David Price vs Brian Duensing
The good doctor seems to have expended all of his posting energy this morning on the book club.
Category Archives: 2011 Twins Game Logs
Second Half, Game 1: Brewers at Twins
Wouldn't it be cool if the major leagues do as the lower-level minors do with the first-half and second-half winners both getting into the playoffs? You could wipe the slate clean halfway through the season and give last-place teams in July something to hope for. That's something the Twins could lobby for.
As it is, the Twins have still gone 19-9 in their last 28 games and they've managed to hover around the fringes of contention thanks to a mediocre division. If they can continue to hang in there until at least Delmon and Kubel can return, then they might be able to put another big run together.
The key will be for the team to figure out how to avoid the long losing streaks. This is why today's game is so key. The Twins need to avoid letting last night's Crapptastic ending force them into another losing streak. A win today would do just the trick.
Blackburn also needs to bounce back after his last disastrous start against the Dodgers. Having a heavily right-handed Brewers lineup should help him as long as he can keep the ball down in the zone. GO TWINS!!!
End of the First half: Brewers at Twins
Thirty games ago, I don't think any of us would thought we could be 8 games out at the halfway point. Fifteen games ago, I doubt that any of us would've been happy with that result, but here we are.
Tonight, we've got Carl Pavano taking on Chris Narveson tonight. When these matches up last Sunday, the result was... not good. On the other hand, after Liriano's game last night, I expect that the Twins will probably win 8-0.
I won't be around much this weekend, so everybody have a safe, fun 4th of July weekend, and cheer on the Twins to a positive end to the first half.
Go Twins!
2011 Game 80: Milwaukee Brewers at Minnesota Twins
Yovani Gallardo vs Francisco Liriano
I think the Yankees just own every Midwest team. The Brewers swept the Twins but were then swept by the Yankees. They scored a meager four runs compared to the 22 by the Yankees over the three games. Which leads to somewhat interesting interleague records for the Twins:
Twins away record against the NL: 1-8
Twins home record against the NL: 5-1
Just where the Twins want them. Sweep time!
2011 Game 79: Twins v Trustee aka in re Dodgers
Late night reports from Target field hint that the hometown
Will the Twins win the series?
Does Jim Thome really watch reruns of the Mod Squad in the clubhouse?
Why haven't Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau hugged lately?
If Joe Nathan throws 93 mph from a train leaving Eighth Street, at what time does he arrive home?
Who the hell is Rubby De La Rosa, and why do I feel dirty when I say it out loud?
Will Nishioka eat grits?
Does Scott Baker look at the bullpen out of respect for Bert?
Will these questions ever be answered?
Pitching:
Rubby De La Rosa pitching against Twin's undeniable champion, ace, and all around nice guy, Scott Baker.
Lineups:
Twins:
1. Revere 8
2. Nishioka 6
3. _auer 2
4. Righthanded w/ power 9
5. Thome Bench spot saver
6. Dani 5
7. Hughes 3
8. Repko 7
9. Tolbot 4
Orphans:
1. Gwynn 7
2. Blake 5
3. Ethier 9
4. Dairy Brand 8
5. Lonely 3
6. Uribe 4
7. Thames DH
8. Navarro 2
9. Gordon 6
Go Twins!
2011 Game 78: Dodgers vs Twins
Ted Lilly vs Brian Duensing
Apparently the Twins decided to compress their 54 wins into large, sparsely distributed batches. At least the Wolves have gotten everyone used to long losing streaks.
Duensing, you're our only hope.
2011 Game 77: McCourtsMLBs at Pohlads
Finally, we get to go home and take on somebody our own size. The Dodgers (35-44) are the epitome of a small-market club, struggling to make payroll, playing their games in an old, rundown stadium with trough urinals.
They do have some Midwestern charm, however:
The Dodgers owe everybody and their mother money:
The team owes a total of $74,121,433 to their players, food and travel vendors, and even the city of Los Angeles.
The team owes Los Angeles $240,563 in taxes. It also owes Levy Restaurants $588,322 for running the concession stands at the stadium, as well as $339,403 to Continental Airlines for team travel.
Some of the Dodgers' major payroll creditors include former players Manny Ramirez ($20.9 million), Andruw Jones ($11.1 million, currently with the NY Yankees), and Juan Pierre ($3.05 million, currently with the Chicago White Sox, who is also owed $3.5 million for his trade). Other players on the list include the current roster, and the LA Times points out that two of the players owed money (Zach Lee and Alexander Santana) haven't even begun playing yet. Also on the list: longtime sportscaster Vin Scully ($152,778).
That would be the best-PBP-voice-in-baseball Vin Scully. Unfortunately, Scully, 82, rarely does away games east of Denver these days. So scratch that from the list of attributes for this series.
Instead, let's just hope Our Boys can get some Mojo back in order to make a run at respectability. They still have a shot at the International League playoffs!!!11one111!!!!
Pitching matchup:
Chad Billingsley (Righty, 4.48 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 3.56 xFIP, 86:40 K:BB in 94 1/3)
Nick Blackburn (3.15 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 3.89 xFIP, 51:27 K:BB in 97 innings)
Billingsley is right at league averages for GB%, FB% and LD%. His 5 1/3 innings against Detroit last Tuesday (6 hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks, one run) was his longest outing in a month. He has given up four or more runs in four of his last six starts. Even better, the Dodgers' bullpen has been awful -- minus 20.7 pRAA on the season (the Twins' pen is only -12.5 pRAA).
Offensively, the Dodgers have been mediocre, with the glaring exceptions of Matt Kemp (327/416/619) and Andre Ethier (317/389/461). If we can avoid Neck Fat giving those guys hanging sliders, we might actually win this series.
Game 76: Red Wings at Brewers
Carl Pavano vs. Chris Narveson
Remember when the Twins thrived in Interleague? Yeah, me neither. The Twins are looking to avoid their second Interleague road sweep this season. At least there's only one more game until Thome can DH.
I'm guessing Drew Butera will start today. Day game after a night game, Pavano starting and the opposing pitcher is a lefty. If Butera doesn't start, I think it's pretty clear who goes if the Twins ever decide to go with two catchers. I think that's why Gardy wants Mauer to play first or third, so he can easily have Mauer catch the last inning or two when he needs to pinch hit for Rivera or Butera without losing the DH.
This will be one ugly looking lineup. Narveson has allowed at least four runs in five of his last six starts, so I'm sure he's looking forward to this start.
Right now, the Twins need to find a way to scratch out a win and find a way to keep from losing much ground in the division for when Kubel and Span return. Otherwise, the Twins might be throwing up the white flag pretty soon. It may not matter since most of their veteran players will be too hurt to trade away anyways.
GO TWINS!!
Game 75: Twins at Brewers
Bandage [ban-dij]
1. a strip of cloth or other material used to bind up a wound, sore, sprain, etc.
2. anything used as a band or ligature, such as a strip of packing tape, or an F-Bomb (see image)
Time to stop the bleeding, Frankie.
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2011 Game 74: Twins at Brewers
One thing that jumped out at me as I perused Light Rail's B-R page was his strikeout rate: 8.6 K/9. What? It did increase from 7.3 in 2009 to 7.8 in 2010, but I wasn't expecting another 0.8 jump. However, the season is just shy of 50% complete and so, how much of the increase is real? Fortunately, that was recently answered.
What we want is the K/(PA-IBB-HBP)* line, and that says at 126 denominator units, 50% is the player's ability and 50% is the mean. Baker has 369 PAs, which means 74.5% of the 8.6 K/9 is him while the other 25.5% would be regression to the mean. The mean we want would be Baker's historical performance with however much regression is needed.
Taking the last three years, Baker has 2240 PAs, which means we need 94.7% of those three years and 5.3% league average. Baker's three year average for those three years is 7.5 K/9, which is reasonably close to the league average of 6.8. Let's just use 100% Baker. More rounding error.
Putting it all together means the best estimate for his talent right now is 8.3 K/9. Combined with the miniscule (0.09) increase in his BB/9 rate equals good things for his results. His xFIP so far is easily his best yet and his FIP is slightly better than from 2008. Finally, an ace!
* I'm calling these PAs from now on, despite it actually not being a plate appearance. He has one intentional walk and four hit batters, so it's basically rounding error anyway.