2013 Twins Game Log

2013 Game 4: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles

192 Comments

The powers that be declared this shall be an unproductive week, thus another day game.

Baltimore sends Jake Arrieta against the mildly above average offense of the Twins. The Twins send their miserly pitching (a mere 2.67 runs a game), starting with Liam Hendriks, to take on the offensive juggernaut of the Orioles (6.67 runs a game!). Unstoppable force, meet immovable object. The Baltimore pitching is anything but immovable though; they are the one team keeping the Twins out of last place in pitcher strikeouts. Feast while you can Twins batters.

192 thoughts on “2013 Game 4: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles”

    1. 🙁

      I notice that this year's Topps Gypsy Queen set has a DeVries auto in it. Must have. (along with Scott Diamond's autograph card in the Topps Turkey Red set)

          1. This was my inclination, though I wasn't sure if the first syllable should be "air" or "arr".

      1. Reddick is a lefty. Can't wait until Robertson faces Reddick with Doumit catching.

      1. I guess I meant among players starting games. Once you get into relievers, all bets are off, especially during the present renaissance of bullpen facial hair styles.

  7. The Orioles' broadcasters talking about how the O's really need to take this series due to the Twins' 'struggling' pitching.

    This reminds of the concept of a 'developing' country.

  13. Dazzle saying the Orioles are "rich in tradition; they're used to winning" -- I'm thinking no, they're rich in tradition and they've had winning seasons, but I wouldn't say they're used to winning.

    1. I wonder if Willingham will be traded at the deadline and have Arcia replace him.

      Arcia's MiLB: .315/.372/.537
      Willingham: .261/.362/.483

  27. I don't know if it's just the quality of pitchers we've been facing, but we've been driving the pitch counts super high in the early innings against just about everyone we've faced through the first few games. I really like that.

    1. It seems to me we've been facing some pretty good pitchers. Not all Verlander-quality, but pretty good.

    2. Hicks, Mauer, Willingham and Parmelee are all known for being patient. Morneau has been much more patient I think because he's feeling good and no pressing. I think Dozier has been more patient than last year. Doumit and Plouffe are the only ones I think of as being more aggressive.

        1. Oh sure, blame it on the visit...that didn't happen until after you asked him to pitch to the score!

  29. Order those playoff tickets! And los yanquis probably won't be there. Will it snow during the WS games???

    1. How did this:

      J. Hardy reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by shortstop Eduardo Escobar. Adam Jones scores. Chris Davis to 3rd. Matt Wieters to 2nd. None out.

      happen?

      1. Escobar fielded it deep in the hole and threw it to Plouffe. Plouffe wasn't expecting it, tried to step on the bag, and missed it. Then he tried to tag the runner and missed again (or so it sounded on the radio).

        1. Thanks - that explanation is a lot more useful than the Gameday provided one above.

      2. Grounder toward the hole at short. Escobar threw to third for the force. Plouffe wasn't ready for the throw, wasn't on the base, and couldn't find the base in time.

  39. Maybe it's just me, but the new, league-mandated batting helmets make that white section on the O's lids look just a little too large. I think they need to enlarge the bird's head logo just a tad.

  45. Obviously, Rick Anderson went out and improved Hendriks' body language tremendously.

    1. I haven't tried those ones, but the Cheesy Garlic Bread chips are absolutely amazing. The sriracha ones, however, don't taste anything like the good stuff.

    2. I'm intrigued, but I think I'd rather bum a couple chips off someone else than buy a whole bag of that flavor.

      1. Agree, but keep the maple syrup flavored dip, they already have some of that taste in 'em.

  64. I am still in spring training. I haven't gotten in shape to ignore Dazzle's prattle about safety squeezes yet.

  68. Is it only the end of the sixth? I feel like I've been following this game all afternoon. When the Twins are up by a little I just want the game to end.

  75. This is a confusing plate appearance. Duensing finally has the platoon advantage again and gets pulled for Fien. Now Flaherty has the platoon advantage and Showalter pinch hits Casilla, who technically has the platoon advantage, for him.

    2. Casilla pinch hit for Flaherty and then Fien was brought in. Lexi has pretty even splits and Fien vs. lefties is much better than Duensing vs righties.

  76. Dazz emphasizing that there is a base open in case Gardy wants to pitch around Laddie.

  89. The more relievers you try, the more likely you are to find one that got it today.

        1. I could've fixed it to something else...but I neither condone nor accept profanity. Goodbye.

  91. Don't give up, guys. We can still do this. It's rally time! Grand finale time! Line drive in the alley time!

  94. In 2012, Tyler Robertson's first game: struck out every batter.
    Tyler Robertson's second game: 1K, Runs allowed, Twins lose.

    In 2013, Tyler Robertson's first game: struck out every batter.
    Tyler Robertson's second game: 1K, Runs allowed, Twins lose.

    1. That's part of it, but it's also that (as Beau mentioned above), if we're throwing lots and lots of relievers out there, one of them is going to be a gascan that day. The starters are going to have to get deeper into games than 5 innings, or a lot of the load is going to be on guys like Robertson and Pressly and Roenicke. This is the type of result we can expect from that. I know not every game will be starter-Burton-Perkins, but back to back short starts put a pretty obvious taxation on the bullpen (not that gardy managed it particularly well, this game could easily have been a lot more lopsided).

      1. If Gardy didn't use Burton in a game we trailed, he would have been available today. He used Burton in Wednesday's game because he hadn't pitched in so long. 22 pitches later, the guy is too exhausted to pitch today. If the guy is that fragile, then he should be saved for games when we are tied or leading by two runs or less. As for using Perkins, I don't think that was an option once the game was tied.

  97. I guess a couple of times a year, the breaks are going to go against you. Good for the Twins that they got those couple of times out of the way early. We'll just have to settle for 160-2!

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