Who do we blame? Who has done this to the Twins? Who did the Twins piss off to bring this horrible curse on themselves? Yes, the Twins have played horribly for the most part throughout this season, but they have also had hideously bad luck with injuries and illness to players they just can't afford to lose. Especially not all at once. Just when it seems like the Twins are finally getting healthy, their best reliever in a very shallow bullpen goes down. And this just after Jose Mijares has gone on the DL. Now the Twins are down to Matt Capps, Joe Nathan and ?????
And then there has been too much pure bad luck on the field. Too many line drives for outs for the batters (or double plays) and too many bloopers and bad bounces at just the wrong time.
Saturday's game featured the second straight game in which the Diamondbacks' late big inning featured not one but two bunts, and the Diamondbacks screwed up both of them. One was a terrible bunt that was popped up over the head of hard-charging Danny Valencia for a single. I mean, the D'backs were trying to give away an out with a runner already in scoring position, and instead they get a gift single, and there was nothing the Twins could do about it. What was really bad luck was the Twins had Valencia charging. Often with a runner at second, the third baseman lays back in hopes the pitcher or catcher can field the bunt and throw the runner out at third. If the Twins had chosen to use this defense, Valencia would have had an easy catch for the first out. Since the runner didn't advance on the infield single, the next batter, a rare pinch bunter, bunted and left it too close to home, so catcher Drew Butera jumped on it and threw to third base for the forceout.
The previous night, the Diamondbacks had runners at first and second and no outs and the batter attempted to bunt, but the Twins got the forceout at third. With the pitcher up, he did get a sacrifice down, and, after an unfortunate decision to intentionally walk Willie Bloomquist, Perkins allowed a three-run double to make a one-run deficit a four-run deficit. Of course, the Twins would eventually lose by just one run. Plus, you don't want to forget Jason Kubel's triple, which was hit to the only part of the ballpark that it wouldn't have been a home run.
As for Saturday's game, the Twins were perfectly set up with a three-run lead and Glen Perkins in to face three left-handers with only one runner on base. He comes up lame after a hit and suddenly Capps has to come in with no outs and the tying run on base. Other than the home run, I really don't think he pitched all that poorly. The double that made it a one-run game not only was butchered by Delmon Young (who has actually been pretty good defensively this year), but also was on a pitch that looked to be six inches outside. Then there were the two bunts and then a soft single to left and then the home run.
Capps may have blown up in the ninth if Perkins had gotten out of the eighth without injury, but I have to believe that having his routine suddenly changed. I'm sure he won't use that as an excuse, but I'm sure it didn't help any. I always get a bad feeling when a pitcher comes in after an injury and is given as many pitches as he needs that the pitcher doesn't use as many as he should to get ready since all eyes are on him and he probably realizes he's the one holding up the game.
Another frustrating issue, in this series the Twins have hit five home runs; all solo shots. And it's not like they haven't had runners on base.
Looking at it another way, the Diamondbacks had five errors, struck out nine times and allowed two home runs and won.
Can someone find me a live chicken to send to Gardy?
It just better be Chuck James getting the call up this time, because Dumatrait has done nothing to make me feel like he can be trusted to be a LOOGY in the eighth inning. I'm also expecting Brian Duensing to be sent to the bullpen and either Slowey moved into the rotation or sent to AAA in favor of another starting pitcher, although Kyle Gibson hasn't been very good of late. I guess Manship could be recalled and he or Smartyak put into the rotation.
AAAAUUUUGGGGGHH!!!! Now I'm really pissed. The Twins called up Dusty Hughes!! I can't believe it. James is dominating in AAA as a left-handed reliever and they call up the guy who was rightfully demoted a week ago. This is insane. FREE CHUCK JAMES!! FREE CHUCK JAMES!!
More bad luck for the Twins. James pitched two innings today, so that's twice he's pitched on the day the Twins have needed a reliever immediately and couldn't wait for someone who needed at least one day off. That makes me feel a little better than the Twins just not calling him up just because he wasn't on the 40-man, but still, at some point you need to have someone who appears to be able to actually get outs on a consistent basis. Hughes wasn't doing that just a week ago, so I don't think much has changed.
I'm not opposed to calling up Chuck James, but let's be clear that we're talking about a 29-year-old reliever who hasn't been in the big leagues since 2008. He's always pitched well in the minors, and he might very well be better than some of the guys they have now, but it's not like promoting him is going to be a major step forward or anything.
I though James was battling injuries and is just now healthy. SB Nation shows he had a shoulder injury at the end of 2007 and a torn rotator cuff at the beginning of 2008 before he got nontendered at the end of 2008. In his age 24-25 seasons with Atlanta, James was 22-14 with a 109 ERA+ and average K and BB rates. His biggest problem is being a flyball pitcher, which shouldn't hurt him as much at Target Field. His only real problem his last season was throwing strikes, which is not uncommon for a pitcher coming off an injury. His walk rate this year is back to pre-injury rate and his Ks are way up. If he is a league-average pitcher for the Twins, he would be a significant improvement over replacement-level guys like Dumatrait and Hughes. Plus he has over 300 innings of experience pitching in the majors.
I seem to recall this, too. He was a very good rookie and soph starter, and then things fell apart his third year for the Braves... was he battling injuries then? I would guess that he'd be like Perk: some problems in the past, with more success now healthy and as a reliever.
It's a 40 man issue, though I wouldn't be opposed to dumping Hughes from the 40 man the twins obviously see something in him. What that is I don't know.
Wow this bullpen blows
for some reason, whenever i hear the name chuck james, my mind first goes to chuck jones. upon finding that information to be most likely incorrect, it backs up, turns around, and gets to chuck james.
I always think of Chuck Hayes, and how he would bring some much needed toughness and offensive rebounding to the staff.
i'd be fine with isaac hayes as well.
He's dead, but that may not be a deal-breaker to the Twins at this point.
They say that Dusty Hughes is a bad mutha_____...
shutcho mouth!
i was hoping someone would make that joke, or at least set me up for it.
damn right.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoptV-2CiRY
for me, I have Rick James in my mind's eye.
*F-bomb warning*
My bro Big Al was at the game; here's a photo he sent me last night:
Yeah, thanks Al. Thanks a lot.
that loss hurt
I still think the Twins can turn it around and make it a respectable season, but maybe this season is going down the tubes to make up for all those other years we had crappy teams and overachieved
I nodded off for a bit last night and woke up for the Diamondbacks follies throwing the ball. That was good. I stayed awake for Kelly F'N Johnson. That was bad.
don't worry, it was all a dream, hitman. go back to sleep.
I'm going to assume that is "three weeks to a month". Stinks either way.