Article: OAK 6, MIN 2: Austin Goes Deep Twice in Loss

[Tom Froemming]

Tyler Austin blasted two more home runs Sunday afternoon, one into the Catch area above the center field batter’s eye, giving him six homers in just 12 games with the Twins. Unfortunately, that was all the offense the Twins could muster as they lost their third straight game to the A’s.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Berrios: 43 Game Score, 5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 4 K, 0 BB, 63.8% strikes (60 of 94 pitches)

Home Runs: Austin 2 (14)

Multi-Hit Games: Polanco (2-for-3), Austin (2-for-4, 2 HR)

WPA of 0.1 or higher: Austin .164

WPA of -0.1 or lower: Garver -.119, Grossman -.142, Magill -.185

Download attachment: WinChart826.png

Austin has six homers in just 46 plate appearances so far with Minnesota, and 14 total in 178 PAs on the season. That 7.9 HR% would lead the league if he had enough playing time to qualify (Oakland’s Khris Davis is the top dog at 7.5%).

 

His first homer was a mammoth blast to center …

… his second was an oppo taco.

The only other extra-base hit the Twins had was a double from Mitch Garver. After a stretch of strong offensive performances, the Twins have managed just five runs over their past three games.

 

Jose Berrios started today’s game, and had to be checked out by the training staff in the first inning. La MaKina was sitting 90-91 mph in that first inning, but he stayed in the game and appeared to loosen up as things progressed. By the third inning he was consistently hitting 93-94 mph with his four-seam fastball.

 

Berrios gave up three runs on eight hits over his five innings of work. He struck out four. Matt Magill,the first man out of the bullpen, gave up three solo homers in an inning. Taylor Rogers (1 2/3 innings) and Trevor Hildenberger (1 1/3 innings) kept things clean from there, but the damage had been done.

 

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen826.png

Next Three Games

Mon: OFF

Tue at CLE, 6:10 pm CT: Kyle Gibson vs. Carlos Carrasco

Wed at CLE, 6:10 pm CT: Kohl Stewart vs. Adam Plutko

Thu at CLE, 12:10 pm CT: Jake Odorizzi vs. Mike Clevinger

 

Last Three Games

OAK 6, MIN 2: Gonsalves Gets Burned on Mistake Pitch

OAK 7, MIN 1: Puckett 2,304, Mauer 2,086, Carew 2,085

MIN 6, OAK 4: Twins Top Red-Hot A’s

 

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[bluechipper]

Tyler Austin with the "drive in more than you let in" philosophy today. He's had a rough time at first base so far since he's been here.

 

I'm not very worried about 1B defense going forward, especially if you're going to hit 35-40 HRs, but it's just surprising seeing plays missed over there when I'm used to watching Mauer's great fielding.

[jkcarew]

I'm not very worried about 1B defense going forward, especially if you're going to hit 35-40 HRs.

 

Or 20. Or 15.

[Doomtints]

Mauer wasn't perfect right out of the gate at 1B either. Austin's -5.5 UZR/150 matches Mauer's -5.7 UZR/150 in 2012 with nearly identical innings played at 1B (so far), 258 v. 260.

 

Mauer didn't become a really good defender at 1B until last year, in his 4th year of having the job full time.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Doomtints

[mikelink45]

First news - we lost again.  

 

Okay now that that fact is on the table, Austin really gave us a treat.  He is driving the ball like Sano, but he has so much more awareness of the strikezone (I know he still strikes out a lot) and I hope he moight motivate Sano who should be challenged by him.

 

Berrios struggled, the BP blew it.  

 

Next is Cleveland.  Glad to have some positive story lines to follow besides the fact that we are one loss from 70.  

[USAFChief]

"Austin powers"...somebody is stealing my material.

[108Stitches]

Tyler Austin- I am a fan. Great pickup

 

Interestingly, Tyler Wells middle name is Austin.

[Danchat]

Can we get Mauer/Rosario/Polanco to hit right behind Austin? It'd be nice to turn these moonshots into multi-run HRs. 

 

Methinks the Yankees should have given him more of a chance at 1B, with Greg Bird hitting .199 with decent power. Yes, I know I sound like Austin's dad right, but right now it's sure looking like the Yanks could have used him.

[Danchat]

Worth noting:

 

[bighat]

 

Can we get Mauer/Rosario/Polanco to hit right behind Austin? It'd be nice to turn these moonshots into multi-run HRs.

 

Right before Austin, you mean....right? Unless you're taking a subtle jab at Mauer/Rosario/Polanco.

 

This Austin guy can mash.

 

Twins appear to be in "roll over mode" right about now. They're not going to finish .500 and it looks like both pitching and hitting are both hurting right now. Not so much fun.

[Danchat]

 

Right before Austin, you mean....right? Unless you're taking a subtle jab at Mauer/Rosario/Polanco.

 

This Austin guy can mash.

 

Twins appear to be in "roll over mode" right about now. They're not going to finish .500 and it looks like both pitching and hitting are both hurting right now. Not so much fun.

Whoops, that's what I meant. Darn prepositions!

[jtkoupal]

Tyler Austin has 6 HR and a Slugging Percentage around .700 in 13 games with the Twins. I'm not going to overreact to this hot streak and put him in the Hall of Fame, but he should, at least, fend off Logan Morrison for 2019.

 

One could make a case for a Morrison/Austin platoon at DH/1B rotating with Mauer (should he return) but having 3 first baseman is a little redundant.

 

Especially given what Austin has done so far, it's increasingly harder to imagine a scenario that includes Logan Morrison in 2019.

[Riverbrian]

 

"Austin powers"...somebody is stealing my material.

 

 

There is nothing you can do about it. Mike Myers steals material all the time. 

 

[Riverbrian]

 

Tyler Austin has 6 HR and a Slugging Percentage around .700 in 13 games with the Twins. I'm not going to overreact to this hot streak and put him in the Hall of Fame, but he should, at least, fend off Logan Morrison for 2019.

 

One could make a case for a Morrison/Austin platoon at DH/1B rotating with Mauer (should he return) but having 3 first baseman is a little redundant.

 

Especially given what Austin has done so far, it's increasingly harder to imagine a scenario that includes Logan Morrison in 2019.

 

If Morrison is back in 2019... we will never win a World Series ever. And I mean ever. 

[Riverbrian]

The first home run was extremely impressive because of distance but that pitch was pretty much dead center. 

 

His 2nd home run was actually more impressive in my opinion. That pitch was outside corner on the black and he still cleared the RF fence.  

 

Sitting Austin against the Right Handers Kopech and Cahill in some sort of platoon with Grossman is looking pretty questionable right about now. 

[rdehring]

Hell of a return for Lance Lynn, who many thought was untradeable.

 

Do the Twins control him for another five years?  Or is it six?  Can see him being a valuable part of this next Twins run as a part-time first baseman and DH.

[Tom Froemming]

MLB leaders in HR% (min. 175 PAs)

 

7.9% Tyler Austin

7.8% Max Muncy

7.4% Khris Davis

7.1% J.D. Martinez

6.9% Joey Gallo

[Riverbrian]

MLB leaders in HR% (min. 175 PAs)

 

7.9% Tyler Austin

7.8% Max Muncy

7.4% Khris Davis

7.1% J.D. Martinez

6.9% Joey Gallo

And of course my point is going to be?

 

Who are Tyler Austin and Max Muncy?

[Tom Froemming]

 

And of course my point is going to be?

Who are Tyler Austin and Max Muncy?

It doesn't really get any less weird as you keep going through the top 10...

 

6.7% Nelson Cruz

6.7% Mark Reynolds

6.5% Jesus Aguilar

6.5% Jose Ramirez

6.4% Matt Adams

 

Some other fun observations with this stat:

 

6.2% Ronald Acuna

6.1% Mike Trout

5.8% Aaron Judge

 

5.6% Giancarlo Stanton and Daniel Palka

 

4.5% Miguel Sano and Aaron Hicks 

 

4.0% Eddie Rosario

3.7% Eduardo Escobar

3.6% Max Kepler

3.4% Brian Dozier

3.3% Jake Cave

3.2% Niko Goodrum

 

3.0% is league average

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

If Morrison is back in 2019... we will never win a World Series ever. And I mean ever. 

I'd argue that they still need a DH in 2019 (though I don't think Morrison is the right answer there)

[IndianaTwin]

 

Mauer wasn't perfect right out of the gate at 1B either. Austin's -5.5 UZR/150 matches Mauer's -5.7 UZR/150 in 2012 with nearly identical innings played at 1B (so far), 258 v. 260.

 

Mauer didn't become a really good defender at 1B until last year, in his 4th year of having the job full time.

 

Difference being that Austin also has significant minor league innings at 1B, and Mauer was a good enough athlete to be a Gold Glove catcher. That's not to say that Austin won't improve with experience, but I'm skeptical he'll improve to the level of Mauer. 

 

 

[Doomtints]

 

Difference being that Austin also has significant minor league innings at 1B, and Mauer was a good enough athlete to be a Gold Glove catcher. That's not to say that Austin won't improve with experience, but I'm skeptical he'll improve to the level of Mauer. 

 

Mauer is all but gone. Who is a better option?

[IndianaTwin]

 

Mauer is all but gone. Who is a better option?

 

I wasn't responding to the "should Joe go or should he stay," but to the question of whether Austin is likely to be a strong defender.  

[Doomtints]

It's a strange comparison in my opinion. Mauer is not a Gold Glove at 1B and Austin won't compete with Mauer at 1B.

Edited August 27, 2018 by Doomtints

[h2oface]

"You can't do anything about it. That's the unfortunate part. His (Berrios) day comes up, and that's the one day where he's not feeling his normal self. It happened to be a day game, too, which has been a little bit of a stickler for him. We're not sure what the solution there is, if there's really something there to address. You just try to find a way to come back and split the series, and knowing that he's not at his best puts you at a disadvantage." -- Molitor on Berrios, who is 8-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 14 night starts but is 3-7 with a 4.94 ERA in 13 day games.

 

Can't do anything about it? Really. The guy is sick, and he sucks in day games, relatively. How about giving him the day off and pitching someone else, or making is a bullpen day? Sure you can do something about it..... if you are the manager.....

 

Hey, I don't really care, but I just don't buy, "you can't do anything about it." I mean, it's not like we are in a pennant race.

[Twins33]

Difference being that Austin also has significant minor league innings at 1B, and Mauer was a good enough athlete to be a Gold Glove catcher. That's not to say that Austin won't improve with experience, but I'm skeptical he'll improve to the level of Mauer.

 

I believe Morneau had way more minor league innings at 1B than Austin has had and Morneau had a not great defensive reputation when he came up. He worked on it and improved. There's no guarantee that the same happens for Austin, but it could if he puts the work in.

 

https://www.twincities.com/2010/06/12/morneau-is-stepping-up-to-the-plate-for-twins/

 

I remember Rockies fans being surprised Morneau was as good as he was.