Front Page: Twins Game Recap (8/3): Delayed Start Didn’t Cool Off the Minnesota Offense

[Andrew Gebo]

On a night in which the Minnesota Twins honored closer Joe Nathan by inducting him into the Twins Hall of Fame there was no closer needed. Thanks in large part to a bombing barrage courtesy of the Minnesota offense.Box Score

Kyle Gibson: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 61% strikes (67 of 110 pitches)

Bullpen: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

 

Home Runs: Nelson Cruz 3 (30), Jorge Polanco (17), C.J. Cron (19)

Multi-Hit Games: Nelson Cruz 3-for-4, C.J. Cron 3-for-4, Luis Arraez 2-for-4

 

Top 3 WPA: Polanco .229, Cruz .221, Cron .113

 

Bombs Away

The Bomba Squad was in full force tonight and Royals pitcher Danny Duffy experienced the full force of it. Before he had recorded six outs, Duffy had surrendered four home runs and seven earned runs.

 

Nelson Cruz got the party started and C.J. Cron joined the party in his first at-bat after returning from the IL. Jorge Polanco also got into the action when he blasted a two-run home run in the second inning. The rout was in full effect early and the Twins never looked back.

 

Aged Like Fine Wine

Not many things age well. Among those those that do are fine wine and Nelson Cruz. Being skeptical of the Twins signing a 38-year-old DH in the offseason would have been completely rational. In no other world besides professional sports is 38 considered old, but Nelson Cruz seems to have discovered the fountain of youth in Minnesota.

 

Since July 24, Nelson Cruz has hit .500/.581/1.308 including two three-home run games. All coming after his 39th birthday. With a BABIP of .538 it’s unlikely he continues on this pace for an extended period of time but it sure is fun to watch.

 

Quality Start for Gibson

Kyle Gibson had a clean 1-2-3 first inning but ran into some trouble in the second inning. Kansas City slugger Jorge Soler led off the inning with a solo home run. A throwing error from Jonathan Schoop allowed a runner to reach base and he later scored, tying the game at 2-2.

 

After the second inning, Gibby was on cruise control until he ran into trouble in the seventh. He left the game with the bases loaded and two outs. Thankfully Ryne Harper was able to wiggle out of the jam and preserve the 11-3 lead.

 

Postgame With Baldelli

 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

Click here for a review of the number of pitches thrown by each member of the bullpen over the past five days.

 

Click here to view the article

[terrydactyls]

Yesterday was Saturday, August 3.  It was the 110th game of the year putting the Twins 68% of the way through the season.   The Twins hit 5 home runs giving them a total of 216 home runs for the season and on a pace to hit 318 home runs this season.    The 2019 Twins rank 3rd on the all-time list of Twins' home runs in one season.   They are now only 9 home runs away from becoming the Twins single-season record holder and are only 51 home runs behind the single-season MLB record.  The next Twins team to pass is the 1964 team that hit 221 home runs.

[DocBauer]

Great game, great win. Only way I can comment with depth and accuracy is to do the following:

 

1] Cruz is crazy good! He is far from being done! How could I, or anyone, possibly question his signing, in retrospect to be honest, over anyone else. Healthy, day to day, it could be easily argued Rosario, Kepler or Polanco is the best player on the team. But MAP for the Twins? Cruz, for ALL he has brought.

 

2] Gibson is good! And I don't just say that as a long time defender of him when some ignore his first two full seasons. I say that as someone who has watched his progress after hitting rock bottom in 2016 and the first half of 2017 before re-inventing himself. His illness, weight and strength loss and missing the bulk of ST is falling away as an excuse for 2019. But his numbers and results are actually still pretty good. We know what he CAN do on a daily performance. We have seen it. Can he round in to full, consistent performance shape the next two months? If he can, the Twins chances suddenly improve a great deal.

 

3] The bullpen is going to be pretty good from here on out with Romo and Dyson, despite a horrible debut from Dyson. These two veteran guys add a lot, plus tons of experience, to Rogers, Harper and the sudden/wonderful development of Duffy. No clue what is going on with May as he was rounding in to form, get shelled a couple of games, but is suddenly a 1 batter pitcher. Are they working on something?

 

I am happy to see Littell up. What I saw last season was a young SP nervous and not ready and thrown in to some tough spots. The guy I have seen this season is young, but confident and throwing better stuff and may be a fixture going forward.

 

Poppen has electric stuff if he can harness better control. Stashak might be even better. None of these kids were ready then, but I so wish we could rewind the season back a month to keep auditioning them. But there is still two months left to find out who is ready to help on the big stage.

 

4] Cron is back. And that is good in many ways.

 

5] Cruz is crazy good and may be the Twins MVP. I said that already? So what?

[Aerodeliria]

 

Cruz is crazy good and may be the Twins MVP. I said that already? So what?

When it looked like the Twins were considering Cruz and Cruz was considering the Twins, I started checking sports news every single day to see if they had signed him. When they did, I jumped for joy. He makes the offense better even if he doesn't get any hits. He's still a feared hitter, but now other teams have to fear him instead of the Twins.

[Old Twins Cap]

Nelson Cruzified the Royals.

 

If he keeps this up, he going to be thought of as RH David Ortiz.

[wabene]

We need Odo to step up today. Cleveland's got a favorable pitching matchup today with Bieber on the mound. Damn, I guess today I started scoreboard watching.

[rdehring]

Great comments, Doc.  Must say I agree with all.

 

And I was one of those few who were less than excited about signing Cruz as I thought at his age a noticeable decline was likely.  WRONG!  Became less concerned when I saw that the contract was for a year with a team option.  Also didn't know much about what he brought to the clubhouse at the time.

 

Like how Gibby is getting better and really see him as a very solid #3.  Looking forward to next year, would like to see the Twins extend him before the end of the month (yes, I know they seldom do this).  They also need to find someone to slide into that #2 slot.  Could be Pineda for the playoffs this year, but doubt he will be back in 2020.

 

Don't know what to think about Stashak.  Was effective last night, yet when pitching to the middle of the order during his first inning there were several balls hit very hard.  After giving up the home run down in Miami, believe he needs work before becoming one of their top four relievers.

[MMMordabito]

Don't know what to think about Stashak. Was effective last night, yet when pitching to the middle of the order during his first inning there were several balls hit very hard. After giving up the home run down in Miami, believe he needs work before becoming one of their top four relievers.

I agree, but they don't need Stashak to be a top four guy right now. They just need him to do what he did last night. Come in, pitch two innings and throw 15 of 18 for strikes when the game is all but decided. Don't make Rocco and Wes even think about warming someone else up.