Article: MIN 6, DET 3: Offense, Bullpen Come Through Late as Twins Take Opener

[Circus Boy]

Nice win, and given the way the season's gone, even the nailbiting last inning was enjoyable. Cabrera's laugh at Schoop fanning his glove after catching the scalding drive for the last out ... priceless! Baseball is the best sport.

[Dantes929]

 

My concern with the bullpen isn't so much the personnel as much as it is Rocco's ability to manage it and recognize when a guy doesn't have it and pulls him.  I'm still a touch dubious at this point.  Rogers seems to be the guy to use in the 9th, though I still think Trevor May as a closer wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.  In the end, I don't care who gets it done as long as someone gets it done and tries not to make a 3-run lead interesting in the 9th against a very mediocre offense.  The nice thing -- and it's very rare for us to be able to say this -- is that we have a 10 1/2 game cushion to work with and can test guys and not feel like they lose too much if there's a hiccup.

Getting the job done while also making it interesting regardless of the quality of the offense is how I remember Perkins and Nathan.    All bullpens give up runs and games but whether lucky or just with enough offense this bullpen has been ok by me.    Winning 26 of 28 (or whatever the latest on that stat) when having the lead after the 6th inning shows me bending without breaking .   It also means the pen has done well enough to win 16 more games when tied or behind after 6 innings.   Ryan Eades is the guy promoted and he sounds exactly like the guy you would want to test.   There are always going to be hiccups.    

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Is Garver the best hitting catcher in baseball?  Or at least second to that guy with the Yankees?  He sure completes this lineup.

He needs to play more to gain that title but there is no obvious hole in his approach, which bodes well for the future.

 

But, at least to me, Garver's hitting is secondary to the enormous strides the guy has made behind the plate and he deserves nothing but heaps of praise. That in itself has made Garver one of my new favorite Twins.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

 4.45 ERA... >4BB/9. Strike out rate is good at 10.38 k/9 , but he's sporting a whip of 1.38... Those aren't good numbers against AAA competition. Not sure MLB hitters will treat him better.

Last 28 days = ERA 1.88; 14.1 innings; 17 SO; 4 BB; 1.116 WHIP; 10.7 SO/9. This looks solid to me...although I admit it is a small sample size...but it is the "last" 28 days.