MINNESOTA 5, TEXAS 4
Record - 24-38 (2.5 games out of 4th place)
Highest WPA - Chuck James (0.2 IP, SO), Casilla (2 for 5, GWRBI) and Cuddyer (2 for 4, HR, 3 RBI)
Lowest WPA - Mijares (2 batters faced, 2 hits), Revere and Morneau (both 0-4)
Fangraphs
MLB Recap
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Alexi Casilla in the last month - .325/.400/.410
Will it continue?
Probably not.
Is it fun while it lasts?
It was tonight.
MINNESOTA 8, KANSAS CITY 2
Record - 18-37 (Last in the Central)
Highest WPA - Swarzak (6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 SO), and Rivera (1 for 3, BB, R, RBI)
Lowest WPA - Every single Twin who appeared in this game had a positive WPA.
Fangraphs
MLB Recap
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Here's your stupid stat of the day:
The Twins scored runs in 3 different innings last night, I was wondering how often that had happened this season, and so I generated the following results.
So, by bringing in Soria and setting the final 6 Twins hitters down in order, KC was playing right into our hands. It's obvious what would have happened if the Twins had scored runs in one of those innings.
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?
Programming Note: This is a Very Special Episode of First Monday, as it features contributions from both bS and Daneekas Ghost. Enjoy!
Book bS
Man, these are tough times around the Nation. Tough times require tough action. Fortunately, I chose a book this month that fits the times -- a book about whiskey.
I picked up a hardback copy of Kate Hopkins' 2009 book, 99 Drams of Whiskey: The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the Perfect Shot and the History of the Drink for a song at my local used book store recently.
What is whiskey, you ask? Why, whiskey is mediocre beer made over into nobility.
If when you say whiskey you mean the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.
But, if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life's great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.
This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.
--Noah S. Sweat, Jr., 1952
I'd dare say that we need a song in our hearts right about now.
Continue reading First Monday Book Day: Dram-atic Adventures
TAMPA BAY 15, MINNESOTA 3
Record - 9-14 (Tied for last in the Central)
Highest WPA - HA!
Lowest WPA - Blackburn (3.1 IP, 7 R, 8 H, 4 BB)
Notable - Judging by the fact that there were no LTEs in the game log concerning the game from 1:39-2:04, not much.
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Rene Tosoni got 2 hits in his debut.
The Rays didn't score any runs in the fifth inning.
That's all I got. Beatings will continue (7:10 tonight!) until morale improves.
MINNESOTA 3, BALTIMORE 1
Record - 7-12 (Last in the Central)
Highest WPA - Baker (7.0 IP, 0 R, 9 SO) and Thome (2 for 4, HR, 2 RBI)
Lowest WPA - Hoey (0.0 IP, 2 H) and Valencia (1 for 4, SB)
Notable - Jim Thome has hit .455 (5 for 11) in the three Thursday games this season and has a positive WPA in all three.
Fangraphs
MLB Recap
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The story in this one was Scott Baker. For the second consecutive outing, he looked really good. Nine strikeouts (only one walk) in seven innings. Only four hits allowed, and the O's went 0 for 5, with a walk, against him with runners in scoring position. That was actually better than batters had done against Baker in that situation so far in 2011. With this game added in, now opponents are hitting .000/.048/.000 (21 PAs) against him with runners in scoring position so far this season. With that in mind it's probably unlikely that we'll continue to see Baker completely shut teams down as he has recently, but it's a good reminder that he's got the stuff to strike some people out when he's in a jam (24 K's in 25 IP in 2011) and if he keeps the ball in the park (6 of his 7 runs allowed courtesy of the longball - 14.3% HR/FB) he can be a real good pitcher.
Speaking of the longball, Jim Thome and Michael Cuddyer each poked one out, and Thome added an RBI single to supply the offense. It seems like a fool's errand to attempt to draw any conclusions about this team offensively when so many parts are missing, so I'll just stick with the sentiment that I'm glad the offense scored enough runs to make the gem that Scottie pitched stand up.
First Thursday win of the season!
And the first Thursday that didn't end up with a regular on the DL!! (Mauer last week, Nishioka the week before)
Does it get any better?