Twins 6, Blue Jays 5: Twins Walk Off the Jays to End a Wild Game

Let's just put the Yankees and Astros into the ALCS automatically, right now.

5 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Gordon for me has been the surprise of the season. 

Gordon, Jax and maybe a little bit of Cave are the surprises for me. That's why I'm not a GM.

Love the hustle from guys, forcing the defense to make errors.

22 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Gordon for me has been the surprise of the season.  I didn't think he had it in him.  But he's a major leaguer.

He is Willie Mays Hays -- Gordon.?

19 minutes ago, Aggies7 said:

The twins are really, really bad at the fundamentals of the game.

Agreed. If you are the Twins or a border line hitter, wouldn't you practice bunting for a half hour every day. MLB players are so bad at it now that a border line player could get the last roster spot just because they are a great bunter.

Now tops on list in the category, "Room For Improvement."
(as of 4 August)

Gordon's been hitting the ball well lately. Actually, he's been hitting the ball well for quite a while now. The Twins nearly made a big mistake last year. It was clear the intent was to send Gordon to the AAA for the remainder of the season on August 4th last year and nobody really believed the Twins were going to keep him on the 40 man. Instead, Gordon could have easily been doing this someplace else having been written off by Falvey and Levine.

Lamonte Wade and Akil Baddoo have struggled due to SSS and injuries this year, but Tyler Wells has provided solid value as a starter for the Orioles, just 0.1 WAR behind Sonny Gray, the Twins' best starter on the season. If I was watching Nick Gordon play this well elsewhere, I'd be pissed.

Well that went smoothly.

The bunting incompetence is dispiriting. Good for Gordon making it happen.

When Nick Gordon hit that home run tonight and I saw Jake Cave in the background on the on deck circle watching it... I was remined of Delmon Young watching from the same on deck circle as Jim Thome hit a bomb against the White Sox about a decade ago!  

I remember thinking to myself in the bottom of the 10th, why don't they intentionally walk Cave?  His run means nothing, and it sets up a force at every base but home.  Then, later, with 2nd and 3rd, why not intentionally walk Beckham to set up a force at every base including home?  But they never even considered it, from the looks of it.  I have never understood that lack of strategy.  So I looked at our stats for the year, and as an entire team we have only been issued 5 intentional walks all season so far.  And our pitching staff has only issued 4 ourselves.  Seems strange that a strategy so simple is almost gone from the game.  Makes me wonder if that is another of the analytics in play.  

• Twins have one big inning and can't add on - again.
• Contreras, Beckham, Gordon and Miranda drive in the runs without any help from the star players - again. 
• 5-run lead isn't enough - again.
• Bullpen blows the save - again. 
• Baserunning blunders and fundamental mistakes - again.

You get a feeling that if this game was played on the road the Twins would have blown it. Always good to get a win but this game clearly highlighted all of Minnesota's weaknesses. I've never seen a Twins team that's in a pennant race behave so casually when it comes to fundamentals. Still waiting on the big names on the roster to show up. 

25 minutes ago, bighat said:

• Twins have one big inning and can't add on - again.
• Contreras, Beckham, Gordon and Miranda drive in the runs without any help from the star players - again. 
• 5-run lead isn't enough - again.
• Bullpen blows the save - again. 
• Baserunning blunders and fundamental mistakes - again.

You get a feeling that if this game was played on the road the Twins would have blown it. Always good to get a win but this game clearly highlighted all of Minnesota's weaknesses. I've never seen a Twins team that's in a pennant race behave so casually when it comes to fundamentals. Still waiting on the big names on the roster to show up. 

Couldn't agree more, but we have to remember there are certain fundamentals that the computer doesn't believe in, therefore we do not use them or drill them into our team.  Bunting runners along, stealing bases, hit and run usage, and taking extra bases in certain situations go against the analytics, so we don't see them much anymore.  Actually, the play we scored the run on was not a wise move at all, and if Toronto makes a simple defensive play that all teams make every day, and twice on Sunday, we are out and left with 1st and 3rd instead of 2nd and third.  It was obvious the contact play was on, but it was not a play most teams use in that situation, being no outs.  You would use it with one out, but not usually with none.  As you said, basic fundamentals.  We do not have them because we do not use them, and we do not use them because we do not believe they produce desired results.  But the lack of them really shows at times.

Glad we won. The take aways are that you cannot judge the trades at the moment of excitement.  I remember one post - we have our game one starter! - maybe, but wait and see, last night did not look like it.  We have our closer - another post - last night not so much.  It takes time for players to adjust, but we also have them for the short end of the season.  The stories will play out, but prognostication is a difficult talent to master. 

Fire Rocco. Amazing that he mismanaged the pitching staff in this game so badly. If he was a better manager, we would have won by three easily. #sarcasm

Way to go, Nick Gordon. Taking it to another level! Loved the breast stroke at home plate in the bottom of the tenth. 

Kudo's to the Twins for having to go with a lineup not remotely resembling the "A" team, and finding a way to win.?

A win is a win. We did not deserve to win, but with the craziest methods and luck we did. Kudos to Cave for his hustle on an obvious out, gutsy performance by Fulmer for getting those strikeouts with two on and Gordon with the bat and speed. 

Two plays that were for sure outs that were turned to fortune and success leading to a win caused by sure hustle. This saved a game that once again the Twins deserved to lose because they simply turn to stone when they have runners in winning position with no or one outs. This club is petrified wood with situational hitting. But we got a WIN!!!!!

Best part was Cleveland lost and we picked up a game. GO TWINS!

Twins Geezer.... out!

3 hours ago, Mark G said:

I remember thinking to myself in the bottom of the 10th, why don't they intentionally walk Cave?  His run means nothing, and it sets up a force at every base but home.  Then, later, with 2nd and 3rd, why not intentionally walk Beckham to set up a force at every base including home?  But they never even considered it, from the looks of it.  I have never understood that lack of strategy.  So I looked at our stats for the year, and as an entire team we have only been issued 5 intentional walks all season so far.  And our pitching staff has only issued 4 ourselves.  Seems strange that a strategy so simple is almost gone from the game.  Makes me wonder if that is another of the analytics in play.  

So, score tied, home team batting in the bottom of the 9th or later, runner on second, 0 out. Anyone know how to find the statistic of how frequently an IBB is issued? I would guess far less than 50%.

There is much to consider beyond just setting up force plays. Who is following in the lineup or available to pinch hit? Does the pitcher have good control? Is the pitcher skilled at inducing ground balls? Which fielders are playing? And more. Also consider that if the lead runner makes an out there is a runner on base that wouldn't have been there otherwise.

With runners on second and third those issues are amplified, plus an IBB brings into play that a subsequent BB, HBP, or catcher's interference loses the game.

When Joe Maddon was managing TB he once ordered a bases-loaded IBB. Not in this situation, obviously, but his team wound up winning that game.

5 minutes ago, Jeff D. said:

gutsy performance by Thielbar

?

Nice to win one that looked like was going to be another blown game.  On paper the next two games look difficult.  We have Bundy with an ERA over 5 then  4 inning Archer on Sunday.  Glad we won Friday because Saturday and Sunday look like tough matchups.  Come on now, any time I see Bundy then Archer back to pitching it's guaranteed a heavy bullpen usage and likely blow out losses.  Then we get to go play the Dodgers.  Good thing is after that we have several winnable games with Angels, Royals, and Rangers

6 hours ago, Drake2020 said:

When Nick Gordon hit that home run tonight and I saw Jake Cave in the background on the on deck circle watching it... I was remined of Delmon Young watching from the same on deck circle as Jim Thome hit a bomb against the White Sox about a decade ago!  

Cave and fans in amazement! Rocco..unaware. Maybe he was pumped one second later, but just looks funny! Love the guy in the black shirt with glasses! lol

9 hours ago, ashbury said:

Gordon for me has been the surprise of the season.  I didn't think he had it in him.  But he's a major leaguer.

Yeah I was a huge, huge doubter.  I had already predicted he would be off the roster by the end of this year.  So I guess I get to eat crow for a while.  Congrats to Gordon for proving so many of us wrong.  I think Doc had mentioned this before that if Gordon could ever get healthy for a long stretch he would look different. I guess he was right.,

1 hour ago, chinmusic said:

Way to go, Nick Gordon. Taking it to another level! Loved the breast stroke at home plate in the bottom of the tenth. 

Kudo's to the Twins for having to go with a lineup not remotely resembling the "A" team, and finding a way to win.?

I shook my head at that line-up, too.

Kudos to new pitcher Mahle for reinforcing that Rocco should never let a starter pitch into the sixth inning.

When other teams win vs the Twins in a manner of last night's game they are referred to as "opportunistic" or "savvy". When the Twins benefit from a poor play by the opponent they are characterized on this site as "lucky" "fundamentally weak" or a "mirage". 

To each his own is an apt phrase for Twins fans. I am enjoying. this Twins team, a pennant race and the possibilities that postseason games present.

31 minutes ago, GNess said:

To each his own is an apt phrase for Twins fans. I am enjoying. this Twins team, a pennant race and the possibilities that postseason games present.

Amen to that