Game 38: Blue Jays @ Twins
by Jesse on May 13, 2008 7:01 PM EDT
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Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins, May 13, 2008 8:10 PM EDT
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lineups
Toronto (18-22):
1. Brad Wilkerson, RF.
2. Aaron Hill, 2B.
3. Alex Rios, CF.
4. Scott Rolen, 3B.
5. Matt Stairs, DH.
6. Lyle Overbay, 1B.
7. Shannon Stewart, LF.
8. Greg Zaun, C.
9. Marco Scutaro, SS.
Pitching: Jesse Litsch.
Twins (20-17):
1. Carlos Gomez, CF.
2. Brendan Harris, 2B.
3. Joe Mauer, C.
4. Justin Morneau, 1B.
5. Michael Cuddyer, RF.
6. Craig Monroe, DH.
7. Delmon Young, LF.
8. Mike Lamb, 3B.
9. Adam Everett, SS.
Pitching: Kevin Slowey.
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by Andersklasen on May 13, 2008 7:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Lineup thoughts
As much as I’m behind letting Monroe keep hitting while he’s obviously on a hot streak it does pain me a bit to see Kubel sitting on the bench so much despite him not hitting well lately. I gotta hope he’s just getting some time off to clear his head and will return with a vengeance soon.
I’m really starting to like the top of our lineup but probably just because it’s producing right now. It’s also nice that at least Delmon is hitting singles now, hopefully he can start getting a few more power swings in there once he’s
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
by halfchest on May 13, 2008 7:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Toronto
Toronto’s lineup seems so old. Greg Zaun! really!
by DedicatedFollowerOfFashion on May 13, 2008 8:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
All hail the power of Gomez!
He’s now third on the team with three home runs this year.
by Jon Marthaler on May 13, 2008 8:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
wow
Pathetic…
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by Andersklasen on May 13, 2008 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Most frustrating at bat ever?
Kevin Slowey threw 15 pitches to Scott Rolen, including nine – nine! – that were fouled off with two strikes. Finally, Rolen grounded to short.
Two pitches later, Stairs hits one a mile. Dammit. And Slowey exits.
by Jon Marthaler on May 13, 2008 9:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The "Twins Way"
First, Brendan Harris can’t get his footwork right, and fails to complete a double play. Then, Delmon Young misses the cutoff man, thus missing a chance to get a runner at third.
And now it’s 4-2.
by Jon Marthaler on May 13, 2008 10:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
One thing
One thing I hate about baseball is how a team, even a good team, still losses 60+ games a year.
It does nothing for my moral.
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by Andersklasen on May 13, 2008 10:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Kubel
Don’t you fear, Kubel will be in the lineup tomorrow.
Oh, the power of pinch-hit homers…
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by Andersklasen on May 13, 2008 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Kubel
I’ve been one of the biggest cheerleaders for Kubel for quite some time now and one of the harshest critics of Monroe’s presence with the team. however, the fact is, despite a few dingers, Kubel hasn’t really done anything this year. His strikeout to walk ratio is nearly as bad as Gomez’s. He isn’t hitting for average. It isn’t just bad luck, his LD% is way down. I can’t say what it is.
A couple years ago he was one of the top upcoming hitters in baseball. I still strongly believe in his ability, but right now, well Monroe has to be the guy for the time being.
But Monroe will very likely come back to earth, adn when he does, it’s Kubel time again…
"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane
by AdamOnFirst on May 13, 2008 10:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Mostly luck and small sample size
Based on watching nearly every at bat of his this year, I was surprised his line drive percentage isn’t higher. The only thing I can think of is a lot of his long flys are not classified as liners. But in those cases, he’s still hit the ball on the nose an awful lot with nothing to show for it. After he hit his last game-winning homer, he joked “the only way I can get a hit these days is hitting it over the fence.”
Lets say he’s hit 30 balls hard for outs. If even 10 of them find holes, he’s hitting .300. Over the course of a year, it all evens out. He’ll get hot again and get his average up to .280. But I think the days of him being an everyday DH are over for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if Monroe gets more at bats this year.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
by cmathewson on May 13, 2008 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
BABIP
yea, his BABIP is .247 so far this year and his career avg BABIP is .299. Thus, he is getting a tad unlucky it would seem. If that number reverts to average, his BA could get back to the more respectible .270-.280 you reference.
His contract rate is at his post-knee injury level, so he is putting the ball in play just as often.
However, his walk rate is down, so it makes me wonder if he is pressing a bit to correct his low batting average.
I am a big Kubel fan, but I agree with that Monroe deserves the PA’s right now. Kubel can start every now and again and if he gets hot he can regain the spot.
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by dbimberg on May 14, 2008 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe...
yea, his BABIP is .247 so far this year and his career avg BABIP is .299. Thus, he is getting a tad unlucky it would seem.
I hope that’s the case, but if his line drive percentage is actually as low as the official stats (as cmathewson mentioned, it could be an issue of how some hits are reported), it may not be a matter of luck – a low LD% generally leads to a lower BABIP.
"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein
by BeefMaster on May 14, 2008 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
good point
I missed that in my analysis…. but, yes, his LD% being lower would suggest a lower BABIP…
lets hope he can turn it around…
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by dbimberg on May 14, 2008 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think using BABIP to determine whether a pitcher or hitter has been lucky or unlucky is a crock. Kubel’s BABIP is down because he’s not getting the barrell on the ball. I’m a (currently quiet) Kubel supporter just like the next Gleeman reader, but he’s struggling not because of luck, he’s just plain struggling.
by TMW on May 14, 2008 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it's a little of both
His OPS is lagging behind his PrOPS, suggesting his getting better contact than his results have shown, but his PrOPS is also still pretty low.
Ultimately, everyone slumps. Morneau’s last two months of 2007 were nearly as bad as Kubel’s start to ‘08, but I don’t think anyone is looking to replace Morneau any time soon.
by ubelmann on May 14, 2008 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know...
...I’m sure we could find someone who’d make an argument to jettison Morneau.
by Jesse on May 14, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Twins blogs
I recently sarcastically called for the Twins to release all their players and just get new ones. To which one of the posters who is constantly calling for the Twins to release guys said, “only the ones who suck.” That same guy had called for the Twins to trade Monroe repeatedly when he was in the midst of his slump last year.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
by cmathewson on May 14, 2008 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I must be tired
I was referring to Srib blogs. And it wasn’t Monroe, it was Morneau. Say g’night Gracie.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
by cmathewson on May 14, 2008 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We lost the game last night on DEFENSE
Everett’s relay was weak as the fleet Matt Stairs scored from first on a double.
Then Cuddyer botches a routine flyball into a double. (Why was that not an error?)
Then Brendan Harris botches a routine double play pivot on Greg Zahn.
Then Delmon misses a cutoff man allowing a runner to move-up and eventually score.
The Twins played like they were hung over from beating the Red Sox.
Long term, both Everett and Harris seem like they are not able to play their positions to a level of a winning team, especially Harris. The way he stands around the bag with a double play ball in his hand waiting to get cut down is right out of a high school game.
He's going to get hurt not turning a double play one of these times.by Old Twins Cap on May 14, 2008 5:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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