2014 Game 2: Twins at Hosers

Correia vs. Paulino.

Your overhauled lineup has Suzuki batting seventh, and hey look, Kubel's cleaning up! I'm happy to see him. Sue me.

This is another one I'll have to try to catch at work, so bring it home, boys.

125 thoughts on “2014 Game 2: Twins at Hosers”

  1. Felipe Paulino, coming off of ulnar collateral replacement surgery, last pitched in the majors in 2012, posting a 1.67 ERA, 252 ERA+, 1.221 WHIP in 37 innings of work. With 2 of KC's minor league affiliates (AAA-AA) last year, he posted a 2.25 ERA, 1.807 WHIP in 27.2 innings of work. SSS and all that.

    Lineups:
    TWINS
    Dozier 2B
    Mauer 1B
    Willingham DH
    Kubel LF
    Plouffe 3B
    Arcia RF
    Suzuki C
    Hicks CF
    Florimon SS
    Correia RHP

    WHITE SOX
    Eaton CF
    Semien 3B
    Abreu 1B
    Dunn DH
    A Garcia RF
    De Aza LF
    Ramirez SS
    Flowers C
    L Garcia 2B
    Paulino RHP

  2. Kubel's rocking #13. Without looking, who was the last Twin to wear that number?

    Actual Spoiler SelectShow
    1. And a quick check of StubHub reveals plenty of tickets right behind the plate for tomorrow's game under 30 bucks. Still going to be too cold to make it worth it.

  3. This first couple of games by Suzuki are encouraging. Or, perhaps there's something to the "lower fan expectations" philosophy the FO seems to be employing?

    1. The only way I'll be happy with Suzuki getting more of the at-bats is if the Twins make the playoffs. Otherwise, I still don't see why Pinto shouldn't be out there regardless of how Suzuki does.

      (How do you tell the old guys to get off your lawn?)

    2. The same could have been said about Ramon Ortiz. And Livan Hernandez. And Trader Clete.

    1. Bases full of Twins, 1 out, top of the order, K, 4-3...yeah, TWINS BASEBALL!!!!

  4. First lead of the year when a pitcher gets ahead of Florimon 0-2 and then walks him. Nice.

  5. The good thing of having such a small crowd is that individual insults to the pitcher are so easy to pick out.

    1. The Twins had a shift (!!!) on. Florimon was on the right side of second base.

      1. Apparently, something clicked:

        ...Ron Gardenhire said he is more receptive to wholesale shuffles, to stacking one side of the infield or narrowing a gap in the outfield, than ever before.

  6. I feel kind of bad for De Aza since eventually he won't be facing Twin's pitching.

    1. Well, if Correia is a giant dumpster fire, maybe that means we'll get to see Deduno or Meyer in the rotation earlier? I'd be fine with that.

    1. Since I'm only on Gameday, I was going to say "...and the defense!", but then Gameday told me it was still the pitcher.

      1. Watching these two teams is like two overly polite gentleman telling each other to go first through the door.

  7. I tuned it at 1-0, step outside for a second and it's 1-3. I'm out, this is my fault.

    1. I tuned it at 1-0, step outside for a second and it's 1-3. I'm out, this is my Correia's fault.

      That's how I would have written it.

  8. Stone and Hawk talking about baseball labor relations. Surprisingly more interesting than the game so far.

  9. Of course its an automatic double instead of the ball rattling around the warning track

  10. Huh, just noticed that Correia has five strikeouts and Dunn only counts for one of those.

  11. Was that 4th pitch as close to Alexei's head as Gameday made it appear?

    If so, it set up that strike out pitch nicely!

    1. Obligatory or no, I'd rather not have the opportunity to hear this one play out on the ride home.

      Take care of it, Perk.

    1. Perk just got Plouffe'd.

      edit- though to be fair, Perk kinda put himself in that situation with the wild pitch.

    1. I'm so confused. Normally, I'd be pretty excited at the prospect of the top of the order leading off extra innings. The next three up are 0-10 with 3 K's between 'em.

  12. Bert helpfully pointed out Nieto's minor league batting average without a word about his power and without providing context for the particular league's hitting. Televised non-analysis, how I've missed you.

  13. Free baseball almost makes up for the cruel trick of having a day off right after Opening Day. You can't get me jacked up like that then pull the rug out from under me, schedule makers. It's not nice.

        1. Twins fans forget because being domed the Twins more often opened the season at home and didn't have that problem.

          Also, "Opening Day" tickets are premier, while "Second Game" is meh.
          What a trick if the guys that bought "Second Game" tix actually had opening day tix because weather.

        1. after the batter swung, the home plate ump pointed to second, which clued me into a balk call.

          1. I was in the kitchen, so I missed that part. I only had the TV play-by-play guys...so really, I had no chance of following.

  14. Deduno is entertaining, but as a relief pitcher with runners on, he sort of terrifies me.

    Lousy luck with that bunt, though.

    1. Honestly, I'm kinda missing Henry Blanco after "Kurt's Adventures in Catching" today.

        1. I don't know. I'm no expert on catching, but it doesn't look to me like he moves his feet back there very well.

    1. I want to turn that sideways without the parentheses.
      (o_<) looks better to me.
      or (ó_<)

        1. I can see it now but it took me forever to get there.
          I was thinking how funny it was that "emoji" replaced even western-style emoticons/smileys.
          Trying more variations:
          (>_ò)

  15. Well, when you're as awesome as the Twins are, it's only fair that you spot the rest of the league a couple of games. Minnesota Nice, and all that. We'll just have to settle for 160-2!

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