Category Archives: Gamelog Archive

Archive for game logs from previous seasons.

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 113: White Sox 6, Twins 1

6 Comments

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.

2011 Twins Game Logs

Game 113: Sox at Twinkies

100 Comments

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.

2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 112 recap: Burlys 5, Washington Generals 3

4 Comments

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.

2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 111 Recap: Angels 7, Twins 1

7 Comments

ANAHEIM 7, MINNESOTA 1
Record - 51-60 (4th in Central, 1.5 games out of 3rd, 8.0 games out of first)
Highest WPA - N/A
Lowest WPA - Liriano (5.0 IP, 7R, 10H, 2 BB) and the entire lineup (6 for 32, HR)

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Another frustrating game in a season that seems to be an exhaustive collection of frustrating games.  Knowing the kind of year Dan Haren was having, it was difficult to be optimistic about the Twins chances, but Minnesota left no doubt as to the outcome of this one.

The infield of non-infielders (well, 50% non-infielders anyway) had a very difficult time turning balls in play into outs.  Seeing as how this is kind of an important part of playing defense, it's not surprising things turned out poorly.  No errors were awarded, but it sure seemed like the Angels got a lot of extra outs.

F-Bomb was not particularly great.  Some of that was the defense behind him, some of it was his own fault.

In addition to the defense being subpar and the pitching being subpar, the offense was (say it with me) subpar.  While the Angels were building a comfortable lead, the Twins sent 22 hitters to the plate to record the first 21 outs of the game.  Jim Thome's 598th career HR leading off the 8th ruined the shutout, and seemed to open the floodgates as the next three hitters singled.  Those three singles led to no runs, in fact they lead to an out as Danny Valencia slid into Jeff "The Wall" Mathis and still hasn't touched home plate.  Add baserunning to the subpar side of the equation.

Add it all up and the Twins were well under par for the day.  Maybe they should take up golf.

2011 Twins Game Logs

2011 Game 111: Twins at Angels

140 Comments

Alright, who's hanging around for tonight's game? Last night was worth staying up for, but the previous game wasn't. How does tonight's look?

Francisco Liriano 7-8, 106 IP, 7.47 K/9, 4.84 BB/9, 4.67 ERA, 4.35 FIP, 4.35 xFIP, 0.9 WAR
Dan Haren 11-6, 161.2 IP, 7.29 K/9, 1.34 BB/9, 2.89 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 3.23 xFIP, 4.8 WAR

Good Lord, those are Cy-worthy numbers. He's got a career-low HR/FB rate that's helping a lot, but for the most part, he's just an awesome pitcher. Of course, this could be a marquee matchup depending on which F-Bomb shows up. But again, on the other hand, Haren doesn't walk anybody, so you know Gardenhire's going to preach aggressiveness. Aggressiveness to our guys seems to mean "Swing at anything and everything." This could be painful for the offense.

I think most of us have given up on this team doing anything meaningful from here on out, but I'm still hoping they pull off this unlikely win to keep my faint hopes alive for a few more days. Go Twins.

2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 109: Angels 5, Twins 1

2 Comments

Another game, another stellar start from a Twins starter who isn't Scott Baker. To be honest, I went to bed before the end of the game, but that didn't change the outcome. Before I fell asleep, I basically planned on posting a picture of Kevin Slowey and begging that he be called up, but my brain had other ideas.

So last night I had a dream about Kevin Slowey. I was in West Acres, which was a high school. I was high school aged, but I was the Zack I am today instead of the Zack I was in high school. Anyway, I had two random friends with me who don't actually exist, and we were all friends with Slowey.

I don't remember most of the dream, but what I remember is that at one point I got a song stuck in my head and started playing air guitar. I wasn't humming the song, but everyone kind of knew what the song was, and we were an "air band." Mr. Slowey was playing the air bass, and we were jamming out pretty good together. Every few moments, Mr. Slowey reached his hand into this cardboard locker we were standing next to and pulled out a joint which he took many drags off of.

This went on for a bit, and then I woke up. I decided I probably needed to share my dream with you all. I guess there are two morals to the story. First, I have very strange dreams. Secondly, Kevin Slowey needs to be in the rotation. Right now. Maybe I won't have any more weird dreams about him, then.

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

2011 Game 109: Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (MUST WIN GAME!!!!!!11)

181 Comments

the dunce

v.

that other santana

welcome back, span. we're glad you’re still here, and we’re glad to have you back.

the twins come back from a rare day off and face off against the LAAAAAAAAAA angels. on the mound is ervin santana, whom i'm told has been pitching alright as of late. since we’re obviously not having a fire sale, might as well start winning, i guess. now's as good a time the start as any...