NYY 2, MIN 1: Garcia, Yankees Bullpen Dominate Twins

Last pitch by Chapman 104 mph.  What the...?    CC tomorrow is going to look like soft toss compared to this guy.

Last pitch by Chapman 104 mph.  What the...?    CC tomorrow is going to look like soft toss compared to this guy.

I chalk up 104 to another Juiced Ball era.

Guy asked me in another thread after I wrote, "Twins need to play well" to win in the playoffs, what the hell that meant.

 

I offer tonight's game as an example.

 

1.  Don't swing at pitches out of the zone.

2.  Advance runners and build innings by getting key hits.

3.  Make good pitches when you have to.

4.  Don't let runners advance through poor fielding plays, including pitches.

5.  Make good defensive plays, including good throws to bases.

6.  Run the bases aggressively and don't give outs away.

 

Not analytics exactly, not stat-cast exactly, but pretty much the deciding factors when you add them all up.

 

And, in those areas and others, Twins just didn't play well.

 

Even if Mauer hits a flyball, they likely lose the game in an inning or two.

 

Let's say Garcia threw around 90 pitches. I see two called strikes off the corner, and one that clipped the corner. I see one strike called a ball. During the GT there were a few comments about the very large strike zone employed last night? Not as large as advertised? The difference in the game was Chapman. His stuff is ridiculous. A question on the "win probability"? Does that drop in percentage soley relate to the chance to win? Or the chance to tie? Or both. There's an old baseball axiom, play to win on the road and tie at home. We played to tie.

Does this game mean we can stop talking about Garcia's win in Oakland? He's done the team as much harm as good this year.

 

I'm not crying over the Granite bunt...but I didn't like it. You've got 9 outs left and a pitcher who has a hard time finding the strike zone. Don't give away one of those outs. (Plus, it would have been a cool story if Granite had gotten a big hit in New York. I liked his chances, with his short, choppy swing, and motivations...and the infield drawn in.)

I'm surprised no none is crying about the Granite bunt in the 8th inning (though in his defense, the call was defensible)...

 

I'm your huckleberry. I am not a proponent of giving away 1 of your 6 remaining outs in the interest of, if all the stars align, tying the game. I'd be much more open to that line of thinking as the home team, in which case you'd have the same amount of outs left as your opponent after tying the game.

 

I believe Betances threw 6 strikes on 17 pitches before exiting with the bases loaded. The one out he got was handed to him with a bunt.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Doubles

Should have pinch ran Granite, get the steal. (There's your sac bunt).

 

Glad to see the young bullpen not wilt under the pressure. Best part of the game.

I was longing for Josh Willingham to pinch hit last night, fondly remembering that bomb he hit off of Chapman several years ago in Cincinnati.

 

 

Think of it this way:  If the roles were reversed and the Twins allowed a lead-off batter to get on in the top of the 8th with a one-run lead, I'd be plenty happy to be handed the first out of the inning in exchange for giving the runner 2nd base.  Even if they score that run before we record two more outs, the game is only tied, and we live to fight another inning.  And we have 6 remaining outs to use, they'd only have 3.

At least they pitched well.

Thanks.

I don't have the time right now to peruse the whole thing, but I would like to say this: I don't expect any manager to be able to delve completely into all the stats involving all the scenarios between every pitch or batter. But I would expect a manager to show some semblance of recognition of score, pitcher, situation, game location, BP, etc. Not just simply bunt endlessly. Given a late opportunity however slight against a dominant pen, to get ahead, you better go for the kill. The future in the 8th and 9th innings (Chapman) ain't bright! Add your own pens likely inability to hold the other team in check, and it's actually dismal.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Platoon

One thing I like about Target Field:  No cheap homers.  Gotta hit it to git it.  Not at all a fan of short fences & tons of dingers.

 

Teams bunt 98% of the time in that situation, even the analytical teams would bunt in that situation with a weak-hitting catcher at bat (I know they pinch hit for him with a good bunter). 

I would be very surprised if the actual percentage was anywhere near that high.  Would also be surprised if road teams would bunt in that spot nearly as often as home teams.  There's gotta be data on that split somewhere.