I approve of this lineup. Sort of.
Go Twins!
I approve of this lineup. Sort of.
Go Twins!
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.
It is customary as WGOM vjays to play songs with live videos. Today, I am breaking that custom. You can give this video a lesser rating because of that. However, it is my duty to bring you terrific music. This is me doing so.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRBJuB-Xq1g
The Shakes are an unsigned band out of Alabama that have a lady singing Otis Redding tunes kind of vibe to them. This is their profile page on reverb nation. While they are not playing in the Twin Cities soon, nor do they have a record out for you to buy, I suggest keeping an eye on this group. This song is too good to go unnoticed.
Liriano looks to stop the bleeding. Thome looks to smash homers until the cows come home. That's all I got.
I updated WordPress to 3.2.1 and Atahualpa (the theme) to 3.6.7. If you notice anything broken*, leave a comment and I'll try to fix it this evening.
* I already know about not being able to rate videos on the video page. You can/should still be able to from the front page.
ms. spaulding won the grammy this year for best new artist, making her the first jazz artist to do so, and despite the fact that she's been on the scene a number of years. here's her showing everyone how to slap a bass.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXAYcfo2se4
2009
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.
Twins record: 51-63
Fangraphs
MLB Game Wrap
Hitter of the Week: Jason Kubel
Pitcher of the Week: Carl Pavano
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!!!