2011 Twins Game Logs

2011 Game 44: Twins at—WHO CARES? THE PITCHERS ARE BATTING!

191 Comments

I love interleague. There are so many reasons to hate it - and there are lots of places to find those reasons. I just like seeing pitchers attempting to bat. Without interleague, we don't get our favorite Johan Santana moment (the video link doesn't work, so just close your eyes, the highlight reel is still there, I'm sure). You don't get the crazy over-managing that ends with pitchers in left-field and utility infielders sitting on the bench, praying the game ends before their crazy manager gets any ideas and has them warming up in the bullpen.

I like that style of baseball. I don't know that I'd like it all the time, but a few games a year is interesting to me. I almost feel cheated when a National League team comes to Target Field, because that doesn't give me my "pitchers wearing batting helmets" fix.

Luckily, the Twins have seen fit to play much better as of late (well... the last 4 or 5 games, anyway). Now I'll have extra reason to enjoy sitting down, cracking open a beer and watching some late-night baseball.

Maybe they'll even win one for me tonight. Considering the fact that they're 1-6 on Saturdays, maybe that's asking for too much though. I guess I'll just be satisfied with the fact that I'm going to be able to watch Scott Baker bat.

Speaking of, here are tonight's pitchers.

Scott Baker (.050/.050/.050, 0 HR, 0 RBI, -0.3 WAR)
Micah Owings (.295/.323/.528, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 2.9 WAR)

Both of those are career lines, as neither pitcher has batted in 2011. For Baker, this is because he plays in the wrong league to show off his impressive hitting skills. For Owings, it's because while his secondary skills are legendary (he's pretty much the best hitting pitcher of all time), his primary skills (keep the opposing team from scoring runs) are sadly lacking. This is his first start in 2011, but lefties have eaten him alive over the course of his career, so unless the game is decided by which pitcher is a better batter, I like the Twins' chances.

191 thoughts on “2011 Game 44: Twins at—WHO CARES? THE PITCHERS ARE BATTING!”

  1. It appears that OKC is doing its best to make sure I watch the Twins tonight.

  2. You don't get the crazy over-managing that ends with pitchers in left-field and utility infielders sitting on the bench, praying the game ends before their crazy manager gets any ideas and has them warming up in the bullpen.

    Im surprised American League managers dont employ the double switch more often. Like last year when we had days where Kubel was on the bench because Thome was DHing. With Cuddy being a little more flexible on his playing positions by filling in at 2nd base, its probably doable.
    I dont know, maybe that is over thinking baseball strategy, but it was surprise the heck out of the other team.

  3. I think up until the past year or two, the Twins consistently had the best hitting pitchers. At least during the Santana years he seemed to be contagious with the rest of the staff.

  4. Bad news, guys. Jason Kubel is out after being raptured earlier this evening. There is no timetable for his return.

      1. Inexplicably, Jesus drafted both of them to his fantasy team. So yeah, he's still pissed at them.

  6. Pardon me for getting all New Guy here but: THE MINNESOTA TWINS ARE GOING TO SCORE 10 OR MORE RUNS TONIGHT!

    2. This will be made more impressive because they just spotted the Diamondbacks an inning.

    1. According to Dick and Bert his nickname is "tat-man". Yep.

  8. Is it just me or is Bert showing more restraint when discussing Scott Baker as of late?

  17. If Owings is such a good hitter, but such a crappy pitcher, why don't they just teach him to play some position other than pitcher?

  25. I've said it before and I'll say it again--the Twins need to be in the NL.

    2. That was dessert tonight. My UC buddy and I went to a belgian beer bar in Davisville, followed by dinner at his house. There was nothing Left Behind.

    1. yeah, i was wondering about that. this isn't his first game back either, i believe.

  31. ULLGER SHOULD HAVE SENT BAKER WHEN HE HAD THE CHANCE!!!

    He's a little rusty.

    1. I remember Bert mentioning that he hated facing Hrbek before. Did he bring it up again today? I've opted to listen to TV on the Radio rather than either feed.

  37. "Let's see if Baker is asked to bunt here with one out and Young and second."

    Wow. That would be pointless.

    1. I just can't understand the play to bunt a reasonably fast man from second to third with an out already on the board. You're basically gambling on a wild pitch or passed ball.

      1. It's pretty funny that the way it was mashed together not only made a new word, but made a word that means the exact opposite of what was intended.

  51. who broke out the PEDs?

    FSNtylermason #Twins have 25 homers this season, 8 in the last three games.

      1. Yet another example of two things that seem like they must be related, being completely disconnected.

    1. "cliche, cliche, major league level, cliche, ball up, cliche, cliche, -type player, cliche"

    2. I wasn't aware that Bert didn't like the 100 pitch count. I guess he has never brought it up 1000 times before. Yeah, Baker's attitude changed. Tha t was it.

      1. It is just so lazy to pretend Baker thought "I'm at 100 pitches and we're ahead so I'm going to stop trying" instead of actually analyzing what happened.

        You know, it probably wouldn't bother me if my co-workers didn't repeat Bert's crap. Just drives me crazy to the point that I don't want to talk baseball at the office.

        I would really like to get a behind-the-scenes look at how Bert and Dazzle prepare.

      2. Yeah, its not like it could be he rarely is allowed to go past 100 pitches and his body isn't used to it and gets tired, could it?

    1. Obviously Baker can't pitch well past 100 pitches because he never pitches more than 100 pitches. It's a vicious cycle.

  57. why do the twins always get caught off-guard on the bunt, yet everyone sniffs out their squeezes?

  62. Ok guys, let's get 7 more insurance runs this inning! We've got a lot of bullpen innings to survive.

  63. Nice work by Burmett.

    I've watched too many Major League clips lately, wonder if Gibson saw Roberts and thought "look at this f'ing guy"

  64. Revere needs to take a lesson from Marlon Byrd and let that him him in the face.

    1. Wouldn't that be the other way around since Revere has already taken one to the face?

  65. Maybe it is the Morgan-esque chicken wing, but there's something that makes me like Revere

            1. Gotcha- you were referring to Kubel's HR touching the ground eventually, I took you to mean that Gordo miscalled the play.

  68. Dick seemed surprised about Nathan striking out Drew.

    Also, Pepsi just copied the Joe Mauer sideburns commercial.

  73. The Diamondbacks did a great impression of a Jr. High baseball team there, way to make a bunch of bad throws!

      1. That's why I didn't go with Little League for the comparison. All hell broke loose after the first throw!

        1. Dick said "the Diamondbacks having a snowball fight in the infield." I liked that description.

  76. Gameday was hopelessly confused by that play. It had Cuddy out at home for a little while.

    3. Confused for a long time- my Gameday was showing Delmon as the third out, and was moving to the next half-inning, then Butters was suddenly batting and grounding out.

      1. The way that inning was going, as soon as I saw that groundball to 2nd, I assumed Butters would be scoring on that play.

      1. .205/.286/.386 in May after a big April. However, his May looks a lot like how he hit at Rochester and the Red Wings' beat writer said trading away Ramos was addition by subtraction because he was an apparent bad influence in the clubhouse (he didn't elaborate on it).

  87. Kelly freakin' Johnson. He's hitting .180, and he has just killed the Twins these two games. Sometimes I hate baseball.

    1. I still haven't forgiven Adam Kennedy for his 3 HR in a single ALCS game against the Twins after hitting only 3 all season.

  89. and now for something completely different:
    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynDI2mShbA

    2. I don't know. The game at the Rays where Nathan and Capps both allowed HRs to blow saves was pretty disheartening, especially when it was Damon with the walkoff.

  100. This sucks. How many teams have ever had 5 more errors than their opponent and won the game?

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