Game Recap: Royals 7, Twins 4

Yes, time to DFA Happ.  It is time for the prospects, nothing to lost now.

Although only a short 20 minute drive away from Kauffman Stadium, I had ZERO interest in attending tonights game as I knew the Twins/JA Happ would be just the remedy for the Royals to end their 9 game losing streak.  

A few observations after ANOTHER bad night of baseball:

1.  JA Happ:  Can we just end his tenure now?  For those who argue that Happ should maintain his spot in rotation-----PLEASE....PRETTY PLEASE respond with a detailed argument in his favor.

Noticed a 3-0 lead after 1st inning and commented to my spouse..."well...Happ will p*ss away this lead very soon."  I wasn't mistaken.  

Im sure front office doesn't want to eat whatever portion of Happ's $8m contract a DFA would result in. With Shoemaker gone (good riddance), why can't Happ be relegated to long relief as I can't believe any contending MLB team would want him.

2. Offense disappears after a 3-0 start.  Hmm...we've sure seen that far too frequently this season. Best chance to get back in this game came in the 6th as Twins had bases loaded with no outs.  What followed was a microcosm of this teams inability to perform with RISP.  Arraez DP and JD whiff results in 1 measly run.  Just horrible.

3.  What do with starting rotation moving forward?  Yes, a poor rehab AAA start for Pineda last night, but his reasonable success earlier this season combined with his strong performance in 2019 and 2020-imo, should make him a commodity on the trade market.  So assuming Twins can find a way to deal him, what would starting rotation look like for rest of season.

My thoughts:

SP1  Berrios:  Count me in the camp that is 95% in favor of keeping Berrios and looking in the offseason to find a way to sign him to a contract extension.

SP2  Maeda:  If he can stay healthy----you just got to hope--what else can we do?------he can find some semblance of the reliable (and productive) SP we was in 2020

SP3 Bailey Ober:  May be in the minority here.....but I like Ober's upside and he's shown in his starts (subtract starts vs. White Sox) that his stuff can play at this level.

Here's where things change...

SP4  Charlie Barnes:  Promotion from AAA Saint Paul.  In 9 GS this season Barnes is 3-2 with a 3.94 ERA/ 1.27 WHIP with a strong K/BB rate (43-15) and respectable/good opponents batting avg (.240).  Although Barnes had two BAD starts in June----he did have 3 excellent starts allowing only 1 ER in 17 IP.  IMO, its time...rest of season is 100% for evaluation---to see what he (and others) can do.  Barnes is only 25. 4th Rd. pick in 2017 draft out of Clemson.

SP5   Josh Winder:  Yes, I'm going there.  Not as highly touted as others (Balazovic & Duran), but this kid is showing he's ready for "The Show"  After dominating in 10 starts at Wichita in May and June (only 1 start with 2+ ER allowed)...his performance tonight against Omaha in his AAA debut was nothing short of fantastic.  5.2 IP...1  hit...2 walks...1 ER and 8K's.  If he can pitch close to what he's done all season the next 2 weeks, I see ZERO downside to getting him in rotation soon after the AS break.

Backup SP Option:  Dobnak.  Hasn't done much to justify getting regular starts, but his most recent start--if memory serves---showed some promise.

1 hour ago, beckmt said:

Yes, time to DFA Happ.  It is time for the prospects, nothing to lost now.

Good idea to find his replacement first.

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Tyler Duffey and Alexander Colomé provided a couple of rather uneventful, scoreless innings, while Danny Coulombe pitched himself in and out of a jam in the seventh. Their effort kept the Twins within two runs, with a chance to win it.

For those aching to find a bright spot, this was probably it.

Oh, there was another bright spot - Jim Kaat on the color commentary through until the break.  That'll keep me tuning in.

This ball club needs therapy.

17 minutes ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Good idea to find his replacement first.

 

Try any of the rookies,  Winder would be my choice as first option.  We have lots more.

27 minutes ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Oh, there was another bright spot - Jim Kaat on the color commentary through until the break.  That'll keep me tuning in.

Big fan of Kaat's clear and consistent rejection of analytics. Not sugarcoating it, yet not coming off as a sourpuss. That's a tough needle to thread these days, and he did it deftly. More please. 

Kaat was and is the best color commentator going. It continues to baffle me that he is not in the HOF as a player. Yes a modest WAR of 51, but 283 wins, 16 Gold Gloves, 25 years in the Show, an amazing ambassador for the game and a world class guy. His continued exclusion breaks my heart. 

2 hours ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

Oh, there was another bright spot - Jim Kaat on the color commentary through until the break.  That'll keep me tuning in.

Exactly. Old Jim isn't afraid to criticize unlike the other analysts on BSN North

44 minutes ago, SoDakTwinsFan4 said:

Exactly. Old Jim isn't afraid to criticize unlike the other analysts on BSN North

He certainly had some observations on Kepler's batting approach.

Kaat is not hostile to analytics at all. A man with his intelligence couldn't be. He balances that understanding with a grasp of pitching, hitting and fielding mechanics that enhances the spectators' enjoyment of the game.

Oh, and he certainly is supposed to be in the hall...

Really enjoyed Jim Kaat and his analysis. I was initially surprised at his analysis of some of the batters but, then after thinking about it, it made perfect sense. His job was to get those guys out when he played.

What happened to Max Kepler?  He used to be such a solid player.  He's just a shell of what he used to be.  And by the way do the Twins have a manager?

When looking for starting pitchers to replace Happ, Pineda, et. al., no one is considering Player A.  With all the trading the FO should be doing over the next four weeks, there should be at least one pitcher coming back who is close to the major leagues.  Say someone on a similar schedule as Winder and either is ready for a promotion to AAA or recently promoted.  Or maybe someone that was called up for a game or two earlier this season and is back at AAA. 

That's Player A, who following the trade joins the Twins rotation for the remaining two months of the season.  With all the guys potentially leaving, if they can't get at least one good pitcher who fits the above description, then put the guys in the front office on the same boat with the Manager and ship the whole bloody lot off for wherever.

Add me to the list of those who appreciate Jim Kaat. What a breath of fresh air! Unlike the babbling Morneau and Smalley, who mumble at least twice and mostly just repeat the standard "wisdom," Kaat speaks clearly, adds some information, and says it just once. Last night he marveled at Rortvedt missing ball after ball because, at least in part, he sits on the ground so he can't shift to block balls. Kaat wondered why.

1 hour ago, Whitey333 said:

What happened to Max Kepler?  He used to be such a solid player.  He's just a shell of what he used to be.  And by the way do the Twins have a manager?

Everyone -- especially Bremer and Morneau -- seems to believe that 2019 was the REAL Kepler, whereas the evidence is mounting that it was an extreme anomaly. 

Any doubts they Twins get swept in KC?  White Sox had lost 8-of-9, played the Twins and swept 'em. Royals had lost 9 straight, played the Twins....bingo.

This team is every bit as bad as their record shows. On paper they're better, but watch them play a series and it's obvious they're terrible. If you can't blame the manager when a team has no fire, grit, and plays lackluster ballgames, who can you blame? Sure the FO didn't give the Twins a chance with pitching, but it's the manager's job to pick up a team when they're deflated. Rocco has utterly failed in coaching his team up this year.

Glad to see Donaldson trade talks are heating up. Cruz should get the Twins a couple lottery tickets. Here's hoping this team starts auditioning young starting pitchers sooner rather than later. Season's been over for a month, time to see what we've got in AAA and AA.

8 minutes ago, bighat said:

Any doubts they Twins get swept in KC?  White Sox had lost 8-of-9, played the Twins and swept 'em. Royals had lost 9 straight, played the Twins....bingo.

This team is every bit as bad as their record shows. On paper they're better, but watch them play a series and it's obvious they're terrible. If you can't blame the manager when a team has no fire, grit, and plays lackluster ballgames, who can you blame? Sure the FO didn't give the Twins a chance with pitching, but it's the manager's job to pick up a team when they're deflated. Rocco has utterly failed in coaching his team up this year.

Glad to see Donaldson trade talks are heating up. Cruz should get the Twins a couple lottery tickets. Here's hoping this team starts auditioning young starting pitchers sooner rather than later. Season's been over for a month, time to see what we've got in AAA and AA.

 

Bighat:  Excellent analysis of the sad state of affairs with what USED to be a franchise with players (Hrbek, Gaetti, Mienkiewicz) who played with emotion--grit--intensity and HATED to lose.  I think you nailed it with Rocco.  His managerial style---trust the process, play for tomorrow--must be what the FO wants.  Its not what I want.  Attitude reflects leadership. Rocco's laid back style is NOT working.  I'm not advocating a "Billy Martin clone" replacement, but I really wonder if Rocco has the internal talent to motivate his players.  Will be interesting to see what transpires over the next few weeks as Cruz, Pineda and Simmons---all on expiring contracts--should be dealt.  

1 hour ago, Mahoning said:

Everyone -- especially Bremer and Morneau -- seems to believe that 2019 was the REAL Kepler, whereas the evidence is mounting that it was an extreme anomaly. 

Yes, Kepler's career is generally overrated, but he's currently faring worse than he's usually been, hitting around .680 OPS. Plus, since he returned from injury, he's hitting .158 with a 37% K rate. Right now, I'd rather see Sano in the lineup than Kepler.

14 minutes ago, darwin22 said:

Bighat:  Excellent analysis of the sad state of affairs with what USED to be a franchise with players (Hrbek, Gaetti, Mienkiewicz) who played with emotion--grit--intensity and HATED to lose.  I think you nailed it with Rocco.  His managerial style---trust the process, play for tomorrow--must be what the FO wants.  Its not what I want.  Attitude reflects leadership. Rocco's laid back style is NOT working.  I'm not advocating a "Billy Martin clone" replacement, but I really wonder if Rocco has the internal talent to motivate his players.  Will be interesting to see what transpires over the next few weeks as Cruz, Pineda and Simmons---all on expiring contracts--should be dealt.  

Don't forget Kirby "jump on my back, boys" Puckett!

Yeah. Say what you will about Gardy, the guy was a firebrand and lots of players gravitated to him. Rocco seems much the opposite - that can be okay, as evidenced by our own Tom Kelly, who sat stonefaced in the dugout as the team clinched a game 7 victory in the World Series. 

Rocco's very much a low-energy guy, which might work well for teams that are winning but for underachieving teams he doesn't seem to be a good fit. Then again, underachieving teams are probably the toughest to manage. Losing teams are one thing - but underachieving teams are a different animal. Bad situation all around.

1 hour ago, darwin22 said:

Bighat:  Excellent analysis of the sad state of affairs with what USED to be a franchise with players (Hrbek, Gaetti, Mienkiewicz) who played with emotion--grit--intensity and HATED to lose.  I think you nailed it with Rocco.  His managerial style---trust the process, play for tomorrow--must be what the FO wants.  Its not what I want.  Attitude reflects leadership. Rocco's laid back style is NOT working.  I'm not advocating a "Billy Martin clone" replacement, but I really wonder if Rocco has the internal talent to motivate his players.  Will be interesting to see what transpires over the next few weeks as Cruz, Pineda and Simmons---all on expiring contracts--should be dealt.  

IT will be interesting to see the quotes of the departing players.  Most will say nothing, but there might be an outer or two

And the Turtle can't catch and hit better than Rortvedt?  Rocco never gave him a real chance at catcher, the only position that would have given him some stability on the team.   

Hope you enjoy the sub .200 BA's.

3 hours ago, TwinsChupacabra said:

And the Turtle can't catch and hit better than Rortvedt?  Rocco never gave him a real chance at catcher, the only position that would have given him some stability on the team.   

Hope you enjoy the sub .200 BA's.

Rortvedt is light years ahead of Tortgua defensively. The best outcome for Rortvedt will probably be hitting .220 with some pop, and top-notch fielding as a catcher - there's a reason why Drew Butera lasted so long in the majors.