Game Thread: Twins (Gray) v Guardians (Bibee), 8/30/23 @ 12:10 CT

[Mortimerkenny21]

4 minutes ago, GusGus11 said:

Sonny's late inning struggles are a bit perplexing.

Its usually not a product of guys seeing him a 3rd time and rocking him. Or even high pitch counts.

He just randomly loses control in the 6th or 7th with low pitch counts. Kinda bizarre.

I feel like he is super focused and just cruises. But as soon as something gets him out of his groove just a bit he starts struggling. But hey, he still got out of the 7th with 0-ER. Good job Sonny! More Run(s) please offense!

[Dave Borton]

Wallner.

I don't have video. Just before Wallner came up, tons of comments on how poor his fielding was (w/rocket arm). In listening to games on radio, I don't "hear" that poor fielding.

Your perceptions on his fielding?

[Battle ur tail off]

Boom. No need to waste bullpen bullets when your starter only had as many pitches as he has and given up nothing. Sonny has actually pitched into the 7th in 4 of his last 6 starts, and the other 2, he went 6 full. He is the MVP of this pitching staff this year IMO.

 

[umterp23]

Jeffers in a funk at the plate for sure.  Seems to be pressing, most part has worked the count but for some reason not trusting himself at moment.  

[Dave Borton]

81 pitches. Back onto the mound, Rocco.

[GusGus11]

1 minute ago, davidborton said:

Wallner.

I don't have video. Just before Wallner came up, tons of comments on poor his fielding was (w/rocket arm). In listening to games on radio, I don't "hear" that poor fielding.

Your perceptions on his fielding?

Wallner is a very solid fielder

Hes not great yet. But hes super fast for a big guy and tracks the ball pretty well. Since hes so big his lower half is a bit less mobile on initial jumps

But hes def no disaster out there.

[Mike Sixel]

Wow, Luplow is really, really, really, bad. Just. Wow.

[GusGus11]

2 minutes ago, umterp23 said:

Jeffers in a funk at the plate for sure.  Seems to be pressing, most part has worked the count but for some reason not trusting himself at moment.  

Hes swinging at so many bad pitches. I think today theres been like 3 at his head hes swung at. And last couple games he swung at about 4 that were 6 feet low and away.

I think its just a little funk and he will break out of it. But its been a lot of wild swings forsure.

[SwainZag]

1 minute ago, davidborton said:

Wallner.

I don't have video. Just before Wallner came up, tons of comments on poor his fielding was (w/rocket arm). In listening to games on radio, I don't "hear" that poor fielding.

Your perceptions on his fielding?

My eye test would tell me that he's slightly below average fielder.  He has made some plays, but doesn't seem to judge the ball overly well or take amazing routes.  For a bigger guy he does have surprising speed.  He has also had at least 2 mental lapses on throws either resulting in errors or allowing the trailing runner to advance a base.

He probably improves a bit with more experience but I don't think he will ever be anything better than average out there.

[Battle ur tail off]

3 minutes ago, davidborton said:

81 pitches. Back onto the mound, Rocco.

I'm fine now going either way. What you don't want is to have to get more than 7-8 outs. When the Twins get into trouble is when they are asking their depleted BP for 9-12 outs. 

They are setup now to use 3 guys if they have to, to get the final 6 outs.

[SwainZag]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

Wow, Luplow is really, really, really, bad. Just. Wow.

I mean...he's not a good player, but did that groundout tell ya that? :D

[Mortimerkenny21]

2 minutes ago, davidborton said:

81 pitches. Back onto the mound, Rocco.

Nope Jax.

[Puckett34]

Just now, Mike Sixel said:

Wow, Luplow is really, really, really, bad. Just. Wow.

Well, hopefully after a waiver claim or five tomorrow, he won't be long for the roster.  But I'd venture to guess his spot goes to Buxton or Kiriloff, whomever comes back first.

[Schmoeman5]

2 minutes ago, davidborton said:

Wallner.

I don't have video. Just before Wallner came up, tons of comments on poor his fielding was (w/rocket arm). In listening to games on radio, I don't "hear" that poor fielding.

Your perceptions on his fielding?

Wallner seems pretty good on balls where he comes in to make a play. It's balls where he has to go back where he seems to take some circuitous routes. 

[wavedog]

Hope we get the good Jax today

[IaBeanCounter]

2 minutes ago, davidborton said:

81 pitches. Back onto the mound, Rocco.

Gray's last game against Cle, he was sent out for the 7th with a one run lead.  2 batters latter is was down one run.

[SwainZag]

Just now, Battle ur tail off said:

I'm fine now going either way. What you don't want is to have to get more than 6 outs. When the Twins get into trouble is when they are asking their depleted BP for 9-12 outs. 

They are setup now to use 3 guys if they have to, to get the final 6 outs.

In a 2-0 game with a rested pen, and off day tomorrow, combined with Gray's tendency to have blow up innings later in games I think it was an easy choice to go to the pen.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

53 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

Nor this, nor that.

Will it come round again?

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, SwainZag said:

I mean...he's not a good player, but did that groundout tell ya that? :D

nah, just typed it.......

[Squirrel]

That is not like Taylor

[USAFChief]

MAT got abused.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, SwainZag said:

In a 2-0 game with a rested pen, and off day tomorrow, combined with Gray's tendency to have blow up innings later in games I think it was an easy choice to go to the pen.

Agreed, right move. 

[RpR]

4 minutes ago, GusGus11 said:

Wallner is a very solid fielder

Hes not great yet. But hes super fast for a big guy and tracks the ball pretty well. Since hes so big his lower half is a bit less mobile on initial jumps

But hes def no disaster out there.

His fielding has greatly improved.

[GusGus11]

Even more bizarre.

If Taylor is good enough to come in to play D. Why the F did Luplow bat the half inning before??

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, USAFChief said:

MAT got abused.

should that have been caught? Obvs not watching...

[Squirrel]

7 minutes ago, davidborton said:

Your perceptions on his fielding?

I think he’s worked on it a lot

[Parfigliano]

Correa start hitting like your D play

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, Puckett34 said:

Well, hopefully after a waiver claim or five tomorrow, he won't be long for the roster.  But I'd venture to guess his spot goes to Buxton or Kiriloff, whomever comes back first.

In the meantime, he's an auto out. Just wasting at bats. Also, they better not make a claim. As you point out, they have Buxton, AK and Castro coming back (and Martin and Stevenson in AAA).

[Battle ur tail off]

7 minutes ago, davidborton said:

Wallner.

I don't have video. Just before Wallner came up, tons of comments on how poor his fielding was (w/rocket arm). In listening to games on radio, I don't "hear" that poor fielding.

Your perceptions on his fielding?

I was at a couple games last week and he had a few balls hit to him where I was thinking to myself, we have to catch that ball as an MLB outfielder that he let drop in, or some others I though to myself he made that harder than it had to be. That said, definitely not a butcher out there. He makes the plays he is supposed to make, but isn't going to give you plus defense IMO.

[Battle ur tail off]

5 minutes ago, SwainZag said:

In a 2-0 game with a rested pen, and off day tomorrow, combined with Gray's tendency to have blow up innings later in games I think it was an easy choice to go to the pen.

For sure, I'm with you, that would have been my move too. Just the same, the decision to bring him out for the 7th was a good one as well.