Make It Official! Twins 5, Red Sox 2: Chris Paddack's Dominance Boosts Winning Streak to 11

[USAFChief]

2 hours ago, Brazilian Twins Fan said:

I'm not an optimistic person at all.

My prediction is that we'll break the Indians record of 22.

I don't see another loss on the schedule. 

[mikelink45]

Paddock is winning me over with this outing. I wasn't so impressed when it was against one of the really bad teams but the Red Sox have been putting up decent numbers all year. So he is proving himself each time out and let's hope it continues with some of the real top teams

[LewFordLives]

Hopefully it won't stop here....

 

[mnfireman]

1 hour ago, jmlease1 said:

Excellent start from Paddack, and hope it's a sign of things to come. Maybe Keith Law will acknowledge Paddack as being a starter now. (unlikely)

Throw out the clunker against the Orioles and Paddack looks pretty good: 5 GS, 26.2 IP, 8 ER, 26/6 K/BB, 3 HR allowed, 2.70  ERA. 

[mrcharlie]

Now this is one fine example of sports writing!

Keep it up please.

[stringer bell]

I'm a huge Kirilloff fan. He's actually been subpar for a few weeks after a really hot start. I don't know if it is injury related or just bad luck. I checked about a week ago and his exit velo was the highest of his career, but he's made a lot of soft contact since then.

Thielbar made a good pitch against Devers, but Devers made solid contact. That will happen especially against an elite hitter. I am not ready to toss him away because of a less-than-impressive April. Sands got the bottom of the order with a five-run lead, not exactly high leverage, although when he started warming up, the score was 1-0. I hope Topa and Alcalá can step into higher leverage situations and keep Sands out of them.

[Whitey333]

Awesome win Twins!  If Paddock comes through like that even just once in a while that would be a huge boost for Twins.  So why when the Twins are losing the refrain is always its early. But when we have a nice winning streak going you never hear that it's too early? Weird when the winning streak comes right after a 7-13 start.  It's fun but it's still early.   Great job Twins.  Let's make it 22 on saturday.

[JD-TWINS]

3 hours ago, William K Johnson said:

Love the winning streak, but a couple of observations:

- Why can't we try Castro at leadoff?

- Cole Sands in the eighth inning?

- Is anyone else beginning to get a little concerned about Kiriloff?

- I thought Margot was Buxton insurance.

Anyway, this sure is fun.

Lots of problems that aren’t real.

[madtowntwin]

Know not how the Sausage is made

May it's power never fade...

Win Twins!!

[JD-TWINS]

49 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

Paddock is winning me over with this outing. I wasn't so impressed when it was against one of the really bad teams but the Red Sox have been putting up decent numbers all year. So he is proving himself each time out and let's hope it continues with some of the real top teams

2 hits and a walk over 6 innings v. a AAA team would be a good outing…….doing this v. The Saux was really nice to see!! He showed good stuff in earlier outings just a lack of a good plan and command that seemed optional at times. He spoke after the game about connecting with Jeffers prior and going into the outing with confidence. A lot of parallels to what Lopez would say after games last year. Should have gained confidence to take forward! His stuff plays - just gotta control it and mix it and he could be a BIG surprise.

[JD-TWINS]

19 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

I'm a huge Kirilloff fan. He's actually been subpar for a few weeks after a really hot start. I don't know if it is injury related or just bad luck. I checked about a week ago and his exit velo was the highest of his career, but he's made a lot of soft contact since then.

Thielbar made a good pitch against Devers, but Devers made solid contact. That will happen especially against an elite hitter. I am not ready to toss him away because of a less-than-impressive April. Sands got the bottom of the order with a five-run lead, not exactly high leverage, although when he started warming up, the score was 1-0. I hope Topa and Alcalá can step into higher leverage situations and keep Sands out of them.

Another TD reader wrote - why isn’t Sands pitching the 8th?? …..Tough crowd.

Sands looked good I thought. He’s in the proper roll. He’ll probably be the 6th/7th guy once Topa is healthy…….Sands may end up at AAA by July to stretch out if the rest of the Pen is covered with other guys.

Kirilloff’s decline hasn’t been discussed much while winning 11 straight. I too am a big supporter. HR the other day took a little sting out of the decline. He needs to get back to .275/.340/.450 guy in next couple weeks!! Fingers crossed.

[wabene]

Kirilloff was looking great, but another downturn for him. The walk-off and homer have kept it from being as noticable. The whole reason we have Santana is because, while showing brilliant flashes, Kirilloff and Miranda have yet to prove consistent success. This is a crucial year for both.

[bean5302]

Not sure why people expected Kirilloff to be better?
vs. RH career: 641 PA .271/.327/.444 OPS .771, 7.0% BB, 23.7% K, .173 ISO wRC+ 114 <--- good
vs. LH career: 165 PA .205/.285/.336 OPS .620, 6.1% BB, 23.0%K, .130 ISO wRC+ 75 <--- unplayably bad

2023 vs. RH: 263 PA .300/.373/.485 OPS .858, 9.1% BB, 24.0% K, .185 ISO wRC+ 138 <--- excellent, .374 BABIP
2024 vs. RH: 92 PA .253/.315/.470 OPS .785, 8.7% BB, 23.9% K, .217 ISO wRC+ 123 <--- very good

He had a great SSS run last year, but he was a little lucky by the expected numbers and the .374 BABIP in 2023 didn't hurt.

[bean5302]

Great night to be at Target Field last night. The crowd was once again small, but pretty boisterous. Plenty of noise and ambiance, people were very active and energetic.

I don't get it. 10 game win streak coming in, well over .500 on the year, weather was sunny and not too cold, Friday night premium game vs. the Red Sox. Attendance 24k. 

[Jeff K]

3 hours ago, bighat said:

- Don't know why Castro isn't hitting leadoff

- Cole Sands is turning back into a pumpkin. He is who we thought he was. He had a nice April, but I am hoping the Twins have someone ready to replace this guy ASAP, the implosion has begun. 

- Yes, getting concerned about Kirilloff. He looks....tired? Seems like a guy who is just out of gas. Doesn't look like an everyday player, should be platooning. Playing 6 games per week is way too much for him. 

- Did the Twins really trade the best SS prospect in the game for Manuel Margot? This is embarrassing. 

One more: 

- Thielbar is a 40 year-old man coming off injury and he looks every part of it. Even when he's not giving up runs, he's giving up hart hits and walking guys. Like Sands, I sure hope the Twins have a plan to replace this guy. 

Also: yes, this sure is fun! Will be watching to see if they can make it 12 today! 

I believe the "Sands of time" are turning against him.  With Brock Stewart on the DL, they need to be more creative with the late inning pitchers...and I don't think that should include Sands.

[stringer bell]

2 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Not sure why people expected Kirilloff to be better?
vs. RH career: 641 PA .271/.327/.444 OPS .771, 7.0% BB, 23.7% K, .173 ISO wRC+ 114 <--- good
vs. LH career: 165 PA .205/.285/.336 OPS .620, 6.1% BB, 23.0%K, .130 ISO wRC+ 75 <--- unplayably bad

2023 vs. RH: 263 PA .300/.373/.485 OPS .858, 9.1% BB, 24.0% K, .185 ISO wRC+ 138 <--- excellent, .374 BABIP
2024 vs. RH: 92 PA .253/.315/.470 OPS .785, 8.7% BB, 23.9% K, .217 ISO wRC+ 123 <--- very good

He had a great SSS run last year, but he was a little lucky by the expected numbers and the .374 BABIP in 2023 didn't hurt.

Much of his struggles at the plate have been when he has tried to play through injuries. I don't know how many games he has played at less than 100%, but it is a lot more than zero. His current struggles make me wonder whether some injury is bothering AK at this point, but there has been no report of any injury.

[bean5302]

21 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Much of his struggles at the plate have been when he has tried to play through injuries. I don't know how many games he has played at less than 100%, but it is a lot more than zero. His current struggles make me wonder whether some injury is bothering AK at this point, but there has been no report of any injury.

This weird extra special narrative that comes out of the woodwork for Buxton and Kirilloff confounds me. Every time they go 0/5 they must be hurting. Every time they go 4/5, they're back! A lot Twins fans got on Kirilloff's hype bandwagon years ago and they've been lifting it out of the mud ever since.

Kirilloff isn't quick, he doesn't generally take walks, he strikes out quite a bit, and he has mediocre game power as a line drive hitter. That does not translate to an elite bat. 

Last year's wRC+ 120 .270/.348/.445 OPS .794 line was probably about his ceiling.

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

Last year's wRC+ 120 .270/.348/.445 OPS .794 line was probably about his ceiling.

He was hurting part of the time, though. 😀