Twins start a 3-game series against Cleveland today and it's the first time these two teams have met since the opening week of the season. Even though there is a little over 100 baseball games left to play, it seems like this is a critical series for the Spiders, especially given that these two teams don’t meet for another 5 weeks -- a mere 12 days or so before the trading deadline.
To show how dire it is for Cleveland, they would have to win 64 games (62%) to finish ahead of a .500 playing Twins. Both Cleveland winning over 60 percent of their games and the Twins just winning 50 percent seems unlikely. But hey, it’s baseball. It could happen, but if you’re Cleveland, you need for it to start happening over these next three games. Twins winning two or three of these games may just in fact push the Cleveland front office into tear it down mode.
Justin Shane Bieber on the mound for Cleveland and while he hasn’t done much on the charts lately, apparently he has a decent curve. He’s a high strikeout guy with 1.25 SO/Inning and a 4-2 record. This includes, however, his last game where he was hammered for 6 runs in 5 innings but still got the win statistic because of huge run support from his teammates. Talk about pitching to the score.
Devin Smeltzer on the mound for the Twins and let’s hope he can pitch another 6 or 7 inning gem and keep this train chugging along. Oh did I mention Nelson Cruz is back?
First pitch at 6:10p. Settle in for some nice Central Division Baseball as we hit the summer months of what so far is a very fun baseball season.
Twins Lineup
RF Kelpler
SS Polanco
DH Cruz
LF Rosario
C Garver
1B Gonzalez
3B Sano
2B Schoop
CF Buxton
Last chance to nominate someone for a homer!
My son still doesn't really like baseball, but since his first game we went to last week, he's now excited to see Buxton.
That is fun. My son is warming up to the team and the game as well this year.
*waits patiently for the standard third inning onslaught*
Dick’s making a big deal about Smeltzer’s control, but he’s getting squeezed a little bit.
Is it too late to take Gonzalez?
You can choose him for later innings
I got a better feeling about Buxton tonight
Marwin got just enough of that.
Ill take Sano for the next home run.
I meant Rosario of course.
+1 WGOM Nostradamus Sawbuck.
Nice to see Smeltzer settling in after that first inning.
At what point does Kepler just not swing until he has 1 strike? 1/19 is bad enough but Im not even sure he has seen more than 25 pitches over that stretch.
Yeah, not typical lead off performance
the ball was filleted into center field I wonder if Cory is hungry.
Walk #9 - that makes (no) sense.
Smeltzer getting
fuckedsqueezed by this ump.Bumma.
Well shit. Squeezed or not you can't walk the 9th batter rook.
Provus incorrect in lauding Polanco in hit leadership - Austin Meadows has it easily at .357.
Eddie!
Rosario, on the other hand, is now at tie on the top of AL Home Runs.
Smeltzer with a solid WHIP *looks on positive side*
I feel a break out inning coming here.
Well about that........
Bieber has been playing well, but has to come out in our Modern Age.
Smelzer MLB Photo has glasses with camo-style - I'm guessing Cabela's MOSSY OAK® BOTTOMLAND®.
I think the rook got left in 1 inning too long.
Yeah, third time through the order killed him
Yeah, he crumpled like a Kleenex in a... Kleenex meltdown.
E-6 signal light: Shiv Assist on Lindor.
It would be a lot of fun to come back and win this thing against their bullpen.
You had me at "win this thing"
Strike out looking is progress for Kepler right now
Cleve-crowd sounds nasty on the TIBN.
Man some ugly at bats.
Well, on the bright side, Geoff had been feeling too positive as of late
Bad result.
Sure, I leave DC and the Twins are up 1-0 with runners on 2nd & 3rd, land ... in the rain ... and they’ve lost!?! Gar•bage
So you're saying you're to blame?