The gift that keeps on giving.

[USAFChief]

The Twins really can't be faulted for Hughes going on the DL.  It happens.

 

But I think you can make a legitimate case their decision to use May for an emergency 50-pitch max start Friday night contributed to at least two losses, and possibly three.  

 

He didn't pitch after August 8th.  Having him available for the extra inning loss to Texas might have made a difference.  

 

Having Berrios start the Friday game possibly means a different result, and at the least probably means the pen doesn't have to throw 6 innings.

 

Having May available for last night's extra inning loss might have been nice, and might have meant more of the bullpen was available tonight, where we got to watch O'Rourke and Graham turn a three run lead into a four run deficit in 4 outs because there literally weren't other options, unless you wanted a three inning outing again from May, which would then make him unavailable for another half week, even IF he could have done it.

 

Two losses, maybe three.  Four if you stretch it.

 

That decision was just plain poorly thought out.  It really can't be defended, IMO.  

 

And it was pretty predictable.

[twinsnorth49]

Agreed, initially I was happy to see May returning to the rotation because I believe that's where he belongs. But the timing of that move was simply awful, it's hard to believe professional baseball people failed to see the risk.

[USAFChief]

Agreed, initially I was happy to see May returning to the rotation because I believe that's where he belongs. But the timing of that move was simply awful, it's hard to believe professional baseball people failed to see the risk.

I'd have disagreed, but "We know the timing is bad, but we're transitioning May back to the rotation" would at least be a plan. Heck, for all I know, maybe the correct plan.

[DaveW]

Frankly Chief, this you are making a lot of leaps of faith. The biggest being that the Twins actually have a plan when it comes to the staff and pen.

[curt1965]

It's hard to not come to the conclusion that this situation has been terribly mismanaged. You have to wonder who is in charge! I thought this year was going to be a work in progress, so I'm not too disappointed with the results in New York. But the decisions that led to this slide is the classic cluster ****. Chief absolutely nailed it with the May decision(s).

I don't think we fans are going to get an explanation, but you hope this isn't the way this organization is going to be run in the future.

[Mike Sixel]

Classic Terry Ryan roster management.

[drjim]

While I would have just kept him in the rotation the whole time, I still think that either move on May was defensible - moving him to the pen when they did and keeping him there, or deciding to move him back to the rotation when they did and keeping him there.

 

Doing a halfway move to cripple the bullpen while the team was clinging to it's playoff life was an amazing decision.

 

Saying it cost four games is a pretty big stretch, but two sounds about right. They'd be a half game out of the WC right now and also know if Berrios might be able to help the rotation down the stretch. And maybe even have been able to send Achter back down and actually call up another bat to provide Hunter with some needed relief.

 

I generally think people have massively overreacted to much of what Ryan has (or hasn't) done this season, but this was an inexplicable blunder at a crucial time and it's going to bury the team. But luckily it won't bury them enough that they'll cut ties with the 2-3 vets they should and let the kids roll. At least not for a couple more weeks.

[Jham]

What would Doug Mientkiewicz have done?  And what will he do in Boston... next season...