Comments on: Tuesday lineups: Twins/Red Sox http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/ Your source for Major League Baseball Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:08:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: sane http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36246 sane Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:49:50 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36246 The question has been asked and answered over and over. It doesn’t need repeating. Nathan will continue to pitch one inning only in save opportunities unless he is not getting enough work. Most MLB closers are handled the same way. The idea is to win as many games as possible over the whole season, not burn him out now just because the Twins are playing the Red Sox. You don’t have to agree with that answer, BUT THAT IS THE ANSWER!!!! The question has been asked and answered over and over. It doesn’t need repeating.
Nathan will continue to pitch one inning only in save opportunities unless he is not getting enough work.
Most MLB closers are handled the same way.
The idea is to win as many games as possible over the whole season, not burn him out now just because the Twins are playing the Red Sox.
You don’t have to agree with that answer, BUT THAT IS THE ANSWER!!!!

]]> By: LasVegasDave http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36239 LasVegasDave Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:10:35 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36239 I didn't have a problem with bringing in Kubel but Jason needs to know the situation there. His objective is not necessarily to get a base hit, but to get solid contact to drive that run home. He looked at two fastballs, the first outside corner but hittable, the second inside corner and very hittable. After that he was done. I don't "blame" Gardenhire but I am never shocked when his late inning moves or lack thereof do not pan out. Why don't you bunt when there are runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out? Delmon came through, but personally I'd like to have 2nd and 3rd or bases loaded with one out rather than 1st and 2nd with one out. Having to rely on players the caliber of Craig Monroe is why the Twins will not win the World Series. Harris's terrible at bat didn't help matters there either. What was he thinking, trying to pull an outside pitch when the last thing you can have there is a DP? Again, know the darn situation. Why do you pitch to Manny when 1st base is open with one out? A ballsy, non-standard choice would be to ask Nathan to get him and preserve the lead when Guerrier clearly didn't have it tonight. But that would be asking Gardenhire to think out of the box and actually have a contingency plan instead of sitting on the front step chewing his gum. Why is Reyes starting the 8th, after having to sit through the top of the inning, something that he never does? As far as the bullpen goes, you have 3 choices: 1. Stand put and continue to lose games like this because you don't have a reliable set up man. 2. Go and get a reliable set up man. Is there anyone in Rochester? 3. Ask Nathan to get 4,5, or 6 outs once in a while, especially when your setup man clearly did not have it tonight, instead of blowing a 3 run lead. Would Gardy have sat there on the front step chewing gum and let his team give up a 4 run lead before going to hs all-star closer? How about a 5 run lead? 6 anyone? That's what the cook book says, right? That Nathan must only start the 9th? I didn’t have a problem with bringing in Kubel but Jason needs to know the situation there. His objective is not necessarily to get a base hit, but to get solid contact to drive that run home. He looked at two fastballs, the first outside corner but hittable, the second inside corner and very hittable. After that he was done.

I don’t “blame” Gardenhire but I am never shocked when his late inning moves or lack thereof do not pan out. Why don’t you bunt when there are runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out? Delmon came through, but personally I’d like to have 2nd and 3rd or bases loaded with one out rather than 1st and 2nd with one out. Having to rely on players the caliber of Craig Monroe is why the Twins will not win the World Series. Harris’s terrible at bat didn’t help matters there either. What was he thinking, trying to pull an outside pitch when the last thing you can have there is a DP? Again, know the darn situation. Why do you pitch to Manny when 1st base is open with one out? A ballsy, non-standard choice would be to ask Nathan to get him and preserve the lead when Guerrier clearly didn’t have it tonight. But that would be asking Gardenhire to think out of the box and actually have a contingency plan instead of sitting on the front step chewing his gum. Why is Reyes starting the 8th, after having to sit through the top of the inning, something that he never does?

As far as the bullpen goes, you have 3 choices:
1. Stand put and continue to lose games like this because you don’t have a reliable set up man.
2. Go and get a reliable set up man. Is there anyone in Rochester?
3. Ask Nathan to get 4,5, or 6 outs once in a while, especially when your setup man clearly did not have it tonight, instead of blowing a 3 run lead. Would Gardy have sat there on the front step chewing gum and let his team give up a 4 run lead before going to hs all-star closer? How about a 5 run lead? 6 anyone? That’s what the cook book says, right? That Nathan must only start the 9th?

]]> By: gatty790 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36238 gatty790 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:25:34 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36238 It is quite clear what this team needs going ahead, be it finishing off this season or heading into next season: A bullpen. The last three losses the twins have suffered are on the ineffective bullpen we have 'backing up' our young starting pitchers. Three times now in a week and a day has the bullpen taken the loss, and that to me is unacceptable. Robbing these young pitchers of quality starts is the most disgusting part of the last two games and the game against the tigers. Bill Smith may say there are no glaring flaws in this team, well looky here, I found a big flaw that needs to be fixed asap. These next games won't decide the season and to say so is foolish. How many people would have thought the Twins would be over .500 at the all-star break after that horrible white sox series? Seasons in baseball are not decided by one series but instead a collection of every series as a whole. The twins are going to lose at least 30-45 more games this year, that's baseball, get over it. This last lost is embarrassing to any Twins fan and the entire Twins coaching staff and most certainly the bullpen. The game should have ended with a Twins win and there are zero excuses. The bullpen was certainly not overworked in the last two weeks so there is only one conclusion left, they suck right now and they probably will continue to suck. Bill Smith must work very hard to get a quality bullpen arm, or I am afraid this might not be the last embarrassing loss of the season. It is quite clear what this team needs going ahead, be it finishing off this season or heading into next season: A bullpen. The last three losses the twins have suffered are on the ineffective bullpen we have ‘backing up’ our young starting pitchers. Three times now in a week and a day has the bullpen taken the loss, and that to me is unacceptable. Robbing these young pitchers of quality starts is the most disgusting part of the last two games and the game against the tigers. Bill Smith may say there are no glaring flaws in this team, well looky here, I found a big flaw that needs to be fixed asap. These next games won’t decide the season and to say so is foolish. How many people would have thought the Twins would be over .500 at the all-star break after that horrible white sox series? Seasons in baseball are not decided by one series but instead a collection of every series as a whole. The twins are going to lose at least 30-45 more games this year, that’s baseball, get over it. This last lost is embarrassing to any Twins fan and the entire Twins coaching staff and most certainly the bullpen. The game should have ended with a Twins win and there are zero excuses. The bullpen was certainly not overworked in the last two weeks so there is only one conclusion left, they suck right now and they probably will continue to suck. Bill Smith must work very hard to get a quality bullpen arm, or I am afraid this might not be the last embarrassing loss of the season.

]]> By: Patrick http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36237 Patrick Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:22:35 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36237 This one wasn't Gardy's fault. Hell, last night's wasn't Gardy's fault even though he made some bad calls. This time I think he made the right calls and our guys just didn't execute. This one is more frustrating than last night for me. This almost makes me wish I wasn't in love with baseball. If my sport was football at least I could potentially only get apoplectic 16 times a year. These two losses hurt but if the Twinks decide to get angry instead of becoming dejected, maybe we can learn to close out games and take advantage of the oppurtunities that arise instead of folding. I'm trying to look at the bright side. Melodramatic I know, but I do think these next 5 games decide our season. Maybe the mystique of Fenway is too much for our young guys. Who knows. I'm going to have a beer or five. This one wasn’t Gardy’s fault. Hell, last night’s wasn’t Gardy’s fault even though he made some bad calls. This time I think he made the right calls and our guys just didn’t execute.

This one is more frustrating than last night for me. This almost makes me wish I wasn’t in love with baseball. If my sport was football at least I could potentially only get apoplectic 16 times a year.

These two losses hurt but if the Twinks decide to get angry instead of becoming dejected, maybe we can learn to close out games and take advantage of the oppurtunities that arise instead of folding. I’m trying to look at the bright side.

Melodramatic I know, but I do think these next 5 games decide our season.

Maybe the mystique of Fenway is too much for our young guys. Who knows. I’m going to have a beer or five.

]]> By: tom http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36236 tom Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:20:37 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36236 id rather have gomez bat for a sac fly in the top of the ninth. call me crazy, but the player who plays every day vs. a situational player should win every time with the game on the line, regardless of splits or whatever else the statisticians throw out there. id rather have gomez bat for a sac fly in the top of the ninth. call me crazy, but the player who plays every day vs. a situational player should win every time with the game on the line, regardless of splits or whatever else the statisticians throw out there.

]]> By: MudCat http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36235 MudCat Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:19:07 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/07/08/tuesday-lineups-twinsred-sox/#comment-36235 KC 5, CHI 3 in the seventh. That would help. KC 5, CHI 3 in the seventh. That would help.

]]>