Gibby on the mound for the Twins as they try to follow up on the beat down the gave the Indigious People yesterday. If Gibs can get it to the 7th he won't have Abad to help him out but who know by that time Max "Der Hammer" Kepler may have hit his 4th HR.
Cleveland needs this game as Detroit is suddenly breathing down their neck can they handle the pressure. Tune in at 6:10p.
Never thought I'd see a time where it was pretty obvious that Kepler was being pitched around to get to Sano, even against a right-hander. Well, if not pitched around, at least they would rather walk him than throw him a fastball in the strike zone on a full count.
Dazzle, talking about giving up leadoff home runs, sagely points out that they've all been solo home runs.
Pitcher's best friend!
Nice second inning for Gibson.
Why is Santana playing so much left field recently? Is something wrong with Grossman?
I guess as long as he does that, it's a good plan!
Grossman played five games in a row before sitting yesterday, although not all in left field. Prior to yesterday, Santana hadn't started in LF since July 5. Molitor tends to give Grossman his days off versus righties. I'm guessing he got two days off in a row because the Twins scored 12 runs yesterday and he tries not to mess with a good thing. The only change from yesterday was Sano in for Vargas.
DOZIER!!!!!!
I like the Twins team that hits the ball over the fencing in the outfield.
I like doubles-hitting Mauer, too.
KEPLER!!!!!!
ALL THE HOME RUNS BELONG TO US!
As sean said yesterday, Max Kepler homers, Joe Mauer scores.
Nice third inning for Gibson.
Prior to today, Polanco had a better OPS than Kepler and has a .915 OPS for his career. Why do they keep sending him down?
He also has 8 walks and 8 strikeouts in his career.
Nowhere to play him? I dont know
When you're in last place, how do you not find room for someone playing this well?
Eddy Nunez playing out of his mind for 3 months threw a wrench into everyones plans.
Speaking of whom, he is playing 3b for the Giants (who traded Matt Duffy yesterday to get Matt Moore). He's up this inning.
Popped out.
Gladden is encouraging Mauer to swing at non-strikes with Kepler coming up next.
Dido
I really like doubles-hitting Mauer.
Likewise.
Wow. This team is making a lot of very good teams look very bad. Of course, they also made one very bad team look very good (for 2 games anyways).
Provus just said the Twins are 13-6 against first-place teams. Of course, that means they're 28-58 against non-first-place teams.
Max Kepler has 211 major league at-bats, and they're walking him to get to Sano. That's pretty cool.
So much for that plan.
The funny part is the Indians have built their lead in the division by beating up on ALC teams, except the Twins. Before today, they were 30-14 against ALC teams.
This was supposed to go up one comment.
Have the Twins hit a single today? hahah
2 singles, 5 doubles and 2 home runs.
They had more HRs (2) and walks (2) than strikeouts (1) vs. Carrasco in 3.2 IP.
When Kepler puts the ball in play, he has such topspin -- it's almost like a ping-pong swing. Even the HRs; check out the videos.
After yesterday's game, Molitor was quoted about Kepler having a lot of backspin to help explain why he's had so many homers lately.
Except it doesn't really help that much. All home runs have backspin. He is probably getting lucky in his launch angles.
Yes, it could explain why he's hitting for lower average but more power in MLB. He was hitting more line drives in the minors and now he's just a little off and that is still plenty of speed to go with a better angle and back spin to carry out of the park.
OK, this is weird, on my mlbtv feed I'm getting video of STL v CIN, but on the audio I'm getting the Twins game.
Correct video back after the break.
I never like it when the 0-2 pitch is an automatic ball or the 3-0 pitch is an automatic strike. The strike zone shouldn't change depending on the count.
Come on, boys, there are still four-plus innings to play. Let's not go into cruise mode.
I liked the Gibson who pitched the first four innings better than the one who's pitching the fifth.
Looks like Gibson bit by win-itis. 5 runs with 2 outs in the fifth.
Make it six.
He should have been pulled after Napoli's home run.
Stop goofing around with pitchouts. Get the batter out and you don't have to worry about the baserunner.
Again, if you get the batter out, you don't have to worry about the baserunner.
And there we go. I guess we don't have to worry about him stealing second now.
It seemed like he was more afraid of throwing Napoli a cookie than he was on the base runner stealing. If that's the case, he probably should have been removed before the very predictable Napoli bomb.
I don't care if Gibson's upset or not, even if he's upset at himself. Being upset doesn't change the score.
I would be surprised if he wasn't.
The Twins go down quietly in the fifth.
Things got out of hand while I walked the dog for Runner daughter; I'll take this one :/
I know eight is enough, and it won't be on the offense if this one gets away, but another run or three would be welcome here.
Neither bullpen has allowed a run. I'm fine with that trend.
At least the Twins offense showed a little bit of life, even if they didn't score.
Aquinas just ran downstairs, extremely excited, to tell me the awesomest thing... he figured out how to get the Twins game on his radio!
I don't think I've ever been prouder.
That's bringing him up right!
give him an earbud to go to sleep by #VeteranTwinsGameSleeperKid
Congrats Philo. I had one of those moments this week when, after repeatedly watching Return of The Jedi with Kernel the past year or so, she almost sh!t her pants with excitement when we went to Tgt to pick up The Force Awakens (which she's requested, and I've agreed, to watch every night since).
This would be a good time for another Mauer doubled followed by another Kepler home run.
So much.
He thought you said double play.
Seriously? A 3-2 curveball to a guy batting .061? Glad it worked out, but I would have hated to see a leadoff walk there.
YDNTASTMK!
Kepler is Mr. Three True Outcomes tonight. 3 walks, a home run and a strikeout.
I really think we kept the right Eduardo!
That'll have them filing for the exits. It was also my first spooky job in a while...partially because I haven't watched this team very much.
Twins with 10 runs on 14 hits thinks to 9 extra-base hits. Kepler's OPS is now .903. Polanco's is .951! Take all the time you need to rehab, Plouffe.
Kinzler with no obligatories, and therefore no save. Huh.
When did Dozier's disastrous season flip the script? His OPS+ now at 119 (before tonight).
Answering my own question: he was great in June, after replacement-level April and May.
The reverse of previous seasons.
Everyone had at least one hit, three of them had two, and one of them had three! We're still on track for 98-64!