Category Archives: WGOM

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 114: White Sox at Twins

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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!!!

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 113: White Sox 6, Twins 1

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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

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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.

WGOM Videos

WU LYF – Spitting Blood

Video 3 Comments

I have been spending some time on pitchfork lately. I have learned that it is very fashionable to sing in a punk rock/metal hybrid that sounds like a lo-fi Kings of Leon singer dude. You know, you gotta have that lo-fi for street cred.  Because, duh, Kings of Leon totally sold out after their first record. Anyway, I'd prefer if the singer of this band had a shirt on.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F1PHopWEF8

I might warm up to this. You know, if I don't have to look at him with his shirt off. Knitting Factory, 2011.

4 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 104 votes, average: 5.50 out of 10 (4 votes, average: 5.50 out of 10)
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2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 111 Recap: Angels 7, Twins 1

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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.