Article: MIN 5, KC 4 (10 Innings): Cruz Steps Up

[bighat]

 

Buxton seems to be getting back into the pattern where he's almost instantly at 0-2 counts.  Hopefully he gets a couple days off and comes back with an aggressive approach.

 

Thing about Buxton is he always seems to be up there guessing on that first pitch. When he guesses fastball and he gets a fastball, he can sting it. You saw that in a couple of his ringing doubles this year.

 

But when he guesses fastball and gets a curve, or if he simply misses his pitch, it's almost like he's so deflated that the AB is over. You saw KC throw him a first pitch curve for a strike on his last AB, he was down 0-1 and after striking out twice already we all knew he'd strike out again. Those of us who have watched Buxton for years could almost guarantee it.

 

He doesn't seem to be able to make adjustments when he's struggling. If he's having trouble making contact, he should just try and hit the ball the other way. Simply make contact to get back in his groove. It's so frustrating to watch a guy with so much talent get himself out again and again.

[MMMordabito]

Felt a little bit bad for KC as they thought they had escaped another jam only to lose the game.  Granted I think the umpires got the call right but it is a tough way to lose.

I didn't. Watching Yost heat up on all three close calls was entertaining.

[nicksaviking]

 

Players need to execute. Every one of those scenarios you went through ended poorly because a player failed to execute. As we saw tonight, you can get guys to second, or even third, with no outs (let alone one) and still not score any runs. That's not on the manager.

 

Don't hold your breath over bunting or stealing bases. This team doesn't really have the personnel to small ball, and every indication from his past would indicate Rocco's not going to be that kind of manager. This team is built to pound the baseball. When they're not hitting any homer runs we're probably going to see some frustrating nights like this one (though this was an extreme example). Not ideal, you'd rather have a bunch of well-rounded hitters, but this is the team they built.

 

I think the team has some decently rounded hitters in Cruz, Polanco, Rosario, ideally Kepler and even Cron based on last year. Gonzalez is generally satisfactory at getting on base and Astudillo always makes contact. I think the team is built to hit HR, but I think they've got +.320 OPS potential throughout the lineup which should allow for them to string together some nice rallies consistently. 

[Thebigalguy]

A win is a win is a win. (Glass of wine?) But leaving all those RISP is difficult to watch with a straight face. Berrios wasn't all that sharp, but would have won if our offense  could have plated a few of those baserunners. That inside-the-park home run was unacceptable. Fortunately, we won and there are many games left to play. So far, so good.

[MMMordabito]

 

• Astudillo is worth a contract for his entertainment value.  I was listening on the radio and still smiled and anticipated when he came in the game.

 

When he came in to pinch hit for Castro, he may have received the loudest applause of any game event last night at the Tuesday Taproom at Able.

[joefish]

Take the win and run. Bad baseball game. Too cold?

[jmlease1]

 

I have two concerns with Rocco as a manager. He seems to be pulling the starters very early so far this season. Berrios only threw 86 pitches last night so there was no reason to not let him at least start the 8th. Also, Rogers is going to be on the DL by June with the way Rocco is using him. This is exactly what happened last year with Molitor. He fell in love with one RP and used him until he was worn out. PS I hate that baseball changed the DL to IL. It doesn’t roll off the tongue properly. It should either be the DL, so we can stop with this PC crap, or they IR.

 

Berrios didn't have a high pitch count, but he'd had some wobbly innings. I don't mind protecting your starters a little early while they continue to get stretched out.

 

I'm not worried about Rogers usage yet: he's made 3 appearances in 6 days, hasn't pitched in back-to-back games...you can start worrying if he comes out of the 'pen again tonight.

 

So far Baldelli is doing fine. He'll look even better when some of the bats heat up (Rosario, Kepler, Gonzalez, and Schoop are all off to slow starts). Cron is really looking sharp, and I was really pleased with his defense last night.

 

Hope Kyle Gibson is recovered from the E.Coli enough to get through 5-6 innings!

[akmanak]

I think the Buxton experiment is almost done. Depending how long he is hurt and if he is going to start swinging at the outside pitch i am hoping the Twins qill move on quickly. I havent been impressed with his defense yet this early season. His throw to home was terrible and his leap against the wall wasnt close.

 

I also believe the coach can tighten up a couple of things too. The turtle really should of been pinched ran for in the 10th and he is starting to rely on one or two people solely in the bp. He pulled Berrios entirely to early also.

Edited April 3, 2019 by akmanak

[Jacksson]

Yes, we're only 4 games in but: Kepler, Rosario, Schoop, Gonzalez, and Castro all stink.

Time to make playing time for: Cave, Astudillo, Adrianza and even Austin to get some looks while the non-performers cool their heels.

[Tibs]

 

Yes, we're only 4 games in but: Kepler, Rosario, Schoop, Gonzalez, and Castro all stink.
Time to make playing time for: Cave, Astudillo, Adrianza and even Austin to get some looks while the non-performers cool their heels.

Ooof

[Monkeypaws]

 

These are the kinds of games we would have found a way to lose last year.

Precisely why I went to bed after watching the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings.

 

Oh me of little faith....

[Han Joelo]

 

I think the Buxton experiment is almost done. Depending how long he is hurt and if he is going to start swinging at the outside pitch i am hoping the Twins qill move on quickly. I havent been impressed with his defense yet this early season. His throw to home was terrible and his leap against the wall wasnt close.

I also believe the coach can tighten up a couple of things too. The turtle really should of been pinched ran for in the 10th and he is starting to rely on one or two people solely in the bp. He pulled Berrios entirely to early also.

 

The Turtle crossing the crossing the finish line is a key motif to this season's storyline.  Had we inserted a speedy pinch runner, a la Terrence Gore, he would have been still standing on base as the inning ended.  As Gore was.

 

This is basic narrative logic.  In my humble reading, anyhow.

[jdmurphy315]

Sure, Buxton misplayed the Mondesi inside-the-parker. But he clearly expected Kepler to be there to retrieve the ball and probably limit Mondesi to a triple; I was expecting the same thing watching at home. Would be interesting to see where Kepler was playing (I don't know, maybe he was way over on the foul line) and whether he should have been able to pick that ball up off the rebound once Buxton missed it.

[joefish]

A win is a win. Chalk this one up as ugly, but it counts.

[Number3]

 

These are the kinds of games we would have found a way to lose last year

 

Couldn't agree more. Twins finally have a new identity and the reasons why have as much to do with who isn't there as who is there. Add this game to the 29 of 42 (60-60-42) needed to make the playoffs. 2 down, 27 to go. This team will be fun to pull for all year and II believe they will have to be beaten; they will not beat themselves.

[MMMordabito]

Anyoone see a lineup for today yet? Seems like a good day to get a couple of bench guys some starts. Astudillo for Gonzalez at 3B since the former is hitting and the latter is not. Cave for Buxton (maybe Kepler moves to CF) because of Buxton's sore back. Garver to catch unless Gibson prefers or pitches better to Castro.   I would keep Austin on the bench and start him Friday at 1B or DH, and find a game this weekend to start Adrianza at 2B and give Schoop a day. Then everybody will have had at least one start in the first 7 games.

CF Max Kepler L

SS J. Polanco B

DH Nelson Cruz R

LF E. Rosario L

3B W. Astudillo R

RF Jake Cave L

C Mitch Garver R

2B E. Adrianza B

1B Tyler Austin R

[IAMNFan]

Criticizing Rocco for not sacrificing sounds strange at this point. How many times did we watch Gardy & Molitor take the bat out of a hitters hand only to have a failed bunt. Sacrificing is old fashioned and over rated.

My biggest negative take away was the use of Rogers. At this rate he will have 100 appearances this year. Not so concerned about the appearance but going out for second inning screams of overuse.

Any win is a good win!

[Puckett34]

 

Anyoone see a lineup for today yet? Seems like a good day to get a couple of bench guys some starts. Astudillo for Gonzalez at 3B since the former is hitting and the latter is not. Cave for Buxton (maybe Kepler moves to CF) because of Buxton's sore back. Garver to catch unless Gibson prefers or pitches better to Castro.   I would keep Austin on the bench and start him Friday at 1B or DH, and find a game this weekend to start Adrianza at 2B and give Schoop a day. Then everybody will have had at least one start in the first 7 games.  

Oh hey Rocco! Dang near got the whole lineup right!

[terrydactyls]

Watching Buxton and Hamilton play similarly hit balls was very interesting. Once Buxton realized he couldn't catch the ball, he kept running, made a futile (half-assed) attempt, turned it into a homerun, and got hurt. Once Hamilton realized he couldn't make the catch, he stopped and positioned himself to play the ball off the wall, and held the hitter to a double. Horrible play versus smart play.

[Tyler Roepke]

 

I'm glad they won because not scoring in the 7th was hard to watch.

 

What the hell was that route by Buxton?  That was a hard, but not impossible catch.  

Pretty terrible game overall from Buxton. I was pretty disappointed when he went erratically flailing into the wall. Here you have a guy pitching who has a 30 inning scoreless streak, and you do something stupid like that. He should have played it off the wall and let the guy get a double and trust he will get out of the inning just fine. He also laid down forever before finally getting up and getting the ball. Yeah, that hurts..don't do it if you can't take the pain. Maybe if we had Matt Capps in there you go for it, and you're right, what a terrible route.

[prouster]

Buxton had a rough game last night. But after four games, he's hitting .308/.357/.538. This adds up to an OPS of .896. His wRC+ is 168 (i.e. 68% above league average). He has added .2 fWAR to the team total.

 

Believe it or not, the season doesn't start over every midnight. Buxton had a rough game, but he's off to the best start of his MLB career.

[MN_ExPat]

Yes, we're only 4 games in but: Kepler, Rosario, Schoop, Gonzalez, and Castro all stink.Time to make playing time for: Cave, Astudillo, Adrianza and even Austin to get some looks while the non-performers cool their heels.

 

4... 4 games. There’s is no but.

[joefish]

Who sacrifices in the early innings? No one. Go for a potential big inning early. KC did not deserve to win this one either. Blame the poor baseball on the cold. Tip yer cap to the pitchers.

[Mike Sixel]

I like it when they win

[ashbury]

I like it when they win

I like it when posters say nice things.

[jkcarew]

 

I like it when posters say nice things.

How 'bout me...

 

The Twins will play the Royals and Tigers a total of 38 times this year. That's nearly a quarter of the schedule!

 

I don't think there's anything nicer that could possibly be said.

[Channing1964]

Couldn't agree more. Twins finally have a new identity and the reasons why have as much to do with who isn't there as who is there. Add this game to the 29 of 42 (60-60-42) needed to make the playoffs. 2 down, 27 to go. This team will be fun to pull for all year and II believe they will have to be beaten; they will not beat themselves.

man!!! i am writing this after Wednesday's get away day victory. Way to go boys....lets roll into Philly with a head of steam and the lead in the division! This is the Heart that i always talk about that can't always be measures by WAR, UZR BAPIB, XYX, PITCHER IS TIRED IN 4TH LETS CALL HIM AN OPENER.

[yarnivek1972]

Great start, but I still wonder about Kepler leading off. He just doesn't seem comfortable there and history tells us he isn't the right guy for that role. It sure makes more sense to me for Polanco to lead off, followed by Rosario, then Cruz, then Cron with Kepler 5 now dropping to 6 when Sano comes back to hit 4 or 5.

What “history” tells us Kepler isn’t the right guy?

 

Through the first four games his BB and K rates were both team best among qualified hitters.

 

 

Yes, Polanco would be a good lead off candidate. But, he is the prototypical # 2 hitter. Rosario isn’t nearly patient enough for the top of the order.

[Mike Sixel]

 

The history I was referring to is that Kepler's OBP for the last 3 years of full time at bats is .309, .312, and .319. All are too low for a lead off hitter; some would say far too low. His BB and K rates are nice but are secondary factors that go into the primary factor for a lead off man - his OBP.  Conversely, Polanco's OBP for the last 3 years has been .332, .313, and .345. Also not great, but significantly better.  Rosario hit well last year in the #2 hole and I think he could benefit from having Cruz behind him in the order.

 

Almost as importantly is that this is the year we expect Kepler to "break out" and stop being the roughly .230/.315-.320/.415-.420 hitter that he's been. I think hitting him lead off and changing his role puts more pressure on a guy who hasn't yet performed at an average MLB OF level at the plate. Elite in the OF, yes, below average as a hitter so far.  Frankly, 4th OF combo stats as a fielder and hitter. I'd love to see him become the .250/.340/.450 guy I think he can be but I think he's more likely to get there hitting in a lower pressure spot like 6 or 7 (or even 8 or 9), rather than having to take the lead off hitter pressure on before he's ready. And that's what I think is happening.

 

4th OF combo stats? He was exactly league median compared to CF last year, as a hitter. He just doesn't get that chance here while Buxton is healthy. 18th among RF as a hitter. 19th as a LF. I'm not sure who you are comparing him to, exactly, but it isn't the rest of the league.

[Mike Sixel]

 

But Buxton is here and will be for the foreseeable future. I've always said that we can carry Kepler's bat if he's the everyday CF but he will never be that guy as long as Buxton is with the Twins and hits over .220. Kepler is a corner OF, so you can only compare him to other corner OFs, not CFs. His bat isn't good enough right now to be a starting corner OF on a team good enough to contend for a championship. To me, that's the standard we should be looking at and yes, I agree he's far from alone. Frankly, if you look at the 2019 Twins we have maybe 10 guys who are quality starters o

That's where I'm coming from on Kepler. He' a league average bat for CF.  Not good enough. For this team to truly compete, he needs to be a solid to above average bat for a RF. He's not. I'm not saying take him out, at least not yet, but we have to put him in the best position to succeed. To me, leading off ain't it. He should be hitting 6 after Polanco, Rosario, Cruz, Cron and Sano with Polanco leading off.  

 

Top 20 HITTING corner OF, plus above average defense is not good enough to be on a winning team? What, exactly, are you expecting from every position player?