I approve of this lineup. Sort of.
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Category Archives: Gamelog Archive
Archive for game logs from previous seasons.
Game 116: Red Sox 4, Twins 3
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.
2011 Game 116: Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins
Liriano looks to stop the bleeding. Thome looks to smash homers until the cows come home. That's all I got.
2011 Game 115: Red Sox 8, Twins 6
The Twins have a 3-10 record on Mondays this year.
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And now, this week's View from the Ballpark:
photos by The WGOM's very own Can of Corn
Remember, no embiggening.
2011 Game 115: Red Sawks!!!! on ESPN!!!!
Tonight on the 4ltr, the Red Sawks play*, and the Yankmees don't!!!!111one111!!! How did that happen?
Anyway, there is some sort of milestone at stake (Tim Wakefield seeks career win 200, including many games NOT against the Yankmees).
In order to provide context for the milestone, there may or may not be another team on the field. However, it is rumored that two non-Sawks players that 4ltr viewers may have heard of, Joe Mauer and Jim Thome, may be mentioned. Mauer, because his iconic sideburns are two of the most notable features of flyover America, and Thome because he too is within striking distance of a milestone of sorts, even though it is likely to happen in obscurity unless it happens tonight.
Bring the snark, kids. That's what we are playing for.
*some guy named Booker or Barker or something is starting for the other team, in case anyone cares.
Game #114: White Sox 7, Twins 0
Twins record: 51-63
Fangraphs
MLB Game Wrap
Hitter of the Week: Jason Kubel
Pitcher of the Week: Carl Pavano
Game 114: White Sox at Twins
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!!!
Game 113: White Sox 6, Twins 1
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.
Game 113: Sox at Twinkies
It'd be nice if Jim Thome would hurry up and hit number 600, so I can move on with my plan of watching games until we're losing by two, because we're back to the point where the starting pitching is bad, and a Twins lead sometimes seems like an insurmountable deficit. Things are tough to watch, a few players excepted.
The Smartest Pitcher in Baseball takes the mound tonight against Zach Stewart, who is making just his 4th big league start. Our favorite tater-masher should get some good cuts in today.
Let's see some dongers jacked... I mean... umm... yeah.
Game 112 recap: Burlys 5, Washington Generals 3
Twayn's not here, so you guys are stuck reading some bS about last night's game.
I am still without a home computer, so this will be a minimalist post.
The toilet has been flushed and the water continues to run on this season. All that really remains is to beat up on the South Siders. So last night's loss, predictable as it was, hurts.
After an ugly top of the first for Not Kevin Slowey (roughly a dozen walks and 18 Nishi errors that somehow led to only one run), our boys gave us some false hope in the bottom half. Ben Revere knocked a croquet ball through the hoop called Adam Done. After Tolbot did something useless, Joe said "this game is easy," and blooped a single. Then the Dude said "screw platoon splits" and dongered.
The Nation rejoiced.
It was not to be. After the Dude, Burly dominated, retiring 22 of the next 24. And, well, Kevin Slowey was still in AAA.
Carlos Quentin did his best Jose Bautista. The Twins offense was helpless. Boo.