Monthly Archives: August 2011

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins

2011 Game 131 Recap: Tigers 8, Twins 1

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Box Score
Fangraphs

Weather: 86 degrees, clear
Wind: 12 mph, out to RF
Time: 2:55
Attendance: 38,918

I woke up with a head pounding like Niagara Falls and a mouth as dry as Death Valley. An empty bourbon bottle lay on its side on the table, another soldier that gave its last full measure. The dame was long gone, more than a month ago now. One night while we were having a few laughs she slipped me a mickey and took a powder, taking the mojo and my wallet with her. Yeah, she played me for a real sap, and I let her. The name's Twayn. I'm a shamus.

I thought I had her angle figured, see? It seemed clear that the dame was setting me up for a double cross. It was the smart move, after all. Hire me to find the mojo for her, then stick a shiv in my back and make tracks. There's no shortage of teams looking for some mojo this time of year, and they're willing to shell out a stack of semollians to get it. Some of them aren't above using a dame to get what they want. I was onto her from the start, but I let my guard down that night. Maybe it was the way her eyes shined in the moonlight, or the sob story she poured out along with the whiskey.

I've heard a lot of sob stories in my day. They mostly went along with the sound of a tinny piano playing in the parlor downstairs. "Mister, I met a man once when I was young," it always began. This one wasn't much different. So I let her set the hook and start reeling. I just didn't figure she'd make her move quite so fast. Now the mojo is gone for good, and things have been going south ever since she flew the coop. Bad pitching, bad hitting, bad defense -- it's pretty much been the perfect storm of horseshit baseball for the team. And to top if off, Jim Thome got shanghaied to Cleveland.

I still watch the games most nights. Call it my self-imposed penance for letting the mojo get away, and since the boys downtown pulled my license I don't have a lot to do these days. But it doesn't take a detective to see the signs of a team that's lost its mojo. A 5-18 record in August, the worst in the major leagues. Six losses in a row, and no more than a run scored in any of them. Hell, the boys haven't scored more than a run in 13 of their last 23 games. And for the first time in franchise history, they've lost six straight games at home.

I pull the covers back and drag my sad sack of bones out of the bed, run fingers through my hair and head for the shower. There's an afternoon game today, and I need to get to the liquor store before first pitch. Maybe I should just get a case this time. I have a hunch it's going to be a long September.

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of 8/26

Rochester 2, Syracuse 0 in Syracuse (Game 1--Scheduled 7 innings).  Aaron Bates hit a two run homer in the fifth for the only runs of the game.  Liam Hendriks worked six innings, giving up five hits and no walks while striking out five.  Jim Hoey pitched a perfect seventh for his eighth save.

Rochester 3, Syracsue 2 in Syracuse (Game 2-- Scheduled 7 innings).  The Red Wings overcame a 2-0 deficit with a three-run third.  Jair Fernandez singled and doubled.  Jeff Bailey had two hits.  Tom Stuifbergen gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and no walks, striking out five in five innings.  Chuck James threw two hitless innings, walking three and striking out four, to get his first save.

New Britain 4, Trenton 2 in Trenton.  The Rock Cats trailed 2-1 after eight before scoring three in the ninth to win.  Joe Benson's two-run triple brought in the tying and winning runs.  Brian Dozier had three hits and Yangervis Solarte had two, with each raising his average to .319.  Andrew Albers went six innings, giving up a run seven hits and no walks.  Deolis Guerra got the win with three innings of work, striking out six while giving up a run on a hit and two walks.  The win moved the Rock Cats to a tie with Reading for the last playoff spot.

Charlotte 2, Ft. Myers 1 in Charlotte (Game 1--8 innings--Scheduled 7 innings).  Omar Luna opened the eighth with a single, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and scored on a single to win the game for the Stone Crabs.  Danny Rohlfing had three hits.  This was the completion of a suspended game, so Tom Stuifbergen, who was the starter of game 2 in Rochester, was the starter in this game as well.  He gave up one run on three hits and a walk in 5.2 innings.  Matthew Tone took over the pitching and took the loss, allowing a run on two hits and three walks while striking  out three in 1.2 innings.

Ft. Myers 6, Charlotte 3 in Charlotte (Game 2--Scheduled 9 innings).  The Miracle scored three in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.  Oswaldo Arcia had two hits.  Angel Morales homered.  Danny Rams drove in three.  Pat Dean pitched seven strong innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and no walks.

Beloit 6, Burlington 3 in Beloit.  The Snappers scored in five of the eight innings in which they batted.  Lance Ray had two doubles.  Nate Roberts and Andy Leer each homered.  Pedro Guerra got the win, giving up an unearned run on four hits and two walks while striking out eleven in five innings.  Bart Carter worked two perfect innings of relief, striking out two, and Jose Gonzalez gave up a hit and struck out three in a scoreless inning.

Elizabethton 11, Bluefield 4 in Bluefield.  The Twins broke a 4-4 tie with seven in the eighth.  Nick Lockwood had two doubles and a single.  Jairo Rodriguez had three hits.  Miguel Sano tripled and homered, driving in five; the home run was his seventeenth.  JaDamion Williams and Niko Goodrum each singled and doubled, with Williams raising his average to .333.  Max Kepler had two hits.  Tim Shibuya pitched six innings, giving up a run on three hits and a walk.  Steven Gruver was awarded the win despite surrendering three runs on four hits and two walks in 1.2 innings.  The win gave the Twins a three game lead over Kingsport for the last playoff spot.

GCL Red Sox 6, Twins 1 at Red Sox.  The Red Sox scored four in the second to take a 5-0 lead.  Dereck Rodriguez had two hits.  Hung Yi Chen yielded five runs (four earned) on seven hits in just 1.2 innings.  Nick Cicio threw three shutout innings, giving up just one hit.

Keeping Track

Where They Stand

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Minnesota is 55-75, fourth in the AL Central, 16 games behind Detroit.  They have lost five consecutive games and are 2-8 in their last ten games.

Rochester is 48-85, sixth in the IL North, 26.5 games behind Pawtucket and Lehigh Valley.  They have lost six consecutive games and are 1-9 in their last ten games.

New Britain is 66-65, third in the EL East, 5 games behind New Hampshire.  They have won one consecutive game and are 6-4 in their last ten games.  They are 1 game behind Reading for the last playoff spot.

Ft. Myers is 22-35 in the second half, fifth in the FSL South, 14 games behind Bradenton.  They have lost two consecutive games and are 2-8 in their last ten games.

Beloit is 26-33 in the second half, fourth in the ML West, 9 games behind Quad Cities.  They have lost five consecutive games and are 3-7 in their last ten games.

Elizabethton is 37-26, second in the AL West, 5 games behind Johnson City.  They have won three consecutive games and are 8-2 in their last ten games.  The Appalachian League season ends August 30.

The GCL Twins are 30-28, second in the GCL South, 7 games behind the Orioles.  They have won seven consecutive games and are 9-1 in their last ten games.  The GCL season ends tomorrow.

The DSL Twins finished 42-26, second in the B. C. B. C., 3 games behind the Orioles.  They lost their last three games and were 6-4 in their last ten games.

Keeping Track

This Week in Twins Transactions

Nick Blackburn was placed on the fifteen day disabled list by Minnesota.
Lester Oliveros was promoted from Rochester to Minnesota.
A player to be named later was acquired from Cleveland for Jim Thome.
Francisco Liriano was placed on the fifteen day disabled list by Minnesota.
Scott Diamond was promoted from Rochester to Minnesota.
Jason Repko was assigned from Minnesota to Rochester.
Jair Fernandez was promoted from New Britain to Rochester.
Caleb Thielbar signed and was assigned to Ft. Myers.
Kyle Knudson was placed on the seven day disabled list by Beloit.
Michael Gonzales was activated from the disabled list by Beloit.
Nate Roberts was activated from the disabled list by Beloit.

Keeping Track

This Week in Ex-Twins

Arizona assigns Kevin Mulvey to AAA Reno.
Cubs promote Randy Bush from assistant general manager to interim general manager.
White Sox place Philip Humber on the fifteen day disabled list.
Cincinnati organization (AAA Louisville) places Corky Miller on the seven day disabled list.
Cleveland acquires Jim Thome for a player to be named later.
Dodgers organization (AAA Albuquerque) activates Randy Keisler from the seven day disabled list.
Yankees organization (AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) releases Terry Tiffee.
Pittsburgh designates Joe Beimel for assignment.
San Diego options Pat Neshek to AAA Tucson.
San Francisco places Eli Whiteside on the fifteen day disabled list, then activates him again.
Toronto organization (AAA Las Vegas) activates Sean Henn from the disabled list.
Toronto sends Bobby Korecky from AAA Las Vegas to AA New Hampshire.

No ex-Twins, but this seemed worthy of note:  Houston recalls J. A. Happ and options J. B. Shuck.

Parentgood

Father Knows Best: Roll With the Changes

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So if you're tired of the
Same old story
Oh, turn some pages
I'll be here when you are ready
To roll with the changes*

It's hard to believe that it has been 17 years since this happened. But it's true. The Boy is now a high school senior, on the cusp of adulthood and of leaving home to start making his way in the world. I don't remember growing older/when did they?

When our babies come into the world, we build fantasy lives for them and ourselves, and then we try to live those fantasy lives and mold our children to our fantasy scripts. It never works out that way. It's always much, much, much worse. And better. And different.

He was a tiny little thing, almost a month premature, having scared the bejeebus out of us for weeks in his rush to escape the womb half-bakef (how appropriate, eh?). And we poured all of our hopes and dreams and aspirations and neuroses into his tiny body. I wanted him to be an athlete, and a scholar, and .... And so much more. I wanted him never to get hurt, but I wanted him to be adventurous. I wanted him to be brave and strong and a leader. And my sweet little boy.

He learned to talk at an early age, and the words came in torrents, in joyous gushes, in imaginative jumbles. He confidently made up labels for things. We would see a large piece of equipment and he would name it with all the self-assurance of a technician, never mind that he had made up the name on the spot. We would take walks in the neighborhood and he would enthusiastically shout out greetings to every child, "Hi, guy!" confident that he was making a new friend, even as they were giving him weird looks. The phone would ring -- nanny and poppa calling, or grandma and grampa -- and he could talk for half an hour without breathing.
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