MLB
b-r.com (none as of press time)
fangraphs
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARITnC80VhE
came home to no power (probably a metaphor in there somewhere). i don't think i missed much.
First Pitch - 7:10 PM CDT
Television - FSN
Game Notes
Lineups
Jeebus, did the guys at the MLB Genius Bar secretly realign divisions and put us back in the AL West? This makes three series against this stupid Angels team in just over a month. Know how many series we've had against division opponents in that time? One. So yeah, I'm sick and tired of Torii Hunter kicking our collective ass (stop throwing him breaking balls in the strike zone, already!) and having to counter real starting pitching with our currently constituted rotation. It's like charging the beaches of Normandy with a slingshot and a bag of marshmallows for ammo. Oh, and Pujols is starting to hit the ball again. So we have that to look forward to. On the bright side, our offense this year is better than Oakland's. But on the dark side, they are the only AL team with an offense worse than the Twins at the moment.
ON THE HILL
Jered Weaver (4-0, 1.61 ERA, 2.00 FIP, 2.88 xFIP) - Last time out this guy threw a no-hitter. He was one walk and one passed ball from a perfect game. To be fair, he was facing one of the worst hitting lineups since the '62 Mets, but you have to tip your hat anyway. Weaver is the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter, then face the same team in his next start since Derek Lowe did it in 2002.
Francisco Liriano (0-4, 9.97 ERA, 6.75 FIP, 5.44 xFIP, ) - This guy is yet another reminder that spring training hype has all the substance of a popcorn fart. By now everybody except Liriano knows what Liriano's problem is. If pitching smarts were chocolate density, the F-Bomb would be a Three Musketeers bar. Because consistently overthrowing sliders when you get behind in the count only gets you further behind in the count. Consistently.
Play ball!
MINNESOTA 3 -- SEATTLE 2
Twins Record: 7 - 18 (2-9 since my last recap, oh boy)
Highest WPA - Mauer (1 for 3, 2 BB, RBI), Bullpen (3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 SO)
Fangraphs - MLB Recap
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Twins win!
Mariners bullpen revealed to be vastly inferior to Minnesota equivalent!
Recap posted much later than expected!
Joe Mauer drove in a key run!
We face King Felix tonight! (focus on the positive)
George Gore (1857)
Garry Herrmann (1859)
Eppa Rixey (1891)
Red Ruffing (1905)
Goose Tatum (1921)
Chuck Hinton (1934)
Chris Cannizzaro (1938)
Davey Lopes (1945)
Dan Iassogna (1969)
Darren Dreifort (1972)
Ryan Dempster (1977)
Ben Revere (1988)
Better known as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, Goose Tatum played in the Negro Leagues for several years in the 1940s.
half-bakef game notes:
UPDATE: aww, nuts.
Ben Revere was promoted from Rochester to Minnesota, then sent him back to Rochester.
Josh Willingham was placed on paternity leave, then was activated.
Joe Thurston was signed as a free agent and assigned to Rochester.
Wilkin Ramirez was sent from Rochester to Fort Myers.
Minnesota is tied for 5-14, tied for fourth in the AL Central, five games behind Cleveland. The Twins have lost five consecutive games and are 3-7 in their last ten games.
Rochester is 9-11, fifth in the IL North, five and a half games behind Pawtucket. The Red Wings have lost three consecutive games and are 4-6 in their last ten games.
New Britain is 13-7, second in the EL Eastern, a half game behind Reading. The Rock Cats have lost one consecutive game and are 6-4 in their last ten games.
Fort Myers is 9-11, tied for third in the FSL South, seven games behind St. Lucie. The Miracle has won one consecutive game and is 3-7 and its last ten games.
Beloit is 11-10, tied for second in the ML Western, one and a half games behind Quad Cities. The Snappers have won three consecutive games and are 6-4 in their last ten games.
Hi Myers (1889)
Allan Sothoron (1893)
Rogers Hornsby (1896)
Horace Stoneham (1903)
Enos Slaughter (1916)
John Rice (1918)
Greg Kosc (1949)
Willie Upshaw (1957)
Patrick Lennon (1968)
Frank Catalanotto (1974)
Benj Sampson (1975)
Chris Carpenter (1975)
Pedro Feliz (1975)
Luis Perdomo (1984)
fangraphs (roller coaster of suck)
mlb recap
yet another game i was unable to watch or hear. this made me particularly upset as i've been able to hear about 2% of TK's broadcasts, and i already love them. i was able to "follow" along on gameday, and was able to "watch" in "real time" as capps does what he does. i'm not going to say it, so you guys can. also, while you're saying stuff, please think up some arguments for me to take to the boss on how getting mlb.tv is essential towards our quality of life.
i wanted to embed the JC/plouffe! play to give us some measure of happiness, but i came up short. sounds about right.
MINNESOTA 5 -- TAMPA BAY 4
Twins Record: 5- 9
Lowest WPA - Hendriks (5.2 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 2 BB, SO)
Highest WPA - Willingham (1 for 4, 2B, BB, 3 RBI), Carroll (2 for 3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2B), Bullpen (3.1 IP, O H, 1 BB, 2 SO)
Fangraphs - MLB Recap
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Denard Span and Jamey Carroll were on base 6 times in this one (1 double, 3 singles, 2 walks in 10 PA) and scored 4 runs. Joe Mauer could have driven in all 5 runs, but left the bases loaded for Willingham in the 7th because Josh is new to the team and wants to feel like he's contributing. AmenableBacon extended his hitting streak to 14 games, and continues to lead the team in quite a few offensive categories (BA/OBP/SLG/HR/RBI/2B/R/TB/HBP).
The bullpen was stellar getting 13 outs in 14 batters, including Matt Capps retiring Longoria, Scott, and Joyce in order in the ninth. Fun fact: Coming into the 9th, those three hitters hit a homerun every 15.9 PA against the Twins, compared to every 22.7 PA against all other teams. That includes the homeruns by Joyce and Longoria earlier in this game.
The Twins April schedule has been pretty tough, but since being steamrolled by the Orioles, the Twins are 5-6 against LA, Tex, NY, and TB.