Article: LAD 6, MIN 4: Rogers Gives Up Bellinger Blast, Blows Lead

[Tom Froemming]

The development of Taylor Rogers into one of the most effective setup men in baseball has been one of the biggest stories of the 2017 season for the Twins. Cody Bellinger’s incredible rookie season has been one of the biggest stories in all of baseball. Push came to shove, and it was the Dodgers rookie who won their battle, as Bellinger blasted a go-ahead three-run homer off Rogers in the eighth inning.Win Expectancy (via Fangraphs)

Download attachment: WinEx724.png

Sometimes it just seems like we can’t have nice things, doesn’t it? Rogers, who leads all of baseball in holds, has now put together back-to-back poor outings. Saturday against Detroit he gave up a two-run homer to Justin Upton and Monday night the left-handed hitting Bellinger got him for a three-run homer.

 

This was an especially tough loss to swallow after seeing the offense battle back. Bartolo Colon pitched well, but he clearly ran out of gas in the fifth inning. This is a 44-year-old pitcher we’re talking about here, so nobody should be surprised by that.

 

The Twins built a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, but Colon gave up back-to-back homers followed by a triple in the fifth. The Dodgers took a 3-2 lead by the time that frame, and Bartolo’s night, was over. His final line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.

 

Eddie Rosario homered in the sixth to tie it up, then delivered an RBI double in the seventh to give the Twins a 4-3 advantage. Rosie was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored.

The Twins managed to load the bases in the sixth inning, but continued a disturbing trend. Max Kepler came off the bench to pinch hit for Colon and struck out before Brian Dozier ended the inning with a fly out. The Twins lead all of baseball in plate appearances with the bases loaded since the All-Star break with 22. They’re just 3-for-19 (.158) with two sac flies and a walk.

 

Jason Castro had two doubles and an RBI. Joe Mauer was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Buddy Boshers struck out the side in the sixth inning and Matt Belise pitched a perfect seventh before Rogers blew it in the eighth.

After this one ended, it was announced that Kyle Gibson was being optioned out to Rochester to make room for the recently acquired Jaime Garcia. The plan is for Colon to start again Sunday against Oakland.

 

Postgame With Colon

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:

Download attachment: Pen724.png

Tuesday

Twins (Jose Berrios) at Dodgers (Kenta Maeda), 9:10 pm CT

 

Maeda, a right-hander, has been inconsistent this season, and has only pitched more than five innings just three times in 15 games started. His ERA is 4.23, but his 1.19 WHIP and 3.64 K:BB ratio suggest he’s pitched much better this season. He’s been very tough at Dodger Stadium, posting a 3.18 ERA over 133 career innings at Chavez Ravine.

 

Berrios held the Yankees to one run over 6.2 innings his last time out. Even with that performance, July has still been by far his worst month this season (5.12 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, .895 OPS against). He’s given up 17 runs in 19.1 innings this month, though six of those were unearned. Berrios has struggled with the long ball on the road, giving up eight homers in seven starts away from Target Field (and just one homer in six home starts).

 

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[bighat]

Brutal loss.

 

Eddie Rosario had this team on his on his back the whole game, props to a great performance there.

 

I believe Grossman was safe at home on that challenge. Great slide. That extra run would have been huge...did the catcher's glove string tag Grossman? I don't get the reasoning behind the out call there. Nice outfield assist by Grossman too, whudathunk it.

 

Colon. No mas, por favor. I'd rather have Gibby in there. Seems like demoting Gibby after his best outing of the year was a little harsh. The guy's getting hot, I don't like that corresponding move.

 

Buxton's back tonight. Giddyap.

 

Mauer got a hit and walked off the lefty. Maybe Molitor should start playing him more since - ya know - the games are becoming very important.

 

Back to .500 and possibly heading under.  KC and Cleveland both hot, and starting to separate. With every loss the Twins' "big trade" looks more and more like it came a week too late.

[mikelink45]

What did they tell Gibson who seemed to be at his best lately - don't worry it is just until Bartolo falls apart we should see you in a couple weeks?

[Tom Froemming]

 

I believe Grossman was safe at home on that challenge. Great slide. That extra run would have been huge...did the catcher's glove string tag Grossman? I don't get the reasoning behind the out call there. Nice outfield assist by Grossman too, whudathunk it.

A lot of folks in the game thread would agree with you, but I thought he was out. Also, I think if he had slid directly to home plate he would've been safe. I don't always love that wrap-around slide. 

 

What did they tell Gibson who seemed to be at his best lately - don't worry it is just until Bartolo falls apart we should see you in a couple weeks?

My biggest issue with this decision is the innings factor. Bartolo is not going to go past five innings often, if ever. Gibson had pitched six or more in six of his last nine starts. When you have a very shallow bullpen, that's stuff is extra important. 

 

Actually, since the start of June Gibby has thrown more innings than anybody on the Twins and the 21st-most in all of baseball.

[Han Joelo]

Rogers was up 0-2 on Turner when I turned it off. Glad I didn't stay up any later.

The old "which 4/5th starter to shelve." Honestly it's just throwing a dart to guess who might be most due for a clunker.

[drjim]

A lot of folks in the game thread would agree with you, but I thought he was out. Also, I think if he had slid directly to home plate he would've been safe. I don't always love that wrap-around slide.

 

My biggest issue with this decision is the innings factor. Bartolo is not going to go past five innings often, if ever. Gibson had pitched six or more in six of his last nine starts. When you have a very shallow bullpen, that's stuff is extra important.

 

Actually, since the start of June Gibby has thrown more innings than anybody on the Twins and the 21st-most in all of baseball.

Hadn't realized that regarding Gibson and innings. Seems more than acceptable for a backend starter.

[Blackjack]

Seems like Rogers is getting overused and wore down...

 

I hate these West coast games!!! Thats where these post game reports really shine!!! Thanks!!

[Dantes929]

I am also baffled by Gibson demotion rather than Colon.   Both of Colon's starts I have thought "Wow, he got through the 4th inning.  Get him out of there"   In short he has been better than I expected which is still not very good.    If Gibson had clunked his last start this move would make perfect sense but he didn't, so it doesn't.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Brutal loss.

 

Eddie Rosario had this team on his on his back the whole game, props to a great performance there.

 

I believe Grossman was safe at home on that challenge. Great slide. That extra run would have been huge...did the catcher's glove string tag Grossman? I don't get the reasoning behind the out call there. Nice outfield assist by Grossman too, whudathunk it.

 

I thought Grossman was out. Despite what was said on the telecast, I thought he was tagged in the forearm before he hit the plate... Or, at least for me, I didn't see anything conclusive to overturn it. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Seems like demoting Gibby after his best outing of the year was a little harsh. The guy's getting hot, I don't like that corresponding move.

I simply do not understand this narrative, which seems to have gained traction on the board.

 

Gibson had a decent game against a terrible Detroit team.

 

Before that, he had what looked to be a decent start that, in typical Gibson fashion, imploded at the end. Before that, he had a brutal game where he went 4.0 innings and gave up 7 earned runs.

 

How is Gibson getting hot? Because if this is him hot, yeesh.

[Brandon]

We have more depth if we keep Colon and option Gibson. If we outright Colon we dont have any veterans to go to if something happens to a starter. We would have to call up a rookie instead of a veteran.

[Brandon]

At the game https://imgur.com/gallery/wA8am

 

Also i was at the game last night and took these pics of the view. It was 73 degrees at the game.

[bighat]

 

I simply do not understand this narrative, which seems to have gained traction on the board.

 

Gibson had a decent game against a terrible Detroit team.

 

Before that, he had what looked to be a decent start that, in typical Gibson fashion, imploded at the end. Before that, he had a brutal game where he went 4.0 innings and gave up 7 earned runs.

 

How is Gibson getting hot? Because if this is him hot, yeesh.

 

I should rephrase:  Gibson is looking like a better 5th option than Colon or Santiago.  Better?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I should rephrase:  Gibson is looking like a better 5th option than Colon or Santiago.  Better?

Maybe a little but still not a certainty.

 

Colon has been bad this season but only marginally worse than Gibson and his recent track record is a lot better than Kyle (though he's ancient so those halcyon days may be over for good).

 

As for Santiago, I'll take a healthy Hector over a healthy Kyle if I'm trying to win this season (and probably in general, actually). They're close enough in age where it's not a factor and...

 

Gibson has 667 IP, an 86 ERA+, a 4.39 FIP, and 6.0 K/9.

 

Santiago has 785 IP, a 101 ERA+, a 4.85 FIP, and a 7.8 K/9.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

gut wrenching loss

Edited July 25, 2017 by Hosken Bombo Disco

[bluechipper]

 

I simply do not understand this narrative, which seems to have gained traction on the board.

 

Gibson had a decent game against a terrible Detroit team.

 

Before that, he had what looked to be a decent start that, in typical Gibson fashion, imploded at the end. Before that, he had a brutal game where he went 4.0 innings and gave up 7 earned runs.

 

How is Gibson getting hot? Because if this is him hot, yeesh.

Detroit is 4th in the AL in runs. They had great games not chasing against Santana and Mejia, but Gibson shut them down for the most part by attacking the strike zone better than I have seen for a while.

 

I don't think he deserved to be sent down, but having said that, I'm not too upset about it because it's Kyle Gibson.

[bluechipper]

This bases loaded act is getting really old.

 

Great job tonight by Eddie Rosario. He's really putting together a solid season.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Detroit is 4th in the AL in runs.

And missing what was far and away their best bat this season.

[Willihammer]

No fun with numbers- the Dodgers have 4 (!) regulars with a higher OPS than Miguel Sano.

 

Ouch.

[Old Twins Cap]

Dodgers know how to swing the bats with ferocity.

 

But, Twins played pretty well, two tough chances corralled by Dodger outfielders on Sano and Dozier really cost the Twins.

 

Wish Rogers had not thrown that third curve ball in a row, but, it worked on Seager so there you go.

[h2oface]

 

A lot of folks in the game thread would agree with you, but I thought he was out. Also, I think if he had slid directly to home plate he would've been safe. I don't always love that wrap-around slide. 

 

 

So true. Today's baseball slides by the base and reaching out or back are lame. And it was Grossman again. So slow. (Glynn almost sent him again later in the game! Glynn holds Buxton, but sends Grossman.... go figure). It was only close because the catcher set up so so poorly for the play. If catchers set up behind the line instead of in front of the line, a lot more runners will be out. I thought it was to hard to tell and reverse, and the umpire call could not be overturned. if the umpire called safe, that would have stood, too.

[h2oface]

 

I simply do not understand this narrative, which seems to have gained traction on the board.

 

Gibson had a decent game against a terrible Detroit team.

 

Before that, he had what looked to be a decent start that, in typical Gibson fashion, imploded at the end. Before that, he had a brutal game where he went 4.0 innings and gave up 7 earned runs.

 

How is Gibson getting hot? Because if this is him hot, yeesh.

 

Yup. The same terrible Detroit team that has taken 3 consecutive series' from this remarkable Twins team (and the Twins are 3-6 against this season).... the most recent series that featured crushing the massively inconsistent since May 7th Santana, our supposed all-star "ace" in the first game, and our all-star (I still kinda choke to say it) closer, Kintzler, in the final game (with both Santana and Kintzler facing Cabrerra, who went 0-7 in the series) - the bookends around the stellar game by Gibson. Best to negate the most recent performance for arguments sake? I look at it differently, I guess. I don't punish right after good behavior. It confuses the process.

[Kwak]

It seems that all posters believe it was an either/or situation for Gibson/Colon with respect to start or leave.  But there was another (better) option--send Gibson to the pen and option one of the RPs.

[Darius]

We're going to be out of it before Garcia touches a baseball.

[David HK]

I like how the boys battled tonight, but the telltale sign was evident again.  It's sad when your team has 2nd and 3rd with less than 2 outs, or bases loaded and less than 2, and you shrug your shoulders and sigh, instead of getting excited at the possibilities.  

 

Pitching woes are a given with this team, but it's the lack of timely hitting that have and will cost us any shot at a playoff position.

[adorduan]

I DON'T get what anyone sees in Colon.  He's sucked all of year and he's 44 freaking years old, yet some on here expect some kind of Jesus like resurrection from him.  He's done, he can barely make it through 5 innings on a good day, taxing our already overworked bullpen.  The decision to keep him for even 1 more start is horse manure.