Category Archives: WGOM

2011 Twins Game Recaps

2011 Game 160: Yeah, Right.

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Rather than talk about the Twins playing out the string, how about a discussion on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's ballot? Last year we discussed the merits of various candidates in the CoC, but given the musical tastes of the nation a standalone post (and maybe a poll? Spooky?) seem to be merited.

Here's the full ballot:

Guns N Roses*
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
War
The Spinners
Eric B. & Rakim*
The Cure
Freddie King
Rufus with Chaka Khan
The Small Faces/The Faces**
Donovan
Laura Nyro
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Donna Summer
Beastie Boys
Heart

* first year of eligibility
** Rod Stewart is in already as a solo artist. Ron Wood is in as a member of the Stones. Kenney Jones is not in as a member of The Who.

The rules for nomination are simple: acts become eligible for induction 25 years after their first commercial release, which puts 1986 as the cutoff for this year. Voters can vote for up to five nominees. Who is on your ballot?

2011 Twins Game Logs

2011 Game 160: Royals at Red Wings

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Can K-Slow get off the schneid for a coveted W? Inquiring minds want to know. The rest of us will be...?
From the Yahoo preview:

The Twins need to win two of their final three to avoid 100 losses, but sending Slowey (0-7, 6.54 ERA) to the hill might not help. Minnesota is 0-13 when Slowey pitches this season, and the right-hander has posted a 7.15 ERA in losing each of his seven starts.

Pitching matchup: 27-year old righty Felipe Paulino (3.72 FIP and 113 tRA+) vs. 27-year old righty Kevin Slowey (4.74 FIP and 85 tRA+ as a starter).

2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game #159: Twins 6, Indians 4

Twins record: 61-98
Fangraphs
MLB Game Wrap

I didn't watch a bit of this game today. I barely paid attention to it online. But, I was glad to see they won it in the extra frame. Obviously, my ideas and enthusiasm for recapping games this season were tapped out by the end of July. I would apologize to the WGOM Nation for that, but I don't think the Twins are going to be apologizing to me any time soon, so we'll all just have to live with it.

Without going into too many specific points or breakdowns, I will say that I am not at this time particularly optimistic about this organization's chances for success in the near-term going forward. I was on record (privately, but I know I told this to at least one Citizen) before the season as believing the Twins would definitely not win the division or make the playoffs. I didn't foresee a collapse this large, but I didn't foresee the injury disasters of this season, either. However, I don't believe the injuries alone account for the weaknesses of this roster's construction. I believed in March, and I still do, that this roster, even at full strength, was not as good as last year's team and not good enough to make the playoffs. I hope the organization takes some major steps this offseason to address turning the team back around. I'm not sure I have much faith in the current regime's ability to do that meaningfully and successfully, though. I hope they prove me wrong.

Since this is the last Sunday recap of the season, I tallied up my non-joke Hitter and Pitcher of the Week awards. I now present you with the Second Annual DK Hitters and Pitcher of the Season.

Co-Hitters: Jim Thome and Jason Kubel each were awarded weekly honors five times. It's hard to remember (for me, anyway), but for a couple of months before he got hurt and the Team MVP took over, Kubel basically was the Twins' entire offense. I think all but one of his awards came in April or May. Thome, meanwhile, is the sentimental and very deserving pick for reaching a career milestone in a Twins uniform.

Pitcher: Scott Baker was also named five times this season. This, too, may be hard to remember, since he was shelved by injury for almost the entire second half, but Light Rail was by far the best starting pitcher the Twins had, showing, I hope, those who doubt him that he really can be a very valuable piece of the rotation puzzle when he's healthy.

2011 Twins Game Logs, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 159: Twins at Indians

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Final road game on this long, weary journey. There's been injuries, disease and a bunch of headaches. Have we run out of Tylenol yet?

My California math says its Liam Hendriks' turn to pitch, but that's only if he didn't get moved up to pitch in the doubleheader. The Twins want to win this one to try to avoid 100 losses, but really, why have we gone through this if not to see history? If they go 63-99, it would just be a miserable season. At least if they lose 100, we could say we saw a historically bad team. This end of the season run has been historically bad, that's for sure.

At least the offense has picked up at the end. Seemed to happen about the time Chris Parmelee arrived. GO TWINS!!!

2011 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Games 157 & 158: Indians 8-7, Twins 2-6

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Like you didn't see that coming.

The Twins officially have the second worst season in their history and still have to win one game to avoid tying for the worst record. The Twins need to go 3-1 to avoid 100 losses, which ain't happening.

It's sad when a pitcher has a 6-0 lead in the sixth inning and you're just waiting for him to fall apart. Of course, considering all the balls in the air in the first five innings, it wasn't difficult to realize Diamond was living dangerously. Of course, it sure would be nice to get your best reliever in the game before you blow a six-run lead. It also would help if the Twins would stop running themselves out of innings (or at least scoring position).

In the first game, the Twins ended a nine-game streak of scoring at least three runs after scoring two runs or fewer in seven of their previous nine games. Of course, a lot of good the extra offense did them as the Twins went 1-8 in each nine-game stretch. At least the most recent nine have been more entertaining (and more painful).

Stat of the day: Ben Revere had six doubles in 451 career at-bats before getting three doubles in the doubleheader.