Game Thread "Get Away" Twins vs Rangers 12:10pm cdt 5/6/2021 ad

[puckstopper1]

Mike's gotta get thru 6 at least given the shape of the pen.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Astudillo, not great at turning two.

[wsnydes]

 

Nvm then. I didn’t see those. My bad.

 

To be fair the ump didn’t help with that last AB, still a K

Agreed. But he hasn't exactly earned the benefit of the doubt either.

 

Not that that justifies anything. Bad calls are still bad calls.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

those 2 three pitch Ks were indeed something no amateur could do.

Yeah, i'm pretty sure they wouldn't let me on the field.

[wsnydes]

 

Mike's gotta get thru 9 at least given the shape of the pen.

FTFY

[cHawk]

Hey Phil, that was a strike!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

Astudillo, not great at turning two.

At least he didn't throw it away.

[cHawk]

Never thought Pineda would be this good.

[Mill1634]

Good outing from Big Mike. I hope Rocco allows him to face 7-8-9 in the 7th, but I'm not getting my hopes up

[nicksaviking]

 

those 2 three pitch Ks were indeed something no amateur could do.

 

Yeah not good.

 

All three players can be benched for rookies as far as I'm concerned but Sano is seeing 4.5 pitches per PA while Kepler and Polanco are weakly grounding out on 3.5 pitches. If I had to pick a player to turn it around, I'd go with the one that's being more patient and making the pitchers work more.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I liked how Sano nonchalantly walk to the bag after fielding that!

 

Style, that is.

[MNT1996]

 

Yet somehow a .325 OBP because he is taking pitches and drawing walks.

 

Which was something Polanco and Kepler were supposed to be good at but no longer are.

 

Down to .308, but regardless I don't think Sano is in the lineup to be taking pitches and drawing walks

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Keep it up, Gordan!

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Down to .308, but regardless I don't think Sano is in the lineup to be taking pitches and drawing walks

But him taking pitches and drawing walks is an indicator he's close to getting right.

 

Whereas Polanco has looked completely hopeless since late in 2019.

[Mill1634]

 

I couldn't disagree more. If you're out, you're out.

Where do we stop with this?

"He ALMOST beat the throw to first, he should be safe!"

"He caught that liner on a short hop, call the guy out!"

"Another foot and it would have been a home run! That's less than 0.33 percent of the distance required! Give it to him!"

"Well yeah, hr rounded 3rd, and got tagged out, but he had already reached 3rd safely! He can't be out any more after that!"

Think this through. It's...unworkable. You come off the bag, and get tagged, you're out.

It's for stolen base attempts only...not for trying to turn a single into a double, etc. Make contact with the bag before the tag is applied and your safe. Simple as that. Easiest way to increase stolen base attempts, imo

[wsnydes]

 

Yeah not good.

 

All three players can be benched for rookies as far as I'm concerned but Sano is seeing 4.5 pitches per PA while Kepler and Polanco are weakly grounding out on 3.5 pitches. If I had to pick a player to turn it around, I'd go with the one that's being more patient and making the pitchers work more.

I don't really disagree with this, but like the bullpen, good options are hard to find in this conversation.

[cHawk]

Can you take that pitch down and away please...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

 

 

Keep it up, Gordan!

My bad. I jinxed him.

 

 

[nicksaviking]

 

Down to .308, but regardless I don't think Sano is in the lineup to be taking pitches and drawing walks

 

Seems better than the alternative.

 

Clearly Sano is struggling, yet he has a career high BB% and believe it or not a career low K%. So of the three obviously struggling young(ish) players, he at least seems like he's on to something.

[jimbo92107]

 

They'll keep him up because middle infield depth, particularly on defense, is not a strength on this team. I'm not sure if Gordon is a better SS than Polanco but I doubt he's worse because Jorge is pretty bad nowadays (in all the ways, really).

Makes sense. Pleasantly surprised to see how comfortable Gordon is stealing bases. Very good at it. Seems to have a plan at the plate. I assume he's a competent fielder, after so long in the minors.

[Taildragger8791]

 

Yet somehow a .325 OBP because he is taking pitches and drawing walks.

 

Which was something Polanco and Kepler were supposed to be good at but no longer are.

 

I suspect the walk rate has more to do with pitchers throwing him junk and borderline pitches until he either strikes out or walks, both of which are preferable to putting the ball in play. Trading hits for walks isn't very valuable for a 290 lb power hitter.

[MNT1996]

 

But him taking pitches and drawing walks is an indicator he's close to getting right.

 

Whereas Polanco has looked completely hopeless since late in 2019.

 

That might be true, but the team needs to have a sense of urgency. I know it's still early in the season, but to have Sano go up there with a sub .125 AVG/sub .550 OPS is not going to do anything to help the Twins get out of this hole. The Twins could be patient for a couple months, but that could come at the cost of Sano basically being a free out.

[wsnydes]

 

It's for stolen base attempts only...not for trying to turn a single into a double, etc. Make contact with the bag before the tag is applied and your safe. Simple as that. Easiest way to increase stolen base attempts, imo

What is this, the NFL? Nobody need 15 caveats to a rule.

 

If you're on the bag, you're safe (unless another runner is already there). If you're not, you're out. Simple and straightforward. Learn to stay on the bag.

[cHawk]

Is this Mariano Rivera in his prime? Or is this a reliever that I’ve never heard of and has a 6 ERA?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

That might be true, but the team needs to have a sense of urgency. I know it's still early in the season, but to have Sano go up there with a sub .125 AVG/sub .550 OPS is not going to do anything to help the Twins get out of this hole. The Twins could be patient for a couple months, but that could come at the cost of Sano basically being a free out.

Overreacting due to a sense of urgency is how you replace potentially good players like Sano with bad players who have no business in the majors.

 

Going into today, Sano had just 62 PAs. That's still well into the territory where one good game makes his numbers look okay and two good games make it look like he's hitting reasonably well again.

 

[mrtwinsfan]

Now the game starts, what u gonna do Mr, Rocco, i say its big mikes to win or lose, show some balls Rocco  7-8-9- r up and 80+ pitches , C,mon 

[nicksaviking]

I really hope Gordon gets the start next game keeping Polanco on the bench for a second game in a row. I'd like there to be little ambiguity from the Twins with the idea that Gordon is more than welcome to take his job. 

 

Then do the same with Larnach and Kepler.

 

See if the incumbents have any fight left in them.

[umterp23]

I thought one of the reasons was bringing Cruz back to the team this year as he was nice clubhouse mentor for Sano.  Sano sure doesn't look like he is listening to Cruz or anyone else.  He makes Chris Davis with the Orioles look like a great contact hitter

 

[jimbo92107]

I wonder if Ben Rortvedt crouched over a little more like Ricky Henderson, maybe a bit of head tilt. He'd get a better look at the ball. Seems like he's not really seeing it.

[wavedog]

Oh, boy - here comes the bullpen