The kids (and missus) let me sleep in long enough that I had a mini-heart attack when I woke up, thinking it was a work day.
February 23, 2020: Jolted
February 22, 2020: Tworrific!
A lot of 2s in today’s date.
(sorry, low inspiration today)
1991 Rewind: Game One Hundred Thirty-eight
MINNESOTA 10, KANSAS CITY 4 IN KANSAS CITY
Date: Monday, September 9.
Batting stars: Greg Gagne was 3-for-4 with a double. Chuck Knoblauch was 3-for-5 with a double. Brian Harper was 2-for-4. Shane Mack was 2-for-5 with two stolen bases (his eighth and ninth), two runs, and two RBIs. Chili Davis was 2-for-5 with two runs. Lenny Webster was 1-for-1 with a two-run homer, his third.
Pitching stars: Tom Edens struck out five in five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks. Gary Wayne pitched 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out three.
Opposition star: Brian McRae was 3-for-4 with a triple.
The game: It was close most of the way. In the first, McRae tripled and George Brett singled to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. In the second Brent Mayne led off with a double and scored on a pair of ground outs to make it 2-0.
The Twins got it going in the fifth. Mack singled and Gene Larkin reached on an error. With one out, Gagne had an RBI single and Dan Gladden delivered a two-run triple. Knoblauch then singled in a run to make the score 4-2 Minnesota. In the sixth, Davis and Harper singled and an RBI ground out followed, increasing the Twins lead to 5-2.
Kansas City came back in the bottom of the sixth. Bill Pecota led off with a walk, but the next two men went out. Then, however, Jim Eisenreich, Kirk Gibson, and McRae all singled, plating two runs and cutting the Twins' lead to 5-4.
That was as close as they would come, though, and the Twins put it away in the last two innings. In the eighth, Harper singled and pinch-runner Jarvis Brown scored from first on a Mack single. Mack then stole second and scored on a Gagne single to make it 7-4. In the ninth Knoblauch led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly. Then Davis singled and Webster hit a two-run homer to bring the final score to 10-4.
WP: Edens (1-1). LP: Mike Boddicker (11-11). S: Wayne (1).
Notes: Larkin was at first base in place of Kent Hrbek. Hrbek pinch-ran for Larkin in the fifth and stayed in the game at first base. Paul Sorrento pinch-hit for Hrbek in the eighth and stayed in the game at first base. Brown pinch-ran for Harper in the eighth and was replaced by Webster, who went behind the plate.
Puckett was 0-for-3 and was batting .328. Harper raised his average to .318. Mack raised his average to .311. Webster was now batting .368. Carl Willis was charged with two runs in two-thirds of an inning to raise his ERA to 2.48.
Sorrento was 0-for-1 to drop his average to .158. Edens lowered his ERA to 6.00.
Boddicker pitched 5.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and no walks and striking out three. This was Boddicker's last full year as a starter. He wasn't bad, going 12-12, 4.08, 1.37 WHIP. He would make eight starts and twenty-one relief appearances for the Royals in 1992 and ten starts for Milwaukee in 1993.
This was one of four career saves for Wayne. He had one in each of 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1993.
Hrbek was being given some time off, presumably due to a minor injury. This was the only game he would play between September 7 and September 12, and he didn't finish this one. Larkin presumably came out of the game due to a minor injury as well. He would not start a game again until September 15, although he would make two pinch-hitting appearances in that time.
The White Sox defeated Oakland 7-1, so the distance between them and the Twins remained the same.
Record: The Twins were 84-54, in first place in the American League West, 8.5 games ahead of Chicago.
Happy Birthday–February 22
Due to personal time constraints, this is a reprint from last year which has not been updated.
Bill Klem (1874)
Clarence Mitchell (1891)
Roy Spencer (1900)
Charles O. Finley (1918)
Stubby Greer (1920)
Ryne Duren (1929)
Sparky Anderson (1934)
Steve Barber (1938)
Tom Griffin (1948)
Gerry Davis (1953)
John Halama (1972)
J. J. Putz (1977)
Kelly Johnson (1982)
Brian Duensing (1983)
Casey Kotchman (1983)
Bill Klem was a National League umpire from 1905-1941. He was the first umpire to indicate his calls with arm signals, and was also the first umpire to wear an inside chest protector. He umpired in eighteen World Series and also umpired the first all-star game.
Charles O. Finley was the owner of the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics from 1960-81.
Stubby Greer played in the minors from 1940-1958 with a career batting average of .330. He never played in the major leagues.
Sparky Anderson was born in Bridgewater, South Dakota.
Gerry Davis has been a major league umpire since 1982.
J. J. Putz was drafted by Minnesota in the seventeenth round in 1998, but did not sign.
Brent Faiyaz – Poison
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February 21, 2020: The Blessed Sound of Broadcasters’ Voices*
Playball! Gophers vs. Twins 5:05PM
*at least I HOPE it's being broadcast
1991 Rewind: Game One Hundred Thirty-seven
MINNESOTA 6, NEW YORK 5 IN MINNESOTA
Date: Sunday, September 8.
Batting stars: Chili Davis was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs. Greg Gagne was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Shane Mack was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer (his eighteenth) and two runs. Scott Leius was 2-for-4. Pedro Munoz was 1-for-4 with a three-run homer, his fourth.
Pitching star: Mark Guthrie struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.
Opposition stars: Matt Nokes was 3-for-4 with a home run, his twenty-third. Hensley Meulens was 2-for-2 with a double and a walk Pat Sheridan was 1-for-1 with a home run, his fourth.
The game: Each team scored two in the second. In the top of the inning, Nokes singled, Roberto Kelly tripled, and a sacrifice fly made it 2-0. In the bottom of the second, Davis singled and Mack hit a home run to tie it 2-2.
The Yankees edged back into the lead. Nokes homered in the fourth to make it 3-2. In the fifth, Pat Kelly singled, went to second on a ground out, and scored on an error to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead. But in the sixth, Mack and Davis led off with singles followed by Munoz' three-run homer to put the Twins in front 5-4.
The Twins loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Mack hit into a double play to end the inning. In the eighth, Gene Larkin walked, Lenny Webster singled, and Gagne hit an RBI double to make it 6-4. They needed the run, because Sheridan homered leading off the ninth to make it 6-5. That was it, though, as the next three batters went out and the Twins held on for the victory.
WP: Scott Erickson (18-6). LP: Jeff Johnson (5-10). S: Steve Bedrosian (6).
Notes: Dan Gladden was again out of the lineup, with Mack moving to left and Munoz in right. Scott Leius batted leadoff. Larkin was at first base in place of Kent Hrbek. Junior Ortiz caught in place of Brian Harper.
Webster pinch-hit for Ortiz in the sixth and stayed in the game at catcher. Paul Sorrento pinch-hit for Leius in the eighth and was pinch-run for by Al Newman. Newman went to second base because Randy Bush pinch-hit for Chuck Knoblauch in the eighth. Mike Pagliarulo replaced Bush and went to third base.
Kirby Puckett was 0-for-3 with a walk and was batting .330. Mack raised his average to .310. Webster was 1-for-2 and was batting .333. Sorrento drew a walk and was batting .167.
Scott Erickson pitched six innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks and striking out one. His ERA was 3.13.
Jeff Johnson started for the Yankees and pitched five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and two walks and struck out none.
This was the second consecutive day that Gladden was out of the lineup. I don't know if he had a slight injury or if he was just being given a couple of days off.
Rick Aguilera was apparently given the day off after being used two days in a row. Bedrosian gave up the leadoff home run in the ninth but after that got the job done.
Nokes was 6-for-12 with two doubles and a home run in the series. The Twins swept the series from the Yankees (doesn't that sound good?), but it wasn't Nokes' fault.
The White Sox lost to Texas 7-6, so the Twins gained a game in the standings.
Record: The Twins were 83-54, in first place in the American League West, 8.5 games ahead of Chicago.
Happy Birthday–February 21
Due to personal time constraints, this is a reprint from last year which has not been updated.
Jouett Meekin (1867)
Dummy Taylor (1875)
John Titus (1876)
Tom Yawkey (1903)
Mark Scott (1915)
Joe Foy (1943)
Jack Billingham (1943)
Tom Shopay (1945)
Charley Walters (1947)
Rick Lysander (1953)
Alan Trammell (1958)
Franklin Gutierrez (1983)
The birthday list (2009)
Tom Yawkey was the owner of the Boston Red Sox from 1933 until his death in 1978.
Mark Scott was the host of “Home Run Derby”.
I've been doing this for ten years now. How time flies.
February 20, 2020: Excavation
I saw we had a lot of stuff in the fridge last night, so after digging through it, I made 4 different dishes just trying to use stuff up. I don’t think I would have been capable of that just a few years ago.
1991 Rewind: Game One Hundred Thirty-six
MINNESOTA 3, NEW YORK 2 IN MINNESOTA (10 INNINGS)
Date: Saturday, September 7.
Batting stars: Chuck Knoblauch was 3-for-5. Chili Davis was 2-for-4 with two doubles. Gene Larkin was 2-for-4 with a double. Kirby Puckett was 2-for-4 with two runs.
Pitching stars: Jack Morris pitched 8.2 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks and striking out five. Carl Willis struck out two in a perfect inning.
Opposition stars: Pascual Perez pitched six innings, giving up one run on seven hits and a walk and striking out two. Matt Nokes was 2-for-4 with two doubles.
The game: The Yankees took the lead in the first inning. Leadoff batter Bernie Williams walked, stole second, was bunted to third, and scored on a two-out double by Nokes to make it 1-0. The Twins put two on with one out in the bottom of the first, but Kent Hrbek hit into a double play. Davis led off the second with a double, but was thrown out at third trying to advance on a short passed ball. The Twins put two on with two out in the third but again could not score.
The Twins finally broke through in the sixth. Larkin led off with a double and scored on Knoblauch's single, tying it 1-1. The Twins again missed a chance, though, as Puckett reached on an error to put two on with none out and nothing came of it.
The Twins took the lead in the eighth. Puckett hit a one-out single, went to second on a ground out, and scored on a Davis double. The Yankees came right back to tie it in the ninth. Their first two batters went out, but Nokes doubled. Morris came out of the game and Rick Aguilera came in, but he gave up an RBI single to Roberto Kelly, tying the score at two and sending the game to extra innings.
In the tenth, Puckett again hit a one-out single. He again went to second on a ground out. Pedro Munoz pinch-hit and delivered a game-winning single, giving the Twins the victory.
WP: Carl Willis (8-3). LP: Lee Guetterman (3-3). S: None.
Notes: Dan Gladden was out of the starting lineup. Shane Mack went to left, with Larkin playing right. Larkin batted leadoff.
The Twins made extensive use of the bench. Paul Sorrento pinch-hit for Greg Gagne in the seventh. Al Newman then came in to play shortstop. Jarvis Brown pinch-ran for Davis in the eighth. He was officially the DH at that point, but Munoz pinch-hit for him when his spot in the order came up in the tenth. Gladden came in for defense at the start of the ninth. He went to left field, with Mack moving to right. Scott Leius pinch-hit for Mike Pagliarulo in the ninth and stayed in the game at third base.
Puckett raised his average to .332. Brian Harper was 0-for-4 and was batting .316. Mack was 1-for-4 and was batting .308.
Aguilera officially pitched a third on an inning and was not charged with a run, lowering his ERA to 2.23. Willis' ERA fell to 2.26.
Morris threw just 98 pitches in his 8.2 innings.
Steve Howe pitched a scoreless inning. This was his first year with the Yankees, and it was a really good one--3-1, 1.68, 3 saves, 0.95 WHIP. This, however, would be the last game he would pitch for the Yankees this season. I could not quickly find whether he was injured or if this was one of the numerous times he got into trouble. He would go on to pitch very well in 1992, struggle in 1993, and pitch very well again in 1994, which was his last good season.
The White Sox defeated Texas 11-6, so the distance between them and the Twins remained the same.
Record: The Twins were 82-54, in first place in the American League West, 7.5 games ahead of Chicago.