Kyle Gibson vs. Ubaldo Jimenez, 1:10 p.m., CDT
Here we are at the final game of the first half, and if everything goes right today, the Twins could be in playoff position and only 1.5 games back out of the division lead. Regardless, the Twins are guaranteed to have a winning record and in playoff contention as the second half of the season starts.
The Twins certainly have been playing over their head this season, much like they did in 2015. However, this season seems to be a little different in that those making the important decisions for the team seem to be able to recognize that the Twins aren't nearly as good as their record and will need help in the second half if they are going to be able to take advantage of this seemingly magical run.
Management has said they will not trade away prospects for one-year rentals, which is a wise decision given their weak grip on their playoff positioning and the youthfulness of the team that expects to contend for years to come. However, they have said that they will be willing to go after players that will help them for the rest of this year and at least another year after that. This could at least make the last couple weeks of July a lot more interesting than it has been for the vast majority of the previous six seasons.
If the Twins are to stay in the race into September, they will need continued improved pitching from the back of the starting rotation, including Kyle Gibson, who starts today. The Twins will to see him throw more pitches in the strike zone, especially early in the count. He can't afford to work from behind and I can't stand to watch him nibble constantly off the corners.
With the signing of Bartolo "Big Sexy" Colon, who is expected to be called up after the All-Star Break to take the fifth slot in the rotation, it will be interesting to see what happens once Hector Santiago is deemed healthy. A pitcher will need to be removed from the active roster and someone will need to be taken out of the rotation if Santiago is to be put back in the rotation.
If the Twins do manage to stay in contention despite the long odds, it seems fitting that a fat, old pitcher with the nickname of "Big Sexy" would lead the run.
I'm only around for the first few innings, so let's get a big lead early. Go Twins!
Jon Lester gives up ten runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning for the Cubs today. Whatever Kyle Gibson does, I think there's a good chance it'll be better than that.
I may have spoken too soon.
Well, it was better than Lester.
2 runs home runs cant hurt you.
In-person scouting report: I want to never see Gibson again.
Also here; I concur. This is the Gibsoniest outing.
This exchange makes me think of this comment.
Nice "triple" for Kepler.
The Twins seem to have started their all-star break two days early.
Can Bartolo Colon come into this game?
With Jason Castro out today, I don't see how we can use our ace reliever Chris Gimenez on the mound.
Well, fortunately the Twins didn't have to save anybody for the next few days.
Maybe Gibson should try not to walk all the lead off batters. I can't wait for him to go the way of Nick Blackburn and to be completely forgotten.
I'm still trying to forget Willie Banks.
Man, remember that time Blackburn pitched kind of okay for the twins and then they gave him a ton of money.
I was at the spring training game the next day after his new contract where the crew was interviewing him on the sidelines during BP. Only thing I remember from the game
Gibson is Blackburn's No. 1 comp at age 28 on B-Ref. Blackburn is Gibson's No. 3 comp at age 28.
Both came up at age 25 for a short amount before both getting over 30 starts at age 26. Gibson is halfway through his age 29 season and, coming into today, is 37-44 with a 4.74 ERA and an 87 ERA+. He had one full season of better than 100 ERA+ at 106. Blackburn through age 29 was 39-46 with a 4.50 ERA and a 93 ERA+. He had 2 seasons of greater than 100 ERA+ (109 and 103).
Blackburn started 19 games in his age 30 season with a 7.39 ERA and never pitched in the major leagues again.
Both pitchers went to college and were drafted by the Twins, Gibson in the first round and Blackburn in the 29th round. Blackburn just getting to the majors in the first place was a huge victory for Twins player development. It should be noted that Gibson had Tommy John surgery before getting to the majors.
Bill Smith drafted Gibson 22nd overall in 2009; the next year he drafted Wimmers 21st overall. They're still making a controlled burning of that fallow patch.
Late first-round picks that make it to the major leagues are hardly examples of bad drafting. And I would tend to place the blame on Gibson on himself and player development, not on drafting him. Smith also signed Sano, Kepler and Polanco all in the same offseason. Kennys Vargas was around the same time after not getting drafted. Smith also drafted Dozier and Rosario. Including Gibson, that's 7 of their 24-man roster, more than 1/4. I count 6 players drafted by TR on the active roster plus Mauer on the DL.
Wasn't Wimmers also one of the glut of TJ surgeries that hit the Twins around that time?
Granite is in center in place of Buxton. We'll see if that's a one-off or if it means something.
Molitor has said it is just a one-off. He's been very happy with Buxton of late.
Glad to hear that. I'm interested to see what they do with Granite. He deserves to be up, but if he's up he needs to play, and that means the playing time has to come from someone, or maybe a few someones. I hate to see any of Buxton, Kepler, and Rosario lose time.
Rosario and Grossman have been 2 of the Twins' better hitters, but their defense this year has basically made them barely better than replacement-level players this year. I'd like to see Granite given left field and then Grossman and Rosario can split time at DH/4th OF.
I'd be okay with that. I still think of Rosario as a young player who'll improve, but he'll be 26 at the end of the season. That's not old, but it's not really young, either, and I don't know that we're seeing a lot of signs of improvement.
If Granite gets to play every time Rosario misses the cutoff man, he should get some good playing time in, and maybe Eddie might learn something in the meantime.
I love Granite's speed and he already looks like he will can provide quality at bats. Rosario's lack of plate discipline, his stupid base running blunders and the missing the cutoff man issues make me hope Granite sees much more time in the outfield. I hope the Twins give him plenty of time and then look at trading Eddie.
If Granite is 6'1", then I'm 6'8"
Half-way to a cycle for Kepler!
Provus and Gladden say Jimenez has been getting squeezed. We'll take it, of course, but I still don't like strikes being called balls and balls being called strikes.
Granite must have a halfway decent arm. I'm siting in the bleachers in lower left and I could still hear the crack of the ball hitting the bullpen catcher's mitt over the T-ball team sitting behind me.
I'm gone for the rest of the game, unless it lasts past 6:00 or so. Keep this comeback going!
It's only the third inning and Gibson's still in the game, so...
That catch was awesome from over here.
Heck of a catch by Granite.
Why is Gibson still in this game?Nevermind.
Jersey/shirsey count:
Mauer 13
Ervin Santana (Angels)
Blackburn (!)
Ripken
Machado 2
Wayne Kirby (!)
Cuddyer 2
Sano 4
Plouffe
Buxton
Morneau 4
Dozier 2
Hrbek
Daniel Cabrera
Dick Such (!!!)
Puckett
Jose Hernandez
Span
Steph Curry
Hunter
I'm disappointed there aren't any Casilla fans left.
Little Bro is wearing a "Thome is My Homey" shirt. I'm sporting a Habana Leones tee from Ebbets.
Nice, I'm in the top level down the first base line, so you're out of my range.
In my section:
Mauer x6
Morneau
Sano
Buxton x2
Dozier x3
Perkins
Puckett
Neshek
Milton
Nishioka (!)
Park (?!)
Russell (Lakers, wtf)
Also some rando wearing a Billy Beer shirt.
I always love seeing a Nishioka jersey.
I saw the Nishioka jersey at Keirans after the game. At our table, we had 2 Santanas (Johan), 2 Morneaus, a Hunter and a Kubel. I also agree Granite is no where near 6'1" and his catch in centerfield was awesome.
I also saw him in that garage sale thing they were having outside the exit.
That's the third or fourth time this season when I've attended a game and Rosario has thrown the ball to the wrong spot.
And Dazzle made a big deal out of it, and rightly so. He hasn't met a cutoff yet that he couldn't miss
Welp. This is encouraging me to head to the gym.
I was the only one sitting in my section for GBA. Lakers guy sang "...root, root, root for the Dah-gers..." I figured he was a Yankees fan who forgot his cap.
The Valet turned to me towards the end of the song and demanded, "Stand up, Daddy."
I did stand for Take Me Out to the Ball Game.
It gets lost because of the tie game, but Torii robbing Barry Bonds of a home run and then BB putting ii over his shoulder in 2002 All Star game was pretty dang fun.
I guess I had lost the tie because of the catch. If you say "All-Star Game 2002," I immediately think of the catch but had forgotten completely about the tie.
I also don't care about the tie, which probably colors my feelings on that.
need an 8 run inning
Kyle Gibson has now gone over a year since the last time he had a start in which he did not allow a run (6/28/16). He had 14 such starts in 2014-15.
So Hildenberger: I watched him toss mostly 85 mph fastballs. Orioles seemed to be sitting on the off speed stuff and still able to rake the mediocre fastball. I think the league will figure him out.
FWIW, fangraphs has his fastball velocity at 91.3.
My first thought was maybe the target field gun is off, but I remember Pressly hitting 96-98 and Gibson hitting 94 on a regular basis. Maybe he just had a dead arm yesterday.
Gameday:
1. Sinker 85.8 MPH (Ball)
2. Sinker 85.3 MPH (Called Strike)
3. Sinker 86.4 MPH (Foul)
4. Sinker 89.5 MPH (Single)
5. Sinker 85.9 MPH (Called Strike)
6. Changeup 73.4 MPH (Ball)
7. Changeup 77.1 MPH (Ball)
8. Sinker 86.7 MPH (Single)
9. Sinker 87.2 MPH (Single)
10. Sinker 88.2 MPH (Ball)
11. Sinker 86.2 MPH (Foul)
12. Sinker 86.5 MPH (Foul)
13. Changeup 73.9 MPH (Ball)
14. Changeup 74.5 MPH (Foul)
15. Sinker 85.6 MPH (Groundout)
16. Sinker 85.8 MPH (Sac Fly)
17. Slider 75.5 MPH (Ball)
18. Changeup 74.7 MPH (Called Strike)
19. Sinker 87.3 MPH (Popout)
13 Sinkers averaging 86.6 MPH.
10 were within +/- 1 MPH (85.6-87.6)
1 was slower (85.3), 1 was a bit faster (88.2), and one was much faster (89.5, pitch #4)
6 were hit into play (average 87.0 MPH)
3 fouled, 2 called strikes, 2 balls
Other pitches (5 Changeups, 1 Slider): 4 balls, one called strike, one foul
Prior to yesterday, his lowest velocity of the year was 92.3. Yesterday his average fastball was 90.0. His other pitches look fine so it's just his fastball that was noticeably slower.