Brian Bass...

[Maximum12]

...I dig him in the long relief/mop-up role.

But in a 0-0 game in BOSTON in the 8th inning?

Only if the entire rest of the staff had malaria.

Have the F&&*&&*( was Gardenhire thinking?

[riverrat56]

I agree completly, Dick and Bert sounded suprised as well....

Gardenhire may be a great manager, but he really makes me wonder sometimes...

[treble]

what a meatball he threw for that single.. uh frustrating

[keyks42]

How can you guys ? Gardy. Bass has been pitching well as of late and Gardy has talked about putting him in when the game was on the line. I think he was trying to get through the 8th and then go with Matt G in the 9th with the game tied. In the past they have used Nathan in the 9th of tie games. Lighten it up alittle guys this team is fun to watch

[riverrat56]

How can I question Gardy, he brought in his normal mop up role guy or long reliever, and he gave up the game winning run, thats how I can question him. It's not the first time he has done it. They had better options in the bullpen, why not bring in Crane right away?

[LwnmwnMan2]

How many times though have we seen the Twins go to the set up guy in a tie game, then Nathan in the 9th in a tie game, then lose it after that in the 10th, 11th whatever inning.

I'd rather bring in the 10th 11th 12th inning guys early, until you get a run and then bring in your closer, rather than vice versa.

It might be different had we had some offense last night, but other than the 1st and 8th inning, you could just expect to be tied some more.

[keyks42]

Jessie Crain give me a break didn't he lose a game last week. He throws in the low 90's with no movement on his fastball. I would say pick your poison with either one. I did notice that Crain has a way better era then Bass but both pitchers are mop up. I think the biggest ? is why not keep Baker in to pitch the 8th.

Managing from the love seat

Mark

[The J-Man!]

Baker had already thrown 94 pitches, he was not going back out. Gardy does a decent job of protecting his starting pitchers. Bass made 2 bad pitches and that cost us the game. Too bad we couldn't score a run...

[keyks42]

J-man

I understand this but 94 pitches and he's pitching a goose egg. Sometimes you need to loosen the pursestrings and let these guys hit 100-110 pitches. If he gives up a hit to the first batter then pull him.

Managing from the loveseat

Mark

[Maximum12]

Agree about Baker, he could've gone back out & gone over 100 pitches. His arm probably wouldn't have fallen off, but I guess you can't be too careful.

And Bass is the long guy for a reason. This is where guys go until the prove themselves (Santana, Guerrier) or fade into the gloaming (Fiore). Bring him in the 13th if it's still tied & let him throw as long as he can. That's his role.

It's the equivalent of putting Morneau at SS.

[The J-Man!]

As a manager you have to protect your starting pitcher. If it was a no-hitter that's different. Baker has been injured twice this year. It was hot and muggy in Boston last night and Baker pitched a great game. The Twins lost last night because they couldn't score a run, not because Bass made 2 bad pitches.

[Gary Crichton]

The Red Sox and the Twins were starting to hit some balls hard off there respective pitchers. It was time to pull Baker, but I don't agree of the choice of replacement. Pretty tough spot to put Bass into. We had chances to put a couple of runs on the board, but no clutch hitting last night.

Also where did Jesse Crain get a 97 MPH fastball.!!!!!!

[PierBridge]

Like stated above people will complain about everything and anything.

You guys make it seem like every game is sudden death and the starter has stay in the game and we don't dare use any relief pitcher that doesn't meet your expectaions we have 162 games its a marathon not a sprint and to honest if we managed to your guys liking we'd be finished by july 15.

I feel better now carry on!

Go Gardy and go Twins!

[keyks42]

I understand the need to protect your pitcher, 94 pitches isn't alot. With as fast as the game was going he wasn't sitting for a long time in the dugout. . The one thing that gets me sometimes is the over protecting of the starters. I would like to know if this has to do maybe with the injury to Lariano( spelling incorrect) last year. It would also be nice to see how the twins stack up to the rest of the majors when it comes to starting pitchers getting hurt overall the last few years. I do feel they protect there pitchers a little more then most teams. What do you guys think?

Managing from the loveseat

Mark

[PierBridge]

It has nothing to do with Lariano.... no we don't go to the bullpen any sooner then any other team's it's a PROVEN mathematical fact that you are better off going to the bull-pen for long term success and winning ball games.

[keyks42]

I think Baker 94-95 yesterday so the ESPN gun might have been a little fast. Pierbridge its a forum and its fun to analyse what happen the night before. I would like to state that I watch just about every game on TV except the day games that for some reason aren't televised( Det. this week) and I think gardy does a great job.

Mark

[Maximum12]

No, it's not that we complain about "daring" to use a relief pitcher. I've said before, & will say again, that I have always despised the Kelly/Gardenhire philosophy of limiting young pitchers, NO MATTER WHAT. 94 pitches? C'mon! If he'd thrown 110 or 115 or 120, I'd agree, but he could easily have gone out for the 8th.

It's not just this game, it's a continuation of a theme. Pulling pitchers early for no apparent reason, then watching our fifth-best guy cough up the game. They worked hard for that game, & Gardenhire gave it away. That is what irritates me.

Players lose games, fine. When management does it, that torques me off.

[B. Amish]

you need to score a run to win a ballgame. thats why we lost. period.

[riverrat56]

Agreed, we needed to score a run, but the pitching in the bottom of the 8th gave one up, leaving us to score a run against a very good, and probally angry from losing the night before closer...

These guys can throw more than 94 pitches, like said, it's a rythm of the game thing, unless Baker wanted to leave or felt he was spent, he should stay in the game. He's got 4 days off to let his arm heal rest, what is the differnce between 94 pitches or 110?

[soldoncass]

The Twins are hurting without Neshek for their primary set-up man....that is why he tried Bass. Crain has been spotty there, and not reliable... Guerrier doesn't have the stuff for that job consistently. Reyes and Breslow are situational pitchers at best. Who does that leave????????????? Crain is the only one with power stuff that should be used there.... but he has been scary when used there too often in the past(ball 1, ball 2,blast to a fan in left). That job is wide open and available for somebody to take. Bass had one opportunity ,and didn't grab it last night.

[Jarrod32]

I think soldoncass hit it...Gardy needed (needs) to see if Bass can fill a more prominent middle relief role. Gotta throw guys into the fire sometimes, just to see what you've got.

I also wonder if - given the way the game was going - Gardy maybe thought he needed a guy that could go two or three innings at that point. Win or die with Bass, see how he reacts to the role, and let the rest of the bullpen rest another day.

[PierBridge]

Actually Baker ask to be pulled last night but of course you guys knew that it was 90 degree's and humid in Boston yesterday and would have left him in anyway for 120 or 140 pitches.... LMAO.

In case some of you guys have missed our 18-4 run here recently a streak in which our bull-pen has given up 9 runs in 55 innings to the tune of an 1.40 ERA you'll then find the answers on why we are in contention in a year that YOU ALL gave us no chance in, also the reason Bass was in the game was again a 1.20 for him during said streak.

Keep whining and I'll keep whining back at U.....

[Maximum12]

Pier, what's with the YOU ALL? Hate to remind you man, but you pegged them for an under .500 team as well. Or did you forget?

Or perhaps the playoff series where Gardy put Kyle Lohse in...matching him up against Mariano Rivera? Gee, wonder who was going to win that battle?

Again, it's a philosophy, & that game was just an example of it, & it's irritating & costs games over the course of the season.

[SledNeck]

They said Span is up for good. Time to trade CUDDY for a shutdown set-up man.

[soldoncass]

well.....that 8th inning with Reyes and Guerrier worked out well.............

I think everybody knows we need an 8th inning guy....any ideas ? Could Borowski do that? Patrick Royce(sp) thinks Liriano could do it to finish up this year.... could work, but his fastball might have lost a few mph.

How about this????? put Hernandez in there...slow, slower, and slowest, might throw off their timing just enough to work... then Nathan would be more lethal.

Detroit has it together now that their 2 set-up guys are back(Zumaya and Rodney). they may be a force yet, just because of their set-up guys!!!!!!!!!