Twins Fans Are Being Robbed of History

[Greggory Masterson]

Minnesota sports fans are cursed. How cursed are they? They’re so cursed that even when their favorite players are on the cusp of breaking records for all the wrong reasons, those moments get ruined for them, too.

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Maybe this is what we deserve.

During Saturday’s blowout game against the Blue Jays, Manuel Margot was replaced in the sixth inning with groin tightness. Sunday morning, Margot landed on the 10-day injured list. A particular type of fan—we’ll affectionately refer to them as “sickos” henceforth—is devastated.

Why, you ask? History.

Our friend Margot has been chasing history, if you weren't aware. I wrote about it a month ago. In addition to his exploits in the field, Margot has been historically bad as a pinch-hitter. Only two players in MLB have been asked to pinch-hit more often than Margot, yet Margot has no hits as a pinch-hitter.

Sickos and disgruntled fans have been tracking this story all year, though probably for different reasons. And now, it’s been taken away from us, just on the cusp of history. On Aug. 30, Margot dug in as a pinch-hitter for the 33rd time all season, and worked a walk. That’s 33 pinch-hitting plate appearances without a hit. The record for most plate appearances as a pinch-hitter without a hit in a season? Thirty-four, by Jonny Gomes in 2011. In a typical year, the least successful pinch-hitter has around 15 appearances.

Now, with just a couple dozen games to play, Margot’s odds of breaking the record look bleak. Manager Rocco Baldelli, who started the year by using Margot as a pinch-hitter in five of the first six games, has scaled back Margot’s usage off the bench in recent months. Still, Margot only needed one more unsuccessful trip to the plate to tie the record, and then one more to break it. Even if Margot only misses the minimum of 10 days, he’ll have just 17 games in a pennant race. Each game he misses beyond the minimum makes it less likely, and recovery from groin injury is hard to predict.

This actually marks the second time in the past two years that the injury bug has let down the sickos. In 2023, Carlos Correa was hobbled by plantar fasciitis that, along with bad luck, contributed to a league-leading 30 double plays grounded into. That injury led to Correa sitting out the final 11 games of the season.

At one point, Correa was on track to break the single-season record, but his “production” also slowed, and his season was cut short. Correa was less likely than Margot to set a new record, needing to ground into six double plays in the team’s final 11 games, but it’s frustrating he didn’t have the full opportunity to go for it.

Even when the Twins have managed to set unfortunate records in the past couple of years, it’s been for naught. In 2023, behind the bats of Joey Gallo, Michael A. Taylor, Byron Buxton, and Edouard Julien, the Twins set the all-time record for strikeouts as a team with 1,654. As we speak, the 2024 Seattle Mariners are on pace to challenge that record with a projected 1,649 for the season (they currently sit at 1,430, with 21 games to go), and Colorado could also compete for the record, sitting at 1,393 (on pace for 1,600).

And don’t even get me started on the Twins ending their run of 18 straight playoff losses. That’s a record that won’t be broken anytime soon, but it would take the squad a decade to get another streak to 19. Why do bad things happen to sick fans?

We, Minnesota sports fans, are so bad at being cursed that we can’t even hold on to curses. The sickos among us mourn.

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[Parfigliano]

I believe in Margot.  I believe he will be back to PH at least two more times this year.  I also believe he has it in him to fail at least two more times this year.

[LambchoP]

Margot being on the IL has several silver linings. Rocco won't be able to continually run him out there as a PH and setting up an automatic out or double play. We also don't have to watch his horrendous defense out in the OF. Dude is a bust and should never have been stuck with this long, he was a detriment to this team in almost every way. I've got to believe someone like Keirsey can provide more production with his bat and his glove .

[DJL44]

Quote

As we speak, the 2024 Seattle Mariners are on pace to challenge that record with a projected 1,649 for the season (they currently sit at 1,430, with 21 games to go)

Which is hilarious since DiPoto "revamped" their offense to cut down on strikeouts.

The revamped Mariners offense’s biggest focus? Cut down on all the strikeouts - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

48 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Which is hilarious since DiPoto "revamped" their offense to cut down on strikeouts.

The revamped Mariners offense’s biggest focus? Cut down on all the strikeouts - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

 

Maybe it is the climate change in Seattle !

[Riverbrian]

1 hour ago, LambchoP said:

Margot being on the IL has several silver linings. Rocco won't be able to continually run him out there as a PH and setting up an automatic out or double play. We also don't have to watch his horrendous defense out in the OF. Dude is a bust and should never have been stuck with this long, he was a detriment to this team in almost every way. I've got to believe someone like Keirsey can provide more production with his bat and his glove .

I actually agree with a lot of what you are saying. It's your first sentence that is going to be the dark cloud, not a silver lining.  

With the rigid unbendable platoon system that the Twins have devised. In order to keep our lefthanders away from left handed pitching. They have actually made Margot and Farmer somewhat critical to the operation.   

If Margot and Farmer are removed from the roster. If they get hurt or we just cut them at this late date in the season.  

Who does Rocco call on to face the left handed pitcher.

Lee could replace Farmer and short side it the rest of the season but we barely have a need for that since Julien isn't guaranteed a playoff spot. Helman can replace Margot but what do we have in Helman? Or what do we have in Lee for that matter? 

What we do have is Wallner, Kepler, Larnach that because of the absence of Margot and Farmer that will have to all of sudden have to face the left hander because of the lack of alternative options. 

There are two bad scenarios.

1, Margot and Farmer are not available mainly Margot and needing Wallner and Larnach to play against lefties when it really really really matters.  

2. Other players are not available meaning that Margot and Farmer need to be relied upon vs Right Handers.

This is called painting yourself into a corner and using low value paint to do so. 

 

[Western SD Fan]

Oh the days of dreaming of Rob Refsnyder and Kyle Garlick as RH options……

[Marcos]

Ummm, I think if you would have left off with “Twins Fans Are Bring Robbed” period - that would have been far more succinct and to the point. You then could have given detailed accuracy of how the organization’s most primary concern is making a profit (I UNDERSTAND ITS A BUSINESS) and aspiring enough to get butts in the seats. 

[Greggory Masterson]

27 minutes ago, Marcos said:

Ummm, I think if you would have left off with “Twins Fans Are Bring Robbed” period - that would have been far more succinct and to the point. You then could have given detailed accuracy of how the organization’s most primary concern is making a profit (I UNDERSTAND ITS A BUSINESS) and aspiring enough to get butts in the seats. 

Lighten up, Francis

[USAFChief]

Records aren't made to be easily broken.

Margot is just gonna have to suck it up. Play with pain and grind out some more fail.

[dxpavelka]

4 hours ago, Western SD Fan said:

Oh the days of dreaming of Rob Refsnyder and Kyle Garlick as RH options……

i need about 4 feet of rope

[Fezig]

21 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Maybe it is the climate change in Seattle !

And that is exactly the type of story the Athletic would write!