Article: MIN 5, TB 1: Who’s the Snub?

[Tom Froemming]

Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell was considered one of the bigger All-Star snubs this season. Well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d have definitely guessed Kyle Gibson was the starting pitcher in Thursday night’s matchup who was among the best pitchers in the American League this season who was snubbed for the All-Star Game.

 

The Twins got to Snell, knocking him out after just three innings, while Gibby was dynamite, completing eight frames.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Kyle Gibson: 84 Game Score, 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 9 K, 0 BB, 63.7% strikes

Bullpen: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 K, 1 BB

Lineup: 2-for-7 w/RISP, 5 LOB

WPA of 0.1 or higher: Gibson .370

WPA of -0.1 or lower: Astudillo -.111

Download attachment: WinEx712.png

Gibson has been remarkably consistent, and entered this start having posted a 3.66 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 8.5 K/9 over the last 365 days. Still, we haven’t seen Kyle flatout dominate a team too often. He had held the Rays scoreless for seven innings and was over 100 pitches, but still went back out for the eighth.

 

Gibson ended up surrendering a run in the eighth inning, but he also had his longest outing since Sept. 13, 2016. He gave up just five hits and struck out nine batters, but perhaps most impressive was the fact he did not walk a single batter over eight innings.

 

This game didn’t get underway until after 9:00 pm thanks to a rainstorm, but once things got going Snell looked like he’d already been pitching for two hours. He managed to leave the bases loaded in the first inning, but then gave up a run in the second and two more in the third inning. That would be it for Snell, who was lifted after just 75 pitches.

 

Eddie Rosario won’t be an All-Star, well unless he’s named as an injury replacement, but he played like one tonight. He was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, his 19th of the season.

 

The Twins’ bullpen made this one way too interesting at the end. Ryan Pressly came in for the ninth and promptly gave up a single and a walk. He struck out the next batter, but then gave up a single to load the bases. That resulted in Fernando Rodney being summoned from the bullpen. He managed to get the next two batters out, recording his 21st save of the season.

 

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen713.png

AL Central Standings

CLE 50-42

MIN 42-49 (-7.5)

DET 40-55 (-11.5)

CHW 31-61 (-19)

KC 26-66 (-24)

 

Next Three Games

Fri vs. TB, 7:10 pm CT: Jake Odorizzi vs. Nathan Eovaldi

Sat vs. TB, 1:10 pm CT: Jose Berrios vs. Chris Archer

Sun vs. TB, 1:10 pm CT: TBD

 

Last Three Games

MIN 8, KC 5: Twins Recover from Rough Start

KC 9, MIN 4: Slegers Slayed by Royals

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

 

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[AlwaysinModeration]

Kyle was dealing. What a performance. He was cool as a cucumber, putting the ball right where he wanted it. And he got squeezed on several pitches by the home plate umpire. He could have easily gotten the complete game if he gets all of the strike calls he should have.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Just imagine if Gibson had started the Wild Card game in NY last year.

[Circus Boy]

Enjoyable all around to see Gibson dominate while his Rays counterpart lost the zone, of which Twins bats took advantage. And the baserunning! Wow! This team is capable of good baseball. We're back inside a week of the Tribe. If Romero, Santana, and Sano get off the shelf, anything can happen.

[slash129]

Gibson has been a rock, and it's fun to watch him pitch. The Twins have a nice duo at the top of the rotation right now.

 

As I look through the top prospects, I see most of them are either controlled by non-contenders, or they are injured or already up. It would require a system depleting offer for any of the top teams to pry Gibson away at this point.

[AlwaysinModeration]

By the way, Buxton catches that Ramos double in his sleep.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Just imagine if Gibson had started the Wild Card game in NY last year.

The bullpen would have blown it?

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA201804260.shtml

[bighat]

Great win...Gibby is so solid. Rosie might hit 35 dingers this year! Keep racking up wins, fellas. The first half ain't over yet, let's win this series.

 

 

By the way, Buxton catches that Ramos double in his sleep.

He also goes 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and leaves 5 men on base, unfortunately.

 

 

[dbminn]

Gibson looked strong the first seven innings. (I feel asleep on the couch before the 8th and woke up to a fishing show).

 

The lineup looks better with Polanco back, although I'm still mad at him. 

[AlwaysinModeration]

The bullpen would have blown it?

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA201804260.shtml

Exactly!

[AlwaysinModeration]

Great win...Gibby is so solid. Rosie might hit 35 dingers this year! Keep racking up wins, fellas. The first half ain't over yet, let's win this series.

 

 

He also goes 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and leaves 5 men on base, unfortunately.

Yes, but he catches that ball!

Edited July 13, 2018 by AlwaysinModeration

[FunnyPenguin]

I think the twins should be all in at this point, just go for it and ride the young guys, who knows where they can take you, they sure did last year!  Seems like a long shot, but why not make it fun for everybody, fans included.  If all the pieces click and Cleveland somehow falls off a cliff, we could do it

 

Maybe I should just call Jim Pohlad and tell him, might be easier

[AlwaysinModeration]

Mauer and Dozier both hitting .370 over their past 7 games, team has gone 6-1.

[slash129]

 

I think the twins should be all in at this point, just go for it and ride the young guys, who knows where they can take you, they sure did last year!  Seems like a long shot, but why not make it fun for everybody, fans included.  If all the pieces click and Cleveland somehow falls off a cliff, we could do it

 

Maybe I should just call Jim Pohlad and tell him, might be easier

 

They probably shouldn't go as far as buying, but selling should be done as close to the deadline as possible. At least let the rest of July play out and then see what the standings look like.

[Doctor Wu]

When I saw that Snell was starting for Tampa Bay, my first thought was: oh no, another Twins loss coming up. What a pleasant surprise to be proven wrong. Great game by Gibson! Just the idea of calling Kyle Gibson an All-Star was preposterous a year ago, but now he's certainly pitching like one.

[ThejacKmp]

 

I think the twins should be all in at this point, just go for it and ride the young guys, who knows where they can take you, they sure did last year!  Seems like a long shot, but why not make it fun for everybody, fans included.  If all the pieces click and Cleveland somehow falls off a cliff, we could do it

 

Maybe I should just call Jim Pohlad and tell him, might be easier

 

They certainly shouldn't be trading for another two weeks unless they get a godfather offer for one of the relievers. The truth is the pieces they have to sell aren't that good so if they're close, I don't think you have to trade. Two weeks will tell.

[wabene]

Gibby rocking that first round pick pedigree! The last piece in the loooooonnngggg development puzzle for Mr Gibson; go deeper in games. The third time through the order disaster days seem to be behind him.

[Number3]

Something about having Polanco back in the lineup that just makes a difference in the whole team and its not all in the stat sheet.

 

Buy/sell only makes sense if it is a win for the Twins this season. Not some pipe dream future season.

 

Didn't see the ball that supposedly Buxton would have caught but I will take consistency and solid play on "both sides of the ball" over the occasional weekly highlight any time.

 

Go Twins..take 2 of next 3 and make the next 68 interesting.

[Dantes929]

 

When I saw that Snell was starting for Tampa Bay, my first thought was: oh no, another Twins loss coming up. What a pleasant surprise to be proven wrong. Great game by Gibson! Just the idea of calling Kyle Gibson an All-Star was preposterous a year ago, but now he's certainly pitching like one.

Didn't we beat 3 Cy Young's in a row this year and Snell certainly is on track to compete for one.    Its's the soft tossers that give this team fits.

[Dantes929]

I agree that Polanco has made this lineup  appear more dangerous.   Buxton on track could give us a similar shot in the arm and Sano back on track would be the final piece in making this offense the one we were dreaming about.   Of course then something else will go wrong.

[bighat]

 

Gibson looked strong the first seven innings. (I feel asleep on the couch before the 8th and woke up to a fishing show).

 

The lineup looks better with Polanco back, although I'm still mad at him. 

 

Amazing what a shot in the arm he's been. Team's looking good with Polanco in the lineup for sure.

[Shaitan]

 

They certainly shouldn't be trading for another two weeks unless they get a godfather offer for one of the relievers. The truth is the pieces they have to sell aren't that good so if they're close, I don't think you have to trade. Two weeks will tell.

 

I expect them to play it similar to last year. Nothing dramatic in terms of buying or selling.

 

The era of the 1-game wild card has reduced how many teams are sellers, for sure.

[jorgenswest]

Loved the at bats early in the game pushing the pitch count. Grossman and Adrianza had some very good early at bats.

[jimmer]

Between Gibson and Snell? Still Snell.

 

But Paxton and Morton even moreso.

Edited July 13, 2018 by jimmer

[puckstopper1]

 

Didn't we beat 3 Cy Young's in a row this year and Snell certainly is on track to compete for one.    Its's the soft tossers that give this team fits.

 

I was thinking the same thing Dantes.  The Twins thumped Kluber, and beat the Red Sox when Sale and Price started.  They smacked Lester around pretty good also.  Snell was next in line, I guess.  

 

I also agree it is those SPs with 5.76 ERAs, and 1.62 WHIPs that shut the Twins down that can be maddening.

[yarnivek1972]

Still trying to figure out how Pressly on 0 rest over Hildenberger on 2 days rest made sense to MOY.

[Monkeypaws]

Watched highlights of the game - Gibson's 2 strike breaking ball is just sick. 

 

I think he has a plan, and he's sticking to it.

[wabene]

Still trying to figure out how Pressly on 0 rest over Hildenberger on 2 days rest made sense to MOY.

For me when were up by that much I wouldn't waste Hildys bullets. Maybe not Presley's either