258 thoughts on “2011 Game 112: Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins”

    1. For most of his career, Morris had been blessed with catchers who stopped the running game. Harper, a converted outfielder, was different.

      Heh.

      1. Harper wasn't that bad, was he? Are there stats on that? It seems to be he was average, slightly below average.

        This begs another question. I think the benchmark for stolen base attempts helping your team vs. hurting your team is like 70% success rate. Is it better to have a catcher who throws out 35% of base stealers who get run on a lot? Or is it better to have a guy who throws out 50% of stealers but is almost never run on anymore?

        1. I'm sure a pitcher would say it's nice to be confident in a runner staying put. Just having to be concerned with a running game is annoying, regardless of the caught steeling percentage.

        2. Harper's defense was maligned at the time (Strat-O-Matic gave him the worst possible defense, for instance). I've wondered if stats would be kinder these days.

        3. Is it better to have a catcher who throws out 35% of base stealers who get run on a lot? Or is it better to have a guy who throws out 50% of stealers but is almost never run on anymore?

          Turns out it's an easy question to answer. Simply take the run value of all of caught stealings (a positive for the defense), and add the run value from the stolen bases (a negative). If it's still positive, then the catcher was a net positive for the team in that aspect.

    2. Morris points out the sliding pants Gladden is wearing under his uniform, and Kelly reveals they weren't so much for sliding.

      "He's just trying to make his ass look bigger," the manager deadpans.

  4. heh (from twitter)

    PMac21 Phil Mackey
    Two noteworthy absences from #Twins' 1991 celebration tonight: Chuck Knoblauch and Shane Mack. Knobby not coming is no surprise.

    I heard the #Twins actually have no idea where Shane Mack is. Mack might have been one of the most underrated players in team history.

    1. It always amazes me how ex-pros can vanish like that. No one on the team kept in touch with him? He doesn't get residuals from baseball cards? He's not on Facebook?

      Not that I begrudge anyone their right to privacy, I just wonder how they step out of the spotlight so effectively.

  5. My Blackburn confidence is low, so I'm fairly expecting to not like this game. Prove me wrong, Blackbeard!

      1. The plan is to increase the proportion of total plate appearances absorbed by Adam Done.

        1. No matter how the season finishes, I'll be content knowing that the White Sox sucked ass despite being mostly healthy (right?) and that their acquisitions didn't work.

  7. Tomorrow and Sunday are both on WGN, but I'll probably be at Mom and Dad's anyway where they have FSNorth. Of course, nothing tonight while I'm bored out of my skull here at the house.

    1. That figures that the left handed starter would keep Thome out of the lineup during the one non-WGN game, which is the only one I can get.

  9. a struggling pitcher (Blackburn) versus a struggling hitter (Dunn). This should be fun

    1. Would be curious if any important games have been decided by dropped ball infield-fly-rule outs.

      1. Would it have to be a situation where the fielder could have dropped it and gotten 2, but could only get the one with the next batter hitting a walk-off?

          1. heh...you know, despite the fact that it was the Yankees winning, the Mets losing embarrassingly is also fun

    1. Is he dogging it or something? Is he trying to play himself out this team so he can join another? I never expected him to be a star, but he's a disaster.

      2. According to Dazzle, they don't always call the infield fly rule in Japan, so he's saying Nishi intentionally dropped it to get the ball at home. I HOPE that was what happened.

    1. Scrappy Blackburn battles his tail off. The first inning was the turning point to getting his season back on track. It's all sunshine and lollipops from here on out.

  26. Gordon's in rare form tonight. In the minute since I've tuned in, he's informed me that the White Sox managed to have the rare accomplishment of getting a run with no hit, and the Sox had loaded the bases with a hit and two walks, and that the Yankees had won 4 straight, and were going for there 7th consecutive win.

    Le sigh

      1. I thought about fixing it for myself, but didn't think you've made enough posts recently.

    1. How was Hawk? I had the sound way down because I don't need to be agitated too much tonight.

      1. He was in his "oh well what new" mode. The Thome in extra innings silence is the best Hawk reaction.

    2. Alright, I went back and watched that. How the f*ck did they get "four outs" there? Quite the d-bag.

        1. Kind of like how St. Nicholas gives gifts to good boys and girls at Christmastime?

      1. Yeah, hopefully he can keep those half-innings short, whether we're scoring or not, because Blackburn doesn't look like he's going to be keeping it short.

  45. Okay, it's hilarious, but I can't be the only guy who thinks this bobblehead is ridiculously mean-spirited, can I? Of all the moments in 1991 we could commemorate, we choose to rub our noses in Atlanta's face? I don't know, man.

    3. Well, Kirby's fist pump has already been immortalized in plastic. Maybe Gladden jumping onto the plate?

    4. Instant Karma's gonna get you
      Gonna knock you off your feet

      httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqP3wT5lpa4

      Is this the source of the local's Sucktion?

    5. I completely agree with you, but what don't you and I agree about when it comes to anything even tangentially baseball-related?

    6. My take is somewhat different. At the end of the day, baseball ought to be light entertainment, and that is a big moment from a big series that gives Twins fans a chuckle. I can see where a Braves fan might shake his head at it, but if it's really that big of a deal to them, they might want to re-evaluate their priorities.

  50. Dick: "I want to do that for a living. Read a couple of lines, read the title of the movie..."

    Me: "I want you to do that for a living too."

    1. And all that after Dick(?) mentioned that the Hosers were a "notoriously free-swinging team." I know these wads use that to mean "they strike out a lot," but some of the guys they have strike out a lot because they don't swing very often. If there's a notoriously free-swinging team in this game, it's the home squad with all their uno business.

          1. My only choice is to either suffer or not be able to hear baseball, so I figure, as many guys here as possible should suffer with me.

      1. If that was the League of Nations, what does that make our current infield? Freedonia?

      3. I remember Guzman's lazy throws to first. He had an arm, but didn't bother to line up his throws very often.

  55. Sweet Jeepers, did Bert say there was a young lady named "Carew" (after Rod Carew) in the booth? I heard that incorrectly, didn't I? Please?

      1. Strikeouts, eh? If only the Twins had a starting rotation that could strike a guy out here and there.

  63. Nice job walking the guy hitting .166 TWICE.

    Not like that will come back and haunt you.

    Free Slowey NOW!

    1. That pussy wouldn't pitch out of the bullpen for the team!! Let him rot in AAA and trade him for a shitty reliever in the offseason!

      1. In fact, just for fun, here's a list of Twins with a lower OBP than Adam Dunn as a result of his high walk total: Valencia, Repko, Plouffe, Morneau, Nishioka, Tolbert, Butera.

  67. I think Revere was safe, but I feel at least somewhat better knowing that Tolbert would have been a lock to ground out weakly into a double play anyway.

    1. Here's a shocker: an out machine can't get a clutch base hit. Hitting into that garbage grounder after seeing one pitch really grates my cheese, though.

      1. Yeah, I'm pretty borderline ready to go play Bioshock or read A Dance with Dragons. I'm feeling really lethargic about games in which Thome isn't in right now.

  69. Alright, watching Blackburn walk all the guys who can't hit and generally suck sucks. I'm gonna check out this score in the morning.

  71. I was hoping I'd get to use this for a K, but that doesn't seem likely, so it'll recap Blackburn's total for the evening.

    1. S.E.: Yeah, have been doing some telecom, internet sales. Keeps me busy.

      Me: Cable guy.

    2. I always use classic gameday. I can't figure out what New Coke Gameday is better at than classic.

  79. I don't know what else to do tonight. I'm sorta watching the game by default. I'm in a tense enough mood that any video game will result in a blue streak a mile wide. I can't really focus enough to read. I'm on my 12th episode of "How It's Made" in a row (approx.).

    1. Are you on edge because you've taken in so much of the same show in a row, or is that the only thing keeping you from killing again?

          1. Science Channel, 202 here in Des Moines. No idea what it is out there for you. Right now they're making carbon fiber brake discs.

            2. Quick Des Moines story here - I used to do summer cabin type work on the lake up in Park Rapids as a kid. One lady (from Des Moines) had me do some work on her place - when done, she'd say, "how 'bout ten, or nine dollars?"

              The guy down the lake, from Chicago, had me rake his yard. When done, he'd start peeling twenty's from his wallet, and said "tell me when to stop."

              Nuff-said about Des Moines.

                1. I suppose the way I said that might be ambiguous. It's 30 minute episodes made up of 4 segments, about 6-7 minutes each. But the "Picture PIcture" analogy is still valid.

                    1. I knew you knew what "Picture Picture" was, I just wanted to be a little more clear so that you didn't think it was a 1/2 hour solid of how to make crayons or whatever.

  82. For a 4-3 game, the gamelog here seems pretty downtrod. Of course, that might have something to do with the Twins being on their third pitcher already, eh?

    1. I'm starting to put some pretty delicious wine in my belly, so I should be on the happy side for a while. Then, if I drink enough, I'll snap and turn back into a total bitch.

    2. Sorry, I guess fourth pitcher. No, wait, it's Capps- make that four and a half pitchers- only adds up to 2 major league pitchers, though.

      1. No, wait, it's Capps- make that four and a half pitchers

        Hee! New fat jokes are hard to come by. My best friend is a tank, so I appreciate variations on fat jokes, at the very least.

    3. I've been pretty down for about a week now, magnified by the events transpiring between me and the future-sorta-ex-maybe-not mo chailín since Tuesday. This game isn't anything compared to that. It's just a game.

        1. Thanks man. I appreciate it. It's been really rough, but I'm working on it the best I can. I don't mind sharing this here because you are all such a great group of guys, but I actually scheduled an appt with a mental health counselor through work. I've been messed up enough lately to know I need help. Hence no beer tonight watching the game, just in case.

          Word to those out there, if you fuck up, own up to it. A little lie to try to smooth things over will eventually snowball until you might have lost your best friend.

          3. Counseling is well worth it. I'm nowhere near as open as many of you cats here at the WGOM, but it has been a difficult last 18-24 months for me. Going to a counselor really helped clear things up and help me get through the rough patches and hard decisions that have come along.

              1. True, it probably would have been worth it to get over my extreme privateness and share more here during the whole ordeal.

        1. That girl was essentially called out as a serial liar by her best friends (one even mentioned she'd tried to do it before). Kobe's still a tool, though.

  85. Well, if you're gonna hit someone, might as well be AJ.

    I remember back when he was on the Twins. Even then he was an asshole, but at least he was our asshole.

    1. Oh, it was Quentin. Gameday was a little misleading there. It flashed "HBP" on the lightboard and had a picture of AJ as being the batter, and the Summary hadn't updated yet. I see now.

    2. Even then he was an asshole, but at least he was our asshole.

      I don't remember if it was here or what, but I've typed that exact thing.

      1. Yeah, I know I've seen that sentiment in pretty much that exact wording here before.

  86. Quentin hit by a pitch? Shocking. I say bean that dude (not in the head, keep it low) on the first pitch every time he comes up for the rest of the series.

  91. Dick: "[Buehrle] has such success with his speed and tempo on the mound you wonder why more pitchers don't do it."

    Because most pitchers don't have his talent, you ass. If they threw everything without thinking, they'd walk everyone.

        1. (late by 13 hours) *points to top of gamelog* Their strikeout rates are very close. The talent part, totally.

    2. As much as I dislike the Twins announcers right now, I'm starting to get worried about what assclowns they are going be replaced with.

  92. At least we have 3-4-5 to start the bottom, right? And if Perk doesn't go BOSO on me, I'll get a save from Santos in the Half-Bakef league.

    Win-win as far as I'm concerned.

    1. Crap, Bueherle (or however the eff you spell it) is only at 94 pitches. So if the Twins lose, not only do they not win* I don't get a save.

      *Holy redundancy Batman

      2. Or, even worse, they bring in a lefty and not their closer. You just can't win, Mags.

  95. At least Kubel had a decent game. It's nice to have him back and hopefully he can pick up more or less where he left off.

    Kubel had a .185 WPA today. The only other Twins batter in the positive was Nishioka with .019

  97. If I thought I'd actually fall asleep, I'd go to bed right now. I'm exhausted, but not enough to keep my brain from racing when I lay down. I'll probably need another hour of mindless TV, at least.

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