​​​​​​​Game Score: Twins 8, Red Sox 3 Garlick, Polanco home runs play spoiler on Patriots Day

The Twins split two series, one home, one away, against decent teams in Seattle and Boston. They got crushed at home by the Dodgers. They're 4-6 with a -6 differential.

Not going to tell you that things are going exactly according to plan, but it hasn't been a terrible start. These upcoming nine games against KC, CWS, and DET will tell us a lot about what kind of expectations we should have.

5 minutes ago, Alex Schieferdecker said:

Not going to tell you that things are going exactly according to plan, but it hasn't been a terrible start. These upcoming nine games against KC, CWS, and DET will tell us a lot about what kind of expectations we should have.

I'm leaning a bit more pessimistic, but this is a fair take. Two splits against good teams isn't terrible, and the two-game trouncing by arguably baseball's best team wasn't unexpected.

Nice win today. Good teams get clutch contributions from all over the lineup. Good for Garlick.

I want to be excited about some easier games against KC, but it seems like last year the Twins got pretty much exactly the same results whether they played good teams or bad teams.

It was big to get the split with Boston.  Only series loss was to the Dodgers and just two games.  We need to be the better team in the division if we are going to go anywhere so those games will have added importance.

I have to say Bundy has been much better than I thought he would be to this point.  He has been an efficient strike throwing machine and very SSS but keeping the ball in the park to this point.  I may be eating a fair bit of crow given my dismissal of his potential contributions to this team.

Celestino had a huge at bat for essentially a Rookie.  Getting behind in the count and battling back to draw that walk was huge.  Polanco got the big hit but not making an out there saved the rally.  Given his lack of experience I was happy he found his way on base.

OK I am going to monologue a bit here.  When the Twins sent Jax out for 8th inning after the big rally I thought that was a huge mistake.  I thought for sure he would get lit up and either lose the lead or at the very least lose the cushion we had with the runs scored.  I mean this is a guy who got pounded in his last spring training game and wasn't even added to the 28 man roster to start the season and this is the guy they run out there to protect the lead in an almost must win situation?  In fact you run your weakest essentially last man out there not just for the 8th but the 9th as well?  I get that we had a 6 run lead but with the lineup the Sox have no lead is safe with 6 outs left.  Let alone against a pitcher who has been prone to give up big innings. Why allow for such great potential to give the lead back?  Maybe he was on a fairly short leash but at the time I thought it was an unnecessary risk.  In hindsight it worked out great for Jax's confidence and the team win.  I just didn't have a good feeling about it though.

This was an important win.  If the starting pitching holds up you have to like this teams chances.  Lineup still could use some help but they usually turn things around once the weather warms up.  Very happy they got the win.
 

9 minutes ago, Dman said:

I have to say Bundy has been much better than I thought he would be to this point.  He has been an efficient strike throwing machine and very SSS but keeping the ball in the park to this point.  I may be eating a fair bit of crow given my dismissal of his potential contributions to this team.
 

I am right there with you Dman!  I am opening myself up to a whole heaping pile of crow if Bundy keeps this up.

However I am not building up my appetite for crow just yet, as I remember J.A. Happ's first 5 starts last year were very good before the wheels came off...

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pitchinglogs.php?p=happja01&y=2021

All away around the Twins played great ball. Great finishing this tough 3 team series. I hope this momentum leads us into great series against KC, DET and CWS and we'll be sitting pretty well. Wishing Buxton well so he can quickly grace us w/ his presence. Go Twins!

Bundy is doing just what we need him too. If he can stay respectable for a few more months the Twins have time to sort out the young guys.  I don't think he was ever going to be good all year, so I'm happy we are getting his "good"stuff early.

Funny ol' game, baseball.

One good game and suddenly the Twins have scored 37 and given up 42 playing some quality teams, and if they have a good series against the Royals they're right back in the mix. Considering how cold the bats have been when the thought was it was the lineup that was the strength of the team...maybe this isn't so bad.

We'll see about Jax: I think it was the right call to run him out there with the big lead and see how he'd do. I don't know if he's really an MLB pitcher, but testing him in the bullpen makes sense.

We definitely had a few hitters who needed it get some hits: Correa and Polanco were both scuffling too and they did well. Still plenty of work to get this lineup where it needs to be, but I choose to be encouraged by the fact that they drew 7 walks. It's easy for guys who are pressing to spiral and make it worse by expanding the zone, and they're not doing that. (38 BBs in 10 games doesn't stink; when the hits start falling those will lead to runs)

I'm happy Bundy is starting out well; he's still not a guy I love but he could do well for us. 

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

I See What You Did There

What is the prediction for the KC series?  This is where we have to turn things around. 

I was half-watching the game today - why was Garlick lifted for Kepler?

13 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Looking at the pitcher usage, if the Twins can continue to get 6 innings from their starter or long man, they can use three relief pitchers per game and still be used every third day. Coulombe, Romero and Pagán haven’t been used since Saturday and should be ready to go for Tuesday for sure. Duffey, Thielbar and Stashak had today off. Lots of options. The key is to average less than three innings out of the bullpen per game. 
 

Edit to add: this is counting Winder with the starters. He and Gray worked 7 innings on Saturday. 

Good luck. This rotation is essentially built to require 4+ innings from the pen. 

Batters consistently reaching base is a common theme for the bullpen right now. The pen went 3.2 innings today, surrendered 6 hits, 2 walks, and miraculously only 2 runs. A line like that goes somewhat unnoticed when the Twins hang a crooked number like today, but it feels as though they're flirting with disaster every time a starter comes out of the game.  

I really like how all our starters are attacking the zone. Few walks and pretty economical with their pitches. 
Had Larnach made even a decent throw they would have had Bogearts at third and Bundy likely goes out for the 7th. 

20 minutes ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Good luck. This rotation is essentially built to require 4+ innings from the pen. 

Batters consistently reaching base is a common theme for the bullpen right now. The pen went 3.2 innings today, surrendered 6 hits, 2 walks, and miraculously only 2 runs. A line like that goes somewhat unnoticed when the Twins hang a crooked number like today, but it feels as though they're flirting with disaster every time a starter comes out of the game.  

Na....did you watch the game?   Was never close.

Whatever, the naysayers out there yelled and screamed about starting pitching for months -- even after the Twins signed Correa -- and lo and behold, Twins are top 10 in starting pitching so far.

Sure, SSS, but, I do think Falvey and Levine use extensive screens/analysis as to who they sign and who they don't.  And also are sensitive to exposing young pitchers to MLB lineups when they may not be ready.

As it is, they start with 6 pitchers, expect one to get injured, fall back to five, still have Winder in reserve, as well as the whole ensemble of young "would be" starters.  Just feels different, more planful and sustainable.

Once this team hits, and they will hit, I like their chances.

Sure, the bullpen needs to get sorted out, but, compared to postion players and starters, that's doable.

Good win for the Twins. Bundy is doing everything we'd hoped and more, though I'm not sure we can count on him to keep producing like this. Will be interesting to see Paddack in KC.

Sanchez, Kepler, Larnach and Sano were 0-16 today. This team won't be able to stay competitive if the 5-9 spots continue to perform so horribly.

Again, good victory but at some point the Twins are going to need at least 2-3 more guys to start hitting like major leaguers for this team to have any shot to content for the playoffs.

Was going to point out that 3 guys had 7 of the 9 hits today. Half of the lineup went 0-fer again. When the 3 or 4 guys in the lineup that can hit don't, there isn't much hope for a win on those days. We've already seen that. Yeah, keep playing Garlick over Kepler. That eliminates 1 worthless bat.

1 hour ago, se7799 said:

Na....did you watch the game?   Was never close.

Certainly can't argue with "Na."

Watched most of most of the game, if that makes sense. I didn't see the reported hard contact on Bundy until the 6th inning, but liked what I saw. He seemed to be mixing up his pitches well and moving the ball all around, keeping Boston hitters on their heels. Not sure if he lost his control or was running out of gas when he went out for the 6th. I never hated his signing...have been hoping for an amalgam of his best Baltimore days and his 2020 with the Angels...but I didn't like him as the only early addition. Agree with puckstopper1 to be guarded and remember Happ's early 2021. But I am not displeased thus far.

Smith did great!

I have been so pleasantly surprised by Duran. It would be pretty easy to look at his 6.00 ERA at this point...SSS...and the run he gave up today...and wonder about his readiness. But he has made professional hitters, and some good ones, look absolutely silly at times. Even today, he still struck out the side. Despite all his talent and potential, he didn't pitch in 2020 and was limited to only 16IP in 2021 due to injury and obvious caution by the Twins. He does not look intimidated or out of place. I'm still hoping that 3rd pitch...what is that, a power curve?...could be augmented by some sort of change, split, or cutter to make him that much more dangerous, and maybe even pull a Santana-like move and go back to the rotation. But for now, he looks like a potential crazy BP piece.

I was genuinely surprised by Jax. And I actually liked him going out for the extra inning. I'm sure he had a short leash, but with a lead, and him throwing well, I liked the call to build his confidence and save the pen. He wasn't perfect or electric, but he showed some composure and flashed some really nice pitches. I don't know what his future holds, but he's intelligent and has some decent stuff that plays up in a limited role I think.

I didn't think Larnach's throw in to 3B was all that bad. Just a hair better, and the tag is made. Urshela missed the initial tag, but should have gotten the runner on the over slide.

The bats did the job today and special notation has to be made for Celestino's appearance in, what was it, the 8th? That was guts and determination. I think he saw 11 pitches that AB!

Despite being under .500, I am VERY encouraged by what I've seen so far against 3 good teams. Could easily be .500 or a game above with better hitting and one less BP blow-up.

It was an interesting game to watch yesterday but I have to throw in one caveat.  If Urshela hadn't been so far off the bag  the throw from Larnach would have easily gotten Bogearts at third.  The throw looked on target but Urshela was 6 feet out toward left field?? 

Very nice win.  Much needed.  Before I get too excited Twins need to continue at KC.  Twins need to win at least 2 of 3 or preferably sweep the Royals.  While the Twins offense had a decent day, let's not forget they were facing an old pitcher that struggled hitting 80 on the speed gun.  Not a real good test.  However if they can start hitting regularly they may have a chance.  If the bats go silent again against the Royals, it could be a long season. .