How Can the Twins Be This Unfathomably Bad with the Bases Loaded?

[Larry Janisewski]

22 hours ago, Woof Bronzer said:

The opposite of a strikeout is putting the ball in play, so if Ks are the problem, putting the ball in play is the solution.  

The Twins have grounded into 30 double plays this year and have 369 hits.  By putting the ball in play the Twins have been 10x more likely to get a hit vs. a GIDP.  (Yes I get that not all of those hits have come with a runner on base.)  They've also struck out 458 times - nearly 8x the outs that GIDPs have resulted in.   

The idea that strikeouts are preferable to making contact because of the potential of double plays needs to be retired.  

As you stated: "put the ball in play" especially with the bases loaded. Hit a fly ball if nothing else and score a run.

To have recorded 16 strike outs in 2 of the last 4 games against pitchers with ERA's above 4.85 is pathetic!!

[Fire Dan Gladden]

4 hours ago, saviking said:

You say that but if I remember correctly two years ago they were horrible when the basses were loaded as well. At this rate a regression to the mean would be getting a base hit every time the bases were loaded all next year .. LOL

I'm really starting to question Rocco's in-game discission making skills. I have no clue what he's doing with how he manages when to pinch hit and who to substitute for and have never liked how he changes the batting order constantly. That, and I think he rides with relievers who are struggling to long. If they don't have command that day change them after 3 batters already. 

I think this is a make or break year for Rocco. If they fold again down the stretch I think he's a goner.

The thing about the bases loaded numbers:  A quick burst of hits, like say 6 in a row with the bases loaded starts to make the overall numbers more palatable.  One of the issues with a smaller sample size and the difference 5-8% statistically ginormous.

Interesting comment on the quick hook with relievers who do not have their stuff.  When a starter doesn't have his stuff, the general consensus around here is to let them "battle through it".

[SockNet]

Quote

At some point it would stand to reason that positive regression can come from Minnesota. After all, it’s unlikely that a good team performs so poorly in key spots over the course of a full season.

I feel like there is an assumption being made here.

[twinstalker]

Question: How Can the Twins Be This Unfathomably Bad with the Bases Loaded?

Answer: Their hitting is unfathomably bad.

We're all questioning how the hitting can be better to help win the division, but what appears to be a truth is whatever the hitting can become at its best will never be enough to challenge playoff pitching.

 

[Original_JB]

As someone else stated, the Twins seem hesitant to go after the 1st pitch, which unless things have dramatically changed, is 180 degrees away from what they should be doing. Can't remember which book I'd read, but it said that pitchers want to get that 1st pitch over for a strike, and one would think with the bases loaded, that would even be more of a 'need'. The other part of that was that that 1st pitch is most often the 'best' hittable ball the batter will see in that AB. Wasn't Mauer's propensity to watch that 1st pitch go by for strike one high on fan's "pull your hair out" list of things? Now, I am not saying they should go up there thinking that they should swing away 100% of the time on the 1st pitch, but they should really keep in mind that the pitcher REALLY wants a strike there, and it might be their best/only opportunity for a hittable ball.