There really isn't any way to sugar-coat this anymore. The Twins need to find a way to pitch better, and it needs to happen immediately!
Entering Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, the Twins pitching staff has the highest batting average against (.292) in all of Major League Baseball. What does that imply? Frankly, it implies that the Twins' "pitch-to-contact" philosophy is surely working. Sadly, that type of game plan won't allow you to succeed in the professional game against professional hitters. If they haven't yet, the Twins need to realize this, and figure out a different approach.
The fact of the matter is...what was already a problematic area when last season ended, was not addressed before this season began. The Twins decided to rely on a rotation comprised of Scott Baker (career 4.15 ERA and .266 Opp BA), Carl Pavano (4.33 / .284), Nick Blackburn (4.56 / .294), and Francisco Liriano (4.35 / .250). The addition of Jason Marquis to the starting rotation was the only real change made by the Twins entering the season. Marquis is a great guy, and a serviceable starter, but he came into the season with a career ERA of 4.59 and an opponent's BA of .272. Not exactly someone you could count on to shut an opponent down.
Those numbers brought into this season by the starters (with the exception of Scott Baker, who is on the Disabled List) have done nothing but gone up, and will probably continue to go up further as the season progresses. The logic behind the Twins' "pitch-to-contact" philosophy is sound; allow batters to hit the ball and let our fielders make the plays. What baffles me is that the flaw in the logic seems lost on the Twins front office and coaching staff.
What happens when the other team doesn't actually hit the ball TO our fielders, but in places where they aren't?
The answer to that question is what you saw with the 2011 club, and what you are now seeing in the 2012 Twins. Excellent big league hitters are able to hit any type of big league pitching. Average big league hitters are usually able to hit average to above average pitching. Below average big league hitters can usually hit average pitching. What the Twins have is below average pitching, which basically means that all levels of big league hitters will be able to tee off, and thus, they have.
So far this season, excluding the opening series against Baltimore, Twins' opponents have increased their team's batting average in three of the five series. Texas increased its team BA from .257 entering the series with the Twins to .270 after it. New York raised their BA from .253 before playing the Twins, to .276 after the four-game series. So far, through the first two games of its series, Boston has raised its BA from .276 at the start of the series, to .291 after Tuesday night. Needless to say, the Twins pitching staff has been a welcome sight for teams looking to improve their offensive numbers.
When asked about his starters during his post-game interview following Tuesday's 11-2 drubbing at the hands of the Red Sox, manager Ron Gardenhire said, "We have to get them straightened out. We can't go out and buy people. We've gotta make this work. I can't rub a bottle and make people pop out. We have to make these guys work."
You're right, Ron, you can't just go out and buy people. That needed to happen six months ago. With that ball having been dropped, you now need to figure out how to make the best of the situation at hand. That's what great managers do.
It's put up or shut up time.
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