SwainZag

Or it was hey.....you had 4 hits yesterday you get 1st shot at pinch hitting today. They were down 3 in the 9th, I really wouldn't look too far into 1 pinch hitting at bat. Arcia was on deck to pinch when the game ended 2 days earlier.

The problem also is those HR hitters aren't hitting any HR, they are just striking out. When Sano, Buxton and Rosario are combined hitting worse than the NL pitcher line, you know something is just out of the ordinary.

It's about the winning and losing, it was more about the team was hitting. I know the pitching wasn't the same caliber, but the AB's were better. Sano wasn't missing continuous 94 MPH fastballs down the heart of the plate. It just seems like everyone is pressing right now. Trying to hard to get that big hit, trying to hit that 5-run HR. They need to relax a little bit at the plate, i don't even know.

They kept Arcia because he proved in 2014 he can be an asset. He showed a lot of power He seemed to take a step back last year and had injuries, but I see zero reason why they should cut bait on him without giving him a shot this year. Hell he is still 24, at least for another month. As for Tonkin....has his spot really been a problem? Have the Twins lost anyone of note because he made the roster? He is the last man in the bullpen.

So what are you saying? That everyone on the roster is terrible and the rest of their career have been a mirage? I mean a 7 game sample size is pretty big.....

Miguel Sano is dead last in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS for Twins regulars through 7 games. Those numbers are .136, .136, .406.

I didn't see the hit, but would it have mattered if they were playing back?

It's easy to call it over managing when no one has come in the clutch yet this season. When every decision has gone against Molly, it's easy to call him out for it. The hitting with RISP has been so terrible that any decision has been a bad one. Situation 1. Rosario is a much better defender than Sano is. With a lead IMO, it's the right play. Yes, Rosario struck out. But before that Mauer and Santana couldn't get him in from 2nd base. If the bullpen doesn't blow a 2 run lead OR Santana or Mauer gets a hit it doesn't matter. Situation 2. It was the top of the 8th inning with 2 outs and the Twins were down a run. Nunez is a better runner. For Sano to make an impact in that game, the Twins would have to tie and go to extras, or would have to send 8 men to the plate in the 9th, which means they have already taken the lead. I don't mind using a better runner on the base paths in case of a double. Situation 3. I can't comment as who knows if he got a sign or if he has a green light. I wouldn't have called for a straight steal, and if it was sure maybe it was over managing. In all 3 scenerios Molly was being aggressive and trying to either help to win or comeback and tie the game. For a fan base that crushes the front office for being aggressive enough, these are the type of moves I don't mind the manager making......especially when you have the entire team hitting around .200.

Well yesterday didn't go so well. Everything started to unravel in the 4th with the back to back HR's by Moustakas and Cain. The comedy started in the 5th with 2 errors by Escobar which led to 2 more runs. The 3rd act was more of the same as Casey Fien was rocked to the tune of 3 more runs. Danny Santana gets hurt. Twins go 0-5 with RISP bringing their total for the season to 3-38, yada, yada, yada.....they got shutout 7-0. Enough said. Today, the 0-5 Twins, desperate for a win, send Mr. Ricky Nolasco to the mound to face Edison Volquez and the Royals. Volquez, Kansas City's opening day starter, looked the part on Opening Day tossing 6 shutout innings against the Mets. Meanwhile, Nolasco has one start in the last calendar year where he has gone at least 6 innings and that was last May against Boston. The Twins will look for any signs of life from the veteran they are paying $12 million dollars this year. He looked good enough in the Spring to "win" the 5th spot in the rotation,so there's that. Silver lining to an injury? Danny Santana strained his right hamstring attempting to chase a ball in CF in last night's game and was placed on the DL. In a surprise move, the Twins have called up one of their top prospects, Max Kepler. In a less surprising move, he is not in the today's lineup. Mauer is about the only Twin to have any success off of Volquez as the team has a slash line of .216/.255/.295 against him career wise. With their current struggles and his past success.....it might be another long day for us Twins fans. -------------------------- Twins: 2B Dozier LF Rosario DH Mauer RF Sano 1B Park SS Escobar 3B Nunez C Murphy CF Buxton SP Nolasco Royals: SS Escobar 3B Moustakas CF Cain 1B Hosmer DH Morales LF Gordon C Perez 2B Infante RF Fuentes SP Volquez What does Escobar need to do to hit in the top part of the lineup? He is fire with the bat so far in 2016 and still hits 6th in the lineup, meanwhile Rosario slides into the ever changing 2 spot in the lineup. Nunez gets his 1st start of the year while Plouffe will sit and Murphy will start for Zuke, which is no surprise with the day after night game. It would be great going into the home opener with a win. Let's hope for the Rickey of old and for the bats to start heating up. Honestly, they really couldn't get any colder at this point. Hits have to start falling. Right...? Go Twins.

Lefties have always hit Perkins better than righties. He's not a loogy candidate.

YES. Why not hit Mauer 2 and Escobar 3?

Who do you expect them to bench? Rosario, Sano, Mauer or Park?

Well good call man! I obviously stated in the game thread I thought there about zero chance of it happening and here comes Kepler.

For the record....Hosmer would completely pummel Perkins in a fight.

Right.

Lol. The last thing we need is for Perkins to start a brawl. Twins would go home beaten up with an 0-5 record.

With tonight's 0-4, they are 3-37 for the season with RISP.

Oh come on, Perkins isn't that out of shape. (I only say that because if he is out of shape with a beer gut.......what does that make me?)

Aaand that's Buxton's 10th K in his 15th AB.

Tonkin isn't even close on most of his pitches.

He's never hit above AA, he didn't hit extremely well in spring training and he's not an overly versatile player. They won't bring him up to play 4th OF and a bench bat, especially with the AAA season just getting underway. At least IMO.

Presley threw yesterday. It was the 5th inning of a game that was headed towards a blowout. Even if Fien pitched well, he wasn't going more than 5-6 outs. Still leaves room for Tonkin to get in some work.

I would predict the odds of Kepler being brought up if Danny has to go to the DL are very, very slim at this point.

"Santana was viewed as being a key guy.........." Yeah you lost me right there Dick.

Fien getting crushed.