They are the worst team in baseball, with a record of 12-27. They are riding a nine-game losing streak, after getting swept at home by the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend. Now they are on the road for seven games. What will it take to stop the bleeding?
From silent bats, to bullpen implosions, to starting pitching problems, Twins baseball remains tough to watch at times.
Looking on the (small) bright side
Thanks to a gracious invitation from my former professor Kris Bunton, I attended the game on Saturday. It was a beautiful day for... football. I dressed in layers for the chilly, rainy weather. It actually wasn't all that unbearable; we just focused on pleasant conversation and the game.
The one bright spot for the day was that the Twins were getting hits. They just weren't timely hits; their LOB count was at 12 by the end of the game. Michael Cuddyer also hit a home run to left field to break a 2-2 tie.
And, I'm reaching here, the Twins also completed a successful rundown play. They had the Blue Jay caught between first and second, and I said, "Uh-oh. It's a rundown." The rundown play will never be routine for the Twins again, I said after the runner was tagged out. Let's remember that they failed to convert this play during that first game of the season.
Nick Blackburn pitched well and into the eighth inning. He was taken out after one batter too many though, surrendering the tying run. The Twins continued to have their chances and continued to strand runners on base.
That awful 11th inning
Then came the top of the 11th inning. This is where it gets embarrassing.
At a 3-3 tie, the Twins started the inning with Glen Perkins and Jim Hoey. Perkins got a batter on base, and Hoey was the first one to really give the game away by giving up a two-run shot to home-run king Jose Bautista (you know, the same guy that went on to hit three homers in Sunday's debacle?).
Here's an idea: Don't pitch to Bautista. Don't give the guy anything good to hit. You can accomplish this by walking him (intentionally or "intentionally") each time he steps to the plate. Unrealistic you say? Maybe. But pitchers need to at least pitch very, very carefully unless they want to get burned.
So, with a 5-3 score, it looked like the game might be over. But the top-of-the-11th antics were only getting started. I wished I would have been timing it. The inning went on so long, that I looked up at the scoreboard and didn't even realize that there weren't any outs recorded.
Pitching woes only continue
Walks have been a problem for the Twins pitching staff, and it was walks galore during the 11th. Hoey got the hook (after walking two batters) in favor of Jose Mijares, who promptly came in and gave up two screaming hits down the left-field line and then walked a pair.
If Mijares didn't throw with his left hand, I really don't see how he would still be on this team. He's since been placed on the disabled list after experiencing soreness in his elbow.
Alex Burnett also came in to pitch. When all the damage was done, the Jays batted around and put up six runs, giving them the eventual 9-3 win and the series victory.
It began to rain harder during the inning, but I think the stadium mainly started to clear out because of the play on the field. Small bright-side consolation for me: I didn't have to worry about fighting traffic getting out of the parking ramp.
Still no answers
Losing nine in a row is never a good thing, and it makes you wonder if there is any coming back from this, as far as a division title goes. It's just amazing how fast and how hard the Twins have fallen. At 13.5 games back in the AL Central, it seems they've become the division doormat. Look at the rest of baseball and you'll see divisions that are pretty close, or at least not so out of reach.
Injuries have been a problem for the club this season, but I don't think I can point to that as the culprit for this abysmal season. Cuddyer can't hit with runners on base. I don't think Justin Morneau has returned to his old self (at the plate or digging out balls at first). Drew Butera's average is hovering around the .100 neighborhood.
They need to turn things around and, at this point, at least win a game. Guys need to step up and start hitting. Jason Kubel's been doing OK at the plate; maybe he should start giving out pointers.
Somebody needs to save the Twins from this tailspin they're on before they nosedive to their worst season in recent memory (or ever).
No comments:
Post a Comment