Category Archives: Gamelog Archive

Archive for game logs from previous seasons.

Game 8 Recap: Twins vs. Run Expectancy Charts

The Twins won this battle handily. Run Expectancy put up a good fight, but the Twins persevered against the odds, stranding 15 runners on base (including 3 innings where they left the bases loaded).

"Our hitters were just clutch" Ron Gardenhire said in his post-game presser, "you gotta figure that some runs are gonna score with how many times we got guys out there on the basepaths, but our hitters dug in there, and made sure that those runners stayed where they belonged. I saw Doomy [Twins rightfielder Ryan Doumit] get up there in the fifth, and I didn't even worry, I knew he had it covered. This is a big win for our guys, now we just gotta get in the frame of mind to go out there tomorrow and do it again."

Indeed, the Twins accomplished most of their magic with some incredibly well-timed strikeouts and weak pop flies, frustrating REC's attempts to average things out. At times, REC just seemed snakebit.

"I don't want to talk about it" REC's manager stated after the game, "this loss doesn't even seem real right now... 21 baserunners, and only 2 score? Seriously. What the hell."

Game 8: Rangers at Twins

Today, the Twins will be trotting out this lineup:

1. Span, CF
2. Caroll, SS
3. Mauer, C
4. Morneau, DH
5. Willingham, LF
6. Doumit, RF
7. Valencia, 3B
8. Parmelee, 1B
9. Casilla, 2B

If that lineup looks familiar, it's because it was the opening day lineup, and most likely the one the management hoping to get a lot of mileage out of. Whether or not this is the lineup that the team ends up with, and whether or not it's the one that shows some punch, it's worth noting that this is the third time they've used it in this young season. I'm sure you remember that the team used their opening day lineup precisely never after opening day, partially due to Nishioka getting hurt, then sucking horribly, partially due to a million injuries. What you might not be aware of is the fact that there were only 3 lineups that ended up being used 3 times over the entire of last year, and none that were used more than three times.

The Twins probably won't contend for anything this year, but at least it's looking like we'll have a fairly consistent lineup to see day after day. There's a bit of comfort in that.

Today, Nick Blackburn (4.04 xFIP, 7.50 ERA) tries to find a little bit more luck, while Yu Darvish (5.23 xFIP, 7.94 ERA) tries to show that his ugly first start wasn't the shape of things to come.

Total team record, 2-5
Saturday record, 0-1

Game 7 Recap: Rangers 4 — Twins 1

MINNESOTA 1 -- TEXAS 4
Twins Record: 2-5
Lowest WPA - Swarzak (7 IP, 4 R, 0 BB, 3 SO), Mauer (1 for 4, SO, GIDP)
Highest WPA - Willingham (1 for 2, R, BB, HBP)
Fangraphs - MLB Recap

------------

The Twins made some solid contact in the first few innings, but Texas made some sparkling defensive plays to keep the damage to a Danny Valencia sac fly in the second. 1-0 Twins for the first time all season. But would it be enough?

It would not. Swarzak put up another perfectly reasonable start, the big Texas inning was one where the Twins needed a sparkling defensive play or two. Instead the first 5 Rangers reached (4 singles and an error) resulting in 3 runs. Minnesota would get a few guys on base over the course of the game but never get the big hit to bring the game back within reach.

There are plenty of people who will say Texas is better than the Twins. Tonight the Rangers got a little bit more pitching, a little bit more hitting, and a little bit more defense. That was enough to make this a not terribly exciting end to the Twins longest winning streak of the year.

2012 Game 7: Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins

Matt Harrison
v
Anthony Swarzak

Last season was crap, but the Twins managed to beat the AL champions five of the eight times they played including three out of four in Minnesota. The bad news: Swarzak pitched in that game. The good news: the loser was Duensing, who went two innings and gave up seven runs. Swarzak went the next six, giving up only two runs.

Harrison also lost in the homestand, in the one game where Liriano was awesome. That was the game where Harrison got hit in the head, the Twins decided to score a bunch, and messed up Liriano's groove. Don't mess up Swarzak's groove and 158-4 stays in sight.

Game 6 Recap: From the Brink

The hero closed his eyes as he concentrated on his hands. The rope had gone beyond chafing, he was now gripping it so tightly that he imagined the particles in the rough fibers and in his skin mixing and merging until they were indistinguishable from each other. He could hold on forever. For the rest of his life.

He could hear his enemy coming closer, heavy boots clattering across the flagstone court. He would cut the rope, he would let the hero fall into the void below to land amongst the rest of the twisted and broken bodies. The enemy would turn around, victorious, heavy boots would clatter again across the flagstone court, and he would watch the sun set and rise again. But the enemy would not break the hero's grip.

Continue reading Game 6 Recap: From the Brink

2012 Game 6: Angels at Twins

12:10 PM
Francisco Liriano vs. Dan Haren

So, the Twins are well on their way to 158-4, the best record in franchise history. I wanted to take this game log to look at some recent signings by today's teams.

Josh Willingham Albert Pujols
Average .353 .222
OBP .421 .333
SLG .941 .667
Home runs 3 (on pace for 97) 0 (on pace for 0)
RBI 6 2
Contract 3 years/$21 million 10 years/$240 million

We're getting twice the production for a tenth of the contract. Is it really any wonder that the Twins are on pace to win 158 games?

Game 5 Recap: Dewey Wins! Puppies!

Twins 6, Laaaaaaaaaaaaa 5

WP: Gray* (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
LP: Takahashi (0-1, 10.80 ERA)
SAVE(!) Shortening (1)
Fangraphs loves baseball. I do too.
Mlb Recap

FireworksWow. Where to start with this one? The Twins had a lot of firsts tonight including the biggest first of them all, Matt Capps converted the Twins save of the season. Without Matt the local nine wouldn't have had their first win, and for that we thank him. Carl pitched perfect through three, but then he started looking a little shaky. He gave up a leadoff hit to start the fourth, turned a double play into a single play, and then a stolen base lead to a run off poo-holes's bat. Poo-holes forced himself out by trying to take an extra base, and Carl worked himself out of the fourth. JC Superstar stepped to the plate and stroked a double, Joe Mau Mau pussied a single to tie the game, the Mountie struck out, and Josh Willingham absolutely crushed a home run to take the lead. Carl was determined not to give the lead back, but accidentally left one up and Bourjos punished him. Actually, Bourjos punished everyone except LAAA fans. Carl pitched a scoreless 6th, but coughed up another run on a two out hit in the 7th. I was about to give up on the game when Doumit and Sweet Danny V hit back to back singles. Parmelee came to the plate and stroked a double that ii face planted into a triple to tie the game at five. Casilla and Span both went down without making much noise. I began to worry that we were being set up for heartbreak, but JC Superstar assuaged my doubt by singling in Parmelee to take the lead. Glenn Perkins took the ball for the 8th and destroyed the heart of the Angels order. The sequence of pitches to poo-holes was nothing short of magnificent. Capps was called on to close the game out, and other than padding ii's stats he was best there ever was. Perfect.

*Sworn enemy of DPWY

Culture Club: I've done this recap thingy for a couple of seasons and I usually follow up the post with a review of art or a cultural institution. I'm choosing to focus on printmaking workshops this year as a way to feature a large number of artists creating diverse images though a wide range of techniques. I'm also interested in promoting the collecting of original art, and fine art prints offer an inexpensive way to own works by famous, infamous, and unknown (me!) artists. I know that I've already featured them here several times, but, what the hell, Highpoint Center for Printmaking is one of the premier professional printmaking centers in the United States. Cole Rogers, a Tamarind Master Printer, and Carla McGrath have created a professional and community workshop, gallery, and educational outreach programs that are unmatched. From their professional shop they print original works from local, national, and internationally known artists such as Willie Cole, David Rathman, Julie Mehretu, and Todd Norsten to name a few. Their gallery is friendly and features a diverse catalog of work hat can accommodate every level of art patron. Stop by, or better yet take a class at the workshop, and visit Highpoint, and tell them I sent you down.

2012 Game 5: Angels at Twins

Perkins Warming Up to Save the Day#Angels (2-2) vs Twins(0-4)
8:10 PM ET at Target Field
Radio: LAA: KLAA 830 MIN: 1500 ESPN
TV: LAA: FS-W MIN: FS-N

##Jered Weaver, RHP
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.17 FIP, 1.44 xFIP, 11.25 K/9

##Carl Pavano, RHP
0-1, 5.14 ERA, 5.10 FIP, 4.89 xFIP, 1.29 K/9

Papa Pavano is here to bring his expos experience to the table. . The Twins going for the first win of the season; get it. Everyone rejoices.

##LETS GO TWINS!

Game 166 4 Recap: LALALA Angels 5 – Minnesota Twins 1

i don't have much for you guys, but thankfully this game didn't warrant much. didn't see it. kept a very wandering eye on gameday for the first few innings, but that was (mercifully) it. just a couple points to note:

  • the twins have scored 6 runs in 4 games this year
  • the twins have tied the franchise worse start of 0-4 in `69 and `81 this year
  • the twins have yet to, in general, not suck this year

please note that the "When will teh Suck End?" tag was already stored in the .org database.

2012 Game 4: Angels at Twins

RESET

First Pitch - 3:10 p.m. CDT
Televison - FSN, MLBN
Game Notes
Lineups
Scorecard

I guess I let my spring-fever induced optimism get the better of me. I should have tempered expectations a little more. I thought that after six months of patiently waiting and what appeared to be a pretty good spring training performance, I might actually witness real competence from the Twins over the weekend. On the bright side, the pre-season focus on defense seems to be paying off, with the possible exception of Danny Valencia. But the pitching was only middlin' and the offense sorely disappointed, to say the least.

Continue reading 2012 Game 4: Angels at Twins