What does the Yankees series prove?

[Bandit34]

Here are some things it proves:

 

1. Oakland's pitching staff is REALLY, REALLY GOOD! The Twins offense did not look anywhere near this against Oakland. Our hitting wasn't atrocious. But it wasn't doing what it's doing in the Yankees series.

 

2. I will not watch Twins-Yankees games. I pretty much have watched almost every Twins game this year. But I have no interest in watching when the Twins play the Yankees. It's not worth the frustration anymore after decades of losing to them. Everyone will call game 2 a classic but actually it went pretty much according to how the Yankees games always go since we were the Washington Senators. When you lose routinely to a team since Eisenhower was in office, it just isn't as fun anymore to watch or listen. 

 

3. Blake Parker is a disaster. 

4. Taylor Rogers is not a closer but he is a really good reliever. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

so far it proves we need help in the pen. The offense seems to be more or less back on track, though I wouldn't mind a bit more explosiveness with the bases loaded as it seems we always walk away with way too few runs in those situations.

[Jkeady12]

Easy fix pick up a solid 7th inning guy Rogers in the 8th and a high end closer. No more excuses, it could mean the difference between making the playoffs and winning some playoff games.

[RedBull34]

Chris Martin and Kirby Yates would be great.  Add Robbie Ray and move Perez to the Bullpen and you've upgraded your BP with two RP's and a LP while maintaining your staff (probably an upgrade honestly).

 

I wouldn't mind Grienke instead of Ray, but for $$ and the NTC, I don't think it will happen.

[Danchat]

I think we’ve proven that we are legitimately a better bullpen away from being a World Series contender. We can beat anyone when the bats heat up.

[SpicyGarvSauce]

It proves what we already knew through the first 98 games prior - that this offense is good, but the pitching is an issue and needs help. This series shouldn't be some sort of surprise or "oh my, the Twins weakness has finally been exposed."

 

No, we have known that since November of 2018.

[Bomba2026]

This series proves the Twins do not bow down to the Yankees anymore....We wont win them all but we dont bow down to any team, anymore. Our pitchers will stop relying on the hitters, they will get it figured out. Till then, our Starters need to go 8 innings....We win tonight and send the Yankees off with a message, that we will be around in Oct.....

[Roaddog]

It's showed the Twins aren't intimidated like Twins teams in the past.

[woolywoolhouse]

It's not just the bullpen: it's the pitching staff. Since the All-Star break, the Twins have only had one starter pitch through the 7th: Kyle Gibson on 7/18. The bullpen is over-taxed, and the starters are not helping them at all. 

[Rosterman]

Well, our starter was better than the Yankees starter, and was actually on track to win the game. But, yes, there are issues in the bullpen. How do you leave a guy in with 2-3-4 base runners and only getting one out in an important game. You play to win, at all costs. 

 

Is the bullpen over-taxed? No. We have a shuttle running between Minnesota and the Red Wings. We have released three guys who might've been over-taxed. You throw strikes and suffer, yes. But this is baseball. The Twins have no defining of who does what well in the bullpen. Rogers is NOT a closer. He can close...but not the main guy!

 

Line-up construction. Solo home runs are fine. But when you can't get a guy home from third with zero or one outs, soemthing is wrong here, too. Do the Twins have any sort of running game? Can they not take that extra base and challenge an outfielder's arm?

 

Ugh! But, hey...still in first place.

[Roaddog]

We could really use a closer for sure. I think Rogers would be even more effective in a setup type role. But I would love to take a run at Austin Adams of the Mariners. I just think he'd be a good addition to the pen

[Nine of twelve]

Small sample size, but we have shown we're as good as the Yankees.

[SpicyGarvSauce]

 

Small sample size, but we have shown we're as good as the Yankees.

 

Sure - but larger sample size, this pitching staff has shown they are awful.

[Dantes929]

Games are won in lost in all sorts of ways.    It is a myth that a team needs a shutdown bullpen to succeed in the playoffs.    The game yesterday was lost by the Twins on an umpires call.   It was won by the Yankees on a fantastic catch by Hicks.     Yankees pen certainly gave up runs and Oakland got crushed in their next game because they used up all their bullets on the Twins.    Few teams, if any, are happy with the team they have.    Besides which, are we sure we haven't found the answer?  By are the two best relievers the last two days have been Thorpe and Stashak.   Schmeltzer looked good when he was up also.    Keep the young guys up, walk fewer guys, keep hitting and play better defense.  That would be my fix.    No short series really proves anything.    

[USAFChief]

Games are won in lost in all sorts of ways.    It is a myth that a team needs a shutdown bullpen to succeed in the playoffs.    The game yesterday was lost by the Twins on an umpires call.   It was won by the Yankees on a fantastic catch by Hicks.     Yankees pen certainly gave up runs and Oakland got crushed in their next game because they used up all their bullets on the Twins.    Few teams, if any, are happy with the team they have.    Besides which, are we sure we haven't found the answer?  By are the two best relievers the last two days have been Thorpe and Stashak.   Schmeltzer looked good when he was up also.    Keep the young guys up, walk fewer guys, keep hitting and play better defense.  That would be my fix.    No short series really proves anything.

 

We gave up an 8-2 lead, ended up scoring double digits, and the game was lost on an umpires call?

 

And I’m not willing to risk thinking Thorpe, Stashak, and a Smeltzer are the answer. In fact I’d lay long odds against it.

[Dantes929]

 

We gave up an 8-2 lead, ended up scoring double digits, and the game was lost on an umpires call?

And I’m not willing to risk thinking Thorpe, Stashak, and a Smeltzer are the answer. In fact I’d lay long odds against it.

Um, yeah.   What difference does it make whether we had a big lead or how many runs were scored?   If the score was 1-0 at the time would you agree that the umpire's call was a difference maker?   How is this any different?   We had a 1 run lead and would have been out of that inning.  Duffey threw well enough to get that result.   That blown call very likely was the reason scoring double digits was not enough.    This was an extra inning game so every run counted and was a potential difference maker.   I wasn't happy with Rogers walking their 9th place guy or giving up runs but give them credit for coming back and give credit for the Yankees making plays and batting well but that is supposed to be what decides the game.   Yankees gave up a lot of runs early and their pen gave up leads late.  If you think the Twins didn't deserve to win why do you think the Yankees did deserve it?   Of course games can be lost on umpire"s calls.   I am pretty sure you agree with that..   Why is this different?  

[Thegrin]

What does this Yankee Series prove ?

 

Absolutely NOTHING !

 

[USAFChief]

Um, yeah. What difference does it make whether we had a big lead or how many runs were scored? If the score was 1-0 at the time would you agree that the umpire's call was a difference maker? How is this any different? We had a 1 run lead and would have been out of that inning. Duffey threw well enough to get that result. That blown call very likely was the reason scoring double digits was not enough. This was an extra inning game so every run counted and was a potential difference maker. I wasn't happy with Rogers walking their 9th place guy or giving up runs but give them credit for coming back and give credit for the Yankees making plays and batting well but that is supposed to be what decides the game. Yankees gave up a lot of runs early and their pen gave up leads late. If you think the Twins didn't deserve to win why do you think the Yankees did deserve it? Of course games can be lost on umpire"s calls. I am pretty sure you agree with that.. Why is this different?

I believe you've consistently maintained the bullpen isnt an issue, so perhaps you have an agenda here?

[Dantes929]

 

I believe you've consistently maintained the bullpen isnt an issue, so perhaps you have an agenda here?

I have consistently maintained that the bullpen has done a decent job to this point and has contributed to many of the team's victories which seems to be overlooked.   I have consistently maintained that I want the bullpen to be improved but that it is just one element of the game and that we can still win with what we have if the rotation, defense and offense do their jobs well and that even good bullpens give up leads.   I have consistently maintained that I don't want to trade Graterol and Thorpe, etc for answers but that I want them to be the answers along with any rentals we can get for cash or less than top prospects.    Of course, the pen was the reason from a playing perspective for the reason we lost Tuesday.    Of course it is annoying that the none playing part had such a possibly large impact.   It can be both and you and every other poster have laid sufficient blame on the pen.   Consider the last 12 games.   Pen gave up 0 runs in 5.1 innings in a 5-3 come from behind win.  Next the pen gave up 1 run in 3.2 innings in a mostly close win against Cleveland.   Next game pen gave up 1 run in 3 innings in a 4-3  loss.   I would say offense, starter and pen were responsible in that order.   (lets ignore defense and for these purposes).   Next game against the Mets the pen gave up 0 runs in 3 innings in a 3-2 loss.   Next game we lost 14-4 and that was all on the pen.   Next game the pen gave up 0 runs in a late comeback 6-3 win.  Next game the pen gave up 2 runs in 4 innings in a 5-3 loss.   I am guessing starters, pen and offense can take equal blame.    Next game pen gave up 4 in 3.1 in a 5-4 loss so can take the blame in that one.   Next game the Twins won 7-6 and the pen gave up 2 in 3.1.    Next game the Twins won 8-6 and the pen gave up 1 run in 4 innings.   Tuesday's game was all on the pen.   Last night's game the pen gave up 1 run in 5 innings.    In summary in its worst stretch the pen blew 3 games out of 12 and were very key in all 5 wins.    If you look at all or nearly all my consistent posts you will see that I want a better and deeper pen.    I'm not a moron.   I simply recognize that it is just part of what makes up wins.   In several of our losses the offense didn't do the job.  In several the starters didn't do the job.    In several of our come from behind wins the other bullpens gave up leads.   Everyone wants a better bullpen.   If I have an agenda it is mostly just to be contrarian.

[Dantes929]

 

I believe you've consistently maintained the bullpen isnt an issue, so perhaps you have an agenda here?

On further reflection I think I do have an agenda.   It started in 2010 when Jesse Crain went 31 innings in 35 appearances  giving up only 1 run mostly in high leverage situations down the stretch of a playoff run and went unnoticed.    Then gave up 1 run in 2 innings in a 10-9 loss and posters called for his head.   Made me realize just how little fans notice when set up guys get the job done and how much blame they place when they don't.    So I guess I have a soft spot for those guys.    I have never been against improving the bullpen and , in fact, want it improved but still maintain that if we make the playoffs and have the same pen I would not wave the white flag and give up hope as so many here say they would.    Games are won and lost in many ways and many world series teams have had flaws.   

[Mike Sixel]

Four bullpen players cut recently indicates the front office thinks the bullpen is a major issue, I'd think.

[SpicyGarvSauce]

 

Four bullpen players cut recently indicates the front office thinks the bullpen is a major issue, I'd think.

 

Pretty sure many of us over here at TD could have recognized the bullpen as an issue months ago.

[Dantes929]

 

Four bullpen players cut recently indicates the front office thinks the bullpen is a major issue, I'd think.

 

Pretty sure many of us over here at TD could have recognized the bullpen as an issue months ago.

I think it had to run its course though I respect the opinion that we could have added one or two in the off season and since then..   As long as the rotation and the offense was doing great the pen was able to hold it together and I still think they did a pretty good job in that period.    Now we have some young guys that did well for their brief appearances and I think the front office is going to rely on at least 1 if not two to continue to impress and that they need to add two more for the 4 lost.   Nothing cures a 5-7 stretch like a winning streak and I think the Twins have a couple of those left.  Lets win tonight and feel better.