Cough, cough!

by JD34 on Aug 24, 2008 1:55 AM EDT Comment 8 comments

That was the feeling I got after watching the Twins choke away a winnable game behind two errors by Brian Buscher. The Twins also missed out on a golden opportunity to get some separation from both Sox teams in the division and wild card races. The Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays both took care of their games but unfortunately the Twins couldn't capitualize.

Watching the Twins lose seemed all too familiar. It seems like the Twins haven't been able to win many games this year when they had a share of first place and made me want to do a little more research.

Thanks to the handy-dandy schedule at baseball-reference.com I was able to look at all of the games that the Twins have played while having a share of the division lead (1st game of the year excluded) and let's just say that the results don't instill a lot of confidence.

Overall the Twins have played 19 games while leading the division and have a record of 7-12. Recently it has actually gotten worse as the Twins have a record of just 2-6 in August while leading the division.

What these results mean is open for debate. It's quite possible that the loses have just been coincidences and that with the law of averages their record could even out if they can hold on to a share of the lead. However it could also be a sign of a young team fading under increased pressure. In the 6 loses in August the Twins have committed at least one error in every game and committed two errors in 3 of the games.

The one bright spot is that the Twins still hold on to a half game lead in the division after tonights lose and have another opportunity tomorrow to reverse the current trend. If they can't reverse the current trend quickly they will surely be sitting home watching the playoffs in October instead of competing for a shot at the World Series.

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I don't think it means anything

You can’t win them all. When you get to first place, you’ve probably been playing well, Eventually that ends and you lose.

Look, they won the first two games of a series on the road against a first place team—you can’t be surprised when they lose one.

I was actually impressed that they didn’t just fold the tent down 6-1 last night. Easy to be satisfied with the first two wins and let that one go.

by Eric in Madison on Aug 24, 2008 9:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I don’t think them losing has anything to do with “no being able to handle the first place” pressure or all of these other things people say.

The Twins had won four straight games going into the matchup including two straight against one of the best teams in baseball. I think it showed something that after falling behind 5-0 early that they could still stay in the game through nine.

Would it have been nice to move 1.5 games ahead of the White Sox? Sure, but the second best road record in the AL is below .500 and just the Angels have a .500 or better record in away games. I don’t expect them to go on some crazy ten game winning streak or something.

by Twins Territory on Aug 24, 2008 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it does mean something...

The Twins pitching staff is comprised of kids. They haven’t been in this situation before. Blackburn’s comments to JoeC at the STrib sugggest he was/is putting more pressure on himself. IMO, this is one drawback of the front office’s philosophy. Whenever the Twins are in contention, the team is made up of kids. By the time they have the maturity and experience to take their games to another level, the roster is reshuffled with more low-cost kids.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.

by PJS on Aug 24, 2008 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

When the Twins have failed to put a decent roster together in the past few years, it has more often been relatively high-priced veterans who have prevented the more talented kids from advancing and getting the experience they need to compete down the stretch. We have endured the likes of Batista, Castro, Sierra, White, Cirillo, and Lamb over the last three years. All of them blocked better, younger players from opportunities. I wonder where this team would be without the contributions of Casilla, Buscher, Span, Gomez, and Young, who have less than three years of major league experience between them.

As for the pitching staff, we did not unload Livan because of money but because there was a better, younger pitcher ready to help make us better. Juan Rincon was just a sieve who let wins pour down the drain. The team is better off giving his innings to an inexperienced player down the stretch. I suppose you could go back to the Santana trade and wonder where the team would be with Johan pitching. But I have yet to find anyone who would rather have him for one year than the guys we got for 23 years. And nobody in their right minds would pay Johan what the Mets did to stay.

It would be nice to get some reliable veteran help around here. But every time we try, it fails us and we’re forced to rely on kids. Thank goodness, have responded to help make this team a first-place team.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on Aug 24, 2008 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I too like the way they came back to score 4 runs.

The twins have a very young team. So the ups and downs are expected. If we keep scoring runs like we are and get decent starting pitching down the road then we will be in the playoffs …guaranteed… Oh, did I happen to mention our closer… GUARANTEED!!!!!

by Beerbear on Aug 24, 2008 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Twins now 2-7 in August while leading the division.

Yes the Twins end the series 2-2 and we should all be happy about that but I just can’t get over how disturbing it is that the Twins can’t even be .500 while leading the division.

Let’s not forget that the 7 loses in August were all games that the Twins could have and probably should have won.

1. Aug 4. – Seattle: 10 run inning blows game
2. Aug 5 – Seattle: Twins lose 8-7
3. Aug 10 – KC: Twins lose 5-4 in 12 after errors by Buscher and Everett
4. Aug 12 – NYY: Twins lose 9-6 in 12 innings
5. Aug 18 – Oak: Twins lose 3-2
6. Aug 23 – LAA: 3 errors (counting Guerrero’s double) in one inning blow game open
7. Aug 24 – LAA: Twins blow 3 run lead

by JD34 on Aug 24, 2008 6:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Coincidence?

Again, they had to win games in between there to get INTO first place.

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by joeiscool12 on Aug 25, 2008 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now 2-8 in August and another error costs them...

This is a lot of coincidences. I understand they need to win games to get to first place but if a team is well above .500 it seems that in 21 games while leading the division that it would play at least near .500.

by JD34 on Aug 26, 2008 1:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs