Game Recap: Twins 12, Tigers 9

Polanco puts a charge into it from both sides of the plate. Impressive.

Liked Larnach and Kiriloff contributing defense today. Is this team better with Larnach RF, Kiriloff 1B, Sano bench/PH?

4 minutes ago, Game7-91 said:

Liked Larnach and Kiriloff contributing defense today. Is this team better with Larnach RF, Kiriloff 1B, Sano bench/PH?

Yes.  And even better with Buxton between Kepler and Larnach

Another 4 games after the AS break and the Twins should be able to pass the pesky Tigers and take over sole possession of the always competitive Central Division.  

Watching the two bullpens reminded me of a quote from  the venerable sage Denny Green which could have been uttered by either manager. To paraphrase: "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook" 

36 minutes ago, yeahyabetcha said:

Yes.  And even better with Buxton between Kepler and Larnach

So true, if Buck is back this season would like to see that lineup every day for whatever is left of season.

If the Twins keep this up they will NOT have the Number One Draft Pick in 2022! This is a day Taylor Rogers might've remembered. Instead, the Twins did get the win in their own dramatic fashion.

So many walks. I love ALL the delayed strike calls by the home plate umpire. Somedays you just wish you were one of the field umps.

1 hour ago, Game7-91 said:

Liked Larnach and Kiriloff contributing defense today. Is this team better with Larnach RF, Kiriloff 1B, Sano bench/PH?

I think you missed the part about Larnach striking out 4 times in back to back games. He struck out 4 times in a game last week, too.

This is a problem and it looks like a big one. Seven homers isn't good enough to make up for what has become an alarming inability to make contact.

1 hour ago, Game7-91 said:

Liked Larnach and Kiriloff contributing defense today. Is this team better with Larnach RF, Kiriloff 1B, Sano bench/PH?

Sano will be the default DH once Cruz is traded. Could be as soon as Friday.

8 minutes ago, bighat said:

I think you missed the part about Larnach striking out 4 times in back to back games. He struck out 4 times in a game last week, too.

This is a problem and it looks like a big one. Seven homers isn't good enough to make up for what has become an alarming inability to make contact.

He is not ready for big league yet, but who else is there at this time.  Larnach doesn't have strong arm but at that Gordon and Celestino are worse.

When Refsnyder or Garlick come back send him back down.

10 minutes ago, bighat said:

I think you missed the part about Larnach striking out 4 times in back to back games. He struck out 4 times in a game last week, too.

This is a problem and it looks like a big one. Seven homers isn't good enough to make up for what has become an alarming inability to make contact.

He is a rookie!  If all things had gone normal this year, he would still be in St Paul.  Judging a guy buy his first few months is never a good thing 

So the collective Twins and Tigers bullpens will be flown to Denver at no expense.  Home Run Derby needs their arms.

How often do we say - except for one inning ___ pitched a good game.  This game was outstanding from a fans view, but overall most games hinge on that one big inning. 

2 hours ago, RpR said:

...Larnach doesn't have strong arm but at that Gordon and Celestino are worse...

I'm not sure where you got the information or feeling Gordon has a bad arm. Gordon had a low 90s fastball in high school and his arm strength was a major reason he was expected to be able to stick at SS when he was drafted.

I’m not much more than a casual fan, but is it unusual for the Twins to reach base 5 times in a game by fielder’s choice? Even Nellie was able to do it by my scoring. 

I don't think of Berrios as an ace and I don't think there's a reason to really believe he will be. The number of 3 pitch aces out there is pretty much non-existent. Berrios is what he is, which is a solid #2 or excellent #3, but with great durability and an ability to eat innings. That's why people are talking about 5 years $100-125MM and not 7 years $245MM like Strasburg got. I feel like the expectation is he's an ace and should pitch like one, but that kind of mindset takes away from how good he is at being who he really is.

4 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

I don't think of Berrios as an ace and I don't think there's a reason to really believe he will be. The number of 3 pitch aces out there is pretty much non-existent. Berrios is what he is, which is a solid #2 or excellent #3, but with great durability and an ability to eat innings. That's why people are talking about 5 years $100-125MM and not 7 years $245MM like Strasburg got. I feel like the expectation is he's an ace and should pitch like one, but that kind of mindset takes away from how good he is at being who he really is.

Kind of like Liriano back in the day.   He was so awesome in 2016 so that was what people expected of him.   When he came back and was simply good fans were mad he wasn't still great..

3 hours ago, bighat said:

I think you missed the part about Larnach striking out 4 times in back to back games. He struck out 4 times in a game last week, too.

This is a problem and it looks like a big one. Seven homers isn't good enough to make up for what has become an alarming inability to make contact.

He’ll be fine, he’s a rookie and rookies (as well as all players for that matter) go through theses stretches. 

8 hours ago, Matthew Lenz said:

According to his 2020 scouting report from MLB.com, he has a strong arm.

Despite all the strikeouts, he still has an OPS of .755 (.718 is the league OPS) and is batting 3rd in the order. He’s a rookie who, like ALL players at times, is in a slump. Let’s not overreact.

Let me preface my response by saying this whole conversation is meant to be jovial, and in good fun. The Twins are on a break, I'm just shooting the breeze here and having a good time debating a player.

You: "Let's not overreact! He's a rookie, those strikeout stats don't matter"

Also you: "His OPS is .755"

So...stats do matter, but only the good ones? We're not supposed to talk about those bad stats over there in the corner?  Anyway man, I totally understand the points a lot of you are making. I guess I just have some seeds of doubt and I'm wondering if anyone else feels the same.

Anyone remember Bobby Kielty? That's all I'm sayin.

Yes we could remember Kielty and a dozen others in the same boat.  Give Larnach a break for crying out loud.  He's a rookie, and overall has done well.  So when has it become bad for a rookie to have slumps but the " veterans" get a pass when they have a slump?  Larnach has proved he belongs here and deserves to stay when everyone else gets healthy.  We have plenty of other candidates to move out.  To send Larnach down may be worse for him.  Where are the coaches that are supposed to help him?

1 hour ago, Dodecahedron said:

He wasn't very good, he struggled to keep his ERA under 5, and an ERA over 4 is not even considered good.

He was phenomenal in 2006.  I have never seen pitching like Liriano in 2006 and I doubt I will see it again.  The closest was Scott Erickson's run in 1991, and Erickson's streak of dominance lasted just about as long as Liriano's.

In 2008 he was 0-3 11.32 ERA in the first half and also the first 3 games after a year and a half gone from surgery.   His 2nd half was 6-1 with 2.74 ERA.    His 2010 season was quite good.   IMO, throughout, he was judged against his 2016 season.     His 2008 season was essential in getting us to game 163 and conceivably brought up one game too late.  .   He was arguably our best starter in 2010.    I'm not saying he is a direct parallel to Berrios but some of the criticisms remind me of it.

Jose Berrios pitching no-hit ball, then falling apart, then putting it back together again for two innings was one of the weirder Twins pitching performances I've seen in a while. But we've learned to expect that kind of one-inning meltdown from him.

On the other hand, Taylor Rodgers letting the 6, 7, and 8 guys reach base, and the 9 guy to hit a grand slam, all in ten pitches, then to strike out the 1, 2, and 3 guys... that was the most confounding pitching performance I think I've ever seen.