21 thoughts on “2013 Game 153: Minnesota Twins at Oakland A’s”

  1. Liriano pitching in the eighth. Just struck out the first batter and he's at only 83 pitches. The Pirates figured out how he can get strikeouts and pitch efficiently.

    1. Liriano now brings his hands over his head briefly when pitching from the windup. I don't recall him ever doing that with the Twins.

      1. Instead the closer starts the ninth. Probably the right idea to keep Liriano's workload low for the postseason.

      1. I'm happy for Liriano and the Pirates, but I get tired of people talking like the Pirates figured out something the Twins never did. His K and BB rates are pretty much identical to his career rates. His GB rate is better than for his career, but not as good as 2010. This year, he's allowed a career-high LD rate and yet his BABIP of .293 is well below his career .307. He has a career-low HR/FB ratio despite a career-low tying IF/FB ratio, meaning very few popups. His pitches per PA are tied for his career best, but that was tied with 2010, when he was just a better pitcher with bad luck. He's not doing anything the Twins haven't seen. If he can keep it up for the next couple years, then I might wonder what other teams have done that the Twins couldn't.

        1. How does his current defense match up with what the Twins put in the field behind him? I'd think that LD rate would be helped when it's not _elmon & Willingham chasing them.

  2. The Twins have really gotten into a groove. Race to the Bottom, this time with feeling.

    Losses Seasons
    88 1990 1995 *2013*
    89 1978
    90 1961
    91 1986 1993
    92 1983 1998
    93 2000
    94 1997
    96 2012
    97 1999
    99 2011
    102 1982
      1. I was thinking about that, too. The Twins teams of the last three years have at least been half-way competitive over the first four months or so of the season, and then fallen off the ledge at the end. I don't know how much of that is Gardy's fault: there have been injuries, there have been trades, there has been the use of young players who haven't done much. But it really has been discouraging to watch them limp to the finish line the last three seasons.

  3. It was unfair of Gardy to make these young players stay up past their bedtimes just to play a game of baseball. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes when their moms start calling. We'll just have to settle for 74-88!

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