Time to head back out on the road and continue the success they've been having lately. 15 out of 17!
Joe Ryan starts against Yusei Kikuchi.
Time to head back out on the road and continue the success they've been having lately. 15 out of 17!
Joe Ryan starts against Yusei Kikuchi.
Logan Gilbert
vs
Pablo López
Game in progress with the Twins up 5-0 early.
George Kirby
vs
Chris Paddack
Kirby is very good and an ideal for anyone that loathes walks. He had a Silvaesque 19 walks over 190 ⅔ innings last season. This year is more of the same with four walks in his 38 ⅓ innings. He's striking out a bit more than last year and also surrendered a mere two home runs.
Wow! What a two week span for Minnesota sports fans. Timberwolves running roughshod over the NBA Western Conference playoffs, a young and energetic MNUFC winning a bunch of games - including on the road this past Saturday against a real good Atlanta team. And of course the Minnesota Twins who have now won 13 out of their last 14 games. The last three of those wins against decent teams.
Emerson Hancock on the mound for the Mariners and he's one of those young guys who the book is still out on. Not a big strikeout guy, however. Bailey Ober up for the Twins and he keeps just doing his job. Last outing against the Whities wasn't super great but the bats and White Soxery picked him up.
Lousy weather in the morning should clear up for game time, so we can all relax in front of the radio this evening to take on a soothing baseball game after last night's late night basketball fun.
Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Bailey Ober with six strikeouts today.
First pitch at 6:40
As HJ pointed out in the Cup, this 10 game winning streak doesn't exactly make us feel like we're going to keep winning. I guess, in that regard, the test begins... now.
Tanner Houck, who has been very good, pitches for Boston. Chris Paddack who has been... present... pitches for the Twins.
Day game alert!
Bailey Ober
vs
Chris Flexen
The Twins lost a few too many to start the season for a proper 162-0 season but I am convinced of their effort over the past week to instead finish at 149-13.
Eight game win streak, longest since 2011 (note to self: don't look up the Twins 2011 season record). The eight wins have come at the expense of some really lousy teams but the Twins had dug themselves such an early hole that they really needed to take advantage of this momentary lull in the schedule. Especially since the Red Sox, Mariners, Blue Jays, and Yankees are all up next.
Not only are the Twins winning but injured players are returning. Kepler last week, Correa last night, Duran tonight. Oh and the Twins have rallied around a magic sausage. Enjoy the innocence of it all now folks. I am sure the inevitable $30 T-shirts, and "that's another Cub Foods Jimmy Dean Summer Sausage HR by Max Kepler" announcements are right around the corner. Crappy teams, return of injured players, and a magic sausage may have contributed to the winning streak but don't sleep on the fact that the Twins are also not striking out as much as they were earlier in the season. Who knew that putting the ball in play is a good thing! Is it the fact they were facing middling pitchers or did Twins batters change their approach at the plate that has led to less strikeouts? We have 133 more games to find out.
Simeon Woods Richardson on for the Twins and he as been an upgrade over Louie Varland. Facing White Sox hitters should continue that trend. Michael Soroka up for the Whities. He's not really a strikeout pitcher so Twins trend of not striking out might just continue at least for another game.
Freealonzo's "Take it to the Credit Union" surefire winner: Birthday boy Edouard Julien gets two hits today.
First Pitch from "The Rate" at 6:40
Twins go for eight straight great games here in Chicago tonight. While you never want to get too confident, this is the kind of team you want be playing (though they did just sweep the Rays(!)).
Joe Ryan has been pitching pretty all right this year, though he's only faced AL Central teams which usually takes the edge off things. He gets another Central opponent tonight though, so we can hope the trend continues. Also, he's starting on my fantasy team, so let's bring it home for papa.
Crochet hasn't had as good a go of it lately. Perhaps he should take up knitting instead. Once again, let's hope the trend continues.
And the bats of fire trend is another welcome one. Trifecta tonight, please!
Bailey Ober starts against Patrick Sandoval.
At 11-13, with injuries to many key players, and plenty of painful at-bats, this season has probably been a disappointment for most. But for the School of Athens (the Philosofer household) it really hasn't been so bad. Circumstance has us with a new, much larger TV, and somewhat frequent access to the games as the secondary household on a subscription. Add in the fact that Aquinas and Nietzsche both had their best years of baseball last year, and we've got some eager learners in the house. The girls are getting involved too, asking great questions as the games progress. And Philosofette is excited to actually start getting to put names with faces after too many years of not really knowing who the players are.
Throw in Cory Provus' narration and, well, this has been a great year so far. Lots of baseball to go, and hopefully they keep the streak going now that they're not playing the Sox!
Game in progress, Twins down 1-0.