August 13, 2018

A series loss to Cleveland is understandable; a series loss to Detroit is not

The Twins limped their way out of Cleveland after losing three of four games, then wilted in Detroit with a series loss as well. When it rains, it pours, I guess.

Sunday’s loss was highlighted by the appearance of Kohl Stewart, who made his major league pitching debut for the Twins after being drafted fourth overall by the club in 2013.

Stewart wasn’t terrible, but he also didn’t pitch deep into the game, lasting four-plus innings. He gave up three runs, all earned, on eight hits, with one walk and one strikeout. In addition, the Twins did nothing to support him after they scored two runs on four hits. Max Kepler hit his 15th home run.

Jake Odorizzi gets the ball Tuesday vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Extra innings…

-Shortstop Eduardo Escobar, who was traded by the Twins last month, said farewell to the fans with a creative tweet. Second baseman Brian Dozier, also traded last month, said goodbye in a more traditional fashion by taking out a full-page ad in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Thanks for supporting newspapers, Brian.

-Logan Morrison will have season-ending surgery on his hip after never hitting better than .200 for most of the season. Again, I’m not sure he will be missed.

COMMENTS

Hi, I’m Rolf Boone, Twins fan.

I became a fan of the Minnesota Twins after a friendly wager in the early 1980s. I survived Ron Davis, the meltdown in Cleveland, Phil Bradley at the Kingdome and then marveled at a rising generation of stars and two World Series wins in 1987 and 1991. Brad Radke made the 1990s bearable, while Kirby Puckett’s eye injury, exit from the game and eventual death made it almost too much to bear. The new century ushered in more talent — Joe Mauer, Johan Santana, Joe Nathan, Torii Hunter, Justin Morneau — and consecutive seasons of playoff baseball, followed by consecutive seasons of losing baseball. A winning season returned in 2015. So here we are. Go Twins.