clock strikes midnight.

 

Once again, enjoy the game.

[Mike Sixel]

Great writeup. Win Twins.

[USAFChief]

Fantastic job, BK! Thank you.

[Vanimal46]

Cc: Will Leitch. Hilarious. Clearly the guy looked at the stats sheet, saw decent ERA numbers from the bullpen, and thought I guess they're all doing well.

[rghrbek]

BK,

 

I saw that article you referred to under #1, and basically sent the same words to my brother (who had sent me the link)...too funny.

 

Do we know why Torii is getting the night off and Robinson is playing?  At least Torii can hit a mistake from time to time.

[big dog]

I hope Duffey has a great game, and enjoys himself.  Let's Go Twins!

[Danchat]

Oh, wow, Fryer and Robinson at the back of the lineup. We won't be getting any run support from there...

 

I hope Duffey can hang in there. At least our batters are facing Hutchinson and not Price today, so maybe our offense can get Duffey some run support.

[jimmer]

CarGo is on fire!

[Kwak]

 

BK,

 

I saw that article you referred to under #1, and basically sent the same words to my brother (who had sent me the link)...too funny.

 

Do we know why Torii is getting the night off and Robinson is playing?  At least Torii can hit a mistake from time to time.

Saving him for PH/defensive replacement duty!

[BK432]

 

BK,

 

I saw that article you referred to under #1, and basically sent the same words to my brother (who had sent me the link)...too funny.

 

Do we know why Torii is getting the night off and Robinson is playing?  At least Torii can hit a mistake from time to time.

 

Well, I personally have no idea.....but I would guess it's just a planned day off. The dude is 40 after all...

[Mike Sixel]

I have no issue with Hunter getting time off......Robinson being his replacement? Uhhhhhhhh, no comment.

[SDTwinfan]

Not optimistic about this one. I think things are going to get a little worse before they get better. Sometimes that is just how it goes. I expect this team to bounce back eventually but I think this series will definitely be the lowest point of the season.

[Squirrel]

I have no issue with Hunter getting time off......Robinson being his replacement? Uhhhhhhhh, no comment.

This would be the right timing for Arcia to come in. Oh, wait ... hmmm ...

 

(And stringer, before you point out that Arcia isn't exactly knocking the cover off the ball in AAA, I know. But surely there are better hitting options other than Robinson?)

[JB_Iowa]

I assume that the Turf is hard on Hunter's legs.  A break in the middle of the series may not be bad but yeah, this line-up looks weak at the bottom.

 

Actually, the way they are hitting, it looks weak top to bottom.

[jimmer]

I wish I could watch Duffey's debut.  

[jimmer]

McClendon just did a defensive substitution of Seth Smith for Franklin Gutierrez. Unless Franklin is hurt, that's very odd.

[jimmer]

Rodney just blew a save

[DaveW]

The Mariners are my "number 2" team. Between them and the twins I have developed a healthy fear of bullpens.

[stringer bell]

Let's see....golf on another nice evening or watch the Twins at their low ebb playing a team that is playing well?  See ya' later. I'll take the game, but probably just read the Game Thread.

[jimbo92107]

Good, concise write up BK. Thanks!

 

They still haven't called up Oswaldo Arcia...sigh. Sano can look forward to more junk off the outside corner, with no terrifying threat behind him.

 

In stark raving contrast, look at that Toronto lumber company. Second deck homers from everybody 1 through 6. Jose Bautista is no longer the biggest masher on his own team.

 

Good luck, Tyler Duffey, or as I like it, "Extra E."

 

At least he's right handed...

[DaveW]

The Twins are so freaking overdue for a game with some good luck, I think the bats come alive and Duffy has one of those "rookie" nice starts because there isn't a whole lot of "tape" on him.

Mauer shuts up the critics with 3 hits and a HR

Sano 1 HR

Rosario 3 hits

 

twins win 9-2

 

Duffy: 7ip, 1 ER, 4 h, 1 BB 5ks

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

Calling out Mauer and staff for him floundering of late and still batting 3rd. Never saw that coming.

[USAFChief]

in play, run(s)!!1!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Sano Blooper moves Mauer to third and Hicks to home, and Sano takes second on the throw to third.

 

Only out thus far was a rip by Dozier that didn't clear Donaldson at 3rd...

[twinsnorth49]

Sano again....good base running by all involved there as well.

 

 

A run......yaaaayy!!!1

[sampleSizeOfOne]

in play, run(s)!!1!

Scooped by Chief.

 

As expected.

[twinsnorth49]

Ploooooouuuuffffeeee!!!!!!

 

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Plouffe doubles to the right field gap.

 

3-0 and counting.

[twinsnorth49]

Oh Trevor........that's not what I'm talkin' 'bout.

[Cap'n Piranha]

 

Good, concise write up BK. Thanks!

 

They still haven't called up Oswaldo Arcia...sigh. Sano can look forward to more junk off the outside corner, with no terrifying threat behind him.

 

In stark raving contrast, look at that Toronto lumber company. Second deck homers from everybody 1 through 6. Jose Bautista is no longer the biggest masher on his own team.

 

Good luck, Tyler Duffey, or as I like it, "Extra E."

 

At least he's right handed...

 

You're right, I'm sure pitchers would be terrified of Ozzie and his 25% k rate and .779 OPS--against righties.  And let's just pretend he's not slashing .138/.231/.224 in 16 games since the all-star break, with 19 k's in 58 AB's.