Article: Game Thread: Twins v Reds, 4/27 @ 7:10pm CT

[gocgo]

 

During this 8 game losing streak, the Twins have given up 71 runs.  71!  That's almost 9 a game.  Go ahead and score 8 boys.  We are still gonna lose more than we win giving up that many runs.  Plus, when you lose 8 in a row, to make that up, you either have to win 8 in a row or win 28 of your next 40 or something like that.

Did I say 71?  Make that 73.  More that 9 per game.  Ugh!  Unwatchable at this point.

[Pius Jefferson]

Who needs a 2nd basemen?

[jun]

We have quite a few pitchers right now that fit that 'hope will be his last appearance' category ... Hughes, Duffy, Hildenburger ... and who do we have to take their places?

Add Rodney, Rogers, Hale and Lynn. Edited April 28, 2018 by jun

[Danchat]

I'm trying to think of a witty comment, but I got nothing. This feels like the losing streak to start the 2016 season. We're reaching the point of no return here.

[Aggies7]

Rosario homers so I’m certain the wild hacks will continue for another week

[Danchat]

Didn't expect Eddie to hit a 0-2 home run off a pretty good closer, but I'll take it.

[Aggies7]

Dick “I’m not sure where that got him”

 

It hit him literally square in the face, Dick.

[Aggies7]

Man, morneau sure knows how to find the bright spot

[Pius Jefferson]

Full disclosure. After Dozier threw a hissy fit in Baltimore my fandom lessened. I know don't blame the entire team for one guy being a jerk but somethings can just get under your skin. Add the embarrassing play and I'm kind of checked out. 

[Aggies7]

Ffs I just want to go to bed

[ewen21]

 

Votto, who everyone brings up every time I complain about Mauer, has swung at the first pitch twice tonight.

 

HR, double.

That and Votto's OPS is just weee bit higher than Joe's the last eight seasons or so.  Just a little.

 

But they both walk and are both named Joe so...ya know

[howeda7]

If only it were still 10-8

[Aggies7]

If only it were still 10-8

We would have gone down meekly. You can bet that

[Rosterman]

Hughes was ALMOST the best guy pitching tonight!

[Blake]

I could overlook the losses in Tampa, because the Twins hadn't really had a chance to get things going.

 

I could overlook the losses to the Yankees because, well, it's the Yankees.

 

I find tonight to be inexcusable.

 

Oh, and Dick? 8 game losing streak. There is no "put the loss behind" you and get back at it at this point.

 

Dick, there are no positives to tonight's game. Best just call the game and stop rambling. 

[USAFChief]

Can someone explain to me WHY Phil Hughes started this game tonight?

 

What is the reasoning? Seriously. Is it the money? Because I can sort of understand that. Do they feel like they "owe" him one last opportunity, out of loyalty or something?

 

Or do they actually think he's the best available option? I hope to all heck it's not this. This would not be a good thing.

[jun]

Duffey should be the next man out. Rogers and Hildenberger should follow. Hughes and Hale should be long relievers. Rodney should pitch in mop up role.

[Squirrel]

Can someone explain to me WHY Phil Hughes started this game tonight?

 

What is the reasoning? Seriously. Is it the money? Because I can sort of understand that. Do they feel like they "owe" him one last opportunity, out of loyalty or something?

 

Or do they actually think he's the best available option? I hope to all heck it's not this. This would not be a good thing.

I actually think there was far worse to this game than that. Half the relief pitchers need to go ... who do we have to fill those spots? Oh, wait, we have Kinley. I forgot. Who else?

[USAFChief]

 

I actually think there was far worse to this game than that. Half the relief pitchers need to go ... who do we have to fill those spots? Oh, wait, we have Kinley. I forgot. Who else?

That's kind of the point.

 

I'm not sure what you do about the bullpen, except hope it gets better. It was built with Hildenberger, Rogers, Duke, and Rodney as featured parts. There aren't reasonable alternatives.

 

But there isn't any reason Phil Hughes NEEDS to be on the roster. ANYwhere. There are other starters in Rochester, and giving one or two of them some starts till Santana returns seems to me WAY more likely to have some minimal success than Phil Hughes throwing 88 with bad command and no breaking stuff to speak of.

 

It's just...inexplicable. Why?

[Blake]

 

I actually think there was far worse to this game than that. Half the relief pitchers need to go ... who do we have to fill those spots? Oh, wait, we have Kinley. I forgot. Who else?

Honestly, I think the Twins are giving away games when Hughes starts. Another short start, another time the bullpen is out before it should be.

 

Let's say the Twins had an 8-1 or 8-4 lead going into the 6th and they go to the pen in the 7th. I think it's a different outcome if Reed and, of all things, Pressly are pitching the later innings.

[Blake]

 

Can someone explain to me WHY Phil Hughes started this game tonight?

 

What is the reasoning? Seriously. Is it the money? Because I can sort of understand that. Do they feel like they "owe" him one last opportunity, out of loyalty or something?

 

Or do they actually think he's the best available option? I hope to all heck it's not this. This would not be a good thing.

I think it's money and the fact he's been successful in the distant past.

 

Second thought, I'm not sure I even buy what I just typed.

 

No earthly clue at this point.

[FormerMinnasotan]

So, who’s replacing Hughes as the #5 starter? Since he struggled so bad against this team he has NO hope of even being a serviceable #5 for this team. Why did we demote Aaron Slegers again? He could fill the role as a potentially better #5 than Hughes.

 

Also what are we going to do about our joke of a bullpen? To be honest I want nothing to do with Duffey, he failed as a starter and now has failed as a reliever. We have no use for him.

 

Overall this sucks, it sucks bad. We were supposed to be better than last year. We actually added pieces to improve our chances to get back to the playoffs. Of course it doesn’t help when your free agent signings can’t produce, even worse our young talent (Sano, Buxton, Rosario) can’t even improve and can’t fully develop.

 

This should be the wake up call for us, but I doubt we have enough attitude and fire to improve and that just sucks.

[Gagne Fan]

Call up Curtiss, Baxendale, Magill

[h2oface]

 

Safe to say we'd win 100+ if we played the Reds every game

 

Sure it is.

[ewen21]

I am beyond frustrated with a lot of this young talent right now.  Rosario is going to be a guy who chases pitches and has a big looping swing.  He's looking more like Jacque Jones everyday.  Not a bad player but.....He and Sano are going to be feast or famine guys and there has been plenty of famine thus far.  They are not kids anymore.  Rosario is 26 and Miguel is soon to turn 25.  Sano has been in the league long enough now to know better and he seems to be stuck in a holding pattern.  It doesn't seem he is going to hit for any kind of average, he is way too heavy and he strikes out way too much.  Add to that the offseason allegations and it is very concerning.  I am very disappointed in Polanco.  I thought the guy was a polished player.  He seemed smart and yet he is busted for STEROIDS?  So now he misses half a season.  Brilliant job.  What kind of BS is that??

 

And then there is Byron Buxton.  I don't know what it is, but so many Twins fans look the other way with this guy because he has already been anointed.  I see so many holes in his game and to not be worried about him at this point is irrational to me.  The guy's game is predicated on his speed and that isn't going to last.  He isn't going to last long playing defense like a Kamakaze and that kind of thing seems to be a source of pride for him.  He really needs to reign it in or his career will come to an end fast.  The injuries are already mounting and he just cannot seem to pull it together offensively.  Sure, he has had a few streaks that lasted a month or so, but on the balance his bat has been subpar (and that is being kind).  He was billed as a five tool player.  He is most certainly not that.  I don't care how many circus catches he makes and how fast he is.  If his OPS is going hover around .700 he is not a complete player.

 

These four players were supposed to be an integral part of this lineup and in my view, these four are a major MAJOR disappointment thus far.  I don't like to lump players together like this, but when people were talking about this offense and what it could do a lot of weight was put on these four.  Molitor and his staff inherit a lot of the blame for this, in my opinion.  I think the mindset in that clubhouse is way WAY off.  When you have your longest tenured veteran deciding to bunt in his first at bat in a series at Yankee Stadium you have problems.  There was literally no dialogue about that for some reason.  The chances of Joe successfully laying down a bunt there was less than 20%, I guarantee you that.  I'll eat my hat if he has more than a handful of bunt hits in his entire career.  He had a much better chance just standing in there giving a professional at bat.  Instead he did that and all his teammates got to see just how mentally invested he was in turning around their fortunes.  After all the years of losing there THAT is what he does.  Not a good tone setter.  And for Molitor to not openly question that is wrong.  He could have said, "I wish Joe would have given us an at bat there rather than attempting a bunt"

Simple constructive criticism you would expect from a manager.  It makes you wonder if he is anything more than a figurehead.  If you are trying to bring along young players that is the last thing you want.

 

This is a very confused bunch under Molitor.  Seems he can only shrug his shoulders.  He and his staff has done a very poor job this year.  A very poor job.

[Platoon]

That's kind of the point.

 

I'm not sure what you do about the bullpen, except hope it gets better. It was built with Hildenberger, Rogers, Duke, and Rodney as featured parts. There aren't reasonable alternatives.

 

But there isn't any reason Phil Hughes NEEDS to be on the roster. ANYwhere. There are other starters in Rochester, and giving one or two of them some starts till Santana returns seems to me WAY more likely to have some minimal success than Phil Hughes throwing 88 with bad command and no breaking stuff to speak of.

 

It's just...inexplicable. Why?

It's the money, it's always the money!

[Vanimal46]

Can someone explain to me WHY Phil Hughes started this game tonight?

 

What is the reasoning? Seriously. Is it the money? Because I can sort of understand that. Do they feel like they "owe" him one last opportunity, out of loyalty or something?

 

Or do they actually think he's the best available option? I hope to all heck it's not this. This would not be a good thing.

You know exactly why... He's a 'healthy' pitcher making $13 million dollars.

[notoriousgod71]

 

I am beyond frustrated with a lot of this young talent right now.  Rosario is going to be a guy who chases pitches and has a big looping swing.  He's looking more like Jacque Jones everyday.  Not a bad player but.....He and Sano are going to be feast or famine guys and there has been plenty of famine thus far.  They are not kids anymore.  Rosario is 26 and Miguel is soon to turn 25.  Sano has been in the league long enough now to know better and he seems to be stuck in a holding pattern.  It doesn't seem he is going to hit for any kind of average, he is way too heavy and he strikes out way too much.  Add to that the offseason allegations and it is very concerning.  I am very disappointed in Polanco.  I thought the guy was a polished player.  He seemed smart and yet he is busted for STEROIDS?  So now he misses half a season.  Brilliant job.  What kind of BS is that??

 

And then there is Byron Buxton.  I don't know what it is, but so many Twins fans look the other way with this guy because he has already been anointed.  I see so many holes in his game and to not be worried about him at this point is irrational to me.  The guy's game is predicated on his speed and that isn't going to last.  He isn't going to last long playing defense like a Kamakaze and that kind of thing seems to be a source of pride for him.  He really needs to reign it in or his career will come to an end fast.  The injuries are already mounting and he just cannot seem to pull it together offensively.  Sure, he has had a few streaks that lasted a month or so, but on the balance his bat has been subpar (and that is being kind).  He was billed as a five tool player.  He is most certainly not that.  I don't care how many circus catches he makes and how fast he is.  If his OPS is going hover around .700 he is not a complete player.

 

These four players were supposed to be an integral part of this lineup and in my view, these four are a major MAJOR disappointment thus far.  I don't like to lump players together like this, but when people were talking about this offense and what it could do a lot of weight was put on these four.  Molitor and his staff inherit a lot of the blame for this, in my opinion.  I think the mindset in that clubhouse is way WAY off.  When you have your longest tenured veteran deciding to bunt in his first at bat in a series at Yankee Stadium you have problems.  There was literally no dialogue about that for some reason.  The chances of Joe successfully laying down a bunt there was less than 20%, I guarantee you that.  I'll eat my hat if he has more than a handful of bunt hits in his entire career.  He had a much better chance just standing in there giving a professional at bat.  Instead he did that and all his teammates got to see just how mentally invested he was in turning around their fortunes.  After all the years of losing there THAT is what he does.  Not a good tone setter.  And for Molitor to not openly question that is wrong.  He could have said, "I wish Joe would have given us an at bat there rather than attempting a bunt"

Simple constructive criticism you would expect from a manager.  It makes you wonder if he is anything more than a figurehead.  If you are trying to bring along young players that is the last thing you want.

 

This is a very confused bunch under Molitor.  Seems he can only shrug his shoulders.  He and his staff has done a very poor job this year.  A very poor job.

 

 

Far more kind and concise than the rant I have started and stopped three times.

[ewen21]

 

Far more kind and concise than the rant I have started and stopped three times.

 

It was boiling inside of me for the last 48 hours.  I just could not take it anymore.

Things are what they are and I don't see it as a positive to use a "glass half full" perspective today.  Why not just discuss what is real?  When the team is in an 8 game losing streak and things go down the way they have no sense beating around the bush.

 

These players made the point for me.  I did not go out of my way to be a "Debbie Downer".

Just calling it like it is.