The Twins blew a 5 run lead in the 8th inning to drop another one last night. Everyone is mad at the bullpen but I'm not. The Bullpen sucks, things like this are going to happen. Don't blame the bullpen, blame the GM who assembled the bullpen expecting them to pitch better then they are capable of. 

Want to know what's got me mad. Let's set the scene. It's the top of 8th inning, the bullpen has given up 4 runs to the Angels and still nobody out. Torii Hunter is on third base. Alberto Callaspo is on 1st. Extreme power hitter, Russell Branyan at the plate and Jim Hoey is pitching. If only Russell Branyan would have just jacked one over the wall. If he would have, I wouldn't be angry, honestly I would have just laughed and got ready for the 1st pick overall in 2012 baseball draft. 

But no, Branyan had to expose another hole in the Twins Season. Here's what got me upset. 

Branyan lifts a fly ball to left field. Hunter was going to tag up and score with ease on this. No chance to get him at the plate because the ball was hit deep enough. 

Delmon Young tried to throw him out at home anyway, and he let it go, the ball sailing off line. In this situation 3rd Basemen Danny Valencia is the cut off man. The purpose of a cut off man is to cut the ball off and prevent the trailing runner (Callaspo on 1st) from advancing. 

Delmon Young has to throw the ball to the cut off man in this situation. He didn't... and let me add... That if the throw is off line. The Cut off man 3rd basemen Danny Velencia has to move toward the ball and catch it and not stand there like he can't do anything about it. Velencia stood there with his arms in the air and just let it go by even though just a little effort like moving 5 steps to his left what have put him in position to catch it. Callaspo who represents the winning run is now on 2nd because the Twins can't execute basic professional baseball. 

I know that play had very little to do with the outcome of the game. Hoey got the next two outs and Callaspo never did score in that fateful 8th inning. My anger over this play stems from the fact that he could have scored very easily from being allowed to reach 2nd base. The Bullpen sucks... the only way you can battle out of that is to step up and make plays in the field. Do the little things right. Don't give up easy extra bases by making basic fundamental plays in the field.     

Danny Velencia has been in the majors for less than a year. There is no way he should feel comfortable with his job security to not care if he put just a little effort into moving a little bit to cut the ball off. Bench him and let him know that the Twins have traveling secretary's employed who know how to book plane flights to Rochester for players. It shouldn't matter if Velencia is better than anyone we have in Rochester. The team has to start playing basic baseball and do the little things right. It starts with effort and execution of the basics.            

Delmon Young has been in the Majors for quite some time now. Former #1 Pick, there is no chance that he will ever see AAA again, but I've seen enough of him. He's a bad defensive baseball player and he should be traded to anyone foolish enough to take him. 

HIT THE FLIPPIN CUT!!!