Bucholz (2-5, 4.58 ERA, 3.12 xFIP) vs. Big Pelf (3-1, 3.00 ERA, 4.74 xFIP)
The Twins take on the Red Sox tonight holding second place in the AL Central all by themselves. Many articles have been written about how crazy it is, and in the spirit of that craziness, the Twins turn to the Big Pelf himself to keep up his recent resurgence to help once again vanquish the Red Sox, who play in the crappy AL East.
It'd be nice if the Twins can get some early offense AND some late offense. Its nice their getting runs in bunches, but games that start out with six or seven runs just don't feel all that comfortable when they aren't adding any insurance.
The twitter machine says the Twins look for about an 8:30 start time tonight due to the rain.
need a post photo with rain in it, I guess
I tried to get an overcast sky, at the very least.
Whoa, NOW we're talking!
Denard Span, sporting some grey on his beard, just blasted a home run against the Cubs. Game on ESPN
I'm hoping Pelf corrects yesterday's lack of Pedroia HBPs.
Currently assembling my downstairs recovery bed; I feel like the convict forced to build his gallows, except I'll be spending considerably more time in mine.
So this site is quite addicting. I've added those games just off the top of my head. I have a bunch of scorebooks in storage to use to add games.
Nifty double play.
God to bring this one out of retirement and slap Escobar's name on it.
It's been a while since I've seen Clay Bucholz, but... he's clearly using meth, right?
I mean, I thought they were still in a rain delay and broadcasting an old horror movie...
I think he features a 4-seamer, slider, and braaaaaaaaaaiiiiins...
The weird thing is that Jack Morris got all GOMLy about him a few years ago for throwing a spitball against the Blue Jays, yet today he has an absurdly obvious gob of crap on his left wrist. I realize it was rainy, but two pitchers just got suspended for using a foreign substance and he's not even bothering to remotely hide it.
Thought I turned on Lord of the Rings. Gollum!
Perfect.
Plouffe with the leather!
Kershaw is perfect through four in LA right now.
Hmm. Another inning or two of that and I'll definitely be switching back and forth.
Huh. I just turned it off to come here.
It's nice to have a home team that's good to the point that I prefer to stay here and watch them. In the last four seasons, a perfect game through even just four innings would have stolen me away pretty quickly.
I'm blacked out, or I would be watching the hometown nine*. In such cases, Vin Scully is my first choice fallback. Combined with Kershaw's performance thus far, it has my full attention.
*kinda a weird feeling that I can say that now
To be fairer, I was watching the Giants at Brewers, then switched back to the Doggers game for a minute and noticed that the Twins game was still on. Kershaw's no-no didn't even register.
Well, it's over. I switched to the game and it happened within three seconds.
way to ruin history in the making, spoons.
Dodgers are having a big inning at the plate. Hopefully Kershaw isn't getting tight in the dugout.
As I write that, Kershaw helps himself with an RBI single.
Dang, leadoff single for the Braves.
This Pelfrey is...still unexpected. I like.
OFFS. Hit. The. Mitt.
Boyer's 2.28 ERA done with mirrors, it seems.
Eff, yes. Bring in the Pony, Molly.
Boyer has a 5.05 xRA (statcorner). His FIP (4.06) and xFIP (4.25) are ok, however. Huh. But a K/9 under 4? Good lord.
Not okay anymore. Decrease in scoring means the league average FIP for 2014 AL was 3.79. And as reliever, it should be closer to 3.60 just to be average.
ah. thanks. I meant "ok as in not atrocious," but wasn't aware of the average for relievers.
Here's where the Pony gets to earn his money and his A-S game appearance.
sweet.
I was getting the Spooky Feeling there. Glad to see it fail.
some Man Muscles here would be nice.
That wasn't it.
Joe could stop scuffling any time.
What a catch by Rusney
Some quality defense by the Red Sox tonight.
"He does not get cheated" = swing and a miss or a foul ball
There it is. This is a .600 team.
Twins pitching brilliant as expected
One-run wins: just flippin' the bird at pythag.
They're only 9-6 in one-run games, so that isn't some crazy stat. As opposed to being third in runs scored and 11th in OPS.
I know, just being funny. They're outplaying expectations, and that's kind of fun.
ERAs of the three pitchers used in tonight's game after they pitched: 2.77, 2.28, 1.25. That's how you win a 2-1 game. Twins won a pitchers' duel with Mike Pelfrey against Boston's best pitcher. Now we've got Hughes tomorrow.