Toronto @ Minnesota GameThread, May 15, 2008 1:10 PM EDT

Game 40: Blue Jays @ Twins

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 1:00 PM EDT

Toronto @ Minnesota

Glen Perkins goes for the Twins, Dustin McGowan for the Blue Jays, in a non-televised getaway day tilt. Carlos Gomez and Joe Mauer get rests for the Twins, with Jason Kubel slotting into the third spot in the lineup.

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Glen Perkins	0-1	1	1	0	0	0	0	6.0	9	3	3	3	0	3	4.50	1.50

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Dustin McGowan	2-3	8	8	0	0	0	0	46.1	49	24	23	3	18	35	4.47	1.45

Lineup

Toronto Blue Jays @ Minnesota Twins

05/15/08 1:10 PM EDT

Toronto Blue Jays	Minnesota Twins
Brad Wilkerson - RF	Matt Tolbert - 3B
Aaron Hill - 2B	Brendan Harris - 2B
Alex Rios - CF	Jason Kubel - DH
Scott Rolen - 3B	Justin Morneau - 1B
Kevin Mench - LF	Michael Cuddyer - RF
Shannon Stewart - DH	Craig Monroe - CF
Lyle Overbay - 1B	Delmon Young - LF
Rod Barajas - C	Mike Redmond - C
Marco Scutaro - SS	Adam Everett - SS

2 recs | Comment 42 comments

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Comments

No score after 1.

Perkins struck out the first two batters of the game, then retired Rios on a foul pop-up to Morneau. The Twins went down in order in the bottom of the inning. John Gordon is already complaining about the umps; after one call by the home plate umpire, he said, “Do you think Charlie Reliford’s flight is at 2:30, or 3:00?”

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 1:22 PM EDT 0 recs

Did Gladden say anything?

“This one time, in 1989, I could feel the wind whipping through my long golden locks and I strolled up to the plate…there was a tight strike zone that day.”

by Jesse on May 15, 2008 1:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well..

He did just say that three batters already have walked back to the dugout shaking their heads at Reliford’s strike zone….

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 1:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Meh.

Bizarre, octagon-shaped strike zones will always suck. But it never really bothers me as long as both sides are getting the same calls.

It’s always bothered me when the guys calling the game get in pot-shots about the strike zone. Leave that to the fans. I don’t mind something like “the strike zone is tight today”...or high, or wide, or whatever, I just don’t enjoy the back-handed bitch slaps.

by Jesse on May 15, 2008 1:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

If you take away the back-handed bitch slaps, then what will Gordo and Dazzle have left? Getting the number of outs wrong? :-)

You watching the game online?

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 1:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yes,

in between helping my wife grade “maths” for year-5 students.

Dazzle can always go back to game stories, or talk about beer…or the always popular and very vague “beverage” reference. Gordo I just like when he gets excited and the sound pops because he swallws the mic…the pot’s probably too high with him, but when he gets excited I don’t think there’s much the equipment can do for him.

by Jesse on May 15, 2008 1:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Kubel

Why hit him 3rd? I understand there aren’t a lot of good options when you give your best hitter the day off, but why third?

by Jesse on May 15, 2008 1:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Apparently, if Justin Morneau moves from fourth to third in the lineup, his circuitry can’t handle the change, and he overheats and has to go to the shop for repairs.

Or something.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 1:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Leave him there

OBP of .750. We probably just need to keep putting him there. Mauer to the #7 hole. Someone needs to provide Young some protection.

by snolls on May 15, 2008 5:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

0-0, End 2nd

Perkins works through a leadoff Scott Rolen single and a walk to Lyle Overbay. With two out, Monroe walked for the Twins and Young was hit by a pitch, but Redmond grounded out to end the inning.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 1:43 PM EDT 0 recs

Monroe's walk

was a nine-pitch affair. If the Gameday is accurate, he’s seeing the ball very well right now.

by Neil on May 15, 2008 1:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

2-1 Toronto after 3.

The Blue Jays strung together a couple of singles, a walk, and a ground-out to get two runs in the top of the inning. The Twins still don’t have a hit, but drew three walks in the bottom. Matt Tolbert manufactured the run by walking, stealing second, moving to third on a fly ball, and scoring on a wild pitch. Justin Morneau hit a foul home run before drawing the third walk of the inning.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 2:15 PM EDT 0 recs

Same score after four.

Perkins gives up two singles, but pitches out of a first-and-third jam. Twins go down 1-2-3 in the bottom.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 2:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

Is McGowan "effectively wild"...

or is this a case of ass-bats?

by wcooley on May 15, 2008 2:48 PM EDT 0 recs

I think he was just wild (2-2 after 5)

He’s walked five, but the Twins now have a couple of hits. Adam Everett walked and Brendan Harris singled sharply to left, then Morneau doubled Everett home – but Harris was thrown out at the plate. I’m not watching, but he must have been out by a lot, because Jack Morris was saying “Uh-oh” about three seconds before Gladden declared Harris out at the plate.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 2:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

Also

Gladden just called Ullger’s decision to sent Harris home “very aggressive,” which when translated through team-radio-code means “What the heck was he thinking sending him there?”

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 2:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Another Ulger out

That’s six guys thrown out at the plate to end innings this year. Don’t think we’re not keeping track of this Scotty.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on May 15, 2008 2:53 PM EDT 0 recs

Dumb or desperate?

Is Scotty thinking that the catcher has a better chance of dropping the ball than the team does of getting another hit? If so, I can see where he is coming from.

by wcooley on May 15, 2008 3:12 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just saw the video on GameDay

Harris was out by fifteen feet at the plate – Barajas had time to catch the throw, gather himself, then tag Harris out easily.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

Close the book on Perkins

He retired the final eight batters he faced, but he’s thrown 102 pitches through six innings (68 for strikes) and Matt Guerrier will come on in the seventh.

His final line: 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 K. Game score: 58. Not too shabby.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 3:09 PM EDT 0 recs

Still 2-2 after 6

Monroe doubled off the top of the left-field wall – according to Gladden and Morris, it was a liner that hit about a foot below the top of the wall in left-center. But Young (groundout), Redmond (walk), and Everett (popout) couldn’t get Monroe home to take the lead.

Guerrier is on for the seventh.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 3:15 PM EDT 0 recs

Monroe

I share the skepticism about his long-term worth, but he is balling right now.

by wcooley on May 15, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

Redmond walks with Monroe on third, Everett pops out

It’s not often that you see a backup catcher getting pitched around, but with Everett coming behind him, that’s exactly what happened. Redmond got nothing but pitches on the outside corner.

by Neil on May 15, 2008 3:16 PM EDT 0 recs

Don't blame Ullger (2-2, End 7)

Monroe made a running catch in center, a “shoetop” job, and doubled Marco Scutaro off first to end the top of the seventh.

Kubel got a two-out single in the bottom of the inning, then Morneau blooped a hit to short left. Ullger held up the stop sign, Kubel ignored it, and was out by some ways at home plate.

There’s being aggressive, then there’s being stupid….

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 3:31 PM EDT 0 recs

Scott Ullger actually put up a stop sign

And Kubel runs right through it. End of 7th. Ugh

by Neil on May 15, 2008 3:32 PM EDT 0 recs

More proof Reliford has an early flight

He just tried to ring up Craig Monroe on two strikes. :-) Gordon and Gladden got a big laugh out of that.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 3:43 PM EDT 0 recs

Six up, six down in the 8th. Still 2-2.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 3:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

Redmond, Everett, Tolbert in the bottom of the ninth.

Good luck, bullpen.

by Neil on May 15, 2008 3:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

So... who's more foolish?

Ullger or Kubel?

by Neil on May 15, 2008 4:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

A little bit of Column A, a little bit of Column B.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 4:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

I believe that the correct answer...

...to your question is: yes.

by ubelmann on May 15, 2008 5:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

End of 9: Still 2-2

Free baseball at the Dome today!

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 4:03 PM EDT 0 recs

WTF?

Pinch hit Gomez for Monroe with 2 on and 2 out in the 10th?

Then have Crain pitch to Rolen when he doubled off him the night before?

I’ve only got the refresh button and I’m not watching, is Gardy throwing this game to hired goons or something?

by TMW on May 15, 2008 4:38 PM EDT 0 recs

Gomez came in to play defense in the 10th, not to pinch hit.

by Jon Marthaler on May 15, 2008 4:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

I know.

Gomez was in as a defensive replacement a couple innings before.

As to Crain, there’s not many pitchers left. I think Bass and Korecky are still available in the bullpen, so you may as well use your best relievers first.

by Neil on May 15, 2008 4:44 PM EDT up 0 recs