Game Recap: Athletics 13, Twins 12

[Aggies7]

Dan gladden sounded like he witnessed a murder on the radio when Arraez air mailed that throw

[Dr. Evil]

Colome at no point looked closerish to me. He does not seem to have anything that seems filthy or nasty. Just seems to toss it up there and I cringe as the hitter loads up for a swing on seemingly batting practice services. When

you stretch his stuff beyond the one inning we were lucky to get out of it seems just like a poor decision in my mind.

[chinmusic]

There are no words. It was stunning.

 

But to be fair, COVID (and the ensuing injured list) has played a major role in the past few days.

 

 

[Aggies7]

 

Colome at no point looked closerish to me. He does not seem to have anything that seems filthy or nasty. Just seems to toss it up there and I cringe as the hitter loads up for a swing on seemingly batting practice services. When
you stretch his stuff beyond the one inning we were lucky to get out of it seems just like a poor decision in my mind.

100% accurate.

[Dr. Evil]

Pulling Donaldson for a pinch runner when you have shown you are not thinking small ball in extra innings was and turned out to be a poor decision. If Donaldson is available to play, play your top assets until they show otherwise.

[DocBauer]

"Losing is a disease..."

 

What else can go wrong? I mean, seriously!

 

The Red Sox start terrible and then go on a HOT run. The A's start out terrible and then go on a HOT run. And both teams run over the Twins who aren't exactly running on all cylinders.

 

But how many ways can the Twins find to lose a game?

 

I'll give Maeda a mulligan and just say he had a bad day. It happens. But the offense comes alive only to see the defense and pen implode. As bad as Colome appeared initially, he also pitched well enough for the Twins to win. TWO routine ground balls were blown to give away the game.

 

(Shaking head).

 

You can, if you want to, blast the FO and Baldelli. But the talent, depth and potential of this team is too great to be playing this poorly. Period! I don't have any answers other than hoping a flip to the month of May will somehow bring a sense of "normalcy" to the team.

 

Yes, there has been bad weather, injuries and covid. But the players on hand are still quality. And they need to look in the mirror. There is no Hunter dance party or Redmond walking through the clubhouse naked to loosen up the team. This might be the perfect time for veterans like Donaldson and Cruz to step forward and hold a players only meeting and chew some ass while also building up their teammates.

 

SOMETHING has to be done to shake up the roster, at least a bit, and to shake up the players on that roster.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

Q: What do the April '21 Twins and Billy Graham have in common?

 

A: Both of them can make an entire stadium of people stand up and scream, "Oh, Jesus!"

 

Well, April Fool's Day has apparently come 21 days late. Now the season is 10% over and this club needs to pull its head out of its hindquarters. 

 

I love my Twins and I still believe that the 2019 core with the improvements they've made can be real champions, but right now somebody needs to run them into the showers for a talk.

 

How did we ever win eight six? 

[MNT1996]

Truly a total system failure right now. It's gotten to the point where I just tune into Twins games to see what kind of creative way they lose.

 

If anybody has tickets to see these clowns at Target Field, don't go. They don't deserve fans in the stands right now. 

[ashbury]

I completely forgot that this west coast game was to be played in the afternoon, local time, so I didn't tune in.

 

I am a lucky, lucky man.

[PDX Twin]

Change the team name to Tlosses.

[cHawk]

 

Change the team name to Tlosses.

 

Do you watch UrinatingTree?

[jkcarew]

I don’t think Baldelli is good with in-game decisions. Position players or pitchers. It’s not a strength that he’s been able to demonstrate with any consistency so far. When the Twins have won games in bunches it’s been when the offense simply bludgeons teams into submission.

 

Having said that, it’s become pretty obvious that this roster (at least how its played so far) doesn’t provide him with many good options. Alcala was probably the best option in place of Colome for the 10th...and he pitched yesterday and gave up a HR. Dobnak? And on the offensive side...there’s one or two regulars that consistently put balls in play where you could hit-and run, one guy that knows how to bunt, maybe two that can hit behind a runner...7 guys that strike out anywhere from often to constantly.

 

The good news is this team isn’t going to lose many games...if any...where they hit like this. The starting pitching and defense are likely to settle down. Still, Rocco is kinda crippled in close games late, both from the standpoint of the bullpen and being able to manufacture runs offensively. If this club doesn’t hit HR’s in bunches, they’re not going to be good.

[insagt1]

It was a brutal loss. A's got no hits in the 10th and scored 3 runs. Colome had this one with two outs and 1 runner on. then he walks back to back batters. Never good. You just have to throw strikes when you are a 'closer'. Then the two errors on routine grounders. Of course, When you're cold, you're cold and you find/invent new ways to blow a game.

Taking your best defensive infielder out was just plain stupid. Didn't you also love Garver hitting for Cruz. Fortunately Bux bailed them out that time with a HR.

 

Bottom of the lineup is like the pee-wee league. half the AB's were k's. Cave can't hit; Rooker is way overmatched and we don't have a catcher anymore that can make contact. The k's just keep on coming.

 

Rogers comes in and does OK AFTER he gives up two quick runs. Colome is just plain awful. If the guy threw strikes, there probably wouldn't have been the two ground ball errors. Heck--we forgot the 9th when he couldn't hold the 1 run lead.

 

this one was a total gift. When will it end?

[Dr. Evil]

I am a coach myself for many years. So I don't say this from a standpoint of pure emotion.

 

The 25th guy on the game day roster is not interchangeable with your top 9. You need to pair down to your top talent and ride them while allowing them time to developed continuity.

 

Your reserves are guys fighting to overtake a top 9 spot. Thus, they are working hard and fighting for playing time while pushing your top 9 to defend their starting spots.

 

This philosophy of inerchangable pieces in the offense and playing matchup over continuity not only promotes complacency it encourages low sense of urgency.

 

I'm in favor of being patient and trusting a process. But I Am not in favor of this process. Two years ago we had stupid good hitting which trumped any process. Now it seems like a non team building process. I doubt interchangeable pieces will net any future playoff success. Your top dogs go to battle. Not this seemingly intramural society.

[AceWrigley]

If I was associated with the Minnesota Twins right now, I'd be afraid to walk down a flight of stairs.

[jkcarew]

 

Pulling Donaldson for a pinch runner when you have shown you are not thinking small ball in extra innings was and turned out to be a poor decision. If Donaldson is available to play, play your top assets until they show otherwise.

Right. It served no strategic purpose. Donaldson is not known for being particularly slow, and Blankenhorn is not known for being particularly fast. Baldelli simply didn’t want Donaldson in a situation where he would be forced to kick it into the highest gear to win the game. He’s nothing if not consistent in his perpetual concern for tomorrow’s game and next month’s games. And maybe that’s smart...even though it’s extremely frustrating in the moment....especially when trying to snap out of a losing skid.

[darwin22]

Absolutely brutal.  Fan for over 40 years.  Thought Colome blowing SV on Opening Day was horrible.  THIS was worse.  Easy to play the "blame game," on errors by Blankenhorn and Arraez in 10th.  Plain and simple-- those plays have to be made.  Saying that, game should've never got to the 10th if Colome does his J-O-B-! His 3rd blown SV in our 11 losses.  If Baldelli & Falvey don't relegate him to total mop up duty--they both should be removed from their positions.  Falvey MUST share the blame in this fiasco of a bullpen.  The signing of Robles is looking bad right now also.  Does anyone have a clue of what their ROLE is in this bullpen??  IMO, that boils down to Baldelli.  HIs decision to bring Colome back in the 10th begs the question of...WHY??  Is he that intent on massaging Colome's ego by bringing him back to pitch.  Easy to say "its only April------they'll get things figured out."  My retort would be:  What have you seen all season that would make you feel that way?  Other than Pineda and to a large extent Berrios, our others starters--Maeda especially, have been disappointing.  Not even going to waste my time on the dumpster fire of our catching duo (33 K's in 70 ABs) and Rocco's continued insistence on giving Jake Cave ABs-----who extended his failure to produce an RBI to 49 ABs today (with 21 Ks).  Changes need to be made now!  DFA Cave----promote Kirilloff or Larnach and install Rogers as closer until Alcala is ready to take the job over.  I thought the 1982 season was a nightmare-------102 losses, but that team was loaded with rookies (who won a WS 5 years later), but this season is shaping up to be as bad or worse than that-----with supposedly a lot more talent.

[Aggies7]

 

Right. It served no strategic purpose. Donaldson is not known for being particularly slow, and Blankenhorn is not known for being particularly fast. Baldelli simply didn’t want Donaldson in a situation where he would be forced to kick it into the highest gear to win the game. He’s nothing if not consistent in his perpetual concern for tomorrow’s game and next month’s games. And maybe that’s smart...even though it’s extremely frustrating in the moment....especially when trying to snap out of a losing skid.

A culture of softness is what it sounds like to me. If a guy isn’t healthy enough to run around the bases then maybe he shouldn’t be on the active roster. I’d be fuming if I were Donaldson 

[Linus]

I’m sick of RRC. Roccos Rest Camp. He’s costing us games protecting players that shouldn’t need protection

[ashbury]

Baldelli simply didn’t want Donaldson in a situation where he would be forced to kick it into the highest gear to win the game. He’s nothing if not consistent in his perpetual concern for tomorrow’s game and next month’s games.

I haven't read every word on the site today, but you've hit on what surely motivated the substitution. How copacetic would we all be if Donaldson had popped a hammie rounding third on an aggressive coaching decision?

 

[theBOMisthebomb]

Pulling Donaldson for a pinch runner when you have shown you are not thinking small ball in extra innings was and turned out to be a poor decision. If Donaldson is available to play, play your top assets until they show otherwise.

Rocco did the same thing in the Saturday game in the Mariners series. He pulled Cruz to pinch run Jake Cave then we were treated to Mr. Cave hitting in that spot in the bottom of the 10th. I remember because I was at the game and yelled to my wife when Rocco pulled Cruz. Arraez makes the play at second that Blankenhorn muffed and Donaldson makes the throw that Arraez sailed.

[jkcarew]

 

A culture of softness is what it sounds like to me. If a guy isn’t healthy enough to run around the bases then maybe he shouldn’t be on the active roster. I’d be fuming if I were Donaldson 

I guess it would depend on how he actually feels about his legs right now. But, yes...all things being equal, I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled coming out, and I’m positive the outcome pissed him off

[Otto von Ballpark]

Rocco did the same thing in the Saturday game in the Mariners series. He pulled Cruz to pinch run Jake Cave then we were treated to Mr. Cave hitting in that spot in the bottom of the 10th. I remember because I was at the game and yelled to my wife when Rocco pulled Cruz.

But Cave actually scored the tying run in the 8th, in a sequence when Cruz would have been unlikely to do so. So if you left Cruz in, we lose before it even goes to extras.

[Aggies7]

I’m gonna punch the air so hard if colome is the closer going forward. Don’t compound a bad signing by continuing to put him in high leverage situations 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I’m not a fan of pulling Donaldson there. As it played out, Donaldson’s spot was due up fifth the next inning. That could be a two-on, two-out RBI situation.

[jkcarew]

 

I haven't read every word on the site today, but you've hit on what surely motivated the substitution. How copacetic would we all be if Donaldson had popped a hammie rounding third on an aggressive coaching decision?

I’m think I’m with you on this one.

 

My concern would be that my manager has more than one tool in the toolbox...in addition to the data which always speaks to the long run (and large data)...some willingness to experiment (and fail) with aggressiveness and learn which risks are worth taking on, and in which circumstances. The concern is that I have to squint really, really hard to see where Rocco is willing to do any such experimenting.

[Dr. Evil]

I think expecting your guys to play major League baseball trumps pulling them in perceived risky situations.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It would be interesting to see data on how often a runner on second, with no out, would be required to run “all out” with maybe a slide, as opposed to easier advances (like a grounder to second or ball in the gap), or jogging home on a home run, or just standing out there the whole inning as batters strike out or line out. I will guess that the data favors leaving Donaldson in the game.

... but I don’t know

Edited April 22, 2021 by Hosken Bombo Disco

[Twins_Fan_For_Life]

So when the 1919 White Sox threw the World Series I wonder what THAT looked like?

[h2oface]

What get's buried in this travesty is Maeda. So many put it down in ink that Maeda was now an Ace. Two months of a the hottest streak of his career, and that would be Maeda forever. Well, at least for this year. That, I think, was foolish, or at least overly optimistic. Berrios was even trashed for the 2 month new guy when it came to opening day start! I think you are going to see that 2 months is not the future standard. He might get hot for a spell this year, too, but Maeda is a bargain first, and whatever we get toward the Ace is a bonus.