GAME THREAD: 8/4/22, Twins vs Blue Jays, 6:40PM CT

[Aggies7]

Just now, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

I don’t think I ever saw anyone as visibly nervous on the mound as Nathan was in Yankee Stadium, before or since.

Yeah that’s engrained into my subconscious 

[cHawk]

3 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

I'd sure like to but tomorrow's starter hasn't won a game for the Twins all season!!1!

Hasn’t lost a game either

[USAFChief]

2 minutes ago, cHawk said:

What kind of acid? Hydrochloric Acid? Citric Acid? Sulfuric Acid?

Battery Acid? THAT SOUNDS FUN!!!!!!!

No man...like, acid. You know...acid. groovy, man. Far out.

[jkcarew]

12 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

I still only see one relief pitcher on the roster I’d go into Yankees Stadium in October with: Duran. However I haven’t checked the new closer’s stats in New York. 

Duran’s career ERA against the Yankees is an even 54.00

I’m confident Lopez has been better. ?

[LVTwinsfan]

16 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Glad somebody else noticed. But really, he had a 1-0 lead. It wasn't that bad. Just extra runners with 5 walks. 1 hit. 5 Ks in 5 innings. I don't really call that bad. Liriano had a no-hitter with 8 walks. I wouldn't call that bad, either.

The main thing is that he should have been left in the game with the 79 pitches last game. At least start the next inning.

Bad choice of words, how about a gutsy  performance? Yes he was cruising, leave him in! It makes zero sense.

[Parfigliano]

43 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

Because your plan before the game starts is for the started to go five.

Yup and its a stupid plan

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

Bullpens no longer work that way, if they ever did. There are no "low leverage guys." Particularly when your plan includes multiple relievers every night. Tonight was the 9th straight game where the starter did not throw a pitch past the 5th inning.

They were in a tight game yesterday. They used their best (including a clean inning from Pagan). It's impossible to navigate through even a week without needing every reliever on your staff to pitch in a close game.

Well put Chief. Even with an eight-man bullpen, there are lots of "high leverage" innings to cover and it can't be the same three or even four guys each night. Of course, if five innings is the standard, that means more innings to be absorbed by the 'pen. Sometimes, there are plenty of available guys and sometimes there aren't. 

I honestly don't think anyone in the bullpen has been overworked (again thanks mostly to having eight guys out there), but the quality isn't there to entrust the Duffeys, Megills and Pagans to keep a close game close or hold a lead. 

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, LVTwinsfan said:

Why would you allow Gray to throw 96 pitches on a bad night but remove him after 79 pitches when he’s pitching good?

I really don't want to defend Baldelli too much, but it isn't just the number of innings or the pitch count. First of all, Gray threw about thirty pitches in his last inning, starting with 60some and ending over 90. Rocco figured correctly that Gray could get out of the fifth and he did just that. If Gray starts the sixth with 79 pitches and runs into trouble, then Rocco has to get him and bring in a reliever in the middle of an inning. Other things like how his stuff looks from the dugout, the score of the game and who is available to relieve certainly figure in. 

 

 

[RickOShea]

If The Twins and Baldelli can't right the ship and make the playoffs, then it's time to part ways.  Baldelli's experience level was limited to begin with.  He has shown over time he can't manage a pitching staff and he can't piece together a consistent line-up.

His 103 win season, now looks more than ever, to be a fluke.  He lacks the ability to make good, consistent choices.  He uses the IL as a means of hiding not the team's flaws, but his not own..

It's time to put the Mr. Nice Guy to bed and get somebody who can crack the whip.  We need someone who can manage and motivate.  The manager can't be, 'a be all to everyone'.

[Irishman]

Bullpen is a complete disaster.   Too many blown leads and saves.   Hitting is not that impressive.   I’m very disappointed with the Twins.    Twins fans do not deserve this.  

[chpettit19]

56 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

If The Twins and Baldelli can't right the ship and make the playoffs, then it's time to part ways.  Baldelli's experience level was limited to begin with.  He has shown over time he can't manage a pitching staff and he can't piece together a consistent line-up.

His 103 win season, now looks more than ever, to be a fluke.  He lacks the ability to make good, consistent choices.  He uses the IL as a means of hiding not the team's flaws, but his not own..

It's time to put the Mr. Nice Guy to bed and get somebody who can crack the whip.  We need someone who can manage and motivate.  The manager can't be, 'a be all to everyone'.

Rocco doesn't manage the IL. I'm starting to lean towards him not being the right guy to manage the Twins, but let's at least complain about the right things. Rocco doesn't "use the IL" as a means of anything. The FO decides who goes on the IL. Now the bigger concern is that the FO also plays a large role in the lineup and pitcher usage. That's where I've always pushed back on the "fire Rocco" narrative. They aren't going to fire Rocco and bring in someone who runs a "7th, 8th, 9th innings guys" bullpen or a guy who let's every starter attack the lineup a 3rd time every time out. The 3rd time through the order philosophy is shared by the FO. If it wasn't Rocco would've been fired long ago. So if they fired Rocco you'd just get another guy who doesn't regularly let the starter go 6 or 7 innings. That's now an organizational philosophy, not a Rocco philosophy.