Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–August 10

Jim Clinton (1850)
Odell Hale (1908)
Willie Wells (1908)
Taffy Wright (1911)
Buddy Lewis (1916)
Bob Porterfield (1923)
Rocky Colavito (1933)
Tom Brookens (1953)
Tim Brookens (1953)
Jerald Clark (1963)
Andy Stankiewicz (1964)
Gerald Williams (1966)
Sal Fasano (1971)
Brandon Lyon (1979)
Dan Johnson (1979)
Wilson Ramos (1987)

Willie Wells is considered, along with Pop Lloyd, one of the two greatest shortstops in the history of the Negro Leagues.

Tim Brookens is the twin brother of Tom Brookens and played four years in the minors, reaching AA.

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to freealonzo's son.

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2015 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 111: Indians 8, Twins 1

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So whoever had the Twins collapse starting at the All-Star break, looks like they were correct.

The good news is the Twins avoided giving up 9 or more runs for the fifth straight game. The last time they did it in four straight was in 2003. That year, they ended the streak also with allowing 8 runs. This means, of course, they've gone through an entire turn of the rotation while allowing at least 8 runs. Yikes.

Twins are now under .500 and only a game ahead of the Tigers (two in the loss column) and are 4 games back of the second wildcard with four teams to leapfrog.

That's not a good place to be. Not impossible but not likely enough to think a minor trade or two is worth going for. It's time for the Twins to start looking to the future. It's time to call clear room on the roster for Jose Berrios, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler. I want to see the future to give me more hope that a real pennant race will be around the corner very soon.

Regardless, at least the rest of the season I'll be able to watch Sano, Rosario and Hicks hit, although I'm still concerned about Rosario's strikeout to walk ratio. It has been very Santana like, and we know how well that went this year.

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of August 8

Jose Berrios and Oswaldo Arcia lead the Red Wings to victory.  The Lookouts lose it late.  Tyler Jay is starting to pitch better for the Miracle.  Sam Gibbons and Brian Navaretto lead the Kernels to a win.  Jermaine Palacios stays hot for the E-Twins.  The GCL Twins drop a doubleheader.  Jadison Jimenez and Gabriel A. Ynfante lead the DSL Twins to victory.

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2015 Twins Game Logs

Game 111: Twins @ Cleveland

So, now they're back to using position players as pitchers? But what about that nine man bullpen? In 20 1/3 innings over the last four games, 11 relievers have combined to allow 15 runs. After a stretch of games where the pitching was good enough to win some but the offense was nowhere to be seen, we've now had stretch where the pitching, both starters and relievers, are regressing while the offense is ... well ... improving.

Hopefully today, Phil Hughes (10-7, 4.14 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) is able to keep the ball in the park, pitch deep into the game, and get some offense from his offense.

His offense will be facing the reigning Cy Young winner in Corey Kluber (6-12, 3.60 ERA, 1.12 WHIP) who with 32 BB's 176 K's over 162.2 innings this year will, in all likelihood, strike out about a dozen Twins hitters today. In his last four games against Minnesota, he's 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA with 37 K's over 31 1/3 innings. Perhaps interspersed with those strikeouts will be some hits...hopefully?

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–August 9

John Grim (1867)
John Galbreath (1897)
Jack Tighe (1913)
Ralph Houk (1919)
Julian Javier (1936)
Claude Osteen (1939)
Paul Lindblad (1941)
Tommie Agee (1942)
Chris Wheeler (1945)
Bill Campbell (1948)
Ted Simmons (1949)
John Moses (1957)
Matt Young (1958)
Deion Sanders (1967)
Troy Percival (1969)
Pat Mahomes (1970)
Ryan Radmanovich (1971)
Matt Morris (1974)
Mike Lamb (1975)
Brian Fuentes (1975)
Jason Frasor (1977)
Drew Butera (1983)

John Galbreath was the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1946-1985.

Jack Tighe was a long-time minor league player, manager, and scout.  He also managed the Detroit Tigers from 1956-1957.

Ralph Houk is best known as a manager of the New York Yankees, but he was also a special assistant to the general manager for the Twins from 1987-1989.

Chris Wheeler was a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1977-2013.

Better known for his Hall of Fame NFL career, Deion Sanders was a major league outfielder for nine seasons, leading the league in triples in 1992.  He hit .263/.319/.392 in 2,123 at-bats.

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Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of August 7

Byron Buxton makes his AAA debut.  Max Kepler and Kennys Vargas lead the Lookouts.  Thirteen runs for the Miracle.  Nick Gordon hits his first homer of the season.  Dereck Rodriguez continues to pitch well for the E-Twins.  The GCL Twins split a doubleheader.  Bad baserunning dooms a comeback by the DSL Twins.

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Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.