15 games, 14 days, a 5-9 record - yuck
Posted on September 5th, 2008 – 9:44 AMBy La Velle
If the Twins don’t reach the playoffs this season, they’ll be able to whip out a U.S. map and figure out why.
They were outscored 40-15 during a four-game sweep in Chicago by the White Sox in June.
The bullpen posted a 20.25 ERA in as the Twins were swept in Boston by the Red Sox in early July .
They were swept in three games at Yankee Stadium in late July - and are 3-19 there since 2001.
They were swept this week at Rogers Centre by the Blue Jays - and are 1-8 there since 2005.
That’s 13 of their road losses this season - just under 33 percent - concentrated in four cities.
I’ve witnessed 10 of these 13 games. Maybe it’s my fault. Joe C. was 5-6 before handing off to me - and things only got worse.
The Twins are back at the Dome for six games before their final trip of the regular season - a 10-gamer to Baltimore, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. The White Sox open a weekend series at The Cell against Torii Hunter and the Angels. Joe C. has tonight’s game but I’ll be back tomorrow.
30 Responses to "15 games, 14 days, a 5-9 record - yuck"
Let’s never go to Toronto again
All Of these games were painful, we need to LEAVE it all behind, and thank the republicans for this disaster..we need to have a great homestand and take advantage of the Sox Angels Match up and trim that 1.5 lead a little bit along the way!!! by the way, i dont know if anyone else agrees with me but Humber look atrocious last night. everything was left up and for the taking maybe it was debut jitters, but i was not impressed one bit!!! if thats what we have for long relief …ouch
I can understand being beaten by teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, but the Blue Jays??? Come on, really? The Jays?????
I predicted a 10-4 roadtrip…man was I wrong
Am I the only person amazed that despite having an absolute DISASTER of a roadtrip, the White Sox only managed to add a single game to their lead?
By all means, this should’ve been it for the Twins in the playoff race. Boston did their job and put the Wild Card.
The Twins can look at this roadtrip if they don’t make the playoffs…but in all honesty, so can the White Sox.
I agree T, we are lucky to still be in this race. The Twins got to take advantage of the Sox playing the Angels this weekend. It is totally possible that we could be in first place by the end of this weekend
After the 2-0 start in LA I predicted a 14-0 road trip. Dang, so close!
If we make the playoffs, we are most likely one and done. I would rather not see that again.
Easy Kay, many teams in the playoffs really battle their tails off and get after it, the Twins are no exception…they could definitely do some damage in the post-season
Anyone else looking forward to that 10 game road trip coming up that ends with 4 games at Tampa Bay?
If the Twins make the playoffs this year, they will have surpassed the expectations of ninety percent of us. So, I would much rather be watching them in October, even if they don’t go deep in the playoffs, than I would sitting at home watching the White Sox. As this was supposed to be a rebuilding year, any playoff experience…even if it is one and done…is very valuable experience for our young guys, particularly our pitchers.
JayTEE: Excellent point.
It seems as though some misconceptions die hard. Bill Smith and Ron Gardenhire made it abundantly clear that they were not “rebuilding” the Twins this season.
The mistaken idea that this was a “rebuilding year” was repeated so many times by some fans, blog participants, and some baseball scribes, it seems impossible to extract that notion from people’s mind.
Gardy and Smith expected to win this season. Their place in the standings has not caught them by surprise. They expected to compete.
Take that Kay! You negative Nancy
Of course they’re gonna say they expect to compete. The Pohlads know they won’t sell as many tickets if they announce they’re in a rebuilding year so they won’t allow their staff to come out and say it.
Plus, no matter what, the playoffs are the playoffs. The games are intense to watch, and it brings out the tru colors in the teams competing.
Go Twins!
The Twins have exceeded my expectations long ago and everything they do in September is gravy. This team has played much better than expected and the experience they have gained this year is invaluable. The starting pitching has been amazing but the bullpen has only been average primarily due to the loss of Neshek. The Twins still have a few holes on the left side of the infield that need attention and one of these could be fixed by trading one of their outfielders, but who will go? Cuddyer? Span? Gomez? Young? Kubel? Or do they keep all of them ala the Angels and rotate them all? I think it will be a very interesting off season.
Do they make the playoffs? Only time will tell but I think when the smoke clears the Twins will look back on this road trip and say “we had them where we wanted them and we let it slip away”.
If they do (and I believe they will) get rid of an outfielder or send one to AAA, I have 3 suggestions:
1. Gomez
2. Gomez
3. Gomez
Breaking news just posted
Span, Young and Gomez will go nowhere. Span and Young are the future, while Gomez could be there too.
I like Kubes and don’t see him getting traded, same with Cuddyer - he is good veteran leadership.
Am I the only person amazed that despite having an absolute DISASTER of a roadtrip, the White Sox only managed to add a single game to their lead?
Actually, it is only a half-game added, not even a full “single game.”
Dan,
Billy Beane said he was rebuilding the A’s, and he is. Bill Smith says the Twins DO NOT rebuild in the major leagues. It’s a different philosophy. That is why the Twins have so few dramatic ups and downs. The Twins always try to mix veterans with youth. No rebuilding years. I like their wise approach.
whether or not you call it a rebuilding year, let’s be honest. Few of us expected the Twins to be challenging for the division title (and possibly the WC) this late in the season. It would be interesting to know how many teams in modern history have won a divisional title with a starting rotation as inexperienced as ours.
Gardy is trying to plug the hole at 3B with Tolbert. He can field, has good range, and a good arm. He also can run. Hopefully he can hit a little. Buscher has a better bat vs. RHP, but Gardy is sick of his erratic fielding. Harris isn’t offering Gardy much of anything right now.
It seems as though some misconceptions die hard. Bill Smith and Ron Gardenhire made it abundantly clear that they were not “rebuilding” the Twins this season.
Which is actually really funny…since about 90% of people here were calling Gardy and Smith liars for claiming this would be a “competitive” season. (Especially after Hunter and Santana were lost to FA)
And then those same 90% called Smith and Gardy liars when they said they were trying to make a trade to help the team.
And yet now, only when it’s convenient…suddenly Gardy and Smith’s word is LAW.
I get it, they’re only lying when it’s a statement that contradicts your view point.
Got it.
Note for next year: when a road trip ends in Toronto, just come home early and rest up. Write it off at 0-3 but be super rested for the home stretch.
The race will go down to the wire. Still, it is hard to believe this is the Twins year to win it all. The road record is horrendous. The Jays have a wonderful stable of pitchers. They will give the team a shot next season if they can pick up a few more bats.
Still, it is hard to believe this is the Twins year to win it all.
“It all”?
Hardly. Maybe the division. But this bullpen is way beyond “One-Arm” away from going deep in the playoffs.
Especially when you look across the board and see one guy (Nathan) who you even remotely count on more than 90% of the time (I say 90 because this road trip shook my faith)
No matter how optimistic a slant you put on this road trip, a turd is still a turd even though its sugar coated.
VERY GOOD
