Aerodeliria

It's getting ugly. Someone said every game is the same game being replayed...maybe not but it sure feels that way.

Hosken Bombo Disco, on 14 Jun 2018 - 1:03 PM, said: Really disappointing response by Molitor. "Had a chance to hold a lead, I get all that, but gotta have more offense." Well, 2-1 games are worth winning, too. Just my opinion. If he wants 7-10 runs every night he should quit and join a softball league. Well said! I've been a big fan of Molitor for a very long time, but he threw the offense under the bus to protect his decision to bring in Reed? It's Reed's job to protect the lead, not give up four runs and expect the offense to score five in the ninth.

Reed continues to get lit up like a cheap cigar. Perhaps he does need some rest. Today again, the ball was placed in Reed's hands to preserve a one-run lead and again, he could not do it. I like Molitor as a coach in general, but his use of the bullpen this year has me flummoxed. Both Belisle and Reed seem to have about the same velocity on their fastballs. (Reed's fastball to Upton in the previous series was clocked at 90 and had little movement, so despite it being on the outside edge of the strike zone, Upton pulled it...and simply crushed it. Maybe this is due to lack of arm rest and his velocity and movement will improve with rest?) And as many have mentioned, he is coming from a Cleveland team who has a horrible pen, so I really cannot see the logic behind this.

It was nice to escape that disastrous 7th inning. It seems like whenever Duke of Earl enters the game everybody starts throwing the ball around (including him). I was so happy MOY didn't opt for Reed to try and save the day. I was calling for Hildenberger (even though my voice can't be heard from this far away).

Thank you! This is very informative.

BTW, speaking of catchers, I notice that there isn't much scuttlebutt about Willians Astudillo. I am wondering why his name hasn't been bandied about on Twins Daily as a possible call-up to the bigs. I am sure someone on this list is more clued-in than I am, but it seems like he has hit fairly consistently at all levels. What's the scoop on him?

I know that the Twins have been hard-pressed to score runs in their losses, but as was mentioned astutely here, the Twins have been abysmal in one-run games. This includes games that they have tied and then given up the winner, and this includes games in which they have taken a tiny lead (usually one run) and proceeded to give it right back. It seems as though the relief pitching performs far better on paper than they do in the actual game. (What I mean by that is the relief pitching tends to be lights out when the Twins are down by a couple or ahead by three or four, but when the game gets tight, they cough up the critical run(s).) The 4-2 loss to the Angels is a case-in-point, and it was especially aggravating to watch (remember, it's only the second game I've been able to watch this year) because Pressly just kept throwing breaking balls and eventually they started mashing them. Someone should have rattled his cage after Maldonado's double, but he continued to rely on the breaking ball despite having the 97+ mph fastball. After Kinsler's two-run homer, he finally "resorted" to throwing four straight fastballs to Trout, who was clearly over-matched. I was baffled and frustrated by that inning to be quite frank. In any case, it summed up the way the Twins have been playing. If I thought they were awful (as I did two years ago), it would be much easier to swallow, but as it seems as if there is potential around every corner, it becomes that much more frustrating. Let's see if we can finally turn the corner... Go Twins!

A couple of comments from the Far East. This was the second game I was able to watch on TV this season, interestingly both were Lynn vs.the Angels. Lynn looked awful the last time he pitched; this time, he was a completely different hombre. He was superb. Pressly may be tired, but what was more disconcerting was his pitch selection. Of the first 18 pitches he threw, I believe that only three were fastballs. Maldonado and Kinsler were both sitting on breaking balls, and each finally, got one they could rip. This visibly upset Pressly and he proceeded to fire four straight fastballs to an overmatched Trout. I don't who is to blame for this (Pressly, Garver, Pitching coaches?), but when a guy can bring heat at 95+, he should be throwing that pitch often. The old tried and true adage applies here: If you're gonna get beat, get beat with your best pitch.

What happened to Aaron Slegers in this scenario? He seems to be the man without any mission now that Hughes is gone...

LaMarre seems to be quite speedy. I imagine he can track down some fly balls, and as was mentioned, he isn't an automatic out, so the pitchers are less likely to pitch around the hitters in front of him. We can't wait forever for BB to vogue Andre Dawson.

Whew! I really thought the Twins needed to take 3 of 4 from the Indians to have a sense that they can battle for the division...I wasn't optimistic after the Thursday's tilt. Rosario was on fire this weekend, but perhaps what is more encouraging is that Dozier has started swinging the bat a lot better. (BTW, I love the batting order!) The bats seem to be slowly coming to life. (It is also true that the vaunted Indians bullpen appears to be less vaunted and more haunted than last year's version.) Can anyone tell me why Gibson was pulled? Was he tiring or injured? The box score, of course, provides no clarity, but it seems as if he was cruising along and suddenly, he was yanked with two outs in the 6th. Just thinking out here: Reed and Pressly may need some rest. Reed seems unable to pitch a scoreless inning in recent outings and Pressly has struggled a bit as well. I was surprised that Magill wasn't used in that situation considering he has had the most rest of relief corps. Thanks Twins Daily for keeping us on our toes regarding all things Twins!

Maybe this will be the wake-up call for Minnesota bats. 12 hits must have seemed like baseballs raining from heaven. BTW, what's the deal with throws to first by "Z" Duke? That's the second time he's thrown the ball away on an infield play. As I am sure some of you were able to watch the game, I am curious as to how 'bad' the throw really was.

Thanks Tom! I've certainly been enjoying reading your posts. The flavor added to the wrap-ups is the icing on cake.

It's a great win for the Twins, especially after the overrule nonsense on Kepler's scoring play. I can't guess how they overturn that play. It's supposed be incontrovertible proof of a mistake, isn't it? That was laughable only because the Twins won. Tomorrow, it's Lynn. Hold on to your hats boys and girls.

As I mentioned previously, the only game I had a chance to watch this year with 'Your Minnesota Twins' was Lynn's start against the Angels. I say the following with a big grain of salt and I'm certainly no pitching coach, but his delivery looked funky. His pitches out of the strike zone don't even look like they are going to be strikes from the moment the ball leaves his hand--especially to right-handed hitters. As a consequence, nobody waved at any outside pitch the whole night. It was really frustrating watching him pitch (to be honest)...maybe they're sticking with Lynn until Santana is back (???), but Slegers would be an upgrade in the meantime, IMHO. Personally, I think Lynn may have something left in the tank, but a work-in-progress at the MLB level is reflected in losses. Maybe we could send him down for a bit to work out his issues (if he would go willingly is the question, I suppose)? It seemed to do wonders for Gibson last year...

I thought even from last year Buxton ought be laying down bunts...often. I was reminiscing that 3-0 lead against the Yankees in last year's one-time playoff thinking...man he could have bunted for a hit (and a 4-0 lead) instead of the whiff. With his speed, it would cause all kinds of problems for defenses and he'd end up with more hits when swinging away as well (because the corners would have to start playing in tight so ground balls would be getting through at a higher clip).

He had the funniest color commentary I've ever heard. A friend and I were watching a game where he was the color man. I think the Twins were in the field and someone hit a chopper between third and short and it managed to get through for a single. Frank Quilici said, "There's a seeing-eye dog into left field." I think he wanted to say something like, "That ball had eyes," or "That's a seeing-eye ground ball into left field." Anyway, my friend and I were rolling on the floor. It's a good memory.