How Long, Bruno?

[mudcat14]

Yes we have a group of inexperienced hitters who are still learning.  But I'm seeing no improvement what so ever in pitch recognition or strike zone judgment.  Even our veterans are getting worse!  Even if Brunansky is delivering the right message, part of his job is getting the hitters to buy in.  If one or two guys are too stubborn to change, that's one thing.  But we routinely bat 6-7 hitters who go up to the plate with no plan and no idea what to expect.  That lands at Bruno's feet and we can't afford to wait for things to improve.  I don't know what options they have at this point, but Brunos guidance ain't working.

[Kwak]

A team hitting slump is not at the hitting coach's feet in the ML.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

Et tu, Bruno?

[Otto von Ballpark]

A team hitting slump is not at the hitting coach's feet in the ML.

The strikeout thing is more than just a slump, though. It's been an issue throughout Bruno's tenure.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The strikeout thing is more than just a slump, though. It's been an issue throughout Bruno's tenure.

An increasingly large problem. I like some of the stuff Bruno brings to the table - no fear of pull-hitters, taking a pitch - but honestly, I still don't understand why the Twins demoted Vavra. It seemed like he was doing an okay job of balancing hitters while not attempting to force them into a mold. Joe Mauer was not Justin Morneau was not Jason Kubel.

[walt-o-meal]

What took so long?  This is the kind of thing that should come out after one loss, not four! 

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

What took so long?  This is the kind of thing that should come out after one loss, not four! 

The... baseball season... is... six... months...

[USAFChief]

The... baseball season... is... six... months...

I suspect your sarcasm-meter may need a tune up?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I suspect your sarcasm-meter may need a tune up?

Around here, it's hard to tell some days.

[twinsnorth49]

Cripes at this rate half the coaching staff won't make it back to the Twin Cities for the home opener. Let's reign in the lynch squad until at least after the White Sox come to town.

[mudcat14]

 

What took so long?  This is the kind of thing that should come out after one loss, not four! 

Err, ...um, ...did you watch the Twins last year?  The strikeout rates on this roster are ridiculously bad, and have been for some time.  And yes, 5 games is enough to determine that no improvement has been made.  58-K's against an array of hurlers that included one guy (Wade Davis for one inning) who appeared on anyone's Cy Young ballot last year.   

 

How deep a hole should we dig before making a change that is inevitable? 

[HitInAPinch]

I'm with Walt from the great MN town of Meal:

 

The art form of Sarcasm has been lost after a single game.  All Hail Meal!!

 

P.S.  DynoBites are yummy 

[Seth Stohs]

 

What took so long?  This is the kind of thing that should come out after one loss, not four! 

 

Yes we have a group of inexperienced hitters who are still learning.  But I'm seeing no improvement what so ever in pitch recognition or strike zone judgment.  Even our veterans are getting worse!  Even if Brunansky is delivering the right message, part of his job is getting the hitters to buy in.  If one or two guys are too stubborn to change, that's one thing.  But we routinely bat 6-7 hitters who go up to the plate with no plan and no idea what to expect.  That lands at Bruno's feet and we can't afford to wait for things to improve.  I don't know what options they have at this point, but Brunos guidance ain't working.

 

 

Are you saying No Improvement over the last 4 games, or over the last years? Cuz if it's four or five games, that's way too quick for any judgment. I'm not a fan of the home run or nothing strategy at all, but I think it'll be interesting to see what progression is made over the next month and more important, over the next 2-3 months.

[mudcat14]

 

Are you saying No Improvement over the last 4 games, or over the last years? Cuz if it's four or five games, that's way too quick for any judgment. I'm not a fan of the home run or nothing strategy at all, but I think it'll be interesting to see what progression is made over the next month and more important, over the next 2-3 months.

 

I guess what it boils down to for me is that I saw all I needed of Brunansky's tutelage last season.  The fact that they are significantly worse through 5 games this year isn't instilling much hope for improvement.

[Ncgo4]

Coaching is the magic elixir. As a fan I have no idea what makes a good one or even if we've got good ones. Pitch recognition by Twins hitters or injuries to the offensive line of the Gophers. How much is coaching, training or God given luck? I don't know.

[Minniman]

The Twins are looking more like Brunansky every day: low average with a lot of strike outs.

 

The Twins traded Bruno for those reasons. Why would they want a team that plays like him?

 

[Platoon]

Coaching is the magic elixir. As a fan I have no idea what makes a good one or even if we've got good ones. Pitch recognition by Twins hitters or injuries to the offensive line of the Gophers. How much is coaching, training or God given luck? I don't know.

Or how much of it is the players you are handed. If the FO made a conscious decision to stack the roster with high SO rate players, there is no reason for surprise, or for that matter to change the hitting coach. He can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. And he doesn't parcel out playing time. He has no actual leverage at all. Take Dozier for example, in ST, he seemed to work on, and be successful taking the outside pitch to RF. So far, and it's early, he has reverted to jerking almost everything. I am not calling for the benching of a Dozier after five games. But, the bottom line is the only leverage an assistant coach has is meted out by the manager. It has to be a collaborative effort.

[Blake]

 

Cripes at this rate half the coaching staff won't make it back to the Twin Cities for the home opener. Let's reign in the lynch squad until at least after the White Sox come to town.

Hey, it takes a while to gather the pitchforks, hemp, tar and feathers. Planning, baby, planning.

[Blake]

Just tossing this out there: but, it's been pretty obvious the strike zone has been somewhat erratic these first few games. 

 

I would think inexperienced players are going to be a lot more susceptible to striking out when they have little to no idea of what is and is not going to be called a strike.

 

We all know the young players are going to strike out a lot. That's a given. But how is an erratic strike zone countered by coaching?

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

The Twins are looking more like Brunansky every day: low average with a lot of strike outs.

 

The Twins traded Bruno for those reasons. Why would they want a team that plays like him?

 

To be fair, the Twins traded Bruno for an *All-Star* second baseman, hoping to fill a need.

It went poorly.

 

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

An increasingly large problem. I like some of the stuff Bruno brings to the table - no fear of pull-hitters, taking a pitch - but honestly, I still don't understand why the Twins demoted Vavra. It seemed like he was doing an okay job of balancing hitters while not attempting to force them into a mold. Joe Mauer was not Justin Morneau was not Jason Kubel.

I was not alone in calling for a change in the hitting coach (Vavra).

 

I once posted a list of hitters who had come to the Twins and hit worse and a list of hitters who left the Twins and hit better. I remember well that the list seemed pretty long.

 

[gunnarthor]

I do think Bruno was a bit overrated by fans when he came up b/c he was "new" and not Varva.  IIRC, his main success were getting Parmelee and Benson to start hitting at AA. And then he seemed to stress pull hitting - which Vavra didn't seem to and all was right. 

 

But I do think the strike outs and low on-base percentages are a real concern that has to be addressed.  I'm just not sure if it's by getting a new hitting coach or new players or just waiting it out.

[Boom Boom]

Not to take Bruno off the hook, because he should be held accountable... but the Twins lineup is terribly imbalanced.

 

I'd like to see some guys striking out a lot less and generally being tough outs, but they don't really have those kinds of hitters.

[Dave The Dastardly]

I think it's outdoor baseball. Bats afraid of low temperatures. Wait until we get back to the climate-controlled Dome and we can sacrifice a chicken. Wait a minute! Is the Dome gone? We got any chickens left?

[stringer bell]

The team had a successful 2014, but regressed in 2015. I would expect that he would have at least half a season before his employment was in jeopardy.

[Thrylos]

 

Are you saying No Improvement over the last 4 games, or over the last years? Cuz if it's four or five games, that's way too quick for any judgment. I'm not a fan of the home run or nothing strategy at all, but I think it'll be interesting to see what progression is made over the next month and more important, over the next 2-3 months.

 

Brunansky has had 3+ seasons now.  The strikeouts have been a problem since he took over and are progressively getting worst.   It is not 2016, it is 2013-16.

 

I'd trade him for Herr tomorrow.

[Thrylos]

Data:

Twins' ranking in K%  (highest is worst)

 

2016: 1st

2015: 12th

2014: 8th

2013: 2nd

2012: 29th

2011: 23rd

2010: 28th

 

I think that the numbers speak volumes here about Brunansky as a hitting coach...

[mnfireman]

The K's don't bother me so much, they are more a part of the game than at any other time, especially with young or power hitters. This team isn't doing the basics, at all. Lots of runners not getting advanced, batters trying to pull outside pitches, swinging at non-strikes, etc... As was stated earlier, there doesn't seem to be a plan with many of these batters. They are TRYING to work the count  (maybe there is a little bit of a plan), but are letting too many hittable pitches be called strikes, then swinging at bad pitches and taking the slow walk back to the dugout. 

 

Oh, there is one exception so far; everyone's favorite punching bag, Joe Mauer, is hitting the ball hard all over the field. What a shame it would be if he has recovered his mojo but the rest of the team can't figure it out.

[Mr. Brooks]

Some level of k's are one thing fireman.

This level, that we are seeing this year though, they simply cannot strikeout THIS much and have any offensive success, period.

[DocBauer]

The team had a successful 2014, but regressed in 2015. I would expect that he would have at least half a season before his employment was in jeopardy.

Precisely.

 

"Relax kid. We got 162 games to go."