Article: MIN 5, KC 4: Bats Rally, Bullpen Protects 1-Run Lead

[Tom Froemming]

With this lineup, you can never count out the Twins. They fell behind 4-1 tonight, but rallied back to tie the game in the fifth and took the lead in the sixth. Working with just a one-run lead over the final three innings, the bullpen not only got the job done, but even managed to pitch around a couple of errors.Box Score

Odorizzi: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 71.7% strikes (66 of 92 pitches)

Bullpen: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

 

Home Runs: Kepler (17), Gonzalez (9)

Multi-Hit Games: Gonzalez (2-for-4, HR)

 

WPA of +0.1: Gonzalez .205, Rogers .170, Cron .120, Polanco .102

WPA of -0.1: Odorizzi -.111, Schoop -.122, Cruz -.126

Download attachment: Win615.png

(chart via FanGraphs)

 

No Lead is Safe

The Twins fell behind 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth. They were within a run of the Royals by the time an out was recorded that inning. Mitch Garver singled and Marwin Gonzalez socked a two-run bomba.

 

Later that inning, Jorge Polanco provided a game-tying RBI double with two outs. The comeback was complete when C.J. Cron hit an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning.

 

Bullpen Secures Victory

Sometimes that “no lead is safe” statement applies to the Twins’ bullpen, but not tonight. After the bats stormed back, the bullpen managed to protect that lead.

 

Trevor May pitched around an error to record a scoreless seventh inning. There was another error committed in the eighth, but Blake Parker and Ryne Harper combined to keep Kansas City off the board that inning. Taylor Rogers gave up a one-out single and issued a two-out walk in the ninth, but worked around them to earn his eighth save.

 

Odorizzi is Human

Jake Odorizzi gave up as many earned runs tonight, four, as he had in those previous eight outings. He looked a little more human tonight, though he did still provide the Twins with six innings.

 

Odorizzi gave up seven hits, walked two batters and struck out seven. He gave up multiple home runs for the second time this season, but to his credit, never flew completely off the rails.

 

I’ve Got a Riddle for You

Who’s the most underrated Twin? I started brainstorming an article around this question, but it was too difficult. There are so many guys on this 2019 teams that are doing so well, but still have such low profiles across the landscape of baseball.

 

Now of course, if you’re here at Twins Daily reading a game recap, you’re obviously more invested than the average sports fan. But how many people actually realize that, say, Max Kepler is doing what he’s doing?

 

Anyway, Kepler hit his 17th home run tonight. He entered this game with a 134 OPS+ so far. He’s never even cracked 100 before (which is league average).

 

People around town are definitely starting to take notice of what this team is doing collectively, which is tremendous, but it’s pretty incredible what so many of these guys are doing on an individual basis, as well.

 

No.7 Retired

Before tonight’s game, the Twins put together a ceremony that was pretty neat. Joe Mauer’s No. 7 was retired.

 

Postgame With Baldelli

 

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen615.png

And One More Thing ...

I try really hard to avoid ump talk, but I’m sorry, we have to go there tonight. It’s a tough job, I get that, and both teams are stuck with the same umpire, so things typically even out. But, my word, is Angel Hernandez terrible. If anybody needs a retirement party, it’s that guy.

 

Here’s a look at the called strikes on Twins hittters:

Download attachment: KCPitcherCalledStriks.png

And below are the called strikes on Royals hitters:

Download attachment: MINPitcherCalledStrikes.png

The guy basically made a joke of this game. How can MLB allow this to continue to happen?

 

Click here to view the article

[terrydactyls]

Today is Saturday, June 15 and it was the 69th game of the year.  The Twins are now 43%  of the way through the season.  Out of 59 years, the current team ranks 28th on the all-time list of Twins' home runs in one season and are on a pace to hit 317 home runs this season.

[Dantes929]

"Odorizzi is Human
Jake Odorizzi gave up as many earned runs tonight, four, as he had in those previous eight outings. He looked a little more human tonight, though he did still provide the Twins with six innings."...

For all we know this could have been the best Odorizzi has thrown.   We forget that results are not dictated solely by the Twin's actions but by the other side as well.   My theory is that all the no hitters in history would not have happened if the pitcher was facing any other team that day.   There are no unhittable strikes.    Most of the times a pitch is called a mistake there were several other pitches in the same spot but that is the one the batter actually squared up.     Ok, off my soapbox.   Nice job Odorizzi for battling.   Good job offense for being relentless.   Nice job bullpen for going three scoreless despite two errors.    

[Monticore]

The defense has been very spotty. Nice to come away with another win but kudos to the relief corps for working around the errors.

[terrydactyls]

Watching Parker pitch is like playing golf with someone who takes a dozen practice swings, hovers over the ball for twenty seconds and then proceeds to hit the ball about 20 yards.  Just throw the damn ball over the plate and quit twitching and grimacing.  Geez!!!!!!!

 

I feel much better now, thanks.

[MNT1996]

Need to clean up the defense

[jimbo92107]

Blake Parker continues to worry me. Good stuff, but his control is so erratic. At least Trevor May looked a little better than last time out, when he challenged Romero for wildest Twins pitcher of the year. 

 

Maybe May needs to learn Zen meditation. All his self-critical muttering and agitation can't be good for his control. Breathe through your eyeballs, Trevor!

[carlito_b]

Great point about Kepler.17 home runs already! Wow. Almost everyone is having a breakout or career year it seems.

[MNT1996]

 

Blake Parker continues to worry me. Good stuff, but his control is so erratic. At least Trevor May looked a little better than last time out, when he challenged Romero for wildest Twins pitcher of the year. 

 

Maybe May needs to learn Zen meditation. All his self-critical muttering and agitation can't be good for his control. Breathe through your eyeballs, Trevor!

 

Honestly his stuff isn't even all that great (7.3 K/9). The only thing that was making him somewhat decent for the first couple weeks was his command, but if that continues to be bad then he should be the first one to be kicked out of the BP if the Twins get an arm before the deadline.

[Aerodeliria]

We could add Odorizzi to the list of players no is really talking about, and Cron, and Garver, even Rosario and Buxton. I was reading suggested all stars by various sports gurus and the Twins players were conspicuously absent. Only one analyst had two Twins players on the list (Polanco and Rosario). Of all the others, only one Twin was even mentioned and that by only one guru (surprisingly that was Castro). In a sense, maybe that's the beauty of the Twins; there are different heroes depending on the game.

[MVP Nick Punto]

What percent of HR by German-born players does Koepka have now?

[twinsfanstreif]

Most Underrated Twin for me has to be Gonzalez. His super utility-ness has provided the much needed rest that all the other players are getting and on top of that it's not really a drop off when he comes in, he frequently plays the hero offensively and defensively. I think he's one of the major reasons we are a good this year as we are

[Eephus]

Underrated candidate - Buxton. 2nd highest WAR on the Twins. Not that it all boils down to WAR, but I saw this stat recently and was very surprised. Polanco is 1st, Kepler is 3rd. 

[the_brute_squad]

You could say the entire team is underrated. Take a look at the All-Star balloting and only Polanco is at the top of the list. Most of the squads #'s compare favorably to each of the vote leaders.

Speaking of Polanco, the campaign for him to be an All-Star is great but it shouldn't stop there. I realize it's not even the halfway point but he should be in the discussion for MVP.

[ashbury]

Several takeaways for me, some already touched upon.

• Marwin is a butcher in RF and isn't getting better. Either give him intensive drills, or play him elsewhere. Nelson Cruz used to play RF, and I bet he still could give you better innings out there than Marwin has shown us. Our backup right fielder is in Rochester. When Buxton sits, either use Rosario in center and put Marwin in left (where he's said to be good, I can't remember), or else give Ehire a try out there. Remember JD Martinez playing RF in the last World Series? Yeah. We're potentially facing that embarrassment when the stage gets bigger and we're not playing the Royals.
• Cron, what the what? Shake it off and get 'em next game, I guess. I counted 3 plays that he would have made on a different day.
• Ehire has a major league glove at all the infield positions, but he ain't perfect, as we saw again yesterday.
• I trust four of our baserunners, Rosario and Kepler and Polanco and Buxton. If you're not in that list, don't go stretching a single into a double in a situation that would only work in a beer league. I'm looking at you, Jonathan Schoop; with two outs a double would be helpful, but it'll have to be the next guy, so be off at the crack of the bat and let him drive you around. It actually catches me by surprise that two capable middle-infielders on our roster, Schoop and Adrianza, are so plodding on the basepaths, but they are what they are. We're mostly a slow team.
• You can make this many mistakes against the Royals and still win. We used to be the Royals. Heck, we're not that far removed - they're running Lucas Duda out there, and we almost did.

[jorgenswest]

Several takeaways for me, some already touched upon.

 

• Marwin is a butcher in RF and isn't getting better. Either give him intensive drills, or play him elsewhere. Nelson Cruz used to play RF, and I bet he still could give you better innings out there than Marwin has shown us. Our backup right fielder is in Rochester. When Buxton sits, either use Rosario in center and put Marwin in left (where he's said to be good, I can't remember), or else give Ehire a try out there. Remember JD Martinez playing RF in the last World Series? Yeah. We're potentially facing that embarrassment when the stage gets bigger and we're not playing the Royals.
• Cron, what the what? Shake it off and get 'em next game, I guess. I counted 3 plays that he would have made on a different day.
• Ehire has a major league glove at all the infield positions, but he ain't perfect, as we saw again yesterday.
• I trust four of our baserunners, Rosario and Kepler and Polanco and Buxton. If you're not in that list, don't go stretching a single into a double in a situation that would only work in a beer league. I'm looking at you, Jonathan Schoop; with two outs a double would be helpful, but it'll have to be the next guy, so be off at the crack of the bat and let him drive you around. It actually catches me by surprise that two capable middle-infielders on our roster, Schoop and Adrianza, are so plodding on the basepaths, but they are what they are. We're mostly a slow team.
• You can make this many mistakes against the Royals and still win. We used to be the Royals. Heck, we're not that far removed - they're running Lucas Duda out there, and we almost did.

I guess a few questions...

 

How many plays has Gonzalez missed this year that he should have made? I can recall a great catch he made against Chicago and his catch last night in the ninth kept an incredibly fast runner off the bases. Is that balanced with several balls he should have caught like the Maldonado ball? I don’t recall others and I don’t see any on inside edge fielding.

 

Didn’t Adrianza have a game earlier this week against the Mariners where he showed off some excellent base running skill? If I recall he was on second and took third on a ball in the dirt. His secondary lead allowed him that base. He then followed by scoring with the infield in due a nice secondary and great slide. Those don’t seem like the moves of a plodding base runner.

[james2334]

 

 

Several takeaways for me, some already touched upon.

• Marwin is a butcher in RF and isn't getting better. Either give him intensive drills, or play him elsewhere. Nelson Cruz used to play RF, and I bet he still could give you better innings out there than Marwin has shown us. Our backup right fielder is in Rochester. When Buxton sits, either use Rosario in center and put Marwin in left (where he's said to be good, I can't remember), or else give Ehire a try out there. Remember JD Martinez playing RF in the last World Series? Yeah. We're potentially facing that embarrassment when the stage gets bigger and we're not playing the Royals.
• Cron, what the what? Shake it off and get 'em next game, I guess. I counted 3 plays that he would have made on a different day.
• Ehire has a major league glove at all the infield positions, but he ain't perfect, as we saw again yesterday.
• I trust four of our baserunners, Rosario and Kepler and Polanco and Buxton. If you're not in that list, don't go stretching a single into a double in a situation that would only work in a beer league. I'm looking at you, Jonathan Schoop; with two outs a double would be helpful, but it'll have to be the next guy, so be off at the crack of the bat and let him drive you around. It actually catches me by surprise that two capable middle-infielders on our roster, Schoop and Adrianza, are so plodding on the basepaths, but they are what they are. We're mostly a slow team.
• You can make this many mistakes against the Royals and still win. We used to be the Royals. Heck, we're not that far removed - they're running Lucas Duda out there, and we almost did.

 

Fielders at all positions make errors, it happens no matter how good they are. Gonzo's drop was brutal, but his catch in the 9th was outstanding and I'm not sure very many others make that catch including Kepler. That catch changed the whole 9th inning. 

 

As for Schoop getting thrown out, I would take that chance with two outs every time the fielder just made a good play. 

 

On another note the Twins should have guests in the booth more often. The broadcast was much more entertaining, especially Johnny Bench. 

[AlwaysinModeration]

When they finally get around to instituting an automated balls and strike system, Angel Hernandez will be argument #1. Or #1A (Joe West.)

[AlwaysinModeration]

What percent of HR by German-born players does Koepka have now?

This seems like a trick question. I’m not sure how best to answer it, but by the end of today, he may have 100% of the last three US Opens (and, perhaps more appropriately, be 50% of the way towards a consecutive grand slam.)

[Tom Froemming]

 

Gonzo's drop was brutal, but his catch in the 9th was outstanding and I'm not sure very many others make that catch including Kepler. That catch changed the whole 9th inning. 

Here that is for anybody who missed it:

[ashbury]

 

I guess a few questions...

How many plays has Gonzalez missed this year that he should have made? I can recall a great catch he made against Chicago and his catch last night in the ninth kept an incredibly fast runner off the bases. Is that balanced with several balls he should have caught like the Maldonado ball? I don’t recall others and I don’t see any on inside edge fielding.

Didn’t Adrianza have a game earlier this week against the Mariners where he showed off some excellent base running skill? If I recall he was on second and took third on a ball in the dirt. His secondary lead allowed him that base. He then followed by scoring with the infield in due a nice secondary and great slide. Those don’t seem like the moves of a plodding base runner.

That's fair about the 9th inning catch. I was multi-tasking at the time and I didn't see it until now on a video site. I suspect most RFers make that play, as it didn't require many steps, but credit where credit is due.

https://cuts.diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2019/2019-06/15/f2c00e36-0a743b10-11995ccb-CSVM-DIAMONDTMP-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4

 

Likewise with Adrianza taking a base the other day, I don't recall it. A good lead and smart baserunning wasn't really what I was getting at, though. It just takes him longer to get where he's going, once he's going, than I expect of a guy of his size and general athleticism. Shortstop is more about quick-twitch reaction than raw speed anyway, and I'm just saying that he'd easily lose a footrace to any of the four I named, and that might not be the case for the average utility infielder. I don't have any complaints about Ehire's work on the basepaths - he's just.... not.... you know, fast. If I'm third-base coach and faced with a close decision, I don't send Cron, I don't send Schoop, I don't send Adrianza. Nothing to do with yesterday's game, of course, just a side observation after Schoop was thrown out by a mile at second.

[rdehring]

When Trevor May is pitching, I get real nervous waiting for that next walk.  But I like what he can throw up there.  When Parker is pitching, I just get real nervous.  

 

I hope that first bullpen move is soon, very soon.

[Squirrel]

Here that is for anybody who missed it:

https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1140092394467016705

Did he rip his pants on that? Or did that happen earlier in the game and I just didn’t notice? Or maybe it just looks like he did?

[Aerodeliria]

Thanks for the video. Kepler I've heard of but whose Mathis?

[ChiefsKid]

That's fair about the 9th inning catch. I was multi-tasking at the time and I didn't see it until now on a video site. I suspect most RFers make that play, as it didn't require many steps, but credit where credit is due.

https://cuts.diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2019/2019-06/15/f2c00e36-0a743b10-11995ccb-CSVM-DIAMONDTMP-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4

 

....I don't have any complaints about Ehire's work on the basepaths - he's just.... not.... you know, fast. If I'm third-base coach and faced with a close decision, I don't send Cron, I don't send Schoop, I don't send Adrianza. Nothing to do with yesterday's game, of course, just a side observation after Schoop was thrown out by a mile at second.

 

Didn't Adrianza literally three games ago score on a one hopper hit directly to the second baseman playing in?

He has perfectly adequate speed for a utility infielder. Comparing anyone to Buxton, Kepler and Rosario is silly, imo.

I've always been of the opinion to make guys throw you out. If its gonna be close, send em. If he makes a perfect throw and the catcher is able to make a perfect tag, I can live with it. What I can't live with is holding our utility infielder at third on a clean single and then having the next guy up strike out.

To me, it's pretty clear Baldelli favors aggressiveness. One result has been setting Major League offensive team records. Another byproduct is having a couple guys thrown out trying to take an extra base.

I'm perfectly fine with the tradeoff.

[Aerodeliria]

Most Underrated Twin for me has to be Gonzalez. His super utility-ness has provided the much needed rest that all the other players are getting and on top of that it's not really a drop off when he comes in, he frequently plays the hero offensively and defensively. I think he's one of the major reasons we are a good this year as we are

Mr. Cool? Yeah, he's underrated for sure.

[stringer bell]

Gonzalez has played precious little right field until this year. I speculated that he would play left with Rosario and Kepler manning the other two spots when Buxton is on the pine.

 

Margo hasn’t looked particularly comfortable in right, but I think he’s better than “a butcher” out there. Adrianza isn’t slow, but he isn’t fast. Last year he got thrown out several times on the bases. I don’t recall any terrible throw outs this year and his base running sequence on Thursday was textbook.

 

A second baseman was playing right field and he had to run to his left and then make a throw to his right on Schoop’s hit. Merrifield did it perfectly, but it’s a chance to take with two outs.

[USAFChief]

A couple points: I like the gamble for 2 by Schoop with 2 outs. Getting into scoring position is worth it. The outfielder just made a good play.

 

The thing I like most about Gonzalez' catch in the ninth, was how shallow he was playing. It was Billy Hamilton...make him hit it over your head. If he's not playing really shallow, that's a hit, followed by a probable stolen base.

 

Twins teams of the past would have had their outfielders with their backs glued to the wall, in some silly "no doubles" prevent defense. They routinely played their OF too deep, and in the 9th would have played them even farther back, no matter who was at the plate.

[DocBauer]

<p>

 

Several takeaways for me, some already touched upon.

• Marwin is a butcher in RF and isn't getting better. Either give him intensive drills, or play him elsewhere. Nelson Cruz used to play RF, and I bet he still could give you better innings out there than Marwin has shown us. Our backup right fielder is in Rochester. When Buxton sits, either use Rosario in center and put Marwin in left (where he's said to be good, I can't remember), or else give Ehire a try out there. Remember JD Martinez playing RF in the last World Series? Yeah. We're potentially facing that embarrassment when the stage gets bigger and we're not playing the Royals.
• Cron, what the what? Shake it off and get 'em next game, I guess. I counted 3 plays that he would have made on a different day.
• Ehire has a major league glove at all the infield positions, but he ain't perfect, as we saw again yesterday.
• I trust four of our baserunners, Rosario and Kepler and Polanco and Buxton. If you're not in that list, don't go stretching a single into a double in a situation that would only work in a beer league. I'm looking at you, Jonathan Schoop; with two outs a double would be helpful, but it'll have to be the next guy, so be off at the crack of the bat and let him drive you around. It actually catches me by surprise that two capable middle-infielders on our roster, Schoop and Adrianza, are so plodding on the basepaths, but they are what they are. We're mostly a slow team.
• You can make this many mistakes against the Royals and still win. We used to be the Royals. Heck, we're not that far removed - they're running Lucas Duda out there, and we almost did.

So which side of the bed do you normally climb out of Ash?

[Squirrel]

Didn't Adrianza literally three games ago score on a one hopper hit directly to the second baseman playing in?

He has perfectly adequate speed for a utility infielder. Comparing anyone to Buxton, Kepler and Rosario is silly, imo.

I've always been of the opinion to make guys throw you out. If its gonna be close, send em. If he makes a perfect throw and the catcher is able to make a perfect tag, I can live with it. What I can't live with is holding our utility infielder at third on a clean single and then having the next guy up strike out.

To me, it's pretty clear Baldelli favors aggressiveness. One result has been setting Major League offensive team records. Another byproduct is having a couple guys thrown out trying to take an extra base.

I'm perfectly fine with the tradeoff.

Yep, force the other team to make a perfect play. There might be specific teams and/or fielders or situations you don’t test, but in general, go for it.