Mitch Keller takes on Sonny Gray.
Gray has started 5 games since he resolved to stop being the world's most annoying pitcher, and the results have been very good: 31 innings, 34 Ks, 9 BBs. 2.61 ERA, 2.39 FIP. Here's hoping he can keep it up.
Keller, for his part, pitched pretty well in his last start, but he's been getting lit up over the last month or so to the tune of a 7.71 ERA over his last six starts.
Let's keep it going.
Things are going well! Playoff spot has been clinched with plenty of season left, now it's time to get everyone in line for the postseason and ....
Hang on. I've got the wrong Minnesota team here.
(shuffles notes)
Ah! Here we are.
Everything is terrible! They'll never make the playoffs and there's not nearly enough season left for them to turn it around and play better.
Matt Shoemaker v. Wil Crowe
Winning this series against the Pirates would be a good place to start. To do that the Twins look to Matt Shoemaker, who has been bit by the home run early in this season. Every run he has allowed so far has come from a home run, including a 3-run homer off Alcala that scored the two runners that were bequeathed by Shoemaker in his last start in Oakland.
5 home runs in 14.1 IP isn't really a recipe for success, but he's only allowed one other extra base hit. So keeping the Pirates in the yard will maybe be an indicator of how this start goes.
Wil Crowe goes for Pittsburgh. This will be the 5th appearance in his career (4th start). He's pitched 9 innings in the majors and allowed 5 home runs and walked 10 hitters. In his lone appearance this year, he faced 5 batters. Two strikeouts, a single, two walks and two wild pitches.
Fangraphs says the following about Crowe:
[Crowe] works with below-average velo, he’s a below-average athlete, he’s had health issues ... and has now struggled during his first big league trial, at age 25/26. I wonder if his fastball will gain a few tick in relief, and I think it needs to based on how loose his location of it was in 2020.
Hopefully, the Twins can feast on Crowe. And if they don't I guess I'll be ... eating ... crow?
(That was bad. I feel bad about that)
So, what exactly happened since my last game log?
Let's see, back in those days, the team was 5-2. That Saturday was the start of a 5 game losing steak and a stretch of maybe the most frustrating baseball the Twins have played under Rocco. I've long been interested in what, exactly, Rocco"s response would be to an extended cold streak. So far, the word is "stay the course". Hopefully that's enough. Continue reading Game 19: pirates @ twins
Sano is on the IL. Various other players are still dealing with Covid stuffs. We're all frustrated at the way this team has played.
One of the more demoralizing aspects, for me at least, is it feels like the Twins don't exactly have a brilliant minor league system. Maybe it has some depth, but it seems like it is lacking that bonafide gonna be a star player. For a while that was supposed to be Gordon, and, honestly, I'm hoping the kid surprises and sees a lot of success in the bigs. I feel like Kiriloff will be a reliable player, so that makes Gordon the bonus call up here. Maybe we'll get a nice surprise.
Meanwhile, keep watching this Buxton fella, would you? He seems like he might be talented.
Pitchers tonight are J.A. Happ and JT Brubaker, and I guess the two of them might need to have a conversation about punctuating intitials.
Let's hope the Twins put their complete game together after the road trip and off day and covid disasters and injuries and general ineptitude.
With a staggering .833 win percentage, the Twins share the league’s best record with the Cubs and the (5-1) Marlins. Their run differential is just off of the Dodgers for the best in the league. None of this is overly surprising and I’m sure you’ve all been seeing that, but it’s still fun to type.
Kenta Maeda goes for the Twins against JT Brubaker, who’s making his first career start after two scoreless appearances as a reliever. Time to welcome him to the big leagues.
The Twins move to Pittsburgh for what I'm calling the third of a four game series. Let's keep the momentum going and get that four-game-two-city sweep.
Cruz continues to break MLB records as a 40 year old; an inspiration to us all.
Dobnak grew up around and took in games in Pittsburgh. He now makes a start there for a depleted Twins rotation. Let's hope he can also help give the bullpen a bit of a breather.
9-2 ties a franchise record for best start to a season (the 2001 Twins and 1930 Senators also accomplished). Let's go for the record. Naturally in a cursed season, this is one of the best teams in its history.
Joined in progress. Josh Bell has a two-run homer for the Pirates already.
Here’s your pinch-hit game log.
Lance Lynn will take the ball in his Twins debut, while Jameson Taillon makes his first start of the season.
PNC Park is the top of my Ballparks To Visit list. From everything I’ve heard, it’s one of the few modern ballparks that might rival the LOL for Best in MLB honors.
Mike Pelfrey v Jeff Locke
This squad has been pretty fun to watch over the last couple of weeks, so here's hoping that trend continues.
Go Twins!
Lineups:
Twins:
1. Santana SS
2. Dozier 2B
3. Mauer 1B
4. Plouffe! 3B
5. Hunter RF
6. Suzuki C
7. Hicks CF
8. Robinson LF
9. Pelfrey P
Pirates:
1. Harrison RF
2. Walker 2B
3. McCutchen CF
4. Marte LF
5. Kang 3B
6. Alvarez 1B
7. Cervelli C
8. Mercer SS
9. Locke P
