Royals 3, Twins 2: Late-Inning Momentum Swings and a Costly Mistake Decide the Game

[mrguy]

10 hours ago, DocBauer said:

On Tnursday, why in the world was one of our 2 best bullpen arms used as the opener? We might have won that game if Morris has been available in his now normal role as a late inning arm instead of using the recently added, and often wild Lawrence. That might have also allowed Morris to still be available for the 9th instead or Orze.

To be fair on this one, I don't think they expected Morris would throw 48 pitches through 2 innings. Lots of things went wrong in those 2 innings that led to his opening stint going on longer than they probably planned

[Saxophone Joe]

Beyond the 5-10 record in one run games, how many games have we lost with either a lead/tie game going into the 8th? Thinking of late losses against TB, Cincy, Seattle, etc. I know we’ve pulled out some Ws that easily could’ve been losses, but we coulda (shoulda woulda) have like 40 wins right now. At least 35. So it goes…

[shimrod]

9 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Kreidler for one was screaming "I got it" all the way. It is really clear, actually definitive on the replays

Drowned out by the screaming of that massive crowd? 

[David Maro]

Shelton told us everything we need to know about this team the other day. He said Buxton is the CFer and all other positions are interchangeable. How is the team defense going to improve if you come to the stadium not knowing what position you will be playing that day. Playing a game without a error has become a luxury for this team. 

And yesterday DFAing Outman for Lewis almost cost them big time. With Buxton sore from hitting the wall Larnach and Kreidler both could have joined him on the bench. This team is looking like a real clown show. The only thing missing is the tiny car for them to climb out of at the start of the game.

[JD-TWINS]

14 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

Twins have scored 2 runs or less 19 times this season (29% of the time) and are 1-18 in those games. 

EXACTLY!

4 hits in a MLB game isn’t getting a Team a Win!! …….. one was a pinch hit HR.

Orze screwed up - Kreidler is tentative on balls in the air in CF and at SS but aggressively swings on first pitch when guy on mound is struggling to throw strikes (???) back to mound, double play - couple other team defensive issues that didn’t give up runs.

Can’t s SCORE/HIT - can’t win!

[rv78]

Another game showing the ineptness of the way this team was put together, managed and played. The has-beens on this team are on Falvey. Outman is gone... big deal. he shouldn't have been here in the first place. The list is long. Just one of many that don't belong on a major league roster.

Expecting most everyone to be able to play anywhere is poor managing. Put the player where he plays best and leave him there. Period. It's not rocket science or brain surgery, which is what you need if you think all players are interchangeable. Lewis is athletic but his playing time at 2nd base is basically zero. Is the majors really a good place to learn a position? More stupidity.

Everyone knows the centerfielder is in charge. As a corner outfielder (Larnach) you yield to the CFer. It's basic fundamental baseball. It's as basic as throwing to the correct base which Orze failed at. You can't hide poor defensive play, especially when it is mental mistakes. Poor play isn't just the players fault, it also falls on the Manager and is a direct reflection on how he expects his players to play. So far, I haven't seen any difference between Shelton and Rocco.

[Vanimal46]

18 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Expecting most everyone to be able to play anywhere is poor managing. Put the player where he plays best and leave him there. Period. It's not rocket science or brain surgery,

And what does that look like with this current roster?

[USAFChief]

14 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

Twins have scored 2 runs or less 19 times this season (29% of the time) and are 1-18 in those games. 

Someone down voted this...I'm curious why.

 

[karcherd]

30 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

And what does that look like with this current roster?

You can always change the roster if you don't have a player to fill a certain position.  Personally I think it should be Lewis, Culpepper and Keaschall from third to second.  Lee should be the one moving around, he has the experience at the infield positions.  And there is no reason there isn't enough AB's for everyone.  Either call up Sabato or roll with Clemens at 1B.  Bell's AB's get reduced so Lewis and Keaschall can DH when Lee plays 2nd or 3rd.

[Vanimal46]

4 minutes ago, karcherd said:

You can always change the roster if you don't have a player to fill a certain position.  Personally I think it should be Lewis, Culpepper and Keaschall from third to second.  Lee should be the one moving around, he has the experience at the infield positions.  And there is no reason there isn't enough AB's for everyone.  Either call up Sabato or roll with Clemens at 1B.  Bell's AB's get reduced so Lewis and Keaschall can DH when Lee plays 2nd or 3rd.

Shelton doesn’t make the roster decisions. Your lineup includes Culpepper who’s not on the 40 man or 26 man roster. 

You’re Derek Shelton today needing to fill out a lineup moving forward where no one moves around. What does that look like with this current roster? The previous poster I replied to said it’s not rocket science or brain surgery…

[karcherd]

Just now, Vanimal46 said:

Shelton doesn’t make the roster decisions. Your lineup includes Culpepper who’s not on the 40 man or 26 man roster. 

You’re Derek Shelton today needing to fill out a lineup moving forward where no one moves around. What does that look like with this current roster? The previous poster I replied to said it’s not rocket science or brain surgery…

Insert Arcia at SS with current roster and Clemens at 1B.

[SarasotaBill]

It made absolutely no sense to pitch to Witt with a runner on 2nd and two outs in the ninth. The batter on deck is hitting 0.210.

What is Shelton and his bench coach thinking about?

[Saxophone Joe]

I remember Cory Provus describing Josh Bell on Opening Day, saying he doesn't strike out much. Um, yeah....I'm rooting for this dude (like I am all the others!) and thought he was fitting in well to start the season. But since the Boston series in April at TF, dang...rough. Definitely been a huge disappointment. 

[terrydactyls]

This is a "playing a new position" story.  

I had been playing goalie for about 30 years when I had my first shoulder surgery.  During rehab. I decided that, at least for a while, I should move to defense.  And what I remember about the first four or five games is how many times when the puck was heading towards the opponent's goal, I just stood there and watched.  Once, I even leaned against the net and started talking to our goalie before realizing that I wasn't the goalie anymore.  Changing positions involves repetition to make your actions natural instead of an afterthought.

[Vanimal46]

36 minutes ago, karcherd said:

Insert Arcia at SS with current roster and Clemens at 1B.

Then you’ll be feeling the wrath of TD not looking toward the future 😆

Just trying to illustrate the real problem here… lack of talent. What’s Shelton supposed to do with one actual building block in Buxton and a cast of misfits and role players?

[karcherd]

4 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Then you’ll be feeling the wrath of TD not looking toward the future 😆

Just trying to illustrate the real problem here… lack of talent. What’s Shelton supposed to do with one actual building block in Buxton and a cast of misfits and role players?

With the current roster, this is the best configuration but as I said originally the roster needs to be changed up.  This roster is not going to win consistently, some of the AAAA players and aging vets will have their moments but they can't do it on a consistent basis.  To me if we are going to see players struggle, I would rather it be the younger players and hope they are learning from it.  And if you determine they are not major league players you know what holes to fill in the offseason.

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Then you’ll be feeling the wrath of TD not looking toward the future 😆

Just trying to illustrate the real problem here… lack of talent. What’s Shelton supposed to do with one actual building block in Buxton and a cast of misfits and role players?

With Outman gone & Jeffers healthy ……. Gonzales or Rodriguez in the Show, the offense would be serviceable. Bad news is w/o a real SS they are piecing Gray - Arcia - Kreidler together and rationalizing Kreidler as a back-up OF option. Buxton’s health is now a problem for his playing time and will always be an issue here and there. They need his production, or similar, with their depth. Basically they are 2 guys short of having a respectable 13- man.

I’d like to see Gonzales get Kreidler’s roster spot soon!

[USAFChief]

3 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

 Basically they are 2 guys short of having a respectable 13- man.

Maybe if those two are Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.

Otherwise, no.

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Maybe if those two are Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.

Otherwise, no.

Truth. There are literally zero guys in tonight's lineup we are sure are MLB players, and several we know are not. 

[ashbury]

15 hours ago, howeda7 said:

And it's time to pick a closer, which should probably be Gomez. 

Be careful what you wish for.  He's put up good stats since he's been here but built on a foundation of .207 BABIP.  Increase the BABIP by 50% to a more normal proportion, watch the OPS-against increase by 50% as a consequence, and watch the success turn into more mediocrity for this bullpen.

Or maybe he could, you know, continue to defy the odds.  The present high strikeout rate does suggest he's less susceptible to BABIP fluctuations.  Can he keep that up?  His time at Tampa Bay doesn't suggest so.