HarmonK03

If the manager or a coach is feeding them data that says look for x pitch on a 1-2 count and that pitch isn't thrown, then the manager might have something to do with the team looking at third strikes. And that has been talked about at different times over the last couple of years, with Rocco once saying maybe they are giving too much data. They need a more general plan, listen to Morneau, Plouffe or some of the other analysts and come up with a game plan for when you are at bat.

If Kepler comes back, it needs to be as the fourth OF, he should not take AB's from Larnach.

The Manny experience is back, the pinch hitting record is in serious danger of being broken.

You are talking about one player, the original comment mentioned a number of players not hitting, that is what I am referring to. How does everyone stop hitting at the same time.

I didn't say it was the whole reason but it is a factor. How many lineups over the years have been constructed with protecting a hitter in other words getting a respected #4 hitter so your #3 hitters sees better pitches. Go with one lineup let the players get comfortable that puts them in the best spot to be productive and see how they do. Because what they are doing sure doesn't seem to be working.

Anybody can see Lewis needs a day off, so that decision isn't genius like. Are the players not hitting over the last month because they are all slumping or is it because there is no consistency in the lineups. These players are human and consistency does matter, in both lineup construction and playing time. I would venture to say it is a little bit of both.

Even before leaving Alcala in too long in Texas, he shouldn't have been in the game to begin with. It was his fourth appearance in five days. And it was a four run game, use a low leverage guy and have Alcala warm and ready to go if needed.

I think the front office heavily influences the decisions made by Rocco. They have built an analytics staff, including moving on from some scouts in the offseason and adding more to the analytics staff. I have been in the finance world my whole career, you don't build a staff and have them gather data and then do nothing with the data. I believe it is very much expected that he follows the data given to him and I don't believe there is much latitude. Even though I strongly dislike much of his game management, I believe his moves are being directed by the front office via the analytics staff and you can tell by how predictable his moves are, that is why he keeps getting out managed by other better managers. The question also needs to be asked is Rocco the right manager for a younger team. He has said he lets the players determine their pregame preparation. Does that work for younger players who need to learn and maybe need more structure. How many young players have come up and had sustained success since he has been manager. At some point there has to be a look at this organization and say are they on the right path. I don't think they are and believe the trio of Falvey, Levine and Rocco should all be on the hot seat.

That would break the law, LH can't hit against LH pitching.

I think they have told him to be cautious, I am not sure but I thought I read something that mentioned that. But just watching him, I believe he is intentionally holding back. I saw him go first to third in the St. Louis series and he did not look like he was having any issues when he didn't listen to the advice.

History says it is, closers have always struggled in non save situations and Duran is no different. And not everybody can close out a game, it is a different mindset. Just ask Ron Davis, who still gives Twins fans nightmares when thinking about him.

Duran needs to pitch the ninth in a save situation, that is a mindset. Rocco has to quit overthinking everything, Ober should have stayed out there anyway.

Because he is on the bench.

Considering he has over 100 AB's more than anyone else other than Castro, he should have more RBI's. His OBS against RH pitching is well below league average, is his defense worth the offense we are giving up.

There have been comments that Lewis is hurt, is he hurt or have the Twins told him to throttle it down so as not to risk injury. I saw him go first to third in the Cardinals series and he sure didn't look like he was having any issues. The Twins are notorious on being conservative with injured players and we never really know their true status. Also Lewis even though he has been injured, he is a first overall pick and should be a cornerstone for this franchise. You need to give him a position and let him learn, get comfortable and coach him up. I thought they told him he was moving to 3B, let him play there and learn. If you want everyone in the lineup move Miranda to 2B if you are going to insist on playing Santana every day, even though he be a platoon player and defensive replacement at 1B. This philosophy that you can play anyone anywhere only works so often, you wonder why we keep seeing sloppy play and plays not being made. This comes from players playing out of position and not learning from reps that are needed. Choose a starting 8 and if someone gets injured call up someone to replace that position. We have 3 utility players, 4 if you consider Farmer an utility player. That is way too many and makes your bench moves unproductive, because the moves are based who can play a position instead of what is our best move possible to get the most production out of the particular move.

Since 2020 Rocco is at .500 and one playoff series win. Not terrible but after 5 years I would hope to have a better record to build off of 2019. So what is he doing that is so great, he has been basically been an average manager the last 4 years.

My only change to this is Julien at 2B now, Lewis 3B, and Miranda at 1B. Santana is not an everyday player just because Rocco puts him out there doesn't mean he is. This puts the best available players at their best positions. If you want to move Lewis do it in spring training.

I agree this is the analytics nerds driving baseball decisions, I want to get 2 outs for 1 run. They play in almost every time there is a runner on third and less than two outs regardless of score and situation. Live to play another inning.

But they had the play on to throw home, he should have turned the double play, but they were playing in to cut down the runner at home. Would have been out of the inning with only 3 runs,

So now Lewis is our new utility player. Put him at SS and Lee at 2B, where he is more comfortable. You can't keep moving players around like a chess board.

Larnach was a high draft pick, you need to develop him and give him a chance along with Wallner. And that means play them every day, quit yanking them at the drop of a hat. Or else you need to improve the roster. When you have Margot, Farmer, Vasquez pinch hitting or guys like Garlick and Luplow in prior years, there is no reason to try and develop him and give him a chance. Or else quit drafting LH hitting outfielders if you are going to turn them all into platoon players. Even Kepler has been platooned this year, he didn't start against LH pitching until Buxton went on the IL and they ran out of RH hitting OF's to play. Last night is a great example of their obsession of not letting a LH hitter play against LH pitching. You have a player make his debut in a position that he is not familiar with, all so you don't have a LH hitting OF.

Absolutely platooning is the problem. Because of the situational changes, you end up expecting your end of the bench players to be successful in clutch situations. Play your best players and have the end of the bench players have a role that plays to their strength like pinch running for Santana.

This loss was due to this team's slavish devotion to analytics and shows what will happen in the playoffs. Roster construction is devoted to position flexibility so you end up having three infielders playing the outfield. Stolen bases are not valued on defense or offense according to the analytics or is the sacrifice bunt. The team refuses to develop players and make them full time players. You sit two of your hottest hitters and when they do come in you pinch hit for one with Vasquez. By sitting Wallner and Larnach, you then have no bench players to fill the role of pinch runner for Santana in the 9th inning. We need regular every day players and fill the bench with specific roles in mind. And if someone goes down call up somebody that can actually play that position. We don't need three utility players on the roster. When Castro and Santana lead your team in AB's, you are not going to win consistently. Even without injuries they still would have been in the top 5 in plate appearances. They can't just keep dismissing the running game, teams are starting to take advantage of this. Putting runners in scoring position so easily is leading to runs and not helping the pitcher out. We need to start to being a little more aggressive as well, sometimes just starting a runner keeps you out of the double play. Why not have Lee bunt the runners over, you then have two runners in scoring position and put pressure on the pitcher and defense. I probably would bunt more than a lot of people on this board would, but how can you not bunt in that situation. Rocco's explanation basically just confirms that he was playing for the home run again. This team will have some success with their philosophy in the regular season because the odds say if you do x action so many times it will have success x percent of the time. But you can't do that in the playoffs, you need your best and regular players to step up and win the game. Last night is what a playoff game would be like, they will keep trying to playing the odds and in a short series you will lose. Are they going to turn ERod and Jenkins into platoon players if they continue to develop as they have been.

This is what happens when you only value versatility, just because the player can go out there doesn't necessarily mean he will make the plays needed.

There is your Gold Glove first baseman.