White Sox 8, Twins 5: Drop Kick

[twinbythebay]

 

Don't forget the wonderful bullpen games.  Wearing out this oversized bullpen is really bad managing.

Which of the relievers, exactly, are being overworked? Compared to last year through 36 games:

Rogers has pitched 12.1 innings, 3.1 fewer innings than last year

May has pitched 14.0 innings, 1 more inning than last year

Romo has pitched 11.2 innings, 0.1 fewer innings than last year

Duffey has pitched 14.1 innings, 9 more than last year (this is one of the outliers, mostly due to Duffey proving himself in the second half of last season)

Clippard has pitched 15.1 innings, 11 more than last year (Cleveland didn't call him up until late April last season)

Wisler has pitched 15.2 innings, 3.2 more than last year

Alcala has also pitched 14.1 innings, and no other reliever besides those mentioned above has pitched more than 10 innings this season.

 

I know everyone likes to yell "OVERWORKED" when the bullpen falters multiple times in a week, but the facts just don't support this narrative. The bullpen as a whole has pitched significantly more innings this year than last year through 36 games, but this year's bullpen is also much deeper and Rocco has been careful to spread the innings around pretty evenly. I don't think anyone has pitched more than two games in a row so far.

 

So why does the bullpen seemingly suck right now? I don't know... I tend to think it's more due to random variance than anything else. Their results earlier this year were probably a little lucky, and now that luck seems to have turned. The lack of offense is also probably somewhat to blame. When there's a cushion to work with, a bad inning by the bullpen here or there can be overlooked. When they're constantly working in tie games or 1-2 run leads and the bats aren't bailing them out in the late innings, they can't afford to have any bad innings.

[ashbury]

It's a organization-wide slump. When your play by play man has to walk back a triple play into a humble 4-6 fielder's choice, it's a bad game for everyone involved.

[twinbythebay]

 

It's a organization-wide slump. When your play by play man has to walk back a triple play into a humble 4-6 fielder's choice, it's a bad game for everyone involved.

Y'know, it also just occurred to me that this losing streak has roughly coincided with Bert's stint as color commentator. How do we get Morneau back in the booth??

[puckstopper1]

 

I agree. With a brittle Buxton we never should have gone in with Cave or Wade as backups. An all LH outfield with 3 of the 4 not hitting including Kepler who has been very disappointing.

I'd like to take this further.  The WHOLE ORGANIZATION has been disappointing!

 

Yes - injuries have played a big factor, but the F.O. left the Twins thin in some key areas.

 

The manager has done some questionable things - like WHY do you need to have a bullpen game when your entire team just had 2 full days off?

 

The defense has been below average.

 

The hitting has been atrocious outside of Cruz and Sano recently.

 

Other than Maeda and Dobnak, the SPs have been extremely disappointing.

 

And the bullpen has been really bad over the past 3 weeks.

 

Remember when this team was 10-2? How about 20-10? Yea - me neither....

 

I'm not going to pretend to know what happens in the club house but someone needs to break some bats and peel some paint - anything to snap the boys out of it - and FAST.

 

[IndianaTwin]

 

...The manager has done some questionable things - like WHY do you need to have a bullpen game when your entire team just had 2 full days off?...

 

 

 

Well, right now, they have six games in five days. Unless you think Odo will be ready for one of the games, you either have to use a bullpen game once or call up someone else. They've demonstrated that they don't want to call up someone else. 

 

So, in that case, the issue isn't, "They've just had two days off." It's, "Which game makes the most sense to make a bullpen game?" If there's going to be a bullpen game, I think they picked the right one. It was the second game of a double header (so you only need seven innings rather than nine) and following a pitcher who has been one of your better guys (unfortunately, Dobnak wasn't good in the first game) against the team that appears to be the weaker of the two in that stretch. 

 

And don't look now, folks, but expect the same approach starting Friday, when we have seven games in five days. I'm hopeful Odo will be back so that they only need one bullpen game in that mix, but don't be surprised if we get two. 

 

(Note -- I'm not arguing for or against bullpen games. I'm just saying that if you're going to go that route, I think they've taken the best approach.)

[Dantes929]

 

How DARE you come in here with your well-reasoned, non-panicked take?! You didn't even call for anyone to be fired or cut!

Well, to be honest, I think we could do without that pederast Hanrahan in accounting.

 

[AceWrigley]

 

Y'know, it also just occurred to me that this losing streak has roughly coincided with Bert's stint as color commentator. How do we get Morneau back in the booth??

That's it! We need the MVP in the booth.

[AceWrigley]

Also, everybody watch a clip of Kirby Puckett highlights and see if we can stir some positive mojo.

[USNMCPO]

This team has taken on the persona of its manager. It is very low key. There does not appear to be any fire in the belly or heart. Donaldson was brought on in part to generate that but so far, not so much. Maybe Tortuga could help in that regard.

[Minny505]

It sure seems like Arraez was just trying to knock that ball out of the air, not trying to catch it. He rushed the play after that and didn't think the plan all the way thru. He just seemed to recognize that, with the bases loaded, putting that ball on the ground was the right decision.