Category Archives: 2016 Twins Game Logs

2016 Twins Game Logs

Game 97: twins @ red sox

48 Comments

I like old ballparks. I mean, I like unique ballparks in general, but the crazy angles and quirks of Fenway make it look like something out of a different era. This is not a major league ballpark, it's a relic, and that's kind of awesome. Target Field and Petco and the post-Camden parks are great places to catch a ballgame, but there's something pretty cool about Fenway.

Nolasco vs. Price doesn't seem like a particularly good matchup for Twins fans, but who knows? Price doesn't throw a knuckleball, and Nolasco might let them hit it into the hands of our defense...but he might win anyway!

Twins on Leaderboards

Batting
Triples - Buxton - t-7th (4)
Walks - Mauer - t-3rd (54)*
Strikeouts - Sano - t-9th (94)
Stolen Bases - Núñez - 3rd (23)
Singles - Núñez - t-6th (77)
Hit By Pitch - Dozier - t-7th (7)
Sacrifice Bunts - Buxton - t-10th (3)
Sac Flies - Núñez - t-5th (5)
Sac Flies - Dozier - t-8th (4)
Intentional Walks - Mauer - t-3rd (8)
Caught Stealing - Santana - 1st (8)*
Caught Stealing - Núñez - t-4th (6)
Steal Success % - Núñez - 10th (79.31%)
Power/Speed - Núñez - 5th (15.8)

  • I've been worried about Mauer, but this, at least, is an encouraging sign
  • Successful 11 times. Well past time to put up a stop sign.

Pitching
BB/9 - Nolasco - 7th (1.962)
Games Pitched - Pressley - t-2nd (47)
Complete Games - Santana & Hughes - t-4th (1)
Shutouts - Santana - t-2nd (1)
Hits Allowed - Nolasco - 5th (130)
Earned Runs Allowed - Nolasco - 6th (64)
Wild Pitches - May - t-3rd (8)*

  • I still find this funny. A reliever, who's missed time... 3rd in a counting stat (a negative one, but still)
2016 Twins Game Logs

Game 95: The Last Place Minnesota Twins at The First Place Boston Red Sox

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Minnesota has gone 10-6 in July, winning two series' against the West-leading Rangers and three out of four against Oakland. They didn't really get the offense going in their first series back following the All Star Break (against Cleveland), scored no runs on Monday, had one big inning on Tuesday (5 runs) and another crooked number in the 9th yesterday (3 runs) to notch a series win against the 2nd place Tigers.

In Boston to face the Red Sox (1st in the East, 53-39, 8-2 in their past 10) for the next four games, the Twins start the series with a rebounding Tyler Duffey on the mound. Duffey is 3-0 in his last four starts with a 3.10 ERA, and Twins' wins in each of his past five starts.

Squaring off against the Twins for Boston is All Star knuckleballer Steven Wright (11-5, 2.78 ERA, 1.18 WHIP), winner of his past three games (though with an atrocious 6.35 ERA) and looking for continued support from an offense averaging 5.38 runs per game over the past dozen.

Read on if you care to learn more about the huge mistake the Twins made when they released David "Big Papi" Ortiz ... 14 years ago ...

Spoiler SelectShow

2016 Twins Game Logs

2016 Game 91: Indians at Twins

14 Comments

First Pitch 1:10 pm

Kyle Gibson (2-5, 5.02 ERA, 42 K, 1.483 WHIP)
Josh "Little Cowboy" Tomlin (9-2, 3.51 ERA, 68 K, 1.120 WHIP)

For those of you who didn't make it to last night's rain-delayed, extra-inning finish, Max Kepler drove in Mauer from third with an infield grounder that was thrown home as the Indians tried to keep the game alive. I'm not sure where this team is going to finish. With 72 games remaining, they have the opportunity to at least save a little face and dig their way out of the AL Central cellar. They'd only have to pick up 13 games on Chicago to do that. Not a can of corn by any means, but also not out of the realm of possibility considering it's the White Sox we're talking about catching. I've seen some pretty odd things happen in the second half in my day -- seemingly impossible winning streaks and slack-jaw, head-shaking collapses. And that's just by the Twins. But no matter how we finish because of our abysmal start, this team has won me back. You can start to see the nucleus of a pretty good young squad here -- an outfield full of outfielders, an infield with potential and no shortage of pop up and down the lineup -- and that's what I'll be watching for. With the non-waiver deadline looming in a couple of weeks, the Twins are also active sellers in the trade market, so we may find out how much value Ervin Santana has to a contending club (Texas, perhaps?) wanting to bolster its starting rotation. Looks like we got our crappy weather out of the way last night and it's getting close to that time, so...

Play ball!

2016 Twins Game Logs

2016 Game 88: Twins at Rangers

42 Comments

First Pitch 2:05 p.m. CDT

Tommy Milone (1-2, 5.45 ERA, 25 K, 1.569 WHIP)
AJ Griffin (3-0, 3.06 ERA, 45 K, 1.213 WHIP)

So here we are, heading into the All-Star break in sole possession of last place in the AL Central, and the worst record in the American League. Only the hapless Braves keep us from being the worst team in baseball, and even then by just a slim margin. We're 21 games out of the division lead and 17.5 games out of the wild card race. That's the bad news. The good news is that the Twins are finally showing signs of life, and management if finally showing some willingness to just let the young guys play and get the valuable major league experience they need. Buxton, Kepler, Sano, Vargas, Park - these are the stars of the future, and I'd be fine with watching them shine the rest of the season.

Play ball!