Front Page: Twins Game Recap (9/22): Twins Offense Erupts for Twelve Runs Over Royals

[Cooper Carlson]

The magic number is three! In a game where more questions about the strating pitching were surfaced rather than answered, the Twins were still able to pull out the win to go along with a series win. The bullpen was excellent once again despite having to go nearly seven innings, Miguel Sano hit two bombs, and Nelson Cruz joined an exclusive home run club.Box Score

Perez: 2.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 73% strikes (38 of 52 pitches)

Bullpen: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 14 K

Home Runs: Cruz (40), Sano (33, 34)

Multi-Hit Games: Polanco (2-for-4), Cruz (2-for-3), Rosario (3-for-4), Gonzalez (2-for-4), Sano (2-for-4)

 

Top 3 WPA: Miguel Sano (0.25), Eddie Rosario (0.24), Nelson Cruz (0.14)

Bottom 3 WPA: Martin Perez (-0.26), Mitch Garver (-0.09), Jason Castro (-0.03)

 

Both starting pitchers have abysmal starts.

 

Martin Perez vs Jorge Lopez was never advertised as a pitching duel and somehow it was still about as disappointing as it could have possibly been. The Twins scored six runs (touchdown) in the first inning but couldn’t get the seventh run across (something Vikings fans know all about). Three straight hits from Jorge Polanco, Nelson Cruz and Eddie Rosario drove in the first run, then a Marwin Gonzalez RBI single drove in another to bring Miguel Sano to the plate. He crushed a ball 133.8 MPH to left field and the Twins were up 5-0.

 

The Twins would go on to score one more thanks to a Jake Cave RBI single, and Martin Perez was given an early 6-0 lead to work with. It did not go well. He gave up two runs in the next inning from a Nick Dini home run but things really got messy in the third. Four hits in the next five batters from Lopez, Soler, Dozier, and Cuthbert cut the lead to 6-5 and Perez was pulled for Zack Littell who came in and shut the door.

 

Twins bullpen shuts the door as the offense slowly pads the lead

 

Luckily for Martin Perez, the Twins have an elite bullpen and a historic offense to pick up the slack. Zack Littell came in for 1 1/3 innings, followed by another great inning where Tyler Duffey struck out the side. May and Stashak each covered an inning after that and both once again looked good. Not surprisingly, Tyler Duffey ranks seventh in AL swinging strike percentage since the All-Star break and Stashak also is in the top ten at number eight.

 

The offense didn’t stop after their six-run first inning, erupting for double digits in this one. Miguel Sano hit his second bomb of the night in the third inning. Since the All-Star break, Miguel Sano has the third most home runs (20), trailing only Jorge Soler (22) and teammate Nelson Cruz (23). Nelson Cruz actually added to his lead in that category in the fourth inning when he hit his 40th home run of the season! It’s not easy to out-homer your age when you are 39 but he did it nonetheless. He also joined just 57 previous players by hitting his 400th home run in his career.

 

The Twins continued to add on with two runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh inning. RBIs from Eddie Rosario, Marwin Gonzalez came in both of those two innings. Rosario had two RBI doubles and Marwin had an RBI single and a bases- loaded walk.

 

Graterol and Romo close it out to cut the magic number to three games.

 

Brusdar Graterol came in for the eighth inning and continued to audition for a playoff role by striking out the side. He actually threw more sliders (7) than fastballs (3) this outing which is something we have not seen from him. If he is throwing 100 MPH heat with a working slider then nobody is hitting him.

 

Fernando Romero came in for the ninth but was lifted after issuing three walks in a six-run game. He was replaced by Sergio Romo who was able to finish the game after walking in two runs. The Royals brought the tying run to the plate with like 34 walks in the final inning, but the Twins have cut the magic number to three!

 

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

[Platoon]

Well there are some positives here. One is that Duffy has become the Twins best bullpen choice, passing Rogers. Plus Duffy seems immune to extra usage. The other good news is that that there are no amounts of weaknesses that a dozen runs a game won't cover!

[bighat]

At this point the Twins have to stay away from using Perez and Gibby, and it shouldn't even be considered to use them in the postseason. Twins have to roll with Berrios, Odorizzi, and Dobnak - if they do advance, there will be enough days off to get it done with just those guys starting.

 

Gaterol and Stashak have emerged as nice bullpen tools here as the post-season gets closer to reality. Nice to see.

 

Also nice to see Rosario start clicking. Heck, everyone seems to be clicking offensively right now - Sano, Cruz, Rosario, Polanco, Marwin G...now if we can get Kepler back and get him swinging a hot bat as we roll into October....

[VATwinsFan]

Duffey's has one BB and 26 Ks in his last 15 games.  WHIP is 0.55.

[h2oface]

".......to bring Miguel Sano to the plate. He crushed a ball 133.8 MPH to left field and the Twins were up 5-0." ???

Is that exit velocity? Is that correct?

 

~edit~

113.8......... I thought that must be a typo.....

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/royals-vs-twins/2019/09/22/567042#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=567042

 

That (133.8) would have been a record exit velocity by like 10 mph of any ever recorded (123.9).... which was a ground out....

maybe... I am not the best at looking this stuff up.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/giancarlo-stanton-miami-marlins-statcast-fastest-ball-video

 

looks like it might be though...

a homer was 121.7.... both hit by Giancarlo Stanton.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statcast

[Monticore]

Sano and Cruz are a killer combo. Duffy is the man, now. Graterol belongs on the roster. Games like this are really the norm now. It is what it is.

[blindeke]

 

Well there are some positives here. One is that Duffy has become the Twins best bullpen choice, passing Rogers. Plus Duffy seems immune to extra usage. The other good news is that that there are no amounts of weaknesses that a dozen runs a game won't cover!

 

No one is immune to extra usage.

[mikelink45]

Wow - Perez has officially joined Gibson as pitchers we do not want to see in the post season.

 

KC has to wonder why the Twins have the winning record and not them.  We sure make them feel good about themselves.

 

Berrios really did not do well no matter how we twist the facts in his last outing and Odo cannot go more than 5.  Then we have the independent league pitcher and no one else.  Does anyone feel good about this going into the playoffs?

 

The Brewers tried to BP the games last year.  It does not work in the playoffs. 

 

Now the question is - who fears a Berrios, Dobnak, Odorizzi trio in the playoffs?

 

 

[Platoon]

No one is immune to extra usage.

Would "somewhat more immune" be better?

[h2oface]

Romo's song should be Excitable Boy, by Warren Zevon.

[VATwinsFan]

I just can't help but reiterate that the Twins are simply a better team with Gonzalez in the line-up.

 

The playoff experience he, Cruz and Romo bring to the table will hopefully rub off on the younger players and pay off.

 

 

[Rosterman]

What a ninth inning again. Two runs on five walks. Sheesh.

 

A couple of folks have not auditioned well for jobs next year out of the pen. We have to ask about the value of Perez for the post-season.

 

Glad to see Sano not reaching for those low outside pitches as much today.

 

What happened to Kepler? Anyone?

 

The Royals shortstop going down in the infield looked painful.

[Cooper Carlson]

 

".......to bring Miguel Sano to the plate. He crushed a ball 133.8 MPH to left field and the Twins were up 5-0." ???

Is that exit velocity? Is that correct?

 

~edit~

113.8......... I thought that must be a typo.....

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/royals-vs-twins/2019/09/22/567042#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=567042

 

That (133.8) would have been a record exit velocity by like 10 mph of any ever recorded (123.9).... which was a ground out....

maybe... I am not the best at looking this stuff up.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/giancarlo-stanton-miami-marlins-statcast-fastest-ball-video

 

looks like it might be though...

a homer was 121.7.... both hit by Giancarlo Stanton.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statcast

Haha yeah that's my bad... although I wouldn't be surprised to see him get that record someday

[Cooper Carlson]

 

What a ninth inning again. Two runs on five walks. Sheesh.

 

A couple of folks have not auditioned well for jobs next year out of the pen. We have to ask about the value of Perez for the post-season.

 

Glad to see Sano not reaching for those low outside pitches as much today.

 

What happened to Kepler? Anyone?

 

The Royals shortstop going down in the infield looked painful.

While guys like Stewart or Romero haven't been great, there have been a lot of players who definitely have had great auditions for next years bullpen. Thorpe, Dobnak, Graterol, Stashak, Duffey and Smeltzer have looked good/great.

 

Kepler is dealing with soreness that is likely keeping him out only because this division is basically locked up. No need to play him.

 

[PDX Twin]

This really looks like a team staggering into the post-season ... just like the 1987 team that lost, like, its entire last week of games.

[Cooper Carlson]

I would have put these in the recap if they were posted earlier, but wow!

 

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1175896327596720128?s=20

 

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1175895574727593984?s=20

 

 

 

[VATwinsFan]

 

This really looks like a team staggering into the post-season ... just like the 1987 team that lost, like, its entire last week of games.

There was also a 0-6 road trip to Detroit and Boston the second half of August where they got outscored 49-15.  They then dropped 2 of 3 to the Tigers at home -- I was absolutely dying that week.

[CharlieDee]

Wow - Perez has officially joined Gibson as pitchers we do not want to see in the post season.

 

KC has to wonder why the Twins have the winning record and not them. We sure make them feel good about themselves.

 

Berrios really did not do well no matter how we twist the facts in his last outing and Odo cannot go more than 5. Then we have the independent league pitcher and no one else. Does anyone feel good about this going into the playoffs?

 

The Brewers tried to BP the games last year. It does not work in the playoffs.

 

Now the question is - who fears a Berrios, Dobnak, Odorizzi trio in the playoffs?

 

 

I doubt anyone will fear them, but they're all we got...I'm hopeful!

[Old Twins Cap]

Whacky team at this point.

 

No real quality starters, other than Odorizzi.

 

Injuries and suspensions pop like mushrooms the last month.

 

Can't walk-off at home to save our life but yet, tied with Yankees for most HRs.

 

Crummy defense.

 

Playing the Yanks who have a trophy-room full of Twins' elimination highlights.

 

Only good thing is that we open on the road where we have the league's best record.

 

Mmmkay, bring it on.

 

 

[terrydactyls]

Yesterday was Sunday, September 22.  It was the 156th game of the year putting the Twins 96% of the way through the season.  The Twins hit 3 home runs for a season total of 297 home runs.  The Twins are now 1 home run behind the Yankees for the new MLB single-season home run record.  The Yankees have five games remaining and the Twins have six games left.

[nokomismod]

 

 

 

Now the question is - who fears a Berrios, Dobnak, Odorizzi trio in the playoffs?

I don't think any team does, but the Twins lineup can outscore some other pitchers. Please give Thorpe and Smeltzer a shot at replacing Gibson and Perez.

[rkevin]

Cruz hits #40 of the year and #400 for his career. That, to me, is the coolest moment of the year! Just an overall class act and definitely a player to root for. He deserves the accolades. Hopefully this team can bring him a championship ring too.

 

 

[railmarshalljon]

 

Wow - Perez has officially joined Gibson as pitchers we do not want to see in the post season.

 

KC has to wonder why the Twins have the winning record and not them.  We sure make them feel good about themselves.

 

Berrios really did not do well no matter how we twist the facts in his last outing and Odo cannot go more than 5.  Then we have the independent league pitcher and no one else.  Does anyone feel good about this going into the playoffs?

 

The Brewers tried to BP the games last year.  It does not work in the playoffs. 

 

Now the question is - who fears a Berrios, Dobnak, Odorizzi trio in the playoffs?

 

The Brewers were one game away from a World Series appearance. I would say it's a fairly small sample size, but to say it doesn't work seems a bit disingenuous. 

[D.C Twins]

The offense needs to go into every playoff game assuming it needs 10 runs.....

 

 

Let the homerun derby begin!

[jokin]

 

The Brewers were one game away from a World Series appearance. I would say it's a fairly small sample size, but to say it doesn't work seems a bit disingenuous. 

 

Disingenuous a bit?  It seems inevitable that it's bound to happen. The Brewers came just "this" close.

 

Small market teams like the Royals took the first baby steps towards the trend, last year the Brewers, and now the Rays qnd Twins (albeit almost via necessity and accidental and unfortunate circumstances) have shown the way to potentially overcome the financial handicaps of hoping to compete as a small market team- get some shutdown pitchers for the late innings that are still cost-effective in their arb years, collect a secondary group of RPs both internally and externally with varying pedigrees (but still on the cheap), and avoid putting any significant sunk costs into expensive and sparkly FA SPs that will hamper your financial flexibility for other needs (or cripple it should they blow up via injury, ineffectiveness or suspensions).

 

 

 

 

[Pius Jefferson]

Brewers also had a better bullpen than the Twins. 

[Squirrel]

This really looks like a team staggering into the post-season ... just like the 1987 team that lost, like, its entire last week of games.

After they clinched their division.

[rdehring]

Four game lead, six to go....I'll take it.

 

This entire year we have watched a team do things that have never been done before in this very old game.  Got a feeling we are going to see things next week we also have never seen before...like not having a starting pitcher in two of the first four games?

[insagt1]

I think Smeltzer should also be considered as a possible starter. He can pitch more than 2 or 3 innings and right now looks to be more effective than Gib, Perez, and a few of the bullpen pitchers, who are summarily playing themselves off the team.

 

Milwaukee was not a total failure with their bullpen usage in the playoffs last year. Might be our only hope.

 

Was not at all surprised by Romero's awful outing...he has been awful all year with zero command of whatever stuff he allegedly has. but Romo did surprise me with his lack of control.

 

Will Twins hold Kepler out all week? Has Wade displaced Cave? Will Twins bring 12 or 13 pitchers to round one (assuming they get there) Will they leave Perez and/or Gibson off the roster for round one?

 

Does Astudillo get a slot? Are we very pleased at how Marwin jumped back into play demonstrating his value to the team? Is Adrianza done? Anyone concerned with Rocco's use of his bullpen?

Can Twins not choke against the 109 loss Tigers? Are the 100 loss Royals so much better than their record?

 

MLB now has 4 teams with 100+ losses and 3 with 100+ wins. If Twins manage to win 4 more, will this be the first time MLB has had 4 100+ winners and losers in one season?

[Alex Schieferdecker]

Playoff pitchers?

 

Starters:

1. Berrios

2. Odorizzi

 

"Bullpen Game" Starters:

3. Dobnak

4. Smeltzer

5. Thorpe

 

Bullpen:

6. Rogers

7. Romo

8. Duffey

9. May

10. Littell

11. Stashak

12. Graterol

13. Harper