I didn't expect that the Twins would break even on that road trip. That was actually pretty fun to watch. Now the work begins. In order to be a properly mediocre team (as opposed to a wretched one), the home team is going to have to follow up that perfectly acceptable road trip with a slightly better home stand. That started poorly yesterday, but what do you expect when the only give Josh Roenicke a three run lead and one inning to keep it?
None-the-less, today, the faithful must press on, confident in the knowledge that the opposition has a rookie on the mound, whereas we have a winless ace going on our side. Plus, the Twins have noted folk heroes Joe Mauer and Oswaldo Arcia in the lineup (I assume they do, anyway, I'm writing this up before the lineups have actually been posted).
It's like we can't lose.
Twins on Leaderboards
rWAR (position players) - Mauer, 10th (1.6)
OBP - Mauer, 10th (.396)
Doubles - Mauer, t-2nd (13)*
Triples - Dozier, t-3rd (2)
Bases on Balls - Willingham, 2nd (24)
Hit By Pitch - Willingham, 1st (5)
Hit By Pitch - Plouffe, t-2nd (4)
Sacrifices - Dozier, t-7th (2)
Sac Flies - Morneau, t-1st (4)
Wins - Correia, t-10th (4)
BB/9 - Correia, 5th (1.350)
Saves - Perkins, 7th (8)
Hits Allowed - Worley, 3rd (55)
Losses - Worley, t-5th (4)
Earned Runs - Worley, t-7th (26)
Earned Runs - Pelfrey, t-10th (23)
Games Fished - Perkins, t-6th (13)
* Yeah, that Fenway series was fun, wasn't it?
Twins Lineup via Twitter
Dozier - 2B
Mauer - C
Doumit - DH
Morneau - 1B
PLOUFFE! - 3B
Parmelee - RF
Arcia - LF
Ramirez - CF
Escobar - SS
Worley - SP
So, yes, both folk heroes are in the lineup tonight.
Every time I hear Gardy rave about the aggressive approach of Arcia, I can't help but think he's putting down the patient approaches of Parmelee and Hicks. I think it is a lot easier to teach a player to swing aggressively when he gets his pitch to hit, especially when ahead in the count, than it is to teach a player to be more patient and/or learn the strike zone.
Whoever is the non-Uecker broadcaster on WTMJ* kept referring to Yuniesky Betancourt as "Betancore", as though the "t" was silent.
*If their nickname isn't "The Jawbone", they're doing it wrong.
welp, looks like Worley's WHIP is going back above 2.000
ready, aim, ARCIA
I missed it. My laptop doesn't have enough juice to run MLB.tv and Sushi Cat at the same time and my feed hiccuped at the wrong time.
deep fly ball. dude on first tries to tag. was out about 2 steps, but the run scored before the out.
why on earth did i search sushi cat on google? candy crush is soaking up enough time, damnit.
Doumit?
I missed the top of the first.
Sort of glad.
maybe because I grew up in a house where fishing was not a big thing to do, but I dont understand the importance of 'the fishing opener' and kind of get sick of hearing about it.
that said, I do have a Jacque Jones fishing lure the Twins gave away years ago.
It's fishing's equivalent of Opening Day for baseball -- life is good again.
why do we even pitch to Markakis any more? throw for the ribs
he'll probably turn on the pitch and jack it to the upper deck.
yeah, no kidding
it seems like the the ball is not tattooed into the OF, Worley is getting a lot of weak grounders back to the pitching mound.
I am loving this Escobar guy
Baby! Pussy RBI.
*yawn* double
Joe 'Doubles, not homers' Mauer
Parm!
That was a confusingly excellent catch.
Chris Rangealee.
giving it right back
bleeping give back runs.
Has everyone seen what Fernando Tatis is doing with his twitter page? This is WGOM-level stuff.
that's pretty awesome
Dig the handicap spot.
yea, that was my favorite.
So, you like art?
Who is more frustrated: Twins fans with Worley or Phillies fans with Revere?
that is a really good question.
Phillies fans with Trevor May.
This, I believe, is the correct answer to this question.
more doubles!
Well, that was a pleasant surprise
Nice
Morneau! nice!
2-out hitting this year has been like the best evah
2 out hitting
I assume the 2013 numbers are not counting tonight.
That 2010 year was kinda good.
So, umm, Dick kind of called this comeback. I mean, I am sure he always predicts the Twins will come back but this seemed a little more prescient.
ugh Plouffe.
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
that was a blast!
Crushed by Donuts.
Mauer is 3 years older than Wieters, but Wieters looks 5 years older than Joe.
F-Bomb with nine strikeouts in his season debut, and only two walks.
somehow I knew if Mrs. Runner & I left for a bite out that the Twins would rally to a lead.
puppies!
Well, this kind of makes up for yesterday
Vance Worley, proven winner
So, Doumit and Joe with good weeks. Nice
What a difference a day makes for the bullpen: 11 batters faced for 11 outs (1 hit allowed, but Duensing got two outs on the first batter he faced). Of course, the two guys that blew up yesterday didn't pitch today, so there's that. They'll probably be needed tomorrow, though.
Kevin Slowey with his first bad start, giving up five runs in 4 2/3 innings to the Dodgers. He gave up 11 hits and an uncharacteristic 3 BBs and 0 Ks.
DicknBert are sleeping better tonight.
Joe Mauer is on a 10 game hit streak (19-42 .452)
of those 19 hits, 9 are doubles
Mauer has had a 3 hit game three of the last four games
Mauer has scored 11 runs during the hit streak including two 3 run games.
JMIVGAB
And zero dingers?
TRADE MAURER
Like Vanimals do, Worley toyed with his prey, giving it the illusion that it might win before he and the rest of the Twins (including that doubles-hitting bear, Joe Mauer) eventually devoured it. We're still on track for 146-16!