Game one (over) reactions.

[DaveW]

Sorta.

Yes, I know it's one game but there are a few thoughts I have and I'm guessing most other people share:

 

-If Jepsen regresses, this bullpen is in even more trouble than we thought.

 

-Fien, 3.87 xFIP as a RP, that is pretty poor. His pitches looked terrible today and his k rate has taken a nose dive the last two seasons, if he struggles over the first couple weeks I hope the Twins don't hesitate moving on from him.

 

-Buxton looked better, but still looks completely over-matched at the plate. He is there defensively no doubt, but I worry about how long it will take for him to become even a .250 hitter. (I think he will be fine overall, I just worry it won't happen until July or so)

 

-Mauer looks better than he has in a couple years, hopefully big things ahead for him.

 

-Suzuki came up against a RHP in the 7th inning down 2-1, and once again in the 9th inning against a RHP. One of the big reasons the Twins went out and traded for Murphy was having a 2nd catcher who could both handle the defense behind the dish, as well as offensively. Why not PH for Suzuki in either case? Santana has been hitting lights out in ST and should have gotten a shot in the 9th, Arcia needs a chance to prove himself and the opp in the 7th would have been a perfect chance.

 

-This game never should have started when it did, to have it go a quick two innings, and then a long rain delay? Someone screwed up no doubt.

 

-Sano didn't cost them anything serious in the field in this game, but his routes were....interesting, it's going to be a work in progress.

 

-Escobar looked great.

[Aggies7]

It will be interesting to see if the offense repeats the same anemic start that it did the first few games on 2015. Really only one threatening inning offensively tonight.

 

The rain thing was a tough call. Radar showed steady rain for hours. Ruined the whole day, but if anything is impossible to predict, it's the weather. Santana wasn't exactly looking sharp before the delay.

[DaveW]

One more thing:

 

When you know that there is a 80% chance+ of rain on opening day, I don't understand why you would take one of your bullpen guys and have him pitch 50 pitches the day before in a minor league game. (Tonkin)

 

I'm not saying that "cost" them the game, but it just seems to be so short sighted.

[Ultima Ratio]

Does "over" modify "game one" or "reactions."  I'm full of angst.

[Thrylos]

Got to add that:

 

May looked great.  Most composed Twins' pitcher out there.

 

The delay helped the Twins more than the Orioles

 

Concerned about the Twins swinging and striking out at garbage pitches in general

 

Buxton sucks with the stick but is really good with the glove, so I would keep him in as long as the game is close

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The Twins could maybe reduce their strikeout rate by calling up Adam Brett Walker?

[DaveW]

I'm not too worried about the strike out rate, guys like Dozier and Sano are gonna get a lot of K's because they are power hitters, it's part of their game. Now, should a guy like that be leading off? I would argue no, but whatever. Once Buxton comes around he hits leadoff and we ideally have this:

 

Buxton

Mauer

Sano

Dozier

Rosario

Park

Plouffe/Kepler

 

 

Also it's pretty common that strike outs are significantly higher to start the season anyways, as pitchers are "further" along then hitters.

 

Of course that also means that Fien may be in for an even rougher year then we previously thought.

[crapforks]

"If Jepsen regresses, this bullpen is in even more trouble than we thought."

 

I don't have a problem with pitching around Davis for the walk, it could be that Trumbo was seeing the ball well and Weiters was sitting on that first pitch. You are right, though, if he falters, the bullpen is in trouble.

 

"Suzuki came up against a RHP in the 7th inning down 2-1, and once again in the 9th inning against a RHP. One of the big reasons the Twins went out and traded for Murphy was having a 2nd catcher who could both handle the defense behind the dish, as well as offensively. Why not PH for Suzuki in either case? Santana has been hitting lights out in ST and should have gotten a shot in the 9th, Arcia needs a chance to prove himself and the opp in the 7th would have been a perfect chance."

 

I don't think a team will do that regularly without a third catcher. Some games, you can PH for your catcher, but it isn't going be a regular thing in a close game. I think it makes sense in a vacuum, but MLB managers seem not to do that much. I would  do it in video game baseball all the time because it does make sense.

 

[Thrylos]

 

Of course that also means that Fien may be in for an even rougher year then we previously thought.

 

Speak for yourself.  Some of us thought that Fien should had gotten the boot a couple seasons ago.  Part of the 99+96+96+92 problem...

[Brock Beauchamp]

I agree on most points but have no issue letting Suzuki hit. He's a contact guy and the Twins needed contact. It wasn't a terrible decision.

[DaveW]

 

 

I don't think a team will do that regularly without a third catcher. Some games, you can PH for your catcher, but it isn't going be a regular thing in a close game. I think it makes sense in a vacuum, but MLB managers seem not to do that much. I would  do it in video game baseball all the time because it does make sense.

See I just don't see the reasoning on why you wouldn't do that. Especially when you have an off day the next day anyways!

 

The odds that the 2nd catcher get hurt (hurt enough to have to be taken out) are so incredibly small that it doesn't make sense to "worry" about that anyways. Catchers are tough, its so incredibly rare for them to take themselves out of a game.

[twinsnorth49]

Yes, there were many.

[DaveW]

 

 

Speak for yourself.  Some of us thought that Fien should had gotten the boot a couple seasons ago.  Part of the 99+96+96+92 problem...

I have never been a Fien fan, but when you are a 96 loss team you have a lot more pressing issues then a guy who "should" be pitching only in low stress appearances.

 

But on a contending team? Having Fien as one of your clear 3 "goto" options in the 6th/7th/8th innings? That is a disaster.

 

 

[DaveW]

One other thought: DickBert were talking about how Pressly came up as a SP prospect for the Red Sox, now I am not saying he should be a SP, but wouldn't in be wise for the Twins in their current state to stretch him out a bit?

 

There is no reason why he shouldn't be a guy that they can't turn to for 2-3 innings when needed.

[Winston Smith]

I think the biggest take away was how athletic Sano is.

[DaveW]

 

I agree on most points but have no issue letting Suzuki hit. He's a contact guy and the Twins needed contact. It wasn't a terrible decision.

But most of the contact he makes is...poor. I mean we aren't talking about a guy you can just count on to hit it deep enough to get a SF.

Now he did get the SF, but it was also on a foul ball...

Also down 2-1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd (one out) you can't just be thinking about tieing the game, bring up a guy who can take the lead.

 

[stringer bell]

I thought Pressly looked very, very good. I stated at the tender deadline that the Twins should let Fien go, and still believe that. Pressly could develop into an outstanding 7th-8th inning guy and Fien (IMHO) never has reached that level. I think Pressly should get the higher leverage situations.

 

They came out of the game OK. That is, everybody should be available by Wednesday.  I don't think anybody catches the double by Jones. Sano's route wasn't great, but that is to be expected.

 

 

[Thrylos]

 

 

 

They came out of the game OK.

 

No they didn't..  They lost a game they won last season; they swept the Orioles 7-0 in 2015.  So they are one game off 2015.

 

Losing is not OK  

[jimmer]

 

No they didn't..  They lost a game they won last season; they swept the Orioles 7-0 in 2015.  So they are one game off 2015.

 

Losing is not OK

winning is over-rated.

[Mike Sixel]

Suzuki is one of the worst hitters in the game. There is no excuse for not pinch hitting. He is terrible. Why have arcia on the roster?

[Platoon]

It's only one game, but the Twims haven't really been a platooning or PH team as a rule. Which diminishes the effect your bench provides. They also aren't much for forcing veterans into days off. In the last 4 years there were plenty options amongst the fill in starters for the bench to get some innings. But now with what they hope to be a fixed lineup, they could sit a lot. This year is going to be very unlike any we have seen here in years!

[Seth Stohs]

Just 161 more to go...

[TheLeviathan]

It's unfortunate the first game boiled down to a battle of the bullpens.  Let's hope we have as few of those as humanly possible this year or Trevor May's arm will fall off trying to bail us out.

[Old Twins Cap]

It's baseball. 

 

The Twins had first and third in the ninth and two outs and so did the Orioles.  They got a hit.  And we didn't.

 

Nothing in that other than the random sifting through of odds.

 

But, Fien's ball spun and stayed straight.  I knew when he came in that the Orioles would score.  The Twins were lucky it wasn't worse that inning.

 

We'll figure out the bullpen.  Over time.

[jimbo92107]

Most encouraging things:

 

1. Joe Mauer looked like Joe Mauer at the plate, not a ghost of his former self. His at-bat against O'Day was a thing of baseball beauty - a great pitcher against a great hitter. O'Day was nipping the corners, and Mauer was right there with him, not giving an inch. Finally at 3-2 O'Day gave him one that caught too much of the plate, and Mauer laced it to the outfield. Beautiful.

 

2. Trevor May looks just as good as last year. Bullpen ace. 

 

3. Rosario looks good at the plate. ST was not an illusion. His hit scatter chart must be a nightmare. He hits balls to every point in the park, and some out of the park. 

 

4. Escobar looks like a starting SS. Yay!

 

5. Sano can catch baseballs in RF. Yay!

 

6. Plouffe looked solid at the plate. He is a better ballplayer than some realize.

 

Worrisome things:

 

1. Can Suzuki throw out anybody stealing second?

 

2. Is Buxton ever going to learn to hit? Ye gods, he's over 22 years old! ;-)

 

3. Casey Fein doesn't look good. 

 

4. Jepsen looked passive. Needs to attack harder. 

 

In conclusion...

 

All this team needs is for Joe Mauer to regain his former glory as a hitter, Sano to bang out 35 to 40 homers, a few good outings by the starters, and Trevor May to contribute 3 or 4 good innings per day.

 

That's all I ask. Oh, and May has to kill Superman. That's all I ask.

[jimmer]

Not sure I can agree with Rosario looking good at the plate.  Guy still swings at everything.  No plate discipline.

[DaveW]

 

It's baseball. 

 

The Twins had first and third in the ninth and two outs and so did the Orioles.  They got a hit.  And we didn't.

 

Nothing in that other than the random sifting through of odds.

 

But, Fien's ball spun and stayed straight.  I knew when he came in that the Orioles would score.  The Twins were lucky it wasn't worse that inning.

 

We'll figure out the bullpen.  Over time.

Yeah, Abad (more like APerfectlyAccetable so far amirite?) bailed out Fien that inning for sure. Those were some ugly/easy to hit pitches. IMO Duffey can't come up soon enough, or Pressly can't be "promoted" to the more crunch time spots soon enough.

 

I just can't trust Fien in a close game at this stage.

[DaveW]

 

 

Most encouraging things:

 

1. Joe Mauer looked like Joe Mauer at the plate, not a ghost of his former self. His at-bat against O'Day was a thing of baseball beauty - a great pitcher against a great hitter. O'Day was nipping the corners, and Mauer was right there with him, not giving an inch. Finally at 3-2 O'Day gave him one that caught too much of the plate, and Mauer laced it to the outfield. Beautiful.

 

2. Trevor May looks just as good as last year. Bullpen ace. 

 

3. Rosario looks good at the plate. ST was not an illusion. His hit scatter chart must be a nightmare. He hits balls to every point in the park, and some out of the park. 

 

4. Escobar looks like a starting SS. Yay!

 

5. Sano can catch baseballs in RF. Yay!

 

6. Plouffe looked solid at the plate. He is a better ballplayer than some realize.

1. This was maybe the most encouraging thing for me, if Mauer can get back to a .800+ OPS type guy (or even better) this team will do sooooo much better, especially if he is hitting 2nd and can get to a .310 BA .400 OBP. That just sets the table so much for Sano and company. (Which also forces pitchers to pitch to Sano)

 

2.Yeah, May is the real deal. I still would like to see him get a real shot at the rotation to see if he can be the "real deal" in the rotation as a solid #2/#3 type. If he fails, then put him back in the pen where you know he is a stud. Part of me worries that he would be our best SP on the team currently and we aren't using him to his full potential currently.

 

3. Rosario looks poised to take a step forward, but his approach against lefties needs to improve if he wants to go from a solid player to a very good/great player. Plenty of time of course, but any improvement in his patience/eye will pay off big time for him IMO.

 

4. Yeah, Escobar is quickly becoming one of my favorite players, he might not ever be an "all star" in this league, but he might become the Twins best regular SS since Greg Gagne. Escobar  may even be able to exceed him. (Hopefully in world series titles as well!)

 

5. Sano isn't going to be Manny Ramierez/Hanley "awful" in RF, because Sano actually gives a damn, I just think him being average is even a stretch, which honestly isn't a knock on him at all. Hopefully he can be "somewhat below average" instead of "eeeesh"

 

6. Yeah, Plouffe is a perfectly solid player who has a nice long career ahead of him in this league. As a solid average to above average third baseman depending on the season.

The question becomes though: should he be blocking Sano at 3rd base?

[howeda7]

 

I agree on most points but have no issue letting Suzuki hit. He's a contact guy and the Twins needed contact. It wasn't a terrible decision.

Agreed. It's one thing if it's June and he's 2 for his last 50. But he's usually better early, and all we needed was a sac fly, which we got.

[jimmer]

 

Agreed. It's one thing if it's June and he's 2 for his last 50. But he's usually better early, and all we needed was a sac fly, which we got.

Suzuki's bar is set pretty low.