Diamondbacks 9, Twins 5: Blunders and Mishaps in the Desert

[DJL44]

56 minutes ago, jaimedude said:

Apple TV guys highlighted Twins bullpen ERA and being 30th ranked bullpen in MLB and doing almost nothing to address in offseason. Not sure if this is true or not, but they also said of the Twins losses this season including last night the Twins have 23 losses this season where in the 8th inning they either lead by 1 run or were down 1 run or tied. That is a direct correlation of the bullpen decisions made by front office and field staff. Being dead last in baseball in bullpen ERA shows the Twins are not putting their best foot forward on bullpen pitching or defense. Last trade deadline was a big FU to the fans by Pohlad ownership for attendance, especially the Varland trade. 

Last year’s trade deadline was absolutely necessary. Nobody forced the Twins to spend their offseason adding relievers nobody else wanted. They could have easily bid on some pitchers who had other options. 
Another reason why they rank so low in bullpen ERA is their defense. Combine relievers with low strikeout rates and an inadequate defense and bad results are expected.

[David Maro]

You gut the BP in 25 and only have 2 arms left with 1 in St Paul and 1 on the IL. Then have a infield still in flux after 80 games is a problem. 

The situation with Buxton not running the hit out is a problem in itself with the hitters all standing at home watching the ball. This should be a film that all managers show to their teams. I get tired of seeing the players not running out hits.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

What playing time has Fedko earned?

At least as much as James Outman was given.. which is I guess about what Fedko has seen. Martin has been the missing guy most often lately, but his bat dictates it. Retrospectively PHing Fedko instead of Martin last night would have been my choice. Austin's bat lately is right about where Royce's was before his demotion. I feel Roden is imminent, Clemens can cover 2nd, Bell 1st on days when Royce, Lee or Keaschall need a day off. Oh and Kriedler as SS until Culpeper arrives, yes please.

 

[Patzky]

10 hours ago, jaimedude said:

100% agree that Gray needs to go, but a demotion for Luke Keaschall should happen first as an order of business. He needs to focus on fielding and throwing, then come back in 2 to 3 weeks after refining his defense. 

Is his defense refinable or is this who he is? Sadly or happily, you can't sit Josh Bell at DH at this time.

[Patzky]

6 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Last year’s trade deadline was absolutely necessary. Nobody forced the Twins to spend their offseason adding relievers nobody else wanted. They could have easily bid on some pitchers who had other options. 
Another reason why they rank so low in bullpen ERA is their defense. Combine relievers with low strikeout rates and an inadequate defense and bad results are expected.

It got tiresome hearing about how horrible Prielipp was last night, when any pitcher put in that situation would give up runs. Seriously, at worst your crappy play behind him is wearing out a young arm whose usage we are supposed to be 'monitoring', and at best we are simply 'discouraging' him.

[karcherd]

2 hours ago, DJL44 said:

What playing time has Fedko earned?

How can he earn it if he doesn't play.  I would think it was earned based on his play in AAA.  That's why he was called up.

[Andy MacPhail]

We should have won this game, like many other games we've played. A team is as strong as their weakest link. The BP is our weakest link. Because of this, our rotation is left in too long. They tire & lose their edge, runners get on base & score,  RPs come in with runners on base, we don't have high leverage RPs to put out the fire, so the game implodes, the momentum changes & INF defense falls apart. We lose our lead & game.

I understand that trades that should've been made in the offseason is more difficult during the season. We can be very competitive once we get high-leverage RPs, until the GM makes it happen, Until then, we have to suffer through these games.

 

[Elliot]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

These two seem like comments from a month ago.

1) Larnach & Wallner battling for the DH spot seems to have been settled for the foreseeable future……Bell at DH & Larnach in LF v. RH pitching & Wallner in AAA.

2) Martin was hitting .388 4-5 weeks ago - now he’s around .240 …,…. not exactly flourishing with more opportunities.

If the three young outfielders (Jenkins, Rodreguez, Roden) were on the roster:

1) Neither Larnach or Wallner would be playing OF on a regular basis. Wallner will return to the majors, either with the Twins or another team.  Bell is not a longterm part of the team and could easilly be flipped or DFA'd. The point being that deficiecnt defensive options would not be being forced into regular OF duty, but instead fighting for DH AB's.

2) Martin would have remained in the utility role in which he was flourisihing. That is not saying he would not have gone into a slump, but his downturn did closely coincide with the move to a fulltime role.

[D.C Twins]

I think Prielipp ultimately ends up as a great high leverage bullpen arm (which is fantastic!)

I hope that I'm wrong and he ends up as a SP3 or better, but I strongly suspect the former. 

[h2oface]

I know it’s not fair, but every time I see Prielipp (#48, 2022), I think of The Miz (#63). And Misiorowski wasn’t out of all of 2022 and most of 2021, A lot of GMs missed that one, some more than once and twice. Maybe Conner will get there……

[h2oface]

2 hours ago, karcherd said:

How can he earn it if he doesn't play.  I would think it was earned based on his play in AAA.  That's why he was called up.

Carson “McCrusher” McCusker called from Japan and says “good luck”.

[karcherd]

18 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Carson “McCrusher” McCusker called from Japan and says “good luck”.

Then don't call him up, it's really not that difficult.  Maybe he is a McCusker or maybe he can be a productive player and carve out a role. But you won't know if you don't play him.

[JD-TWINS]

3 hours ago, Patzky said:

It got tiresome hearing about how horrible Prielipp was last night, when any pitcher put in that situation in would give up runs. Seriously, at worst your crappy play behind him is wearing out a young arm whose usage we are supposed to be 'monitoring', and at best we are simply 'discouraging' him.

I understand your sentiment but I gotta say, he’s a 25 year old making $750K as a MLB pitcher……. when you continually get behind hitters and then throw center cut pitches in hitter’s counts, you’ll get criticized, no matter who you are. ……The issue last night was the Defense gave D-Backs extra outs at least 2 probably 3 times…… can’t beat anyone doing that!! …..makes it harder, particularly for a young pitcher.

[JD-TWINS]

MLB average slash line for TEAMS:

.243/.314/.390

 

TWINS Slash Line:

243/.320/.408

 

Abel - Rojas - Ober back & this Team can win some games!

[stringer bell]

It took him 24 games, but Tristan Gray has surpassed Brooks Lee as having the worst Defensive Runs Saved in MLB. Gray is okay at third and second (and probably first), but he shouldn't be playing shortstop. Right now, despite his MLB hitting history, Ryan Kreidler should be playing shortstop for the Twins.

[stringer bell]

Speaking of fairness--life and major league opportunities are not fair. Guys with high velocity on their fastballs seem to get infinite opportunities, while the Randy Dobnaks of the world get considerably less. Right handed hitting corner outfielders get less chances than toolsy middle infielders. Left handed pitchers will be tried time and again. 

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

Gray is awful. Ive been saying for weeks they need to leave Kriedler at SS, simply for his glove. Anything from the bat will be a bonus. 

Same with Keaschall. As has been stated, love the energy, but his glove and arm are so bad. Lewis looks good at 1B, but can he also look good at 2B? Maybe swap those 2? I really dont know. I think his bat will come around. Can Keaschall handle 1B? Will his bat play at 1B? It seems the team wont send him down for some reason. My answer would be to put Clemens at 2B and move Keaschall to utility. With Clemens at 2B and Kriedler at SS, the defense would be much much better and the offense would actually improve. 

[DJL44]

14 minutes ago, soyouresayingtheresachance said:

Gray is awful. Ive been saying for weeks they need to leave Kriedler at SS, simply for his glove. Anything from the bat will be a bonus. 

Same with Keaschall. As has been stated, love the energy, but his glove and arm are so bad. Lewis looks good at 1B, but can he also look good at 2B? Maybe swap those 2? I really dont know. I think his bat will come around. Can Keaschall handle 1B? Will his bat play at 1B? It seems the team wont send him down for some reason. My answer would be to put Clemens at 2B and move Keaschall to utility. With Clemens at 2B and Kriedler at SS, the defense would be much much better and the offense would actually improve. 

I like it, except Keaschall can’t be a utility guy since he can’t play defense. He could move to LF with Larnach in RF (or traded).

[mikelink45]

7 hours ago, DJL44 said:

What playing time has Fedko earned?

You can't earn playing time if you're not given playing time to prove what you're worth

[Patzky]

4 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

I think Prielipp ultimately ends up as a great high leverage bullpen arm (which is fantastic!)

I hope that I'm wrong and he ends up as a SP3 or better, but I strongly suspect the former. 

I guess a lot of that depends if Pablo, Ryan, Ober are still around next summer 

[Sjoski]

7 hours ago, jaimedude said:

Last trade deadline was a big FU to the fans by Pohlad ownership for attendance, especially the Varland trade. 

Varland is head to the All-Star game...a nice nod after pitching in the World Series.  He may even challenge Zack Britton (2016, Orioles): 0.54 ERA....the lowest era for a reliever in modern MLB history. 

Jay's love doing business with the Twins. 

 

[JD-TWINS]

19 minutes ago, Sjoski said:

Varland is head to the All-Star game...a nice nod after pitching in the World Series.  He may even challenge Zack Britton (2016, Orioles): 0.54 ERA....the lowest era for a reliever in modern MLB history. 

Jay's love doing business with the Twins. 

 

Louie had a 4.94 ERA for the Jays last year in 23 appearances……at age 27. I’m glad he’s having success! ……(in his age 28 season)

Kendry Rojas is 23 ….. Louie had 1 pitch at age 23……fastball or bust, in the Minor Leagues.

I realize Louie is a Minnesota kid but Rojas has the opportunity to do a lot of good over the next 5 years after 2026……..at which time he’ll be 28.

The Twins did just fine in the Varland trade. Not popular - I didn’t get it last July! After seeing Rojas pitch and the potential for Roden to be playable as a throw in piece - low % potential but possible……the Twins certainly got equal value & Rojas brings big upside potential.

 

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, Sjoski said:

Varland is head to the All-Star game...a nice nod after pitching in the World Series.  He may even challenge Zack Britton (2016, Orioles): 0.54 ERA....the lowest era for a reliever in modern MLB history. 

Jay's love doing business with the Twins. 

 

It's not lost on me that the first Falvine-drafted player to make an All-Star game will be Varland, the very year after they traded him. Whoops!

[tony&rodney]

57 minutes ago, Danchat said:

It's not lost on me that the first Falvine-drafted player to make an All-Star game will be Varland, the very year after they traded him. Whoops!

Isn't that something. 

While writers, some quite popular, were spending every day slamming the Pohlads and creating a crusade against the owners, Falvey directed an organization with the largest budget in the AL Central during his time leading the club with mostly substandard decisions. 

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

I like it, except Keaschall can’t be a utility guy since he can’t play defense. He could move to LF with Larnach in RF (or traded).

Well what I'd really like is for the team send him to AAA to work on defense, but i really doubt they would, which is why I said utility. But yeah he is not good on defense. 

[Wedman13]

9 hours ago, karcherd said:

Then don't call him up, it's really not that difficult.  Maybe he is a McCusker or maybe he can be a productive player and carve out a role. But you won't know if you don't play him.

My guess is he'd rather travel MLB style and be able to tell his kids he's made it.    I mean zero sarcasm... it's awesome and each of us would pray for it.  But he has a McCuscker/Outman chance.  It's hard.  Play every 5th day, maybe, and if you fail ur done.  The cool part is, as a low round pick the dude fought his way onto a big league roster.  Pretty awesome