Article: MIN 8, KC 7: Losing Streak Snapped Again

[Aerodeliria]

Sano has actually 2 options remaining so he could be sent down.

 

Problem is with Adrianza and Marwin Gonzales on the shelf, the Twins would have to bring up a guy on the 40-man roster who can play 3rd base. The only guy on the 40 who could even think about filling in would be Nick Gordon. Do you want to call up Nick Gordon to play 3rd base for a handful of games in his MLB debut?

 

Actually I kinda would like that haha! But I am pretty sure the Twins would not.

 

I'm super concerned about Sano just like everyone else. His homerun was absolutely the difference in last night's game but honestly he's looked absolutely lost. Although that K in the 9th inning featured 2 terrible strike calls against him...but I just don't see how you can play a guy going through a slump like this. Sano makes Joey Gallo look like Tony Gwynn.

 

I'm way more concerned about Perez. It's pretty clear that his early season success was indeed a fluke and he's back to being that pitcher who pitched to the tune of a 6.62 ERA last year in Texas. The Twins can't trade him, and can't move him to the bullpen as he wouldn't help there. I checked and it appears that Perez isn't out of options, so I think the logical move would be to send him down as soon as the Twins trade for help. Bumgardner fill his shoes nicely.

Of course, I'm also concerned about Perez, but he's still striking out batters right and left. He's gets in trouble when he walks guys. To be fair, the error by Polanco helped to blow up the first inning. He really only made one awful pitch in the sixth; the problem, as is always the case with him, was the freeloaders on 1st and 2nd. It's a conundrum. Edited June 22, 2019 by Aerodeliria

[rdehring]

Another less than stellar start by our pitcher.  Gotta expect all three will get back on track, hopefully soon.  And considering all the innings pitched, the bullpen hasn't been all that bad.  Only problem is Berrios better go 7 or 8 today cause Rogers will probably be unavailable.

 

It is clear to me that the MVP of this team is Buxton.  There is no question it is a different team when he isn't out in center field and raising havoc from the #9 spot in the order.  How different will this team be defensively (Kepler in right) and offensively with Buxton at #9 and Cave in Rochester?  Very different, at least in my opinion.

[USAFChief]

Over his last five starts, Perez’s ERA has gone from 2.95 to 4.28.

 

24 IP, 20 earned runs.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The level of Sano induced insanity has hit an all-time high. He hit a home run in a massive spot to tie the game....and his demotion is called for. Despite a rough patch, he’s still OPSing .850. Astudillo is barely OPSing .600, and the same people are ready to put his number next Mauer’s on the limestone. Taking a step back and thinking about it....it’s comical.

Stopppppppppp it with this .850 OPS stuff.

 

Over the past 28 days, Sano has a .709 OPS and a .198 batting average. He's not playing well and literally struck out in 80% of his plate appearances last night.

[Riverbrian]

Would ripping players in the postgame help the team win more games? If so. Do it.

 

I don’t think it helps and if anything makes it harder to work with a player. With social media a manager’s words are immediately available and easily repeated. That wasn’t the case when Gardenhire started managing. I think Rocco has this part figured out.

Agreed

 

Rocco can’t rake his players over the coals publicly. And the reason is our fault and not his.

 

We simply don’t know how to behave with the information.

[Riverbrian]

Stopppppppppp it with this .850 OPS stuff.

 

Over the past 28 days, Sano has a .709 OPS and a .198 batting average. He's not playing well and literally struck out in 80% of his plate appearances last night.

Agreed

 

And this could turn into a hot streak later so you keep working with him.

 

It’s awesome that we have 11 other players who potentially contribute so Sano doesn’t kill us.

 

All Rocco has to do at the moment is just play Sano a little less and keep working with him.

 

If Sano doesn’t snap out of it. We have the option to use. We got until 2022 to make a decision on him.

 

There is currently no reason at all to rush to judgement.

[Otto von Ballpark]

.

I checked and it appears that Perez isn't out of options, so I think the logical move would be to send him down as soon as the Twins trade for help. Bumgardner fill his shoes nicely.

Players with 5 years service time can refuse any optional assignment, even if they technically have options remaining.

[diehardtwinsfan]

the fact that we are winning games like this is a testimony to the offense. That said, we've been playing a lot of sloppy baseball of late. I really hope they can correct that at some point. The cracks are showing. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

He has an option. 

 

You are corrected. 

 

This may be the right course of action too. He really needs to work on his plate discipline. Sending him down when Marwin returns to see if he needs a couple weeks in AAA to get his head straight might not be a bad idea.

[Thebigalguy]

I'm pleased we came back yet again on the strength of the offense, but a historic season will go the way of the dodo bird if the starting pitching (and sometimes relief pitching) keeps breaking down. How many times can the offense rescue a bad start? Every team has its collective slumps, of course, and the Twins aren't immune, but with the lineup in place this year, I think there's always one or two or three able to get on base or whack one out, so it's pitching that will make or break a post-season run. Perez has three of the better mentors in the game: Wes Johnson, Johan Santana, and Oddorizzi, who's taught him how to exploit the cutter. He's got to do better on a consistent basis. Gibby needs more consistency, though probably his mistake this time was not getting enough sleep after the 17-inning win because he wanted to party with the boys of summer. Oddorizzi has the right to a sub-par start with the season he's had, though afterwards he seemed truculent that the Royals had the good sense to work the count and hit singles instead of swinging for the downs. They might have discovered a weakness in a pitcher who's never broken a radar gun. Time will tell. The bottom line, though, is that the Twins are way good enough to beat the sub-.500 teams more often than not, but aren't ready with pitching to take on the Yanks, Astros, Sox, and one or two other teams they'll need  to beat in the postseason to make it to the promised land, where, if there's no cheating, they'll be free at last, free at last, free at last.

[Riverbrian]

 

This may be the right course of action too. He really needs to work on his plate discipline. Sending him down when Marwin returns to see if he needs a couple weeks in AAA to get his head straight might not be a bad idea.

 

The Twins have Options. Sano has an Option so yeah AAA becomes an Option. 

 

I'd allow him a little time to work through it but that has a moment of reckoning down the road if it doesn't change.  

 

 

[jmlease1]

Sano needs to get the Ks under control. He can still play and be a useful player, but 3-4Ks per game is not sustainable. He's got to start making better contact and working the zone again to get more walks. It's great that he''s still hitting some HRs and the power is still there, but he's become very one dimensional now, and thats not good enough. But I agree: not a lot of good options until Gonzalez or Adrianza return.

 

CJ Cron has been an outstanding addition this year. He had a slower start to the year, has had a few dry spells, but he's come out of them quickly enough and having a very good year at the plate. And the D is better than advertised. Really pleased with Cron, he's going to be a tough decision next year I think. And gotta tell ya: not missing Tyler Austin. Is anyone?

[bighat]

Players with 5 years service time can refuse any optional assignment, even if they technically have options remaining.

Of course, you are right! Thanks for the correction.

[carlito_b]

Baseball is hard to play. Especially when you miss the entire spring training. Sano still has a beyond respectable ops and has hit two 8th inning home runs in big spots. I don't see the problem even with the slump his ops is over 800. I feel like that in itself is really all that needs to be said

[Vanimal46]

A trend I notice every single year... If a player starts their season hot, fans give them all the leash in the world when they slump. Simply because their overall numbers still look okay.

 

If a player starts ice cold like Brian Dozier, fans bitch and moan and want them gone. They don't notice until the end of the year, oh, their overall numbers aren't so bad.

[Dantes929]

 

Of course, I'm also concerned about Perez, but he's still striking out batters right and left. He's gets in trouble when he walks guys. To be fair, the error by Polanco helped to blow up the first inning. He really only made one awful pitch in the sixth; the problem, as is always the case with him, was the freeloaders on 1st and 2nd. It's a conundrum.

It seems true of all the starters.    I know it can't be true but it seems like every time the other team has a crooked number you can look back and see at least one walk as a key to the damage.   I am not as infatuated as some with strikeouts.  I do hate the walks.   Doesn't seem like it should have this much impact but if Perez keeps it to 2-3 walks per 9 he is fine and just not very good when it is at 4 walks per 9.  I guess if extra walk scores every time it adds 1.00 to his ERA.

[USAFChief]

It seems true of all the starters. I know it can't be true but it seems like every time the other team has a crooked number you can look back and see at least one walk as a key to the damage. I am not as infatuated as some with strikeouts. I do hate the walks. Doesn't seem like it should have this much impact but if Perez keeps it to 2-3 walks per 9 he is fine and just not very good when it is at 4 walks per 9. I guess if extra walk scores every time it adds 1.00 to his ERA.

I dont think it's so much the actual walk, as what the additional walk(s) say about command.

 

If you're missing outside the strike zone, you're most likely missing inside the strike zone as well. And those pitches down the middle are the ones that can really cause damage.

 

Last night, for example, the leaded walk in the 5th hurt, but no more than a lead off single. It was the cookie to Cuthbert that really did the damage. If that pitch is on a corner, it's a lazy fly out.

[puckstopper1]

 

Stopppppppppp it with this .850 OPS stuff.

 

Over the past 28 days, Sano has a .709 OPS and a .198 batting average. He's not playing well and literally struck out in 80% of his plate appearances last night.

 

I totally agree Brock. 

 

I'd be curious to see Sano's stats since his injury in 2017. 

 

I'd be shocked if he was hitting .200 and was not striking out less than 40% of the time.

 

I really want Sano to be successful but the reality is he may never be the player he was prior to his injury.

[Kelly Vance]

 

OK.  Sano ended up hitting an important home run.  BUT I think he needs to be sent down for a while to work on things.  In the last 7 games he has played in he has had 25 at bats with only 3 hits.  Admittedly 2 of the 3 were home runs.  He only walked 4 times and had 17 strike outs!!!  You can throw in one error during that time too.  You have to begin to wonder even with his power "potential" if he is more liability than asset.

Miggie needs to get back to basics.  He pulls his head a lot. Maybe get him to hit the ball up the middle for a while might help with that.

[Kelly Vance]

 

Rogers should have started the 9th, Harper should've finished the 8th, or at least gotten 1 or 2 outs.

Wrong. When a reliever gives up a homer and then a hard hit ball he doesn't have it. It was the right move to pull him. You go with what works.

[stringer bell]

I agree that Sanó has been bad since the start of the Twins homestand and one homer, even in a big spot, doesn't make up for all of the failed at-bats. The Twins have a nine game lead and a very good offense, so they can afford to be patient with Sanó. Another couple of weeks of regular play with give Miguel about 150 plate appearances. If the OPS drops below league average, then it might be time to consider a trip to Rochester. 

[Dantes929]

 

I dont think it's so much the actual walk, as what the additional walk(s) say about command.

If you're missing outside the strike zone, you're most likely missing inside the strike zone as well. And those pitches down the middle are the ones that can really cause damage.

Last night, for example, the leaded walk in the 5th hurt, but no more than a lead off single. It was the cookie to Cuthbert that really did the damage. If that pitch is on a corner, it's a lazy fly out.

Yes, I focus on the walks but its two sides of the same coin.    The difference between 4 walks per 9 and 2.5 walks per 9 doesn't seem like so much but it speaks volumes in terms of command, how batters will approach their at bats, how umpires call the game and everything else that goes with it.