Doubleheader Recap: Hapless Twins Continue Woeful Streak; Swept by Athletics

[Jamie Cameron]

The Twins looked like they hadn’t played baseball in a week as they fumbled through a double header on Tuesday, struggling to pitch, hit, or field, falling to a disheartening 6-10 on the young 2021 season.Game 1: Athletics 7, Twins 0

Box Score

Shoemaker: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 0 K

Home Runs: None

Bottom 3 WPA: Shoemaker -.202, Cruz -.116, Polanco -.078

Win Probability Chart (Via FanGraphs)

Download attachment: Game 1.png

 

Game 2: Athletics 1, Twins 0

Box Score

Berríos: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Home Runs: None

Bottom 3 WPA: Astudillo -.209, Rooker -.203, Buxton -.174

​Win Probability Chart (Via FanGraphs)

Download attachment: Game 2.png

 

Twins Return to Action on a Heavy Day in Minnesota

The Twins returned to action for the first time in four days Tuesday, playing a doubleheader against the red hot Athletics. Tuesday was a monumental day in Minnesota, with a guilty on all counts verdict being returned in the trial of Derrick Chauvin, a moment putting baseball into perspective, which reverberated around the Minnesota sporting community.

 

Twins Moved to COVID IL

Prior to first pitch the Twins placed Kyle Garlick, Max Kepler, and Caleb Thielbar on the COVID IL, reinstating Brent Rooker, recalling Travis Blankenhorn, and purchasing the contract of Luke Farrell, essentially calling up their entire travelling taxi-squad, putting the clubs incredibly disruptive few days into perspective.

 

Game 1: Moreland is to Shoemaker as Kepler is to Bauer

Game 1 got off to a poor start. After managing two baserunners in the top of the first, steampunk enthusiast Matt Shoemaker served up a two run home run to Mitch Moreland in the bottom of the second inning, followed by a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth.

 

Shoemaker gave up four hits and walked four in 3 1/3 innings of work, before giving way to Jorge Alcala in the fourth with two men on base. Alcala entered, struck out a hitter and walked the bases loaded. Alcala has the stuff to close out games. The question attached to his performance has been around his ability to be effective against LHH. Matt Olson provided a status update, launching a 110.3 mph grand slam 385 feet to right field and breaking open the game for Oakland.

 

It was more of the same from the Twins. Perhaps this performance was to be expected. The team has been unable to workout, practice, or play, confined to their hotel rooms in COVID limbo. The malaise which has afflicted the team all season was again apparent Tuesday in a game punctuated by poor pitching, error-laden fielding, and uncompetitive at bats.

 

Game 2 - Power Outage in the Stands, and On Offense

Game 2 saw as strong a lineup as the Twins could muster. Ryan Jeffers took over behind the plate, shifting Mitch Garver to first base against Jesus Luzardo, who had struggled to an 8.31 ERA coming into the second game of the double header.

 

Luzardo came out throwing 99 mph, a Josh Donaldson first inning infield single was quickly extinguished by a Nelson Cruz double play on the very next pitch.

 

Berríos wound up in trouble in the second inning, before wriggling out of it, including this putrid two seam fastball to Elvis Andrus.

 

Oakland finally broke through in the fourth, after a 74.2 mph Matt Olson double beat the shift before Seth Brown ripped a single to left center field to give the As a 1-0 lead. With men on first and second, Berríos picked off Mitch Moreland at second, only for home plate umpire Scott Barry ‘to claim’ (Dick Bremer’s words, not mine) that time had been called.

 

After the first inning, the Twins offense (stop me if you’ve heard this before) offered very little. Their next base hit came off a Jorge Polanco 75.6 mph single in the fifth inning. Indeed, the Twins offense was so paltry, the cumulative struggle turned off the Coliseum left field lights in the fifth, resulting in a delay of game.

 

After a stoppage in which the left field lights did not fully return, the teams returned to the field, a partially illuminated left field and fully illuminated right field the perfect allegory for the two teams performances on Tuesday night.

 

In the ultimate indicator of Twins offensive futility, the Athletics brought in lefty Jake Diekman to face righties Nelson Cruz, Byron Buxton, and switch hitter Jorge Polanco. After creating a threat against the Athletics closer, Willians Astudillo flew out to deep left field to end the game, and cap a miserable day for the Twins offense, in which they were held scoreless.

 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

Click here to see the bullpen usage over the past five days (link opens a Google Sheet).

 

What’s Next?

On Wednesday, the Twins will send Kenta Maeda to the hill to stop the rot against Frankie Montas. First pitch is at 2:40 CT.

 

What did you make of the Twins performance tonight? What does the 2021 squad need to get going?

 

Click here to view the article

[VivaBomboRivera!]

For those of you watching at home, that's 17 straight innings in which these bums have failed to push a runner across.

[Mill1634]

What a bad day of baseball. Shoemaker wasn’t great, alcala struggled, the defense was bad in the first game, and the bats were lifeless all day long. We went from absolutely killing lefties in 2019 to the Athletics bringing in a lefty to shut us down in a one run game when their typical closer has been lights out all year. I know writers and posters will say that everything will be fine, which I hope is true, but there aren’t many bright spots on this team right now they have me willing to put my blind faith in it turning around.

[Aggies7]

Can someone find out how many times in history a team has been shut down in a DH. I’m going to guess <50 times since they stopped regularly playing DHs

[AceWrigley]

i think the visiting dugout in Oakland is lined with green kryptonite.

[D.C Twins]

Uff Da

[howeda7]

Bad lifeless team managed by a lifeless robot. 

[h2oface]

Berrios "deGrom'ed". We finally had Donaldson, Cruz, and Buxton all in the same lineup.... twice... but they went 3/16 and contributed to the "deGrom'ing" of Berrios. In 3 starts, including getting bombed by Arizona, Luzardo came into the game with and 8.31 ERA and a .328 average against. But the Twins made him look like a Cy Young winner, and all on 65 pitches n 5.1!

 

I need a break. 

[Richard Swerdlick]

In 1st game I credit Dan Gladden with his observations that Moreland seems only to be able to hit pitches that are low and inside. Of course where does Shoemaker throw the 2 gopher balls?  Low and inside. Some people never learn.

[BobAzar]

I get it, because JA didnt pitch yesterday they are "Hapless". well done. What's that? no, I didnt read the rest of the article. 

[bighat]

Twins look just awful, offensively right now - wasting solid pitching from their starters. I'm sure they'll improve, but I can't recall feeling this bad about a Twins team since the "all systems failure" year of 2018.

 

 

 

Also - sure would be a good time for a fiery speech from the manager. Alas, I think Rocco probably told them to make sure to practice self-care and drink some lemongrass tea while they think peaceful thoughts and listen to Enya. (No offense to Enya, she's great but I think the Twins could use some Cannibal Corpse or Onyx or Mobb Deep right about now).

 

 

[HrbieFan]

At what point does the brass make changes? This team was put together to win and they look clueless at the plate and the pen has not been as advertised either.

[Dman]

Yeah this team is looking more and more like Cleveland light.  Pitching just enough to lose and offense so bad the score needs to be low to win.  Haven't really been watching much they have been so bad.  

 

I know they are better than this but this team feels more like a 500 team than a division winner.  Slow starts that are this bad often mean missed playoffs because it is hard to play over 500 baseball and that is what it will take to make up ground.  

 

This offense needs some serious help maybe once they are out of it the guys will finally relax and perform.  A few more weeks of this and it is pretty much season over.

[insagt1]

Its pretty clear that the Twins are a hot mess right now. They have health issues and the ones who can play aren't getting the job done. Whats troublesome is how the manager is spinning this...almost like nothing is wrong...and that the switch can be flipped easily and suddenly all will be well. 'we can turn this thing around any day'. Great words of wisdom.

 

Twins will come out of this. How and when will determine their overall altitude this season. Even good teams go into slumps. And not so good teams can string together winning streaks. Twins have dropped 8 of 9 and have looked bad doing it. Their offense has been really awful and the bullpen has not come close to being effective.  Fortunately, there is a ton of time to fix this and so far no one in the division is running away with it yet. Plus, Twins haven't played anyone in the Central except Detroit.

 

Last time Twins were shut out in a DH was 1961...I'm sure many who post here weren't even born back then.  Rocco is right about one thing...tomorrow is another day.

[peterb18]

They are taking on the personality of the manager. Too relaxed, no fight and too laid back. And too much analytics instead of emphasizing hustle and determination. They look disinterested and certainly out of baseball conditioning. Looks like a big country club atmosphere. Hard too watch...good thing for hockey tonight and golf on the weekends.

[Vanimal46]

There’s an old saying in Tennessee... You can’t win the division in April, but you can lose it. We could use a red hot month of May.

[Dave The Dastardly]

 

They are taking on the personality of the manager. Too relaxed, no fight and too laid back. And too much analytics instead of emphasizing hustle and determination. They look disinterested and certainly out of baseball conditioning. Looks like a big country club atmosphere. Hard too watch...good thing for hockey tonight and golf on the weekends.

You know things are going to hell fast when nap-inducing golf is chosen over baseball.

 

But right now I'd rather watch a game of marbles than the Twins. Knuckles down!

[gunnarthor]

Looks like another 'total system failure' season. It is too early to panic and the Twins do have some talent but they are also relying a lot on guys who, frankly, might not be that good. Buxton, Cruz, Donaldson, Berrios could start for anyone but I'm close to giving up on Polanco and wish one of our young bats would take RF away from Kepler. And our bullpen still sucks. 

 

Still, this team could easily turn it around and win the Central. Sano will get hot. 

[KFEY93]

 

Twins look just awful, offensively right now - wasting solid pitching from their starters. I'm sure they'll improve, but I can't recall feeling this bad about a Twins team since the "all systems failure" year of 2018.

 

 

 

Also - sure would be a good time for a fiery speech from the manager. Alas, I think Rocco probably told them to make sure to practice self-care and drink some lemongrass tea while they think peaceful thoughts and listen to Enya. (No offense to Enya, she's great but I think the Twins could use some Cannibal Corpse or Onyx or Mobb Deep right about now).

Roccos versions of a fiery speech is is telling everyone they get extra nap time in the club house.

[Dave The Dastardly]

 

Looks like another 'total system failure' season. It is too early to panic and the Twins do have some talent but they are also relying a lot on guys who, frankly, might not be that good. Buxton, Cruz, Donaldson, Berrios could start for anyone but I'm close to giving up on Polanco and wish one of our young bats would take RF away from Kepler. And our bullpen still sucks. 

 

Still, this team could easily turn it around and win the Central. Sano will get hot. 

And Minnesota temperatures will stop running 20 degrees below normal and pigs will fly, which given the millions of pigs on factory farms will jam up the air traffic control towers, regular flights will have to be diverted to Flint, Michigan where the stranded air passengers will say, "Damn! This water tastes good!" and the raccoons that have been raiding my sweet corn patch will pass a background check, buy rifles and start shooting at me.

 

Then Sano will get hot.

[KFEY93]

Well looks like my early season prediction of this being a sub .500 team with no play offs is well on its way. I haven't even bothered watching the games since the Boston series, just looking at the scores on the ESPN app has been enough for me to confirm my doubts. 

[cHawk]

It's not fun watching your team play bad baseball. But it's the start of the season. Let's look around the league. Weird things are happening everywhere.

 

- The Yankees will win the AL East

- Boston will not make the playoffs

- Kansas City will not win the AL Central

- Neither Oakland nor Seattle will make the playoffs

- The Rangers will not finish above the Astros

- Atlanta will not finish 4th, behind Miami or Philadelphia

- The Cardinals will not finish below .500

- The Giants will not make the playoffs

 

Plenty of weirdness. I'd be shocked if I was wrong with any of those. The Twins will be fine.

 

Also the Mariners started 13-2 in 2019, so yeah.

[KFEY93]

 

They are taking on the personality of the manager. Too relaxed, no fight and too laid back. And too much analytics instead of emphasizing hustle and determination. They look disinterested and certainly out of baseball conditioning. Looks like a big country club atmosphere. Hard too watch...good thing for hockey tonight and golf on the weekends.

I stated this after the 2019 play off series. Being relaxed and chill during the regular season is fine and dandy when you are winning but once you play real teams and get into the play offs where every game matters you CAN NOT have that attitude, because its now or never, buckle down, get mean, get some fire, and play ball and win. Because there is no next time. And this team does not have that, at all. Rocco should be the teams life coach, not the manager. 

[adjacent]

I see in the comments a narrative that the manager is too relaxed, too nice, etc. Maybe some of the commenters know Rocco personally to say that with authority. But careful, sometimes something showing calm demeanor in public does not say anything about how is he in the clubhouse, how competitive he is, etc. Yes, the hitting is awful right now, and if it doesn't improve soon, this season is in trouble. But I don't think is gonna get fixed screaming in the clubhouse or in public. Now, some now help on the hitting coaching side? That may help.

[cHawk]

For those of you complaining about Rocco’s “lack of fire” in the clubhouse:

 

You have not actually seen how he acts in the clubhouse, or really, in the dugout during the games. Yes, his decisions are questionable. We do see that. That being said, you cannot simply state that “Rocco is laid back, with no fire” without any actual evidence. Is he like that in the clubhouse? Who knows. None of us know how he actually acts so we can’t make these conclusions.

[saviking]

i've got 4 words. Kirilloff, Larnach, Duran, Balazovic

 

Give it until May and if they can't get out of their slump call all 4 up. This team needs new blood and they are the future. 

 

Trade Sano, cut Shoemaker and Cave, and demote Dobnak so he can get back on track. Poor kid's mind must have been blown with that new contract .. 

 

At least that would get me Excited about watching the play again,

[chpettit19]

 

i've got 4 words. Kirilloff, Larnach, Duran, Balazovic

 

Give it until May and if they can't get out of their slump call all 4 up. This team needs new blood and they are the future. 

 

Trade Sano, cut Shoemaker and Cave, and demote Dobnak so he can get back on track. Poor kid's mind must have been blown with that new contract .. 

 

At least that would get me Excited about watching the play again,

Agree with you on Kirilloff for sure. Wouldn't be against seeing Larnach (both of those depending how they've looked in St Paul and assuming they haven't been garbage there). But Duran and Balazovic don't solve any current issues unless your plan is to put them in the pen and give them 2 straight years without anything near starters work.

 

If your plan is to have them be cogs in the starting rotation for the next 6 or 7 years I think that'd be a terrible mistake to make. Starting pitching hasn't been a problem for the Twins. They'll need as many starting arms as they can get to make it through this season. So we're going to need Dobnak, Shoemaker, Happ, Thorpe, Duran, Balazovic, and probably 3 or 4 other guys to start games this year. Can't afford to start cutting guys in May. Shuffling up and down between AAA and MLB, in and out of the pen, etc. is going to be necessary all year. Shoemaker is going to have to get used to starting on long rest and figure out a way to perform better than yesterday cuz he's not starting every 5 or 6 days for the entire season.

 

Hitters are a different story. They need to start showing signs of life or changes need to happen. That doesn't mean we need Sano, Polanco, Kepler, and Garver to all start hitting .400 and slugging .800 but they have to show they're turning things around. Sano is the least of my worries (in the sense that he is the most likely to get back to his typical self, not that I love his skillset), but those other 3 I am quite concerned are just not starter quality guys. Luckily none of them are paid like elite starters and it isn't unreasonable to have Kepler as 4th OF, Garver as backup C (hopefully Jeffers starts hitting), and Polanco as utility IF.

[Dodecahedron]

Seeing a lot of confirmation bias going on here.

 

Don't forget, the 1991 Twins started the season at 2-9 and later at 4-10. They were under .500 on June 1st.

 

With the unbalanced schedule, the Twins just need to win against teams in the division to make the playoffs. This will happen. This isn't the first Twins team to struggle against the AL East and AL West. 

 

In other words, breathe.

[DMN13]

We are in need of some clutch hitting for sure, but we have 5 starters (Sano, Polanco, Garver/Jeffers, Cave and Kepler) hitting poorly, with two of the others only playing 1/2 our games so far.  So, hopefully the hitting will come around.  However, we need to get everyone back and playing, and we need to improve our ability to get runners on....the HR hitting capabilities are still there, but we can't always depend on it.  

 

Starting pitching will be fine and if not, we have depth there.  The bullpen is still a question mark, but the biggest problem is our inability to score runs.  Kirilloff time?  Hopefully we will face more right handers in the near future.  We are only 3 games out which is a plus, but some wins soon would be nice.

[Bomba2026]

I call it the Curse of Eddie Rosario....and how is his replacement doing? You break up a great clubhouse atmosphere and this is what you get as I don't see much of a "team" effort anymore. Hope Maeda has the A squad behind him today...