Twins: 0, White Sox: 13: Arraez Ceases White Sox No-Hit Bid with Two Outs in 9th Inning

With this team, I expect Nick Gordon soon to be sidelined due to Tommy John surgery.

Embarrassing. So many questionable decisions. Such poor play. These aren't the dodgers or the Astros or the Yankees.  We have an injured pitcher and the reds have a exciting rookie. We just can't keep our pitchers healthy. But tonight all phases of the game stunk including the Brain trust in The dugout. I guess the real strategy of the night was having Gordon come in so that we could make a really long half inning and hopefully make it difficult for cease to come back out and be fresh

Other than Verlander making the lineup look like the JV, was this not the most predictable near-no hitter ever??  Who takes the blame for this mess?  Rocco or the "training" staff.  How can an organization that prioritizes the dreaded "rest and relaxation" above all else, have SO many players injured/unable to get healthy?!  Beyond frustrating.

24 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

My thought when I saw him on the mound is that he should not be the mop-up arm. He's made himself too valuable. 

Is it possible to DFA him solely as a pitcher and then re-sign him SOLELY as a utility player?    

"With the game on Fox, there is not postgame video."

Thank God!  

I am too lazy to check, but is it mathematically possible for the winner of the central division to be under 0.500 with everyone playing each other in September? 

I hope the Twins were very confident about their due diligence on Mahle, because shoulder injuries are still a HUGE worry even with modern medical/surgical capabilities and he literally had shoulder issues less than a month before the trade.

We are all guilty of Monday morning quarterbacking at times, but this would not be one of those times. 

As I've posted previously, I am dreading a future Thoracic Outlet Syndrome reveal. 

Just checked... Yes! All three teams have enough games against other teams left that if they split the games against each other and lose the majority of their other games, we could have a Central Division winner under 0.500

It looks like there is going to be one team left out of the playoffs shaking their collective heads at the record of the Central Division "Winner"

Let's Go!!!!

The boys really showed up for national exposure. 

I just love it when my team just GIVES UP! Especially with national coverage.

Good thing we saved Pagan. I hope Correa got his rest.

What a bunch of twinkies. And I never call them that. But today, they deserve it.

But hey.... it's right in front of them.

Congratulations to Dylan Cease on his near no-hitter. 

3 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

Other than Verlander making the lineup look like the JV, was this not the most predictable near-no hitter ever?

Kershaw would have been perfect back in April if he could have finished. 3 near nono's in one season seems unusual.

2 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

As I've posted previously, I am dreading a future Thoracic Outlet Syndrome reveal

You and me both. With this staff, its believe it when I see it with injury recoveries. Predicting here Mr Mahle is done for 2022 and we'll see about surgical needs and 2023 later.

2 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

All three teams have enough games against other teams left that if they split the games against each other and lose the majority of their other games, we could have a Central Division winner under 0.500

If this doesnt prod MLB to reorganize into 2 divisions per league sooner than later, along wth balanced scheduling..would reduce the possibility of this happening in the future. And prep for inevitable expansion in 5 yrs.

Two disasters so far against Chisox. Lopez blew the Friday game all by himself and yesterday was simply a cover your eyes and hold your nose game. And the injuries keep coming. Polanco on the IL now, looks like Jeffers and Larnach are done for the year being shipped to the 60 day IL. Mahle is probably done. Who knows what lies in store for Buxton.

Twins have looked terrible again. As for the AL Central---if the Orioles were in that division they would be in 1st place. Think about that one.

28 minutes ago, insagt1 said:

Two disasters so far against Chisox. Lopez blew the Friday game all by himself and yesterday was simply a cover your eyes and hold your nose game. And the injuries keep coming. Polanco on the IL now, looks like Jeffers and Larnach are done for the year being shipped to the 60 day IL. Mahle is probably done. Who knows what lies in store for Buxton.

Twins have looked terrible again. As for the AL Central---if the Orioles were in that division they would be in 1st place. Think about that one.

The 60 day moves mean nothing except it is smart and a manuver. Larnach has already been out 60 days and can come back anytime. It just cleared a roster spot for a move. Jeffers won't be ready until the middle of September and the 60 day move doesn't change that. Both these moves just created a roster spot for the time being, and doesn't mean either player can't be back if and when they are ready.

What an embarrassing display on national TV.  It was expectedly bad enough facing Cease but letting the game become a circus by putting in and leaving Gordon in to let the "game" get out of hand was inexcusable.  We had the guy we got from Boston hasn't pitched for 6 days.  He couldn't pitch in a mop up role for one inning?  There was plenty of options for one in ing.  Gordon should not have been one of them.  The team and organization was embarrassed by Baldelli decisions.  Showing that you gave up early in the game, Twins once again displayed no life or heart on national TV.  I fully didn't expect the team to win this game anyway but their ineptitude and lack of any fire is beyond baffling .

9 hours ago, ashbury said:

Local baseball historian, and expert on no-hitters and near-no-hitters, Stew Thornley comments today that this is the "[f]irst time the Twins have broken up a no-hitter with two out in the ninth."

If you really want to be exciting at your next cocktail party, take a look at this compilation (Stew being Stew he has updated it already) and memorize it.  https://milkeespress.com/lostninth.html

The article says Lucas Gioloto has a 75.27 ERA.  I expect some more offense today.

I usually don't mind Baldelli decisions too much, but to pull your best hitters out while currently being no-hit is unacceptable. He is lucky Arraez bailed him out.

44 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

 

A future Twin breaks up a no-hitter with two out in the ninth.

I know Cease was dealing but 7-0 shouldn't be considered insurmountable for a playoff contending team.  

9 minutes ago, milkytoast said:

I usually don't mind Baldelli decisions too much, but to pull your best hitters out while currently being no-hit is unacceptable. He is lucky Arraez bailed him out.

I'll disagree.

A manager's job in the regular season is to try to win as many games as possible. This sometimes means giving up one game to try to improve your chance of winning the next. It was obvious by the middle innings that the Twins had essentially no shot at winning this game. So it was the right move to give some of his players a bit of rest for the next day's game. The win-loss record doesn't care whether a game is a no-hitter. Whether it is or not you put it behind you and move on.

I made a post to this effect on the game thread but I'll say this here too.

On the broadcast AJ Pierzynski said during the ninth inning that he thought Cease should have walked Arraez. If I were Cease I wouldn't have done so. First of all, the outcome of the game was not on the line so there was no strategic reason to walk Arraez. But I'll bet he felt that it would cheapen the no-hitter to dodge the hitter with the league's best average. He went for it but Arraez got him. That's baseball. Good on both players for giving it their best shot.

15 minutes ago, lukeduke1980 said:

I know Cease was dealing but 7-0 shouldn't be considered insurmountable for a playoff contending team.  

What team are you referring to? ??

I wonder if Mahli pitched his simulated game against the Twins starting lineup?  That would have given him a false impression that he was ready to pitch in the major leagues.

10 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

My thought when I saw him on the mound is that he should not be the mop-up arm. He's made himself too valuable. 

Precisely! 

I've generally been a Baldelli supporter, but my goodness.

Also , why start pulling starters out in the fifth inning. Hell, why not just forfeit, if that's the mindset.

Baseball never ceases to amaze.

Disappointing end to a hopeful season.  Fortunately, football is back to watch on the weekends.