Last week, I suggested that with a long home stand facing a few teams with losing records, attendance at games could result in fans seeing some wins. The team from Tampa, FL had a losing record and came into town having lost 10 of 12. They promptly lost the first game of the series against the Twins. Since then, they still own a losing record (27-31), but have won 5 of 6 including the final 3 against the Minnesota. Their lone loss? Facing Zack Greinke...
On the other hand, the team from Miami, FL came into town with a winning record (30-27), and recent fair-to-middling series' against the Mets and Pirates. Today, the Twins send Ervin Santana (1-5, 4.50 ERA) to the mound to face righty Tom Koehler (3-6, 4.50 ERA) with a chance to sweep the Fish.
It feels like the pattern for this year is feast or famine (emphasis on the latter), with lots of L's punctuated by a 'W' here and there, with the odd sweep/winning streak thrown in to tease us. I'm past believing that a couple of wins signifies a return to competence or competitiveness, but I'll be at the game tonight with a groups of classmates - celebrating the conclusion of our Policy Fellows program, so I'm hoping for a repeat of the power we've been treated to in recent weeks, if not an outright WIN!
Lets be honest, this game has not been big on exciting plays
Or even some offense by our locals.
I want to add a "yet" to that...we'll see.
Santana's his own worst enemy so far tonight. His error led to the first Miami run and his balk led to the second.
Get to know your Twins first round draft pick
He was chosen about where expected, so no Ben Revere angst this year.
I agree, Dick. It's good if your first-round pick is an athlete. I was afraid they might choose a piano player or something.
Maybe they could develop a pianist?
They'd make him take it the other way and be a cellist.
They would make him timpani to impact.
By the time Dozier threw that, the runner had followed him to the grass. That feels like it should be interference
No-hitter gone!
sigh
over took super duper slow motion for Nunez to be called out.
At the game ... A baby blue #15 "Vedder" shirzee!?!
The Twins have apparently fallen so far that the FSN "winners circle" winners are people have an Ichiro sign.
Buxton just doubled the Twins' hit total!
That was kind of a cool play.
Tie game!
Twins All Star Robbie Grossman!
Untied game. *sigh*
We all pretty much knew that WP was going to happen.
Yup
It's like our bullpen is pitching tired or something.
I switched away from the game with one out in the seventh. I turned back fifteen minutes later and there was still one out in the seventh.
Gotta give the Twins staff credit from turning Trevor May into one of their better starting pitchers into someone a complete disaster in less than one year.
As bad as the Twins have been, I still wouldn't call a guy that is 7-14 with a 5.61 ERA and .817 OPS against one of their "better" starters. His 4.09 xFIP as a starter was decent, but it is 3.31 as a reliever, including 3.25 this season coming into this game. Now I would certainly agree that he has taken a step back this year like too many on the Twins.
Can't quite compare that way because his adjustment to MLB happened when he was a starter.
agreed. juggle a kid around enough, see what you get...
Last year as a starter May had a 4.43 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Not bad at all, but he was better as a reliever. He was good this year in April but has been terrible since. I suspect he's more injured than he's letting on.
.875 of the way to a Greekhouse inning for the Marlins
Can Robbie Grossman pitch?
Better save him for closing.
Hey, where'd those wheels go?
8 RUN INNI-- aw, who am i kidding?
One eighth the way there!!
I remember Glen Perkins being asked once about pitching in blowouts. He said the reason he sometimes did worse in those situations had nothing to do with focus or adrenaline. He said he deliberately would throw almost all fastballs in a blowout because he didn't want batters to get an extra look at his breaking stuff.
Since they mentioned Nathan specifically, he has a 2.40 ERA in save situations and a 2.68 ERA in non-save situations. His K/9 and BB/9 are almost identical in both too.
Perkins has a better ERA (barely) and BB/9 in non-save situations. His K/9 is worse however.
Basically, how you would expect it to be. Throwing more strikes but not worrying about striking people out. I think the whole closer doesn't pitch well in non-save outings is overblown. People let their memories fit the narrative. If a guy is hit around, it's because it was a blowout. If not, they don't remember it. Although, for a closer to be bad in tie games makes no sense because you would think that's a more critical situation.
Yeah, I was more interested in the narrative of closers being worse in non-save situations. Nathan was, but he was still elite in them.