2011 Game 59: Senators at Naps

The Arizona Diamondbacks are 13-4 since May 20, when they began a three-game sweep of our boys (and 18-5 back to May 14. I just wanted to point that out, because through April, the Snakes were 28th in MLB in FIP (just ahead of the Twins) and 26th in pitching WAR (the Twins were dead last). Now Arizona is in the hunt in the NL West, a half-game back of SF, thanks to much improved pitching (they were middle-of-the-pack in FIP, xFIP and pitching WAR in May).

The Twins ride into Cleveland on the wings of a four-game sweep of the Landed Gentlemen. Not exactly the 1927 Yankees there, but a feel-good weekend nonetheless. But if the Twins are going to make a move, now is the time to get it started, with a series win against the surprise division leaders.

Pitching matchup:

Scott Baker (3.86 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 3.65 xFIP, 66:23 K:BB, 10 HR in 67 2/3)
Josh Tomlin (3.27 ERA, 4.33 FIP, 3.86 xFIP, 41:11 K:BB, 11 HR in 71 2/3)

Tomlin, a righty, has been riding the tiger in Cleveland. He's 7-2, thanks in significant part to best-in-the-majors run support (7.91 r/g), a .213 BAA and unsustainable .213 BABIP, despite not missing very many bats and having given up HRs at the same pace as our boy Scotty. He throws a pedestrian 2-seam fastball, cutter, curve and changeup and recently has been compared unfavorably to Phil Humber. If only we had some healthy, left-handed sluggers to put in the lineup against this Cinderella Story.... Go, Red Wings Rock Cats!!!111one111!!!

192 thoughts on “2011 Game 59: Senators at Naps”

  1. If the Twins sweep the Indians it is possible for them to no longer have the fewest wins in baseball.

    1. I'm waiting to see who's going to pry Bubba Starling out of Corn Nation's hands.

      1. Or how M's are going to make every baseball writer on my twitter feed write "woah".

        1. That just means three more seasons of T-Magic (and his unbelievable speed and ridiculous immaturity).

    1. I've likely seen 140+ of them.

      One of the few I missed of course was when he brought a perfect game into the 9th.

      1. I was at the near-perfect game and left in the 5th inning not knowing it was a perfect game.

        Do I need to mention that my kids were with me?

  2. I've got the radio feed tonight. I take it Baker left that ball up?

  3. Evening, citizens. Lovely commute home tonight, what with the pavement buckling and all.

    1. I saw that. MN/DOT listed it as "pavement failure". Looks brutal in Minneapolis with three lanes closed, leaving a single lane for rush hour traffic.

  4. We are behind on beverages tonight. I've got a couple of these to ease me through this 78 degree heat wave.

    1. I'm drinking my IPA made with citra and cascade hops. I will use citra hops again in the future.

      Also, its 95 frickin degrees here today with tomorrow expected to be hotter.

      1. I picked up a case of "Kirkland" beer from Costco. I don't know who made this batch, but so far the Belgian-style white ale and the pale ale have been surprisingly good. Session beers, to be sure, but good value.

        1. I don't have a Costco membership, so I've not tried those but have heard basically what you said. I feel that way about the Trader Joe's beers. (the Hofbrau bock is of particularly good value.)

      2. Cry me a river, 'toy. I'm having my summer standby highlife, followed up with a homemade agave !pa. Speaking of which, I'll be sending one out someday this week.

        1. Excellent. There's also a good chance that box will be returned to you with my triple, this citra/cascade ipa and a hefeweizen.

          1. I expect that box as I've been tardy replying to your email. Things have just gotten out of hand here.

            1. I can understand that. Fortunately for you, this triple has only gotten better with age.

              1. If only I could stand to age beer for longer than 3 days...

                However, I did try a very nice IPA from your old (man's) stomping grounds. It's the first Lift Bridge that I've had where I immediately wanted more.

        2. And dammit, we're not used to this heat. I have a customer who came up from Arlington today and even he said it was miserably hot. Then again, he was expecting to get a break from the heat, so maybe that's clouding his judgment.

  5. I wasn't here, but did Bert say that after the Twins tied the game, Baker had to make sure to put a zero on the board?

  6. Housekeeping to the booth with a mop. Housekeeping to the television booth with a mop, please.

  7. I haven't seen him hit all that much, but Revere seems to go up the middle quite a bit.

    1. I spent all day mailing shit sold on ebay. Then I poked around in the studio doing nothing productive. I think the Twins owe me this game, too.

  8. Gameday: "Young doubles on pop up to second basemen Orlando Cabrera"

    Me: Huh?

  9. Dazzle is all gaga about Tomlin's ability to throw strikes with four pitches. Now, strikes that were not hittable, I'd be more impressed.

  10. I see the Twins did some manufacturing while I was gone.

      1. First manufacturing in Cleveland in 50 years!

        /buffaloed/

  11. Now Dazzle ragging on the bullpen guys for having fun heading out to the bullpen. Last place team, GODazzle'sL.

    1. They might as well have fun going to the bullpen since they haven't seemed to have much fun coming in from it.

    2. The bullpen walk was hilarious. I love the way they escorted Slama as if he was carrying the nuclear football. It was also pretty funny that only Capps and Mijares weren't forced to do the walk because they're the only two who have "earned" their position.

  12. I forgot to set my DVR to record this (boo), but I do get to turn it on to see a 6-3 lead (yay!)

    So anyway...what up?

  13. Just got my brew. Somersault Summer Ale from New Belgium, and some friggin' Red Chair, which has been sold out all the time lately (and I got the last sixer this time).

  14. Anyone have a player in particular they would like to see the Twins take tonight?

    1. I've got my fingers crossed for some middle infield prospects. Of course, in the mlb draft you don't picked based on need but I like Levi Michael, SS, North Carolina. From insider:

      Summary :
      Michael has established himself as the best college shortstop in this year's draft, although the competition for that title wasn't very strong. But as a switch-hitter who can run and has shown he can handle the position he's almost certain to go in the first round.

      Michael has good bat speed and an excellent eye at the plate, producing contact and working the count well. He tends to meet the ball out front rather than letting it travel; between that and his size he doesn't generate much power even with some torque from his hips.

      At shortstop, Michael is solid-average, making routine plays with enough arm but will probably never be plus there. He's a well-above average runner with good feel for the game all around.

      There are very few college shortstops this year who project to stay at the position and also project to hit. Michael does, which puts him at the top of the category.

  15. A Radke-style start for Light Rail, but not so much the finish. When Radke's arm fell off late in a game, he would just stick it back onto his shoulder with a wad of Super Bubble and keep working the outside corner...

  16. Every game it seems like the 8th inning takes six outs, but for once it actually does!

  17. I'll give the umps some credit. Usually the opposition doesn't need so much help to score in the 8th against the Twins.

  18. Hey Fellas... just came in after 18 holes of 90 degree golf. A quick shower, and now all I need is a win here.

      1. It was a chamber golf tournament, so it was a cart. However, many tee boxes standing around in the hot sun.

      1. The beer cart seemed to be similarly equiped today though... 2nd place after 7-8 beers... not a bad day.

    1. Dick'n'Bert: "Hughes - nearly got hit by the throw. Nearly got picked off. Throw nearly got by LaPorta..."

  19. The family is at a Northwoods League game tonight. I chose the Twins, WGOM and a Bud Light. I so far only regret 1 of those choices.

    1. You didn't punctuate or capitalize that correctly. It should read:

      Here. We. GO!

    1. Hate is a bit strong, but he does not give me a warm fuzzy, err

      Then he does that.

  20. You know what would be cool? If MLB and their TV broadcasters used the SAP function to give us a choice of the home or away announcers. That would be cool. One of the reasons I keep re-upping for Gameday audio is to listen to other teams' broadcast crews from time to time. Why not do it on regular TV broadcasts?

      1. And yet they're still better than the last couple of opposing feeds, which have all been better or as "good" as the Twins. Sigh...

  21. Exhale. Five wins in a row! Who knew?

    Well, since the Twins won this one for meat and me, two more of you dudes have to spend all day tomorrow doing either difficult or tedious things so the Twins owe us again.

      1. Yeah, it can be very easy for me to engage in tedious things tomorrow. The things we do for our team paychecks.

      2. Yeah, I have an electronics instrument "training" session all day tomorrow. Depending on the instructor, that could be difficult AND tedious. I'll take this one, for the Twins.

    1. I'm working on a difficult mathematical proof. If I can complete it tomorrow, that's gotta be good for at least 3 wins, right?

      1. Does it show how we can average more runs with Casilla, Tolbert and Butera in the lineup than we did with Mauer, Nishi and Thome?

    2. Everyday my job is tedious as f**k. And tomorrow is my first day riding my bike to work, so that'll cover the heat portion of the requirements.

  22. Who's the polished college pitcher with limited upside or the toolsy HS outfielder for the Twins to pick?

        1. You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother...
          Shut your mouth!
          But I'm talkin' about Shaft
          Then we can dig it

        1. Good to see someone else onto my theory of three names = no good.

          John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, James Earl Ray*, John Walker Lindh, Billy Ray Cyrus*, John Wayne Gacy, the list goes on.

          *This theory gets a lot of play south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

          1. I chuckled at your casually including Billy Ray with assassins, serial killers and terrorists.

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