Game Thread: Twins (Ober) @ Angels (Sandoval), 4/26/24 @ 8:38 CT

[wsnydes]

Edited April 26, 2024 by wsnydes
Added Angels lineup.

[wsnydes]

The Angels are not the White Sox.  Unfortunate, I know.  But they're still (debatably) playing the same game, so I see no reason why the Twins can't carry their new found momentum out west! 

[umterp23]

Wonder what musical chairs lineup Rocco throws out there tonight?  

 

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, umterp23 said:

Wonder what musical chairs lineup Rocco throws out there tonight?  

 

Sandoval is a lefty. I predict one or two LH batters get the start against him, though. 

[weneedneshek]

22 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Sandoval is a lefty. I predict one or two LH batters get the start against him, though. 

Yea I'd say 2 of Larnach, Kep, and Julien at the very least. I think there's a good argument for all 3 even

[stringer bell]

29 minutes ago, weneedneshek said:

Yea I'd say 2 of Larnach, Kep, and Julien at the very least. I think there's a good argument for all 3 even

They face lefties in three of their next four games. One start apiece makes pretty good sense, maybe two. I don't see Kirilloff getting a start against a lefty. He's been in a pretty long snag.

Sandoval has severe platoon splits so far this year. OPS against lefties .333, righties .826. Career his OPS against lefties is .587 and righties is .734.

[Riverbrian]

15 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

They face lefties in three of their next four games. One start apiece makes pretty good sense, maybe two. I don't see Kirilloff getting a start against a lefty. He's been in a pretty long snag.

Sandoval has severe platoon splits so far this year. OPS against lefties .333, righties .826. Career his OPS against lefties is .587 and righties is .734.

I guess that Julien, Kirilloff and Larnach will be on the bench tonight. Possibly Kepler as well. I think it will be a Crochet lineup against Sandoval and of course a Crochet lineup against Crochet on Monday. 

I'll guess, Kepler for sure and maybe Julien with a start against Detmers.  

I'm guessing a tough 4 days for Fantasy baseball owners of Alex Kirilloff. 

[MMMordabito]

Rocco' s probably already got 3+ outs penned into tonight's lineup via Kyle Farmer.

[Dave The Dastardly]

I find this thread bare.

[stringer bell]

Just now, MMMordabito said:

Rocco' s probably already got 3+ outs penned into tonight's lineup via Kyle Farmer.

It's easy for us to sit in our easy chairs and say "bench Farmer" or bench Santana. Kyle Farmer has a history of being a well-above average hitter against left handed pitching. Do you give up on him before April is over? The Twins aren't going to release him and he can't be sent to the minors. His best chance to get going is to face left handed pitching and he'll probably get three more shots at it in the next four days.

[stringer bell]

It's still very early, but the Twins currently have a better OPS vs. left handed pitching (.656 vs. right, .720 vs. left).

[MMMordabito]

14 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

It's easy for us to sit in our easy chairs and say "bench Farmer" or bench Santana. Kyle Farmer has a history of being a well-above average hitter against left handed pitching. Do you give up on him before April is over? The Twins aren't going to release him and he can't be sent to the minors. His best chance to get going is to face left handed pitching and he'll probably get three more shots at it in the next four days.

Meanwhile, the losses will keep piling up. 

Julien should be getting the PAs against lefties until he shows that his hot (.975 OPS) start against them is just a SSS mirage.  Farmer should be relegated to late inning defensive replacement and platoon advantage PH opportunities in place of other struggling players without the platoon advantage. He can also sit in the clubhouse, pat teammates on the back and sing Kumbaya with them.

I'd much rather see the young, up-and-comer who's been working to improve his weaknesses and getting results than watching a twilighter flail while trying to hang on.

Hell, Farmer hasn't even been given any looks at shortstop, even though Willi Castro hasn't been lighting the world on fire.  I wonder why that is. Loss of range?

Having him sap playing time from an impact player with a hot bat against same-sided pitchers will just get a big BOO from me.

 

[Riverbrian]

44 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

It's easy for us to sit in our easy chairs and say "bench Farmer" or bench Santana. Kyle Farmer has a history of being a well-above average hitter against left handed pitching. Do you give up on him before April is over? The Twins aren't going to release him and he can't be sent to the minors. His best chance to get going is to face left handed pitching and he'll probably get three more shots at it in the next four days.

Agreed.

The only thing you can do with Farmer is forget about what he has done so far and blank slate him forward. 

Of course... if we start getting into June. There will be too much writing on the slate to blank it. 

[RpR]

Julien's numbers this year are the opposite of expected, he is doing far better against Lefties than Right handed pitchers.

[stringer bell]

32 minutes ago, MMMordabito said:

Meanwhile, the losses will keep piling up. 

Julien should be getting the PAs against lefties until he shows that his hot (.975 OPS) start against them is just a SSS mirage.  Farmer should be relegated to late inning defensive replacement and platoon advantage PH opportunities in place of other struggling players without the platoon advantage. He can also sit in the clubhouse, pat teammates on the back and sing Kumbaya with them.

I'd much rather see the young, up-and-comer who's been working to improve his weaknesses and getting results than watching a twilighter flail while trying to hang on.

Hell, Farmer hasn't even been given any looks at shortstop, even though Willi Castro hasn't been lighting the world on fire.  I wonder why that is. Loss of range?

Having him sap playing time from an impact player with a hot bat against same-sided pitchers will just get a big BOO from me.

 

Honestly I’m not sure if Farmer is cooked or not. I wasn’t in favor of retaining him over the off season and I speculated that Willi should/would be the guy to fill in for a Correa injury. Farmer has been brutal, but he’s on the team and four weeks is a really short leash for a solid pro with six years in the big leagues.  

[TwinsDr2021]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

Honestly I’m not sure if Farmer is cooked or not. I wasn’t in favor of retaining him over the off season and I speculated that Willi should/would be the guy to fill in for a Correa injury. Farmer has been brutal, but he’s on the team and four weeks is a really short leash for a solid pro with six years in the big leagues.  

He should be a bench player that plays maybe a couple of times a week to break somebody, maybe spell a hurt player for a couple of days and/or maybe pinch him in the right situation. No matter how good he is playing should he be anything more than that. The idea that 33 year old with a career OPS+ of 86 is anything more than that is crazy talk. I don't care how bad Miranda, Castro, Julien are doing the answer is never Kyle Farmer. (except like a said to give them a day, or to pitch hit for them and you need a defensive replacement)

[stringer bell]

2 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

He should be a bench player that plays maybe a couple of times a week to break somebody, maybe spell a hurt player for a couple of days and/or maybe pinch him in the right situation. No matter how good he is playing should he be anything more than that. The idea that 33 year old with a career OPS+ of 86 is anything more than that is crazy talk. I don't care how bad Miranda, Castro, Julien are doing the answer is never Kyle Farmer. (except like a said to give them a day, or to pitch hit for them and you need a defensive replacement)

Yeah, once or twice a week is what a short side of a platoon should get. That’s been the plan for Farmer since the start of spring training, but the current injuries to Lewis and Correa have given him a bit more run. 
 

That Willi Castro is the preferred option at shortstop makes me question the wisdom of retaining Farmer at $6M+, whether he hitting .250 or .067. 
 

Farmer has consistently hit left handed pitching much better, so if he’s going to play twice a week, it should be against lefties. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

2 hours ago, stringer bell said:

It's easy for us to sit in our easy chairs and say "bench Farmer" or bench Santana. Kyle Farmer has a history of being a well-above average hitter against left handed pitching. Do you give up on him before April is over? The Twins aren't going to release him and he can't be sent to the minors. His best chance to get going is to face left handed pitching and he'll probably get three more shots at it in the next four days.

We probably have to give Farmer ABs because the roster crunch is coming, maybe as early as later this week when Correa is ready. The Twins have to decide if they will keep him and, if not, showcase him for a trade later in the year. My prediction is that Julien plays against the LHs, Santana instead of Kirilloff, Farmer at 3B instead of Miranda, Martin instead of Larnach in LF,  Margot instead of Kepler in RF or if Kepler plays Margot as DH, and the open question is who is the 9th man - Kepler, Miranda, or Larnach. My guess is Miranda as the DH with Kepler, Laranach, and Kirilloff on the bench. 

I'd like to see them play Larnach every day, including against LH pitching but not at the expense of Martin. Those two need to play so we can figure out what we have. I'd also like them to showcase Farmer as a SS - that's the only way anyone will take his contract in trade, if they become desperate for a SS. Tonight - Margot in RF, Larnach as DH, Martin in LF, Miranda at 3B, Famer at SS, and sit Castro, Kieilloff and Kepler with Jeffers catching. Regular lineup Sunday meaning Santana, Margot, backup C and eotjher Miranda r Frame r on the bench.  On Sunday, DH Buxton, move Martin to CF and Larnach to LF, play Kepler in RF, and play Castro in the IF at 3B instead of Miranda or at SS instead of Farmer. 

[stringer bell]

It was widely reported that the Twins were shopping Farmer in the off season. Nobody wanted him as a regular shortstop and the salary is too high for a utility infielder. Even if he brings his offensive numbers up to normal, there really isn’t trade market for him. 

[chaderic20]

Lineup prediction:
LF - Margot
DH - Jeffers
CF - Buxton
3B - Miranda
1B - Santana
SS - Castro
RF - Kepler
2B - Farmer
C - Vazquez

[wsnydes]

Lineups added to OP.

[ziggy]

Margot hitting 3rd. Good grief.

[wabene]

2 hours ago, chaderic20 said:

Lineup prediction:
LF - Margot
DH - Jeffers
CF - Buxton
3B - Miranda
1B - Santana
SS - Castro
RF - Kepler
2B - Farmer
C - Vazquez

Good job, but you forgot to write each name on a piece of paper and pick them from a hat.

[PseudoSABR]

Sano at 3rd.  Should be fun.

[$tryf4Life]

A 2 homer game should get you in the lineup. The hot/cold hand should get mixed into the philosophy even just a little. 

Overall I agree you got to ride it out with Farmer, Margot, Santana in the platoon and expect a progression to the mean…but I would sub Julien for Farmer based on yesterday’s game. 
 

 

[CRF]

No way should Eddie be sitting. I don't care who or what is pitching for the other team. 

[USAFChief]

44 minutes ago, wabene said:

Good job, but you forgot to write each name on a piece of paper and pick them from a hat.

Don't be ridiculous. Rocco would never pick numbers from a hat.

This is the Twins. I'm guessing he uses a random number generator app on his phone. Which probably then goes through some other app to auto-populate the digital lineup card, on a 3rd app. He emails it to the home plate ump. After spell check, of course. He's probably already got the 5th inning PH notated on the scorecard. 

[USAFChief]

42 minutes ago, ziggy said:

Margot hitting 3rd. Good grief.

I believe that's twice now.

Good grief indeed.

 

[jorgenswest]

7 hours ago, stringer bell said:

It's still very early, but the Twins currently have a better OPS vs. left handed pitching (.656 vs. right, .720 vs. left).

True.

Their left handed batters against left handed pitchers have an OPS of .775. The right handed batters against lefties have an OPS of .708. The right handed batters are pulled down by Farmer and Santana who comprise 23% of those right handed plate appearances with an OPS of .319.

Their best hitter against lefties this year is Julien.

[nicksaviking]

52 minutes ago, ziggy said:

Margot hitting 3rd. Good grief.

Hitting his 3rd extra base hit?  That would be a nice surprise.

Ooooooooh. In the batting order. Not so nice.