Archive for game logs from previous seasons.
A trio of thoughts, expressed in music because I wouldn't want to make anyone look bad.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FJkxlYZTNM httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zGlajaBeAE
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrzHJbZ9AUE
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And now, this week's View from the Ballpark:
photo by Flickr user jopimalg
Remember, no embiggening.
Tonight, the Twins get to take on somebody their own size for a change. The O's are a sad 47-77, on pace for 101 losses per coolstandings.com.
Pitching matchup:
Zach Jeremy Britton for the O's (scheduled; he's coming off the 15-day DL, although it was for a strain in his non-pitching shoulder)
Carl Pavanostache for the Twins.
Bal'more is tied with Minnesota and Seattle for having used the most position players this season (35 different players have had PA), but they've gotten much better offensive production out of all that deck-chair shuffling (team OPS+ of 99, compared to 85 for the Twinkies).
On the bright side, the O's pitching staff leads the AL in HR allowed by a wide margin (157; Twins are tied for second at 130) and is last in the AL in "defensive efficiency" according to b-r (Twins are two rungs higher). So I'm rooting for a slugfest. How long has it been since Jimbo had a three-HR game??
(oh, and that Wieters guy? He's hitting 261/319/404 with 12 HRs and 69:32 K:BB in 426 PA, compared to Joe's 288/350/352, 1 HR and 33:23 in 277; so I suppose you could say that the moniker kind of fits this season)
Twins record: 55-71
Fangraphs
MLB Game Wrap
Hitter of the Week: Jim Thome
Pitcher of the Week: Anthony Swarzak
The good news is the Twins have a chance today to avoid losing a series to the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 11-13, 2008.
The bad news is the Twins are sending Nick Blackburn to the hill, who is going through a bad stretch. He has given up at least four runs in four of his last five starts, although his one good start came against the Red Sox, the one team with a better offense than the Yankees. So, you never know.
Since the Delmon Young trade, the Twins are averaging 5 runs per game and that stretch includes facing Justin Verlander and C.C. Sabathia. Hopefully, they can do better than that against Ivan Nova. They'll most likely need it. GO TWINS!!
Ahhhh. Savor that one for a while.
It might have been more fun to do that to Captain Cheeseburger, but I'm not sure. A.J. Burnett probably represents the biggest reason the Yankees' dominance over the Twins is so infuriating. It wouldn't be so bad if their stars dominated the Twins, but it seems like any role players or even disappointing players they put in there against the Twins have their best games against them.
Burnett has probably been one of the more disappointing Yankees of recent years but he sure seems to have no problem dominating the Twins. That was until Saturday.
I was worried this one could be ugly for Francisco Liriano. His control problems against a team known for its patience can be a bad combination. Fortunately, Liriano showed that when he consistently throws strikes, he can dominate any lineup.
Weather: 75 degrees, overcast
Wind: 12 mph, out to RF
Time: 2:44
Attendance: 41,328
Words cannot express my disgust with this game, with the New York Yankees baseball club as an organization, with certain New York Yankees players in particular, and with the run of rotten luck inflicted on the Twins this season.
But this baby can.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfZjg1X6BXk
Hughes v Slowey.
Slowey finally gets a real chance to pitch. I still expect him to be traded this offseason. Though, with Gibson presumably getting Tommy John surgery, that might make the Twins hesitant to trade him. Yeah, I still see him being traded anyway.
NEW YORK 8, MINNESOTA 4
Record - 54-69 (4th in Central)
Highest WPA - Plouffe! (2 for 5), Nishioka (2 for 4, R, RBI)
Lowest WPA - Duensing (5.0 IP, 6R, 3 HR), Morneau (o for 4)
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My wife got a job yesterday, so we went out to The Burger Stand (I got a Smoke Burger with the Ad Astra Ale from the local Free State Brewery) to celebrate. As a result, my viewing of this game is pretty much limited to the first inning plus some highlight clips. On the other hand, I didn't have to watch a very good team beat a not very good team easily and we just theoretically doubled our yearly income as a family.
Add in the burgers and I think that's a win-win for me.
It's Yankees-Twins. Captain Cheeseburger faces the Dunce, who's barely an ensign, let alone a captain. The Yankees are waltzing to the playoffs again while the Twins are sputtering along to a possible 90-loss season.
Still, though, Joe Mauer is playing right field. This is happening, and it must be seen.
