Make It Official! Twins 3, Cubs 0: David Festa Makes His Case for the Rotation

I have to say, I’m impressed with how they’ve responded.  I’ll start to gain some optimism if they can take another game in Chicago.  But, obviously, the series after is going to tell us a lot and they still have a difficult schedule coming up.  A couple bad series still could have them on the outside looking in.  A lot of work to do, and it remains to be seen whether the baseball they’ve been playing will get them very far against good teams that can score runs.  I’m not taking anything away from the White Sox series in terms of encouragement.  They are an absolute dumpster fire.  Going back to the beginning of June, the Twins are roughly 5 games under .500 against teams with a record .500 or better (quick math, may be off slightly).

The Cleveland and KC series are basically the playoffs, and the atmosphere should reflect that.  Absolutely have to win at least 4 of the 7 to stay afloat. Should be a lot of fun to watch.  If they don’t make any hay in those series, following up with road series against Texas and SD, then at home against STL, Atlanta and Toronto, then again road series against Tampa and KC are going to be very difficult to make up significant ground.  A lot of talented teams getting to the point of desperation throughout the remainder of the schedule.

They control their own destiny and will get tested in playoff-like environments.  Can’t ask for a more eventful stretch run as a spectator.  

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

One thing I found odd: top 9, Twins lead 2-0. Twins put runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs. Cubs play infield halfway in, closer to double play depth than in...Jeffers hits a sharp ground ball to short. They elect to turn two, granting the Twins a 3rd run.

Why would they do that? I think you HAVE to play to prevent that run from scoring.

Odd.

Probably some analytics sheet that said they have a better chance of winning by allowing the run and turning two

Shota started off crazy good, but he has had a bit more up and down since his last May start.  He has either been pretty good, or very bad. Hopefully he is the very bad version. 

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

I will point out that $700k is minimum wage in MLB.

Isn't it actually $740k?  Or is it $720k?

Add me to those who were impressed with Festa's outing.  Could he be this good?

Larnach gets completely ripped for his baserunning blunder, but he should be praised for probably the best PA against Hendricks on the evening.  I'm not old enough for Dan Ford or even Bombo Rivera, but I have seen Eddie Rosario (who I will mostly remember fondly).  Larnach wasn't the first and won't be the last to lose track of the count or outs and look silly doing so.  

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

One thing I found odd: top 9, Twins lead 2-0. Twins put runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs. Cubs play infield halfway in, closer to double play depth than in...Jeffers hits a sharp ground ball to short. They elect to turn two, granting the Twins a 3rd run.

Why would they do that? I think you HAVE to play to prevent that run from scoring.

Odd.

I noticed that as well. Very strange.

41 minutes ago, CCHOF5yearstoolate said:

Take your pick lol

Puig, Milton Bradley, Larry Walker, Acuna

Nice links!

Would have expected nothing less from Puig or Bradley, but Walker and Acuna show that anyone can do something dumb.

Vogelbach looks extra fluffy in that Acuna video.

The Bradley video has a fan that would have probably "lost it" on Cubs Daily, if it existed at the time.

2 hours ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

I'll take it easy on Larnach.  Stuff happens and nobody is perfect.  BTW... I missed that play but why did Watkins send him if he was out by so much?

Also, it brought back a memory of an outfielder (not a Twin) who as I recall flipped the ball to a fan in the outfield stands after the second out thinking that it was the third out.  Again, nobody is perfect.  Anybody remember this play and recall the player that I am referring to?

It was pretty darn close, and Larnach almost made a great slide and put his hand over the tag. The play was a pretty basic deep fly bar, but both the outfielders lost the ball (CF actually ducked and covered his head) and it took two really good relay throws just to make it close. I am not going to rip Larnach too much, besides it was a bone head play,  99.9% of the time that ball is caught.

Definitely room for improvement. Winning is always a good thing. Just need to continue to make baby steps getting better, more consistent, etc. The August schedule going forward looks challenging. Looking forward to the return of Correa. Need him.

I wanna call David Festa, "Elbows." He's so rangy and gangly, seems like his elbows stick out half a foot farther than average. When he pulls his hands in, he looks like a preying mantis. Elbows, knees, pointy shoes...How does he make a baseball go anywhere?? And yet, seems he does it with little problem. All those angles turn into pitches pretty much where he wants, plenty fast, spinning about right, etc. Gangly angles, lanky limbs and all, David Festa is getting it done. 

1 minute ago, Craig Arko said:

Young Bert Blyleven was like that. Except with the tongue stuck out.

My god, you're right. 19 year old Bert was a gangly young man, all elbows and knees. What a curveball...I think he got about 19 whiffs on curves in his first game. Maybe Bert can give Festa a few tips... ;-)

@USAFChief what part do you disagree with?

https://sports.yahoo.com/cubs-nab-trevor-larnach-home-004755855.html

5 hours ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

I'll take it easy on Larnach.  Stuff happens and nobody is perfect.  BTW... I missed that play but why did Watkins send him if he was out by so much?

Also, it brought back a memory of an outfielder (not a Twin) who as I recall flipped the ball to a fan in the outfield stands after the second out thinking that it was the third out.  Again, nobody is perfect.  Anybody remember this play and recall the player that I am referring to?

Milton Bradley  playing for the cubs ...

The twins were play in Wrigley  when that happened  ...

I remember it well ..

3 hours ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

It was pretty darn close, and Larnach almost made a great slide and put his hand over the tag. The play was a pretty basic deep fly bar, but both the outfielders lost the ball (CF actually ducked and covered his head) and it took two really good relay throws just to make it close. I am not going to rip Larnach too much, besides it was a bone head play,  99.9% of the time that ball is caught.

as Hawk noted on the broadcast, it's probably the first time that's ever happened to Larnach...and will never happen again.

It wasn't good, but I'm also pretty sure he was extremely embarrassed and mad at himself over it. If he makes that kind of a baserunning botch again, then we can get mad at him. This one you can laugh it off. ("Nice baserunning, Trev: don't ever effing do it again.")

33 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

Well I guess we could have him shot, if you think that will help.

Maybe drawn and quartered?

3 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

Young Bert Blyleven was like that. Except with the tongue stuck out.

And his middle finger.