Twins 4, Padres 3 (11 innings): Thank Heavens For Alex Kirilloff

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, Major League Ready said:

I sure hope what we are seeing indicates Kirilloff's wrist problems are gone for good.  I thought of all of the question marks coming into this season, Kirilloff's health and return to form was the most important of those things to be answered in a positive way.  I sure would like to watch him in the middle of the line-up for the next several years.   

Same. I am a huge fan of his bat, and if his wrist problems are finally behind him he could be a monster in this lineup. He looks pretty good defensively at 1B, even if he couldn't quite make that pick on the 2 hop throw from Correa last night (which would have been an outstanding play, really). When his wrist hasn't been barking at him, he's smashed line drives; when it's been hurting him the power vanishes, so that definitely an area I'll be watching for. I hope he's finally right and the xbh start piling up.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

2 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

I loved that juggling act by Gallo, but on one of those replays it looked like the ball hit the ground before he caught it in his bare hand. Maybe the umps ignored that due to the theatrics of the catch!

The juggling act was pretty impressive but what impressed me more was that arm.  He caught the ball and while awkwardly getting up managed to “toss” the ball to first rather effortlessly.  The guy is an athlete. 

[CRF]

AK is the only guy in the lineup, that actually looks like he has a plan at the plate. His swing is under control and he isn't trying to go yard on every swing. Unlike EVERYONE else on this team. I hope he retains this mind set, and doesn't become one of the crowd of homer happy teammates. He needs to stay healthy and stay in the lineup. 

[AceWrigley]

The Vazquez & Gordon strikeouts in the 10th inning with Solano at 2B were horrendous.

[Senor Smoke]

I felt like Solano had a great plan against Hader. Agreed that Vasquez and Gordon looked lost. Just flailing. 

 

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, Squirrel said:

I don’t think they ignored it. Probably couldn’t really see it from where they were. But I do wonder if the call would have been overturned had the Padres called for a replay 

It's the 3rd base ump's call and he was in position ~10 feet away staring directly at the catch.

[Squirrel]

9 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

It's the 3rd base ump's call and he was in position ~10 feet away staring directly at the catch.

So the catch was seen clearly and not something they ‘ignored’

[Aerodeliria]

3 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

I loved that juggling act by Gallo, but on one of those replays it looked like the ball hit the ground before he caught it in his bare hand. Maybe the umps ignored that due to the theatrics of the catch!

It wasn't challenged, was it? It was clear that he actually trapped it before it popped up in to the air. That was a huge break.

[USAFChief]

30 minutes ago, Aerodeliria said:

It wasn't challenged, was it? It was clear that he actually trapped it before it popped up in to the air. That was a huge break.

It was clear? 

I don't think the ball hit the ground.  His glove did, with the ball in his glove.

[roger]

4 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

I loved that juggling act by Gallo, but on one of those replays it looked like the ball hit the ground before he caught it in his bare hand. Maybe the umps ignored that due to the theatrics of the catch!

I too noticed that it probably hit the ground.  There could be another explanation.  Did he have control and hold it long enough before the ground knocking it out of his glove?  If so, the result would have been the same, out on the catch and with the runner not returning to first a double play.  Don't know if the umps and Manager's had any discussion of their ruling.

[David Maro]

When is Rocco going to step up and do his job. When Correa turning a triple into a double he needed to be benched. Later in the game he ran faster to first on a walk. It was nice to see Kirilloff get the game winner in the 11th,but Correa would of scored from 3rd easily on Kirilloff's single earlier. The White Sox manager pulled Roberts Jr for not running. Correa could of admired the hit rounding second. And the Gallo situation is becoming hard to watch. He struck out 3 times and a weak ground ball to short. Lopez pitched to win,not get a no decision.

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, AceWrigley said:

The Vazquez & Gordon strikeouts in the 10th inning with Solano at 2B were horrendous.

Vazquez is having a rotten month at the plate and really looks bad right now. 

[JD-TWINS]

11 hours ago, stringer bell said:

It’s only 14 plate appearances, but he looks like far and away the best hitter on the team. He’s swinging at strikes and not fooled by breaking stuff. Five walks and only one strikeout. 

So, I know everyone is excited about Kiriloff being in the lineup & the polished hitter he is. Me too.

However, I was watching the game via stream in Charlotte & in the 6th Kepler leads off with a gritty 7 pitch at bat where he ends up making the first out on a tapper. Good AB though. Then CC comes up and fouls a couple pitches off and works a 6-7 pitch walk.

Kiriloff comes up and swings at the first pitch and grounds out too short. We’re trying to work the pitch count up and get a good pitch to hit and he comes up anxious and swings at a curveball. Really bothered me at the time - just doesn’t seem like there’s situational awareness from him in that instance nor any from others, quite often.

We’re tied in the 8th. Gordon PH and via some fine talent & good fortune he gets a hit (7 for last 21). Lead-off runner on in bottom of 8th & we have Duran in our pen. We need a one run lead - not a 3 run lead. Our fastest (lead-off) batter is up with speed at first …………gotta bunt Byron, even if coaches don’t have the stomach to ask/tell you to bunt. With Buxton’s speed & Gordon’s speed there’s tremendous pressure on the D………..instead we waste the base hit & get into an extra inning fiasco…..w/o ever applying any stress to San Diego.

If you play for a run to win in 9th - play for one in 8th & end the game with Duran!

[TwinsAce]

8 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Gordon does his best in CF but he is below average out there. There's a reason Taylor plays so much right now. When Buxton can play CF and Lewis is on the team, Gordon's value decreases quite a bit.

Agreed - and Gordon doesn't have that great of an arm (especially compared to Gallo), so not that crazy to see Gallo go get it instead.

[Aerodeliria]

9 hours ago, USAFChief said:

It was clear? 

I don't think the ball hit the ground.  His glove did, with the ball in his glove.

IMHO, he uses the ground to push the ball back into his glove. I think if the ground is used in any manner (even a little), it would be considered a trap. I'm happy it was called an out, but it sure looks like he used the ground to push the ball back into his glove. (I confess that the details of the rulebook on that point are beyond my pay grade, but my guess would be that leather has to remain between the ground and the ball at all times.)