Article: TB 19, MIN 6: This Never Happened

[Tom Froemming]

You ever have a day so bad you’d just like to permanently erase it from your memory?

 

Saturday’s game off to a great start. Jose Berrios had a no-hitter going through three innings. Even when he slipped, the bats stormed back. Minnesota held a 6-4 advantage after six innings.

 

Then things really went sour.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Jose Berrios: 45 Game Score, 6.0 IP, 6 ER, 5 K, 3 BB, 62.8% strikes

Bullpen: 3.0 IP, 13 ER, 2 K, 1 BB

Lineup: 4-for-11 w/RISP, 11 LOB

WPA of 0.1 or higher: Rosario .303, Wilson .169

WPA of -0.1 or lower: Duke -.537, Berrios -.309, Dozier -.104

Download attachment: WinEx714.png

What do you really need to know about this game? Well, for starters Willians Astudillo pitched (and he topped out at 86.2 mph, by the way). He gave up five runs on five hits, two of them homers, in the ninth inning.

 

That may sound real bad, but two actual major league pitchers got rocked just as badly for the Twins. Zach Duke, pitching for the fourth time in five days, took over for for Berrios in the seventh after Jose walked the leadoff man and then gave up a single.

 

Duke gave up consecutive RBI singles and a go-ahead sacrifice fly. He intentionally walked a batter to load the bases, then Joey Wendle cleared them with a triple. That adds up to a five-run seventh for the Rays.

 

Tampa Bay added another five spot in the eighth against Matt Belisle, who’s now given up 13 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings with the Twins.

 

Eddie Rosario was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Max Kepler hit his 11th home run. Both Eduardo Escobar and Bobby Wilson collected two hits.

 

Astudillo has now made two appearances at third base, two at second base, one in left field, one in center and another on the mound. He has yet to catch for the Twins.

 

Paul Molitor announced in his postgame interview that Aaron Slegers will be placed on the DL and Fernando Romero will start tomorrow's game.

 

Postgame With Molitor

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen714.png

AL Central Standings

CLE 51-42

MIN 43-50 (-8)

DET 40-57 (-13)

CHW 32-62 (-19.5)

KC 27-67 (-24.5)

 

Next Three Games

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

All-Star Break

 

Last Three Games

MIN 11, TB 8: Twins Get a Scare on Friday the 13th, Prevail over Pesky Rays

MIN 5, TB 1: Who’s the Snub?

MIN 8, KC 5: Twins Recover from Rough Start

 

Click here to view the article

[Riverbrian]

If you are going to have a hitter pitch. You can't be bringing it at 86.2. The hitters can time that. 

 

Bring in Grossman and let him do that 60 MPH thing he does. 

 

MLB Guys pop that stuff up.  

[shimrod]

I'm fully on board the "fire Molitor" bandwagon after watching that debacle. The Astudillo appearance was nothing less than an extended middle finger to the fans who remained to watch the ninth inning. 

[Brandon]

So how much more leash does Belisle get? I'm ok with a few more appearances but he appears to be done.

[Brandon]

I think they are waiting for Belisle to figure out he's done so he can be hired as a coach or something.

[Old Twins Cap]

Trade Rodney and Belisle is your closer.

 

Because, you can't lose enough games to get the draft pick you need for the future.

[ChrisKnutson]

I’ll never understand why we signed Belisle. I mean what’s the point of having pitching depth when you don’t use it.

 

 

This “veteran presence” dependency & the shuttling of major league ready relievers back and forth from Rochester has to stop. Our player development already sucks, and this isn’t making it any better.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Romero starting tomorrow is the best news of the day.

 

By the way, who took the “over” on runs scored in the Berrios-Archer matchup?

[yarnivek1972]

Yeah, so Duke has had FOUR (not 1, not 2, not 3, count them FOUR - 4) 20 plus pitch outings THIS WEEK.

 

But he is the MOY.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Is Astudillo Big Sexy 2.0?

[Old Twins Cap]

 

Is Astudillo Big Sexy 2.0?

 

Little sexy.

 

Unless that undermines the metaphor?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

FOUND:

 

Photograph of Astudillo pitching for Rochester Red Wings:

 

https://www.pickinsplinters.com/2018/06/27/astudillo-named-to-international-league-all-star-team/

Edited July 15, 2018 by Hosken Bombo Disco

[Mike Sixel]

I don't suppose any of the crack reports asked why McGill is on the roster, and not being used....say, ever, or in a blow out?

 

I am baffled by this....

[Tom Froemming]

 

Yeah, so Duke has had FOUR (not 1, not 2, not 3, count them FOUR - 4) 20 plus pitch outings THIS WEEK.

But he is the MOY.

And this is a pitcher who averaged just 10.2 pitchers per appearance last season that we're talking about. I've been impressed with how Duke has handled his usage this season -- the Cardinals really babied him and the Twins are basically letting it rip -- but everybody has a breaking point. This was too much to ask.

[Rosterman]

Wow, it only took Duke 20 pitches and Belisle 26 pitches. But Willians 35. Someday the guy will catch. And, of course, the team somehow at Adrianza at first base. Go figure.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I'm fully on board the "fire Molitor" bandwagon after watching that debacle. The Astudillo appearance was nothing less than an extended middle finger to the fans who remained to watch the ninth inning. 

 

I mean... I'm not to the "fire Molitor" space yet... Thee are plenty of reasons for those who do think that... Pitching a position player when the team is down by a bunch in the ninth inning only makes sense. 

 

The alternatives were throwing Belisle out there for another inning, or use a reliever that has not business pitching in a blowout. Cuz, we all know if he had brought Hildenberger into the 9th, the Molitor haters would have run with that too. 

[S.]

 

The alternatives were throwing Belisle out there for another inning, or use a reliever that has not business pitching in a blowout. Cuz, we all know if he had brought Hildenberger into the 9th, the Molitor haters would have run with that too. 

Or how about using Magill?

[D.C Twins]

Oh this happened.....the FO signed Belisile and Molitor continues to use him....

 

So....uh....not only did this happen, it is going to happen again and again before the season is through. 

[jun]

Matheny was fired after 2-8 loss to the Reds. Molitor is still employed after 6-19 loss to the Rays. Different standard indeed.

[slash129]

Glad to here that Romero will be on the bump tomorrow.

[Darius]

The Belisle thing is turning into one of the greatest mysteries in American history.

 

Who really killed JFK, and why? Did we really land on the moon? What really happened in Roswell, New Mexico? Why did the Twins sign and repeatedly use Matt Belisle in the summer of 2018?

 

Science and logic still cannot conclusively answer any of these questions.

[David HK]

 

Yeah, so Duke has had FOUR (not 1, not 2, not 3, count them FOUR - 4) 20 plus pitch outings THIS WEEK.

But he is the MOY.

.... and Magill had 4 days off.

[David HK]

...and in the continuing saga of the Twinks dugout bringing players up, only to sit them down, or use them in positions they've never played in the major, or minor league level...

 

Welcome to the show, Willians!

[mngopherguy]

I wouldn't have brought back Belisle, however the guy is getting way to much crap for this season.  Look at his outings, he's either pitching a zero run inning or he's had three outings that ruined his numbers.  #thenewpunto #scapegoat  #getoverit 

 

 

[mngopherguy]

 

Yeah, so Duke has had FOUR (not 1, not 2, not 3, count them FOUR - 4) 20 plus pitch outings THIS WEEK.

But he is the MOY.

 

Best point of the thread imo. I don't understand the bullpen usage like everyone else.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Yeah, so Duke has had FOUR (not 1, not 2, not 3, count them FOUR - 4) 20 plus pitch outings THIS WEEK.

But he is the MOY.

  

.... and Magill had 4 days off.

...and we rostered Slegers the last 4 games with no real intent/desire to use him either. Could have easily optioned/DL'd him earlier in favor of, say, Moya.

[wabene]

...and we rostered Slegers the last 4 games with no real intent/desire to use him either. Could have easily optioned/DL'd him earlier in favor of, say, Moya.

 

Yeah great idea! The problem is Moya would've sat on the bench. At least McGill is rested!!?? Argh very frustrating

[Cap'n Piranha]

You’re all being way to hard on the Twins as it concerns Belisle. It’s not like the team we’re chasing, who’s only weakness is their bullpen, decided Belisle wasn’t cutting it for them and cut him, allowing the Twins to sign him.

[ashbury]

I wouldn't have brought back Belisle, however the guy is getting way to much crap for this season.  Look at his outings, he's either pitching a zero run inning or he's had three outings that ruined his numbers.

That's the nature of relief pitching. But to counter-balance one inning with a crooked number, a reliever needs to put up quite a few clean innings. Lots of pitchers do. Belisle doesn't, very much. Too many of the zero-run appearances have involved baserunners. And most of his no-hit no-walk outings for us have been of the partial-inning variety. A couple of times this month he's contributed a clean full inning. But now we're back to this.

 

Often what separates successful players from the unsuccessful isn't the quality of their ability, but how frequently they are able to bring their best. It seems to me that too many times Belisle has to scuffle along with less than his best, and the results haven't been good. Doesn't matter if he has what it takes when he's on - if you can't count on him, he's not of much use. I'm sure he's pitched with courage and I don't question his makeup, but it may be that Father Time has robbed him of his resilience.

[BJames]

Slegers.  I don't get that either.  After his last outing I think we all knew he wouldn't get the next start.  So, why don't you send him down and bring up a bullpen arm, till the 5 spot comes around again??? Also, Slegers to the DL?  What? So this makes less sense, unless they were keeping Sleger around(who pitched 1 inning) to pitch in the pen, why was he on the roster.   When did the injury occur in the eighth inning of yesterday's game, so he was unavailable?  Are they giving him extended time off because they don't what to change the AAA rotation???  This is why I'm saying its a Failure at all levels.  I think this is a F.O. roster Blunder!!! I don't know how much Molitor is involved in shuffling players on the roster.  Not using Magill with 1 game left is Molitor's mistake.