Where Did It All Go Wrong?

Brian Dozier ambushed a 23 year old starter in over his head on Tuesday night in the Bronx. As the first batter of the game, the Minnesota Twins second basemen sent a towering pop up into the left field bleachers. A feat only possible in the Cracker Jack box that is Yankee Stadium, the good guys jumped to an early lead. After an Eddie Rosario homer, the Twins had staked themselves to a three run lead in the first inning, and then the end came.

There's really no point in rehashing what took place in the one-game Wild Card for the Twins. You lived it, I lived it, and we find ourselves here, with another loss to the dreaded Yankees. A recap serves little purpose in this space, but instead, let's take a look at where it all went wrong:

Squandered Opportunity

Following the three-run lead, which was nice enough, Minnesota failed to tack on. After knocking Severino out of the game recording just one out, the Twins left runners on second and third with neither of them scoring. Over the course of the game as a whole, hitting with runners in scoring position was a problem for the Twins. Tacking on runs against a strong Yankees lineup was a must going into the contest, and it was a place the club consistently fell short.

Veteran Presence

In the lead up to the game, I suggested numerous times that Severino was a welcomed foe due to his age. At 23, that was a huge moment, and the Twins capitalized off of that fact. What wasn't anticipated, is that Ervin Santana would crumble as well. Despite being a big league vet, he pitched scared and failed to attack any opposing batters. While his slider was anything but sharp, he nibbled for the entirety of the two innings he gave Minnesota.

Needing to respond to his team's hot start with a zero, Santana promptly coughed up the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Allowing Yankee hitters to take him deep in counts, Santana's first went walk, single, pop out, home run. Across 64 pitches, Santana threw just 35 strikes. There was an unshakeable feeling of a guy on the mound pitching scared. Despite having a lead, Santana refused to attack opposing hitters, and New York had their way with him dictating at bats. It was as bad of a performance as we've seen from Santana in years.

Lineup Black Hole

Over the second half of the season, the Twins have been among the best run scoring teams in baseball. That's true in part because they've consistently had a next man up attitude, and put forth solid at bats to keep the line moving. At the bottom of the lineup, that couldn't have been further from the truth during the Wild Card game.

In their seven combined at bats, both Jason Castro and Robbie Grossman gave the Twins zero competitive offerings. Castro flailed at three strikeout pitches out of the zone, while Grossman whiffed three times on his own. Neither is an offensive juggernaut, but the former should be expected to battle, while the latter's greatest asset is his on-base prowess. Each time they stepped in the box, both Castro and Grossman were nonexistent for Minnesota.

Judge Rises

Before the game, I opined that two things needed to happen for the Twins to win this game. Severino needed to leave with New York trailing, and Aaron Judge could not go deep. Minnesota took care of the first half, but Jose Berrios allowed Judge to make his mark.

While it's maybe not fair to say they lose if Judge homers, the momentum swing that carries with it does Paul Molitor's squad no favors. In reality, the three-run homer was back breaking, but even if it had been a one-run shot in the first, Judge brings out the crazy in that stadium. The crowd definitely rides the wave of each Aaron Judge at bat, and letting them have that moment was never going to be a winning proposition.

There's a few other things to nitpick at. I wasn't a fan of Molitor removing Santana in the 3rd inning. Having settled down some, I would've seen what he could give you, at least until a runner reach, in the next frame. That being said however, the Twins did themselves no favors to keep this game in check. After taking the bull by the horns, they promptly allowed it to walk away.

While veterans like Santana, Castro, and Grossman failed to help the home nine on this night, it was some of the youngsters in the lineup that came up biggest. Going into 2018, this team will continue to turn over to it's rising stars, and continuing to pair them with other big league talent should only pay dividends.

Tuesday night in New York was a sad, but all too often realized, way to end what was a great 2017 season. With the book closed here though, it's time to begin writing a new story.

Prepping For The Postseason

By the looks of things, the Minnesota Twins are destined to head to the Big Apple to square off with the New York Yankees. Set to secure the second American League Wild Card spot, Paul Molitor's club will have a do-or-die scenario in hopes of returning to Target Field to play October baseball against the Cleveland Indians. The question is however, how should the Twins go about making that happen.

Over the course of 2017, the Twins are 2-4 against the Yankees with a -8 run differential. Those two wins came at home, and were started by Adalberto Mejia and Jose Berrios. In a one game Wild Card however, the roster rules change. Back to a set 25 man roster, Minnesota can alter their deployment of players each round. For the purpose of a one game scenario, the construction of the 25 man should look vastly different than that of a full five or seven game series. When Paul Molitor takes the Twins to New York, here's who he should be bringing with him:

Pitchers (9)

• Ervin Santana SP
• Kyle Gibson SP
• Alan Busenitz RP
• Dillon Gee RP
• Tyler Duffey RP
• Trevor Hildenberger RP
• Ryan Pressly RP
• Taylor Rogers RP
• Matt Belisle CP

Ervin Santana is going to start the Twins Wild Card game, there's no uncertainty about that. The Minnesota ace has been the most steady arm all year, and he's coming off a performance against the Yankees that allowed the Twins an opportunity to win. While not a strikeout artist or league-wide ace, Santana is a front line starter that can should the load. Should things go wrong, it's Kyle Gibson I'd turn to. While Jose Berrios has been Minnesota's 2nd best starter in 2017, I feel Gibson is a better fit out of the pen. As a sinkerballer with a bit more experience, he could piggyback for the Twins with a higher chance for success.

From there, Molitor would have the full deployment of his standard bullpen. Gee probably becomes redundant with Gibson in a piggyback scenario, but he's a veteran that could go more than an inning if need be. With a must-win game on tap, having the ability to play matchups is huge for the Twins stable. Taylor Rogers remains dominant against lefties, and there's a handful of young options that have emerged into capable high-leverage arms. Molitor could opt for one other lefty in the group, but I'm not sure who I'd remove to find a place for Buddy Boshers.

Hitters (16)

• Jason Castro
• Chris Gimenez
• Ehire Adrianza
• Brian Dozier
• Eduardo Escobar
• Mitch Garver
• Joe Mauer
• Jorge Polanco
• Byron Buxton
• Robbie Grossman
• Max Kepler
• Eddie Rosario
• Kennys Vargas
• Zack Granite
• Niko Goodrum
• Miguel Sano

This is where the benefit of a one game round comes into play. Not needing a full stable of starting pitchers, the Twins are ablt to afford themselves a handful of extra bench options. While the lineup should remain as it has been down the stretch, late inning pinch running options like Zack Granite or Niko Goodrum could prove to be invaluable. Miguel Sano is included in the group, and if there's any ability for him to hit, I'd bring him with. The expectation would be that he'd only be deployed in a pinch hitting role, and he'd immediately need a runner. However, if he can make it through a BP session or a simulated game, his home run power off the bench would be huge.

While you'd rather not see the game have to be managed to a point in which the edges of your bench play meaningful roles, it's definitely a positive to have more options than less. What would need to be heavily discussed however, is the level in which Molitor may choose to micromanage this group. Whether it be bunting or pinch running, the additional headcount shouldn't dictate anything as it relates to game flow. Because you have extra bodies, more speed, or better bunters, the Twins should still operate in a way that doesn't see excessive and unnecessary meddling.

In short, the Wild Card is as must-win as it gets in Major League Baseball. Bringing along a couple of extra starting arms that aren't going to factor into the outcome are a wasted opportunity. You'd hope that your bench goes untouched, but having the ammunition to what should be a fight, seems like setting yourself up for the best possible outcome.

Yes, the Yankees are a better team than the Twins. Yes, they won more games in 2017 than Minnesota has. Yes, New York has dominated the Twins organization for the better part of a decade. However, on one night in October, none of that holds much weight. Nine innings will suffice to provide a result. For the Twins, stacking the deck towards a favorable one is a must.