MIN 6, CHW 4: Twins Slug Four Homers in Victory

It was a weird game, I felt like there was a lot of chances for the Twins to blow it up, but after recent events I was waiting for bad things to happen when they the sox had so many runners on base.

 

Who cares?  Twins win!

Twins starting pitching has seemed to be doing their job, with the exception of Lynn so far and obviously Hughes who appears to be out, but even when they aren't their best they have been seemingly able to hold the team in the games. The bullpen, different story. However, if the Twins bats wake up, and they can get Sano and Buxton back in the everyday lineup I think the twins can definitely come back and compete for something this year. As far as bunting goes, I feel it's a useful tool, but you have to have players that are good at it in order to use it. I mean a ban saw is also a very useful tool, but I wouldn't want someone trying to make **** with it if they never practice with it? You just end up losing some fingers. If I had Rod Carew on my team I would have him bunt into the MLB shifts every single at bat. But he obviously practiced bunting, a lot, and because of it, no team in their right mind would ever dare put a shift on him, which would open up the whole field for him again. The problem is that for the most part not many MLB players practice bunting enough to be able to effectively use that tool. Suicide squeeze plays are a rarity but if you put that play on you need to be 100 percent sure your guy can get that bunt down.

It's always good to win one once in a while.

I'm glad were seeing some changes to the way they do things such as a relatively quick hook out of the rotation for Hughes. That being said the guy is owed a ridiculous amount of money and if they actually did the right thing and cut bait i would be shocked, but super happy. Maybe then Molitor would have another option out of the pen, because yes the way he is riding Pressly is not sustainable. I do understand with the horrible losing how hard it would be not to ride the hot hand when you have a chance at a W

When I look at the bullpen chart I keep seeing Magill and Hughes and then see the large usage at the top.  Can we afford to have two mop up only relievers?

 

I like bunts, I just wish they could work at perfecting them in practice.

 

Now we just need a little streak and the Chisox could be the catapult - lets hope - for a turn around.

 

I would prefer another bat over the extra mop up reliever. Hopefully one of them is removed when Buxton returns

I'm glad about the win, but this victory has the same issue many of the season's early win's had: all the runs are coming on HRs. They need to start hitting with runners on base.

 

When I look at the bullpen chart I keep seeing Magill and Hughes and then see the large usage at the top.  Can we afford to have two mop up only relievers?

 

I like bunts, I just wish they could work at perfecting them in practice.

 

Now we just need a little streak and the Chisox could be the catapult - lets hope - for a turn around. 

 

I agree with everything you say here.

 

Unfortunately, that 10 days of mediocre to bad starts from the rotation put them in this position. When you don't get quality starts it creates a cycle of roster moves like this. I think we're stuck with two mop-up pitchers until an injury or recovery forces another move.

Another cardiac game for the Twins. They have had trouble in every win since the Puerto Rico series.

 

Molitor's decision to leave Berrios in was gutsy, but it paid off this time.

 

I don't think I'm being short sided when I express the concern for the rotation, though. There just hasn't been a lot of clean starts since the Berrios gem in Puerto Rico. I believe that Gibson in NY and Odorizzi vs CIN are the only 2 quality starts we have gotten since that day.

 

Either way, the offense is coming alive, sort of. Still need to see them cash in on RISP opportunities a little more though. Can't be getting complacent with 4 or 5 runs on the board given what's happened with the pitching lately. 

 

Finally, I liked the move to flip Mauer and Dozier in the lineup. I've been saying that Mauer should lead off since 2014. It's amazing that it has taken 4 years for them to figure that out. Also, all the speculation about Dozier's "mental thing" about hitting leadoff should be thrown out the window after almost hitting for the cycle in the #2 hole yesterday.

 

Enjoy this one and let's go get another one tonight agains our old friend Hector Santiago!

Finally, I liked the move to flip Mauer and Dozier in the lineup. I've been saying that Mauer should lead off since 2014. It's amazing that it has taken 4 years for them to figure that out. Also, all the speculation about Dozier's "mental thing" about hitting leadoff should be thrown out the window after almost hitting for the cycle in the #2 hole yesterday

i don't think "figure it out" is the right phrase for it because I would hope they aren't that dumb. We all know Dozier prefers to lead off/bat 1. And I could swear Joe at minimum has said in the past that he prefers to hit third (it was many years ago as he hits two mostly now) or doesn't like to hit lead off but I can't find anything to back that up. I could be misremembering.

 

Anyway, if I'm not wrong, it's more like Molitor is letting a few players control his lineup card over what makes sense. And it wouldn't surprise me if Molitor went with a vets preference over what makes sense. That's Molitor's thing.

Edited May 5, 2018 by Twins33