Game Thread: Twins vs KC 5:10 PM PST (7:10 PM CDT) 8/2/2019

[VATwinsFan]

Something tells me the next two months aren't going to be as easy as the first two.

[yarnivek1972]

I know that Zach Littel and Lewis Thorpe are different people but what do they do differently again? Is Littel the one that got a MPH bump from the bullpen?

Thorpe is throwing 90-91, so presumably not him.

[HawksNest]

 

At the same time, Toronto asked for either Kiriloff or Lewis and the Twins said no

 

Zero percent chance that trade request was a) true or a serious request from Toronto

 

Morosi tweeted on July 26th that Twins were not comfortable parting with Larnach and Graterol for a Giles and Stroman package.

[bighat]

 

Time for Smelzer to get 4-5 starts as part of the rotation?

 

I think maybe a phantom DL stint for Perez and a shot for Smelzer is certainly due.

[Halsey Hall]

Bullpen use lately has been troublesome.

[rickybeathard]

 

RP, as in relievers? You may have missed a couple trades they made. But you're not wrong about the starting staff...

 

Yep. I saw the trades, and was not impressed. Wreaks of low stakes moneyball and tinkering with stats instead of securing playmakers. Saw Rocco/Dyson lose us an easy win against the Marlins, and I say that as someone who has a generally favorable opinion of Rocco. 

[John Bonnes]

 

Thorpe is throwing 90-91, so presumably not him.

 

Thorpe's velocity is one of the tougher things for me to embrace. Before his TJ surgery, the talk was of him being a high 90s arm, and after, he's become a very different pitcher. But I still think of him as a big power pitcher. I'm having trouble letting go of that. 

[DocBauer]

It might be time to try Perez in the bullpen to see if he'll be a realistic option there in the playoffs. I'd be fine with giving Smeltzer some more starts in the big leagues.

Brian brought this idea up recently, couple times I think. Interesting idea.

 

I think I'd prefer a form of a 6 man rotation instead where you rotated a couple guys in and out who starter got their "bullpen" work actually out of the pen, or there was some planned piggy-backing in games.

 

I think it would allow additional rest to complete the season, as well as give time to Smeltzer, or Thorpe, and help prepare for bullpen options for the post season.

[FLTwinsGuy]

Can our bullpen make it look as easy as Lovelady makes it look?

[John Bonnes]

 

Bullpen use lately has been troublesome.

 

Options tonight are pretty limited - they needed more innings out of Perez. Here is the usage this last week:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RLTP6KL1j1gQThipP8jfj_xn6QvZ4MYmMC5_yYnbvwE/edit#gid=0

 

Looking at that usage, Thorpe and May are the only guys who didn't pitch yesterday. Stashak, Dyson and Harper are available for an inning. I'm sure they would like to not use Romo and Rogers is absolutely not being seen tonight. 

[Don Walcott]

Can our bullpen make it look as easy as Lovelady makes it look?

That has to be the first time that sentence has been written. The chimps are typing away furiously, but couldn’t come up with that one.

[FLTwinsGuy]

Ok Thorpe is not very good either

[bighat]

Royals are just teeing off on Twins pitching. The ROYALS!

[yarnivek1972]

Options tonight are pretty limited - they needed more innings out of Perez. Here is the usage this last week:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RLTP6KL1j1gQThipP8jfj_xn6QvZ4MYmMC5_yYnbvwE/edit#gid=0

 

Looking at that usage, Thorpe and May are the only guys who didn't pitch yesterday. Stashak, Dyson and Harper are available for an inning. I'm sure they would like to not use Romo and Rogers is absolutely not being seen tonight.

Which begs the question why were no pitchers brought up today when your worst starter is pitching?

[MNT1996]

Trevor May. Oh boy

[Don Walcott]

I’m happy to not see Thorpe pitch to Hunter Dozier here.

[HawksNest]

Cleveland game is final.  Tribe win 7-3.

[Dakota15]

If we lose this game and fall to 5-3 over our last 8 games, the schedule narrative needs to stop when fans were complaining about the Indians going 18-5 vs these same type of teams.  

[bighat]

Trevor May lives!

 

This is the kind of moment Trevor is designed for. One batter. One out.

 

Regardless of what happens Rocco made the right move in my opinion here.

[TwinsCD]

 

Royals are just teeing off on Twins pitching. The ROYALS!

 

They're a major league team too (with uniforms and everything).

[MNT1996]

 

Trevor May lives!

 

This is the kind of moment Trevor is designed for. One batter. One out.

 

Regardless of what happens Rocco made the right move in my opinion here.

 

Honestly I think the games where Trevor faces no one are the kind of moments Trevor is designed for

[TwinsCD]

 

If we lose this game and fall to 5-3 over our last 8 games, the schedule narrative needs to stop when fans were complaining about the Indians going 18-5 vs these same type of teams.  

 

Why does it need to stop?  The drumbeat will only grow louder as the Indians were able to handle the cellar dwellers while the Twins struggle with them.  That could very well be the difference in the division.

[Don Walcott]

Good job.

[FLTwinsGuy]

Best pitch all season from May

[TwinsCD]

 

Trevor May lives!

 

This is the kind of moment Trevor is designed for. One batter  PITCH. One out.

 

Regardless of what happens Rocco made the right move in my opinion here.

 

FIFY 

[Don Walcott]

May I please have some more?

[yarnivek1972]

Trevor May lives!

 

This is the kind of moment Trevor is designed for. One batter. One out.

 

Regardless of what happens Rocco made the right move in my opinion here.

Except that the Twins need (at least) 6 more outs from someone not named Rogers, Romo or Duffey.

[MNT1996]

I still wonder what the parents were thinking when they named their son Richard with a last name of Lovelady

[DocBauer]

Yeah I saw that report too.  

 

The point being that if that's the guy you identify to upgrade the rotation, I don't want to hear whining from the FO through the local media that they "never got a call back" from the Blue Jays.

 

Falvine have a telephone, keep calling, call them back, etc. etc. it's not that complicated.

 

They can call, text, whatever. "never got a call back" just sounds like a lame excuse to me especially considering we had PLENTY of prospect ammunition to give up to get Stroman.

 

Could be wrong (I probably am, lol) but just feels like they botched the Stroman deal, a huge miss.

 

Just my two cents.

And you could be right, no way to know for sure.

 

But whether it be the Twins, Vikings, other teams and sports I've read before in the past, I have heard several times where offers have been made even thought to be near done deals, and then it is never consummated and a different trade is made. Calls or text messages, I, nor anyone else, is privy to what took place. Perhaps the Twins had a good and fair offer in place. Perhaps the Jays said we will get back to you. Perhaps they even said the Twins would get last chance. Perhaps not. Just saying what was reported.

 

Not to you, or anyone else, I just find it disingenuous that this FO low-balled and had a local reporter in their pocket to cover their efforts. This FO seems to work pretty independent. But what do I know?

[70charger]

Did you know that 20 of the 25 men on the 25 man roster of the Royals have signed with the Royals?

 

That's not going to be a fun revelation for the other five.