Tag Archives: Scott Diamond

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 89: Orioles 7, Twins 19!

Couldn't leave that one without a recap, though I did not see it or hear much of it.

Twins scored 7 runs in the bottom of the first, added 1 in the second, 2 in the third and another in the fourth. It wasn't until the fifth that they failed to score during the home-half of an inning. Meanwhile, Baltimore didn't put up a crooked number until the fifth and Diamond did what he had to do with all of the run support: finished 6 innings and allowing 5 runs on 9 hits while striking out 3 and walking 1.

Every Twins starter had a hit except Doumit who still managed to pick up 2 RBI and a run scored. Morneau went 4-5 to continue his hit streak as did Plouffe. Span only managed 5 RBI on 3 hits including 2 doubles. Mauer jacked a donger, just because he felt like it.

Oh, and just for fun, the Twins added 5 more runs in the 8th to get that nice round number - 20 hits on the night.

Thome did not hit.

Capps gave up a 2-run homer to Chavez and is hurt again.

2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 89: Orioles at Twins

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Happy vacation, Twayn!

It's the Return of the Gentleman Masher! Jimbo's last game in a Twins uniform was against the O's. How coincidental that his first second current return-trip to the Bullseye should be in an O's uniform.

Anyway, I know what I'm rooting for tonight: jacked dongers.

Of course, there WOULD be a lefty on the mound for the Twins in Scott Diamond, so maybe Jim will si
sit instead of start tonight. That would be absolute Boo.

In Diamond's last three starts, he has gone 7, 8 and 8, respectively, while allowing 2, 2, and 3 runs, respectively. He has emerged as the Koufax* of the staff, with a 2.62 ERA, 3.85/3.53 FIP/xFIP, and 45:12 K:BB in 79 innings.

His opposing number tonight will be Chris Tillman. In his only other appearance this season, July 4 against Seattle, Tillman went 8 2/3 of 2-hit ball, striking out 7 and giving up two runs. The big right-hander throws a mid-90s fastball, curve, and changeup. Tillman was part of the package, with CFer Adam Jones, for Erik Bedard back in 2008. He has had several cups of coffee since but struggled to put his game together in the minors (5.58 ERA, 5.31 FIP in 36 starts over three seasons prior to this year).

From the fangraphs piece by Jack Moore on July 5:

Tillman appeared to figure something out in Triple-A this year, striking out over a batter per inning again after dropping to under 7.0 per nine innings in 2010 and 2011. According to StatCorner, he drew 11.4% swinging strikes after marks below 10% in both 2010 and 2011.

Just a look at the radar gun readings shows what happened: Tillman’s fastball is back. He touched 97.2 MPH in the ninth inning — twice — after averaging just 89.5 MPH on his fastball last season. Tillman averaged 95.0 MPH on the fastball Wednesday, and every pitch saw an uptick in velocity — the cutter up to 93.0 from 84.2, the curve up to 77.4 from 75.2, the changeup up to 83.2 from 78.7 (a massive 12 MPH difference from the fastball).

Hopefully, he'll give Consuela and Morneau a couple of belt-high fastballs each tonight.

*Diamond is in his age-25 season. At age 25, Koufax went 18-13 with a 3.52 ERA and led the NL with 269 Ks in 255 2/3 innings while earning his first A-S appearance. So, umm, yea, it could happen.

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 71: Twins 4, Reds 3

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Well boys, I was scheduled to work from 10-8 today but when I got there to start my shift they said I could head home until 2 if I wanted. I could use the money, but I could use the family/study time more so I accepted. Studied for a bit, hung out with the wife and kid, took the dogs for a walk and brought the old transistor radio along. Heard the first 4 innings as relayed by Provus & Dazzle, watched bits and pieces of the last 5 innings when I got to work. Was able to wander into the bar to watch the big Willingham at-bat from first pitch to big boy swing. But more on that after the jump. 

Continue reading Game 71: Twins 4, Reds 3 →

2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 71: Twins at Reds

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Today, Scott Diamond goes up against Mike Leake, an okayish righty. On the upside, I should be able to see this entire game unless it's another crushingly long rain delay like last week. Sadly, though, this will be the end of me being able to listen to the Reds feed unless I switch allegiances. I like the Reds pretty well and all, but that ain't happening. After this series, the Twins tangle with the White Sox, so it's a precipitous drop in announcer quality.

If it seems I'm too infatuated with announce teams this year, well, it's because the home team has been at the bottom of the standings all season long. Still, 28-42 seems like a best case scenario considering where they were a month and a half ago, and after all, they're the only Minnesota Twins we have. Here's hoping a few more slightly-above-.500 months can get this team to 81 wins somehow. Hell, that could win the division...

2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game Logs: Game 66 Twins @ Pirates

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Scott "Possibly Maybe A Future All-Star" Diamond

versus

Kevin "Probably Never An All-Star" Correia

In the weeks approaching the trading deadline I am going to take a look at negotiations that Terry Ryan will be taking part in an attempt to make the Twins better for the future. This week, Terry Ryan makes a stop in Vegas.

Next week: Trade talks heat up and Terry Ryan looks for shop credit.

2012 Twins Game Recaps

game 58 recap: cubs @ twins

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Tragedy struck in the ninth inning of yesterday's baseball game between the cubs and the twins. The potential was there for an epic three inning save, but apparenly a little thing called "letting a guy finish what he came into the seventh inning of" is a foreign concept to Twins management. I have but one question.

"Why do you hate joy, gardy?"

In better news, the bats got going yesterday. Plouffe has declared war on all opposing pitchers. Pretty much everyone seems to be hitting well lately.

Meanwhile, Scott Diamond's ERA is 1.61. Seriously. I know it's a flaawed stat and all, but that's pretty sweet.

2012 Twins Game Recaps, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Game 34: Toronto 3, Minnesota 4

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Twins winning hand includes the Ace of Diamonds

The Twins find a Diamond in the rough.

Diamonds are forever.

Diamond pitched a real gem.

Diamonds are [a] Gardy's best friend.

Blue Jays cut down by a Diamond.

Forget it. I'll just go with "A very nice outing by Scott Diamond." 0 runs on 5 hits over 7 innings while walking none, striking out 4 and calmly taking a screaming liner off the back of his throwing shoulder.* He gets the W and is now 2-0. The Toronto Ace Opening Day Starter, Ricky Romero, picked up his first loss of the season.

Offense couldn't help but score some runs off of 8 walks (Pussy with 3!) and 10 hits. Unfortunately, they only plated 4, leaving 11 men on base and hitting into 3 double plays (Plouffe! with 2 of them). In the end, 4 was enough to get the win.

Continue reading Game 34: Toronto 3, Minnesota 4 →

2012 Twins Game Log

2012 Game 34: Blue Jays at Twins

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In searching for a positive theme to this year, I've mostly come up with this: if the season ended today, the East would have three teams in the playoffs, and it would be the teams not in New York and Boston.

The Central's not so nice, as I've taken to watching the Twins on mute and favoring the NBA playoffs and various movies. Tuning out when the Twins are playing the Blue Jays is always a good idea to some extent, of course, but at least we've won one or two already (I wrote this before the Saturday game, as my schedule will rob me of seeing that one and this one.

The very American Ricky Romero will be facing the very Canadian Scott Diamond, so let's not screw this up with any stupid chants out there, eh, New Guy Target Field?