Article: MIN 6, OAK 4: Twins Top Red-Hot A’s

[Tom Froemming]

Oakland has been one of the hottest teams in baseball, but the Twins managed to pull off a comeback victory. Kohl Stewart ran into some trouble in the second inning, allowing the A’s to take a 2-0 lead, but a string of timely hitting quickly pushed the Twins on top for good.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Stewart: 41 Game Score, 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 K, 2 BB, 57.1% strikes (56 of 98 pitches)

Home Runs: Kepler (18)

Multi-Hit Games: None

WPA of 0.1 or higher: Garver .180, Busenitz .108

WPA of -0.1 or lower: Forsythe -.120

Download attachment: WinChart823.png

Stewart didn’t have a good stat line tonight, see above, but he did strike out six of the 23 batters he faced (26.1 percent) and got 11 swinging strikes on his 98 pitches (11.2 percent), both of those marks are above the league average for starting pitchers.

 

In the fifth inning, Stewart gave up a leadoff double to Matt Chapman, who eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3 Twins. With two outs, Matt Olson hit a double and that was it for Stewart.

 

I noticed on the game thread here on the site there were a few people scratching their heads as to why Paul Molitor didn’t let Stewart try to work out of the jam and potentially earn the victory (he only needed one more out to qualify).

 

The Twins are pretty conservative with their young starters down on the farm. In 21 minor league starts, Stewart topped out at 100 pitches and only eclipsed 90 pitches 11 times. In 23 total starts between all levels heading into tonight’s game, Stewart had averaged 84 pitches.

 

Anyway, Alan Busenitz came in and walked the first batter he faced, then nearly gave up a run but was bailed out by a terrific play by Eddie Rosario and Mitch Garver.

The Twins had a great night with runners in scoring position, going 4-for-6. Rosie got the Twins on the board in the third inning with an RBI single, stole second base and then scored on a Jorge Polanco single.

 

In the fourth inning, Jake Cave and Ehire Adrianza hit consecutive singles before Garver delivered a two-run double. He then scored on a Joe Mauer single. The final run came on Max Kepler’s 18th home run of the season.

 

Bobby Wilson appeared to have suffered a leg injury in the top of the fourth inning, but remained behind the plate for the final two outs. He was replaced by a pinch hitter in the bottom half of that inning.

 

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen823.png

Next Three Games

Fri vs. OAK, 7:10 pm CT: Jake Odorizzi vs. Sean Manaea

Sat vs. OAK, 6:10 pm CT: Stephen Gonsalves vs. Mike Fiers

Sun vs. OAK, 1:10 pm CT: Jose Berrios vs. Brett Anderson

 

Last Three Games

CHW 7, MIN 3: Sox Get to Gibby

MIN 5, CHW 2: Wild Final Inning Puts Twins Over

CHW 8, MIN 5: At Least That’s out of the Way

 

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[DocBauer]

Some good hitting, some great defense and a nice job by the pen. A reslly nice win. I really wish Molitor had let Stewart face one more batter to see if he could get that 3rd out and earn the victory.

 

Other than, you know, wanting to win the game, I feel like he was pulled early to "protect" him, rather than risk a big hit/inning at that point. But he's supposed to be up learning and gaining experience. Shouldn't he have gotten the one more hitter to continue that process? Or was it a good decision to pull him then?

 

Thoughts?

[AlwaysinModeration]

A’s were 1-9 in RISP, and the “1” resulted in an out at home. I was trying to figure out wha the “100 Club” was for Rosario. 100.6mph on that throw, wow!

 

Stewart did alright. Hopefully he builds on this going forward in his next few starts.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Berrios

Gibson

Stewart

Gonsalves

Odorizzi

Pineda

(Romero)

Interesting to see this rotation over the last month. Is the Trevor May in the rotation idea history?

[Circus Boy]

If we put him on the mound, Rosario could be our Chapman.

[stringer bell]

Nice win for the Twins. Stewart pitched acceptably, the bullpen was good, defense excellent and they bunched their hits.

 

I do want to comment on the home plate ump. He was giving a couple inches on the low, outside corner all game until the eighth inning. In the eighth, he seemed to close that door plus missing at least two pitches that were knee-high and above and clearly not outside.

 

I don’t come to Twins Daily to complain about umpiring, but that was among the most perplexing balls-and-strikes calling that I’ve seen.

[ashbury]

On that throw-out by Rosario, what if Matt Olson wasn't deked by Garver and that actually is his top speed?

[sloopjont]

Garver seems to really be getting it both at the plate and in the field.  He's coming up with big hits with some power and seems to be blocking balls better in the field.  He has to be a pleasant surprise with his play this year.

[big dog]

 

Some good hitting, some great defense and a nice job by the pen. A reslly nice win. I really wish Molitor had let Stewart face one more batter to see if he could get that 3rd out and earn the victory. Other than, you know, wanting to win the game, I feel like he was pulled early to "protect" him, rather than risk a big hit/inning at that point. But he's supposed to be up learning and gaining experience. Shouldn't he have gotten the one more hitter to continue that process? Or was it a good decision to pull him then? Thoughts?

I hated the decision in the game thread and still do.  He was a 98 pitches, fine.  Give him one more batter.  Aren't we supposed to be developing ballplayers here?  Let Stewart try to get out of it.

(Disclaimer: I am not related to Kohl Stewart and I do not play fantasy baseball.)

If Molitor was trying to develop Busenitz by putting him in a tough spot, well he already gave a bunch of those spots to Matt Belisle earlier this season.

 

I'm happy to have the team win, but let's try to win and also let the young pitchers get out of their own tough spots a little more often.  You don't have to trust them- just let them earn your trust.

 

Or you could just have Morrison DH the first 3/4 of the season while either playing badly or playing injured because something about that OPS says "winner".

 

 

 

 

[MN_ExPat]

 

I hated the decision in the game thread and still do.  He was a 98 pitches, fine.  Give him one more batter.  Aren't we supposed to be developing ballplayers here?  Let Stewart try to get out of it.

(Disclaimer: I am not related to Kohl Stewart and I do not play fantasy baseball.)

If Molitor was trying to develop Busenitz by putting him in a tough spot, well he already gave a bunch of those spots to Matt Belisle earlier this season.

 

I'm happy to have the team win, but let's try to win and also let the young pitchers get out of their own tough spots a little more often.  You don't have to trust them- just let them earn your trust.

 

Or you could just have Morrison DH the first 3/4 of the season while either playing badly or playing injured because something about that OPS says "winner".

I won't/don't disagree with you on this, but Stewart did have a couple of small jams earlier in the game and made some pretty nice pitches to get out of them.   So for me personally, I'd call it a wash.   Just happy to see him make some really nice strides and adjustments tonight.

[Han Joelo]

I think Stewart DID get his chance to face one more hitter in an attempt to get the last out in the fifth, and that hitter doubled.  At 98 pitches, pulling him was the right thing to me.  He got 98 pitches of "development", and I still got to see a win.

[USAFChief]

I'm glad Molitor pulled Stewart, and I hope he develops a habit of pulling his starter before major damage, rather than after. In this case, as noted above, he probably let Stewart go one hitter too long.

 

One of my primary beefs with Molitor is his tendancy to let his starters go too long. That goes for all of them, rookie or old vet alike.

 

An old adage I believe in strongly: Starting pitcher loses the game early, that's on the pitcher. Starter loses the game late, that's on the manager.

[big dog]

I certainly see the other side of this argument and I don't think it's necessarily wrong.  One more clarification of my view, if anyone still cares, and thank you for all the thoughtful, reasonable disagreement.

 

Stewart seems to be an emotional guy, and I think once he gets a win he might settle down.  Three starts, no wins, that's got to really weigh on a young starter.  If it had been any game setting other than having two outs in the fifth, or if the game had been tied, or even if the batter at the plate would have been the go-ahead run, I would have been fine with yanking him.

 

This one decision didn't make up my mind that I was done with the MOY.  It was just the decision that made me finally willing to post about it.  I've been there for a while.

 

 

 

 

[Shaitan]

 

I think Stewart DID get his chance to face one more hitter in an attempt to get the last out in the fifth, and that hitter doubled.  At 98 pitches, pulling him was the right thing to me.  He got 98 pitches of "development", and I still got to see a win.

Exactly. If Stewart wants to succeed in MLB, he'll have to find a way to get through 5 innings without so many pitches. The first 5 innings of this game took 2 hours, the last 3 took 45 minutes.

[big dog]

 

On that throw-out by Rosario, what if Matt Olson wasn't deked by Garver and that actually is his top speed?

Yeah, I don't have any idea if the decoy actually worked (the player in the on-deck circle was waving like crazy for the runner to slide), but I really love that he tried it.  I'm becoming a bigger fan of Garver all the time.

[Mike Sixel]

Garver certainly can hit......now if he can become a decent catcher (which he may or may not be now, but from what I'm told, not yet)......

[jkcarew]

It's probably useful to remember that Garver was not really aggressively developed as a catcher in Minors.  As little as he's played catcher for the Twins this year...he'll still probably end up the year having caught more games this season than he had in any minor league season.  And that's why I can't really understand why, at this point of the season, he wouldn't be catching 5 of every 7 games (or 5 of every 6 on weeks with off days).

[caninatl04]

Nice win for the Twins. Stewart pitched acceptably, the bullpen was good, defense excellent and they bunched their hits.

I do want to comment on the home plate ump. He was giving a couple inches on the low, outside corner all game until the eighth inning. In the eighth, he seemed to close that door plus missing at least two pitches that were knee-high and above and clearly not outside.

I don’t come to Twins Daily to complain about umpiring, but that was among the most perplexing balls-and-strikes calling that I’ve seen.

I’m giving the lever under in years before it’s automated at 4 years.

And there will be an umpire labor action.

[puckstopper1]

Thanks for the recap, Tim.  

 

One thing to correct - Hildy pitched the 9th, but the bullpen usage chart above does not show this.

[caninatl04]

Sorry. I’m giving the over under at 4years before automated balls strikes

[yarnivek1972]

It's probably useful to remember that Garver was not really aggressively developed as a catcher in Minors. As little as he's played catcher for the Twins this year...he'll still probably end up the year having caught more games this season than he had in any minor league season. And that's why I can't really understand why, at this point of the season, he wouldn't be catching 5 of every 7 games (or 5 of every 6 on weeks with off days).

I think you answered your own question. Perhaps they are concerned about his workload. It’s not the same as a pitcher, but if one isn’t used to catching as many games as Garver will, it can be hard on the body.

[jkcarew]

I think you answered your own question. Perhaps they are concerned about his workload. It’s not the same as a pitcher, but if one isn’t used to catching as many games as Garver will, it can be hard on the body.

Then the reason we’ve seen so much Wilson and relatively little Garver behind the plate since the Castro injury is that they have Garver on an “innings/games count” so he doesn’t get tired legs? If that’s the case, I’d be even more frustrated than I am under the alternative assumption that Molitor simply would rather have Wilson behind the plate.

[yarnivek1972]

Then the reason we’ve seen so much Wilson and relatively little Garver behind the plate since the Castro injury is that they have Garver on an “innings/games count” so he doesn’t get tired legs? If that’s the case, I’d be even more frustrated than I am under the alternative assumption that Molitor simply would rather have Wilson behind the plate.

I don’t know about tired legs per se, but I don’t think a limit to his innings caught is out of line. They certainly wouldn’t want to have him catch twice as much as last year, for example. What that limit might be I have no idea. Maybe 50% more than whatever he had last year.