Another Bullpen Disasterclass

Giants 4
Twins 3

The last time I saw the Twins play the Giants in person was way back in 2005. In that game, the two teams were tied at 7 in the 9th, before our bullpen (led by Joe Nathan) gave up 7 runs. 

The 2023 bullpen didn't quite match that bit of ineptitude on Tuesday night, but it left the Twins in the same place: on the losing end. 

This game followed a familiar pattern for the Twins. Get a good start (in thic case by Sonny Gray). Score few runs. Bullpen blows the game.

Gray got in a couple jams, but still had a shutout going into the 6th. And a two run honerun by Byron Buxton and a solo shot by Michael Taylor had the Twins up 3-0. 

Then disaster. It didn't help that the idiot fans started doing the wave. Why sports fans in this state not only love the wave but refuse to understand WHEN to do it is endlessly irritating. 

But for whatever reason, Gray was thrown off. A walk, then a double, then another walk. In comes Jovani Moran, who actually duped us all by getting 2 outs...before walking in a run to the .167 batting #8 hitter. 
In comes Brock Stewart, who then also walks in a run. The Twins escaped the 6th with the lead, but it wouldn't last. 

Jorge Lopez enters for the 7th, and immediately gives up a double. And two batters later Michael Conforto lofted one into the left field seats for a 2 run homerun that finally handed the Giants the lead. 

In the night's most stunning development, Griffin Jax and Emilio Pagan put up a pair of zeroes to keep the Twins within 1. 

But the Twins bats had turned in for the night. They only got 1 measly single over the last 4 innings.

This Twins team is the most hopeless first place team I have ever seen. They are only "contenders" because the American League Central is so historically putrid. It seems almost impossible that they can't remain in contention for a division title throughout. 

But this is a team with a terrible lineup and a disaster of a bullpen. Who cares if the rotation is mostly very solid? They aren't good enough to go win a bunch of 2-1 games. 

This whole enterprise feels like it is one rotation regression away from Total System Failure. 


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