Category Archives: Gamelog Archive

Archive for game logs from previous seasons.

2011 Game 56: Twins at Royals

Carl Pavano v Danny Duffy.

Pavano seems to be repeating his 2009. Unfortunately, the Twins are the recipients of the poor performance.

Duffy decided to return to baseball in 2010 and racked up some frequent flyer miles proving himself. Seven games with the Rafters (which B-R doesn't even list and I can't corroborate), two games with a rookie team (Arizona), two more with another rookie team (Idaho), three games at A+ (Delaware), and finally seven games at AA (Arkansas).

He averaged more than a strikeout per inning in the minors while walking three per nine innings. The strikeouts followed him, but the control lagged some. The number of free passes issued has monotonically decreased. I don't expect the Twins to change that.

Game 55 Recap: Twins 8, Royals 2

MINNESOTA 8, KANSAS CITY 2
Record
- 18-37 (Last in the Central)
Highest WPA
- Swarzak (6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 SO), and Rivera (1 for 3, BB, R, RBI)
Lowest WPA - Every single Twin who appeared in this game had a positive WPA.
Fangraphs
MLB Recap

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Here's your stupid stat of the day:

The Twins scored runs in 3 different innings last night, I was wondering how often that had happened this season, and so I generated the following results.

  • When the Twins score in 0 innings of a game, they are 0-5.
  • When the Twins score in 1 inning, they are 4-8.
  • When the Twins score in 2 innings, they are 4-13.
  • When the Twins score in 3 innings, they are 7-4.
  • When the Twins score in 4 innings, they are 2-7.
  • When the Twins score in 5 innings, they are 1-0.

So, by bringing in Soria and setting the final 6 Twins hitters down in order, KC was playing right into our hands.  It's obvious what would have happened if the Twins had scored runs in one of those innings.

2011 Game 55: Twins at Royals

The good news is that it's the Royals! The bad news is that we're still the Twins, and we're as injured as ever.

Anthony Soulsister 0-2, 15 IP, 3.60 ERA, 4.80 FIP, 5.06 xFIP, 0.0 fWAR
Sean O'Sullivan 2-4, 50.2 IP, 6.75 ERA, 6.05 FIP, 5.47 xFIP, -0.5 fWAR

I may never say this again, but this pitching matchup seems to favor Sickleshuffle pretty heavily. O'Sullivan is out of his element as a starter in MLB, as he wasn't even that good in AAA. This year his Ks are down and his walks are way up in what's not all that small a sample anymore.

O'Sullivan's a righty, too, so he doesn't even qualify as a Jeremy.

Can the Twins win some games in June? Can they start a bona fide winning streak tonight? Hey, if Drew Butera can hit a home run (with a runner on base, even!), I can believe anything.

Game # who cares recap —> 20 games under .500

Twins 2, Tigers 4

Twins record 17-37, 16 games out

LP Scott Baker, WP R. Porcello

Save: The King of D-bags, Valverde

What to say about this? Well, there isn't much to say about this. Oh, what's that you say? Alexi decided that bunting for a base hit with two strikes in the 9th was a good idea? Holy crap, I wish I had dreamed that, but I didn't. No, with the undisputed king of the d-bags on the mound Alexi decided to bunt with two strikes. He executed the bunt puuuuurfectly for the tigers. I imagine that Joe Mauer will take the blame for this loss. As boosty pointed out in the game log this is a particularly  bad loss bringing the twins to 20 games under .500. That's bad. Really. B-A-D.

This, of course, doesn't mean that I'll stop watching the Twins lose, but this is still  something of a milestone. Boo.

 

Art.

Game 54: Twins at Tigers

Didn't see one up, so have at it.

TWINS (17-36)

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Alexi Casilla, SS
3. Justin Morneau, 1B
4. Michael Cuddyer, 2B
5. Jim Thome, DH
6. Danny Valencia, 3B
7. Delmon Young, LF
8. Jason Repko, RF
9. Drew Butera, C

Starting pitcher: RH Scott Baker (2-3, 3.65 ERA)

TIGERS (28-26)

1. Don Kelly, LF
2. Ramon Santiago, 2B
3. Brennan Boesch, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Victor Martinez, DH
6. Andy Dirks, CF
7. Jhonny Peralta, SS
8. Alex Avila, C
9. Brandon Inge, 3B

Starting pitcher: RH Rick Porcello (4-2, 3.08 ERA)

Game 53: Detroit Tigers 8, Minnesota Twins 7

I almost think it was better when the team was getting blown out. It is very frustrating to have the bullpen rip the team's guts out over and over. Kevin Slowey needs to man up and pitch 300 innings out of the 'pen, and the Twins should send their 5 best prospects to the Angels for Torii Hunter who could play in the middle infield and the outfield and close. If they made these moves, I'm sure the team would win their next one hundred and nine games in a row.

I apologize, but between their poor play and stuff in my life I have very little to say about this game or this team right now. I assume you all understand. Now I will return to listening to "Let's Get This Paper" by Rich Boy (Warning: Explicit Lyrics, absolutely bananas beat) on repeat for the rest of the evening.

Final Score: Detroit Tigers 8, Minnesota Twins 7
Twins Record: 17-36, 15.5 GB in the AL Central. This may as well be 115.5 GB.
WP: Al Alburqerque (3-1) | LP: Kevin Slowey (0-36)

2011 Games Logs: Game 53 Minnesota @ Detroit

Brian Duensing

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Max Scherzer

 

Alright, let's hope the Twins put 17 or 18 on the board tonight before the basketball game starts. Because, honestly, if the Twins keep it close and ultimately lose late or in extra innings causing me to miss hoops I am going to be bummed out.

Yep. That is what I've got for right now. It is 90 degrees out in Buffalo and I am going to soak up some sun.

2011 Game 52: Tigers 6, Twins 5

Weather: 85°F, sunny
Wind: 9 mph
Attendance: 30,198
Time: 3:09

Twins record: 17-35 (last in AL Central, 14.5 GB)
Fangraphs boxscore | MLB wrap

Highlights:

  • Highest WPA, hitter: Kubel .140 (2-3, R, RBI) | Highest WPA, pitcher: Dumatrait .236 (0.2 IP, K)

Lowlights:

  • Lowest WPA, hitter: Delmon, -.188 (0-4, saw only 10 pitches in 4 AB) | Lowest WPA, pitcher: Blackburn, -.509 (6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 HR 5 ER, BB, 3 K)
  • Kubel is listed as day-to-day with a sprained right foot
  • Rene Rivera is whiffing in 40% of his at bats. Over his career Jim Thome has gotten on base in more than 40% of his at bats.

In case you didn't read it elsewhere already, Francisco Liriano was placed on the DL. Kubel is day-to-day. Meanwhile, according to the 4ltr's recap, Mauer is now able to throw from home to second. I didn't know bilateral leg weakness affected the arms, too.

Usually I watch Monday's game so I can write a recap, but this week I was down at my mother-in-law's place in Chicagoland, where the connection speed isn't particularly great. If the Twins were playing well I might have been tempted to watch the game anyway, but I figured I didn't need the frustration of the spotty DSL connection, plus terrible baseball. I suppose I could watch it now that I'm home, but I've decided not to waste my time. In the limited time I have on this earth, going back to watch yet another Twins loss isn't high on my list of priorities. Thus concludeth the game wrap.

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Let's be honest: If you're even reading this, the View from the Ballpark is probably why you are here. Well, let's dispense with the pleasantries (if that's the appropriate word for recapping another loss) and get right down to it:
photo by Flickr user rjcox

photo by Flickr user rjcox

Remember, no embiggening.

Game #51: Angels 6, Twins 5

Twins record: 17-34
Fangraphs
MLB Game Wrap

Not a lot to say. Dan Haren, even when he's not great, is pretty good. The Twins, this year, are not, and their infield defense today especially was not.

I feel kind of bad for Jim Hoey. I can't hate him. It's not his fault someone thought he was a decent trade return for a salary dump of a bona fide major league shortstop. It's not his fault someone thinks he's a major league quality relief pitcher, and it's not his fault that he keeps being asked to perform as one when it seems clear, right now, that he's not. When he came in the game in the top of the 9th today, the score was 5-3, and I figured that after he did his damage, the Twins were about to make it closer in the bottom of the 9th. They did, scoring two runs after Hoey gave up a home run to Mark Trumbo, the first batter he faced. It's been that kind of year.

Hitter of the Week: Denard Span
Pitcher of the Week: I ought to be more selective, but I can't, because suddenly it's the majority of the starting rotation that's keeping the Twins' heads anywhere close to above water. Nick Blackburn pitched a good game that he won, and Scott Baker and Anthony Swarzak pitched possibly even better games that they didn't win, earning them the undying ire of Twins broadcasters, but hopefully some respect from Twins fans.