Hughes (10-6, 4.11 ERA, 4.19 xFIP) vs. Estrada (8-6, 3.53 ERA, 4.62 xFIP)
With the way the post-ASB has gone, I'm finding myself falling into the depths of ambivalence. It feels like, as in year's past, this is when the team regresses. I keep trying to remind myself that they started the year off pretty terribly as well. But, the recent struggles of Glen Perkins has me concerned that it just isn't gonna happen. That's the guy I never really consider for someone who will have a run of crappiness.
Anywho, there are still games to be played. With Estrada's xFIP being over a full run higher than his ERA, let's hope the offense doesn't Price-ify him like they've been doing. Gotta get those runners in from third! Especially with Hughes having a HR year and the Blue Jays seeming to be fond of the long ball.
I'm not sure we can come back from a deficit this big.
Revere in left, Donaldson at third, and Tulowitzki at short. Pro-tip: don't hit it to the left side of the field.
No hitter alert!!
That second homer was officially a GOSO moment.
A hit! Is that allowed?
A hit of some sort here would be useful.
Not a hit, but at least we got our run for the night.
We got our 1 run allotment for the day.
GNOSNO
Unlike earlier in the year, it feels like the club just can't take advantage of the opposition's mistakes. Meatballs down the middle are fouled back or popped out.
Hence my feelings of ambivalence.
I'm getting there. How come it feels like the whole club regressed/went cold all at the same time?
It happens. When a number of guys aren't hitting, the rest feel the pressure to do more. The good news is the Twins only struck out 6 times in 9 innings, which matched the Jays in 8 innings. I really didn't see too many bad at-bats other than guys getting pitches to hit and just not hitting them. Sano had a couple fastballs out over the plate that he fouled off. He still ended up walking after one of those. Still, just 2 hits in Toronto against Marco Estrada? That's frustrating.
the league average is 7.6 K/9 (and the Twins' average is about 7.4 times struck out per 9), so 6 Ks is some pretty sad good news.
We need these Must Not Lose games
Another quality start loss
I'd be more concerned if we weren't getting good pitching. The Twins are staying in most of these games, so it won't take much to turn around and start winning. The Twins' offense isn't great. but it isn't his bad.
I'd be more concerned if I thought that this was the year that they were primed to win. Just being not terrible this year is a victory in my book.
True enough. These long losing periods where it feels like things are regressing more to what we thought are tough to overcome from a "keep following closely" perspective, though.