Scott Diamond
v
Rick Porcello
Gamelog just in case people want to experience more losing.
Scott Diamond
v
Rick Porcello
Gamelog just in case people want to experience more losing.
Ah, bad teams have such a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Clay Buchholz
v
Vance Worley
Joe, time to work turn your pitch framing magic to 11. Worley needs all the help he can get.
Wait, Mauer isn't catching? Uh, oh.
Hammel
v
Pelfrey
I did not expect the Twins to have more wins than losses at this point in the season. Or any point after game four. They are still in fourth place though, so maybe that's why. The Twins are above .500 and the AL Central has four teams at least .500, most of any division.
Since ending his season starting strikeout streak on April 15, Hicks's batting line is .200/.328/.345. His season stats are a lost cause, but the stats since are comparable to Hunter's first full season at the same age in 1999: .255/.309/.380. Hicks has 14 walks so far while Hunter had 26 in all of 1999. Hicks will probably end up with more strikeouts than Hunter; he's racked up 34 in 31 games compared to Hunter's 76 in 135 games.
I'm feeling better about the season and it looks like Hicks major league experience might not be ruined.
Pedro Hernandez
v
Justin Masterson
The Twins predicted well and this game starts two and a half hours before the Wild game. Plenty of time to determine if Hernandez is able to continue bolstering his Cy Young season before the important game starts.
Pelfrey
v
Scherzer
Last series against the Tigers ended well. How about another series like that.
Derek Holland
v
Pedro Hernandez
No Plouffe today (he still hasn't gotten an error for that play) and Mauer makes his first appearance at first. Escobar is back, but at third.
Justin Grimm
v
Scott Diamond
As I am sure will be mentioned every inning, the temperatures have finally matched the date. It is 67 degrees outside as I write this. Since it was 45 this morning, I dressed for that, so of course I'm going to be a bit warm waiting for the bus this evening. Thankfully it will be in the shade and windy.
Oh, yeah, the Twins. Nine wins after 18 games is more than I would have expected. Hicks going from a black hole to η Carinae A, roughly, helps; though it didn't help the Twins. Since ending his strikeout streak, he has struck out only twice while walking eight times. Unfortunately, he only tallied three hits.
What I also wouldn't have expected after 18 games: Mauer and Morneau have played in every game, and only them.
Nick Tepesch
v
Vance Worley
Some dude
v
Some other dude