Playoff Game Thread: Twins @ Yankees 4:07 PM CT, 10/5/19

[twinssporto]

 

Welcome to another exciting game thread experience at Twins Daily and game #2 in the ALDS series against the Yankees.  After last nights game and the disappointing results, I'm calling an audible and doing an entirely different introduction than what I intended to write yesterday.  The theme for today is simple:

 

GET. READY. TO. FIGHT.

 

While there were some questionable calls, plays and managerial decisions made during the game yesterday, did anyone of us think this would be easy? Playing New York at home in the playoffs is difficult for almost every team in the league. The Twins know this and that's why I think they will come out swinging hard today. 

 

I liked what I saw yesterday from half of our team. This group looked relaxed and not that stressed. The other half, not so much. I'm going to chalk that up to nerves and playing in their first post season game. The anxiety and stress that plagued some of the guys yesterday should be gone today.  That's why I think we're going to put the Yankees in their place today. I honestly think our ball club playing their best beats the Yankees lineup playing their best. 

 

I'm in Dallas, Texas for a few days and had to watch the game in a bar last night. There were a few Yankee fans around but most of the people in the bar were cheering for the Twins. I'd say there was more interest in the Twins/Yankees game than in the Astros game...A lot of people are cheering for the Twins!

 

If this team wants to take the next big step forward they will have to fight for it. Nothing worth having is for free.  I'm excited to see these guys step up.

 

This is still the best Twins team I've ever personally seen and I've been a lifelong fan for almost 40 years. The Twins are going to win today!

 

Let's go Twins! I'll be cheering loud from Texas!

 

Lineups TBD

 

Weather: 62 degrees and sunny

 

 

 

[Puckett34]

Did. We. Win. Yet?

[Blake]

 

Did. We. Win. Yet?

No, but, hey, the game thread opener is a winner!

 

In fact:

 

 

[USAFChief]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??!?1!!??

 

Let's go!

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm going to miss today's game because I already scheduled an appointment to punch myself in the balls for four hours straight.

 

Oh, wait. THOSE TWO THINGS ARE THE SAME.

[Puckett34]

 

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??!?1!!??

Let's go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDAmPIq29ro

[Battle ur tail off]

Gotta come and play ball. Enough playing scared. Enough nibbling by the pitchers. Go right after them. 

 

For as much as this team talked about how the past didn't matter, they bought in to it hook, line, and sinker last night. It honestly looked like a re-run of every Twins playoff series that last how many times. 

[Blake]

It was a fun game right up until Duffey was asked to get out of the bases loaded jam.

 

He's really turned into quite the weapon out of the bullpen.

 

 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IUoll0ESgzc

[USAFChief]

I'm going to miss today's game because I already scheduled an appointment to punch myself in the balls for four hours straight.

 

Oh, wait. THOSE TWO THINGS ARE THE SAME.

4 hours?

 

You'll be able to catch the 8th and 9th innings.

[nicksaviking]

I'm going to miss today's game because I already scheduled an appointment to punch myself in the balls for four hours straight.

 

Oh, wait. THOSE TWO THINGS ARE THE SAME.

We’re playing the Yankees, what are you going to be doing for the final three innings?

 

Edit: Chief’s old, but faster than me.

[Blake]

 

I'm going to miss today's game because I already scheduled an appointment to punch myself in the balls for four hours straight.

 

Oh, wait. THOSE TWO THINGS ARE THE SAME.

Queue: Idiocracy

 

[Diesel]

Dobnak is pitching. If he wins this game he becomes the national media’s next Thielen

[ashbury]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??!?1!!??

 

Let's go!

AAAAAHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_{^{hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....}}

[Blake]

What's really sad is if the Twins clear the Yankee baseball hurdle, things probably get easier.

 

Relatively speaking.

[ashbury]

Gotta come and play ball. Enough playing scared. Enough nibbling by the pitchers. Go right after them.

I gotta repeat, last night on the MLB Network post-game show, Harold Reynolds and his companions were kvetching on and on about all the nibbling. Nibble, nibble, nibble! By The Yankees Pitchers.

 

It's not just us. It's the cool thing to complain about. Greg Maddux would be mocked as merely a Nibbler who gets the calls, if he played today.

 

You're not supposed to throw it down the middle. It comes down to command. Lack of command is not nibbling.

[Mike Sixel]

I'm going to miss today's game because I already scheduled an appointment to punch myself in the balls for four hours straight.

 

Oh, wait. THOSE TWO THINGS ARE THE SAME.

That means you have time to watch the last two or three innings.....

 

Edit, I see chief was somehow up early today....

[Battle ur tail off]

 

I gotta repeat, last night on the MLB Network post-game show, Harold Reynolds and his companions were kvetching on and on about all the nibbling. Nibble, nibble, nibble! By The Yankees Pitchers.

 

It's not just us. It's the cool thing to complain about. Greg Maddux would be mocked as merely a Nibbler who gets the calls, if he played today.

 

You're not supposed to throw it down the middle. It comes down to command. Not nibbling.

 

Ok, 8 walks is acceptable then I guess. Call it not throwing strikes then if you like. 

 

My daughters 12u softball team won't win games if they walk 8 girls. 

[Mr. Brooks]

I gotta repeat, last night on the MLB Network post-game show, Harold Reynolds and his companions were kvetching on and on about all the nibbling. Nibble, nibble, nibble! By The Yankees Pitchers.

 

It's not just us. It's the cool thing to complain about. Greg Maddux would be mocked as merely a Nibbler who gets the calls, if he played today.

 

You're not supposed to throw it down the middle. It comes down to command. Not nibbling.

The difference is that the Yankees got us to bite on their nibbles in several key spots, while their hitters refused to bite.

[Mike Sixel]

The difference is that the Yankees got us to bite on their nibbles in several key spots, while their hitters refused to bite.

Are people surprised Rosario and Cron setting like that? I'm not.

[Bandit34]

 

Are people surprised Rosario and Cron setting like that? I'm not.

I figure Cron will be gone after the year and I'm sure people will hit me hard for this but I am hoping that Rosario is traded for some good pitching in the offseason. We can afford to give some hitting to improve the pitching staff. I was very disappointed in Rosario's first two at bats last night. At some point, you've got to learn as a major league hitter. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

MLB says dobnak is starting... hoping he continues to have ice in his veins. 

[Mike Sixel]

4-3 Yankees in fourteen long innings....

[Kelly Vance]

Schoop must be in the doghouse. Rocco sits him in favor of a less than full speed Luis against a lefty. Then today, he sits Schoop again against Tanaka, who Schoop hits better than anyone on the team. I guess you can forget playing for the Twins again Mr. Schoop. 

 

Rosie looked confused last night and too tentative. Not  like him.  Cron just sucked. Horrible.  A little leaguer can backhand a throw at ankle level only three feet away from the bag. Garver ... nothing. Keps is out of sync. 

 

As for the bull pen use, it looked like Rocco conceded the game when it was still winable and left good relievers on the bench in favor of our second string 

 

Memo to Rocco, you win the  game you are in. 

[Mr. Brooks]

Are people surprised Rosario and Cron setting like that? I'm not.

Of course not.

I was simply pointing out that "their pitchers nibbled too" isn't a great retort.

Nibbling works against our hitters. Everyone knows that doesn't work against the Yankees.

[wabene]

Stephon Diggs should take note of the class displayed by Schoop all year. Had to have been hard to watch Arraez hobble after that little flare. Then the weak turn later. 

[Mr. Brooks]

8 Kepler

6 Polanco

DH Cruz

9 Rosario

2 Garver

4 Arraez

5 Sano

3 Gonzalez

7 Cave

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Stay cool Dobby!

 

[twinsnorth49]

Twins hitters have to do a better job of looking for and hitting their pitch in hitters counts. Of course getting to hitters counts requires some patience, something they lost after the 3rd inning and as a result fell behind too often. Their first pitch approach was pretty awful, especially in the later innings, swinging mostly at pitchers pitches. The Yankees outplayed them working counts and getting their pitches to hit, which against the Twins pitchers is a recipe for success. 

 

I lost count how many times Twins pitchers were up 0-2 or 1-2 and wouldn't even come close to the strike zone the next 3 pitches. Repeatedly throwing useless breaking pitches up in the count isn't always the best strategy and clearly not against the Yankees. I thought Duffy did the best job, he's not afraid to move his fastball around and keep it on the edges of the zone in and out, up and down. It keeps pressure on the hitters. Berrios started to come around but got screwed by the ump more than a few times, as did Duffy at least once. 

 

Questionable player usage, too many walks and the poor Arraez throw/Cron scoop cost them the game. Those things are correctable but Rocco needs to put them in a better position and the players asked to perform, need to perform.  Expect Rosario to perform better against the righty, he was dreadful last night against Paxton. I think Kepler will come up big tonight as well. 

[wabene]

Stay cool Dobby!

84E1A2F3-3376-43E8-8768-BA06DCB97AE8.gif

He should sport those Champaign goggles!