2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 32: Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins

487 Comments

Kyle Drabek
v
Nick Blackburn

The MLB preview said Drabek struggled with his control in his previous starts, walking five. I expect he'll end up walking the Twins hitters that can actually take walks, leaving the rest to flail at his pitches out of the zone.

487 thoughts on “2012 Game 32: Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins”

  1. I was going to write something snarky about Blackie not walking anyone 'cause they're all too busy hitting homeruns, but I lost interest halfway through.

    1. I started to reply on this, but the new Dallas series preview caught my attention. Really? Hagman is still alive?

  2. Hey, Mauer's behind the plate today so there's only two catchers in the lineup- that's gotta be a good sign, right?

  4. Pitching duel in New Britain. David Bromberg just gave up his first hit in the top of the fifth. Still scoreless in the bottom of the fifth. Rock Cats looking for their first hit against the Phillies' Trevor May.

    1. Bromberg finished after six: 0R, 1H, 4BBs, 7Ks. Still no score and no hits for New Britain.

    2. May lifted in 7th after a walk and hbp and 109 pitches. Evan Bigley gets a hit off the reliever to end the no-hitter and put the Rock Cats ahead 1-0. May is in line to lose a game he did not allow a hit.

  5. With Rochester trailing by three runs in the fourth, Clete Thomas, batting fifth, bunts with runners on first and second and no outs and is actually credited with a sac bunt. Wings score one run in the inning on an infield out. #Twinsbaseball

  8. I am really excited about the Memphis/Clippers game tonight, you guys.

  9. Welp, I'm at target field right now. This is my first rain delay. Pretty boring. I think I might start booing.

    1. The rain represents Joe Mauer which represents the Twins which represents our dreams which represents our failure. This is why we boo the rain and all that is represents.

  10. I think this stat is more because the Twins pitchers suck than being a good hitting park

    Dustin Morse ‏ @Twins_morsecode
    Hitters are batting .289 at Target Field this season, only Coors Field (.298) has produced a higher batting average.

  11. Is this thing starting?

    Given how the Twins have been playing and the fact that I want to get up early to run tomorrow, I doubt I'll make it past the first few innings anyway.

    1. 9pm start time I guess
      which kinda stinks, I got a 6am wake up call. The team is dreadful, but I still like watching them.

      2. You must be as masochistic as I am.

        With Twins' starting pitching right now, you'd think every opposing hitter is Matt Stairs.

    2. I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the more poorly attended game logs of the season.

      2. I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the more poorly attended games logs of the season.
        FTFY.

  14. I thought I was missing the game while I was helping dismantle an expensive piece of processing equipment, but I see the demolition is just getting started here.

      1. Stainless steel heat exchanger that had leaky tubes, cutting it up to sell for scrap.

        1. I asked because I have spent a significant part of my career dealing with processing equipment. Didn't do a lot with tubular heat exchangers, though, mostly plate which are easy to dismantle but a pain to install.

          1. Plate and frames are a PITA to get back together, but at least if a plate goes bad, you don't end up junking the whole damn thing. I've operated and repaired a lot of both types, but I like shell-and-tubes a bit more except for when they go bad like this one.

            1. True enough, which is why its fortunate that, back when I was dealing with that sort of product I was doing it rarely enough that they were basically lasting forever. So based on that, plate was far more of a PITA for me. I'm happy to be dealing with burners now as they are generally pretty easy to take apart and put together.

                1. Yeah, we make burners for those types of applications, as well as for heating air, glass and metal production, food processing, and drying applications. I'm a test engineer there, so I'm firing various burners every day. I actually enjoy going into work for the first time in about 4 years.

                  1. Neat- we've got some package boilers and some big Barr-Rosin product dryers that use nat gas burners. Other than trouble-shooting codes on the burner management when the flame goes out, they're generally pretty easy to get along with.

                    1. If the burners are green, they're probably ours. Checking out the Barr-Rosin site, I don't think we supply to them, though.

    1. See: game log intro. Already predicted and added the appropriate amount of pessimism.

      1. Huh. I did not see that. Prescient.

        Though Drabek has been making it pretty easy so far, so I fully expect the bottom half of our lineup to come up hacking first pitch.

    1. Can't hit what you can't reach. Maybe the Twins can score via walks and ground outs/fly outs.

    2. funny, during the rain delay I was adding/subtracting music on my mp2 player and just added that song. I havent listened to that album in ages, and still dont really like it. but like that song!

      1. I was really disappointed with the rest of the album, but agree - like that song.

  32. Yes, Doumit. The pitcher has thrown 16 of his first 22 pitches out of the strike zone, so of course you gotta swing at a couple out of the zone.

  40. I never would have guessed that the Twins bench would be happy with Doumit's hit.

  43. Wow he can't get his fastball over for a strike. This seems exploitable...as long as the Twins stop swinging at it.

  46. Serious question, who is the Twins best starter right now?

        1. I don't get it. If he can't throw with his one arm, why don't he just try with t'other? -Twins Medical Staff.

        2. That reminds me, I need to prove that Baker hasn't been a big pussy his whole career after going up 0-2 on a batter. My brother seems to freekin hate the guy and thinks he nibbles when he gets ahead.

          1. In other words, if anyone is bored enough to do my due diligence for me, that would be awesome.

          2. Baker was a useful litmus test when I wanted to know whether the person I was talking to was remotely knowledgeable about baseball in terms that weren't spoonfed to them by television or radio.

            1. I got a real funny look from him and my step-dad when I said Baker was one of my top five favorite Twins players over the last 10 yearsy

          3. I'll do it if you can clarify it a bit. Do you mean Baker being terrible on at 0-2 count? Or perhaps not having an out pitch?

            2. The gist of his argument was that Baker would get ahead 0-2 on a batter, then nibble away at the corners of the strike zone and walk the guy or give up a hit.

            3. With two strikes, batters have an OPS of .545 against Baker. 0-2 is .495, 1-2 is .468, 2-2 is .544, and 3-2 is .755. Seems like he does just fine.

              1. With a full count, Baker's BABIP against is .244 compared to his career average of .304. So, with less than three balls, opposing batters hit like Brandon Wood (but better than Butera, Baker is good but not that great).

                1. At a full count, opposing batters were roughly league average against him. Probably a bit better since the .755 OPS is OBP heavy (.416).

                  1. Thanks, sean. I will relay that info to my brother and try to explain what it means when I get the inevitable blank stare.

    7. Scott Diamond currently leads all Twins starters in brWAR. How about that.

    8. Diamond is the only current starter with a positive WAR. The others are all negative, headlined by Pavano's -0.2.

      1. Slowey isn't even the best starter in Columbus.

        (Of course that doesn't mean he couldn't still be the best starter here.)

  48. How are these two new outfielders getting playing time in Minnesota ahead of Ben Revere? This ticks me off as much as any other roster move this season. At least Revere has a chance of being a league average player. Let the dude get ABs against real pitchers.

    1. Gleeman seemed to think it was all about getting regular playing time at AAA instead of being a bench player on the Twins.

      1. It isn't a matter of being a bench player anymore. It is starting over Komatsu and Mastroianni. I just don't get it.

          1. Wasn't he already optioned, though? That would be his option for the rest of the year, right? I'm often confused by the 'options' rule.

            1. Correct. It's an option year. The team has three (or four) years to use it as many times as they want.

            2. Me too. I just guessed. The Twins also tend to make a lot of stupid personnel decisions.

          2. Options only count once for the whole season, methinks.

    2. Revere's OPS this year is higher than last year's. I would say Komatsu versus Revere is a push; depends on how Komatsu's arm is in right. But, I think Revere should be ahead of Mastroianni if he's going to be playing even three-quarters of the games.

  49. Drabek's not gonna have any more problems with rookies swinging at balls bouncing in front of the plate.

        1. Considering the current status of Twin's third baseman, its much too painful to think about Koskie.

  60. Gardy was really overmanaging there. Instead of giving Mauer a chance with 1st and 3rd, he doesn't even get to the plate. BJs announcers were just talking about how dumb it would be to try and steal with Drabek having such awful control problems.

    1. Yeah, he's not exactly giving his apologists (which up until recently, I very much was) much to work with there.

      1. He's getting desperate I think. If the Twins are in first place, I'm not sure he tries that.

  62. I've noticed that Parmelee does that from time to time. I wonder if he had a bad experience with a runner stepping on his ankle or something?

    1. Meh, not that this was an actual instance of Parmelee pulling.

      Also, holy crap for ground balls to the pitcher - holy crap for makeup calls.

  65. That break at 3rd just got taken away at 1st.

    And then given back at 2nd.

    Wait, good call at 2nd.

  68. John Olerud should be the first base coach for the Jays.

        1. There is no way that anyone knows that...no way.

          That is a very dangerous assertion to make in regards to a baseball statistic.

          1. I am 90% sure he knew that and was waiting for the searchers of this fine community to track down the answer.

            I know I was.

      2. looks like 11 held by several pitchers back in the 1920's. 12 is the extra inning record

  70. The Gameday scout says Drabek is trying to tie up Mauer with fastballs inside because he is hitting .470 on them.

  72. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    (too bad there weren't runners on first and third)

      1. I was just thinking about the unathletic dive at the Mauer hit, wild pitching Joe to 2nd while facing the 4, 5 & 6 hitters, 80+ pitches after 3 innings...I guess I was hoping he'd follow Twins pitcher form and meltdown for 3 or 4 runs.

  80. Josh Hamilton hit another HR tonight, but Elvis Andrus was not on base. Hamilton had hit something like 7 or 8 straight two run HRs and Andrus was the man on base.

  81. In my quest to find the shittiest craft beer I have another candidate. A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across Sierra Nevada Torpeda which is an IPA. I could barely drink it. I may have found a worse tasting beer -- New Belgium Somersault which is a summer ale. At this rate I think I'm just going to stick with Summit Pale Ale with a Surley or two for special occasions.

        1. except that the Somersault is indeed mediocre.

          the Torpedo, on the other hand....

  85. I changed the channel for a minute to watch the weather...what the heck happened?

      1. Rasmus smashed a single to right and rounded first hard. Mastreionnasinni hit the cutoff and Rasmus was caught in a rundown. Parmelee tagged him, blue called him safe (as in "missed tag") but then said Rasmus was out of the base path and called the out. He was tagged by Parm-parm, but was not out of the base path.

        2. It's not often you see the ump blow a call and give a make up call on the same play.

      2. thats good!
        but a run scored
        thats bad!
        but it comes with frogurt
        thats good!
        but the frogurt is haunted
        thats bad!

  87. This is a pretty hilarious game so far. A foul ball came within one row of me. Also, I've had a number of beers.

    1. to be fair, Drabek actually threw some strikes that inning and not balls hitting in front of home plate.

      1. Not sure if you're serious or setting me up but, yes - 71 pitches, 4 hits, 2 runs (both earned), 2 BB and 3 K's.

  96. Alright, if the Twins don't score 8 runs this inning, I'm going to bed. Also, if they score 8 runs, I'm going to bed.

  110. The BJs should keep Drabek in the game just to throw that sinker to the rookies when they have two strikes on them.

  114. Dick: It's like Villeneuva doesn't want to give him a fastball.
    Me: Ya think?

  131. If the Twins were stealing signs and relaying them home from 2nd, you should couldn't tell on that Plouffe AB.

  143. that is the 7th time this year the Twins have scored 4 or more runs in an inning. 3 times they scored 4 in the first inning.

  149. I was going to get upset at Blackie until I saw the location of that pitch on Gameday. Next time, just hit him.

          1. Just saw the video and noted two things:

            1. you're right, that was an awful pitch.
            2. Blue Jays fans are just as bad at giving high fives.

            1. And I learned from the Thames home run that those same Jays fans appear to be annoying douche bags.

  151. I was thinking how many HRs would Bautista was on the Twins and played 81 games at Target Field. 90? Then I remembered, that he wouldn't be facing Twins pitchers.

    2. Something tells me he won't be shocked tomorrow when he sees it didn't hold up.

          1. Well, it was called 50 First Dates, but the fact that socal misnamed it and you didn't notice probably says a lot about how many people here have seen it.

  158. Dazz: "Blackie getting a nice hand as he exits."

    Me: umm, the crowd was pretty silent. What is he listening to?

    1. Including terrible Tweets. (sorry, but that Bam Bam comment is not funny or witty in any way.)

  163. Here's the boxscore for the game mentioned on the broadcast. 10 home runs in one game! This is crazy:

    HR: E Whitt 3 (17, 1 off T Arnold, 1 off M Griffin, 1 off K Dixon; 2nd inn, 0 on, 0 outs to RF; 5th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to CF; 7th inn, 2 on, 2 outs to RF); R Mulliniks 2 (10, 1 off E Bell, 1 off K Dixon; 2nd inn, 1 on, 0 outs to LF; 3rd inn, 0 on, 2 outs to RF); F McGriff (19, off T Arnold; 8th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to RF); R Ducey (1, off M Kinnunen; 7th inn, 2 on, 2 outs to LF); L Moseby (23, off K Dixon; 2nd inn, 1 on, 2 outs to RF); G Bell 2 (45, 1 off M Kinnunen, 1 off E Bell; 3rd inn, 0 on, 0 outs to LF; 6th inn, 0 on, 2 outs to LF).

  167. "So many of the starters are the same from [the 2010 team]. Blackburn, Liriano, Pavano..."

    Dick, that's three pitchers. They had nine pitchers start for them that year. One of them you two insulted all of last year (Slowey had 13 wins), another ran into the Twins medical staff, and Duensing had a surprisingly good (lucky?) year.

    1. btw, the local card shop owner noted that the Twins in '73 and '74 (I think) seasons only had 13 pitchers pitch for them the entire season, period, and even then a couple threw less than 10 innings!

      1. 13 pitchers in '73 with one (Jim Strickland) throwing a mere 5.1 innings. In '74 they also used only 13 pitchers, but Danny Fife (4.2) and Tom Johnson (7.0) had under ten innings plus Jim Hughes has 10.1. The four starters pitched 983.1 innings or 67.6% of all innings.

    4. More seriously, he now has a 4.37* FIP. The peripherals are Blackburn-esque.

      * Thanks for live update FanGraphs! That is really sweet.

  170. The give back runs were just to create a save situation for Crapps. Thus increasing his trade value when he gets another all important save.

    1. It wouldn't shock me in any way if the Blue Jays let the Twins win one game this series here to get a Capps save so the Yankees trade for him. I'd want that guy in my division.

        1. Blue Jays hitter: "Haha, look at this crappy pitch. I'll just pop it up quick. The Yankees will want this guy for sure with this 'save'."

          /hits go-ahead home run

          "shit, this guy sucks."

  171. I know this game started two hours late, but damn this is a slow game. Bottom of the sixth now, two and a half hours after first pitch.

  174. the FSN broadcast was talking about not airing the game on Tuesday against the Indians. it got me looking at the schedule and it is a get away day game for a 2 game set. crazy.

  175. the last time Joe Mauer had 3 walks and a hit in one game was August 5th 2006

    1. I'm pretty sure that was an infield single to the SS, too. Burton has been a very pleasant surprise (well, a surprise for me- I think it was DK that thought he'd be pretty good).

  178. Jays feed just showed Ricky Romero blowing a bubble that was bigger than his head. On a lot of days that would be the most entertaining thing on the broadcast.

  179. Shift can't defend against the walk! Also, Lawrie (I think) was really far into right field against Doumit.

    1. Last game before the road trip. Twins scored at least six runs in three consecutive games (and lost two of them).

  186. Well, I didn't like bringing in a pinch runner right there, but the Twins don't score a run right there without it.

  187. Dick praises Gardy for working with only 3 bench players...

    And whose fault is that?

  190. You know, when we score a run or four, it would be nice to get at least one out before giving them right back.

  191. Almost 10 pm in Cali, log on here and am happy to see Twins with a lead and nearly 400 posts in this thread. Good work, fellows!

  192. i'm sipping on a high life i scavenged from the `rent's fridge, but i stuck it in a wrist weight that i found lying around, so i feel like i'm getting my exercise too.

    1. I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the more poorly attended game logs of the season.

      -FirstTime "hitman" LongTime
      May 11, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    2. Soon to be the number one this year. Have a ways to go to match last year's high of 492 though.

  207. Take that, BABIP! Last year, that inning would have ended with at least three more runs scoring.

    2. It's all about Mary Elizabeth. This game is a turning point for the season!!!!111one111!!!

  209. when Darren Oliver starting pitching in the majors in 1993, the Blue Jays won the World Series

    1. Wow. When they won that series, I remember talking about it as a 9th grader with my friends in a wing of the high school that hasn't existed for 15 years. Good for you, Darren Oliver.

    1. I'm with the "Blue Jays are trying to get Capps onto the Yankees" theory.

      It makes the most sense out of anything I've heard or seen tonight.

  211. So, either Capps goes 1-2-3, or he faces Bautista with at least the tying run on base. No pressure.

  213. the Cubs and Brewers got a 2 hour start on the Twins, and they are still playing. 13th inning the Beertown

  214. In honor of his first major-league hits and RBI's, I present- MastroYanni.

    I blame this on the rain delay, since otherwise the game would have been done before I had the urge to half-bake something.

        1. FTFYA.

          you're linking the page the pic is on, but not the direct link to the pic itself.

          1. OK- I know I've managed to put an image in using the URL tag before, but maybe some kind soul ninja-fixed that one for me, too. Thanks, hj!

  216. Mauer doesn't mess up the straight up pop-up. Capps actually seemed vaguely like he would make the catch if Mauer couldn't, unlike Marquis.

    1. that's... uh, what?

      that really doesn't say much about the `11 and `12 seasons.

      1. True, but Game 162 had quite a few LTEs (492). This is probably top ten in WGOM history, but I don't have totals for them. I do remember several numbering into the 600s over multiple posts.

        1. i think the last playoff posts spilled over a couple times, but to be fair, about a third of the posts were just geoff swearing.

          1. As best as I can tell, we haven't had multi-part game logs yet. However, I forgot about WS Game 6 last year and that had 527 LTEs.

            1. well, the .org has a bit more torque which so far hasn't made multiple posts necessary, right?

        2. I'm not even sure why this one got so many. Did we just have a lot of people here?

          Are we just that desperate for a decent win?

          1. I counted at least 20 citizens contributing tonight and yes, we are that desperate for a win, decent or otherwise.

  224. Hmmm. Interesting. Throw the wild pitch to leave first base open for Bautista. Of course, we need to get Escobar first.

  229. Bautista is hitting .188?? Has he gotten all of his hits this season against the Twins?

  241. dude, you can't call the manager "Gardy" your first night with the team. That's "Mr. Gardenhire" to you.

Comments are closed.