2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 28: Heavenly Host at Gemini

200 Comments

First Pitch - 7:10 PM CDT
Television - FSN
Game Notes
Lineups

Jeebus, did the guys at the MLB Genius Bar secretly realign divisions and put us back in the AL West? This makes three series against this stupid Angels team in just over a month. Know how many series we've had against division opponents in that time? One. So yeah, I'm sick and tired of Torii Hunter kicking our collective ass (stop throwing him breaking balls in the strike zone, already!) and having to counter real starting pitching with our currently constituted rotation. It's like charging the beaches of Normandy with a slingshot and a bag of marshmallows for ammo. Oh, and Pujols is starting to hit the ball again. So we have that to look forward to. On the bright side, our offense this year is better than Oakland's. But on the dark side, they are the only AL team with an offense worse than the Twins at the moment.

ON THE HILL

Jered Weaver (4-0, 1.61 ERA, 2.00 FIP, 2.88 xFIP) - Last time out this guy threw a no-hitter. He was one walk and one passed ball from a perfect game. To be fair, he was facing one of the worst hitting lineups since the '62 Mets, but you have to tip your hat anyway. Weaver is the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter, then face the same team in his next start since Derek Lowe did it in 2002.

Francisco Liriano (0-4, 9.97 ERA, 6.75 FIP, 5.44 xFIP, ) - This guy is yet another reminder that spring training hype has all the substance of a popcorn fart. By now everybody except Liriano knows what Liriano's problem is. If pitching smarts were chocolate density, the F-Bomb would be a Three Musketeers bar. Because consistently overthrowing sliders when you get behind in the count only gets you further behind in the count. Consistently.

Play ball!

200 thoughts on “2012 Game 28: Heavenly Host at Gemini”

  1. 1. Denard Span, CF
    2. Brian Dozier, SS
    3. Joe Mauer, C
    4. Ryan Doumit, DH
    5. Danny Valencia, 3B
    6. Chris Parmelee, 1B
    7. Trevor Plouffe, RF
    8. Erik Komatsu, LF
    9. Jamey Carroll, 2B

    Wheeling Ham caught Weaveritis, commonly known as the flu. Lexi with a sore shoulder, so Carroll still can't get a day off even against a nasty righty.

    1. Weaveritis

      I read that as "Weaver tits", which scared me more than the flu does.

    1. Maybe Zeus can lob another lightening bolt or two at Target Field this week.

  3. In the entire history of Major League Baseball, nobody has ever pitched back to back no-hitters against the same team.

    1. That was poorly worded. No pitcher has thrown consecutive no-hitters against the same team.

    1. Lot easier to get a no-hitter when the batters can't reach the down-and-away pitch.

  8. What does everyone have to help them through the game tonight? I've got this.

      1. Millbrook Tocai Friulano - Hudson River region white wine. Not bad with salmon and chèvre crusted with pecan, romaine hearts with jalapeño ranch dressing, and strawberries.

    3. Leftover tequila from Cinco de Mayo. Jose Cuervo, you are a friend of mine.

  10. Dicknbert have said more nice things about Liriano in this inning than they have about Scott Baker in a month of Sundays.

  13. Dazzenstuff posits about how poorer lighting may have helped no-hitters en le ancien regime.

    Um, wouldn't the light be the same for the hitter as the pitcher?

    2. Weren't most games during the day in ye olde games? Or does he mean semi-ancient? Quick counting says 49 no-hitters from 1901-1920 and 19 from 1921-1940.

      1. 1901-1920 Yeah, but that's when the balls were made with auk-feathers wrapped in yak-skins. Not fair to compare to our Modern Ways.

  17. Albert Callaspo now has 28 career HRs. 5 of them against the Twins. ugh

  21. hey Twayn, had a nice discussion with your bro Sunday morning. Had to tread carefully re: football and concussions, as you might guess.

  27. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MjcLdQJB_c

    No Bert, they are standing for the hit.

    2. Make that walk, line drive, line drive, error, line drive and no runs.

    1. I was there, we weren't standing for Weaver. It was a sarcastic cheer for breaking the no hitter.

  33. Seriously, who has cursed this team? What is up with this? It feels like this team never gets any breaks.

    1. It is really painful. Callaspo barely ticks a filthy slider to stay alive and hit a homer. Twins get all three outs on balls that were smashed. Sigh.

      Replant those trees in CF or whatever the hell you need to do to break this curse.

  34. For some reason, I had it in my head that Dozier was a switch hitter.

  38. I show up and this is what I'm greeted with?

    I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

  39. Remember when the Twins got clobbered by the Yanks every year in the playoffs? Good times.

  40. If pitching smarts were chocolate density, the F-Bomb would be a Three Musketeers bar

    You guys remember the Marathon Bar?

  41. Hey guys, did you know Dick Bremer is joining the grounds crew in a few days? I only ask because I'm pretty sure the Twins have more hits in the past week than the number of times it's been mentioned.

    1. people are tuning into games for the sideshows, not the actual baseball

  42. So, let's get this straight... Willingham is out with the flu, okay, these things happen, surely there are plenty of guys on the bench to fill in. Oh, and Casilla has a sore shoulder because, well, why the hell not? He's played in 24 out of 27 games so far, and if there's anything we know, it's that the Twins can't win without Casilla on the field. He's just worn down because he's such a key player.

    And that leaves...Butera. Drew Butera is the entire bench. Maybe the Twins can tie up the game, bring it to 17 innings, and he can be the 9th relief pitcher to enter for the Twins.

      1. ubelmann is believed to be dead, and he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.

    3. Willingham is available to pinch hit! Then Butera needs to come in though.

      1. Would have to be Benson. He's at least played at the major league level. The Twins just enjoy demoting him.

      1. Dick said Benson was the top outfielder at AAA, but the Twins demoted him.

    1. I had made this nifty run expectation chart for the Twins. Now I have to redo it.

      Twins runs (any number of runners, any number of outs): 0
      Opponent runs (any number of runners, any number of outs): \(\infty\)

  54. Scoring runs like that helps reiterate how comical it is that this team can never score.

  61. Serious question, who is the Twins all-star this year? It is Mauer, right? I just want to make sure.

  64. 6 innings in under 2 hours. If they are going to lose, lose quickly.

  65. MLB Scout insinuating that Southstak goes South after 1st 15 pitches...

    2. Nearly any adjective-type word can be improved with a little hyphenating.

      1. I'm just waiting for some school's masters program to have a scandal.

    1. The dreaded vote of confidence. I would think Gardy is more likely to be fired than Ryan. Ryan already GMed over some terrible years in the 90s and he is still just an interim GM.

    2. I dont know what Gardy is supposed to do with starting pitching that cant hold a team to under 4 runs after the 2nd inning 5 out of 7 nights

  73. Dozier at least fields like a shortstop. Now I just hope he doesn't hit like a (Twins) shortstop.

    1. PEANUT BUTTER STOMP.

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

  75. So, by my count that is five outs on line drives this game for the Twins. That doesn't include the leaping catch at the wall by Bourjos. The Twins have three hits, so at best, they are 3-for-7 on line drives and 0-for-15 on all other balls in play. The major league average is about .700 on line drives. Take away the double play (in other words, if it was just one out instead of two and the runners don't advance), the Twins score at least one more run and probably two if the runner at third tagged up and scored on the diving catch in the outfield. Plus, the Twins would have Mauer up with two outs to try to extend the inning.

    1. Eventually the Twins will transition to hitting weak dribblers and outfield bloopers and start scoring runs!

        1. However, you're supposed to do it, I'm pretty sure Span just did it wrong.

  77. A Mauer homerun here followed by a Willingham pinch hit donger. Let's go.

    1. He probably should have been. He was something like 1-for-17 on the road trip. Hopefully, this means he's feeling better.

    1. The Twins have all of 4 strikeouts tonight. I don't think that's the problem.

      1. I'd like for us all to discuss what the problem is. Like a WGOM scouting report.

        I mean, beyond just saying "pitching."

          1. SELECT * FROM active_roster WHERE dude != 'Mauer, Joe' and dude != 'Willingham, Josh';

  91. It's a three run lead, that means we can put in Capps to pitch the bottom of the ninth, right?

      1. I love that it's hands free, cuz, y'know, when you want to finish that TPS report and flagellate.

  98. Just realized the Twins' starting lineup featured three rookies who came into the season with no games played in AAA. They accounted for four of the Twins' six hits (and both errors).

  99. How could Bourjos possibly be hitting .190 with 1 homer this season. I swear he already had 40 hits and 10 homers against just the Twins this year.

    1. It actually works out, since he's had -60 hits and -9 HR against all other teams.

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