MIN 2, CLE 1: Berrios Stars, LaMarre Plays Hero as Twins Survive 16-Inning Duel

Just got back from watching this at a bar in Santurce.  JJ Barea and Mark Cuban walked by around the 15th inning.  

What a great game. Lucky fans in Puerto Rico.

How long until we say that Berrios is becoming something special? He obviously isn't this good but is a true #2 at minimum?

LaMarre: Still hitting

Morrison: Still not hitting

Great game, stayed up until the end.  

Berrios and bullpen looking good!

LaMarre: Still hitting

Morrison: Still not hitting

LaMarre's gotta get more playing time. All he does is play well when given the opportunity.

Morrison looks fat, out of shape, and completely lost.  I hope the Twins are trying to work out a trade to see if anyone will take him off their hands.  Otherwise just DFA the guy.

Thought Morrison hit a couple hard balls.  Recall one, don't recall the inning, that was a hard line drive to center.  Could just as easily been a double as an out.  Anyway, hitting a couple hard is a start!

And IMO, Berrios is an ACE.  Expect most will agree come the end of 2018.

Could our entire outfield be on the DL in the next couple days?  I assume Buxton's DL stint was back dated to last week Friday.  So he should be able to come off after the TB series.

I'm still adjusting to having a winners mentality.  When Hildy came back out (after some confusion?) I thought, "Oh, this is it.  Bummer."  Wrong was I.  This is fun.  Expecting to win is a lot better than hoping to.

Great game, stayed up until the end.  

Really so did I!

we'll ignore the minor fact I live in CA.

I missed the game. Why was Berrios pulled with only 84 pitches?

The video interview with him above provides some insight.

1. Emotional day, emotional series for Berrios, manager pulled him to take pressure off.

2. Lots of bullpen guys needed work: many hadn't pitched in a week.

3. Berrios said Molitor mentioned this before the game, seemed cool with it.

Glad to see the Twins turn the tables on what ESPN wanted to make the Francisco Lindor show, especially with Berrios and Rosario playing key roles.

Apart from the fake grass, I really like Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Looks cool from the field level.

I went to bed after 15. I think that won it for us.

Butterfly effect, way to go!!

LaMarre's gotta get more playing time. All he does is play well when given the opportunity.

 

Morrison looks fat, out of shape, and completely lost.  I hope the Twins are trying to work out a trade to see if anyone will take him off their hands.  Otherwise just DFA the guy.

You don't DFA a player with trade value. We heard the same nonsense about Gibson and Pelfrey.

Why do you say he obviously isn't this good? He's got great stuff, a great motor and he's young enough to be taking a step. I'm not saying he will stay this good but Berrios always had ace ceiling. He just might be reaching it.

1.63 ERA - 29 K - 1 BB - 27.2 IP - OppBA .155

He isn't this good. Nobody is this good. These are like Pedro Martinez peak numbers.

But I think we can start the conversation that he is a #2 at minimum (with upside for more). Exactly what the Twins have been looking for.

Ryan LaMarre has a 1.000 BABIP that will not stand. Part of that is that he has struck out 5 of his 12 at bats. And he has no extra-base hits. If he had a normal BABIP we'd be calling for him to be cut. He's a nice story but he's not someone who deserves a role any bigger than the one he currently has.

 

Morrison doesn't look good but trying to trade him or DFA him is ridiculous. You couldn't sell any lower. He's only 30 so it's unlikely he's dropped off a cliff. He's got a career 109 OPS+ so he's got a track record of success. He's just in a big slump.

 

I'd like to see the Twins give him the Tampa series (revenge games sometimes shake a guy out of a rut) and, if that doesn't work, sit him for the Yankees series to give him a breather and get out of his head. Logan Morrison will be fine long-term. We just have to be patient. 

 

Robbie Grossman I'm more worried about. 2016 looks more and more like an outlier the further we go into this season. It's looking like the Twins should be thinking about upgrading their 4th OF at the deadline.

I agree with your take on Grossman. That said, who do you think the Twins should replace him with?

1.63 ERA - 29 K - 1 BB - 27.2 IP - OppBA .155

He isn't this good. Nobody is this good. These are like Pedro Martinez peak numbers.

But I think we can start the conversation that he is a #2 at minimum (with upside for more). Exactly what the Twins have been looking for.

Well, right now, he IS this good! Enjoy it!