Article: LAA 2, MIN 1: Is This a Rerun?

[Tom Froemming]

Kyle Gibson pitched a good game but the offense was quiet and the Twins lost by a run. Again. This team is now 3-13 in one-run games. They only lost 18 games by a one-run deficit all of last season.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Current record: 27-34

Kyle Gibson: 55 Game Score, 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 60.2% strikes

Bullpen: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

Lineup: 0-for-5 w/RISP, 6 LOB

Top three per WPA: Gibson .141, Rosario .066, Adrianza .062

Download attachment: WinEx69.png

Gibson threw a career-high 118 pitches and only gave up two solo home runs over seven innings pitched. It’s pretty difficult to expect more from a starter in 2018. Gibson has now allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his 13 starts … and his record is 1-4.

 

Baseball is weird. Last season, Gisbon wasn’t very good and the Twins still went 18-11 in games he started. Gibby’s been really good this year, and the team is only 6-7 when he’s on the bump.

 

Eddie Rosario had a pair of hits (ho-hum), as did Miguel Sano. Both those guys also made some plays in the field, as Rosie nailed a runner at the plate with a nice throw and Sano made a pair of good-looking scoops at first base.

 

The Twins had the go-ahead run on in the ninth and turned to the recently called up Jake Cave to pinch hit for Ehire Adrianza. Yes, that same Jake Cave who had nine career plate appearances coming into today. He struck out on three pitches to end the game.

 

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:Download attachment: Screenshot 2018-06-09 at 8.04.32 PM.png

 

AL Central Standings

CLE 33-29*

DET 31-35 (-4)

MIN 27-34 (-5.5)

CHW 21-41 (-12)

KC 22-43 (-12.5)

 

Next Three Games

Sun vs. LAA, 1:10 pm CT

Mon OFF

Tue at DET, 6:10 pm CT

Wed at DET, 6:10 pm CT

 

Last Three Games

LAA 4, MIN 2: Bullpen, Bats Spoil Strong Start from Lynn

MIN 7, CHW 2: Berrios CG, Power from the Eds Fuel Twins Victory

CHW 5, MIN 2: Time is Running Out

 

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[wsnydes]

I'd hate to say "same story, same comment" but I'm not sure what to say anymore. Frustrating. With Detroit winning, they open a bit of a gap too.

Edited June 10, 2018 by wsnydes

[twinsfanstreif]

What's the record for one run losses in a season?

[Twodogs]

Man they have to start hitting, or walking, or stealing bases, or doing something to get some runs across the plate. These pitchers are going to go through some cold stretches too, they aren't going to pitch like this all year it's the nature of the game, so they really really need to take advantage of all these good starts they have had.

[D.C Twins]

The FO has done some good things and cannot control the...

 

Injuries/etc that DO matter (Castro, Mauer, Palanco, Buxton, Sano, Santana....)

 

They do control what to do about it. 

 

1. Cycle some of the reliever up to get a break for some of the overused and therefore becoming more ineffective (you know who they are)

 

2. Bring up some of the young talent for experience and evaluation

 

This is not rocket surgery or brain science..... but....

 

the first step is to admit that you have a problem

 

[D.C Twins]

Boy is that photo a microcosm of the season so far....well chosen

[DocBauer]

3-13 in 1 run games is just crazy! Make that .500 and we're right in this thing and have the potential to make a real move the rest of the way. It's just so....so....i can't even find the right word.

[Squirrel]

Demote Sano to Rochester, he is not worthy if roster and service time right now.He is part of the libeup srinking. Cut LaMerre so that Molitor cannot play him. Option Pressly, Cut Morrison already, LoMo's bat is a no go. Not good wasting ant mire at bats on him. There have to be some peopke worthy of coming up that can do better in the lineup than thus.

Um, okay. And who do you propose to fill all those positions if you cut them all?

[jun]

Sano and Morrison should bat lower in the order. Cut LaMarre, Wilson and Adrianza. Call Duffey back up. Promote Astudillo and Gordon. When Polanco comes back, cut Petit. If Garver keeps struggling, demote him and promote Wynston Sawyer. If Cave keeps struggling, Wade can be promoted. I think this is the best solution so far. Rotate Gordon, Escobar and Polanco when Polanco comes back so that Escobar could rest a bit.

Edited June 10, 2018 by jun

[whatyouknowtwinsfan]

Perspective. Kyle Gibson has the best ERA on the starting pitching staff at 3.45. HE HAS ONE WIN! 1) It tells you how little value wins and losses have in this day and age. 2) Can we get the guy some more wins anyway? He's been really good and has nothing to show for it.

 

Score some runs for this rotation. Even Lynn almost has his ERA under 5. With last years offense at the end of the year, I think they'd be in first and I think it wouldn't even be close. 

[killertwinfan]

I think you can stick a fork in these guys.  I am sure it is not the case but these guys seem heartless.  Chicago plays hard, Detroit plays hard and we just don't.  Kudos to the pitching staff, they have done a nice job the last several weeks.  I expect the arms will tire a little, the bats will wake up a little, but, a little too late.  Move Adrianza and maybe Polanco too and bring up Gordon.  Maybe a little life will enter the squad as we get younger.  

[mikelink45]

I have been gone for a week guiding a trip in the Black Hills and Badlands so I am turning to TD this morning to help me catch up.  I look at the lineup and see two starters above 260 - Rosario and Escobar.  Overall the pitching looks good, but a two person lineup is tough to win with.  

 

So I went back through the weeks box scores and pitching looks good - except I have to ask what is happening to Pressly?  Did he get burnt out?  Odorizzi has his ERA growing.  Romero and Berrios looked solid.  

 

Last week I was told by one of the readers that LOMO had turned it around.  His BA is still 191 and it is June.  Not pleased with that.  I prefer his bats go to Sano - even though his Ks still depress me.  Where is Dozier.  Aren't we getting close enough to half a season for him to wake up and take off again?

 

Do we really think Adrianza is better than Gordon?  Or is Adrianza like LaMarre and Cave - additions by our smart FO who have to get lots of opportunities before we can bring up our own guys - Gordon and Wade?   Still not a FO fan.  

 

I will be home for a week now so I should catch up, did I miss any other important details?

[dbminn]

I was working around the house and caught only glimpses of the first few innings. I remember seeing 69(?) pitches at the end of the third. I watched from the 5th inning on. Gibson seemed to have adjusted to a good version of his old self, throwing sinkers and pitching to contact. His last nine outs were on ground balls. The in-game change allowed him to be effective through the 7th. I was impressed.

 

Too bad the hitters couldn't find a few runs.

[Old Twins Cap]

Dreadful.

 

This is how we baseball.

[bluechipper]

 

Perspective. Kyle Gibson has the best ERA on the starting pitching staff at 3.45. HE HAS ONE WIN! 1) It tells you how little value wins and losses have in this day and age. 2) Can we get the guy some more wins anyway? He's been really good and has nothing to show for it.

 

Score some runs for this rotation. Even Lynn almost has his ERA under 5. With last years offense at the end of the year, I think they'd be in first and I think it wouldn't even be close. 

You're right, it wouldn't be close. In the second half last year, the Twins team OPS was .803, the exact number that the Yankees are putting up this year.

 

That was fun.

[luckylager]

I am beginning to believe the Twins are being punished for coming up with that inane slogan. 

 

Dreadful.

 

This is how we baseball.

 

[wsnydes]

I am beginning to believe the Twins are being punished for coming up with that inane slogan.

Some things you just bring upon yourself.

[jtkoupal]

 

What's the record for one run losses in a season?

I don't know. But one run losses can fluctuate a lot from year to year. It's quite conceivable that we could redo the season up to this point and have several more wins.