Bassit v. Odorizzi.
There's a part of me that, all season long, just hasn't bought into Odorizzi. For some reason, I feel like he's been doing it with smoke and mirrors. But his last outing, against Cleveland, felt like something different. He didn't have many K's (2), and he still only lasted 5.1 innings, but... it was an important game. A win in that middle game of the series would deny the Indians a chance to gain ground in a home series against the Twins. And limiting the Tribe to just 3 hits felt like something notable. It wasn't about whether Odorizzi is truly an all-star pitcher, and was every bit about the team, and doing what he could to contribute.
Meanwhile, last night's game felt much the same way. It was a hero off the bench who provided the, uh, heroics. Walks were drawn, pressures were kept up, etc. Down 3-1, it was starting to feel like another loss. And then suddenly it wasn't, and it seemed like the whole team was clicking again.
This is one of the things I love most about baseball. It is so much more a team sport than most others. And this is one of the things I've been loving about this iteration of the Twins: it feels like a team. A really well-rounded team.
Speaking of the A's, this phenomena reminds me a bit of Moneyball. One of the great things about Moneyball, and probably something that isn't emphasized all the time, was the focus on the team aspects. Beane said "we don't need you to hit 40 HR, we need you to hit 20, and we'll get the other 20 from X, Y, and Z" (or somesuch. I can't be bothered to look this up.).
Anyway, that's how this Twins team feels to me. And I like it.
Now let's get us another win!
Well, there goes the no-hitter, and the shutout...
It can only go up from here, right?
Well, we'll see
Yeah.
Er, no.
Their OPS is no longer 5.000. So it got bettet!
Not that I want to walk somebody, but if we have to, Laureano's not a bad one to walk, the way he's been hitting.
Looks like Twins batters better have their A game tonight.
Hi everybody!
“Big end of the bat” - drink.
So that's why I was never any good. I kept trying to hit the ball with the small end of the bat! If only Roy Smalley had been around to help me...
Me too, padre. I could have been a contender.
Feel free to load 'em up, Chris
Sano seems to be drawing a lot more walks lately. I would think that's a good sign.
Yep. His current .867 OPS is his best since his rookie year.
Sano and the walks- hey, a repeatable phenomenon!
Twins baseball?
Hey! The other team made an error! Let's make them pay, boys!
That wasn't exactly making them pay, but at least we got one. No giveback runs, boys!
Baserunners. Nice, Nelson, way to take one
MARWIN!!!!!!
Saw-wheat.
Ha ha, nobody picked him
I don't care who gets the points - I like it!
He really got the big end of the bat on that one.
First of all, a late pick of Castro. Second, wife is at Canterbury to watch Aerosmith and I just got off work. Having a brew at Copper trail. Deciding whether to go to the street dance or go home and watch the TWins.
More baserunners! Ouch
Kind of cool to listen to the crew on board Apollo 11 getting ready to go to bed on the very last night before humans step foot on the Moon, along with chatter in Mission Control, all overlaid on the ballpark audio from the game. Buzz is playing Glen Campbell's recent hit, "Galveston," on a mixtape they brought with them and having a snack.
Well turds.
Aw, come on Harp, after the pitching has done so adequately lately
Eeeergh
Wait. Liam Hendriks throws 99mph now??
Ayyup. He's been throwing high-test all year.
Averaging 96+ on his fastball this year per fangraphs, and 88-89 on his slider.
He averaged 98.4 on his fastball tonight. His last two pitches were 99.8 and 99.9.
Oakland's been really sloppy tonight. Let's make 'em pay
TWINS BASEBALL!!!
So the throw home almost decapitated Profar. Is Dick going to acknowledge that Profar wasn't just being lazy?
A non-QS, an immediate let down from the bullpen, and RISP bats of @ss.