Andrew Albers vs. Matt Moore.
Not to say that any of the remaining Twins games look hopeful on paper, but this one really doesn't. They play against a motivated team, facing an All-Star caliber pitcher who strikes out just shy of a batter an inning.
Our fine starter, meanwhile, walks a batter every other start (seriously, he walks absolutely nobody, it's ridiculous - not quite 2005 Carlos Silva ridiculous, but still). Unfortunately, batters are more likely to strike out against the drunk girls at the bar after the game than they are against Albers.
So, obviously this one's a win, right?
Boo for rain delays. Obviously, they should've put a roof on the place.
Apparently it was a really short rain delay.
Maybe it should have been longer.
Or perhaps the Twins are trying to get the game called so they can retry tomorrow.
A part of me would love to have this game called off, just to hear what Joe Maddon would say.
I know "in the hole" is a baseball term going back generations, but somehow having gameday tell me that Doumit is in the hole struck me as amusing.
I learned from the TV pregame show that taking called third strikes is bad. So I guess I should be cheering the fact that the two guys who K'd in the bottom of the first struck out swinging.
Huh, I mentioned in yesterday's gamelog that I hated guys taking called third strikes. It's not that I like swinging third strikes, but if I have to choose between the two, I'd much rather have the one where the guy at least tries to do something, even though he fails.
Albers hardly ever walks anyone, and yet he walked Delmon Young. That's baseball for you.
Another one of those "good" swinging strikeouts. Way to go, guys!
And another. No called third strikes tonight, but golly!
Looks like we can stop pretending that called third strikes are the problem and go back to pretending that not hitting with runners in scoring position is the problem.
I miss Joe Mauer
I know that comment borders on the 'forbidden zone', but it needs to be said
the game is back on
the "game" is back on
FTFY
mucho gracias
Every time I try to type "rain delay" it comes out "rain dealy". I think I'll just call them rain dealys from now on to save time.
the way the weather has been lately, this is a 'big rain dealy' enough though I venture I saw about a .10" in the ol rain gauge.
first drops of rain in a long time
fun Jamey Wright fact: he played on the 1997 Colorado Rockies (man, he is old!) and that team had Minnesota baseball great Brian Raabe playing 2 games
Dazz suggests that Consuela might be charged with an error fielding that. Unpossible!
this game is driving me to drink. Lagunitas IPA.
delmonated.
what is a "shairon martis"???
ok, even I'm giving up on this game.
The Twins are going to drop to 9-23 vs. the AL East. And that's after winning a series at Yankee Stadium. Astros are 9-21 vs. AL East.
Ron Gardenhire finished talking to the press and walked back to his office. He had a glum look on his face. His team had been shutout for the second straight game, and a certain amount of glumnicity was to be expected.
When he shut the door to his office, however, his expression changed. "We did it!" he exclaimed. "We had to sit through a two-hour rain dealy, but we did it!"
"Uh, Gardy," said Scott Ullger. "What are you talking about? All we did is lose another game."
"I know!" Gardy exclaimed. "It's just like I planned!"
"I don't follow."
"Look, who's the one team I can never beat?"
"Well, let's see," said Ullger. "There's Toronto, Boston, this year Kansas City..."
"No, no, no!" Gardy exclaimed. When Gardy is behind closed doors, he tends to exclaim a lot. "I mean the team that always used to knock us out of the playoffs!"
"Gee, Skip," said Ullger, "the playoffs were a long time ago."
"The Yankees!" Gardy exclaimed. "And the Yankees are behind the Rays for the wild card. So if the Rays win, it makes it more likely that the Yankees won't make the playoffs!"
"You mean you lost these last two games on purpose?" asked Ullger incredulously. "Do the players know?"
"That's the beauty of it!" Gardy exclaimed. "With our team, we can stink it up and nobody can tell whether we're trying or not. It's perfect!"
"But shouldn't we be trying to win games ourselves?" asked Ullger.
"There's plenty of time for that later!" Gardy exclaimed. "Even that Jeff A character would have to admit that we're not going to the playoffs this year, anyway. Why, even if we win every game left, we'll still just have to settle for 78-84!"
Race to the Bottom.