Article: DET 4, MIN 2: Stewart Debuts, Bats Slump in Loss

[Tom Froemming]

Kohl Stewart’s MLB debut got off to a great start, but he eventually ran into some trouble in the fifth inning. The bigger issue, however, was how punchless the Twins’ offense was. It’s pretty hard to win if you can only score two runs. The Twins could only muster four hits on the afternoon.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Kohl Stewart: 40 Game Score, 4.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 K, 1 BB, 60.8% strikes (45 of 75 pitches)

Home Runs: Max Kepler (15)

Multi-Hit Games: None.

WPA of 0.1 or higher: None.

WPA of -0.1 or lower: Stewart -.134, Sano -140

Download attachment: WinChart812.png

This looked a lot like the minor league version of Stewart, which makes sense because he was basically facing a Triple A lineup. OK, all joking aside, he looked pretty good before running into some trouble in the fifth inning.

 

I can’t imagine the emotion these guys must be going through when they reach the majors for the first time. Some players have a lot of build up to their debut. I’d imagine that allows them to be a little more mentally prepared when it happens. Kohl wasn’t even on the 40-man roster prior to his call-up, and while I’m sure he was confident this day would come in the not too distant future, the timing had to have caught him from out of the blue somewhat.

 

You never would have guessed this was Stewart’s first time on a major league mound. He was very composed.

 

We saw the good, as Stewart didn’t allow any extra-base hits and was getting grounders like crazy, but we also saw the bad, as he failed to miss many bats. You allow enough balls to be put into play, eventually you’re going to get stung.

 

A curious decision by Ehire Adrianza, playing third base today, didn’t help. He had a chance to just tag the lead runner out on his way to third, but chose to throw across to first instead, resulting in an infield hit to load the bases. Still, things like that are liable to happen from time-to-time when everybody’s putting the ball in play.

 

Stewart walked in a run to give Detroit a 2-1 and was lifted with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning. Taylor Rogers allowed an inherited run to score on a sac fly, giving Stewart three earned runs over his 4 ⅓ innings of work. He topped out at 95.2 mph, but only got two swinging strikes on his 74 pitches.

 

It’ll be interesting to see what happens next. I think Stewart showed enough to warrant another turn in the rotation, but at the same time there are some other starting pitchers down on the farm who also deserve a look.

 

Runs were very difficult to come by for the Twins. Mitch Garver hit a triple and scored in the second inning and Max Kepler hit a solo homer in the eighth. Altogether, the bats managed to score just nine runs in this three-game series at Detroit.

 

Logan Forsythe now has a hit in all 10 of the games he’s started for the Twins. That represents a career-high hitting streak for him.

 

Bullpen Usage

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

Download attachment: Bullpen812.png

AL Central Standings

CLE 65-51

MIN 54-63 (-11.5)

DET 49-69 (-17)

CHW 42-74 (-23)

KC 35-81 (-30)

 

Next Three Game

Mon: Off

Tue vs. PIT, 7:10 pm CT: Jake Odorizzi vs. Jameson Taillon

Wed vs. PIT, 12:10 pm CT: Jose Berrios vs. Chris Archer

Thuvs. DET, 7:10 pm CT: TBD

 

Last Three Games

MIN 4, DET 3: Austin Homers, Hildy Survives Save Chance

DET 5, MIN 3: Is There Anything Left?

CLE 5, MIN 4: Walks and a Walk-Off

 

Click here to view the article

[yarnivek1972]

Not surprisingly, Stewart ran in to trouble when the lineup flipped over a third time. I doubt he ever has success getting through a MLB lineup 3 times.

 

His line first two times through:

 

4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K

 

Third time:

 

0 outs, 2 H, 3 R, 1 BB

 

It’s even worth noting the difference between first and second time: 2 for 9 first time. 4 for 8 with HBP second time.

Edited August 12, 2018 by yarnivek1972

[jorgenswest]

Not surprisingly, Stewart ran in to trouble when the lineup flipped over a third time. I doubt he ever has success getting through a MLB lineup 3 times.

His line first two times through:

4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Third time:

0 outs, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB

Was he hit harder the third time through?

 

The 8 and 9 hitters did not have hard contact to start that inning. An average defensive 1B would have stopped the 9 hitter’s single.

 

Third time through Candelaria poked one by the second baseman. It was not barreled up. Inglesias hit a slow chopper to 3B and all Adrianza needs to do is step on 3B. He does lose composure and walk Goodrum. He is taken out and Kepler makes an bad throw on a fly ball in front of him. No runs should have been scored this inning.

 

I saw...

 

A ball an average 1B would make get by Austin.

An inexplicably bad play by a 3B not getting an out.

A pitcher in his first game losing composure for a batter.

A fly ball that an average play from right fielder would not need 4 several to get to the catcher.

 

I did not see batters pounding him the ball the third time through. Did we watch the same game?

Edited August 12, 2018 by jorgenswest

[Riverbrian]

That Adrianaza error that wasn't credited as an error was huge and simple situational awareness would have rectified it. 

 

If Adrianaza just takes care of the lead runner like every other major league player would have. Stewart has a chance to get out of the inning with 1 run and maybe gets another inning. 

 

This wasn't a boot... this was a guy asleep in the field. 

 

Stewart gave up nothing hard. He gets pulled as a consequence beyond his control. 

[ashbury]

He gets pulled as a consequence beyond his control. 

I thought his control was OK.

 

Concur.

[shimrod]

I'm not sure Adrianza makes the play at third. The runner is coming hard and Adrianza has to change direction and come back to the bag or runner. If he's behind the basepath it's another story but he was out in front with the runner behind him.

That was not an automatic out. 

 

[bluechipper]

The defense did not help Stewart out at all today. Adrianza's play was a huge mistake, and earlier that inning, Austin should have fielded that ball. Forsyth's high throw earlier in the game was a pretty easy play that should've been made too.

 

Overall, Stewart was pretty similar to Fernando Romero, with their heavy sinkers, but the breaking pitches weren't really there.

[Riverbrian]

 

I'm not sure Adrianza makes the play at third. The runner is coming hard and Adrianza has to change direction and come back to the bag or runner. If he's behind the basepath it's another story but he was out in front with the runner behind him.

That was not an automatic out. 

 

He looked parallel with the runner. It also looked the runner stopped to avoid being easily tagged. 

[mlhouse]

The missing bat issue is a problem that has plagued Stewart each step up the professional baseball circuit.

 

And, the issue is pretty simple. His fastball has decent velocity and he has good command of it.  But, his slider stays in the same plane so professional hitters have no problem making contact with it.  As he moved up the levels the contact level has increased.  

 

To become a major league pitcher Stewart needs to find a way to change the planes of his pitches.  I think he needs to adjust his arm angle to get more snap on the slider so it sinks rather than just sits there to be hit.  I also think that Stewart cannot do this because it creates too much stress on his arm.  

[jorgenswest]

I'm not sure Adrianza makes the play at third. The runner is coming hard and Adrianza has to change direction and come back to the bag or runner. If he's behind the basepath it's another story but he was out in front with the runner behind him.

That was not an automatic out.

 

[ashbury]

I'm not sure Adrianza makes the play at third. The runner is coming hard and Adrianza has to change direction and come back to the bag or runner. If he's behind the basepath it's another story but he was out in front with the runner behind him.

That was not an automatic out. 

The runner going to third had basically stopped in his tracks before he had passed Adrianza.

 

/ edit - ninja'd, and by actual evidence, to boot

[ashbury]

The missing bat issue is a problem that has plagued Stewart each step up the professional baseball circuit.

 

And, the issue is pretty simple. His fastball has decent velocity and he has good command of it.  But, his slider stays in the same plane so professional hitters have no problem making contact with it.  As he moved up the levels the contact level has increased.  

 

To become a major league pitcher Stewart needs to find a way to change the planes of his pitches.  I think he needs to adjust his arm angle to get more snap on the slider so it sinks rather than just sits there to be hit.  I also think that Stewart cannot do this because it creates too much stress on his arm.  

My bonehead-simple remedy, mentioned in the game thread, would be to add a rising four-seamer to his arsenal. The way batters were lunging at the low pitches to spoil them, it seemed to me they had no respect for the heater upstairs. Is that something he's not capable of, even judiciously used? Maybe it can't be his out pitch, but can set the out pitch up.

[Krusington]

Stewart had a solid game. Not great, not horrible, simply average, which is honestly more than I expected from him. Noticed right away through the first three innings there wasn't a swing and miss pitch. He reminds me A LOT of Gibson a couple years ago. Decent stuff, not great, but no true swing and miss pitch - there's HOPE people. Adrianza and Austin didn't help his case there. Anybody defending Adrianza must not get out or watch a lot of baseball that's an extremely routine play (possibly even routine enough to be an out at first as well for a solid 3B). Overall I'm encouraged by Stewarts start, I hope he gets another shot or two against even better competition yet this year. 

[tvagle]

For a defense first multi-year MLBer, Adrianza is supposed to make life easier for rookies making their debut

 

Inexcusable for him to not get an out...and sorry Tom but to say "...things like that are liable to happen from time-to-time when everybody’s putting the ball in play." is unfair to Stewart

 

Routine groundballs are expected to be turned into outs at the MLB level and I was enjoying crisp innings that didn't involve 3 ball counts on every hitter

 

I suppose we could blame the rest of the Twins starters who have conditioned the fielders to fall asleep in the field with 3 ball counts and endless AB's

 

It was a good start by Stewart, here's hoping he gets another start or 6

[Riverbrian]

 

DD0D6880-9428-4863-82FE-F85073A2320A.png

 

Adrianaza owes Stewart an apology. Messed up his first major league start. 

 

 

[shimrod]

(possibly even routine enough to be an out at first as well for a solid 3B).

 

I'll accept that my recollection of that play favored Adrianza more than he deserved. I will not accept that he (or anyone else) could have made a play on the runner AND made the play at first. He's being criticized for throwing to first rather than making a play on the baserunner. If he can't get the ball to first in time as his first play there certainly wasn't time to do both.

[Riverbrian]

 

(possibly even routine enough to be an out at first as well for a solid 3B).

 

I'll accept that my recollection of that play favored Adrianza more than he deserved. I will not accept that he (or anyone else) could have made a play on the runner AND made the play at first. He's being criticized for throwing to first rather than making a play on the baserunner. If he can't get the ball to first in time as his first play there certainly wasn't time to do both. 

 

Agreed that a double play wasn't possible.

 

One out 

 

Runners on first and second. Double Play not possible.

 

Lead runner out... A SURE THING. And that's the guy you'd want out if you could choose. 

 

I'd forgive him for a boot... Adrianaza was sleeping on the job. Stewart got pulled as a consequence. 

 

 

[Krusington]

 

(possibly even routine enough to be an out at first as well for a solid 3B).

 

I'll accept that my recollection of that play favored Adrianza more than he deserved. I will not accept that he (or anyone else) could have made a play on the runner AND made the play at first. He's being criticized for throwing to first rather than making a play on the baserunner. If he can't get the ball to first in time as his first play there certainly wasn't time to do both.

 

Not meaning double play. One or the other. Sorry for the miscommunication, nobody could've ever expected that. Pablo Sandoval makes it to first if he goes to the bag at third first. Double play in that situation is out of the question for sure.

[ashbury]

 If he can't get the ball to first in time as his first play there certainly wasn't time to do both.

Concur. The runner going to third was deliberately trying to wreak havoc with what (as far as he might know) could be a tag 'im out throw 'im out DP, by putting on the brakes like that. Probably there wasn't time for that, and perhaps even a force at second instead (trying for a different DP) would have been risky. But his diversionary tactic worked out far better than even he probably imagined - a complete brain cramp by our glove-first third baseman!

 

In fairness, it wasn't the glove that failed Ehire.

[Doomtints]

I knew they were going to lose once I saw who was batting leadoff -- Forsythe.

 

I don't know why this organization has so much faith in a manager who can't fill out a lineup card.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Was he hit harder the third time through?

 

The 8 and 9 hitters did not have hard contact to start that inning. An average defensive 1B would have stopped the 9 hitter’s single.

 

Third time through Candelaria poked one by the second baseman. It was not barreled up. Inglesias hit a slow chopper to 3B and all Adrianza needs to do is step on 3B. He does lose composure and walk Goodrum. He is taken out and Kepler makes an bad throw on a fly ball in front of him. No runs should have been scored this inning.

 

I saw...

 

A ball an average 1B would make get by Austin.

An inexplicably bad play by a 3B not getting an out.

A pitcher in his first game losing composure for a batter.

A fly ball that an average play from right fielder would not need 4 several to get to the catcher.

 

I did not see batters pounding him the ball the third time through. Did we watch the same game?

When you only miss 2 bats in 74 pitches, you are going to have innings like that virtually every game, though.

[Platoon]

It was nice for a change to see someone with a pitch count under 100 starting the 5th inning. I thought his composure was good for a first start. He does look like he has a chance to pitch in MLB. But there is no doubt that he cannot survive defense like today's. On another note, I find it odd that he was accused of facing a AAA lineup. It makes me wonder what sort of lineup the Tigers pitchers were facing today? Finally, while I am not sure how Goodrum fares against other teams, he sure does nicely against the team that didn't give him a chance. But I guess with the plethora of talent we have on this roster there just wasn't room?

[MikeW]

Stewart deserves a couple more starts. His sinker was working well. He knows now that he needs to mix in his other pitches going through the line-up.

Offensively and defensively, the position players offered little support. Third baseman play was horrible.

[Thrylos]

His start today was better than any of Slegers's or Santana's starts this season, and about 2/3rd of Odorizzi's.

 

I'd say that he deserves to stay.  Next man out of that rotation should be Santana.

[Riverbrian]

 

When you only miss 2 bats in 74 pitches, you are going to have innings like that virtually every game, though.

 

Maybe he will miss 4 bats next game. 

[Jacksson]

If not for the failure of both Rogers and Moya to not allow any inherited runners to score,only 2 runs would have been scored by Detroit.

[Otto von Ballpark]

If not for the failure of both Rogers and Moya to not allow any inherited runners to score,only 2 runs would have been scored by Detroit.

We really miss Matty B right now...

[jorgenswest]

When you only miss 2 bats in 74 pitches, you are going to have innings like that virtually every game, though.

The comment was the third time through. Missing bats is a problem but not specific to the third time through. Missing bats and too much contact can be a problem in the first inning also so I am not sure how your reply is connected to my reply about the third time through.

[Blackjack]

Thanks for the review Tom!!! I was at a picnic all afternoon and logged in just to see how Stewart did - and this thread answered the ???

[ashbury]

My bonehead-simple remedy, mentioned in the game thread, would be to add a rising four-seamer to his arsenal. The way batters were lunging at the low pitches to spoil them, it seemed to me they had no respect for the heater upstairs. Is that something he's not capable of, even judiciously used? Maybe it can't be his out pitch, but can set the out pitch up.

I guess I'm going to harp on this, because in his post-game interview (posted at TD in the day's Minor League wrapup, strangely) Stewart talked a bit about an at-bat that I believe was the Iglesias one I was thinking of. He was talking about his sinker and that he was confident in that pitch against that hitter. I agree that you should go with what you think will work, and definitely not get beat on another pitch. Still, you have to set up that out pitch. He spoke of planning to go over some things with Garver, of what they could have done better, without resorting to 20/20 hindsight, and that at bat apparently is on his list. Great. My suggestion remains, earlier in the count, mix in a fastball up and out of the zone, just to give the batter more to think about than the sinker. And if he continues to foul off that sinker, eventually try for a high borderline strike even with misgivings; the count on that plate appearance never reached 3 balls, I believe. You can't throw major leaguers the same thing again and again.

 

He seems like he is so close to being able to control the strike zone.