Brewers 8, Twins 7: Missed Opportunities, Homers Lead to Brewers Sweep

[Alex Wilde]

38 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

The Twins literally came into the season with what many expected would compete for the best bullpen in baseball. I don't know what ownership increasing the payroll could have legitimately done to make the Twins' bullpen look better. I get it. Rah rah, only $130MM cheap Pohlad's!!!! Stupid owners! At least attempt to make a valid point when you're going off on ownership.

They literally didn’t sign anyone (except Staumont basically for the league minimum who started the year in AAA). That’s my point. Oh wait, they signed Jay Jackson! With all of the money they had sitting around. And they couldn’t sign another lefty so they traded for Okert who has been the definition of mediocre. And they started the year with Duarte who was a waiver claim pickup for nothing. So please tell me how ownership helped the bullpen this season?

Now the FO kept faith in an aging Thielbar, an injury prone Stewart, and in inexperienced back of the pen. They also let Hoffman walk and Megill walk who are both 1/2 bullpen guys on first place teams.

[Maybe Next Year]

Bottom of 8. Down 2 runs. Bases loaded and nobody out! What does Baldummy do- he pinch hits Margot, yes the same Margot who was 0 -22 as a pinch hitter! We need a new manager. One with some baseball sense. Baldummy has none.

[harmlessharmon]

THIELBAR's delivery is annoying.   It's like he wants batters to hit homers.  His delivery is the same as guys throwing meatballs in the Home Run  Derby.  First they raise the ball up so the batter can pick it up immediately. 

[Blyleven2011]

10 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

We need more clutch-hitting, Single HRs don't do it. 

The twins are In a world of hurt  again right now ,   and we do need clutch hitting , we were terrible leaving so many runs left on the bases , bases full and no outs ( to often a choke ) ...

Ŵe also need a new manager and FO  , we can't win with them ...

Sure hope Rocco noticed that Milwaukee players know how to bunt , will we see more small ball to manufacture runs with the present core waiting for the injured players to return   ...

[Blyleven2011]

8 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Baldelli pinch-hitting Margot, IMO is him just obeying orders sent down. To put Margot in every time there is a LHP.

They got to quit flipping that 2 headed coin on pinch hitting Margot ,and hoping they get tails  ...

[TwinsDr2021]

14 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

We need more clutch-hitting, Single HRs don't do it. 

Is this really a surprise with the guys the Twins are currently running out there (Because of injuries)? I mean Wallner, Margot, Lee, Martin, Vazquez and Castro (who based on the stat they showed yesterday has the worst average in the majors with RISP ) and Buxton has never really been that clutch guy has he?

IMO the bullpen usage was the worst part of the series, not saying there really was a better way of using it, but going into a series with Philly after these two games puts the Twins in a tough position right from the get go.

 

[TwinsDr2021]

4 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

They got to quit flipping that 2 headed coin on pinch hitting Margot ,and hoping they get tails  ...

but one of these times it is going to come up tails and people are going to defend doing it because he helped them win one game ignoring everything prior. People have been doing that for Vazquez all year.

[USAFChief]

9 hours ago, Alex Wilde said:

They literally didn’t sign anyone (except Staumont basically for the league minimum who started the year in AAA). That’s my point. Oh wait, they signed Jay Jackson! With all of the money they had sitting around. And they couldn’t sign another lefty so they traded for Okert who has been the definition of mediocre. And they started the year with Duarte who was a waiver claim pickup for nothing. So please tell me how ownership helped the bullpen this season?

Now the FO kept faith in an aging Thielbar, an injury prone Stewart, and in inexperienced back of the pen. They also let Hoffman walk and Megill walk who are both 1/2 bullpen guys on first place teams.

Is it your contention there weren't multiple claims this spring, right here on TD, regarding the Twins having the best bullpen in baseball?

Is that your position?

[David Maro]

Don't look now but the Royals just tied the Twins for 2nd in the division.The manager is weak and the players can't stay healthy.Its time to look elsewhere because this team is headed south.

[DJL44]

10 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Last 5 starts - 5.65 ERA, 2.91 FIP, 3.16 xFIP

We have several pitchers with a higher ERA than FIP lately. The defense is not helping out.

[LambchoP]

Everytime I see Rocco pinch hit and send Margot out there I just shake my head. The dude can't pinch hit. Literally, not one PH all year. Not to mention his defense in the outfield, which was supposedly a strength, has been atrocious. I like Castro,but he's not a shortstop. I have to believe Lee would be a much better defender there, since that's where he mostly played all year in AAA.

[MinnInPa]

no excuse in the world for Jax to give up an 0-2 HR..never ever ever ever

[MinnInPa]

5 hours ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Is this really a surprise with the guys the Twins are currently running out there (Because of injuries)? I mean Wallner, Margot, Lee, Martin, Vazquez and Castro (who based on the stat they showed yesterday has the worst average in the majors with RISP ) and Buxton has never really been that clutch guy has he?

IMO the bullpen usage was the worst part of the series, not saying there really was a better way of using it, but going into a series with Philly after these two games puts the Twins in a tough position right from the get go.

 

the way this pitching staff resides in the middle of the plate..i fear this series is gonna be a slaughter by Phils.. Schwarber will probably jack at least 2, Harper 3, Castelanos 3, + others.

[bean5302]

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

We have several pitchers with a higher ERA than FIP lately. The defense is not helping out.

It's not all the defense. Best to worst defense in MLB is like 0.25-0.40 points of ERA. It's serving up meatball sandwiches when guys are on base. 

[JD-TWINS]

20 hours ago, USAFChief said:

We need an MLB manager.

How about a rested bullpen coming out of the Break and giving up 8 earned runs in 2 games…….that didn’t help a thing!

[JD-TWINS]

5 hours ago, USAFChief said:

Is it your contention there weren't multiple claims this spring, right here on TD, regarding the Twins having the best bullpen in baseball?

Is that your position?

Playoff Pen:

Alcala - Stewart - Varland - Paddack - Sands/Staumont - (Topa????) - Okert - Jax - Duran ……,,everybody has struggles with Pen through a season ……I still think, as you pointed out, that this can be a strength.

 

[JD-TWINS]

4 hours ago, David Maro said:

Don't look now but the Royals just tied the Twins for 2nd in the division.The manager is weak and the players can't stay healthy.Its time to look elsewhere because this team is headed south.

Take Perez - Witt - Pasquantino out of Royals line-up & see how good their Manager looks.

Correa - Lewis - Miranda are out and offense is spotty……relief corp had issues over the weekend to say the least.

[bean5302]

14 hours ago, Alex Wilde said:

They literally didn’t sign anyone (except Staumont basically for the league minimum who started the year in AAA). That’s my point. Oh wait, they signed Jay Jackson! With all of the money they had sitting around. And they couldn’t sign another lefty so they traded for Okert who has been the definition of mediocre. And they started the year with Duarte who was a waiver claim pickup for nothing. So please tell me how ownership helped the bullpen this season?

Now the FO kept faith in an aging Thielbar, an injury prone Stewart, and in inexperienced back of the pen. They also let Hoffman walk and Megill walk who are both 1/2 bullpen guys on first place teams.

Your (revised) 20/20 hindsight is operating at 1000% here. Coming into the season, this was the expected bullpen and their 2023 ERAs.
Jhoan Duran 2.45 ERA (elite)
Brock Stewart 0.65 ERA (elite)
Griffin Jax 3.86 ERA (good)
+Jay Jackson 2.12 ERA (elite)
Caleb Thielbar 3.23 ERA (elite)
Kody Funderburk 0.75 ERA (elite)
+Justin Topa 2.61 ERA (elite)
+ Steven Okert 4.45 ERA (poor)

It was expected to be a super elite bullpen. Which high priced, FA bullpen arm were you wanting to replace one of our projected 26 man roster guys with that you think ownership's budget restricted the Twins from signing.

Depth options were even good as some of the rough ERAs were expected to rebound.
+ Josh Staumont 5.40 ERA (poor)
Jorge Alcala 6.23 ERA (poor)
Cole Sands 3.53 ERA (good)
+Daniel Duarte 3.69 ERA (good)
+Diego Castillo 6.23 ERA (poor)
+Matt Bowman 9.00 ERA (poor)

The Twins experienced a whole host of injuries to the bullpen through Spring Training and early in the season. Despite that, the Twins' bullpen ranks:
7th of 30 in FIP = 3.69
8th of 30 in ERA = 3.64
Still one of the better bullpens in baseball.
 

[JD-TWINS]

6 hours ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Is this really a surprise with the guys the Twins are currently running out there (Because of injuries)? I mean Wallner, Margot, Lee, Martin, Vazquez and Castro (who based on the stat they showed yesterday has the worst average in the majors with RISP ) and Buxton has never really been that clutch guy has he?

IMO the bullpen usage was the worst part of the series, not saying there really was a better way of using it, but going into a series with Philly after these two games puts the Twins in a tough position right from the get go.

 

If a couple guys pitch more effectively in relief it would be cool - one bad performance lead to another…….letting pop-up bunts drop and fielding ball as it is rolling foul just adds fuel to the fire……Castro running into an out at 3rd and not fielding balls cleanly at SS are issues as well.

[1985Fan]

When the Saturday game against Milwaukee went to extra innings, why wasn’t there a bunt to move the gift runner over to win it in the tenth? One run wins it, but I don’t recall a bunt attempt. Rocco would rather wait for a walk-off home run instead. With a depleted lineup, you would think scratching out a run by bunt would at least be tried. Bunt to move runner to third. Infield would then have to play in, which gives the hitter more room to punch one through the infield. Thats a specific scenario where Rocco fails miserably. 
Brewers had Yelich! bunting in the 11th. I guess bunt isn’t in Rocco’s playbook. I’ll wait for the Rocco defenders to jump on me, but that’s a game he lost. 

 

 

 

[USAFChief]

14 minutes ago, 1985Fan said:

When the Saturday game against Milwaukee went to extra innings, why wasn’t there a bunt to move the gift runner over to win it in the tenth? One run wins it, but I don’t recall a bunt attempt. Rocco would rather wait for a walk-off home run instead. With a depleted lineup, you would think scratching out a run by bunt would at least be tried. Bunt to move runner to third. Infield would then have to play in, which gives the hitter more room to punch one through the infield. Thats a specific scenario where Rocco fails miserably. 
Brewers had Yelich! bunting in the 11th. I guess bunt isn’t in Rocco’s playbook. I’ll wait for the Rocco defenders to jump on me, but that’s a game he lost. 

 

 

 

One reason would probably be: he had managed to have waiver wire call up Diego Castillo due up after Castro (who didnt bunt as the first hitter).

So he managed himself into a corner where his own substitute made it more difficult to play for one (winning) run.

And, true to form, Castillo took three straight fastballs for strikes, without so much as even flinching. 

[1985Fan]

1 minute ago, USAFChief said:

One reason would probably be: he had managed to have waiver wire call up Diego Castillo due up after Castro (who didnt bunt as the first hitter).

So he managed himself into a corner where his own substitute made it more difficult to play for one (winning) run.

And, true to form, Castillo took three straight fastballs for strikes, without so much as even flinching. 

But why not try a bunt anyway? With a runner on third, Castillo could even try a bunt or the pitcher uncorks a WP….

[bean5302]

44 minutes ago, 1985Fan said:

But why not try a bunt anyway? With a runner on third, Castillo could even try a bunt or the pitcher uncorks a WP….

Agreed. Odds are pretty much maximized for a bunt in that situation, especially if the batter has wheels.

[Swing Batter-Batter]

21 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Baldelli pinch-hitting Margot, IMO is him just obeying orders sent down. To put Margot in every time there is a LHP.

This move continues to baffle anyone who follows the team. Margot is something like 0 - 23 in pinch hit situations. Does Baldelli need to reboot his laptop? I can't believe that he doesn't know the numbers, we all do.

[Old fox]

Pohlads don’t have a winning for the duration of the time the Pohlads have owned the Twins! At one time MLB was serious about moving the Twins. If the it wasn’t for Bud Selig the owner of the Milwaukee came to the aid of the Twins and saved them.