2011 Game 80: Milwaukee Brewers at Minnesota Twins

Yovani Gallardo vs Francisco Liriano

I think the Yankees just own every Midwest team. The Brewers swept the Twins but were then swept by the Yankees. They scored a meager four runs compared to the 22 by the Yankees over the three games. Which leads to somewhat interesting interleague records for the Twins:

Twins away record against the NL: 1-8
Twins home record against the NL: 5-1

Just where the Twins want them. Sweep time!

251 thoughts on “2011 Game 80: Milwaukee Brewers at Minnesota Twins”

  1. Might not be a game tonight. The weather looks ominous. Could happen if they don't mind a few hour rain delay.

    1. I see that the tarp is out. I'm thinking this one's headed for a double header.

  2. It seems the twitter buzz for this game is that Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are at the game.

    OH BOY

    1. Maybe that will inspire the Twins lineup to win with marginal to no talent.

      1. The Twins lineup are only marginal relative to other ballplayers. The Kardashians are marginal relative to humans.

      2. I don't even think that applies to Tolbert vis a vis Kim Kardashian.

        I mean he has gotten hits and fielded outs.

        Too bad redacted is gone. They could've traded lighting and camera angle tips.

        1. Well, it doesn't have to be a perfect match to be motivational. I mean, those awful people made, what, 65 million last year? Surely Tolbert can hit a home run.

  3. Do you think Joe is still on the Before or has he already switched to the During?

            1. I'd never seen him before his recent appearance on the Daily Show. Stewart just about had an aneurysm during the interview.

      1. Good call. I just finished watching A Hard Day's Night with my 15 year old daughter, who loves the Beatles and Dr. Who.

      2. 100 tacos for 100 dollars
        yes, this should be adequate substance for the Dr Who marathon

    1. D'oh, that was supposed to be in the "I'm doing such and such" thread above.

      1. well, you know, there are so many threads in the Wheel, it's easy to get confused.

  4. I was at Target when the first storm hit here. The wind went from zero to about 40 mph, and the temp dropped from 95 to 72 degrees in about three minutes, according to my car thermometer.

  5. Any word on when/if this game is going to be played? Weatherspark.com seems to show that the storm is only about to begin hitting Minneapolis.

    1. It looks like a narrow, but intense band on the radar. Plus the storm is moving quickly, so it might start within an hour.

    1. Alright, Valverde just gave it back! 2nd and 3rd for the Giants with only 1 out!

  6. According to the Twitter, the tarp is off and the game is scheduled to start at 9.10pm.

    West coast game here we come!

    1. And I'm too old to stay up and watch games this late. I'll try to watch it, but probably won't be hanging around the game log. Take care of this one, and I expect plenty of humor for my morning reading.

  7. West metro is starting to clear. They should get this one in once they start. But you can probably expect a rain delay on the game recap.

  8. Franchise really needs to stop the poutfest everytime someone gets a donger off of him.

    1. Especially when you groove a fastball about as dead-center down the heart of the plate as it can get to a guy who swings from his heels every time.

      1. Just wait for the off-speed stuff for 6 straight pitches next time (if Joe's calling it right).

    1. That reminds me of the time in little league. I hit a sharp grounder that the shortstop couldn't field. It bounced up and hit him in the face and he started crying. That'll teach him to field grounders with his face.

      1. That one just might work...although she seems to think that we're a bunch of geeks with "names" for the wives.

        1. Thanks guys, I'm still learning to accept what my wife (and you all) seem to know already.

  9. F-BOMB x 4 on a ball that bounced in front of the plate.

    Brewers definitely helping him out here.

  10. I'm not usually critical of the "easy" reference, but I'm sick of the Ichiro references every time we see Nishioka hit...we get it, he's Japanese and he moves forward with the swing.

    1. There's a girl on my softball team that swings like that. I'm trying to get her to stop.

  11. Dang...Giants nearly blow a 4-1 lead, getting a line out double play with the bases loaded and a one-run lead. Shades of game 163.

  12. Nishioka has something strange with his throwing motion. It always looks like he's releasing it at a weird point in the throw.

    I really, really hate him at shortstop.

    1. He doesn't have the arm strength for SS.

      You'd think the Twins would've learned that by now.

      1. Well, of course he doesn't have the arm strength, but the way he throws it looks inefficient to begin with. It's just weird.

        Put him back at second base, and have him put on shin guards with spikes on them.

  13. Third inning? I'm teaching The Girl how to make yellow dal and drinkin a N.B. Lips of Faith Sahti. I'd give it a solid "B". Some interesting spices. This stuff has a significant alcoholic kick to it.

      1. NB says it is a rye ale flavored with juniper (but not overly so). Traditionally unhopped and very cloudy because the wort isn't boiled after lautering, but this one is more like a traditional ale with bells and whistles. Hopped with Amarillo and Cascade, flavored with orange and lemon peel. A very pleasant ale with subtle spice (from the rye and juniper), but not very representative of the style, I suspect. (I've never had a "real" sahti; although it sounds a lot like a gruet, which I have had).

        1. I'm working on some sort of concoction made with Pimms, fruit bits and soda? Corn Silk made a batch and can't f*ckin' drink alcohol so I have to finish it. It reminds me of sangria in appearance, but with less sweet. Weird, but I have a wicked buzz.

    1. No. But a man can dream.

      Unfortunately, that means we'd have to move Juicy too. And would Mauer have to move to first instead of third?

    2. This trade might happen if we take Selig hostage.

      Two birds, one stone situation.

  14. Just thought of something, this delay means prime time for socal and the west coast contingent!

    1. On the other hand, I had planned to get up early tomorrow and go for a run before the heat kicks in. I'll probably still do it.

        1. Yea, well, I'm getting up to finish sanding my deck. It's supposed to be 101 tomorrow.

    1. I dislike all check swing calls- they are way too subjective. If your arms come forward at all, it's a swing, isn't it? If it's only weight shifting and lifting the arms, then it's not. This "did the bat cross the plate, did he mean to swing," it's like the umps want to be second-guessed.

        1. Exactly my issue with it- if your wrists rotate, that's pretty much a swing, too. I guess that's another rule I would be in favor of tweaking.

  15. "Best team record when a player scores a run"

    That has to be the most inane stat ever.

    1. That's almost as good as when they displayed on the videoboard in Milwaukee the number of RBIs Braun has when hitting solo homeruns.

      1. That reminds me of the FJM article from years back where the Yankees announcers were talking about Wang's ERA with runners on base vs. his ERA with bases empty. Hmmm...I wonder which one is going to be higher...by a lot.

          1. I dunno why, but that article always stuck with me. Probably because if they wanted to do a comparison of full windup vs stretch pitching, basically any other pitching stat would have been better.

            1. I've read through them all twice (seriously one of my favorite sites ever), but the one that's always stuck with me is the one where they pick apart the Johan Santana, Joe Nathan, and Carlos Silva trade.

                  1. How does Sansevere have a job writing about sports after that? I admit, Dazzl and Bert and Gordo all display amazing idiocy sometimes, but how do you claim to have any understanding of baseball and the budget/payroll side of things when you've puked out an article like that one that Ken ripped to pieces?

  16. I don't really care one way or the other, but Tosoni better show something this week if he wants a September call-up.

    1. I assume you don't mean holding Gomez to a double there as showing something, right?

        1. Beau knows GoGo! Hell, Carlos tripped rounding second on his homerun sprint in the first inning. If my feet moved anywhere near that fast, I'd wipeout all the time, too.

      1. No, that comment was produced by his at-bat last inning. "Holding" Go-go to a double was just a bonus...

          1. I actually figured that was the funniest part of that whole thing. Unfortunately, I worded it poorly and placed it in the wrong spot, so it fell on its face.

  17. "I told her I wouldn't do this, but unfortunately, I'm a dick and a liar."

    Robby makes me long for the days of.. well... anyone else.

    1. Not Telly Hughes. I'll take a condescending dick over a guy who openly joked about having never heard of anyone in the Twins' minor league system.

      1. Never heard that one. Hmm...

        How about a ficus plant? Can we just put a ficus plant in the seats and pan to it every so often as it sways in the breeze? It'd honestly be better, less awkward television.

        1. Keep the ficus out of the batter's eye and that'll work. Otherwise it gets the axe.

  18. "Jim Gantner...little redneck." Holy Chr*st Bert, why don't you tell me how you really feel?

  19. D@mn, I'm betting the trivia question today meant "How many total Twins All-Stars?" and not "How many different Twins players were All-Stars?"

    You can't afford to make mistakes on rain-delayed late night holiday weekend questions, when competition is at its weakest. /not enough hobbies

    1. Dazzl was really talking up the Matt guy that won it, too. Doesn't seem to notice that you've won a bunch, though.

  20. That inning certainly went better.

    Also, how is it possible that F-Bomb has only given up two runs this game? It feels like he's given up somewhere in the neighborhood of 7.

  21. You don't know how to prove it.

    The tools are there, your ignorance does not make for a better narrative, Dick. It makes for a less informed one. Learn the difference.

    1. Off-speed, off-color language, other than that grooved pitch to Gomez in the first he's been good.

      1. Just after 11 here in South Dakota- I'm nearly feeling confident enough in this game to shut off the radio.

    1. Maybe mostly, but it's also Friday night on the 4th of July weekend, with a state shutdown and a smoking ban. What else do we have to do?

      1. How's that state shutdown going? I can imagine it's going to suck pretty bad after a couple weeks, but hopefully it gets cleared up sooner than that.

        1. It's only been 23 hours...I think most people haven't noticed it yet. Actually, they guys talked about it a bit on the CoC but have tried to avoid it due to the nature of the topic. I'll just say that I agree with you, I hope they clear it up sooner rather than later.

        2. From what I understand, it sounds like this is something that's not likely to linger. Then again, I wouldn't trust my opinion on this either.

        3. Lot of angst here because there are a ton of people who come here from hours away to come to the local state park. Not so much this year.

          1. I grew up in MN, and I don't remember ever going to camp in a state park. Can't believe that'll be the final straw that gets the whole deal settled, but I guess it wouldn't surprise me if the thought of out-of-staters suffering from a lack of Minnesota hospitality is what gets the two sides together.

            1. Well, I live in the middle of nowhere (two hours from the metro). The lake season is a big deal around here. I don't know that the state park being unavailable will hurt things too much, it's just been the subject of constant discussion today.

              1. Hah, I was about 3 1/2 hours from the Cities, tucked down in the southeast corner by Winona, so more on the edge of nowhere. Fillmore county, which I was told is the only county in Minnesota with no natural lakes.

                1. I love SE MN. Spent more than my fair share of vacations on a bicyle down near Preston and Lanesboro. My uncle owns land on Beaver Creek - only trout fishing I've ever done.

                  1. Yup, it's completely different landscape from most of the state. I went to high school at Rushford-Peterson, which are just a couple towns down the bike trail from Lanesboro. Some really great fishing down there, lots of wildlife all over.

              1. Excellent. It's always encouraging to hear that the VA is treating it's employees right, bodes well for the veterans/patients.

    1. I think evening officially ended in Twins territory about two hours ago. Good night, sir!

    1. Your ideas intrigue me, sir. Do you have any brochures further outlining your plans on this subject?

  22. The Brewer guys were being so blandly inoffensive until they joked about "bilateral leg weakness" like it wasn't a thing. Yes, things we haven't had before are always pretend, guys.

    1. Really? Some of the fans were ruthless toward him at the Dome when he was having his bad stretch as a closer (2001? 2002?). Some douchetard in front of me was holding a sign that said HAWKINS: LEAST VALUABLE PLAYER and trying to incite the crowd.

        1. Heh, that was good. I guess I just forget how stoopid people can be here...or anywhere. LaTroy always seemed like a stand-up guy to me.

            1. I kinda miss the MetroDome, sometimes. Well, very rarely, but occasionally. Until I see Target Field again, anyhow.

              1. I never had a problem with the Dome; don't really miss it, but I wouldn't mind a seeing a ballgame there again once in awhile.

                1. By the end, I was glad it was gone. It doesn't help that the only postseason games I ever saw live were the 2006 ALDS games against the A's.

                  1. There was no postseason in 2006. Only a regular season that happened to be the best ever.

                2. For some reason, whenever I tell people around here that I think Miller Park is awful, they always bring up the dome as if it not being the ideal place to watch a baseball game somehow makes Miller Park suck less.

                3. There are two things I miss about the Metrodome. Ticket availability, and the ticket prices.

  23. The Mariners wore the trident throwbacks tonight. I like the trident, but damn, that color scheme is an assault against good taste.

      1. Ha, didn't quite mean it like that. I just meant that I'm going to be at the lake this weekend and won't be around here much.

        That and I'm a Time Lord.

  24. Gardy spends the press conference praising Mauer's handling of the pitcher and Valencia's defense, and then admonishes all the reporters for ripping on Joe and instructs them to hit themselves on the back of the head for doubting him.

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