Category Archives: MLB

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins

Game 118, Indians 3, Twins 2

A pinch hit recap for Twayn...I wish I was on vacation and he were writing this.

I was really looking forward to having all of our opening day starters back together again. Then Cuddy tweaked something in his neck in early batting practice and Kubel had to sub in right. Good start out of Pavano. Not a good outing by Perkins. Mountie and Lexi back in the lineup - Laddie back out of the lineup in the 7th with a tweaked hamstring...lots of "tweaking" tonight.

Batters 1 through 6 were 1 for 20 with a walk and rare were the outs made on well struck balls (typically they didn't even leave the infield). That's simply not going to cut it. Most exciting moment for the hometown 9 may have been the Dude's 400+ ft fly out to center in the 5th. Nishi had both rbi's for the Twins, but also had a pretty gawd-awful night in the field.

"We basically gave it away," Gardenhire said. "We missed a lot of plays. It's a tough loss for us. We need some people to play a lot better baseball. It's kind of embarrassing to tell you the truth."

I couldn't agree more. Highlight of the night for me was the shout-out to Rhubarb_Runner of WGOM and é rayhahn, rayhahn fame who is "jostling for position" with someone named Matt Krieger...and Rhu_Ru didn't even submit the winning answer tonight!11!1!

For some reason, I've been hanging on to hope that this team would make a run and challenge for a playoff spot. Watching them run around like monkeys f*cking a football tonight has pretty much cinched it for me. How about you?

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins

Game 116: Red Sox 4, Twins 3

1 Comment

WP: Albers (4-3), LP: Capps (3-6)

I didn't see a recap for last night's game...perhaps that was done on purpose? I have no doubt this will add very little to the current GOSO sentiment currently enveloping the WGOM, but I'm bored this afternoon and this post from JoeC included some interesting thoughts from the manager about the pitcher last night. Full disclosure, I didn't watch the game - just heard the end of it in the car, but a career high in walks is pretty brutal. However, Gardy seemed to think that F-Bomb did okay.

There were a lot of pitches that were close, borderline, just missing, and we like where the ball was, down around the knees. That's a pretty good start for him. Hopefully he can continue that process.

As you can see from the strikezone plot, Frankie was down in the zone. I guess my hope is that he can continue to work on staying down, throwing strikes and getting ahead in the count for the remainder of the year. His value to the Twins depends on those moments of brilliance associated with that funky delivery and left arm.

 

Minnesota Twins

Do the Twins Lack Passion?

52 Comments

I just want to run something by everyone.  I’m not sure I agree with it myself, so I want to know what other people think.

As the Twins continue to lose, one of the things I’ve noticed is that there seems to be a lack of passion or intensity within the team.  We’re not reading articles about how frustrated the team is.  We’re not hearing about people being upset about the situation.  There seems to be no fire, no spark, no life. The basic reaction to a loss is, “Well, darn.  We’ll have to try again tomorrow.”

It’s easy to look lifeless when you’re losing, of course.  Still, I wonder if part of the reason for this is the way the Twins have gotten rid of every player who might cause problems for Ron Gardenhire.  People who are fiery, people who are passionate, are not always the easiest people to be around.  Intense people sometimes have that intensity come out in ways that are not the best.  Still, it seems to me that having a few people around who can stir things up is a good thing for any organization.  I wouldn’t want a whole team of them, but having a few can keep you from becoming complacent and accepting of situations you shouldn’t accept.

This is not to say that I think the Twins don’t care.  I assume anyone who wears a big league uniform cares.  I think, though, that this caring seems to be expressing itself in a very workmanlike way, rather than in an enthusiastic, passionate way.  Emotion plays a role in all sports, and I don’t see much emotion in the Twins right now.

Again, I’m not totally convinced of this argument; that’s why I’d like to hear other opinions.  It could be that the reason the Twins are losing is just a plain old lack of talent and ability, and that there’s no need to look any farther than that.  There’s a part of me, though, that says a well-applied bat to a door would not be the worst thing that could happen to this team.

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 114: White Sox at Twins

71 Comments

I started following the Twins on an everyday basis in 1986. My family had moved to Minnesota in 1984 and we had gone to a handful of games the previous two years, but I had not really discovered the joy of baseball yet.

Then, a plucky center fielder with a unique body build suddenly discovered his power stroke and the country began to take notice. I remember Bob Costas saying he would name his son after him if he was hitting .350 at the All-Star break. And, of course, that was how Keith Michael Kirby Costas was named.

Kirby was so fun to watch, it didn't really matter how bad the Twins were (and they were pretty bad that year), I just had to watch (or as often or not listen to home games) to see what he would do next. He could do it all. He could hit for average and power, he could steal bases and was a Gold Glove center fielder who specialized in leaping over the short center field wall at the Metrodome to rob the opponents of home runs.

The next season, of course, the Twins won the World Series, and what a magical ride that season was. That season cemented my love affair with baseball for life, but it was Kirby that piqued my interest to begin with. Of course, he's most famous for his Game 6 in 1991, but he was pretty good in Game 6 in 1987 as well (4-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a SB). Of course, he also was the ALCS MVP in 1991.

Of course, his career was too short due to glaucoma and his life was too short due to a stroke, which I guess is appropriate since he was deemed to be too short to play in the major leagues for much of his youth.

Today, Kirby will be remembered at Target Field, which will include a pregame video tribute. I sure hope I get to see it, along with a couple Thome dingers.

I mentioned yesterday that the Twins need to finish 30-19 to finish at .500. I would be happy, all things considered, if they could do that. I also would like to think they could pass the White Sox. A big step toward that goal can be accomplished today with a win. It's Peavy vs. Duensing. GO TWINS!!!

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 113: White Sox 6, Twins 1

6 Comments

Well, it was a step in the right direction, but not a big enough one.

Carl Pavano did his thing and gave the Twins a very good start. More than just a quality start, which the Twins did not have in the previous six games. Unfortunately, the Twins forgot how to catch the ball or take a pitch or three against a pitcher they hadn't seen before.

The Twins are now 10 games back and 11 games under .500 with 49 games left. For the Twins to just get back to .500, they will have to go 30-19. It was going to be a historic comeback if it was going to happen, but it's pretty apparent, it's not going to happen. I'd say it is time to play the kids, but really, who would that be? Plouffe, maybe. Call up Luke Hughes and send out Tolbert, I guess. But I think we pretty much know what these players offer. Revere, of course, should get more playing time. Let Delmon, Span, Cuddyer and Kubel rotate an off day.

I doubt we'll see the Twins ease up on the throttle yet. The upcoming series with the Indians and Tigers should take care of that.

I did at least get a chance to listen to TK in the booth. When someone has real insight into the game and chooses to use it, they don't have to have the most dynamic personality to be a joy to listen to. I especially enjoyed his sarcastic jabs at Adam Done and Anthony John.

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

2011 Game 109: Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (MUST WIN GAME!!!!!!11)

181 Comments

the dunce

v.

that other santana

welcome back, span. we're glad you’re still here, and we’re glad to have you back.

the twins come back from a rare day off and face off against the LAAAAAAAAAA angels. on the mound is ervin santana, whom i'm told has been pitching alright as of late. since we’re obviously not having a fire sale, might as well start winning, i guess. now's as good a time the start as any...

Minnesota Twins, MLB

Twins Add Top Leadoff Hitter to Lineup

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The Twins added an impact player at the trade deadline when they added centerfielder Denard Span. The young Span is under contract with the Twins through 2014 with an option for 2015. Span is expected to meet the team in Anaheim in time to bat leadoff and play center field in Tuesday's game.

The Twins gave up a dominant but expensive middle reliever and a light-hitting, speedy outfielder to obtain Span. They may have given up more, as well, but none of those details have been confirmed and may never be. They also optioned Luke Hughes to Rochester to make room on the 25-man roster for Span. This also will take pressure off young Ben Revere, who has had exciting moments displaying his speed and defensive range, but he has had trouble reaching base consistently and teams have been taking advantage of his weak arm in center field. Span, on the other hand, had a career .366 on-base average and has an average arm for a center fielder. The two players could make an exciting pair in the outfield if Revere starts to take playing time away from left fielder Delmon Young, who has yet to come close to his breakout 2010 season.

The Twins failed to add any other help at the trade deadline but are rumored to be working on bringing in an impact left-handed bat for the middle of the lineup in August.

Of course, none of this means anything if they're non-Baker starters keep pitching like crap. Now if only the Twins could find a starting pitcher just entering his prime that throws strikes and has a good K rate. He doesn't even need to have an out pitch.

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 108: Twins at A’s

58 Comments

Carl Pavano vs. Brandon McCarthy

The Twins need to win this one. This is the worst team they are playing on this road trip and they have pretty much had their way with Oakland as of late. They have not won their last three series. They haven't gone that long without a series win since the end of May, when they lost four series in a row before beginning this turnaround.

McCarthy is having his best season thus far, mainly be becoming a different style of pitcher. He was mainly a flyball pitcher, but with Oakland he has improved his groundball rate by 50 percent. Combine that with moving from the Rangers' to the A's home ballparks and suddenly his HR rate has dropped to a third of what it was. However, his HR/FB rate is at an unsustainable 3 percent this year, so maybe that luck can change today.

Pavano has had a couple bad starts in a row and needs to reverse that trend against the second-worst offense in the AL.

By the time this game starts, we will know if we should be expecting Denard Span to be up in a few days or a new reliever added to the team. Either way, the team will be receiving help. Let's get this momentum going in the right direction. GO TWINS!!

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 107: A’s 8, Twins 3

3 Comments

Just when you want to believe, the Twins get hammered by a bad offensive team and the Indians go out and get Ubaldo Jimenez. Of course, then the Indians go out and trade Orlando Cabrera for a minor leaguer, so I'm kinda confused, although I guess Cabrera had been relegated to a bench role of late. Also, Jimenez gave up four runs on four walks and two doubles in the first inning before being pulled, presumably when the trade went down, so he may be somewhat of an enigma, something in the lines of a Francisco Liriano.

As for the Twins, it still boggles the mind that Blackburn was handed a starting job over Kevin Slowey, especially after Blackburn's struggles last season. His ERA now stands at 4.49 with a 1.51 WHIP, which is even worse than last year when he could at least blame a sore arm for his struggles. He's now allowed at least four runs in six of his last seven starts and it was the fourth time in that stretch he's allowed double-digit hits. The one slightly encouraging sign was he still was able to get 10 groundball outs, which he must do to have any success.

How bad is it, though, that Blackburn got beat when matched up against a poor man's Slowey. Mancuso is an extreme flyball pitcher without an out pitch. His groundball rate, K rate and walk rate are all worse than Slowey's.

Oh well, at least Span wasn't traded. At least not yet. I did see one encouraging sign that the Twins will be insisting on getting a good deal:

The Twins are insisting on acquiring Storen with Bernadina and minor league infielder Stephen Lombardozzi for Span, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com.

That deal I can get on board, although I still would be upset that Span was traded, since he's one of my favorite players. However, Lombo's son is exactly the type of player the Twins need to focus on. He's a second baseman that can actually hit. He's a switch hitter with a career .370 on-base average in over 1,800 PAs. He's batting .318/.360/.429 as a 22 yr old in AAA. His numbers remind me a lot of a second baseman on a Twins championship team, but thankfully not his dad. If he does get traded to the Twins, we should start a pool on how long it will take for Dazzle to take a swing at him.

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins

2011 Game 106 Recap: Twins 9, White Elephants 5

3 Comments

Weather: 64 degrees, clear
Wind: 12 mph, in from left field
Time: 3:07
Attendance: 25,656

Box Score
Fangraphs

The baseball season spans half a year. Old timers will tell you how teams need to use that time: Two months to figure out what's wrong, two months to fix it, and two months to make a run for the top of the standings.

For the Twins this season, it didn't take long to assess the problem -- the clubhouse was as much emergency room as dressing room, and player after player was shuttling back and forth between the active roster and the disabled list. Morneau, Mauer, Span, Thome, Young, Baker, Slowey, Nishioka, Kubel, Casilla, Nathan -- all spent time on the DL, seriously testing the depth of the Twins organization.

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