GAME THREAD: Twins vs. Braves 8/7/19 12:10 CDT

[VATwinsFan]

 

Not to pile on but not sure how Rocco saw having Schoop hit in that situation as a good idea. 

Guess he figured righty vs lefty was better than a lefty hitting .348 or a lefty w/31 HRs vs a lefty.

[VATwinsFan]

Nicely done by Stewart.

[SwainZag]

 

Wouldn't be surprised if Schoop is cut after the game.

He's not getting cut.

[VATwinsFan]

Cleveland wins 2-0, Hand strikes out the side in the 9th.

[gocgo]

 

I'm not sure you can really use that narrative in this game.  They are a better club with him in the lineup but how much difference would Buck out there have made?

It's tough to put a finger on.  I realize Cave is having a good game, but it's almost like we are just a more confident team with more swagger with Buck in the lineup.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

No lead—or deficit— is ever safe with this Twins team.

[Aggies7]

 

Cleveland wins 2-0, Hand strikes out the side in the 9th.

 

[SwainZag]

 

Lol, Ok man. Plesac has a lower ERA than Berrios right now. Talk advanced stats and what should happen all you want. The fact is Cleveland keeps churning out pitchers that come out and put up real numbers and win games. That’s my point. They’re getting a shutout today in a must-win by some guy nobody outside the Cleveland FO has ever heard of. We just gave up 20 runs over 2 pretty important games.

Do you want me to say our pitching staff is phenomenal? Sure Berrios has been good the past couple of years. That’s not my argument, you’re just trying to build a straw man.

Berrios has, however, lost 7 of the last 10 games in a crucial stretch of games. Our run differential in those games is -7 (and we’re averaging 4.8 per game, it’s not a run support issue). It’s not illegal for your starter to go out and take control and carry the team. That’s what you’re supposed to get from a potential Cy Young caliber guy. I’m not saying he’s terrible, we just need more starts like his last against Miami if we’re going to go anywhere. Games, such as giving up 9 runs in 14 innings in his last two starts against the White Sox, are what holds him back from being elite.

Again, I get contrarianism. Maybe my point is unclear. But, I’m talking about an example from today in regards to overarching trend of Cleveland blowing the Twins socks off when it comes to developing pitching. My opinion is that Cleveland probably get more out of Berrios. Once you start only comparing Berrios’ FIP to Plesac’s FIP, you’re going to have a bad time.

 

Maybe give the front office more than 3 seasons to develop pitching if the argument they haven't developed enough pitching yet?  

 

Like I said, Pleasac tossed a really nice game today, but that ERA is a lot more shiny than any and all advanced stats point it out to be.  :shrug:  

 

Look deeper into those Berrios starts.  He gave up 3 runs or less in 8 of them, and 0/1 in half of them.  It's a team game.  Half of those runs given up against CHW were unearned, btw.

[bighat]

 

....and they punt again by letting the hapless Schoop swing the bat in a huge situation.

 

Funny how everyone watching knew that was gonna happen. Did Rocco know that also and he's just forcing the FO's hand? Why is Schoop even playing at all at this point? He should be a 9th inning defensive replacement or something, or be inserted into a lineup once the game's out of reach.

 

Brewers found out quickly last year that the guy wasn't good. They traded for him and then benched him after his first few weeks with the team. Like Perez, he is who we thought he was.

[twins1095]

If I'm the Twins, do I consider pushing Polanco to become a LH only?  He's just so much better as a LH.  Even if he's worse against righties as a lefty especially average wise I think the offset in increaesd power would be worth it.

[Mike Sixel]

Maybe give the front office more than 3 seasons to develop pitching if the argument they haven't developed enough pitching yet?

 

Like I said, Pleasac tossed a really nice game today, but that ERA is a lot more shiny than any and all advanced stats point it out to be. :shrug:

 

Look deeper into those Berrios starts. He gave up 3 runs or less in 8 of them, and 0/1 in half of them. It's a team game. Half of those runs given up against CHW were unearned, btw.

Sure. How many years do they get?

[IndyTwinsFan]

If I'm the Twins, do I consider pushing Polanco to become a LH only?  He's just so much better as a LH.  Even if he's worse against righties as a lefty especially average wise I think the offset in increaesd power would be worth it.

Interesting thought, but I wouldn't bet on it happening any time in the foreseeable future.

[Aggies7]

any lineup without both kepler and arraez was never going to be successful

[yarnivek1972]

Guess we can add Anthony Swarzak to the list of key relievers from contending teams that are former Twins. Not sure I’d be rolling the dice with Swarzak and that HR rate though. Scary.

[IndianaTwin]

 

I’ll eat my hat if they bring him up after missing most the year with an injury. We’ll see.

I see it as lip service intentionally broadcasted by the FO. When had a team ever come out and given a time frame for a prospect call/up? Especially a Twins FO.

It’s a CYA maneuver for the pitching staff going down like the Hindenburg because they made no moves in the offseason and no good ones at the deadline. They have to make it sound they had a plan all along.

Hope I’m wrong. But I need to be proven otherwise before I’ll believe anything like this from the Twins.

 

Cardinals -- Wainwright. Angels -- K-Rod.

 

Don't know about whether they pre-announced the possibility, but it's a couple guys who come to mind.

 

Not saying it will happen, but in some sense, the injury is a blessing in disguise in that he's only at 50 innings so far this year. 

 

[jz7233]

That pitch was almost in the dirt and Eddie really needs to be a lot more selective at the plate.

[bighat]

 

If I'm the Twins, do I consider pushing Polanco to become a LH only?  He's just so much better as a LH.  Even if he's worse against righties as a lefty especially average wise I think the offset in increaesd power would be worth it.

 

No. His right-handed numbers are very good, he's batting .265 and has a few HRs.

[twinsnorth49]

 

Guess he figured righty vs lefty was better than a lefty hitting .348 or a lefty w/31 HRs vs a lefty.

Based on Schoop's PA's today, there shouldn't have been any guessing necessary. 

[jz7233]

 

Guess we can add Anthony Swarzak to the list of key relievers from contending teams that are former Twins. Not sure I’d be rolling the dice with Swarzak and that HR rate though. Scary.

Twins hitters gave him an easy time. Plenty of balls thrown by him.

[yarnivek1972]

Every Twin in the lineup has reached base safely exactly once, except Cave who has reached twice and Schoop who has reached zero times.

[twinsnorth49]

Welp, I've seen enough. 

 

Enjoy folks, behave yourselves. 

[Aggies7]

and thats the end of our show. let's hope cleveland loses tonight. really *ed up these last two games havent we?

[Mike Sixel]

No need to keep Stewart around either. He and Perez are toast.

[twins1095]

 

No. His right-handed numbers are very good, he's batting .265 and has a few HRs.

 

What are you talking about...

 

He's got a .309/.378/.550/.928 OPS as a LH with 25 doubles - 4 triples - 14 HRs

 

He's .265/.304/.382/.686 OPS as a RH with 3 HRs, 5 2Bs, and 1 3B.  

 

He's awful from the right side of the plate.  He's basically Nick Punto like from the right-side of the plate.  Arraez in his minor league career has a better slugging percentage than that and he hit 6 career minor league home runs. 

 

This is not a new trend either.   Polanco is a slap hitter from the right side who relies on singles and poking hits through the infield and isn't even very good at it.

 

 

[wavedog]

Acuna Matata - no worries, no troubles - let us lose peacefully.

[Jham]

Lead singer from cold play just working us over. clocking us, if you will...

[Vanimal46]

Not saying it will happen, but in some sense, the injury is a blessing in disguise in that he's only at 50 innings so far this year.

A blessing in disguise? If you believe he's a top of the rotation starter (I don't) this is no blessing. It'll be another year or 2 before he could ramp up to a respectable starter work load.

[yarnivek1972]

What are you talking about...

 

He's got a .309/.378/.550/.928 OPS as a LH with 25 doubles - 4 triples - 14 HRs

 

He's .265/.304/.382/.686 OPS as a RH with 3 HRs, 5 2Bs, and 1 3B.

 

He's awful from the right side of the plate. He's basically Nick Punto like from the right-side of the plate. Arraez in his minor league career has a better slugging percentage than that and he hit 6 career minor league home runs.

 

This is not a new trend either. Polanco is a slap hitter from the right side who relies on singles and poking hits through the infield and isn't even very good at it.

He’s probably going to get only about 200 PA vs LHP in a typical season. Is it really worth tinkering with a guy his age who is, at least, not an automatic out vs LHP? .300 obp is better than Schoop’s overall number.

[yarnivek1972]

It would be silly to not have Stewart finish the game now, concur?

[Vanimal46]

Can we please make this the last appearance of Johnathan Schoop in a Twins uniform. He will not help this team reach the playoffs.

Why? There is literally no harm to have him on roster until rosters expand.