Game Thread: Twins (Maeda) v Guardians (Curry), 8/28/23 @ 6:40 CT

[Jocko87]

14 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

15 up, 15 down, no less. 

Every time I looked up, it was 0-2. I'm not used to this!

[GusGus11]

2 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Great job by the two relievers. Winder gets credit for a save and Funderburk gets the win. I respect the decisions that managers make but I continue to be puzzled by the usage of "long relievers" Sands, Winder and Headrick. One and sometimes two of these guys have been on the active roster and they are never asked to pitch in high leverage situations. Too many times, a short outing or an injury leaves the team pretty short, but no matter what the long guy isn't used. 

Winder is coming off two outstanding outings, but I doubt they'll ask him to pitch in a higher leverage situation.

Im more puzzled by why we have two of them. Thats why Funderburk not being up here confused me.

Weve used Winder pretty well. Eat a lot of innings. Not always in complete garbage time either. Seattle(we still came up short), Texas and tonight being games where he gave big innings and allowed us to come back and make it interesting, comeback and win and also shut the door.

Im more puzzled by Sands being on the roster. Nothing against him but we have such little confidence in him he is quite literally only used when we believe the game is over. Either up massive and know he cant possibly blow it or down and conceding defeat.

I thinkt he closest game I can even really remember him enterting was last week vs Milwaukee down 4 and that was only because Oretega got injured mid inning and we had to scramble and get a pitcher in on the fly.

I like having one of them and Winder while hes streaky due to his hittable fastball has eaten a lot of innings and also helped win us games in a role not designed to do that. So hes the one to keep deploying.

[IndianaTwin]

30 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Great job by the two relievers. Winder gets credit for a save and Funderburk gets the win. I respect the decisions that managers make but I continue to be puzzled by the usage of "long relievers" Sands, Winder and Headrick. One and sometimes two of these guys have been on the active roster and they are never asked to pitch in high leverage situations. Too many times, a short outing or an injury leaves the team pretty short, but no matter what the long guy isn't used. 

Winder is coming off two outstanding outings, but I doubt they'll ask him to pitch in a higher leverage situation.

My sense is that Rocco does increase the leverage opportunities, but very slowly, slower than a lot on TD would like. Particularly with young guys, he focuses on putting them in positions to succeed and not to fail. He seems to recognize that it takes a while to build confidence. I also sense him doing that when he pulls a young starter an inning earlier than folks on TD would like. He likes to have them leave with a good taste in their mouth.

Tonight was driven by availability, obviously, but Winder with 46 pitches on Thursday vs. Sands with 32 on Friday were arguably equally rested. It was pretty low leverage when Winder came in, but it was also still within a grand slam. That he went to Winder in that spot suggests to me that he’s inching up the trust chart. 

[Mortimerkenny21]

15 hours ago, insagt1 said:

just a real bad outing for Maeda. Twins will probably need around 10 to win this one. Every game against Cleveland is a close one, no matter what the score. Gotta get this one though. Our pen will be taxed to the max tonite. Maybe we'll see Funderburk

Are you a fortune teller?

[insagt1]

blind squirrel still finds a nut once in awhile!😛