Eight Pack Triple Play
Posted by SBG on Sunday, April 30th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
Welcome to the third edition of the EIGHT PACK here at SBG, a look back at the last eight games. The Twins are now approximately through 15% of the season and have completed the month of April. Let me say this. You aren't going to hear a lot of positives about the manager here. But, it's pretty hard to pin the pathetic display that we've seen recently on him. We could quibble here and there about decisions and discuss big picture things, but Christ Almighty this team has been so bad it doesn't really matter at this point what the lineup looks like.
Over the last eight games, the Twins have scored 16 runs or 2.0000000000000000 runs per game. Almost half of those runs (7) came in one game against the Royals. Not surprisingly, the Twins won only two of the last eight games. For the season, the Twins have now scored 97 runs or 4.04 runs per game. Last time, I wrote that the Twins' fundamentals were weak and that they couldn't maintain a run pace of 5 runs per game with those fundamentals. Guess what. The fundamentals got weaker and the runs per game plunged. Let's look at those fundamentals.
1st Time: .255/.301/.423/.724 40 Runs .241 GPA
2nd Time: .279/.353/.382/.735 41 Runs .254 GPA
3rd Time: .215/.276/.287/.563 16 Runs .196 GPA
For the month of April, the Twins hit .250/.309/.365/.674. On Saturday, I let loose on the lineup with my post, "The Pottery Barn Rule." Since then in two games, the Twins scored one run, allowing 24, and hit .145/.197/.161/.358 for a GPA of .115. How much can it possibly get?
Let's look at the best and worst over the last eight games.
Here are the best.
1. He didn't start against a left hander on Sunday despite the fact that two right handed bats (Hunter and White) are below the Mendoza line and Justin Morneau can't hit left handed pitching and despite the fact that he has the hottest bat on the team. Ah hell, if you aren't going to play Michael Cuddyer, who only had 13 at bats in the last eight games (5-13 with 2-2B, an HR, and a walk), just trade him. This team hit .215/.276/.287/.563 and Cuddy, who hit .385/.429/.769/1.198 after hitting .286/.412/.786/1.197 in the previous eight games sat four of the games. Good grief.
2. Number two on the bad list last time, he's number two this time. The Chosen One, Joe Mauer, hit .450/.500/.650/1.150. He was close to Cuddy's numbers and had seven more at bats. But, I gave it to Cuddy because he got held back last time due to his lack of at bats. Mauer got his first home run of the year and led the team in total bases with 13. Take out Cuddyer's and Mauer's numbers and the team hit .185/.246/.228/.474. Gack.
3. The backup catcher gets the third spot. Mike Redmond got 12 at bats (just one less than Cuddy) and hit .333/.385/.333/.718. Think of it. The backup catcher gets four singles, had a paltry .718 OPS, and he's the third best hitter over an eight game stretch.
Now, the worst. And boy, it's bad.
1. He started out "hot" by bunching together a bunch of singles. But, this guy doesn't belong in the major leagues and like I said this weekend, his spot on the roster and in the lineup should cost the manager and general manager their jobs. Juan Castro hit .048/.048/.095/.143 for a GPA of .045. He was 1-21 in the eight games (but it was a double!). He's now hitting .234/.254/.266/.519. An isolated power of .032. An isolated discipline of .020. How much longer? I mean I am thinking Nick Punto is a better option. I am not kidding with that. In fact, I called into the Jack Morris show after the game and asked why the Twins weren't a) playing Cuddy and b) bringing up Bartlett. Morris agreed that Cuddy should get some playing time (at Hunter's expense!) but wasn't biting on Bartlett, saying that Castro's defense was the best out there. But, if he's basically four sure outs a game, he should get every ball between third and second so that the Twins can play a fourth outfielder.
2. The terrible thing is that this last eight games represents substantial improvement. Rondell White hit .172/.172/.172/.345 for a GPA of .121. What else is there to say? I mean, even Brett Boone hit .170/.241/.170/.411 in his 58 plate appearances. White is at .136/.143/.148/.291 in 91 plate appearances with NO WALKS. NONE. I mean, you would think that he'd encounter a pitcher at least once who was wild and threw him four wide ones. I wrote on Saturday how he's broken the analysis tools. Well, before Sunday he'd created -2.2 runs. Less than zero. With 91 plate appearances. Well, this is what happens when you have an isolated power of .012 and an isolated discipline of .007. He's one hit by pitch from having an OBP lower than his batting average with 91 PAs. .007. Bond. Rondell Bond. Heh.
3. Like I said, it's hard to criticize the manager when the team scores 16 runs in three games. But, the manager said again today that Lew Ford was the best hitter going. For the eight pack he hit .167/.194/.167/.360 for a GPA of .129. ScruFi's blindspot on Cuddyer is enormous.
4. Usually, I stop at three. Not this time. Justin Morneau hit .100/.182/.250/.432 for a GPA of .144. One of his two hits was a wounded quail this afternoon that died about two feet from the shortstop's glove. But, he did have a homerun with his other hit.
5. Keep going. Torii Hunter hit .148/.207/.259/.466. GPA of .158. Think of it. We had four guys worse than that. Come to think of it, a knock-down drag out between Hunter and Morneau might light a fire. But, just like last year and this year at the plate, Hunter'd probably swing and miss (21 Ks, six walks in 96 PAs). He seemingly can't hit a thing smaller than a pinata.
6. Tony Batista hit .217/.250/.304/.554. Praise Jesus. I will say this, though. The Twins are openly down on him now, and Luis Rodriguez played third on Sunday. As much as I ranted about him during the off-season, he's not even close to the worst problem right now. But, boy, L-Rod should be given a chance to see what he can do.
This is about the worst offensive display I have ever seen. What else can a stick and ball guy say?
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What is sad is the number of AVG/OBP or AVG/SLG that are either almost identical or one walk or double away from being identical.
We get too few hits and out of those hits, too damn many of them are singles (more than anyone in the league).
This team creates outs at an alarming rate.
How long until the Vikings' first game?? Or should I just give up entirely ? I'm not sure I have the courage to endure an entire season of this. Help me to right understanding, SBG!
Well, it is the manager's fault that we've been seeing Ford/Castro rather than Cuddyer/Bartlett, and that's not necessarily a small thing.
The thing with Gardy's questionable decisions is that, compared to actually playing the game, they should be easy. It should be easy to see that Ford shouldn't be hitting third. It should be easy to see that Mauer is by no means best utilized in the cleanup spot. Castillo's platoon splits are so gigantic that it has to be obvious to anyone who makes their living judging baseball talent that he's a totally different hitter from the right side than from the left side.
On the other side of the coin, it remains difficult to hit a baseball. So, it's a lot easier for me, especially with my baseball skillset, to lay blame on the manager of a team that has gotten progressively worse as the players he once coached in the minors have left the club.
Twins still suck!
It's all brutal. SBG, I encourage you to join me and adopt the nickname of Justin Mendoza for Morneau until he raises his batting average above .215 (it may be in place for the entire season).
I've accepted that the 2006 Twins suck, and they have no chance at competing for a playoff spot. Even a .500 record would be a miracle. OK, from now on, I'll just watch for the young guys and Cy Young. I'll try not to get angry that the team is generally bad, even if I saw some of this coming and believe the GM should've, too.
But what will get me angry is to see the team continue to suck, while stopgaps and scrubeenis are playing ahead of younger guys who should be developed as the foundation of the team for the next few years. I'll be angry at management as long as they continue to be in denial about the state of affairs, and act like they have no idea of where to find the way forward from here.
Holy crap,
That was THE most pathetic display by a team over a 3 game stretch that I have ever witnessed. I mean, the KC Royals are more competative right now.
The Royals had a game in the bag (6-1, chased Loaiza, men on base against the fist reliever with on eout in the third)only to have had it called due to rain.
Yes, I know that the Royals never really have the game in the bag until the fourth out of the 9th innning, but still...
One way in which the Twins are easier on their fans than the Royals: The Royals will lose a game in which they had an early, significant lead, only to have the bullpen give it away. The Twins, on the other hand, have their starters give up a big lead early. Is it better to have victory snatched from the jaws of defeat (which has been the Twins, in 8 games), or to have defeat come and grab you from behind on knock your skull hard on the concrete (the Royals?).
Is it better to have a lead and lose it or to never have led at all?
I suggest:
1. LuisO or Cuddy should hit cleanup until they're awful or someone shows anything.
2. Whoever isn't catching should be DH.
3. Our pitchers should be ready to hit if we need to burn the DH for one game (they couldn't be much worse than the middle of our lineup).
4. Have a plane ticket ready for Chris Heintz and Nick Punto to trade teams) should a catcher ever be questionable.
"2. Whoever isn’t catching should be DH."
I like this one, amr. Redmond is no savior either, but he's been solid so far. We should have no problem finding a guy that can grab some pine to slip him in at catcher and Mauer over to DH, or vice-versa. Who cares if our pitcher has to hit later in the game, or Morneau gets a few innings at catcher in a blow-out?
I don't claim to know what this teams needs, but Joe Mauer to cleanup and Lew Ford in the three-hole is about the furthest thing from what they need right now. In desperate times, I was hoping some logic might take hold in Gardy's decision-making, but alas, no such luck. If his first hunch isn't right, he tries his second hunch, and so on. Arg.
SBG, if you're looking to depress me on a daily basis, you're doing a treeeeeeeeee-mendous job.
In seriousness, it's time to blow the thing up.
Wait till you see the latest edition of 360 degrees after tonight's game.
Maybe the Twinks should have held onto Krivsky. Reds are in first place.
The Reds hired Krivsky on February 8th.
Notable moves since then:
2/12, Agreed to terms with 1B Scott Hatteberg on a one-year contract.
2/13, Signed 1B Adam Dunn to a two-year contract through the 2007 season with a club option for 2008.
2/14, Signed OF Quinton McCracken to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. (McCracken made the team.)
3/20, Acquired Bronson Arroyo and $2m cash from the Red Sox for Wily Mo Pena.
3/21, Acquired C David Ross from the San Diego Padres in exchange for RHP Bobby Basham.
4/7, Acquired INF Brandon Phillips from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for a PTBN or cash.
You're probably kidding about giving him credit for the Reds' 1st place standing, but in two months on the job I think Krivsky has made more good moves to improve his new club than his former boss has done in the past two years.