Front Page: Twins ALDS Game 1 Recap: Bad Defense, Questionable Management Leads to Loss

[Tom Froemming]

Here's me, buzzed and exhausted, blabbing about this loss.

 

[VivaBomboRivera!]

 

Rocco was still going to use the pitchers that he did even if the things you said did happen. Stashak would've still given up those HRs and Gibson would've still been Gibson.

 

Then that team should be called "Twinkies" and they should just go home right now.  But they're not, they are a professional ball club with people who know how to win and have the ability to do so.  Winning begins with thinking about how to solve the problem.  Perhaps we will see them do this tomorrow.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Cron catches the throw to first. Sano catches the hot shot to third by Torres that bounced off his glove and turns a double play..... big game changers. 

 

Cron definitely should have made his play. Sano's play was way harder. That's a double almost every time regardless of who's playing 3B, except maybe with Arenado.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I think the counting of consecutive losses is silly. Now if this was the same team that lost all those games, it would be worth mentioning but for most of the players on this team, they have only lost 1 or 2 straight playoff games, going back to 2017. 

 

Correct... 2017 has nothing to do with 2019 has nothing to do with 2004 or 2010... 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Putting Stashak on the mound in a 1 run game was a massive mistake with an outcome that was not hard to predict. Following up Gibson all but guaranteed the loss.  Baldelli's post season management resume is not off to a promising start.

 

I can understand questioning the Gibson decision. I had no problem with going to LIttell or Stashak. Hey, if they're on the roster, they need to be able to get outs. Littell just didn't, at all. He just didn't have it, and Rocco got him out quick. Duffey threw in a walk and the big double too, so you never know what happens if he just started that inning. And, Littell had given up one ER over his last 16 MLB outings (19 IP)... and some were against Cleveland and Washington and Boston, not just Detroit and Kansas City. 

 

Stashak's been really good too. Not tonight, but he's earned the opportunities. 

 

I don't get the Gibson decision, and he was obviously kept in too long after three walks, but I had no problem with the other two decisions. 

 

I mean, hey, they could have brought Romo in and he would have struck out the side, or hung a couple of sliders. No way to know. May could strike out the side, or serve up a few runs. You never know. 

[h2oface]

 

Cron definitely should have made his play. Sano's play was way harder. That's a double almost every time regardless of who's playing 3B, except maybe with Arenado.

 

It hit his glove. I saw Justin Turner make that play tonight (or was it yesterday). So add him to Arenado. I have seen lots of players make that play. I still remember my little league coach.... if it hits your glove, you should catch it. It was still a play that could have been made. Was it harder? Yes. Did it hit his glove? Yes. Are heroes made in the post season, with plays like that? Yes.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Is Cron really better than Astudillo?  What the Hell was he doing with his glove - does he know he is supposed to catch the throw from Second base?

 

Ummmm. absolutely Cron is better than Astudillo... No question about that. 

[magiklair]

Littell isn't that good. Look at his minor-league numbers. About 4 ERA over double and triple A. Stashak had a bad night and Gibson isn't very good starting or in the bullpen.

[SoDakTwinsFan4]

Baldelli seems like a nice guy, and I like him. But he is now on my "Joe Maddon List";

 

Nice guy but very questionable, almost self-sabotaging decisions in the post season

[TheGhostofLesStraker]

Meh, more of the same, out manned, out pitched, out managed. A franchise content with mediocre.   Maybe we'll win one game in the playoffs this year, but this is going nowhere.  Berrios is a 3rd starter on a legit contender, until we accurately assess who we are there can be no progress.

[3balls2strikes]

Ugh. Everyone can talk about how this team has nothing to do with the other Twins teams that lost before. But they are absolutely linked. The Twins' players hear about the franchise's playoff losing streak and long run of failure and it burrows into their subconscious and affects performance. In the same way most players that join the Yankees hear about all the Yankee success and winning and it boosts their confidence and they play better there than they did for any other team. Success breeds success. It's all in the mental game and the Twins have to figure out how to avoid turning into jelly-legged, terrified, star-struck imitations of the Bad News Bears. The Twins' baseball talent is every bit as good as the Yankees but the mental game is 180 degrees apart. 

 

And another thing . . . the Twins need to conclude that Gibson is DONE for the year and get him replaced with another pitcher, anyone. The man is not healthy and should be nowhere near a pitching mound.

[TheGhostofLesStraker]

I'd love to think the Twins talent is equal,  but it's not.  Offensively we can give NY a run, but unless our starters go deep (6+) the Twins are outgunned on the pitching side. This isn't a mental block for the players, this is a talent gap.  Like it was for all of the 2000's.  Until the front office actually builds a team that is more talented than the Yankees, we're probably not going to beat them. 

[twinsfanstreif]

Serves me right for only watching the first couple of innings and then going to bed all optimistic up 2-0

[akmanak]

It was a good season but you cant win against good teams without quality pitchers who can perform against teams with winning records. Also Rocco showed that he was a rookie coach. The curse continues.

[Richard Swerdlick]

I don't understand why Rocco didn't start Schoop didn't start against a lefthanded pitcher. He is also a better fielder than Luis A . Then he could have brought Luis in later in the game against a right hander.  

As for Berrios, I would have brought him out to ptich the fifth inning. His command had not been good early, but his last 2 innings were better and his pitch count was low enough for him to do another inning. 

Littel had been good for us, but the stress seemed to get to him tonight. 

 

[bighat]

CJ Cron should have caught the double play relay. He also struck out on a 3-2 pitch that bounced about 10 feet in front of the plate. Cron, Litell, Stashak and of course Gibson just can't or aren't prepared to compete on this stage.

 

Hope we don't see any of them tonight. Tough loss but you gotta have some faith that this team can bounce back.

 

The Nationals were able to turn to Max Scherzer to even up the series on the road against LA. Alas, the Twins' version of a stopper is Randy Dobnak...

 

The disparity in starting pitching between the Twins and other playoff teams is frightful.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

I just read this article and all these previous comments and now I am really down.  Two commentators on tv before the game last night said that the Yankees had the pressure on them. However  the Yankees looked pretty loose to me before and during this game. The Twins looked like tourists from the mid-west, walking around Times Square, taking pictures of the   tall buildings. It's time for the Twins to grow a pair.

Edited October 5, 2019 by tarheeltwinsfan

[Platoon]

I didn't get to see the game (thanks mlb) but from everything said, it seems the Twins weaknesses showed up in spades. Poor team defense, mental errors, weak bullpen and BP management, short start by starting pitcher, lack of hits with RISP? That about covers it. One thing not mentioned is we aren't in Kansas (City) anymore Dorothy. The Yankees play in an environment that is unforgiving every home game, all year. That said, I don't understand pulling Berrios? He had an inning left, he is our "ace", and we aren't blessed with a long relief staff. Secondly Dobnak v Odorizzi? GB v FB pitcher? I know Odorizzi has left a lot of innings for the pen, but since the debacle last night left the pen pretty much intact, I would go that way. Throwing Dobnak to the Yankee Stadium wolves may not turn out that well? An experienced Odorizzi would be my choice.

[twinssouth]

How so? What did Baldelli do to lose this game? I agree that Schoop should have started but it's not as if Arraez blew the game wide open through incompetence.

 

Berrios wasn't locating his pitches and was out early. I'm not sure what is controversial about that.

 

 

 

I agree, Berrios had high pitch count because of poor locn on off speed We were in the game going toe to toe with Yanks. What lost the game was Littel (nerves, zero command) Stashak ( looked like an amateur out there throwing meatballs) Gibby the nibbler who allows just one hit in one inning BUT walks three resulting in 3 runs. He’s a 7 year veteran. And, this is the best he can do. Reminds me of a Viking QB performance.

 

Arraez didn’t seem 100% which cost us 2 runs.

 

But, my biggest disappointment was Berrios, our Ace. He had his FB going but zero off speed command. He needed to step up in his biggest game but couldn’t.

 

Paxton on the other hand, looked good and we still got to him.

 

We’ll win next one and watch Bob Costas go into shock.

[Twodogs]

If Berrios can only squeeze out 4 innings we are done. I mean Odorizzi only averaged like 5 innings per game this year, so he ain't going to be the answer. Berrios needed to pitch 7, similar to Verlander pitching I think 8 yesterday. Twins bullpen is not constructed to pitch 5 or 6 innings per game. Even if Berrios gives up 3 - 4 runs you need to keep him out there. He is still better than all of the rest of the guys on the team, throw him, maybe he gives up another run or two, but with the Twins bats down 5 - 4 with and inning or two left, I give the Twins a better than 50% chance of winning. But start running the BP out there in the 5th and it ends up 10 - 4 blowout. We aren't saving these guys for the end of the year anymore, we are here.

[Old Twins Cap]

Playing the Yanks in Yankee stadium, is there a tougher venue?

 

So, Twins laid an egg.

 

I thought Baldelli did a good job getting different guys in the game and letting them taste the action.

 

Baseball is about failure, and ultimately, redemption.  Kepler, Cron, Arraez, Garver, Sano, Stashak, LIttel, Gibson, Berrios -- we got guys who will be hungry to prove they belong.

 

Roll the dice again today Boys.

[h2oface]

 

CJ Cron should have caught the double play relay. He also struck out on a 3-2 pitch that bounced about 10 feet in front of the plate. Cron, Litell, Stashak and of course Gibson just can't or aren't prepared to compete on this stage.

Hope we don't see any of them tonight. Tough loss but you gotta have some faith that this team can bounce back.

The Nationals were able to turn to Max Scherzer to even up the series on the road against LA. Alas, the Twins' version of a stopper is Randy Dobnak...

The disparity in starting pitching between the Twins and other playoff teams is frightful.

 

??? Scherzer pitched in the 8th in relief for an inning.... his bullpen day..... but it was Strasburg that started and went 6. Same point, but the wrong pitcher?

Edited October 5, 2019 by h2oface

[Han Joelo]

I'll be honest--the list of players who didn't rise to the occasion is long; and Berrios is at the top of the list.  It seemed like Rosario sunk to the occasion, or at least the head of his bat did--way low and outside the zone.

 

Polanco and Sano, sort of?  Cruz did as expected.  Polanco acted like he belonged there.  Everybody else?

 

However, I'm not ready to throw in the towel.  This team has been punched plenty of times this year, and gotten up off the mat.  They didn't win 101 games by accident.  Ok, maybe they did--the accident of being in the AL Central.  

 

I don't know what these guys are really like in the locker room, but I hope Astudillo was giving a lot of guys some grief for wasting his spot on the roster.

 

Let's go Dobber!

[stringer bell]

You gotta throw strikes. Berríos threw too many non-competitive pitches, so did most of the bullpen. I thought Torres was struck out before he got that two-run double. The ump's zone was tight and that hurt the Twins more than the Yankees. 

 

Arraez certainly didn't look right and he hurt the team despite also getting a double and scoring the tying run. 

 

I thought Kepler looked OK, Marwin played a good game, but the other injured guys (Cron & Arraez, perhaps Garver) did not look very good. Polanco had great ABs, but the Twins need to pressure the Yankee staff from 1-9 in their order.

[h2oface]

Berrios gave up 1 earned run in 4 innings. ONE. His defense let him down, and had a lot to do with increasing his pitch count. He should have been out of the 3rd with only one run given up. Plus, if the robots were calling balls and strikes, it would have been a lot different. Still, he had a very fine 1-2-3 4th inning on 12 pitches, and the game was tied going into the bottom of the 5th. Berrios could have gone more than 4. It certainly wasn't his choice. He wasn't that far off with his breaking stuff..... it was just the Yankees are too good to go for it. Berrios only had 88 pitches when pulled, and it was a tie game. To say he wasn't doing a good job is just an opinion that I don't agree with. 

 

We need more than 4 runs. The offense needs to step up, just like they did all year. Garver 0-5, Rosario 0-5, Cron 0-4, and Kepler 0-2 went a combined 0-16. They have to have a better game, today.

Edited October 5, 2019 by h2oface

[bighat]

 

If Berrios can only squeeze out 4 innings we are done. I mean Odorizzi only averaged like 5 innings per game this year, so he ain't going to be the answer. Berrios needed to pitch 7, similar to Verlander pitching I think 8 yesterday. Twins bullpen is not constructed to pitch 5 or 6 innings per game. Even if Berrios gives up 3 - 4 runs you need to keep him out there. He is still better than all of the rest of the guys on the team, throw him, maybe he gives up another run or two, but with the Twins bats down 5 - 4 with and inning or two left, I give the Twins a better than 50% chance of winning. But start running the BP out there in the 5th and it ends up 10 - 4 blowout. We aren't saving these guys for the end of the year anymore, we are here.

 

Twins were just hoping to steal one last night, in my opinion. They played it safe with Berrios, he'll be rested by Game 4 if we need him then. By the time Litell and Stashak faltered, the Twins threw in the towel and let Gibby take more damage.

 

Last night's game didn't matter to the Twins as much as it did the Yankees. Tonight's game will have a much different feel from a managerial perspective, I think. It's gonna be Romo, Rogers, in tight spots, no matter what part of the game the Twins are in.

 

Remember, Yanks burned some bullpen arms too last night.

[nickhunzelman]

Personally I am not that distressed about Dobnak.  We'll see if everyone's hopes in him are rewarded.  I want the man to have the best October cancelled honeymoon evah!

 

Mildly surprised at Big Red's butterflies.  Hope he gets a chance to show he can shake them off.

 

Stashak just had a character-building experience that is not his fault.  Hope his boss learned something from it.

[Mr. Brooks]

 

 

Last night's game didn't matter to the Twins as much as it did the Yankees.

And that's borderline malpractice, IMO.

In a best of 5 series, the game 1 winner wins the series 73% of the time. The game should have mattered just as much to the Twins.

[nickhunzelman]

The walks, the errors, this was an embarrassment. I didn't understand the Littell/Stashak moves either and the less said about Gibson the better.

 

Naming Dobnak the starter Rocco is planning a full bull pen approach today. Kind of explains the bull pen choices last night.

[ewen21]

 

The Yankees swung through Berrios' low pitches in the first inning and then laid off them the rest of his outing. He only threw his offspeed stuff low and well out of the zone and lived off his fastball.

 

He didn't adjust. Combined with the defensive errors, that's what lost the game.

THis wasn't about defense or "questionable managerial decisions"

 

Personally, I am looking to field the best possible lineup in that stadium against this team.  If Arraez was good to go (even if not 100%) I put him in there as well.  Much too much complaining about Rocco's "questionable decisions" as far as I am concerned.  This team managed to win 101 games in spite of Baldelli's stupidity?

 

No.  This is about the Twins bats as much as it is anything else.  We have now lost 14 post season games in a row and over those 14 games we have scored 43 runs.  Sorry, not good enough.

 

And you are dead on with regards to Berrios.  He does braindead sometimes and last night was a perfect example of it. He got yanked after 4 innings of ineffective work and got bro-hugged in the dugout for it.  That to me is a big issue.

 

Seems to me this team feels like it accomplished enough to put its tail between its legs and get swept again while the fans blame it on small payroll, east coast bias and Bob Costas not loving us enough.

Enough already.  This isn't about "having fun" right now.  It is about being a pro and being able to look at yourself in the mirror when this is all said and done.  That was a weak effort all around last night and in no way can we chalk it up to "poor defense" or "questionable managerial decisions"

 

Please.  It runs way WAY deeper than that