2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 58: Cubs at Twins

115 Comments

Samardzija
v
Diamond

The Twins are 8-2 in their last ten games, which is the best in the majors. Plus, they're only a game and a half behind the Royals. Time to beat up on some more NL teams and move firmly into "mediocre".

115 thoughts on “2012 Game 58: Cubs at Twins”

  1. Thanks for the pickup on this, sean. I just realized about 5 minutes ago what day it was and rushed in to half-ass it. Glad someone had it covered.

  3. Heh. Bert commenting that Mauer is a good interleague hitter. He's hit .319 against NL teams but .322 overall. Seems like he's... a good hitter overall!

  4. Twins are 13-8 since May 16, which is the third-best record in the AL in that stretch.

    1. This is all starting to make me wonder just how good this guy really is. Fangraphs has his xFIP at 3.05 so far this year - not otherworldly like he's been, but certainly better than anyone else on the staff. His FIPs throughout the minor have never been particularly great, but never that bad, either.

            1. I don't put nearly as much stock in Gleeman and you and Ubes, so I'm suddenly unsure of who else I saw that was livid over that whole thing.

              1. I will admit I like him more than I used to. His strikeout is down some, but his ground ball and walk rates are among the elite.

                1. Naturally, he's struck out four in four innings today along with his usual 5:2 groundout:flyout rate and no walks.

                2. I was looking at some of his peripheral stats on bb-ref, and it's not as if batters are getting horribly unlucky on his pitches, either (just over .300 BABIP), he doesn't give anyone a free pass, and he keeps the ball in the park... that's two thirds of it, right there, right?

                  1. Yep. But, since he's walked so few, his K/9 will under estimate the number of strikeouts he gets, like Maddux. Also, the league average starter K-BB difference is 3.7 while Diamond's is 4.5. That means above average in the most important categories. I think this might deserve a more in depth post about...

    1. I have to say, I've been impressed by what I've seen from Plouffe when he's been given a fairly regular starting gig at third this year.

      1. at the very least, i'm glad they pulled back from that "no IF" thing for plouffe.

    2. Just judgin by eye and no stats to back this up, but Plouffe seems to have a more accurate arm playing third than he did playing SS.

      1. I wonder if moving to a new position and staying there changed things just enough that he can throw successfully again. He didn't play third at all for the Twins before this year, but he had in the minors, so I don't know. Whatever works I guess.

  10. I was out messing around with hay bales (cause you know, gotta do that kind of stuff on the hottest days of the year!) and missed the first part. How did the Twins score their runs?

    2. Willingham singled to start the second, Morneau singled (first and second now), Doumit flied out, wild pitch advanced runners, Plouffe grounded out (Willingham scored), Dozier singled (Morneau scored), Dozier "caught" stealing.

    4. Hay bales? Were you baling hay today? My co-workers favorite thing to do on days like today, I kid you not, is to bale hay. He's doing it today - he told me yesterday was happiness in his voice.

      1. Yeah, I help my uncle out. I dont mind doing it, it just seems like whenever we are working out in the fields, its the hottest, most humid days of the summer.

            1. How about try cleaning a corn bin on a hot day, with a severe hangover? Mmm, fermented, rotting corn!

  15. That was actually some interesting info from Bert about Wilson/Rawlings baseballs in the minor leagues.

    1. I didn't listen to all of it, but the baseballs used in the minor leagues are different than the majors. The seams are larger/protrude more and the ball is rougher in general. Major League balls are only used by rehabbing MLB pitchers. I have no idea why MLB teams don't mandate the same ball throughout the organization, as it would make the jump to the bigs easier.

      1. Pat Neshek wrote about the transition to the different baseballs at his blog years ago. He said that the leather is much finer than what is used in the minor leagues, and the his first pitch slipped out of hand and went wild. I'd assume there's a significant cost increase which is why they use inferior leather in the minors.

        1. There's a 15-20% cost difference. But, teams are investing millions into these players and then cheap out on everything else.

    1. of course the one time they're playing chicago it's not on FOX. wankers.

    1. the Brewers can move back to the AL and the Twins take their place in the NL Central. Then, we can play them 19 times!

          1. you tell me that his avg was .316, and I'd've assumed that his SLG was 1.264.
            I see that he hit a double today. Nevermind.

  28. Revere's hitting .326. Assuming he doesn't change much (good range, weak arm; few walks and not much power; good speed on the bases), how high an average does he need to hit for to make him a solid starter?

    1. B-R has him at +3 batting runs. Combined with solid defense, he's at 1 WAR already this year in only 24 games. So, I think .326 is high enough.

      1. Yes, .326 is good, though it would be impressive if his average is this high at the end of the year. But not unpossible given his minor league numbers.

  29. was there a kid sitting behind the 3rd base on deck circle holding a sign that said 'Save Ferris' ?

  37. Someone's probably mentioned this already, but the batter's eye in Gameday still has the trees.

    2. i'm still upset about the removal of the trees. i thought that was one of the coolest features of the ballpark.

      1. Right, and it seems to have helped the Twins [' opponents] so much!
        omit the bracketed text if you wish to read with sarcasm

      1. He could give up 6 4 more runs and still get the save (once it's a 3-run lead, it's Capps time).

        edited before posting: Is it Spookying a homer if it's Soriano vs. Gray? I mean, that's more like deduction or probability or something.

        1. Yeah, I don't really think that counts.

          Also, I'd love it if he run it right up to the edge and still got the save. Giving up 7 runs in three innings? Save!

        2. Only if he gives up four more runs and doesn't get an out. If he can get two outs before giving up the fourth run, I think Gardy will let him face one or two more batters.

  41. Bert, giving up two hits an inning means you're going to suck. Radke may have given up two hits in an inning many times, but his WHIP was a very respectable 1.26.

  43. Two-thirds of the way to the save! Please, please leave him in Gardy. Especially if he gives up four runs in the ninth.

  49. Subject of Cubs postgame show: "What can the Cubs learn from Joe Mauer?"

    Umm...be better at baseball?

Comments are closed.