Article: KC 9, MIN 4: Slegers Slayed by Royals

[Tom Froemming]

Aaron Slegers faced 11 Kansas City hitters Tuesday night, seven of them recorded hits. He lasted just 1 1/3 innings and gave up five runs. That doesn’t give a team much of a chance to win a ballgame.

 

The Twins’ bullpen did a nice job getting things pointed in the right direction until Addison Reed had yet another bad outing in the ninth. It was a bad loss to a bad team, but Cleveland may have had an even worse night.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Aaron Slegers: 13 Game Score, 1.1 IP, 5 ER, 0 K, 0 BB, 65.9% strikes

Bullpen: 7.2 IP, 4 ER, 8 K, 4 BB

Lineup: 2-for-7 w/RISP, 6 LOB

WPA of 0.1 or higher: None

WPA of -0.1 or lower: Slegers -.381

Download attachment: WinEx710.png

Logan Morrison made one of the worst baseball plays you’ll see all year. Down 5-1 in the bottom of the second inning, he hit what appeared to be a leadoff double. Nice, right? Well, LoMo decided he’d try to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out.

 

You just can’t do that. A rookie wouldn’t get a free pass for that kind of a mental error, let alone a veteran like Morrison. You’re down 5-1, there are no outs … honestly, dude what are you doing?

 

Something has to be wrong with Addison Reed. He gave up three runs on three hits; a single, a triple and a home run. Since the start of June, Reed has surrendered 13 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings pitched.

 

Reed’s average velocity on his four-seamer has been holding pretty steady over the past few years. He was right around 93 mph from 2014-2017, but he started out this season sitting more like 92 mph and things have continued to dip. Tonight, he topped out at 91.6 mph per Baseball Savant, but averaged 90.3 mph.

 

Maybe Morrison and Reed need to go down to Single A too.

 

On the plus side, Taylor Rogers was great in an extended appearance. He threw a season-high 37 pitches over 2 1/3 no-hit innings. He struck out two and walked one. Also, Brian Dozier hit his 14th home run.

 

Not a great night for the Twins, but things aren’t exactly going swimmingly for Cleveland either. The led 4-0 heading into the ninth inning of their game tonight. Closer Cody Allen gave up three runs, and then a miscommunication played a part in the Reds scoring four more runs en route to victory. From Cleveland’s reporter from The Athletic:

Uff da. That bullpen is a nightmare. Gotta love the AL Central.

 

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen710.png

AL Central Standings

CLE 49-41

MIN 40-49 (-8.5)

DET 40-54 (-11)

CHW 30-61 (19.5)

KC 26-65 (-23.5)

 

Next Three Games

Wed vs. KC, 12:10 pm CT: Lance Lynn vs. Burch Smith

Thu vs. TB, 7:10 pm CT: TBD

Fri vs. TB, 7:10 pm CT: TBD

 

Last Three Games

MIN 3, KC 1: Minnesota’s All-Star Shines

MIN 10, BAL 1: Twins Pick Up First Sweep of 2018

MIN 5, BAL 4: More Baltimore, Please

 

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[rghrbek]

Still not convinced that Slegers should be getting MLB starts...It's incredible these base running blunders keep happening. This one was really, really bad considering the situation.

[Rosterman]

Slegers could be a fine bullpen arm, perhaps long relief, for a time.

[jun]

 

Slegers could be a fine bullpen arm, perhaps long relief, for a time.

He needs to get more swinging strikes in order to have any consistent success in the major league. His fastball looks like meatball in the major league.

[mngopherguy]

I understand Slegers getting hit, I don't understand Morrison going to third.  Classic trying to do too much.  I'm curious to see if he can get it together and if the Twins think of resigning him.  His track record says he'll be better than this.

[howeda7]

Romero should never have been sent down, and he should get this spot in the rotation.

[Han Joelo]

 

In Logan's defense, he hasn't gotten the opportunity to run the bases much this year, so forgive him for forgetting to stop.

 

But seriously, seems like a classic case of trying to do too much, a hallmark of a "tight" team.

 

I hate it when pinch hitters hit into double plays, like Grossman did for Cave in the 7th.

 

And, just for the sake of my level of engagement, I'd sure rather see Romero pitching.  Sleger seems like a good kid.  Nothing personal.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Han Joelo

[slash129]

Pretty disappointing game all around ... Slegers earned another look, IMO, and I've been rooting for him. His stuff has little margin for error, so when a team knows his turn is coming up, this is the result. That relief showing and the Baltimore game kind of gave him a chance to catch teams by surprise. It's too bad, because I was hoping he could figure it out. He's been in the org for a long time and had success all the way up, but I guess that's where the AAAA reference comes into play.

[mikelink45]

I believe we are going to designate Slegers as our Baltimore specialist - get Romero up here.  This FO is driving me crazy. Start auditioning Rooker or some other young prospects and send Logan Morrison away.  With Reed in the Tank the FO signings have really bombed this summer.  

 

With Baltimore gone, we have moved up to the next worst team in baseball and suddenly we are unable to compete again if Berrios isn't our pitcher. 

[Vanimal46]

I understand Slegers getting hit, I don't understand Morrison going to third. Classic trying to do too much. I'm curious to see if he can get it together and if the Twins think of resigning him. His track record says he'll be better than this.

His track record of last year hitting 38 HRs?

 

I didn't watch Morrison last year, but this year I don't see anything to like about his approach at the plate. They could and should DFA him soon.

[Vanimal46]

Why hasn't Reed spent time on the DL? If a pitcher has lost 3-4 MPH on his fastball over the previous year isn't that a classic tell tale sign that he's hurt?

[Dman]

I was really bummed with Slegers effort last night.  He had me as a believer that he had enough stuff to play at this level.  Watching him struggle you could only think AAAA is his level.  I really wanted to believe he was going to defy the odds but if you can't miss bats you aren't going to make it.  I doubt we will see him back at this level the rest of this year.

[bighat]

Went to the game. Got up in the 2nd inning to grab a hot dog, came back and it was 5-1. Slegers didn't have it, although I'd have preferred for Molitor to let the kid work his way through that 2nd and see if he could get deeper into the game.

 

Watching Morrison round 2nd base as he tried to turn that double into a triple was painful. Like watching cement dry. Getting the first out at 3rd base is a no-no, that's Baserunning 101 stuff. The whole crowd groaned when he made that turn...I think a few of the mascot race participants were faster than LoMo.

 

Think we spent $50 on food-drinks and we didn't consume any alcohol. Prices weren't shocking but it still sucks to stop for a small coke and have them say "That'll be $6 bucks". Target Field makes airport food prices look cheap.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2018 by bighat

[Shaitan]

 

I understand Slegers getting hit, I don't understand Morrison going to third.  Classic trying to do too much.  I'm curious to see if he can get it together and if the Twins think of resigning him.  His track record says he'll be better than this.

He's under contract for another year.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

He's under contract for another year.

We have an option on 2019 for Morrison. It could vest at 600 PA, but he's only on pace for 537 right now, so that is doubtful.

[yarnivek1972]

I was really bummed with Slegers effort last night. He had me as a believer that he had enough stuff to play at this level. Watching him struggle you could only think AAAA is his level. I really wanted to believe he was going to defy the odds but if you can't miss bats you aren't going to make it. I doubt we will see him back at this level the rest of this year.

He’s probably a better bet as a long man than Belisle.

[jun]

 

I understand Slegers getting hit, I don't understand Morrison going to third.  Classic trying to do too much.  I'm curious to see if he can get it together and if the Twins think of resigning him.  His track record says he'll be better than this.

Resigning him? I hope they are considering cutting him asap.

[Number3]

Gordon did make a nice play on the ball that ricocheted off the wall that did have triple written all over it. 20-20 hindsight...take a double with no outs.

According to Fox announcers Slegers was relying way too much on his mediocre fast ball and Royals were sitting on it. Maybe Garver had a role?

Twins really do need to win today to show that sweeping Os really did mean something. Os have taken 2 of 3 from Yankees so, as usual, nothing makes sense but losing a series to a team that had lost 10 in a row still not good.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Not a great night for the Twins, but things aren’t exactly going swimmingly for Cleveland either. The led 4-0 heading into the ninth inning of their game tonight. Closer Cody Allen gave up three runs, and then a miscommunication played a part in the Reds scoring four more runs en route to victory. 

This understates how odd the Cleveland ninth was.

 

8 shutout innings from Bauer, leading 4-0 in the 9th with closer Cody Allen taking over. Leadoff HBP on an 0-2 count to start the inning (was kind of a cheap one too, hit the knob of the bat -- it was an inside pitch but the batter was starting a swing and made no effort to avoid it either). Next batter hit it hard down the 3B line, the 3B stopped it but didn't have a play. Then a K and a fly ball, and there was 2 outs, still 4-0. Then a bloop single just over the first baseman's outstretched glove made it 4-1. Finally the first "big hit" by Cincinnati, a double to deep left center on a 2-2 count made it 4-3 with a runner on second, still 2 outs.

 

Then came the questionable Cleveland decisions. Really dumb intentional walk -- Schebler isn't that good of a hitter, and the next batter (Dilson Herrera), while a pretty marginal MLB reserve, he hit for a similar average in the minors and has a similar career MLB K rate as Schebler too. And after Herrera, Votto was on deck. In any case, after the intentional walk to Schebler, Allen unintentionally walked Herrera to load the bases to bring Votto up.

 

That's when the pitcher mix-up occurred, and it was kind of a bad one. Perez has been a lights-out lefty specialist for them this year -- Otero, a battered RH reliever. I guess Votto was 0-for-4 career against Otero, but still. (He's 4-for-13 with 6 K's versus Perez, but only 0-2 since Perez became a full-time reliever in 2012.) Anyway, Votto's double on a 3-2 count to deep right-center scored 3 runs and effectively ended the game.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Gordon did make a nice play on the ball that ricocheted off the wall that did have triple written all over it. 20-20 hindsight...take a double with no outs.

According to Fox announcers Slegers was relying way too much on his mediocre fast ball and Royals were sitting on it. Maybe Garver had a role?

Twins really do need to win today to show that sweeping Os really did mean something. Os have taken 2 of 3 from Yankees so, as usual, nothing makes sense but losing a series to a team that had lost 10 in a row still not good.

That wasn’t 20/20 hindsight, as I called it as it happened, saying “NO!” as he rounded second.

 

1. Alex Gordon has an arm on him.

 

2. Logan Morrison is very slow.

 

3. Never make the first out at third base.

 

4. The team was down by four runs.

 

5. Logan Morrison is very, very slow.

[wsnydes]

 

That wasn’t 20/20 hindsight, as I called it as it happened, saying “NO!” as he rounded second.

1. Alex Gordon has an arm on him.

2. Logan Morrison is very slow.

3. Never make the first out at third base.

4. The team was down by four runs.

5. Logan Morrison is very, very slow.

I don't have any scientific data to back this up, but it seems like this team runs on Gordon a lot.  Considering how well they should know the Royals and Gordon in particular, this seems really odd to me.  They seem to dare him to throw them out, and he most often does.

[slash129]

FS1 only gets one more game this season on August 15.  This past game is a reminder to schedule something else that day and just listen to it on the radio.

[ashbury]

 

That wasn’t 20/20 hindsight, as I called it as it happened, saying “NO!” as he rounded second.

1. Alex Gordon has an arm on him.

2. Logan Morrison is very slow.

3. Never make the first out at third base.

4. The team was down by four runs.

5. Logan Morrison is very, very slow.

6. The ball was hit to left field. I mean, sure, judge each play on its own merits; but the default should be stop at second unless you are very sure.

 

7. ???

8. PROFIT!

 

9. Logan Morrison is very, very, very slow.

[slash129]

 

Why hasn't Reed spent time on the DL? If a pitcher has lost 3-4 MPH on his fastball over the previous year isn't that a classic tell tale sign that he's hurt?

 

Clairvoyant much there Vanimal?

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/twins-place-addison-reed-on-10-day-dl.html

 

[mlhouse]

Slegers is a guy you just have to give a shot to even if it is a long one.  Until you actually know, you cannot be sure how a player will perform.  One of the critical things of rebuilding is giving players an opportunity and finding the ones that will not work out.

 

Remember, in 1982, the Twins starting CF was Jim Eisenreich.  He had to be given his shot, and although it was unfortunate he could not work out here, his initial failure opened the door for Kirby.  If the Twins don't rapidly advance Jimmy through their system, jumping him from a 1981 low A Wisconsin Rapids player, his 2nd minor league season, to the 1982 opening day starter in CF, they don't advance Puckett as quickly behind him (Kirby played in rookie ball in his 82 draft year, A+ in 83, AAA to majors in 1984).  

[Brock Beauchamp]

6. The ball was hit to left field. I mean, sure, judge each play on its own merits; but the default should be stop at second unless you are very sure.

 

7. ???

 

8. PROFIT!

 

9. Logan Morrison is very, very, very slow.

Yeah, the left field aspect of the ball has two elements worth noting:

 

- The runner gets a VERY good look at the ball and fielder

 

- The fielder has to make a 50 ft throw, not a 150 ft throw

 

Again, that play was all on Morrison and there’s a good chance it cost the Twins a shot at the win. Kennedy couldn’t pitch and a four run deficit can be overcome in 6-7 innings (can’t remember if it was the second or third when it happened).