Twins ALDS Game 2 Recap: Nothing Works, Twins Lose 12th Straight To Yankees

I don't understand this.

You can't go down 0-2. Why do you feel better accepting a loss in game 2 than you do in game 3?

Because I don't like giving up. If I go and lose with my two best pitchers, then I'm screwed at that point. The floodgates are open. At least with Odo going in Game 3, there's hope for a stop. I'm also not altering my approach for the series because something went wrong. That smells of panic. Plus, with Dobnak going in game 2, I have to steal one game. If Odo goes in game 2, I have to steal both. As said elsewhere, they needed game 1. And they needed game 1 regardless of who starts game 2.

 

Odorizzi lives up in the zone, so his game doesn't play as well at Yankee stadium in the first place. I don't have a lot of faith that he fares any better. Dobnak only got tagged for 4 of those runs. Even if Odo goes 8 and gives up the same 4 runs, they still lose because the offense didn't get the job done either. I'm not suggesting that Dobnak pitched well, but they weren't winning that game by only scoring 2 runs. The offense had plenty of time to get back in the game and they didn't.

 

The real problem is that Dobnak has to start in the first place. Games can't really be sacrificed in a five game series. Having him start is reducing the margin for error by quite a bit.

Edited October 6, 2019 by wsnydes

That's not at all what I said.

I was speaking of talent, not performance.

Berrios is a quality starter, but unlike Tanaka, he didn't step up when we needed him.

 

Aside from Dobnak, this series has been a tale of one team's talent stepping up, and one team's talent choking. I don't think the actual talent level is that different between these two teams.

It is in the pitching department, but I think you were absolutely correct in an earlier post about it not being 18-6 different.

 

I do think experience plays into this as well. The Yankees have it, the Twins don't.

 

Yeah, the issue isnt which game Dobnak starts...the issue is that Dobnak starts.

 

And whether ownership gets credit for the goal or the assist.

 

I'm somewhat disappointed with Rocco's Dobnak/Odo decision, but that doesn't diminish my overall impression that he had (yes, I'm using the past tense already) a very good rookie season.

 

If a higher payroll and the front office's use of it lead to stronger pitching, I think RB is a good bet to lead the Twins past their first round futility next season.

Edited October 6, 2019 by LaBombo

 

 

 

If a higher payroll and the front office's use of it lead to stronger pitching, I think RB is a good bet to lead the Twins past their first round futility next season.

 

I agree but they have to take my phone calls and listen. 

After watching the Yankees dismantle us in every aspect of the game, twice, I no longer feel bad. If we had lost two heartbreakers that showed that we can compete with them, I'd be feeling REALLY bad. But the pressure is off now. We are playing with house money and have absolutely nothing to lose....because there is no way we take 3 straight from the Yankees.

 

While our guys from the pitchers to everyone else underperformed, worse than they have in many weeks, all of  the Yankees did their job very methodically and made us look very bad. They play like they have been there before.

 

I wanted to reach thru my TV and wipe that silly smirk off Rosarios's face in the 9th after he waved stupidly at two pitches over his head. He wasn't even trying. If we had someone else to take his place, he would be on the pines Monday.

 

14 k's...led by 4 horrible AB's by Sano. Did anyone keep track of how many of our guys struck out on 3-2 pitches both games? I don't think we got one single baserunner with the full count.

 

Kepler clearly can't bat. He barely swings the bat. He really shouldn't be playing. Arraez, to his credit, came off the deck and got two hits in his final AB's. He too is very hurt but gave it a much better effort than Kepler.

 

When it counted, every one of our pitchers failed. Our hitters demonstrated no plate discipline. They are not in the same league with the Yankees, in post season.

 

If they manage to steal one Monday, I will give them credit for not totally throwing in the towel, like they did last night. They have no pressure on them at all, because at this point even non-baseball fans know they are done. Should we as fans be criticized for pretty much giving up? No, because after those two ugly losses, I think the Twins already have.

 

While everyone failed last night (not counting the relievers who basically were in there after the Yankees knew the game was over) Rosario was for me, the biggest disgrace. He and Puig need to be put in a room and read the riot act on how this game has to be played....no matter what the score.

 

Finally, if the Twins ever DID win the next three, I would rate it as one of the biggest upsets in MLB history.

 

I agree but they have to take my phone calls and listen. 

 

It's the dang twitter, I tells ya... makin' me think 'say it in the fewest possible characters'. Are you okay with being 'Rb' instead of 'RB'?

First off... This ain't over yet. If they win Monday... they play Tuesday... If they win Tuesday... They play Thursday. 

 

13 separate times the Twins have won three games in a row this year. 

 

Lots of talk about a difference in talent. The Yankees won 103 games, the Twins won 101 games. Whatever difference in talent you are all talking about, it amounted to 2 extra wins over the course of 162 games. 

 

Coming back from an 0-2 deficit in a DS has happened before. The Yankees came back against the Indians from 0-2 in 2017. 

 

2015...  The Jays came back from 0-2 against the Rangers... That was the Bautista Bat Flip series. 

 

2012... The Giants almost didn't win one of their World Series because the Reds had them pinned 0-2. 2nd loss of that series for the Giants was a blow out, bigger than what we just experienced. The Reds made a big statement in game two and they made that statement in San Francisco. The Giants had to win 3 in a row in Cincinnati and they did. 

 

Losing the first two games sucks... It eliminates all margin of error and puts our backs firmly against the wall and it decreases our odds of advancing to horrible levels but... what happened yesterday was yesterday.

 

 

You put the uniform on and make some plays. 

 

 

It's the dang twitter, I tells ya... makin' me think 'say it in the fewest possible characters'. Are you okay with being 'Rb' instead of 'RB'?

 

Nope... I get the Capital Letters. 

 

I've been RB in Twins Territory longer than he has. 

I am over the moon happy with Baldelli and I am over the moon happy with Falvey and Lavine BUT...

 

IF ...after two games of do or die playoff baseball. No matter if those games produced wins or losses. 

 

IF... you have stats that look like this. 

 

Stashak 2 Games 1.2 innings

Romo 1 game 0.2 innings

May 1 Game 0.1 innings

Rogers 0 games 0 innings

 

You have a first time manager and a fairly young front office making a significant mistake. 

 

The Twins are the only team in the playoffs utilizing the back end of their bullpen before they utilize the front end of the bullpen. 

 

I'm not saying the results would have been different but when they turned to Stashak with a one run deficit in game one, and did so with all of Romo, May and Rogers available or even letting Duffey throw another inning. They didn't take into account the stark difference between Game one of the ALDS and Game 95 of the regular season. 

 

The only thing I can think of... is that they tried to keep the bullpen fresh in anticipation of game two with Dobnak starting. So they tried to wing and a prayer through game one. Which was still close!  Just to focus on game two instead.  

 

Just a constructive criticism. THROW YOUR BEST ARMS... RIGHT NOW... Don't save them for tomorrow. There may not be a tomorrow as you just learned. Would you rather throw Romo and May with a 1 run deficit or a 7 run deficit.

 

Your save them for tomorrow plan just plain disappeared on you. So you end up choosing Stashak in a one run deficit and Romo and May in a 7 run deficit. 

 

 

last time Twins beat the Yanks 3 straight was back in the 90's (maybe even the late 80's can't remember for sure) according to the guys on FS1. Probably true. Winning 3 straight in the playoffs is a bit harder than doing it in regular season. Yes, it has been done before...but its a very small number compared to all the series that have been played. There are odds, but they are small.

 

Best I can say is that there is no pressure on them now. They should just go out and play the game. Two things though....the pitchers can't walk so many and our hitters, my goodness, have to stop striking out wildly and often. We are seeing them at the very worst right now. And move Rosario down to 8th or 9th in the lineup. Hate his attitude (what he is letting us see)

Twins have no great starters. They had a six percent chance when Gibson came in. That made sense to me. The rest? We can second guess, but there aren't many good choices if you eliminate all but three RPs.....

 

First off... This ain't over yet. If they win Monday... they play Tuesday... If they win Tuesday... They play Thursday. 

 

13 separate times the Twins have won three games in a row this year. 

 

Lots of talk about a difference in talent. The Yankees won 103 games, the Twins won 101 games. Whatever difference in talent you are all talking about, it amounted to 2 extra wins over the course of 162 games. 

 

Coming back from an 0-2 deficit in a DS has happened before. The Yankees came back against the Indians from 0-2 in 2017. 

 

2015...  The Jays came back from 0-2 against the Rangers... That was the Bautista Bat Flip series. 

 

2012... The Giants almost didn't win one of their World Series because the Reds had them pinned 0-2. 2nd loss of that series for the Giants was a blow out, bigger than what we just experienced. The Reds made a big statement in game two and they made that statement in San Francisco. The Giants had to win 3 in a row in Cincinnati and they did. 

 

Losing the first two games sucks... It eliminates all margin of error and puts our backs firmly against the wall and it decreases our odds of advancing to horrible levels but... what happened yesterday was yesterday.

 

 

You put the uniform on and make some plays. 

These are good thought in theory, but it matters how games are lost. The Twins are being overwhelmed in every aspect of the game....and I wouldn't count on the Yankees suddenly losing focus in the playoffs.

Welp....

 

You'd think this year, the script would change, or at least turn a page.

 

Nope. Yet another round of pathetic roll-over-for-the-mighty-Yanks. I can't think of a more appropriate adjective. This is just pathetic.

 

I'm not going to go on a litany, those aspects of mis-management and guys taking a giant step back under the hot lights have already been well-discussed. But count me as one more long-time fan whose head is exploding at Rocco's head-scratching decisions.

 

I'll only go this far: for Dog's sake, Jake O pitched for Tampa. He's been in tight division games in The Stadium countless times. Instead, we get a good story about the Uber-pitcher, and horrid results. Then, of course, to the rescue rides the same guy who struggled to put guys away THE DAY BEFORE. Wha.....?!?!? And we act as though it's a meaningless early-season warm-up series.

 

I gotta say, my impression of Dobnak's outing:

 

 

These are good thought in theory, but it matters how games are lost. The Twins are being overwhelmed in every aspect of the game....and I wouldn't count on the Yankees suddenly losing focus in the playoffs.

 

Not really... What really matters is that all margin of error is now gone. They can't suffer a bloop hit now. 

 

The Reds destroyed, dismantled and out everything'd the Giants in San Francisco in 2012. 

 

The Giants survived it... this can happen again. The odds are against it because all margin of error is now gone... but, It will be a fresh set of zeroes tonight on the scoreboard and what happened on Saturday was yesterday. 

 

Win tonight, You play again on Tuesday... Win Tuesday... You play on again on Friday.

 

It's been done before.