Twins 1, Mets 5: Pitchers are the Best Athletes (Derogatory)

[h2oface]

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

How the hell is it possible a major league team can't execute a simple cutoff play to the point theres nobody covering 2nd base on a ball to the gap in right center??

Jogging to first. 

 

Comically inept manager. 

I agree that Baldelli is continuing to prove his ineptness in many ways, but it was Correa that should have been on second, I believe. He ran out there with Castro. Correa should know that the second baseman is the relay man on and ball to deep right center. Correa was all the way to the first base side of Castro, chosing to back up Castro? for some reason? And shouldn't Castro be smart enough to not throw a ball if nobody is there? Awareness. Isn't that what Miranda got sent down for? I mean, he was  hitting about the same as Correa and better than Vazquez. Now we have last years team mandatory default representative replacement "all-star" and  the supossed team leader ultra-vet with bonehead plays, on the same play! I don't think that one is on Baldelli.

[glunn]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

The Twins are the 27th ranked team in watchability, according to the analytics. So we got that going for us. 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44629277/mlb-2025-rankings-most-fun-teams-watch-dodgers-red-sox-phillies-cubs-padres

Interesting article.  I hope that the Twins front office reads it.

[glunn]

40 minutes ago, h2oface said:

I'm switching to Banana Ball! They sell out every game, now. MLB stadiums. No walks. It's a sprint. Did you catch the 60 minutes this Sunday?

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/savannah-bananas-60-minutes-video-2025-04-13/

 

Maybe the Twins could play the role of Washington Generals?

[Fezig]

7 hours ago, rv78 said:

Last 2 wins came with either Buxton or Correa sitting on the bench. Today they both play and promptly go a combined 0 fer 8. Good thing for them and unfortunately for us they are supposed superstars or they be next in line to be DFA'd. Maybe they'd wave their no trade clauses and we could trade them both for one Luis Arraez. then we'd at least have 1 player that could hit.

He might get hits, but his velocity of the bat is way to low. Not to mention he doesn't hit hit high enough and his BA with balls in play is probably going to trend back to the mean. He's just been lucky. (So much sarcasm intended it's immeasurable)

At least we have Rocco.

[BrokenCompass]

No. I refuse to blame a pitcher for a loss when the bats scored 1 run - yet again. 

Twins are 27th in baseball at 3.2 runs per game. It's awful. 

No life, no fire, no hope. No chance. 

And no fun. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

8 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'm done with alcala at this point. 

When a reliever gives up an earned run and his earned run average goes down almost 2 runs, something is wrong!

[thelanges5]

3 hits by the offense and Bad News Bears on the basepaths and defense. That’s been our recipe since mid-August. Teams are circling series with the Twins and ChiSox as a time to stack up some wins. 
 

Hard to see a way out. There are so few bright spots. 

[Parfigliano]

6 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Props for sticking it out. Even better with the wife.  Nice catch. 

She's TC.  Definitely not PC.

[thelanges5]

Good effort by France on this one. About sums up the effort level out there. 
 

[Old Crow]

9 hours ago, rv78 said:

Last 2 wins came with either Buxton or Correa sitting on the bench. Today they both play and promptly go a combined 0 fer 8. Good thing for them and unfortunately for us they are supposed superstars or they be next in line to be DFA'd. Maybe they'd wave their no trade clauses and we could trade them both for one Luis Arraez. then we'd at least have 1 player that could hit.

It always felt good to see Louis in the on deck circle with runners in scoring position.

[jmlease1]

9 hours ago, rv78 said:

Last 2 wins came with either Buxton or Correa sitting on the bench. Today they both play and promptly go a combined 0 fer 8. Good thing for them and unfortunately for us they are supposed superstars or they be next in line to be DFA'd. Maybe they'd wave their no trade clauses and we could trade them both for one Luis Arraez. then we'd at least have 1 player that could hit.

Neither Buxton nor Correa are playing up to their capability right now and we need them to do much better at the plate. But just stop with the Arraez nonsense. Dude has an OPS+ of 78 right now and doesn't play a lick of defense either. There's a reason SD shopped him this offseason.

Ryan did a good job grinding through 5. Too bad his pitch counts climbed so high so fast. But he's been quite good this season and showing no problems coming back from the injury. 

Alcala is very disappointing. He's simply too inconsistent to continue right now: it's all or nothing with him right now and that's just not going to work, especially since everyone in this bullpen will pitch and pitch often.

[Karbo]

9 hours ago, Aggies7 said:

The miscues did factor in. Failing to tag up from second (I forget the runner) on the sac fly probably cost a run (and the lead). 

I believe you're talking about the AL player of the week, Mr. France.

[matt]

9 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'm done with alcala at this point. 

Don't understand why he wasn't sent down when they brought up Funderburk. Instead they gave away Blewett, who they were once performing roster gymnastics to keep. 

[TwinsDr2021]

10 minutes ago, matt said:

Don't understand why he wasn't sent down when they brought up Funderburk. Instead they gave away Blewett, who they were once performing roster gymnastics to keep. 

It is my understanding he is out of minor league options. So there is no sending him down, only letting him go. This is his 7th year of pitching at least once in the majors.

[tony&rodney]

4 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

It is my understanding he is out of minor league options. So there is no sending him down, only letting him go. This is his 7th year of pitching at least once in the majors.

Yes, Jorge Alcala is out of options. Does he follow Ronny Henriquez, Brent Headrick, and Scott Blewett out the door? How desperate are the Twins for the return of Michael Tonkin?

[Linus]

5 hours ago, glunn said:

Maybe the Twins could play the role of Washington Generals?

I believe they already are or perhaps “the very capable Kenny Jaye”

[TwinsDr2021]

3 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Yes, Jorge Alcala is out of options. Does he follow Ronny Henriquez, Brent Headrick, and Scott Blewett out the door? How desperate are the Twins for the return of Michael Tonkin?

He will be 30 at the end of July and has only pitched in 152 career games with a 9 - 13, 3,99 ERA and 30 holds, 1 save and 7 blown saves, Is it the end of the world to let somebody like that go? I would normally say no, but when you are asking for 4 innings per start from relief pitchers you do need guys to get you outs, and not everybody is going to be perfect every time out.

[mikelink45]

Alcala failed last year and each year we have brought him up.  The team falls in love with his fastball, but I am ready to move on and give another pitcher that roster spot.

I also think that pitchers should get an earned run charged to them if the player is on base or safe because of a pitcher throwing error.  If a pitcher can't throw what is he out there for?

And what makes 100 pitches the magic number?  It looked like Ryan could have gone 6 and if he struggled they could change during the inning.  All this protecting arms has not worked for him the last two years, so use him while he is healthy.

[tony&rodney]

1 minute ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

He will be 30 at the end of July and has only pitched in 152 career games with a 9 - 13, 3,99 ERA and 30 holds, 1 save and 7 blown saves, Is it the end of the world to let somebody like that go? I would normally say no, but when you are asking for 4 innings per start from relief pitchers you do need guys to get you outs, and not everybody is going to be perfect every time out.

Consistency has not been a given with Alcala. He has terrific movement .... often, but then he throws a few flat pitches and boom or else he is snake bit by bad plays including his own. 

Pitching across baseball is so good, majors and minors, that every team seems to have options and so too the Twins. Alcala could be wearing a different uniform in MLB by July. Sooner?

[rv78]

47 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Neither Buxton nor Correa are playing up to their capability right now and we need them to do much better at the plate. But just stop with the Arraez nonsense. Dude has an OPS+ of 78 right now and doesn't play a lick of defense either. There's a reason SD shopped him this offseason.

Ryan did a good job grinding through 5. Too bad his pitch counts climbed so high so fast. But he's been quite good this season and showing no problems coming back from the injury. 

Alcala is very disappointing. He's simply too inconsistent to continue right now: it's all or nothing with him right now and that's just not going to work, especially since everyone in this bullpen will pitch and pitch often.

Arraez may not be hitting his usual .300+ but he's still 100 points higher than Buck or C4. As for defense, the Twins DH spot isn't tied down either or the brainless wizard setting the lineup everyday wouldn't be putting a Mickey Gasper there.

[Linus]

Ryan really showed his toughness last night. He didn’t have his best command but somehow got thru 5 with 1 run allowed. 
Ive never understood the love for Alcala - he’s been bad as much as good and his control is poor. I found it ironic that he and Topa were acquired in bad trades and we got to see both last night.   Somehow Falvey has constructed a lineup that can’t hit, field or run.  
 

[tony&rodney]

3 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

And what makes 100 pitches the magic number?  It looked like Ryan could have gone 6 and if he struggled they could change during the inning.  All this protecting arms has not worked for him the last two years, so use him while he is healthy.

It seemed like there was some conversation in the dugout and Ryan may have been suggesting he wanted another inning. I couldn't tell (sound off on Twins games for obvious reasons). It is a long season and wear and tear is cumulative to an extent. Nevertheless, the idea that pitchers cannot throw 110+ pitches will get looked at closer eventually. The guys who are max effort flamethrowers are more susceptible to injury in most cases, but teams are protective of their starters. Money (paid in salary or invested in bonuses and time developed) is certainly more important than it was decades ago. Still it seems like communication and observation should overrule magical pitch counts.

[tony&rodney]

5 minutes ago, Linus said:

Somehow Falvey has constructed a lineup that can’t hit, field or run.  

Falvey is likely flummoxed that the team is not hitting. Fielding, base-running, and fundamentals are not points of emphasis in his design; it is a bonus if it happens. The Twins were constructed to hit.

[AceWrigley]

13 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins were constructed to hit.

Somebody ought to tell them that.

[laloesch]

8 hours ago, stringer bell said:

I fear that if López is back soon he’ll be a member of another team by the trade deadline. 

It's probably for the better, they need the talent.  As much as a I hate to see him go he is a big trade chip.  You can't win with your top 2-star players going 0-8.  The top 3 guys in the order (Julien, Buxton and Castro) went 0-12.  Wallner had two hits, but he was followed by Correa who went 0-4 and leads the league in GIDP.  Not an inspiring group to watch.  Buxton is hitting .179, Correa .153, Vazquez .115, Gasper .118.  

 

Absolutely brutal group to watch.  If they continue like this, this team will be completely out of it for the season by mid-May.

[Riverbrian]

3 Hits

There is no doubt that Clay Holmes has a fantastic sinker but... right now with this collective team slump that has lasted one tenth of the season (And multiple tenths of the season at the end of last year).

I can't help but think to myself... Man... it sure seems like every pitcher we face this year are top of the rotation quality. It's quite possible that we are making pitchers look better than they are. 

I keep telling myself... there is a lot of season left to go but... this has gone on way too long.  

It's station to station baseball with nobody getting to a station. 

[Parfigliano]

59 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Arraez may not be hitting his usual .300+ but he's still 100 points higher than Buck or C4. As for defense, the Twins DH spot isn't tied down either or the brainless wizard setting the lineup everyday wouldn't be putting a Mickey Gasper there.

Yes he would.

[DJL44]

6 hours ago, h2oface said:

I agree that Baldelli is continuing to prove his ineptness in many ways, but it was Correa that should have been on second, I believe. He ran out there with Castro. Correa should know that the second baseman is the relay man on and ball to deep right center. Correa was all the way to the first base side of Castro, chosing to back up Castro? for some reason?

I believe the Twins like to use Correa as the cutoff on as many plays as possible to take advantage of his elite arm. The only plays he doesn't cut off are down the lines.

[David Maro]

Don't worry be happy!! Their back to playing bad baseball. The pitchers don't hit and apparently now can't make throws to first. And the 2 big dollar players are hitting like pitchers. And all the folks saying the starters look good,they are toast in 5 innings or less. Ryan was at 40+ pitches after 2 innings and 100 after 5. At this rate they will need to be looking at the waiver wire for BP arms by May 1st.

[Linus]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

Falvey is likely flummoxed that the team is not hitting. Fielding, base-running, and fundamentals are not points of emphasis in his design; it is a bonus if it happens. The Twins were constructed to hit.

No question that one of their organizational principles was valuing the bat above all else which is a mistake in my opinion. Based on recent drafts they might be changing their tune but it’s too little too late for this club.