A week ago, the Twins were coming off their fifth series victory in a row, at Texas. Though they dropped the finale game against the Rangers, things were looking up for the club as they kept improving on the road.
They also were staying consistently above the .500 mark, entering the series opener against Oakland with a record of 47-45. But unfortunately, after going 2-5 versus the A's and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, they are now a game below even at 49-50.
The Twins were closing in slightly on the Detroit Tigers atop the AL Central, but have since slipped to third place. Right now it's a three-team race between the Twins, Tigers and Chicago White Sox.
A week to forget
Frustration seemed to reach its peak inside the clubhouse after Saturday's nationally-televised game in Anaheim. Losing two out of three to the worst offensive team in the majors, and then three in a row to the Angels, this could arguably be referred to as a huge low point in the Twins' season.
But it wasn't just the losses that were the problem. It was the way in which the team lost. Despite producing a fairly solid pitching rotation throughout the season, starters fell apart. This caused the usually reliable bullpen to be called upon too much. Then there were the poor fielding decisions costing bases, outs and runs.
Since it's pretty well-known that you win games with pitching, or at least you need pitching in order to have a chance, this factor seems to be the main plague of the Twins right now.
Surgery, walls and "injuries"
Kevin Slowey, who had been hurt and trying to rehab his way back to the ballclub, had a huge setback when a bone chip in his hand started hindering his ability to throw. He announced Monday that he will have surgery on his hand, putting him out for the rest of the season.
This is bad news for the rotation. Slowey was the team's ace with a 10-3 record and 4.86 ERA. He was also one of the first pitchers in the majors to reach the 10-win mark this year.
Nick Blackburn has been the other "lights out" pitcher on the staff. He has three complete games this year and was emerging as a great starting pitcher able to take the game into the later innings. But his last two starts have been very sub-par and abnormal for him. He was pounded by the Angels in his last start, as he was tagged for six runs and six hits throughout his 3 and 2/3 innings.
That start marked his shortest of the season. Let's hope he can find his form again, or this could spell big trouble.
Then there's Francisco Liriano. This superstar pitcher looked like he would be known as "Franchise" Liriano during his first season with the club. But his elbow injury and following surgery changed that plan. We're still waiting for the Liri of old to reappear on the scene, with no such luck.
He still has some bite, but his problems seem to be in his head, not in his arm. The key thing to remember with Liriano is this: he hits walls, metaphorically of course. He sails along fine for a few innings, and then, SCREECH! In the blink of an eye he loses his form for the night. Walks, missing his spots, base hits. Once he hits the wall, he needs to get off the mound.
Glen Perkins' story is probably the most head-scratching of them all, and it might make you lose a little respect for him, too. Not once, but twice now this season, he has spoken up after a horrible pitching performance and complained of an injury.
Once is acceptable, just please learn your lesson. But twice? Come on. A) If you're really hurt before the game, maybe it's a good idea to mention that so you can get checked out and not injure yourself further, and b) Like Ron Gardenhire suggested, at least wait a day after your pitching debacle before whining about an injury.
Perkins lasted just one inning in his start in Oakland. He's been decent this year, but this little ploy leaves him in question.
Scott Baker rounds out the regulars. It's always a toss up to try to predict the kind of outing he will have. I think that's just the way he is. He has been up and down (majors to minors, and back again) with this organization multiple times throughout the years. At times he's been dazzling, and others, a flop. He's no ace, but he isn't a write-off either.
Deadline drama
Everyone is still waiting on Twins General Manager Bill Smith to make that big move before the trade deadline. Although I think it's safe to say no one is holding his or her breath.
Even players are voicing their concerns about the team needing a boost, and the usual inability of the front office to provide that jump-start. All-Stars Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan and Joe Mauer all spoke out about wanting a move to be made.
Good for them. Let's hope Smith is listening to his players and comes up with something.
No comments:
Post a Comment