MIN 7, PIT 3: José Berríos Overcomes Command, Drone

Wasnt the most exciting game but I am never going to complain about a win. Berrios seemed to struggle early, but settled down nicely after the 7th. The velocity staying at 95-96 into the 6th is an encouraging sign. Cruz is still really good, and Rosario had a few nice (and not nice) at bats. Arraez hit the ball hard but Is getting unlucky. Buxton defense still outweighs his lack of hitting. Nice job by thielbar to save a majority of the bullpen.

I was worried that Skynet was taking over during the drone delay!

Congrats to Caleb Thielbar for a decent comeback appearance. Not sure how sustainable it will be if he keeps hanging those loopy curves to right handers. Some of those could have been tape measure home runs. I think Pirates hitters were shocked by how many of them he threw. Next opponent may be ready to cash in on those giant cookies.

Congrats to Caleb Thielbar for a decent comeback appearance. Not sure how sustainable it will be if he keeps hanging those loopy curves to right handers. Some of those could have been tape measure home runs. I think Pirates hitters were shocked by how many of them he threw. Next opponent may be ready to cash in on those giant cookies.

That reminds me: how is Ryne Harper doing this year?

I will be very worried if Caleb Theilbar is used in any sort of non-save-the-bullpen role. I don't care what Rocco says about his stuff... there's a reason he hasn't played in five years... Now is not the time for reclamation projects.

Happy to get the win today but things didn't go as well as I had hoped against a hittable pitcher.  For as great as Berrios's line was (only 1 earned through 6 innings)  He was getting close to 50 pitches after two innings. For a while there it looked like he might only go 4 innings 5 max and these were the pirates not the Yankee's.  It feels like he has a lot of things to work out.  In the end he made it 6 innings so I guess I can't complain too much but it was pretty brutal to watch IMO.

It was nice they got 2.1 innings out of Thielbar so the pen could rest a day.  He doesn't look like someone to rely on just yet but a guy who could eat innings when games are out of hand.  He looked OK out there to me but not overly dominant.  At least he doesn't walk guys like Poppen does, but that is the only reliever I would say Thielbar might be better than in our current pen.

Where would this team be at the start of this season without Cruz?  Probably in about the same place as the Indians and Chicago.  He has been a true difference maker early and yet teams keep challenging him.  I see a fair number of walks and hit by pitch in Cruz's future.

4 walks for Kepler bodes well. Pitchers will have to give stuff to hit or put him on 1st for free.  Good to see that good eye at the plate and solid contact.  He should be a tough out if he keeps this up.

Also nice to see Rosario beat the shift taking the ball to left.  Beat it a few more times and they might have to play him more straight up again.

We don't seem to have the homer magic we had last year but with the improved pitching we are still a tough team to beat.  Here's hoping for a few more HR's in the next few games.  Go Twins!

Now was absolutely the time for the Thielbar reclamation project. With 3/5 of the rotation on the IL, and the bullpen overused lately - thank goodness Thielbar gutted out nearly 3 innings to everyone else a rest day.

Now was absolutely the time for the Thielbar reclamation project. With 3/5 of the rotation on the IL, and the bullpen overused lately - thank goodness Thielbar gutted out nearly 3 innings to everyone else a rest day.

Not at all, dude. You don't need to add anything to team salary by pitching Poppen. These games are twice as important as any other game in a normal season. Regardless of saving the bullpen, which he did, he was close to blowing the lead today. Still would have liked to see Poppen in there for the ninth. 

I thought about Trevor Bauer and his long-toss when I heard guys were throwing at a drone from the bullpen. He would be a serious anti-aircraft weapon.

But, seriously, police(local/state/federal) and stadium security have a plan for a potentially dangerous drone(s) at the stadium. It’s interesting that it made it that far.

Anyway, another good game. Kepler and Cruz are animals.

First Rally Squirrel. Now...Rally Drone?

"Thielbar went 2 1/3 innings in relief, giving up three runs and striking out three."

Not a fan of the Thielbar move, at all, but he only gave up 2 runs. But 5 hits and 2 walks and only 7 outs is a more complete story...... Perhaps Baldelli should have pulled him after the 8th, and not sent him out for another inning.

May gets a save with a 4 run lead and only needing 2 outs and 5 pitches. That doesn't happen often. Kinda scary at the end. May does tend to give up the dinger.....

9-2 sure is a great place to be. I can't wait for the "fearsome offense" to be fearsome. 

I couldn't watch the whole game, but what I did see of it, every pitch that Berrios threw that was getting touched, and batters were making contact. Even the fly outs were getting tagged. It is a weird season. I hope that it isn't just August, and it doesn't matter if it is the beginning of an unprecidented short season or the dog days of a long season. 

My favorite plays of the whole game are in this video, and it didn't even make a recap mention. Especially the catch. Outfielders just don't get to this ball. And he doesn't even have to dive, just glide.

https://www.mlb.com/video/byron-buxton-s-wheels-on-display?t=statcast

That reminds me: how is Ryne Harper doing this year?

Harper is doing quite well, thank you.

He has made 5 appearances with 6Ks in 5.1 innings and a 0.00 ERA for the Nats, and some of those outings have been in "high leverage" situations (not just mop-up time).

I'm sure the Nats are glad to have him!

That reminds me: how is Ryne Harper doing this year?

Five games and 5.1 innings for the Nats so far, 3 hits allowed, no runs, and a win under his belt.

Thanks for asking.

I will be very worried if Caleb Theilbar is used in any sort of non-save-the-bullpen role. I don't care what Rocco says about his stuff... there's a reason he hasn't played in five years... Now is not the time for reclamation projects.

Yeah, I'm with you. I wonder if Falvey isn't trying to be strategic by showing tons of relief pitchers a few opportunistic low leverage innings here early with the hopes that he can deal a surplus arm or two to teams desperate to stay in the hunt for a minor league return. Similar to what he has done before.

Fernando Rodney got us Dakota Chalmers Ryne himself netted us this future star Hunter McMahon.

On the flip side, they got nothin' for Nik Turley and only $25,000 for Nick Burdi. 

I have to say that Berrios still does not look good.  These are the Pirates.  I need to see much more from him after these three starts.  He not bad, but he is pitching like a number 3 for me.

I feel like Berrios is really nibbling once he gets to 2 strikes. He is trying so hard to make the perfect pitch in that situation to get the K recorded and missing his spot far more often than not.

It's easier said than done, but he needs to just keep attacking once he is there. Hope he can make that mental adjustment.

That comes out to a tasty 1.000 OPS. Tasty for batters, that is.

 

OTOH, the batting average against him on balls in play, typically around .300 for a full season, is .556 at this point. It's only small sample size, of course, which is my point. Maybe a little more normal "luck" with the at-em balls will reveal him to be a useful contributor still.
 

There's never been 2.2 innings of meaningful data. 

There's never been 2.2 innings of meaningful data. What did you think of his stuff?