Category Archives: 2019 Twins Game Logs

2019 Twins Game Logs

Game 56: Twins at Tampa Bay

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Well, that wasn't a lot of fun yesterday. The Twins are in the midst of a tough stretch - 2 against the Brewers, 4 at Tampa Bay, and 3 at Cleveland. I'd circled these games on my calendar a month ago, figuring that these would be the games that would really tell us what we had on our hands. I'm enjoying the heck out of beating up on middling (or worse) teams. But it'd be great to hang with the best. That Brewers series suggested we could - especially with a bullpen upgrade - but after last night's game, a bounce back in Tampa Bay would be huge.

For some reason I have it in my head that trips to Tampa Bay are kind of like playing against NY or Toronto for the Twins. Teams that just seem to play them tough. It's my hope that Baldelli knows exactly how to shift gears for this team when they need it. There's a part of me that would give him an awful lot of credit if the Twins can end up with a winning record in the stretch I mentioned above.

Hopefully it also help to have Berrios on the mound - he's due for a dominant performance. Ideally the offense will show up, and then some, with an answer game. Tampa Bay is using an opener tonight, and I feel like that's the kind of thing that never quite works out like its supposed to, so hopefully that's the case again.

2019 Twins Game Logs

2019 Game 54 — Brewers at Twins

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Game 54 means 1/3 of the season is over. Day after Memorial Day means the Spring portion of the season is over too. By this time we should be able to get a sense of who the real teams are and who the pretenders are. Obviously all is good in Twins land. Best record in baseball, on pace to smash the Home Run record, 10 game lead on Cleveland -- who doesn’t really look like a team able to play at a .600 pace the rest of the season, Oddo, Perez, Berrios looking great, even bad Gibby has been stuffed in a closet somewhere. Nelson Cruz should be back in the line-up any day, Mitch Garver on track to recover from his injury, Buxton doing (good) Buxton things, the list is endless. So settle in folks, we should have a fun summer of Baseball, and on the Tuesday after Labor Day, hopefully I’ll be writing up a post about Fall baseball coming up and how the Twins need to set up their line-up for the playoffs.

Brewers in town for the second game of a weird two-game series. I still don’t understand why MLB doesn’t like money. Bring the Brewers in for a 3-game series over a summer weekend, and update the software on your cash registers as people will be handing over the money on tickets, food, beer, and souvenirs like there was no tomorrow. Zach Davies on the mound for the Brewers with his gaudy 5-0 record, 2.43 ERA. Since he pitched two innings last night hopefully the formally teenaged-racist Josh Hader will have to take a night off today.

As mentioned earlier, Twins called up Delvin Smeltzer to make his MLB debut. Twins got him as part of the Dozier trade with the Dodgers and by all accounts was only a matter of time before he made it to the big club. Let’s hope for a successful first outing, perhaps a couple of early Twins homeruns will help tamp down the butterflies.

Games back at 7:10p. Looks like a nice but cool night to be at the ballpark.

Twins Lineup
Max Kepler RF
Jorge Polanco SS
C.J. Cron DH
Eddie Rosario LF
Miguel Sano 3B
Marwin Gonzalez 1B
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Jason Castro C
Byron Buxton CF

2019 Twins Game Logs

2019 Game 52: Pale Hosers vs. Twinkies

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So, it looks like the front office has recognized some relief pitching deficiencies and is making tentative moves to shore up the bullpen. The Twins offense keeps rolling like a juggernaut, the starting pitching is top notch or, in the cases of Gibby and Pineda, showing improvement with each start over the past month. This is the kind of Twins team you dream about through a frigid, dark Minnesota winter, or during the worst of a midsummer losing streak. And there just might be enough depth in the organization to weather the inevitable injuries that can leave your bench thin as an anorexic beanpole. The Twins send Jake Odorizzi (really good numbers) to the mound seeking a sweep of the South Siders and his 7th win of the season - before Memorial Day, no less. The White Sox counter with Dylan Covey, whose 5.31 ERA is seeking its first win on the year. Play ball!

2019 Twins Game Logs

Game 51: white Sox @ Twins

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So. This team can put it in the seats , sure. But can they grind out nine innings of stringing together a bit every other inning, scoring a single run while pitching to contact and losing by six? Because I think I speak for everyone when I say that is the kind of baseball we've become accustomed to in Minnesota.

Until these guys know what it means to consistently load the bases with infield singles, then run themselves out of the inning by getting picked off each one of the bases, are these guys even Minnesota Twins? I submit that they are not.

But I suppose they'll do.

2019 Twins Game Logs

Game 50: White Sox @ Minnesota

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Here's a little secret: I'm actually more worried about the White Sox than I am the Indians. The White Sox have been building for a little bit, while Cleveland is definitely on the decline. I felt this way last year too, though maybe I was a little early in that worry. It just feels like all of a sudden all of the White Sox' prospects are going to hit their stride.

But the Twins are pitching Jose Berrios, which makes me think that tonight will not be the night that the White Sox hit their stride.

Reynaldo Lopez goes for Chicago. He has apparently been better of late, but gives up lots of fly balls. And the Twins often turn fly balls into 4-base hits, so... we might as well start spookying now!

2019 Twins Game Logs

2019 Game Log 48: Twins at Halos

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Game 6 of a pretty successful (so far) 7-game West Coast swing for the Twins as they try for another victory against the Halos. Michael Pineda back on the mound for the Twins and while still definitely a 5th starter, there have been signs of life from Pineda over the past few starts, including a nice little victory last week against the Mariners. Pineda has not done well against LAAAAA in his career so look out.

Trever Cahill with his 2-4 record and 6.95 ERA for the Angels. He pitched last week against the Twins and gave up six runs in 4.1 innings so hopefully the Twins have his number. Cahill has also given up a MLB leading 14 home runs meaning the Twins’ boomsticks should be out in force tonight. It looks like Ben Andrelton Simmons will be out for the rest of the series against the Twins. Too bad, He’s a fun player. I hope he gets back to raking once healthy (and the Twins have moved on). Ohtani has recovered and will be in the line up tonight.

Another west coast late start as first pitch is at 9:07p. Let’s get a nice little five run lead by the 3rd inning so we can go to bed a decent hour.

If you want some baseball before the Twins game, former Twins pitching stalwarts Tommy Milone and Lance Lynn will be facing each other as the Seattle takes on the Rangers. Check local listings.

Twins Lineup:
RF Kepler
SS Polanco
DH Gonzalez
LF Rosario
1B Cron
3B Arraez
2B Schoop
C Castro
CF Buxton

2019 Twins Game Logs

2019 Game Log 47: Minnesota Twins at LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAngels

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Ahh, that bit never gets old... (right? RIGHT!?)

Odoreater's out there tonight, his scoreless streak recently snapped, but has still been more than capable of late. Angels are going with an opener in Cole before they bring in Pena. Hopefully we can make them regret that.

I still feel like the Angels are a better team than their record shows, so I'm hoping for a good series on their turf. It's the Twins' fault for starting to make me expect it.