Game one (over) reactions.

[jokin]

 

He's out of options....

 

Not the best excuse for having him on the roster. Time to find out right quick if Arcia has his mojo back- he looks in better shape, but he's going to gather rust on the bench, there really should be an opportunity for him to hit at least once in virtually every game.

[d-mac]

 

P.S Free Joe Dillon

 

 

 

Well said and I agree 100% across the board. I know people were trying to find positives in Buxton's game "He didn't swing at a ball in the dirt" "He fouled off some pitches" but come on, 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts against mediocre pitching is what it is. I agree that he could have used some time in AAA, but the Twins more or less painted themselves into this corner when they traded Hicks/Didn't sign any OF.

 

FWIW Span a guy that many people suggested the Twins look at getting went 2 for 4 with a bomb yesterday for his first game as a Giant.

 

Maybe they shouldn't have released Sweeney despite a hot spring.... Hmmmm... 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Agreed... he gave them exactly what they needed in that situation and was the right guy for the job there. Doing what needs to be done with a runner on 3rd and less than two outs is sadly lost at this point. 

Like getting a hit, and trying for more than 1 run?

 

Do we really need to bring up Suzuki's stats to show he's a bad hitter? Is this some kind of mystery?

[jokin]

 

Maybe they shouldn't have released Sweeney despite a hot spring.... Hmmmm... 

 

Or how about trading for a better catcher in the offseason from their surplus of prospects and keep Hicks until Buxton is fully ready?

 

The possible silver lining is Santana stepping in and producing ala 2014, and Buxton sent down to AAA for more seasoning flanked by Kepler and Walker.

[d-mac]

 

He's out of options....

So? If he's on the roster use him or DFA him. It's time to s*** or get off the pot.

[d-mac]

 

Looks finally fully healthy for the first time in quite a while. Anxious to see if he can repeat this a few times coming up, it will make Fien ever more DFA-able.

 

Pressly has some nasty stuff. If he hadn't gotten hurt last year, he'd probably be in a higher-leverage role right now.

[jokin]

 

 

Like getting a hit, and trying for more than 1 run?

 

Do we really need to bring up Suzuki's stats to show he's a bad hitter? Is this some kind of mystery?

 

More like a "gritty" riddle wrapped up in "dogged" enigma? (Re- the "two-catcher rule", can't Escobar catch for an inning or two if both catchers are either injured and/or used up? There are two serviceable, short-time SSs on the bench in Santana and Nunez).

[jokin]

 

 

Pressly has some nasty stuff. If he hadn't gotten hurt last year, he'd probably be in a higher-leverage role right now.

 

A few more outings like yesterday, and he'll force the issue.

[d-mac]

 

Or how about trading for a better catcher in the offseason from their surplus of prospects and keep Hicks until Buxton is fully ready?

 

The possible silver lining is Santana stepping in and producing ala 2014, and Buxton sent down to AAA for more seasoning flanked by Kepler and Walker.

 

Both would have worked. I still think Murphy could be majorly league average for a catcher both offensively and defensively. I just think between Rosario, Santana, and Sweeney, those are some pretty good options to handle both LF and CF until Buxton is ready. 

[SwainZag]

 

The Arcia suggestion was for the 7th inning situation.

In the 9th inning you bring in Santana or Nunez, then if they bring in a RHP to "counter act" you bring in Arcia at that point.

 

1 out, down 1 run with runners on 2nd and 3rd you want to bring in a guy who strikes out 25% of the time?  Zuke put the ball in play and tied the game.  Sure, a hit would have been better, but a strikeout probably means they don't tie the game up and we don't even have a 9th inning to bitch about.

 

If there weren't 2 outs with no one in the 9th, I could see pinch hitting for Suzuki then.

[SwainZag]

 

 

5/6. I think Plouffe in right, Sano at 3rd would be better defensively. Sano would be less bad at 3rd than RF and Plouffe would be superior to Sano in RF. Plouffe has averaged over 3 fWAR the past two seasons, which means he's an above average major leaguer. The problem is third is loaded by historical standards in baseball right now. 

 

But Plouffe defensively at 3B is an asset.  By moving him to RF and Sano to 3B to technically downgrade both positions defensively.  Sano is more athletic than Plouffe is anyways. 

[rghrbek]

I was disappointed that Suzuki bunted in the 3rd after Esco's double.   I was not watching but there was nobody out right?    We saw this way too much last year, giving up an out (with nobody out) to get a guy in scoring position to 3rd, early in the game.   This wasn't the 7th inning or later.   Also new pitcher in, not the dude who was looking like Cy Young.    It's bad baseball.

 

I also agree that Suzuki could have been pinched hit for in the 7th, but for sure in the 9th. 

 

Esco, May, Pressley looked great.

[DaveW]

Agreed... he gave them exactly what they needed in that situation and was the right guy for the job there. Doing what needs to be done with a runner on 3rd and less than two outs is sadly lost at this point.

Nothing is "lost" Seth.

 

They were down by a run, runners on 3rd and 2nd with two down. What you "need" there is a hit to take the lead. He hit a foul ball and got a SF. While it tied the game he still wasn't the best option to hit in that spot.

[DaveW]

1 out, down 1 run with runners on 2nd and 3rd you want to bring in a guy who strikes out 25% of the time? Zuke put the ball in play and tied the game. Sure, a hit would have been better, but a strikeout probably means they don't tie the game up and we don't even have a 9th inning to bitch about.

 

If there weren't 2 outs with no one in the 9th, I could see pinch hitting for Suzuki then.

Arcia is a better hitter then Suzuki, especially against RHP.

 

He is more likely to get a hit or actually hit the ball far enough for a SF in that scenario.

[DaveW]

But Plouffe defensively at 3B is an asset. By moving him to RF and Sano to 3B to technically downgrade both positions defensively. Sano is more athletic than Plouffe is anyways.

Yeah plouffe would be poor in RF.

[d-mac]

 

But Plouffe defensively at 3B is an asset.  By moving him to RF and Sano to 3B to technically downgrade both positions defensively.  Sano is more athletic than Plouffe is anyways. 

 

Are you sure, is he? Sano looks like Delmon Young in the outfield to me. I think the downgrade from Plouffe to Sano at third is less than the gain from Plouffe over Sano in RF. 

[d-mac]

 

Yeah plouffe would be poor in RF.

 

How do we know? I doubt he'd be worse than Sano.

[DaveW]

Are you, is he? Sano looks like Delmon Young in the outfield to me. I think the downgrade from Plouffe to Sano at third is less than the gain from Plouffe over Sano in RF.

I dunno, plouffe and Sano are close to a wash in RF IMO.

 

I'd rather have Park in RF and Sano at DH for the time being to be honest.

[DaveW]

How do we know? I doubt he'd be worse than Sano.

I could be wrong.

 

I just think Plouffe is too slow etc to be an upgrade.

[adorduan]

 

I was disappointed that Suzuki bunted in the 3rd after Esco's double.   I was not watching but there was nobody out right?    We saw this way too much last year, giving up an out (with nobody out) to get a guy in scoring position to 3rd, early in the game.   This wasn't the 7th inning or later.   Also new pitcher in, not the dude who was looking like Cy Young.    It's bad baseball.

 

I also agree that Suzuki could have been pinched hit for in the 7th, but for sure in the 9th. 

 

Esco, May, Pressley looked great.

Suzuki didn't bunt, he grounded out to the 3rd baseman.

[d-mac]

 

I dunno, plouffe and Sano are close to a wash in RF IMO.

I'd rather have Park in RF and Sano at DH for the time being to be honest.

 

I'd rather have Park at first, he's probably superior than Mauer with the glove. But Sano is just so HUGE, that despite being athletic it takes him so long to change directions or stop when running at full speed. 

[d-mac]

 

I could be wrong.

I just think Plouffe is too slow etc to be an upgrade.

 

It's not necessarily who is faster, if you're taking to mean top speed. Top speed doesn't me jack if you can't change direction to react to a slicing line drive and cut off a hit in the gap or near the line, come to complete stop and then turn to throw to the middle infield. I played RF at the varsity level in high school. So, I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about. 

[DaveW]

It's not necessarily who is faster, if you're taking to mean top speed. Top speed doesn't me jack if you can't change direction to react to a slicing line drive and cut off a hit in the gap or near the line, come to complete stop and then turn to throw to the middle infield. I played RF at the varsity level in high school. So, I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about.

I wasn't trying to argue with you or anything. I have seen other people write about how plouffe would struggle in RF, gleeman was one that comes immediately to mind. I just personally don't see Plouffe as any signicant upgrade to be honest.

 

I played RF for a game in my wood bat league last year, I went back to 1B/DH after I misplayed about every ball hit to me. So I feel your and Sanos pain

[DaveW]

My plan A would have been to trade Plouffe, keep Hicks and have an elite OF defensively.

 

Sano would have taken his lumps at 3rd, but other than that the D as a whole would look preeeeettttty pretttttty good.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Nothing is "lost" Seth.

They were down by a run, runners on 3rd and 2nd with two down. What you "need" there is a hit to take the lead. He hit a foul ball and got a SF. While it tied the game he still wasn't the best option to hit in that spot.

 

Well, sure, I would want Mauer up there instead, but he wasn't an option...A hit would have been wonderful but at a minimum you HAD to get at least one run in there, and Suzuki didn't strike out. We don't know, but the odds of Arcia, Murphy, Nunez and Santana striking out there were much higher. Then you have nothing and you're still down a run.

[rghrbek]

 

Suzuki didn't bunt, he grounded out to the 3rd baseman.

 

My bad, and thanks for clarifying.   Corey said on the radio that he tried to sacrifice the runner to 3rd (in his previous at bat), so I assumed he meant bunt.   Maybe he tried, then got 2 strikes and ultimately grounded to 3rd?

[DaveW]

Well, sure, I would want Mauer up there instead, but he wasn't an option...A hit would have been wonderful but at a minimum you HAD to get at least one run in there, and Suzuki didn't strike out. We don't know, but the odds of Arcia, Murphy, Nunez and Santana striking out there were much higher. Then you have nothing and you're still down a run.

It's not all just about strike outs and non strike outs in that scenario though. Suzuki typically doesn't hit a ball far enough for a SF in that situation.

 

I guess I just don't understand what the point of rostering Arcia is if you won't bring him up, against a RHP in that exact situation.

 

Sorta ditto with Santana as well, give the younger guys a shot and give them some confidence.

 

Going back one more step, I am dissapointed that they gave Suzuki the start over Murphy to begin with.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

It's not based on one game, it's based on all of 2015 as well.

I'm not going to dignify your last sentence with a response, that is clear trolling and you should be "above" that.

 

I'm guessing only a dozen or so folks know the reference, so I'm not sure it's trolling, but 'season over' isn't all that much different than 'kill and fire them all' to some at least

 

Back to the main point though, I think your observations were pretty spot on.  It's Casey Fein that probably concerns me more than most.  The weather certainly poses a bit of a problem here, Perhaps we should start Santana again tomorrow, since for all intents and purposes, it was a bull pen game.   I'm not sure I'm too worked up about pinch hitting just yet, though I can see the merit given that Murphy is hardly a defensive drop off from Suzuki.  That's an excellent opportunity to pinch hit for Kurt.  Same goes with Buxton, though there's going to be a defensive drop off..

 

As to Buxton, I don't think he should have headed north.  He wasn't ready last year, and his spring this year certainly didn't scream ready either.  Yeah, he may get there, but I think I'd have rather had Sweeney in center or rolled with DanSan for a few months until Buxton started doing a better job at the plate.

[gocgo]

Skip: What's our record, Larry?
Larry: Eight and sixteen.
Skip: Eight... and sixteen. How'd we ever win eight?
Larry: It's a miracle.
Skip: It's a miracle. This... is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball.

 

....words to live by.

[h2oface]

Casey Fien should not be on the team. Period. I have no problem with Suzuki batting today. He finished spring training on a roll, and there is a lot to be said for the hot bat. (Plus, his RBI tied the game!. I have no excuse for a catcher, any catcher/pitcher combo letting Trumbo steal a base, though). Granted, Santana's bat is hotter. No reason to let it cool off. Escobar's second double was tagged, but it was a catchable ball that Trumbo misplayed (imagine that). Dozier needs to make that play on the relay from Sano. It one hopped, but Dozier bobbling the ball and then making a poor throw cost a run. He needs to throw that runner out. I can't expect Sano to make the catch on the Jones drive, but a right fielder certainly could have turned that into a fine catch and an out . The batters made Tillman look like a strikeout king, swinging through meat that was right down the middle and "mistakes" that should be driven out of the park (or at least a base hit... like when Jepsen decided to throw the meat that cost the game). I can't believe Rosario caught that wind blown fly at the fence looking up into the rain. As long as the Twins keep trading center fielders that are finally ready or there, there will be the next hope prematurely occupying the spot, making catches but not hitting. I love E-San's red glove.