Article: Yankees 6, Twins 3: Bartolopalooza Ends in Defeat

[Tom Froemming]

The Twins have been searching for answers in the rotation all year. From bringing in Ryan Vogelsong for spring training, to giving looks to guys out of the indy leagues and waiver wire claims, the front office has tried to be creative. Bartolo Colon? Why the heck not.

 

There was plenty of intrigue surrounding Colon’s Twins debut, but at the end of the day he looked pretty much exactly like you'd expect from any pitcher who recently got released.Win Expectancy & Top 5 Plays Per WPA (via Fangraphs)

Download attachment: WinEx718.png

Download attachment: TopPlays718.png

To be fair, Colon actually looked great through the first three innings, shutting out the Yankees. He gave up just a couple singles and struck out Aaron Judge, Matt Holliday and Gary Sanchez. Big Sexy ran into a little trouble in the fourth, giving up a run, before coming a bit more undone in the fifth.

 

Colon gave up a single and a pair of doubles to open the fifth frame before being removed. The scored was tied 3-3 upon his departure, but Ryan Pressly allowed an inherited runner to score. Bartolo’s line at the end of the day: 4.0 innings, eight hits, four earned runs, no walks, three strikeouts.

 

He got released by the Braves for registering an 8.13 ERA and 1.78 WHIP. He has a 9.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP with the Twins, but I’m sure he’ll get another start. Which is fine, the Twins have tried just about everything else outside of promoting Fernando Romero or Stephen Gonsalves, so why the heck not I guess?

 

Bartolo did his thing, throwing almost exclusively fastballs that mostly failed to even flirt with 90 mph. You wouldn't expect him to change at this point, right? Info below via Baseball Savant:

Download attachment: ColonGraph1.png

Miguel Sano smashed a frozen rope for a homer, his 22nd, and also hit a double.

Brian Dozier narrowly missed a homer himself.

Max Kepler had two hits and for the second-straight night made an outstanding diving catch in right field. He’s been excellent out there this season, coming into the night trailing only Mookie Betts and Yasiel Puig in defensive runs above average among right fielders.

Zack Granite batted in the two hole yet again tonight. He drew a walk in the first inning, but ended the night 0-for-4 with five men left on base. He’s hitting .091 with a .336 OPS. Short sample, sure, and they need him in there for his defense, but hitting second?

 

Yankees starter Luis Cessa did his best to try to gift the Twins with a big lead early. He walked the first two batters of the game, hit Sano with a pitch to load the bases and then walked Robbie Grossman to force in a run.

 

Postgame With Molitor

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:

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Wednesday

Twins (Jose Berrios, RHP) vs. Yankees (Jordan Montgomery, LHP), 12:10 pm CT

 

Montgomery has been tough on lefties this year, holding same-sided batters to a .171/.244/.415 (.659 OPS) line. He’s getting his first taste of the majors this year, and has fared quite well, posting a 3.78 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 8.5 K/9. July has been a tough month so far, as he has a 5.27 ERA over three starts, two of which he failed to complete five innings.

 

Of course, Berrios seems to have hit a speed bump of his own of late. He has a 6.63 ERA over his last four starts, giving up a .943 OPS to opposing hitters. He lasted just 1.2 innings and gave up seven runs (two earned) to the Astros last time out. Jose has been much better at Target Field (2.86 ERA, 0.87 WHIP) than on the road (4.46 ERA, 1.41 WHIP), so lets hope some home cooking does him good.

 

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[adorduan]

This Colon "experiment' needs to end, and soon. It's insulting to real fans.

[USAFChief]

So Buxton...finally dropped to the bottom of the order.

 

His replacement, who has been worse, in the two hole.

 

That's tough for an amateur like me to understand.

[Seth Stohs]

I have no problem with giving Colon another start. The first four innings were good. Obviously he's got to be perfect and get good defense to have any success. Frankly, I'd rather Colon take his lumps against the Yankees and the Dodgers than Gonsalves or Romero. 

 

I'm good with Granite hitting #2. Frankly, he should be #1, but obviously Dozier is going to be there. While he hasn't shown it through the first 4-6 games in numbers, I love the approach. He needs a few to fall in. I'm fine moving him down in the order at this point, but I have no problem with Molitor putting him there. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Winnable game tonight, frustrating loss. 

[jun]

I am sorry to say Pressly should be sent down for the rest of the season.

[jun]

Pressly, Breslow and Duffey are all terrible. Bosher is inconsistent.

[HitInAPinch]

Rant-On

 

As I've posted before:  I've lived through the days with the Twins when guys like Willie Banks were considered to be hot prospects.  Then I learned the true meaning of 'hot prospects':  hot in relation to the Twins, not the entire MLB.  Willie had his moments and pitched until he was 33.  In the end, pretty underwhelming.

 

I say this because I think the new FO's questioning how good the Twins MiLB pitchers really are.  It's the only reason I can think of when the Twins are rotating guy like Tepesch, Turley, Wilk, Santiago and Colon in and out of the rotation.  

 

With a whole season to evaluate the system from top to bottom, I would expect Falvey and Levine to make significant changes to Twins MiLB rosters.  Well, wish, is probably a lot closer.

 

Rant-Off

 

[Han Joelo]

I'm not complaining about Colon after seeing what the Yankees have run out there the last two games.  The Twins failed epically with chances to take advantage.  It almost seemed like Girardi knew the Twins wouldn't come through, and he was able to milk Cessa longer than he might have after that first inning.

 

I know its more random variance than anything, but it seemed like Granite kept coming up in key spots, particularly at the end.  I like the idea of him leading off, but I would guess he'll be down order today.  And, not to bash Granite, but just speaking as a baseball fan, it is a bummer to me that the game has gone the way it has--when he came up with the bases loaded, what a perfectly dramatic time to send in a pinch-hitter.  Actually, as I write this, I think Molly should have hit Esco their and moved him into the outfield.  Oh well.

[Old Twins Cap]

Comes down to hitting with runners in scoring position.

 

Not sure of the exact number but something like 4 for 30 over two games, then there was the Houston series as well.

 

When Sano and Mauer aren't hitting with runners on base, this team has no chance.

 

Not that anyone else is producing.

[twinsnorth49]

Colon, Granite in the 2 hole and a 3 man bench.

 

What.....they lost?

 

Seriously, I know the Twins aren't a legit contender but the division is wide open and this is the Twins approach? Fringe teams can't afford those kind of decisions.

[mikelink45]

The only thing we proved it the adage that AL will add at least 1/2 run to the NL ERA.  Colon came in with a NL 8.13 and left with an AL 9.00.  Not excited, but reading Seth's comment I agree that we can let him start against the Yankees and Dodgers then bring up Gonsalves and Romero and start looking at the potential for the future rotation.  I am really tired of scrap heap vets.  

 

Then we can also bring up minor league relievers and jettisons the old batch.  Yesterday on the game the radio announcers said we were next to last in relief pitcher Ks.  That says a lot and Pressly who does strike out players alternates Ks with hits and that is not good either.

 

Granite is fine, number 2 hole could be right once he is established but once again the Twins have a difficulty getting so many of their minor league players to transition to the majors. 

[Mike Sixel]

He's bad. He should not be pitching for a team that thinks it might be buyers. Breslow back on the roster, so there is no bench? Really? That's the plan from a FO that supposedly knows pitching? 

 

Everyone's fear of bringing up young players is maddening to me. They've drafted and developed 1 pitcher in like 10 years that is a starter (we hope). It's time to completely change their approach. I suggest promoting good players to a level that challenges them, or even the majors. 

 

and no, Granite should not be in the 2 hole right now. How can anyone say that with a straight face?

[Bill Brown69]

I choose to see the positive. Even though Kepler fails early he had 2 hits later, Sano with 2 hard hits, Dozier nearly had a homer. Our core hitters are not afraid of the Yankees like back in the day. I think it would be a very entertaining series if somehow we could meet them in the postseason, even though I doubt either team will make it.

[SirLoin]

From what I saw last night, it seems like Colon could at least be a serviceable long man out of the bullpen and occasional spot starter going forward.  Sure, start him against the Dodgers then put him in the pen.  That being said, it's time to start looking for a starter via trade.  

[Rosterman]

I love Granite and glad to see him getting playing time. But not sure that he should be dumped in the #2 spot out-of-the-chute and you best hitter regulated to the bottom of the order. You let a guy get some bumps (and only 4 at-bats) at the end of the order to start. If Granite CAN bat second, than Buxton should be batting second upon his return.

[Doomtints]

Let's be brutally honest here. The only plausible reason that the Twins are marching Colon out there is to sell tickets, and this gimmick can only work more than a week or two if he can win games and it does not look like winning games is going to happen.

 

If the Twins are smart, this "experiment" is over by the end of the month.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Doomtints

[Doomtints]

 

I love Granite and glad to see him getting playing time. But not sure that he should be dumped in the #2 spot out-of-the-chute and you best hitter regulated to the bottom of the order. You let a guy get some bumps (and only 4 at-bats) at the end of the order to start. If Granite CAN bat second, than Buxton should be batting second upon his return.

 

Exactly. Why the heck is he batting second?

Every time it seems like Molitor is figuring things out a bit, he does some nonsense like this!

Edited July 19, 2017 by Doomtints

[Tomj14]

 

I have no problem with giving Colon another start. The first four innings were good. Obviously he's got to be perfect and get good defense to have any success. Frankly, I'd rather Colon take his lumps against the Yankees and the Dodgers than Gonsalves or Romero. 

 

I'm good with Granite hitting #2. Frankly, he should be #1, but obviously Dozier is going to be there. While he hasn't shown it through the first 4-6 games in numbers, I love the approach. He needs a few to fall in. I'm fine moving him down in the order at this point, but I have no problem with Molitor putting him there. 

I have to disagree, what has Granite done to be hitting lead off in the majors? Hit AAA pitching?

Plus having Polanco, Castro and Granite hitting in a row, is almost a guarantee of three outs in a row.

[kab21]

 

This Colon "experiment' needs to end, and soon. It's insulting to real fans.

We have one thread where Gibson has been so awful for so long that he has to be removed from the rotation.

 

Colon says 'Hold my BEER!'

 

Both of these are terrible options but the Twins can't go forward with a 3 man rotation. I would say make a trade but the board has mostly been against trading any prospects since they aren't a competitive playoff team if they make it. Something has to give since the Twins have gotten complete garbage out of two rotation spots and are still in the playoff hunt.

[bluechipper]

Another game where the offense wastes numerous opportunities. They've done a good job of getting the minimum out of the maximum lately.

[Danchat]

 

Bartolo Colon told ESPN's Marly Rivera that he is considering retirement.

Just saw this earlier today. 

 

Colon will make his second start in a Twins uniform early next week against the Dodgers, but if it doesn't go so well the 44-year-old right-hander might hang up his cleats for good. Colon allowed four earned runs on eight hits over four-plus innings Tuesday in his Minnesota debut. He has an 8.19 ERA in 14 total appearances this season.

 

The Dodgers are 30-4 in their last 34 games, so I'm not liking Colon's chances. At least he'll get to hit one last time...

[Otto von Ballpark]

The Dodgers are 30-4 in their last 34 games, so I'm not liking Colon's chances. At least he'll get to hit one last time...

Colon may have to survive 2 innings on the mound in order to have a turn at bat in LA. I am not sure I like those chances either. (Assuming we don't move him up in the order )