mpcac, seems like you're kinda down on everyone this year. Turning games off and the like. Run out of good weed?

Your right.... been down on the Twins more this year than before.... guess I'm getting old. Sometimes I just find it difficult to watch the highs and lows of this teams performance. I'll try to do a better job of not being so negative.

mpcac

Ahh, alot of folks here are negative. It's just a game, we are lousy, so just enjoy the good that shows up sometimes.

...and Capps is 14 out of 15...

Like I said... I'm sure he's a good closer... I just don't like watching him pitch.

mpcac

Well, it would be a lot easier if I could go to the Square Deal and have a few beers while watching them lose.

mpcac

He's also lost 4 games and has an ERA of 3.42. Nothing spectacular at all. More lucky than good.

ERA is inflated because of his pitching in non closer situations...some closer just have trouble pitching in non closer situations. Capps isn't the first or the only one either...

So far he's been alot better than last year. Hopefully he'll come out of this injury ok and be good to go again. We need Burton and Perk for set up.

Its not unorthodox to bring your closer in a tie game at home and he does not have an out pitch. He only have one good season which was 2010. His career SO percentage ( percentage of all plate appearances ending with a strike out ) at 17.5 % and below .2 % than the MLB average at 17.7 %. His numbers are not that great since he moved in the AL where batters are better than the NL.

"" ERA is inflated because of his pitching in non closer situations...some closer just have trouble pitching in non closer situations. Capps isn't the first or the only one either... """

In save situation ( 14 saves out of 15 games ) his ERA is 3.14 gave up 5 ER, 2 home runs w/ 10 strike outs

In non save situations his ERA 3.75 gave up also 5 ER, 2 home runs with 6 strike outs.

I don't know how you can say that his ERA is inflated.

Then again he is the least of my worries now and its not that we are a contender and we need a good closer.

No, it's not unorthodox...your right. But not all pitchers that are closers when they are in that role can come in and pitch effectively in non closer situations.

What he has going for him are additional pitches he has learned over last off season....splitter, slider and a two seam fastball that seems more like a cutter...to go along with his four seam fastball and very mediocre curveball, which at times has shown improvement. I think he also had been working on improving his change up...so he isn't the one pitch pitcher people think he is.

I am in Matt Capps corner.

Capps has been doing a lot better this year than last. 14/15 is really good considering he blew 9 last year. He's on pace for what.. blowing 2 or 3 this year? Not too shabby at all if you ignore the fact that he has some losses on his record from giving up runs when being put in tie games.

He still gives me the shakes when he comes in, but I'm a lot more comfortable with Capps closing considering we have Burton, Burnett, and Perkins who have proven this year that they can shut the door. At least the Twins have some guys they can bring in if Capps is shakey or if the game goes into extra innings.

So what's your excuse about his performance last season?

Well you are the expert...why don't you research it and get back to me.