Article: Game Thread: Royals@Twins 10/2 7:10PM

[Brock Beauchamp]

Well, that's about it.

 

I hate to say it, but...

 

Season over.

[Hrbowski]

 

Sweet at bat Hunter, you looked like a real MVP today!

He certainly should be in the conversation.

[mikecgrimes]

if all games are 50/50 Twins still have better then 3% chance of forcing 163

[TwinsCD]

Not dead yet but the priest has been summoned.  Weren't we 2 down with 3 to go against the Tigers a couple of years ago and they pulled it out?  Dumber things have happened but now they still have to win 3 games to get to the playoffs.  Nice pitching performance out of Young and when they took Santana out, I went to the kitchen figuring it was May that was going to come in.  Was a little surprised to see Perk and then he crapped the bed again.

[DaveW]

 

if all games are 50/50 Twins still have better then 3% chance of forcing 163

If Jepsen pulled his groin, there is no way the Twins next two games are 50/50

[DaveW]

 

 

Not dead yet but the priest has been summoned.  Weren't we 2 down with 3 to go against the Tigers a couple of years ago and they pulled it out?  Dumber things have happened but now they still have to win 3 games to get to the playoffs.  Nice pitching performance out of Young and when they took Santana out, I went to the kitchen figuring it was May that was going to come in.  Was a little surprised to see Perk and then he crapped the bed again.

3 down with 4 to go.

[Kwak]

 

My dog could have managed Sano to "hit it a long ways"

 

When it came to the bullpen? Might as well have just drawn a name out of the hat all season (not all molitors fault, mostly Ryan's, but still his bullpen choices left a lot to be desired)

What did Molitor (and staff) do to completely turn the team around after those three losses in NY?  That took some managing.  I fully expected the Twins to implode after that series--and lo and behold six straight wins and brought the Twins into serious contention.  This team doesn't win on talent/skill, it wins on grit and determination--qualities that were not displayed under Gardenhire.  Molitor is a good manager, and deserves a great deal of credit for the change in the team.

 

The comment about Sano [being managed by Molitor?]  Sano wasn't present for May when the this season was redefined from losing to winning.

[DaveW]

Until Molitor manages to win a division 5 times in 8 years he won't be as "good" as the guy who came bfore him. Hell, if he manages to win a division once in the next two years I will conceed he is "good" but until that comes? He has a lot to prove, and frankly, he didn't look the part this year. I give him a C at best. If he would learn how to manage a pen and stop with his obessesion of bunting, I would think about giving him a B.

[SwainZag]

 

I'll say it. Perkins cost this team the post season. If he is still hurt, then flipping say it.  He blew it

 

End of the day they still only scored 1 run tonight.

 

Perkins was perfect in the 1st half, was bound to blow a few here and there.  Saying that he cost the Twins the post season is pretty rough.

[TwinsCD]

For a first-year manager to come in to a stale environment where losing was becoming the norm and to work with this mix of players to cobble together a winning record, I'd give Molitor at least a B.  Hell, if it wasn't for Hinch's job in Houston, Mollie could very well be the AL Manager of the Year.  This team exceeded just about every expectation (most had them as the 3rd worst team in all of baseball back in March).  Yes, he had some interesting decisions with bullpen personnel or who he had to pinch hit but given the groceries in the cabinet, I think he did pretty well with what he had...for a first-year manager.  If you want to tell me that Stengel or Sparky or LaRussa were Hall-of-Fame perfect in their first seasons, have at it. Those of you who want to nitpick every blessed move, I don't think you'll ever be satisfied.  

 

This year's team set the foundation much like the 2001 team did for the rest of the decade.  Management now has to bolster what is there on the field to get them over the top.  As we've seen this year, they are a lot closer than we think to being back to a regular playoff team.

[Intramural Legend]

End of the day they still only scored 1 run tonight.

 

Perkins was perfect in the 1st half, was bound to blow a few here and there. Saying that he cost the Twins the post season is pretty rough.

Agree, first half. Doesn't mean he can't admit significant issues or injury in the second half Edited October 3, 2015 by Intramural Legend

[TwinsCD]

MLB Network just flashed a stat on their bottom line saying Perkins has a 7+ ERA since the All-Star Game.  You think of the game he blew against the A's, allowing the 3rd HR to A-Fraud at home in July, and his other meltdowns, instead of being the fire extinguisher, he became the gasoline.  Closers can't have that kind of ERA and he lost his job as a result of it.

[DaveW]

 

MLB Network just flashed a stat on their bottom line saying Perkins has a 7+ ERA since the All-Star Game.  You think of the game he blew against the A's, allowing the 3rd HR to A-Fraud at home in July, and his other meltdowns, instead of being the fire extinguisher, he became the gasoline.  Closers can't have that kind of ERA and he lost his job as a result of it.

http://i.imgur.com/mCqdiqF.jpg

 

 

But in seriousness, yeah his pitching down the stretch definitely cost this team at minimum a game or two, but I can't fault him for it. He was INJURED, even when he came back he clearly wasn't at 100% and shouldn't be the guy brought in for the most important at bats of the game. However, since the rest of the bullpen has been...um...well....medicore, he was forced to pitch in those games less thant 100%, while I think Molly should have went with Cotts or May instead of Perkins tonight, again its hard to fault him too much for that. The blame honestly hast to begin and end with Ryan who saw this pen was an issue all season long, and frankly IMO did too little too late to fix it. Jepsen was awesome, but they needed more!

[DaveW]

Good news: The Diamondbacks cut the Astros lead to 7-2. Bad news, the Astros have scored 14 straight since then.

 

21-2, maybe they have used up all of their runs this series?

[akmanak]

Until Molitor manages to win a division 5 times in 8 years he won't be as "good" as the guy who came bfore him. Hell, if he manages to win a division once in the next two years I will conceed he is "good" but until that comes? He has a lot to prove, and frankly, he didn't look the part this year. I give him a C at best. If he would learn how to manage a pen and stop with his obessesion of bunting, I would think about giving him a B.

First it was fire Anderson, then Gardy, Ryan, the hotdog vendor, the batboy, the janitor and what now.....Molitor? It was his rookie coaching year and he turned the Twins into a winning team. Smh.

[DaveW]

 

First it was fire Anderson, then Gardy, Ryan, the hotdog vendor, the batboy, the janitor and what now.....Molitor? It was his rookie coaching year and he turned the Twins into a winning team. Smh.

For the record: I never wanted Gardy fired. I was mostly indifferent to Anderson, but Allen has done a nice job no doubt.

[rghrbek]

Gotta say boys, Molly bringing in Perk in that high leverage situation was suspect.  He's been awful in 2nd half.  Injuries or not May woulda been the right call.  Just bad managing.  I don't blame Perk, he just doesn't have it.  Doesn't throw slider.  it is what it is.   Ruesse's article riping Chris Young is just wrong.  He's been very good this year for a soft tossing journeyman.  #1 against right handed batters in the whole AL.  He's been good.  Yes the offense could and should have done more, but you cannot bring a guy with an almost an 8 era with your season on the line in a high leverage situation....

 

On the double that hicks dove for and didn't get, that shoulda been Torii's ball.   Bad jump, no speed, love me some Torii, but he's just not the same.  Hurt us later with the kick.

 

Oh well great season.  Win Twins!

[Jham]

Even when Perk was dominating his velocity was way down. His k's were way down. Last year he slid.

 

He performed admirably when his control was pin point. Later in the year when he lost his feel and even more speed, he was pretty rough. He should have taken more off and continued to hit his spots, but seemed to consistently over throw instead. I saw Hughes pitch as well as I've ever seen him throw beating Kluber while not hitting 90 on the gun. He pitched to his health and figured out what he needed to do. Perkins never adjusted. Neither did Dozier who had somehow gotten a free pass...