Eduardo Rodriguez
vs
Kyle Gibson
Fourth game of the three-game series.
Twins replaced Blake Parker with Sean Poppen while the Red Sox replaced Velázquez with Josh Smith. Poppen has yet to pitch in MLB but he's done well this year in AAA (not AA though). Josh Smith has pitched 75 games over four seasons in MLB. He has not done well in AAA despite good strikeout and walk numbers.
The teams have scored nine runs over the previous 26 innings so I expect fireworks today.
Ill take La Tortuga to hit a bomba tonight.
!!!!11!!!!!111!!!1!1!!
Astudillo is starting at second. This should be fun!
Maybe he'd prefer right field?
I love how streaky Kepler is. I blinked and didn't realize he was back over a 900 ops.
That was not a good send.
Ullger'd.
I thought it was for sure a run when it whipped past the right fielder and was dismayed when the other dude entered the screen.
Those first baseman legs are probably pretty tired. Going first to home is a pretty tall order.
There is a word for the Twins base running of the last week. Its got 6 letters.
It's got 8 letters: no Buxton
Buxton might be the problem - other guys watch him and think they can do the same thing!
I'm picturing Cron drunk at a bar challenging Buxton to a race.
Wrong guess #1 for Sano
I actually like him holding off on that high strike.
Wrong guess #2 - another strike out with zero bat to ball contact.
They really gotta trade Sano before his value is totally gone.
Not sure what I have less belief in - the front office making the trade(s) this team needs or Sano keeping any value to be traded.
Do you trust the front office to do anything?
Yeah - I can see them making some cheap ass moves to get a midrange reliever that doesn't actually move the needle one bit when it comes to the postseason and then having all the sycophant media and fans fawn over what an amazing move it was and how different things are now and how bought in they are.
The result of nibbling is runs
Well that lead lasted exactly no outs.
The score scroll was busted. All the NWL games are in the 0th inning.
Boston sure scores a lot of runs on weak-ass hits.
Argh. This is the Gibson that drives me nuts. STOP TRYING TO MAKE THE PERFECT PITCH!
I like how 8 IP dominating Gibson irritated you last week and now nibble at the zone and get his ass kicked Gibson is also driving you nuts. I can respect that kind of consistent pessimism.
There's just something about him that leaves me unable to trust it'll last.
Oh I get it 100%.
I want to see Jack go out and throw nothing but fastballs to modern day hitters for two innings and see how long he lasts.
Dude throws 10 innings in game 7 - he can be the color commentator for as many teams as he wants and he can say whatever the hell he wants as far as Im concerned.
As long as the Twins aren't one of those teams, I'm good with it.
Well played. He doesn't bother me. But "doesn't bother me" is about the nicest thing I will ever say about any non-broadcasting educated former athlete in the broadcast booth of any sport.
He's awful. It's 2019. I don't want to hear about the 80s.
Better hope the Twins don’t trade for Bumgarner. Can you imagine Jack & Bert then?
I do if it's Scully type anecdotes. Morris can't tell a story.
Apparently Boston is the new Kansas city.
Im more worried that Gibson is the new Martin Perez.
I don't think that will be the case, much as he bothers me. That inning just reminded me of the royals from most of this decade that would get a bunch of piddly crap through the infield.
Agreed. The BBs annoy, but they weren't punishing the ball at all when they hit it
Good plate appearance by Arraez.
"Paging Good Gibby, paging Good Gibby: please report to the mound -- your fans are looking for you."
Opportunity knocks.
Someone get the door!!
Nobody answers.
The over is looking very good on this game. It is 12.5 now was 9.5 at first pitch.
Astudillo gets a hit because of bad pitching - or because he is making the adjustments he needs to succeed at this level?
The guy can hit. I think keeping the bats warm when you’re a bench guy is a separate skill.
That inning was what the doctor ordered.
I like Dr. Kyle better than Mr. Gibson.
Elite contact skills are cool.
Jake Cave does not possess these skills.
Good hit, good run. Very 2006-esque
Good hit. Much runs. So 2006. Wow
Alright, kids finally feel asleep so now I can get back to it
Metal Gear, most overrated NES game?
Ha! You know, I don't think I ever actually played that on the NES.
One of many fine decisions
I am making the much better decision to play A Link Between Worlds, though, while I watch the game.
Probably. Everyone remembers the first hour or so pretty fondly, but there are a few design choices in the last hour or two that are utterly infuriating.
I had such good memories of that game - tried playing it again on the classic NES - awful. Unplayable.
The beginning is still fun.
The endless desert, the glove to knock on secret walls, the fact that you have to save all the hostages in order to blow up the computer (which i wasn't able to do even with a walkthrough, because some of those hostages were stupidly well hidden), the freaking hedge maze. All much less fun.
It was a great game in its time - with the item management and not starting with any kind of weapon.
Luis Arraez and his bizarro counterpart, Jake Cave
Gibson has always struck me as a very good Fielding pitcher. I know the stats don't always see to bear that out, but he always seems to put himself in a good position and displays good awareness, which is about 90% of what it takes to be a good Fielding pitcher.
That's a fair assessment.
TORTUGA!!
Gotta say. I did not see that coming.
I did.👍
So did I !!!!!!
Bombas.
When someone wins, we all win!
Elite contact skills are cool!
We got a weiner.
Jack needs to shut the hell up about boxing’s ring girls and style points.
Yeah, that was really weird and you could tell that Dick REALLY just wanted that conversation to end.
Oh dear god. I'm glad I stopped listening.
I’ve decided to buy a new Apple TV so I can select the radio feed. The one I have is six or more years old & doesn’t support the newer MLB features. I can’t stay with the TV crew the rest of the way until Morneau comes back.
Sometimes my most favorite MLB.tv feature on Apple TV is the stadium noise only audio feed.
I balls stadium sounds only.
Max power!
MAX POWER!
So streaky!
Yay, the bomb bats are back. *whew*
I DID see that one coming.
I love it when a Twins player hits a bomb and the instant reaction by the pitcher is to hang his head in disgust.
So, is Capt. Cheeseburger an HOFer, per Dazzle?
I think so
Borderline, leaning yes for me
63 rWAR and now 250 wins, he definitely makes it.
Yea, but is he a True Yankee?
I think you are probably right, despite him being mostly a compiler for the last 4-5 years. He'll be at the bottom end of HOF starters, however.
It certainly would not diminish the bone Big Daddy Reuschel has to pick with the HoF.
If he gives Johan the Cy Young he owes him, I could hold my nose.
I thought Colon stole that one
You’re right, that was Bartolo.
Big mistake.
Good decision by Sano not to chuck that one into the camera well.
What an awful game for Gibson.
I went to go put together the marinade for tomorrow’s chicken kebabs. I do not like this new score.
We'll see if we can't fix that for you...
alright. I'm ready for Eddie to get back on the HR trail. That's a pick to click.
Nice to see that A-Stud has his stud back, for a game anyway.
Sano strikes out? That's something different of late.
I wouldn't mind trading Sano, I just don't know what the trade market for a right handed Hee Sop Choi is going to be.
That's why they need to do it now before he's just Adam Dunn.
Adam Dunn? More like Wily Mo Peña.
There we go. That's who I was thinking of initially.
Dallas McPherson
Wonder what the deal with Cave is. He was a plenty solid fourth outfielder last year, and this year, he can't hit the broad side of a barn
He was ripping up at Rochester. 321/373/552
fresh arm from the bullpen. Poppen fresh.
(yea, I'm fishing; what's your point?)
Gameday doesn't even have a photo for Poppen.
Solid turn on the DP by Tortuga.
Poppen looks like he wants to hurl.
He really does. Good thing they turned the DP or he might have fainted.
The runner jumped out of the running lane. He’s out.
You silly man acting as if the text in the rule book matters.
What if it's an unwritten rule? They have those, I've heard (too many times)
Fortunately, Rule 5.09(b)(1) & Rule 7.08 have been written down.
Alex Cora would’ve gotten himself ejected for sure if they’d called him out for leaving the lane.
TWINS BASEBALL!!
Somehow this staff was leading in fewest BB allowed.
DPoppen.
Have my internet points.
Good day for Mr Tortuga
Strike #3 not really a strike
I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd have gotten himself tossed there.
Seems like the umping has been a bit inconsistent this series.
The crew looks rather young. Maybe inexperience?
Man, that fastball of Poppen's has movement to it.
You wonder if a hit like that is an out if Buxton is in center, simply because of how he influences positioning.
I have to figure that the Twins would jump on it if the Giants offered Bumgarner for Arraez.
Sigh. I'm out. Bring 'em back, guys.
Welcome to the bigs, Sean.
Uffda.
That pitch to Nuñez was quite the meatball.
Yeah, I'm out.
Obviously had to end the inning with a double play.
This conversation about the Iowa Basics test and the varying “softnesses” of pencils cannot be unheard.
I appreciate the symmetry of the Red Sox scoring.