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Blog Entries posted by Twins and Losses

  1. Twins and Losses
    Dan and Panda return with one of the more eclectic episodes, and that's saying something.
     
    The Dastardly duo are joined by the self-proclaimed "Batman & Nightwing," Giles and Ben of "Giles And The Goalies," part of the Cold Omaha network.
     
    Twins and Wild talks, and general debauchery are on tap.
     
    http://www.spreaker.com/user/the4dpodcastnetwork/twins-and-losses-supershow-episode-30-tw
  2. Twins and Losses
    HEY YOU! YEAH YOU IN THE BACK. We didn’t forget about you. Brand spankin’ new Supershow is live for your listening pleasure!
     
    This week Dan and Panda give their 2017 predictions for your Minnesota Twins (if you like Max Kepler, we have good news for you), and they also talk a bit about Brian Dozier’s trade status, and Joey Bats.
     
    Dan forgets that RBI and hits are not the same thing...
     
    The gang is also joined by Barry Campbell (Hockey Wilderness) as they talk in depth about the Wild, and what they want in the next NHL jersey / sweater rebranding.
     
    Download / stream this episode from Spreaker, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts; search “Twins And Losses Supershow.”
     
    http://www.spreaker.com/show/twins-and-losses-supershow
  3. Twins and Losses
    New show is live! Dan, Panda, and Stubby converse about Terry Ryan, along with bad deployment of stats.
     
    The gang is also joined by Bill Bohl (A Wolf Among Wolves, Fear The Sword) as he stops by to chat about the Wolves' offseason.
     
    Stream or download using the link below; or check out iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts! The 4D Podcast Network
     
    http://www.spreaker.com/show/twins-and-losses-supershow
  4. Twins and Losses
    #FireMollie #FireRyan #TotalSystemFailure
     
    All of these lovely hashtags have been making the rounds with the Twins off to a lackluster start to the season. Lots of opinions, ideas, and ways to fix the Twins have been floated around by casual fans, up to legitimate Twins writers. Today, we’re going to tackle the #FireMollie and #FireRyan crew.
     
    My biggest question is: what does that fix right now? It's very obvious that a lot of the younger players were not as ready as everyone initially thought. While I don't disagree that some form of Molitor/Ryan will probably be let go, or asked to step down soon, that doesn't change the fact that this seems to be a systemic failure within the entire Twins organization. If you want to fix that problem, you need to find the real source. I don't think it's only Molitor & Ryan, I think it goes much deeper than that. There's plenty of blame to go around, and the players should be held accountable too.
     
    Jose Berrios, Alex Meyer, and Byron Buxton appear to be talented players. They also appear to be at a AAAA level right now. While Berrios and Buxton are young, Meyer is starting to fall out of that category at age 26. Trevor May seems to be carving out a relief role for the foreseeable future, while Meyer has again dealt with fatigue, and command issues. When Ben Revere and Denard Span were shipped off for May and Meyer respectively, Twins fan wanted to get something of value from two of their favorite players. While May is trending up, Meyer doesn’t seem to be trending at all currently.
     
    Miguel Sano is definitely not making the splash many fans had hoped he would this year. Byung-Ho Park has stolen the spotlight from the young player, which might be for the better. Spotlights only amplify flaws, and Sano has struggled in a few different spots this season. His outfield defense has been…sub-optimal, and his hitting hasn’t been as dynamic as it was in 2015. Sano’s offensive stats are down across the board, and his WAR has plummeted 1.7 to 0.5 since 2015.
     
    While firing both Molitor and Ryan seems to be the easy “solution,” I’m not on board with it unless it comes with sweeping changes across the entire organization. Jim Pohlad needs to sit down and look at what the plan is going forward. What players are you planning on building a franchise around. Which players can you trade to get your team back on track. What managers, general managers, and other coaches can you get to put your plan into motion. This isn’t just at the major league level, this should start down with the E-Town Twins, and work its way up to Minneapolis.
     
    I personally think Paul Molitor has been dealt a tough hand, and has done the best with what he has. I also think Terry Ryan has tried his best to re-stock the minors and build another winner. That being said, I don’t know if Ryan, in particular, is the best man for the job anymore. His best today might not be what his best 9 years ago was. Time will tell who’s right or wrong, but firing TR and Mollie today won’t salvage this season. No, the problem lies deeper than the just the GM and manager.
     
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  5. Twins and Losses
    This week the boys invade Thompson Home Studio with producer Stubby J (Three Guys Talking, Ring General Radio). They break down their favorite NL teams, Bartolo Colon’s homer, and rant about manners on the internet.
     
    Brandon Warne – Journalist joins Dan and Panda this week to break down the current status of the woeful Minnesota Twins.
     
    Download or stream from Spreaker, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Pocket Casts! http://www.spreaker.com/show/twins-and-losses-supershow
  6. Twins and Losses
    Daniel and I are huge fans of the television show, “Community.” Outside of the former “Top Gear,” it’s the show we watch the most when we hang out. Since the current Minnesota Twins team is a bunch of underachieving misfits (sans Mauer, Park, and a few others), we decided to compare current and recent Twins players as some of your favorite faces at Greendale. Greendale’s school slogan is “E. Pluribus Anus,” which is fitting for the kind of baseball the Twins have played through the month of April.
     
    Britta Perry – Kevin Jepsen:
    This wasn’t much of a stretch. If you’ve ever watched the show, you know Britta is the butt end of most jokes, much the same way Jepsen has been the butt end of a bad bullpen. As someone who’s constantly blamed for ruining things, Jepsen has blown enough saves this year that he’s the teams Britta. We see flashes of Britta’s genius(?), kind of like Jepsen’s 2015 with the Twins. However, it happens infrequently, and it’s not enough to rely on either of them. He is human tennis elbow, he is the pizza burn on the roof of the world’s mouth, he is the opposite of Batman.
     
    Jeff Winger – Miguel Sano:
    While the lead role of Community would better fit someone like Plouffe, Mauer, or even Dozier; Miguel has shown he has the personality of one Mr. Winger. Maybe a bit full of himself after his debut last season, he’s still a young player looking to find his way. While Jeff has his goals and dreams, along with his selfishness, and many insecurities; Sano seems to be a big picture guy. Miguel wants what’s best for the team, while Jeff wants what’s best for him. Hopefully Sano will mature quickly, and find the swing that Twins fans grew to love in a few short months.
     
    Shirley Bennett – Brian Dozier:
    Dozier has a sweet, Southern likeability to him, much like Shirley has a sweet, Lord driven likeability to her. Most of the time they’re lovely, and even keeled... Most of the time. Sometimes they’ll fly off the handle when things aren’t going their way. Through it all both of them find ways to dig down and achieve their roles to the best of their abilities. While I enjoy watching these two have meltdowns (especially when Dozier is yelling about balls and strikes on his way back to the dugout), it’s the friendly smiles and laughter that keeps you coming back. Though sometimes at a distance. And let’s be honest; the Dozier’s Christmas card was the best thing you saw in 2015.
     
    Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir – Eduardo Escobar, Eduardo Nunez, Eddie Rosario:
    “Ed, Edd, and Eddy” would be a much better comparison, but these three are rarely brought up without one of the other two being named. Just like Troy and Abed, the Eddie’s seem bound to each other. While I don’t know if they have a sweet handshake, or if they’ve ever hosted a fake TV show together; the Eddies come up clutch. Just look at what Rosario and Escobar did throughout last season. Now Nunez is hitting like his job depends on it. Though if his job depended on how often his helmet stayed on his head, he’d be gone faster than his helmet falls off his head.
     
    Pierce Hawthorne – Ricky Nolasco:
    The elder statesman of the group, Pierce isn’t liked or respected by many of his peers. While his peers may like him, Twins Territory seems pretty hell bent on shipping Ricky Nolasco as soon as humanly possible. While doing just enough to stay productive and in the good graces of his Greendale classmates, Nolasco has seemingly done the same through 2016. Off to a better than his career average start, Nolasco has been rather dependable. Much like Pierce, Twins fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop, and see the not so nice side of Ricky. That is, the Ricky that looks very similar to Kevin Jepsen, A.K.A; Britta. Maybe Ricky’s in it for the long haul, or maybe Ricky’s in it for Ricky. Either way, Ricky hasn’t been the villain since spring training. Hopefully Ricky’s turned a new leaf in Minnesota. Hopefully…
     
    Annie Edison – Joe Mauer:
    I don’t think Joe has ever had a reliance on Adderall (possibly Kemps milk), but he’s definitely the goody-two-shoes of the Twins. Annie never wants conflict or to disappoint people, and is usually reliable. Sound familiar? Mauer’s had a rebirth in 2016 to the delight of some, and to the chagrin of those who wish he’d catch, hit 30+ dingers, and knock in 110+ RBIs in a season (psssst, #ItsNotHappening nerds). I guess the better comparison would be John Cena; a solid contributor who does what he can to help the team. While half of the fans are excited to see Joe healthy and hitting, others want their power first-baseman to do what Byung-Ho Park was brought in to do. Guess you can’t please everyone, no matter how good your career has been.
     
    Ben Chang – Oswaldo Arcia:
    Ken Joeng’s portrayal of the borderline insane Ben Chang seems to fit Arcia well. While not always the focal point, and not always helpful, Arcia is definitely an enigma. Teammates described Arcia earlier this year with the following; “Overreacts to everything, loves to be the center of attention, and the hair isn’t working.” I don’t think I ever questioned Ben Chang’s hair style, but that would describe him to a T. In the later seasons of Community, Chang became more of a frenemy (yes, I’m ashamed I used that too) and had some memorable episodes. Arcia’s April had some ups and downs, but he looked more like his 2014 self than 2015, which should give Twins fans hope that he can help the team this year, and in the future.
     
    “Dean” Craig Pelton – Torii Hunter:
    Yeah, Torii’s not around this season, but you can bet he’s not far away from what’s happening with this team. The Dean was a outrageous (Torii’s dance parties), a unifying force when things weren’t going well (2015), and a helpful mentor when need be. While The Dean was insecure in himself, and had some odd fetishes that turned some people off, Torii was very staunch in his beliefs, and wasn’t afraid to butt heads when he thought he was right (see: The Dean’s insane costumes, and Torii ripping his jersey off in April/May 2015). Torii was an advisor for a few weeks in spring training, helping to shape and mold the outfield to be the best they can be. I can’t imagine he won’t be a coach for the Twins in some capacity very soon. Torii breathes baseball, the same way The Dean breathes Greendale. If Torii starts to show up in questionable costumes with no reason, the comparison will be officially complete.
     
    Magnitude – Byung-Ho Park:
    “Magnetic Attitude,” or Magnitude, for short; he’s described as a one man party known for his catchphrase, “Pop, pop!” In fact, that’s about all Magnitude says during all six seasons of Community. Byung-Ho Park, known by his nickname, “#ParkBang,” is a one man wrecking crew. Park’s up to 6 home runs as of this writing, and has captured the hearts of Twins Territory with his smile, and monster home runs. Park’s English is getting better, but fans and teammates continue to call him by #ParkBang, and I’m not mad about that at all. Park’s shown that he’s learning on the fly, and his stat line continues to improve each week. He’d be a main player on offense and defense, if only we could get rid of that under-achieving Mauer guy… /sarcasm
    We obviously missed a good chunk of the roster, and that was by design. There just weren’t enough memorable characters to fill out this article. And as much as I’d like to keep making comparisons, this article is for a very specific audience. We did decide that Ron Gardenhire is the Leonard of the Twins, and Danny Santana is the Starburns, based on their questionable hair choices. What did you think? Did we miss some easy comparisons?
     
    Do you agree or disagree with our choices? Let us know in the comments section, and don’t forget to follow us on the Innanetz.
     
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    Twitter: @TwinsAndLosses / @PandaPete21
    www.twinsandlosses.com
  8. Twins and Losses
    Photo by Ezra Shaw, Getty Images
     
    It’s finally happened: the Minnesota Twins have remembered how to hit.
     
    Like a bear awakening from it’s winter slumber, the Twins offense seems to have lumbered out of it den, scratched it’s stomach a few times, yawned and proceeded to go about its business. That business seems to be winning.
    One bear in particular seems to be overjoyed at the opportunity to be out in the warm spring air, basking in the sunlight and devouring some poor creatures to satisfy it's hunger. That bear is Eduardo Nunez, and he’s hungry for baseballs.
     
    Over the past seven games Nunez is posting a .545/.600/.682 slash line with some whipped cream and a 1.341 OPS cherry on top. In addition to those “Hey don’t you mean Miguel Sano” type numbers, he also leads the team in batting average, OPS, stolen bases and is tied for most runs scored (albeit his sample size is smaller than most).
    When a baseball player goes on a streak like the, people always want to know what his secret is. They ask if he modified his swing, if he changed his approach at the plate, if it was extra time in the batting cages, or was it a rum loving Voodoo figure… you know, typical stuff
     
    Here at Twins and Losses, we like to take a slightly different journalistic approach when seeking the answers we want and when it comes to Eduardo Nunez we thought we knew just where to look, off the beaten path where no one would ever suspect: the helmet.
     
    I recently sat down with Nunez’s helmet and asked a few questions, presented below in the transcribed version of the conversation:
     
    Twins and Losses: Thanks for meeting with me Mr. Helmet, it’s a pleasure to speak with you.
     
    Nunez’s Helmet: Not a problem, I’m happy to do it.
     
    TL: How are the wife and kids?
     
    NH: They’re great, Karen is still in the National Pro Pitch softball league, our daughter Marie in college now supporting one of the girls at Stanford and our son Calvin just moved up to Junior League this year.
     
    TL: Glad to hear it, you have a lovely family. I hate to just jump right into this but I know you’re short on time so I have to ask, how is it being Eduardo’s helmet?
     
    NH: Oof, I knew this was coming. It’s uh… it can be tough at times ya know? It’s an on again off again relationship roller coaster. Sometimes it feels like a rerun of a Lifetime movie. I want to be supportive but I feel like sometimes he just doesn’t want me around. Sure he always comes back eventually but it wears on a helmet.
     
    TL: I’m sorry to hear that. You guys have been through a lot together in your time here in Minnesota, would you say that it’s been a pleasant experience overall?
     
    NH: There have been good times and bad times. No one wants to lose 90 games, but when you can start to see hard work hard pay off in the form of an above .500 record last season, you get the feeling you’re on the right track.
     
    TL: Eduardo has been one of the hottest hitters for the Twins over the last handful of games, what do you think has contributed to that?
     
    NH: I think we finally got on the same wavelength. He always seemed to be thinking a million miles an hour in the batters box and I just needed him to be calm, slow the game down and let the pitches come to him. When I fall, he always picks me back up puts me right where I need to be and I want to do the same for him.
     
    TL: Would you say you’re the main factor in his recent success?
     
    NH: I certainly can’t take all the credit, that wouldn’t be fair to Bruno and everyone else that’s helped him out from training staff to other teammates, but I will take some.
     
    TL: Do you ever get any wisecracks from the other helmets for your acrobatics on the field?
     
    NH: I would say I get some, but not really any more than anyone else. Sure I’ll get the occasional “fly boy” or “Humpty Dumpty,” or asked if I’m practicing my tumbling routine for the big regional meet but it’s a give and take kind of clubhouse. Heck, some of those helmets like Joe Mauer’s are so full of pine tar they sound like they’re from the Louisiana Bayou.
     
    TL: Is there a legendary helmet, sort of a mythical tale that all the Twins helmets have to know?
     
    NH: Mythical? I don’t know about that. I do know that one helmet no one will ever forget would be Ben Revere’s after he pulled that sommersault triple back in 2011. From what I hear, that helmet was talking all spring about how he was going to get Benny the Jet to do it, and no one believed him. He’s more of a frat legend than mythical tale though.
     
    TL: That triple will always have a special place in my heart. I heard that his dad made him run bases for an hour after that game.
     
    NH: No kidding?
     
    TL: I can’t say for certain, but I like to believe it’s true. Do you and Eduardo ever think about going for the record of Most Times Losing a Helmet in a Season?
     
    NH: It’s not really something we strive to do… it’s more of an organic experience that we’ve become accustomed to… almost a routine if you will. Sure it never feels good to hit the infield dirt, that stuff is like sandpaper, but whether he’s coming to get me after running out an infield hit, or someone has to hand me to him after a headfirst slide on a steal attempt; as long as he’s safe on base I’m happy to do my part. It’s a rough and tumble lifestyle, but we’re friends and that’s what friend do.
     
    TL: He’s lucky to have you. What does a helmet like you do in the off season? Are you out hitting the links with your teammates or taking the family on vacation?
     
    NH: I like to keep it pretty low key during my downtime, relax and reflect on the season for a week or two afterwards. You know, what could have been and how to prepare for next year, but after that I turn the baseball side off and enjoy my time off. It’s normally pretty cold around here during the winter months so my options are pretty limited. I’ll play some pond hockey with my son, head over to Afton Alps a few times, and over Christmas break we always take a family vacation to Hawaii. Other than that I’m usually inside binge watching Netflix, or playing MLB The Show.
     
    TL: You sir are living the dream. One more thing before we wrap this interview up, are you aware that you’re sort of a cult hero around Twins Territory?
     
    NH: I’ll hear stuff around the locker room and I know that people on social media like to keep count of how many times I’ll dismount, or make a Eduardo Nunez Helmet hash tag. I really appreciate the support and my fans, but I’m just the same old helmet I ever was. I put my human on one head at a time.
     
    TL: Are you on Twitter at all?
     
    NH: Naw, social media isn’t really my thing. I’m aware there are several parody accounts and I find that hysterical, but I’ll let them speak for me. Besides, there’s no way I’d ever reach Boring Joe Mauer status, that dude’s on another level of popularity.
     
    TL: They do an excellent job with that account, that’s for sure. Well Mr. Helmet, I thank you for taking some time out of your day to talk to Twins and Losses, it’s been an absolute joy. We hope to catch up with you later on in the season, see how things are going and wish you the best of luck in the season to come.
     
    NH: Thank you, it’s been fun. Hopefully in a few months we can talk playoffs.
     
    TL: Don’t we all.
     
    Well there you have it folks, the definitive Eduardo Nunez Helmet interview. If you’d like to hear more from Twins and Losses visit our website at twinsandlosses.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget to check out our Twins and Losses Supershow podcast on the 4D Podcast network, also available on iTunes and Spreaker.
  9. Twins and Losses
    Ricky Nolasco hasn’t made many friends in Twins Territory over the past few seasons.
    Have you forgotten some of the reasons why? Well for starters; this, and lets not forget this gem to start
    to season.
     
    Not to mention Ricky has been underwhelming during his run with the Twins. The Twins
    knew what they were getting when they signed Nolasco: an average pitcher with strikeout
    potential. Over the first two seasons of his four-year deal with Minnesota, Nolasco has
    pitched 196 1/3 innings. That would be his fifth highest career total for IP, unfortunately
    it happened over two seasons, instead of one.
     
    Ricky’s ERA and WHIP have ballooned since he left MIA and LAD too. His ERA since
    joining the Twins is 0.84 and 2.21 higher than his career average in 2014, and 2015
    respectively. His WHIP has jumped up .193 and .391 over the last two seasons. That’s
    generally not a good sign for a pitcher coming up on their mid-30’s, who still has a year
    after this remaining on his contract.
     
    The good (bad) news (depending on which side of the fence you fall) is that Ricky’s
    spring training starts looked good. While Tyler Duffey was anointed the fifth starter
    coming into spring, Ricky Nolasco pitched better, against the same kind of competition.
    At the time Duffey was cut from spring training, Ricky’s ERA was 2 points lower, and
    his strikeouts were significantly higher (I believe Ricky was down to a 4.05, with 18 SOs,
    vs. Duffeys 6.71 ERA and 4SOs to 3BBs). Unfortunately Nolasco’s stats ballooned in his
    last few outings, and his ERA was north of 5.00, fully understanding that spring training
    isn’t always the best barometer of whom to bring back to the Twin Cities.
     
    If healthy, and in the mindset that he can help the team (or himself through a trade),
    Nolasco won’t hurt this team. While many fans will be hoping for another injury (we
    want May/Duffey/Berrios, dammit!), my hope is that Nolasco pitches so well, a potential
    playoff team will take him off our hands at the trade deadline. Another interesting idea
    would be flipping Duffey to the bullpen, and May to the starting rotation should this
    occur, or in the future. May has enough pitches to start, while Duffey could use his time
    in the bullpen to develop another pitch or two. That’s an article for another time though.
     
    The money doesn’t matter nearly as much as the roster spot. The Twins have some great
    pitching options waiting in the Wings (see what I did there?) who may not have much
    more to prove. The signings of Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, and Nolasco have put some
    of those players on the back burner. We’ve seen the contracts being demanded by
    pitchers these days, so the lengths and costs were going to rise. This could be a good
    thing if Terry Ryan and the front office aren’t sold on Berrios, Meyer, May, and many
    others not being ready for primetime just yet. Having some proven starters to wait out the
    development of the younger arms isn’t a bad plan, you just hope you aren’t wasting
    precious time with the rookies.
     
    I’m not sold on the Twins making a strong post-season run quite yet. I think 2017 is a
    more realistic season for the Twins to start making waves again. This year will be one
    laden with hope. Hope that Miguel Sano continues to mash taters. Hope that Byron
    Buxton gets his bat going in the majors. Hope that Byung-ho Park isn’t lost in translation.
    Hope that Joe Mauer can return to a semblance his former self. And hope that Carlos Nolasco is more
    of a Ricky, than a Richard.
     
     
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    Website: twinsandlosses.com
  10. Twins and Losses
    In a season which began with about as many ups and downs as can be imagined, our favorite MLB team has inexplicably soared back in to relevance, at least for the time being.
     
    The offseason was as interesting as can be expected from a Terry Ryan-led club can be. A hometown Hall-of-Famer was brought in to captain the ship. A former fan favorite was brought back to mentor many young outfield prospects, to inject some life and passion in to a decidedly mild clubhouse, and also to finish out a good (if not great) career back where it started. A legitimately talented starting pitcher was brought in to further stabilize a shaky rotation. A surprisingly effective catcher was re-signed to hold the place that was once defensively occupied by a seemingly fading hometown hero.
     
    Then the harsh reality that all we Minnesota fans know all to well came back to smack us in the face, earlier than expected. Whether it was stupidity or negligence, one single player was able to suck the life out of the fan base from within the organization. We, as Twins fans, have come to expect disappointment from our squad. That said, this season it happened far earlier than anyone expected.
     
    The regular season began as expected, with the Twins floundering against a Tigers team that was the Goliath to the Minnesotan David. For casual fans, it was a time for eye-rolling and cheap jokes. For the die-hards, it was simply business as usual.
     
    Then, something happened. I can’t say exactly what the catalyst was. Perhaps Torii punched someone. Maybe Molitor gave a fiery speech. Who knows? Somehow these Twins seem to have pulled it together. The starting pitching, if not stellar, has been sufficient. The bullpen, which by all accounts was the greatest question mark on the team, has come around. The offense has finally been producing at a level that we all expected and hoped it to.
     
    As evidenced by recent stretch that has seen Minnesota score at least 5 runs in seven of its last ten games, this team can produce offensively. They can hit the long ball, and have enough speed to manufacture runs (if the baserunners will keep their wits about them).
     
    The gates have opened to the string of highly-touted prospects being ushered up to the show. It began with Trevor May stepping in for the much-maligned Ricky Nolasco, who was placed on the DL (again). After a shaky late-season call-up last year, May beginning to show that he may actually belong with the big-league club.
     
    Next, it was Eddie Rosario. And boy, did he make a grand entrance. I’m sure you’ve by now seen the video of him teeing off on the very first MLB pitch he saw for an opposite-field home run (and his family’s awesome reaction). With the obligatory small-sample-size caveat, he has followed that impressive first one-pitch at-bat with at least one RBI in all but one of his games thus far. Again, not jaw-dropping, but as Twins fans, we’ll take production however we can get it.
     
    Who will be the next prospect in line? Byron Buxton, after a slow start at double-A, has roared to life recently. Miguel Sano hasn’t is following in the same vein on the same team, and there is little doubt that he can drive a pitch he likes all the way to the Minneapolis Farmers’ Market when given a chance. Jose Berrios may well have passed up the floundering Alex Meyer who seems to be trying to stay in AAA as long as possible. As of May 11th, Berrios has a 3.25 ERA, with 45 strikeouts to just 13 walks at AA.
     
    With plenty of reinforcements preparing to offer support when needed, and the promise of Ervin Santana returning from suspension to make his Twins regular-season debut (although he wouldn’t be eligible for postseason play, if the Twins somehow made a run at a playoff spot), could this unfamiliar level of acceptable play be sustainable? Time will tell.
     
    The good news, my friends, is that this team is fun to watch again. At least for now.
     
    (Follow Marc on Twitter: @marcosMN)
  11. Twins and Losses
    Like Vader's lightsaber cleaving through the Jedi Temple, the Minnesota Twins figured out how to get some hits. Last year's offense has finally shown up fashionably late (Kasota Gold? [Am I doing this right?]).
     
    Anyone who Everyone thought the Twins were on pace for a historically bad season. Like, 100 plus losses bad. I've been called a Pohlad Pocket Protector, a homer, and a Gardy Guy; but to think this team would have the worst record in the Twins' franchise history is preposterous at best.
     
    The Twins aren't going to contend for the World Series in 2015. They also aren't going to call up a batch of rookies that are still figuring out how to baseball consistently. Byron Buxton is slowly coming around with the Lookouts. He's starting to get his bearings after only playing in 31 games last season. Buxton's OBP (.300) and OPS (.748) are okay. It's not a stretch to think those numbers will improve as long as he continues to learn, and stays healthy.
     
    Miguel Sano's season with Chattanooga has a Aaron Hicks-esque look to it. Sano is hitting a paltry .143 with a .333 OBP and .619 OPS. People need to remember he missed all of last season, and his best stat line was with the Fort Myers Miracle in 2013. Considering Sano is on the 40-man roster, and one of the first able to be called up, it'll take some strong months of growth if we're going to see his debut in 2015 at Target Field.
     
    Hitting was, and still could be, an issue down the road. Corey Kluber won't be a great test tonight for the Twins. He may be 0-1 on the season, but his stats are very similar to his 2014 Cy Young campaign. Minnesota will need to get quality pitching from all five of their starters, whoever they might be. The bullpen will need to step up and keep the team in games.
     
    Expect the Twins to end right around last year's record. I pegged them at 77-85 this season behind strong seasons from Mauer, Dozier, Hughes, Gibson, and May Milone. The defense needs to step up, and the bats must continue to hit their mark. If Luke Skywalker can hit the exhaust port on the Death Star with a pair of proton torpedoes, the Twins can hit a few home runs out of Target Field (like this Kennys Vargas laser).
     
     
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  12. Twins and Losses
    [Originally posted on twinsandlosses.com]
     
    It seems a little inappropriate to call Kennys Vargas “Little Papi”. According to Baseball Reference he is an inch taller (6’ 5”) and weights thirty-five pounds more (275) than Mr. Ortiz. One can assume that this comparison has more to do with their skills with a bat than their impressive physical stature. They may not be the fastest nor the best when it comes to flashing the leather but they do both possess an important skill, one that Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame deems the most vital (albeit his reasoning pertains to motor vehicles): power.
     
    Over the last thirty days Kennys has put himself among some very impressive company thanks to his prowess with a baseball bat. He ranks 5th in the MLB in RBI (23), 13th in hits (33), 13th in batting average (.333), 16th in slugging percentage (.525) and 18th in on base plus slugging (.890). If we compare his stats to just those in the American League he stands 3rd in RBI, 6th in hits, 6th in BA, 7th in SLG and 8th in OPS. So he’s top 20 in the MLB and top 10 in the AL. Not bad for a guy who was called up to the majors from AA New Britain less than a month ago.
     
    So not bad in fact that if he stays at this pace, using Baseball Reference’s OWn% (percentage of games a team with nine of said player batting would win given average defense and pitching) the Twins would be sitting high and mighty above the rest of the league at 117-45 thanks Team All-Kennys averaging 7.4 RC/G (runs created per appox. 27 outs). Unfortunately, that is about as likely as Roger Goodell handing out suitable suspensions for violating certain NFL policies.
     
    Not all of Vargas’ stats are as rosy as those mentioned above however. With great power comes great responsibility and part of said responsibility is patience at the plate. In his twenty-four games played (yes, yes, very small sample size) Kennys has a strikeout rate of 26.2% compared to a walk rate of 3.7%. Not so good. His K/BB rate is 7.0, which is also… not so good. He does hit homeruns at the same pace he draws walks though
     
    Surprisingly, for a player with so little time in the majors his plate discipline isn’t terrible:
     
    http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r502/ectofoto/ScreenShot2014-08-28at64416PM_zps550d591a.png
     
    A few things we can draw from the chart above:
     
    • Vargas sees more pitches outside the zone than in the zone. Not at all uncommon for batters new to the MLB; for example just over 50% of the pitches thrown Danny Santana’s way are in the zone and he’s been hitting consistently since the beginning of May.
     
    • Of those outside pitches, Kennys has swung at less than half of them, showing he has a decent grasp on what is and isn’t in the zone. Even when he does swing at pitches he technically shouldn’t, whether chasing or fouling off, he’s still able make contact more than half the time, which is encouraging.
     
    • While he may not see as many pitches in the zone, he seems to have a good grasp where the zone is as evidenced by a 31% increase in both swing tendencies and contact made when the ball crosses the plate between the black. For perspective, this season Joe Mauer has swung at 53% of pitches in the zone and made 90% contact. A 4% difference in contact on strike pitches between a guy who has been in the majors for a month and a 3-time batting champ isn’t too shabby.
     
    • Overall, Vargas has a little work to do when it comes to leaving the bat on the shoulder on pitches that are balls, his contact percentages both on those pitches in and outside the zone is an indication that he knows what he can and cannot touch, and that will go a long way when building his foundation as a solid hitter.
    I do fear for the day where opposing pitchers take note of Kennys tendencies at the plate. With 28 strikeouts and 4 walks in 99 total at bats, it’s hard to see those numbers getting much worse but then again at the beginning of the year we all thought Chris Colabello would be our run producing machine for the season. I think what we’re all expecting is a DH who plays 1B every once in a while and mashes the ball with such strength we hear Dick Bremer nearly speechless aside from a feeble “…Oh my…” as was the case in Houston when Kennys planted a ball halfway up the second deck in right field.
    He certainly has some work to do at the plate when it comes to walks and strikeouts, but if the lineup for the future includes a second coming of the Bash Brothers in the switch hitting Vargas and righty Oswaldo Arcia back to back, you can bet the cameras at Target Field won’t shy away from showing the upper deck seats as much unless one of them cranks a moonshot.
     
    The sun may be setting on another 90+ loss season for the Twins and you've probably stopped reading this because football is right around the corner, but if you're a die hard like I am you'll tune in to the bitter end to see what Vargas (and the other youngins) can do.
  13. Twins and Losses
    While the rest of America is struggling to find a seat on the World Cup bandwagon and spouting off regurgitated soccer stats, we here at Twins And Losses have been MIA. Plain and simple, we’ve been busy with life, and we suck! So here’s a photo that hopefully brings a smile to your faces:
    http://www.twinsandlosses.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/1959348_10104725105941750_3375576155633379102_n.jpg
    Some quick notes:
    - Kevin Correia’s monthly ERA total has gone down drastically each month. As a known Correia hater, it helps ease my mind somewhat that there are signs of improvement. From 7.33 in April, to 4.72 in May, to 3.18 in June. Don’t believe me? Click this link and be amazed: http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/5580/kevin-correia
    - Yohan Pino is getting his first MLB start on Thursday. The Twins have called up the 30 year old career minor leaguer (Ruiz, Colabello), who like May and Meyer, are tearing up AAA Rochester. Pino is 9-1, with a 1.92 ERA in 61 IP. He’s gotten 61 strikeouts to 16 balls, and thrown 2 complete game shutouts. One more thing, he was also a member of the Twins’ orginization about a month before Plouffe, Perkins, and Swarzak were drafted.
    - I never thought I would be at a point in my Twins fandom where I wanted Aaron Hicks and Trevor Plouffe to come back as soon as possible. The dropped ball by Arcia vs. Detroit still haunts my dreams. *Shudders*
    - Still in a wanderlust due to the Twins signing Kendrys Morales last week. I thought it was a cruel joke started by someone on the interwebs. Luckily he showed up and has been playing on par with his career numbers. There’s still a little rust to shake off, but Morales has been a nice addition to the Twins, doing what Jason Kubel could not.
    - Speaking of Kubel, I wish him all the best. I hope he latches on with another team, and gets the chance to retire on his terms. Kubel’s first stint with the Twins was a key part of so many of our post-season runs, so it makes me sad to see how far he’s fallen. That being said, I wasn’t happy that we re-signed him along with Bartlett and Guerrier. Fortunately Matty G. is all that’s left of the “Reunion Tour,” and I don’t for-see him staying with the club all season.
  14. Twins and Losses
    (Originally posted on www.twinsandlosses.com)
     
    Something tells me that the atmosphere surrounding the Boston sports market is a little less than chipper at the moment. The Celtics missed the playoffs for the first time since the ’07-’08 season, the Bruins lost game seven of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to their bitter rival Montreal on home ice and the Cannons are off to a 1-2 start (hey, professional lacrosse is big over there). Oh yeah, and the defending World Series champion Red Sox are treading .500 water and just lost a series to the Island of Misfit Players that is the Minnesota Twins. Regahdless, dis ain’t exactly been a wicked pissa of a time fo’ dem chowda heads who ain’t use-ta seein’ dis kinda gahbage.
     
    (Un)Fortunately for us Minnesota sports fans, we are used to that kind of gahbage. I mean garbage. Our (male) basketball team hasn’t made the playoffs since ’03-’04, the Wild got bounced from the Western Conference semis in six games and we’re ecstatic if our baseball team is even remotely close to .500 at any time during the season. Hope springs eternal.
     
    But it wasn’t hope that helped the Twins earn their first series win against Boston at Target Field since it opened in 2010 (although it should be noted that the Twins are now 6-0 in series rubber matches this season), rather it came in the form of unlikely heroes in dramatic fashions.
     
    Chris Parmelee was the man of the hour in the first game of the series blasting a 9th inning walk off two run shot to the right field bleachers off of Red Sox reliever Andrew Miller. The Twins threw up five runs in the second inning and Ricky Nolasco pitched a solid six innings giving up three runs on six hits (including two solo HRs by Ortiz) but the Sox battled back and a poor outing by Michael Tonkin in the seventh inning that saw him give up three runs on three hits, tying the game until Parms sent fans home happy in the bottom of the ninth.
     
    Game two of the series was more of the same, and by that I mean that Ortiz hit another two dingers bringing his season total from seven to eleven in the span of two games. A seemingly typical short and horrific start for Kevin Correia (4 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 K) coupled with Papi Power spelled doom for the Twins as the were trounced 9-4 behind a solid outing from Felix Doubront (6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K).
     
    The series came down to a rubber match on Thursday afternoon that saw Phil Hughes continue his dominance pitching six solid innings allowing five hits, one earned run and striking out eight. His opponent on the mound however did not fair so well. Clay Buchholz surrendered ten hits in his six innings of work giving up three runs while striking out six and walking three. Burton and Fien combined for two perfect innings and it looked like the series was won as Glen Perkins took the mound for the save. Except Perkins didn’t get the save. Instead, he gave up four hits and two runs in his inning of work sending the finale to extra innings. Duensing came in in the tenth and slammed the door on the Sox, which left it up to the offense to as Larry the Cable Guy says “Get’r done” and get’r done they did. Kurt Suzuki continued his rampage this season with a double off of Andrew Miller (remember him from game one?) and Aaron Hicks came through in the clutch just a day after getting ripped by Gardenhire and Rob Antony for not being prepared with a walk off single.
     
    With spirits high and the Twins now sitting at 19-20 they look to hit the .500 mark for the first time since May 4th tonight against the Mariners at home. Kyle Gibson (3-3, 4.74 ERA) looks to shutdown the high-flying Seattle offense and the Twins hope to spoil Chris Young’s perfect record (3-0, 2.63 ERA). First pitch is at 7:10 at Target Field broadcasting on KTwin 96.3 or Fox Sports North.
  15. Twins and Losses
    (Originally posted on twinsandlosses.com)
     
    As the saying goes: “April showers bring May flowers.”
     
    They also bring two rainouts at Target Field in a matter of three days. Following the rain spell the Twins frolicked their merry way to four straight losses in ways that made you want to do a rain dance in your living room. Fun stats include: a team RISP ratio of 7-40 (17.5%), a team strikeout rate of 27% and Jared Burton generously giving a 12th inning homerun to Drew Butera. April showers should bring center field pine trees with them, not flowers.
     
    That all-too-familiar feeling of “here we go again…” began to slowly creep in as lawn chairs and grills were pulled out of storage so Twins Territory could wait for the inevitable in comfort. Just when all hope seemed lost, Toto blessed the rains down in Minnesota and the Twins won two of three against the Orioles thanks to solid pitching, stingy defense and even a Joe Mauer opposite field three run homer (no, seriously, there’s video proof). The winning streak continued in Cleveland the following night as the pitching staff turned in a ten-inning shutout earning Gibson his third win, Perkins his eighth save and the Twins their “Back to .500” achievement badge.
     
    In fact three different Twins players also earned new achievement badges last night at Jacob’s Field. I mean Progressive Field. Please excuse the slip-up I have the same problem with Camp Snoopy. I mean Nickelodeon Universe. Regardless, will the following Twin Scouts (I’m almost certain the Twins organization has a Boy Scout copycat that hands out badges to players based off achievement) please come up and receive your badges: Samuel Deduno, Danny Santana and Logan Darnell.
     
    Samuel Deduno – “First Start of the Season” Badge
     
    Still looking for his “First Win of the Season” badge, Sam didn’t do much to help himself earn it in the first two innings last night giving up four runs (three earned). He did settle down after his shaky start lasting five innings but he was his typical erratic self, recording his second balk of the season that equals his season total from last year in one-tenth the number of innings. Don’t get me wrong, the offense did Sammy no favors but when a third of your hits are RBI doubles you’re looking in the wrong cookbook for the recipe to success. Gardy had told the media before the game that his pitch count was going to be in the 75-80 range so seeing Deduno being pulled after 77 came as no surprise to anyone. Look for him to try and get his groove back in his second start against the red hot Tigers in Detroit this weekend. I know that sounds bad but just remember: Deduno is tied for 6th in American League in complete games.
     
    Danny Santana – “First Major League Start” Badge
     
    Yes I know his debut was technically Monday when he pinch ran and recorded his first hit but for the sake of the bit let’s go with it. Look, I even fixed the badge name. Anyways, Santana got his first experience in the field at shortstop and didn’t look half bad in the role. Known for being error prone he kept his composure on a nasty one hopper and also helped to turn a double play. He still looks a little Bambi-eyed at the plate however, going 0-3 with a strikeout and dropping his batting average from a legendary 1.000 to a run-of-the-mill .250. His speed, which he displayed in first career plate appearance reaching on an infield single, was just as advertised and almost reminiscent of Christian Guzman [insert Million Dollar Man sound effect here]. With such a small sample size it’s hard to judge what this 23 year old will really turn out to be but we’ve seen some upside.
     
    Logan Darnell – “First Major League Appearance” Badge
     
    Drafted by the Twins in 2010 from the University of Kentucky this twenty-five year old left handed hurler pitched three perfect innings of relief in his first taste of pro baseball. Sporting a good fastball (89-93mph), a changeup that dipped to 67mph and a curveball/slider combo in the mid 80s, his locations were well chosen and for the most part well executed. Darnell only needed 33 pitches to retire nine batters with a variety of infield singles, deep flyouts and a strikeout against Michael Brantley (3-2 count, fastball outside) utilizing his breaking balls very effectively. Just as with Santana, this is small sample size but we caught a glimpse of a face we could become very familiar with.
     
    “Logan, Danny and Samuel, you have all entered Twin Scouts via a different paths. You have learned the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout Motto, Scout Sign, Salute and handshake. You have a clear goal and are taking the right path toward this goal. These scout Badges represent the first step towards achieving your career goals.”
     
     
    -DM
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