OAK 6, MIN 2: Austin Goes Deep Twice in Loss

First news - we lost again.  

Okay now that that fact is on the table, Austin really gave us a treat.  He is driving the ball like Sano, but he has so much more awareness of the strikezone (I know he still strikes out a lot) and I hope he moight motivate Sano who should be challenged by him.

Berrios struggled, the BP blew it.  

Next is Cleveland.  Glad to have some positive story lines to follow besides the fact that we are one loss from 70.  

"Austin powers"...somebody is stealing my material.

There is nothing you can do about it. Mike Myers steals material all the time. 

Tyler Austin has 6 HR and a Slugging Percentage around .700 in 13 games with the Twins. I'm not going to overreact to this hot streak and put him in the Hall of Fame, but he should, at least, fend off Logan Morrison for 2019.

 

One could make a case for a Morrison/Austin platoon at DH/1B rotating with Mauer (should he return) but having 3 first baseman is a little redundant.

 

Especially given what Austin has done so far, it's increasingly harder to imagine a scenario that includes Logan Morrison in 2019.

If Morrison is back in 2019... we will never win a World Series ever. And I mean ever. 

The first home run was extremely impressive because of distance but that pitch was pretty much dead center. 

His 2nd home run was actually more impressive in my opinion. That pitch was outside corner on the black and he still cleared the RF fence.  

Sitting Austin against the Right Handers Kopech and Cahill in some sort of platoon with Grossman is looking pretty questionable right about now. 

MLB leaders in HR% (min. 175 PAs)

 

7.9% Tyler Austin

7.8% Max Muncy

7.4% Khris Davis

7.1% J.D. Martinez

6.9% Joey Gallo

And of course my point is going to be?

Who are Tyler Austin and Max Muncy?

If Morrison is back in 2019... we will never win a World Series ever. And I mean ever. 

I'd argue that they still need a DH in 2019 (though I don't think Morrison is the right answer there)

"You can't do anything about it. That's the unfortunate part. His (Berrios) day comes up, and that's the one day where he's not feeling his normal self. It happened to be a day game, too, which has been a little bit of a stickler for him. We're not sure what the solution there is, if there's really something there to address. You just try to find a way to come back and split the series, and knowing that he's not at his best puts you at a disadvantage." -- Molitor on Berrios, who is 8-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 14 night starts but is 3-7 with a 4.94 ERA in 13 day games.

Can't do anything about it? Really. The guy is sick, and he sucks in day games, relatively. How about giving him the day off and pitching someone else, or making is a bullpen day? Sure you can do something about it..... if you are the manager.....

Hey, I don't really care, but I just don't buy, "you can't do anything about it." I mean, it's not like we are in a pennant race.