insagt1

ok--Rogers did his job...incredibly the game is still tied! Now all Twins have to do is manufacture ONE run. Just one. Somehow.

3rd time in 4 games...the 8th inning has been very productive for the Twins in coming from behind. But now they must not combust in the 9th like they did Sunday. Rogers has to shut them down. The 'd' has to be awake. And then Twins have to score in the 9th. Simple.

I don't think they are unlucky at all. If you look at the 7 extra inning losses....they lost all those games on merit. They couldn't bring in a runner from second with no outs and the other guys, playing fundamental baseball, did. they have failed to modify their approaches as the situation calls. They don't have a clue how to advance runners. the pitching hasn't been unlucky...it has been terrible. The only area that one might allow a bit of bad luck would be injuries. Every team has them, but the Twins have had more than their share, one could argue. Then there is Buxton. Possibly the most exciting player in the game....his body is not compatible with playing the game hard day after day. Don't know if that will ever change.

If they are gauging their hitting success solely on how hard they hit the ball...they are sadly going to never improve.

listening to many baseball guys this morning on various shows, most are astounded at what has happened to the Twins. On paper, a much better team. On the field, a total trainwreck. Was it true that 30 pitches were thrown before an out was recorded? Refsnyder has been kicking around AAA for years., I have seen him play against the Red Wings a whole bunch of times and he always hurt us. Let him play. Why not? He did last night something very few Twins have done this year. He actually got a real hit and RBI with a runner on 2nd. What a concept! Recall Gordon. Let him play. Some took exception to a Sox hitter swinging for a HR in the 9th of a 15-4 game. I say, garbage. When you bring in a position player to pitch, you are raising the white flag and giving up. But the batter still has to bat and every PA affects his personal stats. If he wants to swing...so be it. No ones nose needs get out of joint. Different situation if a runner tries to steal under similar circumstances. The runner, unlike the batter, doesn't have to go, and in a 15-4 game, he doesn't need to steal a base. Injuries continue to ravage the Twins. But the pitching has been less affected and they are collectively ....terrible. I wonder when someone will finally snap...when maybe there will be some changes in how they are playing the game? I think Cruz needs some rest. Except there isn't anyone to really sub in for him at the moment.

this subject will continue to be batted around as long as the Twins are playing this poorly. i slightly disagree that Cruz is 'excelling'. I would say he is 'cooling'. Hope thats not a trend. Donaldson IMHO has not really been so solid. Much is expected of this huge investment and he has been very inconsistent. Last week, the Orioles, who also struggle to score runs had runners on 1st and 2nd none out and they laid down a perfect sacrifice moving the runners up a base. After the next hitter fanned (sound familiar?) next batter, instead of trying to hit a 5 run HR, saw the infield playing back and laid down a perfect drag bunt down the 3rd baseline....driving in a run while beating it out. Thats just good baseball....and something the Twins will never do. Why not? They keep failing over and over doing the same thing. The name of the game is runs scored, not how hard you hit a baseball. use all the tools in the box. Take what the opposition gives you. Twins will never improve doing the same things over and over, that don't work.

Donaldson and Simmons (yesterdays HR notwithstanding) have been disappointments. They haven't 'sparked' the Twins to win games. When Donaldson makes an error, its usually a game changing costly one too. Any word on Turtles hand? On an unrelated note, your former AAA team Rochester is off to a Twins-like 2-10 start with their new parent Washington. The team is putrid and this is probably the worst start I can remember. Organization so far has 'ignored' talking about it since the home opener is tomorrow and they desperately need fans. The Saints are 5-7. I wish, despite the Twins incompetence, we were still with them. (the Nats are in last place too) In the 10 years 2009-2018 with Syracuse, they only provided them with 3 winning teams. Our other parent before Minnesota is also in last place (Baltimore) I'm having a nightmare season so far!

As has been the case in so many games recently, Twins had the chance to score a ton of runs. But they just cannot deliver with men on base. Opposing pitchers know this and they go full out for the strikeout with less than 2 outs. And they usually get it. Then after an improbable comeback, they simply pee it away in the 9th. Our million dollar infielder with yet another bad error. And of course, a strikout results in a wild pitch and a winning run. Why not? Its the Twins 2021. Bad teams find ways to lose, even when they shouldn't. Todays game was a hot mess of missed opportunities and crappy 'd'..when it counted most. The good news...the cheap run in the 9th prevented an 8th extra inning embarrassment. Silver lining.

Break up the TWins....2 8th inning comebacks in a row.

Yep---the k. Is this team predictable or what!!! But then, but then...whats this? A homerun from light hitting Simmons? Did I see this

runner at 3rd one out. Is there any chance the Twins could actually score a run? Typically...a strikeout will follow. The rally killer of choice for the Twins, (prove me wrong. this time....I'd love it)

Sigh--more of the same. All kinds of bad baseball. Can't get a big inning with no outs....more than once. Then a botched simple play in a rundown. A muffed infield dribbler. And not to be a jerk---but honestly you don't gauge wins by how hard a ball is hit. Twins hit scorchers for loud noisy outs or DP grounders. A's hit bloops and infield hoppers and score runs. Hitting a ball hard as a meaningful stat, is meaningLESS to me. I see our opponents winning games without all this exit velocity, barreling up stuff. Bottom line.. Twins continue to fail miserably with RISP...and especially with less than 2 outs. Classic Twins....batter k's with runners at 2nd and 3rd no outs. Next AB, solid single with two outs and none on. This is 2021 Twins baseball. Honestly, this game has been a huge mess.

Did anyone on Planet Twins think that after Keplers single couldn't score Turtle from 2nd, Twins would actually score a run with 1st and 3rd no outs? Its nearly comical how many times they have loaded them up or had 2nd and 3rd with NO outs and never scored a run this season. Here's one for the books...when was the last time a team pinch hit a .121 hitter for a .111 hitter? Of the Twins 12 wins, only 5 of them have been 'close'. Two 2-0 wins and 3 one run games....but one of those should never have been. Twins were up 6-0 late and let Texas get 5 before Rogers somehow got the 3rd out. So clearly in the rare cases where Twins win, its usually a blowout. they are totally non-competitive once they fall behind. Even a 1 run deficit is too big for these free swingers. I agree with those who feel Rocco needs to light a bonfire and start burning. Or someone on this roster needs the old closed door team meeting, where a lot of screaming and expletives are let out. Might sound immature, but heck they gotta try something different, don't they? When Sano comes up, he should never take a strike. He needs to swing at anything in or near the strike zone. Twins really aren't paying him to get walks. Personally I think he needs to be sent down...preferably to AA...to play everyday and regain whatever is left to his confidence to square up a baseball. He can't help the Twins right now and all the blathering about how he 'can' carry the team on his back once he heats up is nonsense and wishful thiinking. Simmons is turning out to be a very mediocre pick-up. Has a decent glove. Can't (or isnt ) hitting worth a darn. Why not give Gordon a shot? See what he's got. Might turn out to be a nice surprise. What have they got to lose? Finally, I fear that once Buxton comes back...maybe in 3 weeks, he will play 5 or 6 games and then it will be: bruised this or that; pulled hammy; messed up hand or wrist; or pick anything else...and he'll be out for even a longer stretch. I'm beginning to lose hope that our superstar is just too fragile to play MLB at the level he wants to play it. His body won't let him. Such a talent.....just isn't working. Just imagine a healthy everyday Buxton in our lineup. Cruz has 9 dingers so far. but lately you can see he too isn't driving the ball like we are used to seeing. He is 40 and perhaps this season will be it for him. If Twins are dead and buried by july 4, it might be a kindness to send him to a contender.

Twins start this season is not that they are in a 'slump'. The losses are all the same. Poor pitching, absolutely no hitting with RISP; no ability whatsoever to overcome deficits; and far too many k's. This has been consistent all season long. Most their wins have been blowouts, which will happen from time to time. Something has to be changed. The old saw is you can't fire the players so you fire the manager/coach. That may work but OTOH, collectively this team just doesn't 'work' right now. Its broken. And I don't think any of us saw this coming...to the extent it is happening. Too much talent to be this bad. But when the pieces don't fit together, talent can't overcome the problems. You can throw all the statistics out there on what 'should happen', but baseball still is all about putting runners on and driving them in. And then preventing the other guy from doing the same. Twins can't do either apparently....ergo 12-23 and falling.

What is happening however is that our guys can't get the 3rd strike or 3rd out before allowing a run. Their guys pretty much stop us every time...no matter how many outs or men on base. It defies odds when an opposing pitcher can stop us from scoring a run with no outs and a runner on 2nd 6 out of 7 times. I don't think thats normal. And our run production in innings 7-10 is abysmal. meanwhile our pitchers are giving up runs every game when it matters most. Can't crawl into a guys head...but it sure 'looks' from body language that the Twins collectively have zero confidence right now. After Keplers surprise HR in the 8th, we followed it with two singles. Somehow once again, nothing resulted.

They lose the same way all the time. When was the last time that someone got a clutch late inning hit to tie the game or take the lead? Bullpen---just bad enough..again. First Robles lets an inherited runner score. then typical Rogers...he gets 2 outs and then gives up the RBI hit to turn it into a 2 run game again. Meanwhile Twins strike out at every opportunity. None of them escape this. 12 more men left on. They had chances galore and just never got the clutch hit. And often the RISP were with less than two outs. Twins are now the worst team in MLB and they have earned every bit of that. The hitters look frustrated from the time they step up to the time they walk back to the dugout. Time for a shaleup...something...anything

I'm sure someone has the stat somewhere....but how many teams who were 12-22 actually finished above .500? I'm guessing not very many. Twins are playing 'soul-less' right now. Its only the 5th but it looks like they want it to be the 9th so they can just go to bed.

tomorrow we seek the first milestone of a terrible team in the making....10 games under .500 before Memorial Day. Way before.

Is it possible that these games keep getting worse and worse? I'm convinced that the Twins could get a bases loaded walk and somehow not have the run score. Don't ask me how....ask them. They have the patent.

not to be a wise guy but those last 2 runs scored when Sox hitters blooped them in. No, they didn't hammer the ball 100 mph...they just played baseball....hit 'em where they ain't. Twins can't do anything right anymore.

Why its so hard to enjoy these games this season. Twins just CANNOT drive runners home. they CANNOT, they will not. Every inning...men on base. Every inning men left there. When you look at the box score (so far) Sox have 3 k's and collectively have stranded 4. Twins have 9 k's and collectively have stranded 20...just about every one has come up and stranded at least one they can't bring 'em home with less than two outs. they can't get the big hit with two outs. And of course the pen flushes the game quickly...because they have nobody who can stem the tide. Is it too early to admit this is a bad team...in need of something. Anything. Sheesh.

Very honest summary! Sometimes even optimists must be realists to maintain credibility. While speaking of Polanco, Garver, and Kepler...it might be noted that Cruz actually has slowed quite a bit. He isn't producing runs like he did in April. Donaldson too, until he had a decent game this weekend. His production has been, to be honest, poor so far, considering what is expected. And I guess it wouldn't be the Twins if Buxton didn't find an injury that would take him out of action for many weeks. Sigh...

Want to vent on this. And in NO WAY do I mean to impune any posters opinions because they all matter, whether they agree with mine or not. So here is mine: Lately the 'new toy', the flavor du jour seems to be how hard balls are hit and exit velocity. Seemingly after every AB, you hear the talking heads go...and that ball was hammered, it was hit a a million miles an hour..it was really timed etc etc. And honestly, does any of that really matter? Really matter? I am a 73 year old baseball fan who remembers watching Bob Gibson pitch for Rochester; Jim Frey win an I.L. batting title before becoming a successful major league manager. Watching the Brooklyn Dodgers on TV. Mickey Mantle slug mammoth HR's. Enjoy watching Cal and Wade play in baseballs longest game (Rochester vs Pawtucket 33 innings). Lou Brock, Tim Raines, Rickey H and Maury Wills steal bases at will. The grand old game was just plain fun, with runs, hits, errors and RBI. Hitting a ball 'hard' doesn't materially mean 'better'. In fact some of the hardest hit ground balls are easy DP's...while the tappers and 3 hoppers sometimes keep innings going. A bloop in front of a charging outfielder playing too deep can bring home runners with 2 outs, while a hard hit fly ball to deep center field accomplishes nothing. Its not how hard you hit the ball, its where it goes. Twins stink at situational hitting because they are all swinging from their heels...resulting in a boatload of strikeouts and hard hit routine outs. Nellie Cruz can smoke a ball off the right field fence and only get a single. Twins can put a runner at 3rd with one out and Sano will strike out. then the next hitter pounds a hard hit but poorly placed fly ball to end the inning. And so it goes. If you are a Yankee fan (blasphemy of course) you knew it only took a 296 ft fly ball down the right field line to circle the bases. Didn't have to be hit 500 mph to clear the fence. A bleeder thru the infield accomplishes in many cases more than a 110 mph ground shot right at someone..plus the hard hit grounder gives the fielder more time to get the out. What I guess I'm trying to say is I think its a superfluous stat that some may find interesting, but overall its no marker as to how good a team or player is. Twins may 'win' the hard hit ball contest, but they aren't winning games. Sano can mash...that is when he connects...which isn't very much. How valuable has he been? Their k count this season, with runners on, is toxic.have they forgotten baseball fundamentals? Or have they not learned them at all? I don't care how hard the ball is hit. just hit 'em where they ain't...as the saying goes. Personally, I wouldn't miss the expressions 'barreling up' exit velocity or launch angle if they quietly disappeared from the landscape. but thats just me. Thanks for listening. If you disagree, I respect that, just as I hope you respect my thoughts as well. (I also witnessed the first Montreal Expo game...and their first HR was hit by a pitcher!!) Ah memories. Keep the faith my friends...better days may be ahead.

The comparison with Donaldson was telling...and sad. Its also sad when a utility player hitting over .300 is still maligned. Most of the Twins BA's are pathetic. When a utility player has to play this much, your team is in deep trouble. His extra inning production is poor...as is the ENTIRE team. Scoring only in one game out of 7. Not being able to bat in a runner from 2nd (except for a Buxton HR) The Twins are a mess. As a team, they are a mess.. Yesterdays loss was pathetic. 16 left on base. k after k.

Rocco yesterday: 'I actually saw very good, competitive at bats, until we got guys in scoring position'. Uh--maybe I'm missing something fundamental but isn't the name of the game driving in runs with RISP...getting hits and scoring runs to win games? This is the kind of talk losers talk to try and soft coat yet another lousy performance...16 left on base against the worst team in baseball. And the k's keep mounting. My word.....