Twins 1, Yankees 7: Twins Strikeout in Game 2

[Sherry Cerny]

The Twins took a 30-minute break before getting back on the dirt with the Yankees, who they lost to in Game 1 of a two-game day. After battling for 12 innings, the Twins needed to dig deep to still keep the hopes alive of at least getting a split.

Image courtesy of Gary Vasquez, USA Today

Box Score
SP: Joe Ryan 4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K ( 89 pitches, 57 strikes (64%))
Home Runs: Carlos Correa (17)
Bottom 3 WPA:  Kyle Garlick (-0.77), Jose Miranda (-0.65), Gilberto Celestino (-0.50)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

The Yankees have been floundering for the past six weeks, but Aaron Judge and a gang of "Who's That" swept the Twins and have won all three games of this series. The Yankees had not seen Joe Ryan before, so maybe the advantage was in Ryan’s favor.

Ryan started the game with a 13-pitch at-bat against Aaron Hicks before getting a ground out. He left the mound having issued 34 pitches in the first inning. He had two walks and faced six batters, but no runs scored. Ryan has been struggling with his off-speed pitches as of late, not breaking where they should or where he wants them to, leaving hanging sliders in prime territory for hitting. 

The Twins attempted to get something going in the fourth inning and just like the earlier game, they got on the board first thanks to a solo home run from Carlos Correa, but the score didn’t stay there for long. 

Ryan managed to gather himself, retiring six hitters in a row in the 2nd and 3rd innings. As he crept toward 70 pitches in the bottom of the fourth, with no outs, he loaded the bases. 

Isiah Kiner-Falefa stepped up to the plate and on pitch one, a slider, he hit the ball deep into left field for his first career grand slam to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead.

The most painful part? According to Aaron Gleeman, with runners in scoring position, IFK has now hit more home runs against the Twins than Correa has hit for the Twins. 

Jovani Moran came in to relieve Ryan in the fifth inning. The lefty kept things copesetic for the club through the sixth inning. The only threat from the Yankees was Estevan Florial hitting a line drive to Jake Cave in left field and Marwin Gonzalez advanced from third to home, but Cave fired off a cannon to home plate, getting Gonzalez out to end the inning.  Moran has been exceptional in the past few games that he has made appearances in. In this game, he didn’t allow a run in the two innings and has only allowed seven runs overall this season (in the big leagues, that is), and has a 2.05 ERA. He is effective and gets the job done despite his ERA of 6+ at St. Paul this year. Even Emilio Pagan had an effective outing, not allowing any runs. 

The Twins offense has been really bad. The Twins tried to manufacture runs throughout the evening, but couldn’t get past the Yankees pitching, led by Gerrit Cole. 

The seventh inning showed promise with runners on the corners and Correa back up at bat, but Lucas Luetge went hard on Correa and struck him out swinging. 

Even if the Twins wanted to try and come back into the game, the bottom of the eighth all but sealed the deal for the team when Austin Davis loaded the bases with three walks after two outs. Aaron Hicks hit a line drive to left field for a double to score Kiner-Falefa, Florial, and Oswald Peraza stretching the lead to 7-1. Five of the seven earned runs in this game came from walks. They are right, walks will haunt, especially five of them. 

As the Twins finish up the series with the Yankees and move into all divisional games coming up, the fight to stay in the race is going to be brutal. 

Do you think the Twins can pull out of this and still take the division?

Final Pitching Match-Up for this Series: 
Monday 6:40 pm CST: Sonny Gray (7-4, 3.10 ERA) vs. RHP Nestor Cortes (9-4, 2.68 ERA) 

Postgame Interview

Coming soon 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

 

View full article

[Game7-91]

 

[Vanimal46]

Joe Ryan’s stats vs. KC and DET: 6 starts, 34.2 IP, 5 ER, 1.44 ERA 

Joe Ryan’s stats vs. everyone else: 16 starts, 83.2 IP, 46 ER, 5.49 ERA 

He should not be a lock to be in the 2023 rotation. 

One day a sports psychologist is going to write a book and make good money about the Twins collectively pooping the bed the second they see Yankees pinstripes. It’s diseased. 

Also, I’ve seen plenty of Austin Davis to last a lifetime. DFA him and call up Evan Sisk from AAA. 

[Twins_Fan_For_Life]

Twins fans during every Yankees series

[Longdistancetwins]

Some random observations;

Was at the games and heard Yankee fans admitting that they were fielding a mostly a AAA team, and then being thankful for the good fortune that they were facing the Twins, where that wouldn’t matter.

Got jealous seeing the Yankees steal all those bases.  Why can’t we?

Correa really gets a lot of “Cheater” boos.  Does that happen in all stadiums except Houston and Target Field?

[Mark G]

When you issue 10 walks and strike out 17 times, it gets ugly pretty fast, doesn't it?    

[Aggies7]

Time to consider restarting 

[Aerodeliria]

3 down and 1 to go...

[jimbo92107]

Glenn Perkins said it pretty well about Joe Ryan. He needs to throw his off-speed pitches with the same conviction and commitment as his fastball. Have faith that your breaking pitches will break; don't try to steer the ball where you want it to go. This is the sort of thing a pitcher can work on during the long off-season practice sessions. 

I do believe Joe Ryan has the potential to be close to an ace. He's got the physical tools and the poise. But he needs to have three off-speed pitches that he can throw for strikes, so he doesn't have to throw over ten pitches to get one guy out. 

[bighat]

Anyone here who thinks the Twins aren't going to roll over and lose 10-2 in Game 4?

1-7 stretch against CHW and NYY, pretty on-brand for the 2022 Twins.

[h2oface]

6 hours ago, Longdistancetwins said:

Correa really gets a lot of “Cheater” boos.  Does that happen in all stadiums except Houston and Target Field?

Dodger Stadium is endless and LOUD! I mean, I have never witnessed anything like it at a baseball game. If he is batting, it starts as he walks to the plate, and ebs and flows as the pitch comes..... but never stops and gets super loud.

Only the Twins and Astros fans seem to have a selective memory.

[rv78]

Unless Gray can go 8 or 9 innings Game 4 is a bust. Rocco has the bullpen gassed. Course we all know Gray will never be allowed to pitch 8 or 9 innings so we should start a pool where everyone guesses which guy in the bullpen will blow the game if the Twins have the lead when Rocco pulls the starter. Based on the bullpen usage chart it looks like it'll be Sanchez tonight.

[insagt1]

Michael Kay on YES network last night: "no matter what, the Yankees always find a way to beat the Twins'. While we already know that, it still stings. Twins slept-walked thru game one; totally blew game 2; and were pounded in game 3, with total system fail, especially the pitching.

Its totally ugly--yet they still have a shot, trailing Cleveland by only 2. Problem is Twins are playing like total crap right now so how are they going to beat either the Guards or the Sox down the stretch?

[Aerodeliria]

2 hours ago, bighat said:

Anyone here who thinks the Twins aren't going to roll over and lose 10-2 in Game 4?

1-7 stretch against CHW and NYY, pretty on-brand for the 2022 Twins.

A tip of the hat if they do. You called 3-7 after the sweep of the Giants. I didn't want to like your prediction but I thought you were right on the money. Someone has to give the Yankees that motivation that they have been missing for weeks. Maybe we can get some playoff money from the Yankees as a present or something...

[beterday]

The Twins have 3 major leagues starting players in the line-up today - Arraez, Correa, and Miranda.  Urshela and Gordon should be reserves, but probably can't even get on the field for the Dodgers, which the Athletic today says are the best team ever.  With no money constraints, I could care less about the Dodgers and how "great" they might be and I might watch the World Series to see them get beat, but I doubt I will have any interest.  For me, it is hard to figure if it is Baldelli's fault when he is working with the pieces he has to work with.  Celestino gets thrown out going to second base because he is admiring a home run that doesn't become a home run?  He should appreciate every day he gets to play in the majors and play like Jake Cave; he should be on a bus to Witchita!

 

[Aerodeliria]

I know, I know, I know...we do the same thing as Tampa Bay and have the same strategies and philosophy. Then, I wonder why Tampa Bay never plays the Yankees like we do? Good gracious. They just took the Yankees to task in Yankee Stadium.

[terrydactyls]

Who'd a think that Archer and Bundy would be the most reliable arms in August and September?  I would have bet some play money that both would have been released by this date.

[mikelink45]

Two stats - we are 789 - 1174 versus the Yankees in franchise history.  40 %.  In the playoffs we are 2 - 16.  Out inability to beat the Yankees is not a new phenomenon nor is it SSS.  

Versus the Yankees, Astros, Dodgers we are 1 - 16 (yes we are playoff ready).

since the all-star game we are 3 - 16 on the road according to the post game show.

Maybe our strategy is not working.

[mikelink45]

13 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

Who'd a think that Archer and Bundy would be the most reliable arms in August and September?  I would have bet some play money that both would have been released by this date.

Archer is 2 - 7 and the team is 8 - 16 in all his starts - 4 innings and BP is not working.  I do not consider him one of our most reliable arms. 

[Alex Schieferdecker]

Just forfeit the final game of this series, I can't take it anymore.

Rest the bullpen for the Cleveland series.

[Longdistancetwins]

58 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

Two stats - we are 789 - 1174 versus the Yankees in franchise history.  40 %.  In the playoffs we are 2 - 16.  Out inability to beat the Yankees is not a new phenomenon nor is it SSS.  

 

Thank you:  As a Twins fan mostly in the New York area for over 50 years, I’ve been saying that here for years.  I think the problem really began in the 1970s; the ‘60s may have been a wash. 

[Beast]

I hope nobody shows up for the remaining home games.  This team doesn’t deserve people spending their hard earned money in this time of economic uncertainty.  I may show up if the farmers market runs a promo to dispose of their old produce by throwing it at the windows of the FOs offices.  That may be the only way to get a crowd the last couple weeks.

Although, I was thinking about it last night after the second game.  Maybe I’m being unreasonable with the FO. Is it the ownership group? Everyone mocks the “cheap Pohlad” mantra, but is it just so toxic at the top that nobody could succeed here?  I don’t think that’s unlikely.  There has to be something going on under the surface.  You don’t repeatedly implode in such embarrassing fashion without a root cause (and, no, it’s not injuries).

I think it may be a little of both.  If so, what the hell is the point?  There’s just no hope here.  Ever.  That’s just a sad truth.  Pretty bleak outlook.

I’ve never been as frustrated, disillusioned, jaded….frankly, sick of this organization as I am right now.  I can’t imagine I’m alone.  They’re going to have to change something just for the PR benefit.  This just feels like it’s run it’s course.  

[garn from vancouver]

until there's a true salary cap - which there never will be - there will be teams like the yankees and the dodgers and the world series will be a toss up between a few teams every year. the twins are not going to  be one of those teams. and yes, there should be a salary floor as well but that's another animal altogether. as a twins fan you just have to love watching baseball and not put too many eggs in the playoff or world series basket.

[RpR]

There is some thing very, very, very wrong with the people who run this club, the players are psychologically broken, which shows in every game, few runs, no base stealing, huge number of errors, former best batter in the league is fading away, you could see on Garlicks face his tension before the pitcher even threw a pitch, former bomba squad has a hard time hitting singles....

 

[shabbos1]

1 hour ago, Beast said:

I hope nobody shows up for the remaining home games.  This team doesn’t deserve people spending their hard earned money in this time of economic uncertainty.  I may show up if the farmers market runs a promo to dispose of their old produce by throwing it at the windows of the FOs offices.  That may be the only way to get a crowd the last couple weeks.

Although, I was thinking about it last night after the second game.  Maybe I’m being unreasonable with the FO. Is it the ownership group? Everyone mocks the “cheap Pohlad” mantra, but is it just so toxic at the top that nobody could succeed here?  I don’t think that’s unlikely.  There has to be something going on under the surface.  You don’t repeatedly implode in such embarrassing fashion without a root cause (and, no, it’s not injuries).

I think it may be a little of both.  If so, what the hell is the point?  There’s just no hope here.  Ever.  That’s just a sad truth.  Pretty bleak outlook.

I’ve never been as frustrated, disillusioned, jaded….frankly, sick of this organization as I am right now.  I can’t imagine I’m alone.  They’re going to have to change something just for the PR benefit.  This just feels like it’s run it’s course.  

 

[TwinsDr2021]

19 minutes ago, RpR said:

There is some thing very, very, very wrong with the people who run this club, the players are psychologically broken, which shows in every game, few runs, no base stealing, huge number of errors, former best batter in the league is fading away, you could see on Garlicks face his tension before the pitcher even threw a pitch, former bomba squad has a hard time hitting singles....

 

I don't remember the exact number, but I head that the Twins have ended the game or at least their last at bat with a fly ball to track 7 or 8 times, which seems like they are trying to hit a homer even if a single would score 1 or 2.

[bean5302]

8 hours ago, Beast said:

I hope nobody shows up for the remaining home games.  This team doesn’t deserve people spending their hard earned money in this time of economic uncertainty.  I may show up if the farmers market runs a promo to dispose of their old produce by throwing it at the windows of the FOs offices.  That may be the only way to get a crowd the last couple weeks.

Although, I was thinking about it last night after the second game.  Maybe I’m being unreasonable with the FO. Is it the ownership group? Everyone mocks the “cheap Pohlad” mantra, but is it just so toxic at the top that nobody could succeed here?  I don’t think that’s unlikely.  There has to be something going on under the surface.  You don’t repeatedly implode in such embarrassing fashion without a root cause (and, no, it’s not injuries).

I think it may be a little of both.  If so, what the hell is the point?  There’s just no hope here.  Ever.  That’s just a sad truth.  Pretty bleak outlook.

I’ve never been as frustrated, disillusioned, jaded….frankly, sick of this organization as I am right now.  I can’t imagine I’m alone.  They’re going to have to change something just for the PR benefit.  This just feels like it’s run it’s course.  

Since I'm a season ticket holder, I'm going to show up. I'm also going to spend money on concessions, enjoy the ambiance and have fun with friends (if I can get them to go, haha). I go to the game to have fun, and it's fun going to the game regardless of whether or not the Twins win.

[bean5302]

The Twins rank 20th in home attendance average this year, ahead of several teams more likely to make the playoffs and 2nd in the AL Central behind the White Sox's 24.6k.
Minnesota 22.6k
Baltimore 17.7k
Cleveland 17.2k
Tampa Bay 14.0k

The Twins were coming off a last place finish and a long lockout with almost no time to ramp up season ticket sales in a city which has been rocked by violence, crime and safety issues over the past 2 years. The deck was stacked against filling season ticket holder seats and it shows. Early year attendance was horrid.

April = 17.5k
May = 19.4k
Jun = 24.9k
Jul = 28.0k
---------------- Twins lose division lead.
Aug = 24.2k (Competing with Vikings, State Fair, Renaissance Festival)

All in all, the Twins seem to be holding their own in attendance. Winning is one part of the equation. The game day experience is what really matters. The Pohlads put forth a major commitment to winning this year with a payroll blowing their historical max out of the water at $140MM. Right in line with where the team should be on an annual basis.