2011 Twins Game Logs

2011 Game Logs Game 60: Winners @ Losers

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Francico Liriano

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Carlos Carrasco

Assuming the Twins continue winning games at the rate they have in their past 5 games for the next 12 games , they will bring their winning streak to 17 consecutive games.  Minnesota then, coupled with every other team losing each of its games other than when they play each other (Detroit wins two of three at home against Cleveland next week), will be playing for sole possession of first place on Tuesday, June 21st, the first day of summer, against the San Francisco Giants.  It will be a fitting passing of the guard when the Twins then sweep the  defending World Champion Giants, extending their winning streak to 20 games.

What a great first day of summer it will be.

 

 

Keeping Track

Minor League Players of the Month: May

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ROCHESTER

Position Player:  Aaron Bates hit .317/.434/.476 in 63 at-bats.  Honorable mention:  Brian Dinkelman hit .301/.387/.453 in 95 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Chuck James was 1-0, 0.00 in 14.1 innings (ten appearances).  He allowed nine hits and four walks while striking out seventeen.  Honorable mention:  Kyle Gibson was 2-2, 3.72 in 29 innings (five starts).  He allowed 27 hits and 7 walks while striking out 28.

NEW BRITAIN

Position Player:  Joe Benson hit .326/.420/.539 in 89 at-bats.  Honorable mention:  Yangervis Solarte hit .302/.362/.407 in 86 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Steve Hirschfeld was 2-2, 2.93 in 30.2 innings (five starts).  He allowed 21 hits and 8 walks while striking out 33.  Honorable mention:  Liam Hendriks was 2-1, 2.90 in 31 innings (five starts).  He allowed 31 hits and 10 walks while striking out 31.

FT. MYERS

Position Player:  Brian Dozier hit .330/.403/.443 in 88 at-bats.  Honorable mention:  Aaron Hicks hit .306/.400/.444 in 72 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Andrew Albers was 1-1, 2.65 in 17 innings (five appearances, two starts).  He allowed 20 hits and three walks while striking out 11.  Honorable mention:  Logan Darnell was 2-0, 2.30 in 15.2 innings (three starts).  He allowed 14 hits and six walks while striking out seven.

BELOIT

Position Player:  Wang-wei Lin hit .323/.456/.398 in 93 at-bats.  Honorable mention:  Nate Roberts hit .302/.450/.395 in 86 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Clinton Dempster was 1-1, 0.56 in 16 innings (10 appearances).  He allowed nine hits and three walks while striking out seventeen.  Honorable mention:  Jose Gonzalez was 1-1, 2.30 in 15.2 innings (seven appearances).  He allowed 11 hits and six walks while striking out fifteen.

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of 6/6

Rochester 5, Norfolk 2 in Rochester.  The Red Wings scored two in the fourth and two in the sixth.  Dustin Martin singled and doubled, driving in four.  Steve Singleton had two hits.  Ryan Mullins gave up one run on five hits and a walk in six innings to get the win.  Cole DeVries struck out three in two shutout innings.

New Britain—No game scheduled.

Jupiter 11, Ft. Myers 3 in Ft. Myers—The Hammerheads scored five in the fourth and four in the fifth, pounding out eighteen hits.  Aaron Hicks singled and doubled.  Edgar Ibarra surrendered six runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks in 3.2 innings.  Andrew Albers struck out three in two shutout innings.

Beloit—No games scheduled.

DSL Twins 3, White Sox 2 at White Sox (2 innings—suspended game).  The White Sox are still batting with one out in the bottom of the second.  Presumably, the game will be resumed the next time these two teams are scheduled to play.

2011 Twins Game Recaps, View from the Ballpark

2011 Game 59: Twins 6, Indians 4

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Weather: 83°F, clear
Wind: 9 mph
Attendance: 15,278
Time: 2:34

Twins record: 22-37 (last in AL Central, 11.5 GB)
Fangraphs boxscore | MLB Game Wrap

Highlights:

  • Highest WPA, hitter: Tolbert .246 (2-4, R, 2 RBI, SO) | Highest WPA, pitcher: Mijares .104 (0.2 IP)
  • The Twins have now managed to string five wins together for the first time this season.
  • The Twins drafted a college middle infielder.

Lowlights:

  • Lowest WPA, hitter: Casilla, -.088 (0-4, GIDP) | Lowest WPA, pitcher: Baker, .067 (7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 HR, 3 ER, 5 K, HBP)
  • Despite drafting a middle infielder, the Twins will still be rostering Tolbert & Casilla for the foreseeable future.

There typically hasn't been much chatter about the actual games in the Monday morning recaps, but just because I run View from the Ballpark that doesn't mean talk about the actual game isn't welcome. Then again, this is the first time that the Twins won on a Monday since the Monday after the Big Move, way back at Game 16. So, if you have observations about last night's break from the trend, do share them.

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Here's this week's View from the Ballpark:

photo by Flickr user Curtis Cronn

Though I never was able to attend a game here, this was one of my favorite ballparks in all of baseball. A substantial part of the park actually still exists, but unfortunately has been pitched to the needs of a radically different tenant, erasing a few of the signature elements I really loved about the place, such that the view from this spot no longer exists.

photo by Flickr user Curtis Cronn

Remember, no embiggening.

2011 Twins Game Logs

2011 Game 59: Senators at Naps

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The Arizona Diamondbacks are 13-4 since May 20, when they began a three-game sweep of our boys (and 18-5 back to May 14. I just wanted to point that out, because through April, the Snakes were 28th in MLB in FIP (just ahead of the Twins) and 26th in pitching WAR (the Twins were dead last). Now Arizona is in the hunt in the NL West, a half-game back of SF, thanks to much improved pitching (they were middle-of-the-pack in FIP, xFIP and pitching WAR in May).

The Twins ride into Cleveland on the wings of a four-game sweep of the Landed Gentlemen. Not exactly the 1927 Yankees there, but a feel-good weekend nonetheless. But if the Twins are going to make a move, now is the time to get it started, with a series win against the surprise division leaders.

Pitching matchup:

Scott Baker (3.86 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 3.65 xFIP, 66:23 K:BB, 10 HR in 67 2/3)
Josh Tomlin (3.27 ERA, 4.33 FIP, 3.86 xFIP, 41:11 K:BB, 11 HR in 71 2/3)

Tomlin, a righty, has been riding the tiger in Cleveland. He's 7-2, thanks in significant part to best-in-the-majors run support (7.91 r/g), a .213 BAA and unsustainable .213 BABIP, despite not missing very many bats and having given up HRs at the same pace as our boy Scotty. He throws a pedestrian 2-seam fastball, cutter, curve and changeup and recently has been compared unfavorably to Phil Humber. If only we had some healthy, left-handed sluggers to put in the lineup against this Cinderella Story.... Go, Red Wings Rock Cats!!!111one111!!!

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.