J. Berrios
SSS, but 2-0, 0.59 ERA, 0.39 WHIP, 15:2 K:BB
.082/.167/.122 against ... nice.
-v-
C. Tillman
also SSS, but 1-0, 3.52 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 12:7 K:BB
.267/.348/.333 against
Game 1 featured offense. Game 2 featured defense. Game 3 features special teams combo platter? At 13-5, the Twins have the best road winning percentage in all of baseball. I suppose it goes without saying that 14-5 is better ... no?
Okay, I'm not sure what to type here. My last game log, I went off on an ill-advised bout of pessimism, and since then the Twins have continued playing some fairly decent ball. Obviously there's issues abound (like the starting pitching staff), but it's been nice to watch games and have a reasonable expectation that they might actually win.
Anyway, I still don't know how I should feel about this lteam. As AG noted today, the Twins have been in first place a total of 18 days this year. Between 2011-2016 they were in first place a combined 13 days. So, again, I'm not sure just exactly how I should be taking this team in, but for now I'll stop asking too many questions and just enjoy it.
Back to the game at hand: the Twins open up a 3-game series on Bawlmore before heading back home. Speaking of questionable starting pitching, Kyle Gibson lugs his giant ERA back to the majors as Hughes is put on the shelf with "right arm soreness". Gibby wasn't able to win any games down on the farm either, but it appears he pitched a little better than when he was last up. The O's counter with Ubaldo Jimenez who, while generally struggling over the past few years, has never really had any problems smacking the Twins around (2.49 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 11 appearances).
Oh, and Escobar is DHing again for some reason.
Continue reading 2017 Game 41: Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles
My favorite take of the night:
Where's Britton, String? Where's Britton?
— David Simon (@AoDespair) October 5, 2016
Different year, same start. Twins once again are swept in the opening series. It would be easy to say it worked out okay for them last year, but it didn't really. Yes they performed better than expected but they finished three wins behind the Astros. If they instead had swept the Tigers to start the season they would have at least had a playoff game.
I watched barely any of the games and had the radio on for only a plurality of the time so I'm going to fill in the bad and good from the boxscores.
Four negatives from the series:
Three positives from the series:
DAY GAME ALERT!
From hell's heart, we stab at winter: Baseball is back! The Twins open the year in Balmore, or at least they'll try to. Rain is threatening throughout the afternoon, so we'll see when/if the game starts. We've been waiting so long though that a little more waiting shouldn't hurt, right? Yeah, me neither...
Here are two teams on the bubble, with both expecting big things this year. And judging by the poll in today's CoC, everyone is full of optimism!!!!11 Let's start things off on the right foot, eh? Here's hoping the first the inevitable 162 game win streak is an entertaining one!
Continue reading 2016 Game 1: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles – Opening Day Edition
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
6 September 1995: Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking a record that had stood for 56 years.
1970
(2 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10)
Loading... Last night's win got Minnesota back over .500, within a game and a half of the 2nd Wild Card spot and only a half-game behind Baltimore, one of the three teams ahead of them in that race. At this point, the Twins are not likely going to catch Kansas City for the Central, and are five and a half behind Toronto for the first Wild Card spot. If they can pass Baltimore, they're still chasing LAA and Texas, and have a series with Tampa this week who they're currently neck-and-neck with. Despite some misgivings about management's plan for the club, it sure is fun when they actually look like a real, live MLB team.
Today sees the Twins' most pleasant surprise pitching-wise, Mike Pelfrey (6-7, 3.62 ERA - 2.25 ERA in four August starts) facing off against up-and-coming Baltimore pitcher Kevin Gausman (2-5, 4.48 ERA). A win today results in both a series and season sweep of the O's. Git 'er done Billy Smith.
Milone v Ubaldo.
Hey we get to see Sano at 3rd today with Plouffe! at first and Mauer DHing. Should be a fun one for some early afternoon distraction.
#VOTEDOZIER
No Bull.
Go Twins!
Brian Dozier (.260/.332/.517) didn't make the MLB All-Star game off of the fan's ballot, but those of us in Minnesota know what he's meant to the team this year. Last night, with 1 on and 1 out in the 10th inning, he hit his 17th homer to left to walk-off the Orioles, helped the Twins to move to 44-39 (2nd WC spot), scored his league-leading* 63rd run, 41st & 42nd RBI (third place on the Twins roster) and improved his team-leading OPS to .849. Among Second Basemen in the American League, only Jason Kipnis has had a better offensive first half (.340/.416/.503). I'm hoping fans of Major League Baseball make the right choice and Dozier is voted in. It'll be tough, three of the other 4 options are from NY, Bos & Chi-town, and the Royals fans have shown their ability to get out the vote (Moustakas is the 4th option).
Vote here if you'd like to see Brian accompany Glen Perkins to Cincinnati.
Every run last night was scored via the long ball: Solo home runs from Manny Machado & Adam Jones for the Orioles and Torii Hunter & Aaron Hicks for the Twins, followed by the 2-Run shot from Dozier.
Trevor May, pitching out of the bullpen due to the reinstatement of Ervin Santana, racked up the win after throwing 16 pitches in the top-half of the 10th, giving up 1 hit and striking out 1. Tommy Hunter, in a similar spot for Baltimore, took the loss.
*Tied with Josh Donaldson
Photo: Brad Rempel, USA TODAY Sports
There's a game tonight, start of a big homestand, and that's about all I have time to tell you.
Go Twins!
Photo courtesy of Taber Andrew Bain
