2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 42 Recap: Twins 11, A’s 1

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MINNESOTA 11, OAKLAND 1
Record - 15-27 (Last in the Central)
Highest WPA - Blackburn (7.0 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 SO) and Morneau (3 for 5, HR, 2 RBI)
Lowest WPA - Plouffe (1 for 5, HR, 3 RBI) - seriously, the guy who hit a 3-R HR ended up with the lowest WPA.
Fangraphs
MLB Recap

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I did not have a chance to see this game as it happened.  Work required my attention this afternoon, but I managed to avoid hearing anything about it and once I got home I turned on the replay.  Unfortunately, I can't recap the actual game, because someone edited in some obviously fake footage right over the top of what I assume to be the standard 2011 Twins effort.

Instead, I got to see Nick Blackburn pitch an effective seven innings, alternatively aided and hindered by his defense.  Meanwhile, the Twins offense put up double digit runs (I know, I know. This was one of the clues that something was up).  All those runs were the result of multiple extra base hits (strike two) including a home-run by Rene Rivera (Oh, come on!).

Prior to this "game" the Twins had won two straight, but this is the first time in a long time that Minnesota won a game that was never really in doubt.

Feels good.  Too bad it was a fabrication.  Anyone care to fill me in on what actually happened?

 

The Nation Has An Appetite

Winner, Winner, Chickpea Dinner

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Afternoon baseball has a way of building an appetite while simultaneously sapping the will to invest the time and effort to make a complex meal. This dish tastes complex, but it's pretty simple to make, and takes only one pot (plus a pot for rice). The inspiration for this dish comes from here, here and here. It can be made with dried chana dal, but my kids actually prefer the quick version with canned chick peas (garbanzo beans).
Continue reading Winner, Winner, Chickpea Dinner →

2011 Twins Game Logs

2011 Game 42: Twins at A’s

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A day game? Well, I'm at work and didn't realize that last night would have been the time to do this. Whoops.

Tyson Ross vs. Nick Blackburn. Blackburn has been saving his spot in the rotation over the past few starts, and Ross has been a revelation in what should still qualify as his rookie year, thus far going ERA 2.50/FIP 3.03 /xFIP 3.69. He does have an unsustainably low HR/FB rate, and if anyone's going to fix that, it's this Twins lineup!!11!11

Seriously, though, let's add to this little winning streak.

2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 41 recap: Twins at Elephants

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Twins 4, A's 3 (10)

Fangraphs thought we'd lost this one, too.
MLB recap

Twins record 14-27, 12.5 games out of first place
Save: Shortening bakes up a batch of outs for the Twins (7)

Time to check in on the king of the savers leader board. MoRo's corpse continues to dominate the league that counts, but two other dudes in the family friendly league race ahead of him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The twins got off to an early start last night by scoring a run in the first inning. I know, I know. I couldn't believe it either. plouffe (!)'s error cost the Twins two runs in the second, but the hometown nine roared back with two more runs in the third. Carl (no stache) Pavano tossed seven excellent innings giving up 3 runs, 1 earned, and kept the Twins in the ballgame. Pavano pitched well giving up 6 hits, striking out 2, and he issued no free passes. Glen Perkins continued his dominance out of the pen, pitching one and a third allowing a hit and striking out 2. Joe Nathan came into the ball game grooved a pitch the Kurt Motorbike smashed for a double. But not to worry murry, he struck out Mark Ellis on two pitches out of the zone, and induced a ground out to end the inning. Shortening came on in the tenth to close the game out after plouffe (!) knocked in Del on a sacrifice fly. All told, plouffe was responsible for five of the seven runs scored last night. I'm glad he provided 3 of them for the good guys. That's two in a row. We're going streaking!

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of 5/18

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Gwinnett 4, Rochester 0 in Gwinnett.  Kyle Gibson allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk in 5.1 innings.  Chuck James struck out three in a scoreless inning.  The Red Wings got only three hits, all singles.

New Britain at Harrisburg.  Postponed.  Game will be made up as part of a doubleheader this evening.

Ft. Myers 6, Brevard County 5 in Ft. Myers.  The Miracle took a 3-0 lead after one, fell behind 5-3 after three, tied it in the sixth, and won it in the bottom of the eighth.  Brian Dozier had three hits, two of them doubles.  Steve Liddle had three hits.  Aaron Hicks singled and doubled.  Tom Stuifbergen lasted only three innings, surrendering five runs on eight hits and a walk.  Andrew Albers threw three shutout innings.  Blake Martin got the win with 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out four.  Dakota Watts came in with the tying run on second and struck out the only man he faced to get the save.

Wisconsin 1, Beloit 0 in Wisconsin (Game 1—Scheduled 7 innings).  The Timber Rattlers had only two hits, but one of them was a home run.  B. J. Hermsen pitched a complete game, walking two and striking out one.  The Snappers had five hits.

Beloit 4, Wisconsin 2 in Wisconsin (Game 2—8 innings—scheduled 7 innings).  The winning rally came on two hit batsmen, a walk, and two singles.  Jamaal Hawkins singled and doubled.  Michael Gonzales had two hits.  Starter Ryan O’Rourke pitched three innings, giving up a run on four hits and a walk.  Matt Hauser got the win with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.  Jose Gonzalez struck out the side in the eighth to get the save.

2011 Twins Game Logs

Game 41: Twins at Oakland

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Pitchers:

Twins     C. Pavano (2-4)
Oakland    B. McCarthy (1-4)

Lineups:

Twins
CF Span, Denard
SS Plouffe, Trevor
DH Kubel, Jason
1B Morneau, Justin
RF Cuddyer, Michael
3B Valencia, Danny
LF Revere, Ben
C Butera, Drew
2B Casilla, Alexi

Oakland
RF DeJesus, David
1B Barton, Daric
LF Willingham, Josh
DH Matsui, Hideki
C Suzuki, Kurt
CF Sweeney, Ryan
2B Ellis, Mark
3B Kouzmanoff, Kevin
SS Pennington, Cliff

GO TWINS!

2011 Twins Game Recaps

Game 40: Twins 2, Mariners 1

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Sorry for getting this up so late everyone.

It is strange to feel strange about winning a game. But it is a good feeling. I was disappointed with yesterday's lineup because I badly wanted them to win one in honor of Harmon. They still managed to win the game because they got great pitching. Liriano pitched a great ballgame, and it feels to me like he's turned a corner. I am definitely looking forward to his next start. Perkins has obviously had a robotic arm transplanted onto his left arm, and Capps was the Proven Closer that he is. The offense still feels like it's spinning its wheels, but to hear that Nishioka, Thome, and the sissy catcher Mauer are all down in extended spring training gives me a glimmer of hope.

Still, a win is a win. The offensive futility of both teams seemed fitting yesterday, in retrospect. They both got 3 hits and scored a total of 3 runs.

RIP, Harmon.

Final Score: Minnesota Twins 2, Seattle Mariners 1.
Twins Record: 13-27, 11.0 GB in the AL Central. Worst record in MLB.
WP: Francisco Liriano (3-5) | LP: Felix Hernandez (4-4)

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.