Monthly Archives: May 2015

2015 Twins Game Logs

Game 45: Red Sox at Twins

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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.

2015 Twins Game Recaps

Game 44: Twins 7, Red Sox 2

Yesterday's game featured great examples of the various facets of what makes for winning baseball, and highlighted why it is the Twins (26-18) have moved to only 2 games behind AL Central-leading Kansas City. Their recent improvements on offense, defense and pitching were all on display in the first four innings. To start the game off, we saw:
-a 6-run second inning (12 men batted),
-a diving catch by Hicks in the second to save a run with the game at 1-0, and
-Ricky Nolasco striking out 3 (of his 5), inducing 3 ground outs (one a nifty around-the-horn double play -more defense!- to end a first inning threat) and bearing down to get some important outs in the third after the Red Sox put their first two batters on base to start the inning.

Every Twins player contributed to the 16 total hits and only Kurt Suzuki didn't score a run or notch an RBI.

Ricky Nolasco (5-1, 5.12 ERA) ended up going 7 2/3 innings, scattering 7 hits and allowing 2 earned runs while striking out 5 and walking none. With Mookie Betts standing on second, Aaron Thompson replaced Nolasco and got David Ortiz - he of the .509 batting average at Target Field (prior to yesterday) - to line out. Boyer pitched the 9th, allowing only one hit, and the Twins won for the third day in a row, 7th out of their past 10 games, and for the 16th time in May.*

*Last year, Minnesota was 23-21 after 44 games. The Twins won their 15th home game on May 27th. They'd lost 13 games on the road by May 26 of last year; they're at 12 road losses so far in 2015.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–May 26

Jim Frey (1931)
Joe Altobelli (1932)
Jim McKean (1945)
Darrell Evans (1947)
Kevin Kennedy (1954)
Rob Murphy (1960)
Jason Bere (1971)
Chris Latham (1973)
Travis Lee (1975)
Ben Zobrist (1981)
Kevin Mulvey (1985)

Among other things, Jim Frey was manager of Kansas City from 1980-81, manager of the Cubs from 1984-86, and general manager of the Cubs from 1988-91.

Jim McKean was an American League umpire from 1974-2001.  He also played in the CFL for five years.

Kevin Kennedy managed Texas from 1993-94 and Boston from 1995-96.  He has also been a broadcaster for FOX.

Travis Lee was drafted by Minnesota with the second pick of the 1996 draft.  However, the Twins failed to make a formal contract offer within the time designated under the Basic Agreement, and Lee was declared a free agent.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 26 →

WGOM Fitness

Fish class

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I signed up for Master's swim classes at my club, and have been going for the last 4 Tuesday's at 6:30PM.  There are about 12 of us in the class, and a third of us are focused on endurance (long-distance) swimming for Triathlon.  Actually one of the guys wants to do really long distance swimming - a later post on that (he recently did 10 miles).

My challenge is to add kicking to my swim, which I started with this class - beforehand I've done all my swimming with my arms.  So I am kicking now, but not correctly.  My coach has suggested several improvements, but I can't see what I am doing now with the advice.

Today at lunch, NBBW and I were discussing a way to drag some kind of device behind you while you swim with an embedded iPhone so you could film your kicking pattern.  One idea was a strap around your waist, with a cord hanging behind you dragging a floatable device that would be holding your iPhone in a vertical position underwater (in a clear plastic bag) pointed towards your legs and able to capture your kicking movement.  More to come on this...

2015 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

2015 Game 44: Boston Red Sox vs. Minnesota Twins – Memorial Day Edition

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I hope everyone has had an enjoyable and agreeable Memorial Day weekend. I'm sure there will be plenty of pomp and spectacle during the actual game, but whenever you get a chance today, maybe take a moment and quietly reflect on the holiday and those whose memory it honors.

I was thinking about trying to make yesterday's game in Chicago, but other vague plans (which didn't materialize) and threat of weather kept us away.  A shame as it would have been a good one.

Anyway, now that the Twins aren't playing Chicago, I can actually watch them again.  Score.  They leave the Prairie State with a 4-1 road trip in their back pocket, and six games at home in front of them, where they've enjoyed a .700 record (2nd in the AL).

They'll open up that homestand with 3 games against the 3rd place Red Sox.  Someone posted a link recently that mirrored the exasperation this team has been causing me.  They're just not supposed to be this good, you know?  Regardless, I will continue to cautiously watch, and enjoy the ride.

Happy Memorial Day, you guys.

Continue reading 2015 Game 44: Boston Red Sox vs. Minnesota Twins – Memorial Day Edition →