Who Solidified Themselves as Playoff Hitters for the Twins, and Who Didn't

[Hans Birkeland]

The Twins fell short in the postseason, mainly due to a lack of hitting. Some players stepped up and established themselves as playoff threats, and others wilted under the pressure. Will the lineup be able to take the next step in 2024?

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

In 2023, the conversation for the Twins in the playoffs finally changed. There were media outlets in September suggesting it would be good for the five seed to “tank” in order to face three-seeded Minnesota in the Wild Card round since “bulletin board material” didn’t apply to such a cursed franchise.

But no longer can the Twins’ chances be reduced to a hand wave and a chuckle – they won as many games as they lost, including nearly handing the Astros a loss in the ALDS for the first time since the Obama administration.

Now the conversation has to be (as with all playoff teams) what the Twins need in order to go further in 2024. They didn’t hit much against the Astros (or the Blue Jays for that matter), with a number of their hitters failing to eclipse the .600 mark in OPS for the two rounds. However, we did see evidence of a few guys who could terrify future playoff opponents by virtue of what they did in October 2023.

Edouard Julien: He drew five walks in the six games, with three extra base hits and zero errors/misplays on defense. His OPS for the playoffs was a stout 1.043. He did make two baserunning errors, one ghastly (game one of the ALDS), and one a product of bad luck (game four).

Julien showed that his blend of power and patience will play in the postseason. His home run and double in game four gave the Twins some life, and his pinch-hit, bases loaded, two-out single in game two sealed a win. He is a playoff caliber leadoff hitter.

Royce Lewis: He posted an OPS over 1.100 in the playoffs, with four home runs that put him on the precipice of setting the Twins’ all-time playoff record. After six games. He appeared to press at times, swinging at some spiked breaking balls in crucial moments, but he’s also played in only 76 career games to this point, including the playoffs. Seeing more pitchers and how they attack him should make him even more of a threat next October.

Carlos Correa: He also eclipsed a 1.000 OPS, and threw in some of the savviest shortstop play I have ever seen with his pickoff of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and deke of Jose Abreu. His performance sealed his reputation as a known quantity in the playoffs, regardless of how his regular season goes. In 2020, he posted an OPS lower than what he posted in 2023 sans any plantar fasciitis issues. In the playoffs he hit for a 1.209 OPS and six home runs in twelve games that year. That isn’t to say he is automatic in the playoffs, but he will be ready.

Jorge Polanco: This one is borderline. Polanco’s .653 2023 playoff OPS doesn’t stand out, except when you compare it to the rest of the Twins’ lineup. He drew four walks and popped a key three-run home run in game one of the ALDS that drew a collective gulp from everyone in the stadium that day.

Polanco has proven he can hit in the playoffs. He was one of the few players to show up for the 2019 ALDS, hitting a first inning homer in game one, then tying the game with a single in the fifth.

His defense is another matter. He went about 1-4 in fielding chances against Toronto and the specter of his missed flip in 2020 still haunts me to this day.

Outside of those hitters and Kyle Farmer, the rest of the position player group didn’t inspire much confidence. Playoff pitching just doesn’t compare to the regular season. It rewards superstars (Yordan Alvarez) and guys who play within themselves (Martin Maldonado). It can be hard to identify who will play the Jason Kubel (1-29 career in the postseason) role in a given playoff series, and the Twins had a few this year.

Chief among those was Ryan Jeffers. Outside of two hits in game one of the ALDS, Jeffers contributed nothing offensively. Two walks and a lot of strikeouts. He hit some balls hard, but he also made you wonder if keeping the playoff-tested Christian Vazquez on the bench for every game was the right move. Watching Vazquez’s at-bats down the stretch compared to Jeffers’ catcher-leading OPS made it a justifiable decision, but giving Vazquez a start or two may have butterfly-effected an extra scoring opportunity. We’ll never know.

Matt Wallner went hitless in twelve plate appearances for the playoffs, although he did contribute three walks and a key hit-by-pitch. His inability to make contact against jumpy fastballs was exposed, and he’ll have to work and adjust in order to avoid a reputation as a mistake crusher who wilts against good pitching.

Max Kepler was victimized by two terrible strike three calls against Houston, and he did collect a hit in his first five games of the playoffs. But even at his best, Kepler isn’t a cleanup hitter for a serious playoff lineup. He struck out 14 times in the six games and was worth -1.6% cWPA (championship win probability added) against the Astros. As a seven hole hitter, his skill set would play a lot better.

Alex Kirilloff was playing through a torn labrum in his lead hitting shoulder, and performed as such. He is a little jumpy at the plate, even when healthy (taking strikes, then swinging at balls). But his elite plate coverage and all-fields power could be a major asset on future playoff teams.

Now, having only three hitters clicking at the same time can certainly play in the playoffs. The 2019 Nationals provided proof of that concept with Juan Soto, Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon delivering a World Series championship that year.

But ideally, you would want more lineup depth than that. Wallner has shown an ability to make adjustments, Jeffers has shown an ability to hit good pitching, Byron Buxton is always a wild card, and Kirilloff has shown the skill set to succeed in October. But if the front office doesn’t add another big bat this offseason, that may be a decision they could come to regret, especially given that the pitching will be hard-pressed to match this year's production.

What do you think? Is the projected 2024 lineup good enough to take the next step as is, or does it need another piece? Sound off in the comments.

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[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Had the Twins managed to get a runner on base for Correa in game 4, I have no doubt there would've been a game 5. Very few hitters I'd rather have up in a big spot.

[Trov]

I do not believe in a "playoff hitter" idea.  I agree that pitching is different, each pitch is so much bigger, and if you do not hit your pitch that will be the difference normally.  Some guys do seem to step up in the playoffs, and maybe some do shrink in the moment, but just having that 1 hit sometimes can make the difference a series, even if you go 0 for the rest that one player may have made the difference. 

Yes, do we want a line up full of Altuve, CC, Alverez, type hitters that seem to always come up big, of course.  However, that just is not going to happen. 

[David Maro]

This team will not have success in the playoffs playing homerun. The game is called baseball and they don't play it. If you really watched when Lewis hit the 2 homeruns in game 1 that was his every at bat after that. I you the Phillies and Diamondbacks last night the Diamondbacks played baseball and won. They had been trying to match the Phillies hitting the long ball. The Twins will disappoint again with this FO and manager. They are all back next year.

[arby58]

31 minutes ago, Trov said:

I do not believe in a "playoff hitter" idea.  I agree that pitching is different, each pitch is so much bigger, and if you do not hit your pitch that will be the difference normally.  Some guys do seem to step up in the playoffs, and maybe some do shrink in the moment, but just having that 1 hit sometimes can make the difference a series, even if you go 0 for the rest that one player may have made the difference. 

Yes, do we want a line up full of Altuve, CC, Alverez, type hitters that seem to always come up big, of course.  However, that just is not going to happen. 

Short of Kirk Gibson, there aren't many 'one hit' stars of post-season baseball. The author isn't asking for a team full of Altuve's - he was mostly asking for just one more. Seems like a reasonable ask. 

[chpettit19]

35 minutes ago, David Maro said:

This team will not have success in the playoffs playing homerun. The game is called baseball and they don't play it. If you really watched when Lewis hit the 2 homeruns in game 1 that was his every at bat after that. I you the Phillies and Diamondbacks last night the Diamondbacks played baseball and won. They had been trying to match the Phillies hitting the long ball. The Twins will disappoint again with this FO and manager. They are all back next year.

Over the last 5 years the team that hits the most homeruns in a playoff game has won over 85% of the games. Not sure your "playing homerun" theory actually holds up to reality. Homeruns are unquestionably the best way to win playoff games.

[tony&rodney]

There are probably some players that could be acquired via trade that would help the Twins but I'm having a hard time finding ones that are actually available. Lars Nootbar would be a nice addition but unlikely to be moved.

Free agent signings are nice but Cody Bellinger is really it besides the DH market. Do the Twins add a guy like Bellinger? Does anyone see the Twins signing an expensive DH or Teoscar Hernandez? I'm not sure that happens.

The Twins did fair in the postseason. The biggest disappointments for me were Jeffers and Wallner. I like them both though. They are still gaining experience and learning. So answering the post, I'm not adding much offense to what is already on the roster.  Yes, the roster is good enough. Juan Soto would be a nice addition, right?

[terrydactyls]

7 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Over the last 5 years the team that hits the most homeruns in a playoff game has won over 85% of the games. Not sure your "playing homerun" theory actually holds up to reality. Homeruns are unquestionably the best way to win playoff games.

I don't believe any way is "unquestionably" the best way to win playoff games.  Some are won with home runs.  Some are won with pitching masterpieces.  Some are won with a clutch single, or hit and run, or maybe a stolen base.  The best way usually depends on the makeup of the team.  And by attempting to force a win by using a skill set (such as hitting home runs) that you might not possess is "unquestionably" the least likely way to win a playoff game.

[JD-TWINS]

Adding a bat sounds great - not very easily done. Not many real hitters floating around free or openly on trade market.

Our ‘24 opening day line-up v. RH pitching:

Julien @ 2B

Buxton @ DH (if healthy)

Kirilloff @ 1B (if healthy)

Lewis @ 3B

Wallner in LF

CC @ SS

Kepler in RF

Jeffers @ C

Castro in CF

Vazquez - Farmer - Solano - #13????

 

AAA potential - Lee - Martin - Catcher? - Rodriguez 

What could we get in pitching for Larnach, Miranda, & Jeffers?? Sounds crazy moving a decent defensive catcher with highest OPS in AL at the position - didn’t want to trade Arraez either!! 3 controllable guys with upsides……Jeffers is established. Super doubtful!!

Who else could we blend with Larnach, Miranda, Gordon, guys that have shown flashes and need a new home - new chance? Need to open 40 man roster space & though there is some potential for seller’s remorse, these guys don’t seem to be part of Twins future - certainly not a core part!

An aside: Teoscar Hernandez was leading the AL in STRIKEOUTS the last time I looked in early August. Just don’t see any value in that type of bat to probably platoon for 45 games with Kepler. We have that guy at DH now with Buxton.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

I’m not sure that these playoff statistics are really all that usable.  Yes, some players hit well in these six games while others didn’t, but obviously this is a ridiculously small sample size — playoffs or not.  During the regular season, players have great six game stretches and poor six game stretches all the time and it doesn’t really register as a blip on the radar.  Remember that Kirby Puckett fellow?  Before becoming a playoff monster, he had a .583 OPS in his first five game playoff series in 1987.

Certainly Carlos Correa has demonstrated over a long period of time that he can come up in big moments.  In fact, he has as many playoff at bats as Royce Lewis has at bats in the majors, which leads me to think we need to learn a lot more about Lewis (and Julien) before we crown them as playoff bats, whatever that actually means. 

[Riverbrian]

We pitched well enough to advance. We did not hit well enough to advance. 

Same during the regular season... the smaller sample playoffs matched the larger sample regular season. It doesn't always match up like that because players can and do step up and some step down. However... in our case... the playoffs matched up with our regular season performance.  Great pitching, suspect offense. 

 

[jmlease1]

I think it's too small a sample size to really make any significant determinations about most of the Twins hitters.

Royce Lewis is immensely talented and it's wonderful to see him healthy enough to show it. He fears no one and nothing, but will have to keep working to ensure he doesn't expand the strike zone and continue developing his pitch recognition so he doesn't go a-chasin'. But that was on his list regardless of the playoffs (his BABIP this season was awfully high, for example)

We'll see on Julien and Wallner, but there were encouraging signs: both continued to show real patience at the plate, which is impressive for young hitters in pressure situations. Julien did better in making contact, but that's always been the concern for Wallner: will he make enough contact to be a consistent threat? 

Jeffers is interesting: he had a great season overall, and really improved at the plate. He struggled mightily in the playoffs, but it might have just been bad matchups for him, he might have been a little worn down, or it might just be small sample size. His improvement for a full season is more probative than a handful of playoff games to me, but he still needs to show he can sustain his effectiveness against righties.

There's plenty of talent in the lineup to be a playoff contender, but it'll need some better healthy and a little luck. Sounds like baseball.

[awmonahan]

Great article! I was thinking about this similarly just this morning. And I agree with the overall assessment. Julien, Correa, Royce, and Polo were the only batters who seemed to have a level comfort or even a plan when batting in a pressure situation against playoff-caliber pitching. And, of that group, even Lewis (who had serious success) seemed to press often, as we got closer to elimination. 

For me, the key would be another guy or two who could read the situation and take an at-bat based on it. That could mean taking pitches, not guessing, not swinging for the fences, going with the pitch, reading how they are attacking you, or being aggressive early in the count. Any combo of the above applies pressure to the other team and the pitcher. There just seemed to be too much swinging and hoping for fastball or just swinging and reacting to the pitch. No plan. 

The article rightly notes that Kepler got screwed on a handful of calls. That was brutal, But, from watching those games and his lack of a real approach, I think we can say he is not a cleanup hitter on a playoff team with serious aspirations. As a 6 or 7, great. But, in my opinion, we could use either use a true lefty cleanup hitter (they don't grow on trees) to slot between a healthy Buxton and Correa, or another leadoff hitter (OBP), which would allow Julien to fall back to that spot. 

[Karbo]

40 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Adding a bat sounds great - not very easily done. Not many real hitters floating around free or openly on trade market.

Our ‘24 opening day line-up v. RH pitching:

Julien @ 2B

Buxton @ DH (if healthy)

Kirilloff @ 1B (if healthy)

Lewis @ 3B

Wallner in LF

CC @ SS

Kepler in RF

Jeffers @ C

Castro in CF

Vazquez - Farmer - Solano - #13????

 

AAA potential - Lee - Martin - Catcher? - Rodriguez 

What could we get in pitching for Larnach, Miranda, & Jeffers?? Sounds crazy moving a decent defensive catcher with highest OPS in AL at the position - didn’t want to trade Arraez either!! 3 controllable guys with upsides……Jeffers is established. Super doubtful!!

Who else could we blend with Larnach, Miranda, Gordon, guys that have shown flashes and need a new home - new chance? Need to open 40 man roster space & though there is some potential for seller’s remorse, these guys don’t seem to be part of Twins future - certainly not a core part!

An aside: Teoscar Hernandez was leading the AL in STRIKEOUTS the last time I looked in early August. Just don’t see any value in that type of bat to probably platoon for 45 games with Kepler. We have that guy at DH now with Buxton.

I would put Polo at 2nd and Julian at DH with Buxton in CF

[chpettit19]

47 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

I don't believe any way is "unquestionably" the best way to win playoff games.  Some are won with home runs.  Some are won with pitching masterpieces.  Some are won with a clutch single, or hit and run, or maybe a stolen base.  The best way usually depends on the makeup of the team.  And by attempting to force a win by using a skill set (such as hitting home runs) that you might not possess is "unquestionably" the least likely way to win a playoff game.

Who said anything about forcing a win by using a skill set you might not possess? I didn't say having Jason Tyner try to hit HRs is the best way to win, I said hitting homeruns is. And it's a provable fact. Until you can show a strategy that has a better than 85% win rate then I'm going to stick with hitting homeruns being the best way to win playoff games. 

[Jocko87]

3 hours ago, Trov said:

I do not believe in a "playoff hitter" idea.  I agree that pitching is different, each pitch is so much bigger, and if you do not hit your pitch that will be the difference normally.  Some guys do seem to step up in the playoffs, and maybe some do shrink in the moment, but just having that 1 hit sometimes can make the difference a series, even if you go 0 for the rest that one player may have made the difference. 

Yes, do we want a line up full of Altuve, CC, Alverez, type hitters that seem to always come up big, of course.  However, that just is not going to happen. 

Nobody has that lineup full of Altuves.  Most playoff teams have 2-3.  The difference is the Evan Carter, Jeremy Pena(2022), Micheal Brantley, Bryson Stott and Alec Thomases that come up big because they grind good at bats.  The 3 stars are crucial, obviously, but the rest of the lineup has to make the pitcher work and turn the lineup over at a minimum.  It's not that the stars carry everything, its that somehow they keep coming up with traffic and a chance to do damage.

The Twins lineup did not perform well as a unit in the postseason.  There were individuals who performed enough to get some wins but the next level is the same as the regular season issues.  Need more high quality at bats.

Whats the WPA of getting the 3 stars to the dish a 5th time in the late innings?

[terrydactyls]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Who said anything about forcing a win by using a skill set you might not possess? I didn't say having Jason Tyner try to hit HRs is the best way to win, I said hitting homeruns is. And it's a provable fact. Until you can show a strategy that has a better than 85% win rate then I'm going to stick with hitting homeruns being the best way to win playoff games. 

A 100% method of winning games is by scoring at least one more run than your opponent scores.  And the "unquestionably" best way to do that is to use any and all tools you have available.  A reliance on one method does not always work.  Just ask the current Phillies team or the 2019 Twins or the 2023 Twins.

[chpettit19]

28 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

A 100% method of winning games is by scoring at least one more run than your opponent scores.  And the "unquestionably" best way to do that is to use any and all tools you have available.  A reliance on one method does not always work.  Just ask the current Phillies team or the 2019 Twins or the 2023 Twins.

Why are we just asking those 3 teams? The current Phillies team is 1 win away from back to back WS trips. Not sure that's a shining light of an example to prove your point here. Why don't we ask the current Rangers team? Or the last 7 Astros teams? Or the Braves from 2 years ago? Nobody is saying not to use stolen bases if you can, or to strike out constantly like the Twins and never just put the ball in play. But none of those other strategies even touch the success of hitting HRs. If you win 85% of your games by beating your opponent at 1 specific thing (and that thing also happens to be one of the "stickier" stats from the regular season to the postseason), why would you not be emphasizing that 1 thing?

I get that the Twins are incredibly frustrating to watch because of their extreme 3 true outcomes results, but that doesn't mean that building a team around hitting for power isn't the right thing to do. They need better overall hitters, and to cut their K numbers for sure. But arguing against a strategy that wins 85% of games is wild to me. The best win % of any MLB team ever is 76.3 for the 1906 Cubs. Postseason teams who out homer their opponent win basically 10% more than the most successful team in MLB history, but we should be looking to use strategies other than hitting homers? Speed guys should use their speed. Contact guys should hit for contact. Yes. Don't be a power hitter if you can't hit for power.

The post I responded to claimed the Twins "play homerun" instead of baseball and they lose because of it so they shouldn't "play homerun" anymore. The truth is the teams that win the World Series are the teams that are best at "playing homerun." Part of being successful is also having the pitching to win the game of "homerun" in the postseason. Also is nice to have guys on base during the game of "homerun." But, at the end of the day, "playing homerun" is unquestionably the best way to win postseason games. You want to be able to find ways to win the games that end up tied in the game of "homerun," (like Arizona has twice against Philly), but that doesn't mean the best strategy isn't still to win the game of "homerun." I don't understand how anyone can argue against an 85% win rate.

[Mike Sixel]

We're seriously looking at this tiny sample size to indicate anything? Wow. Seriously. Wow.

[chpettit19]

4 hours ago, David Maro said:

This team will not have success in the playoffs playing homerun. The game is called baseball and they don't play it. If you really watched when Lewis hit the 2 homeruns in game 1 that was his every at bat after that. I you the Phillies and Diamondbacks last night the Diamondbacks played baseball and won. They had been trying to match the Phillies hitting the long ball. The Twins will disappoint again with this FO and manager. They are all back next year.

Oh, and the Diamondbacks hit 2 homeruns last night. The Phillies didn't hit any. The Diamondbacks won the game of homerun last night. Not a great example to use. 

[Mike Sixel]

The data is very clear, you are more likely to score by the HR in the playoffs than getting multiple hits in a row, BECAUSE the pitching is better. It is much harder to get 3 hits in an inning in the playoffs than in the regular season. 

[Hans Birkeland]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

We're seriously looking at this tiny sample size to indicate anything? Wow. Seriously. Wow.

My feeling is that the analytical side will cover what needs to be covered. Lewis and Correa were ready for the moment in a way that isn't quantifiable.

[mikelink45]

This is the ultimate SSS - I know it generates an article, but please - any six games during the year and you will see hitters that prosper and others that stuggle.

In the playoffs it is attitude - Lewis and Correa.

I remember Oakland in the playoffs when they  had the bash brothers - the swing for the fence guys just are not good in the intense pitcher centric playoffs - sorry Wallner.  but it is not kind to a lot of batters. 

[arby58]

10 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

We pitched well enough to advance. We did not hit well enough to advance. 

Same during the regular season... the smaller sample playoffs matched the larger sample regular season. It doesn't always match up like that because players can and do step up and some step down. However... in our case... the playoffs matched up with our regular season performance.  Great pitching, suspect offense. 

The 'we didn't hit well enough in the regular season' narrative is, IMHO, overblown. The Twins were 10th of 30 teams in runs scored in the regular season - and that is the only offensive stat that matters. One of the teams still alive, Arizona, scored fewer runs, as did two other play-off teams. They had their chances against Houston, and when your starting pitcher, team MVP Sonny Gray, gives up 5 runs in 4 innings when the series was tied 1-1, I'm having a hard time suggesting it was all on the hitters.

[Riverbrian]

1 hour ago, arby58 said:

The 'we didn't hit well enough in the regular season' narrative is, IMHO, overblown. The Twins were 10th of 30 teams in runs scored in the regular season - and that is the only offensive stat that matters. One of the teams still alive, Arizona, scored fewer runs, as did two other play-off teams. They had their chances against Houston, and when your starting pitcher, team MVP Sonny Gray, gives up 5 runs in 4 innings when the series was tied 1-1, I'm having a hard time suggesting it was all on the hitters.

Your point is even stronger if you use post all star break. The Twins were 5th in runs scored during that stretch. That way you don't allow the 24th in runs scored pre all star break to drag your numbers down to 10th.  

[Jocko87]

4 hours ago, Hans Birkeland said:

My feeling is that the analytical side will cover what needs to be covered. Lewis and Correa were ready for the moment in a way that isn't quantifiable.

I would argue that we’ve only scratched the surface with Royce.  Now that he’s seen it and can fix the bad at bats he can really do damage.  He flashed but was also pressing in several at bats. 

[Bodie]

21 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Who said anything about forcing a win by using a skill set you might not possess? I didn't say having Jason Tyner try to hit HRs is the best way to win, I said hitting homeruns is. And it's a provable fact. Until you can show a strategy that has a better than 85% win rate then I'm going to stick with hitting homeruns being the best way to win playoff games. 

Don't confuse correlation with causation...

Also, swinging for the fences regardless off the situation IS NOT hitting more home runs.  If it was, the Twins crush the Astros. 

[chpettit19]

17 minutes ago, Bodie said:

Don't confuse correlation with causation...

Also, swinging for the fences regardless off the situation IS NOT hitting more home runs.  If it was, the Twins crush the Astros. 

I'm not, it is causation. Getting on base and hitting for power wins. Top 5 scoring offenses in baseball this year (Braves, LAD, Rangers, Rays, Astros) were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th in slugging. They were 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 7th in HRs. I don't know why people have such a problem with this. 

Who said anything about swinging for the fences regardless of the situation? Don't put your narrative into what I'm saying. Power wins. It's not some grand mystery. It's simply how it is. OBP and SLG are king. They're what every top offense has. And OBP isn't just taking walks, it's hitting the ball hard. Not just putting it in play by limiting Ks, but by hitting the ball hard. The Twins, and every good offense in baseball, aren't "swinging for the fences regardless of the situation" they're trying to hit the ball hard at all times. Because it's provably the best strategy for scoring runs and winning baseball games.

Cleveland and Washington had the lowest K rates in baseball this year, but they also had some of the worst contact quality in baseball this year so they were 22nd and 23rd in OBP. Because "just putting the ball in play" like so many people want the Twins to do is actually not effective. Get on base and hit for power.

If people were running around saying "the team that gets the most hits in a playoff game wins 85% of the time" or "the team that strikes out the least in a playoff game wins 85% of the time" or "the team that steals the most bases in a playoff game wins 85% of the time" or "the team with the most sac bunts in a playoff game wins 85% of the time" would people be fighting so hard about using those strategies? Nobody is saying to not ever use any other way to try to score, but power is the best way to score runs in baseball. Even more so in the playoffs. I don't get why that idea upsets people so much.

[Bodie]

18 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

The data is very clear, you are more likely to score by the HR in the playoffs than getting multiple hits in a row, BECAUSE the pitching is better. It is much harder to get 3 hits in an inning in the playoffs than in the regular season. 

It is also much harder to hit HRs in the playoffs because... the pitching is better than in the regular season. 

Again, trying to hit HRs IS NOT actually hitting them.  In fact trying to hit HRs will lead to decreased production as the Ks rise and lazy pop-ups increase much more rapidly than the runs do.

The Twins teach what I see as not just a flawed approach at the plate, but a fatally flawed one.  I won't  even look up the stats, but I am pretty confident that I can say no team won the world series while setting MLB record for strikeouts.  The results netted a slightly above total of runs scored (yes the ONLY stat that matters for offense) but it is nowhere near consistent enough to feel any confidence.  And 2 or 3 poor offensive games mean your season is done, and if you are honest you have to admit that the Twins struggling against decent pitching is not a surprise, but to be expected regularly with the "swing as hard as you can" approach this version of the Twins preach.  Heck, it doesn't even take decent pitching as they showed last season to utterly shut them down!

 

How many times did the opposing starter have his season-high strikeout total come against the Twins?

 

[chpettit19]

12 hours ago, arby58 said:

The 'we didn't hit well enough in the regular season' narrative is, IMHO, overblown. The Twins were 10th of 30 teams in runs scored in the regular season - and that is the only offensive stat that matters. One of the teams still alive, Arizona, scored fewer runs, as did two other play-off teams. They had their chances against Houston, and when your starting pitcher, team MVP Sonny Gray, gives up 5 runs in 4 innings when the series was tied 1-1, I'm having a hard time suggesting it was all on the hitters.

 

11 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

Your point is even stronger if you use post all star break. The Twins were 5th in runs scored during that stretch. That way you don't allow the 24th in runs scored pre all star break to drag your numbers down to 10th.  

Does anyone know what their 2 runs or fewer, 3 runs or fewer, or 4 runs or fewer numbers look like for the 2nd half of the year? Just the total runs scored stat is a little misleading. The first half of the year especially they had their run totals built on massive games where they scored a ton, but were scoring 3 runs or fewer half the time. 

As for the playoffs, they scored 3 runs or fewer in 4 of 6 games, 2 runs of fewer in 3 of 6, and more than 4 only once. It's not all on the offense, but that's very little margin for error for your pitchers. In comparison, the Rangers scored 3 runs or fewer in 3 of 12 games and the Diamondbacks scored 3 runs or fewer in 4 of 12 games.