Open Thread: Twins @ Tigers Recap

by Jesse on Jul 12, 2008 7:28 PM EDT in Game Recaps Comment 14 comments

July 12, 2008.

Three Stars: Brendan Harris, Joe Mauer, Scott Baker. Harris had a big day, going 3-for-3 with four RBI and a home run that put the Twins up 3-2. Joe Mauer's 2-run shot in the same inning, his fifth of the year (like Harris), put the Twins on top 5-2. Scott Baker, while his final line of 7+ innings and four runs doesn't look the greatest, was great through seven. He was sent out for the eighth and didn't record an out (but did allow a 2-run Curtis Granderson mega-blast), prior to Jesse Crain and Dennys Reyes allowing another runner to score.

Rough Patch: The bullpen, again. Crain's now appeared in three straight games; Reyes four times in the last five games. Brian Bass was used reluctantly, but closed out the eighth inning just fine. Thankfully, there was Joe Nathan at the end to shut it down, even though he allowed a pair of baserunners. With Matt Guerrier having thrown in six of the eight games after their last off-day, he was unavailable tonight. The Twins need to find another relief pitcher they can count on. Having said that, the Tigers are due plenty of credit on their own merits. Matt Joyce had a homer early on against Baker, and even through it was a wild pitch by Reyes that allowed a run to score, the Detroit lineup boasts a number of good hitters. It's hard to count them out.

Turn-About-Is-Fair-Play Award: Joe Mauer. He reclaims his team lead in batting average at .324, as Justin Morneau falls all the way to .323.

Good-Game-But-We-Wanted-More Award: Delmon Young. Claiming a pair of hits and scoring a run, the Twins had bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning while leading six to five. While it wasn't dire, after the Tigers had scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the eighth, an insurance run would have practically secured a victory with Nathan taking the moung. Nathan converted the save for the win, but it did get hairy for a minute.

Hope for Tomorrow: I hope Carlos Gomez gets the day off. He did get a hit tonight, and didn't strike out, but you can tell he's pressing and that isn't helping him or the team. I'm sure the Twins are already evaluating how they'll be utilizing him after the All-Star break.

Your thoughts?

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I think

that Morneau needs to get his act together. To only be hitting .323 and .001 avg point behind Mauer who is second in the AL in batting is unacceptable. haha (Morneau is a stud)

I agree with your stars of the game. Baker was solid through 7 and I questioned Gardy sending him out for the eight and of course I was right. Young had a pretty good game all around although a base hit and an insurance run would have been nice in the ninth for Nathan.

Gpmez needs the day off and if he does get it he will be able to rest for 5 days before having to roll and show what he can do in the second half.

by 33MorneauMVP on Jul 12, 2008 7:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This series

was really important after the crapfest in Boston, and the Twins came out and took care of business. If we plan to be in the hunt for the rest of the season bouncing back after losses is a must. So far, so good.

by matty_b on Jul 12, 2008 8:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The break

The all star break is gonna do this team good. They were hot for so long, then they had a shitty series in Boston. Credit them for not letting it turn into a real slide and getting back to winning in Detroit.

Still though, their bullpen has been faulty lately and i think the time off will be a good chance to regroup after the hot play and settle down and get into more consistent play. We can’t win 18 of 21 all the time, but we need to keep winnign even when we aren’t hot…

"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 Jul 12, 2008 10:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Young

Oh yeah. I’m also really sick of watching Young have terrible plate appearances all the time. That pitch he struck out on in the 8th traveled 52 feet at most. Really terrible. not a major league worthy plate appearance, and he does it all the time. Perhaps it’s a bit unfair because he has been quite solid in June and July, but it’s just so painful to watch.

by AdamOnFirst on Jul 12, 2008 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will publicly apologize

Back in March, Jesse wrote that whether Span or Gomez started in center probably wouldn’t matter much in terms of wins and losses this year.

I admonished his lack of insight into the talent that is the Jackal.

I now agree with Jesse’s statement.

How did Span get so good, so fast?

Aaron Gleeman must be scrubbing his hard drive right now remembering every negative thing he wrote about Denard.

by Old Twins Cap on Jul 12, 2008 11:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's not the only thing Gleeman was wrong about

I seem to remember a long column about what a mistake it was to lock up Morneau to a long-term deal. Of course, he’ll never write columns about how he was wrong about something. He’ll stick to the stuff he was right about. Such as the ineptitude of Craig Monroe.

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

by cmathewson on Jul 13, 2008 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and . . .

He’ll make people look stupid that try to call him out on stuff like that. He’ll find some angle to come from that will still make him look right. He doesn’t always write in absolutes so he would probably deny the fact that he said Morneau was signing by pointing out some place where he said it was OK just not great. I like Gleeman’s site but it’s gone from my first read in the morning to about 4th or 5th after going to sethspeaks, twinkietown, and Nick and Nick.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Jul 13, 2008 6:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Enough already...

...with the Gleeman bashing. It’s really lame.

I’ve always found him quite willing to point out when he gets something wrong, he’s not dogmatic about anything other than that “analysis” isn’t good analysis unless it is rational and based on facts. If you think he “makes people look stupid” by finding “some angle to come from that will still make him look right,” chances are that you don’t understand what he’s saying—just because you don’t like his conclusion doesn’t mean he’s wrong. Not that he’s infallible, of course he is not, but if you have a problem with what he says show why you think the data doesn’t support his conclusion. “I like Justin Morneau a lot and so I think signing him to a long term deal was a good idea” doesn’t say anything meaningful, at least as far as analyzing that particular move.

I doubt he’s “scrubbing his hard drive right now remembering every negative thing he wrote about Denard.” The stuff he wrote about Denard was and is accurate. As you say yourself right before that, Old Twins Cap, “How did Span get so good, so fast?” Things like Denard suddenly “getting” plate discipline and performing as well as he has last year and this are very unlikely to happen. That doesn’t mean that they won’t happen, just that it isn’t likely. Sometimes unlikely things happen in baseball, which we would all agree is part of what makes it so great. That doesn’t mean we should always, or even frequently, expect the unlikely to happen.

Here’s a quote from AG.com: “Even Denard Span has gotten on base at a .356 clip in 46 trips to the plate while filling in for Michael Cuddyer (and posted a .434 OBP during his career-best stretch at Triple-A).” So it’s not like he’ pretending that Denard isn’t getting on base when he is.

Perhaps the reason we haven’t seen Aaron eating crow on this particular issue is that Denard has 86 PA this year of doing well in MLB, and years of mediocrity in the minors.

Anyway, gratuitously bashing Gleeman without any specifics makes whoever does it seem shrill and stupid. Please stop.

by serq on Jul 14, 2008 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I appreciate it,

but no apologies necessary. I didn’t think Gomez would have it quite THIS rough, especially after a pretty decent start…and I’m not sure there were many people out there who thought Span was going to be THIS amazing.

Besides, I’ve been wrong about lots of stuff…

by Jesse on Jul 13, 2008 8:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good News About Liriano

Reports Stated that His Fastball Topped out at 95 MPH, Well Rochester Manager Stu Cliburn told the press that Liriano Struck out one guy and that Fastball Registered 99 on the Radar Gun.

by Tony_O on Jul 13, 2008 12:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

Sorry for not being able to join you guys last night or tonight…or tomorrow. I would love to, but I am being tortured in San Diego.

...in 75* weather.

...on the beach.

...getting a tan.

If you read my blog you know that I’ll be back Sunday night. I do have a huge appreciation for free Wi-Fi in motel rooms, though. I’m so tired right now, though, because of all the sun I have had these past few days.

As to that baseball team in Minnesota, I haven’t had the luxury to check more than the AP recap and boxscore. I do know that Harris had a great game tonight, though. And I do know that Gomez needs a day off or a trip to Rochester.

As to Gleeman, I’m sure he’ll just shrug off the Denard post as rambling he made while intoxicated. Wait, isn’t he always intoxicated? : )

Twins Fix
http://www.twinsfix.com

by Andersklasen on Jul 13, 2008 12:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"Baker bailed out by bullpen in victory"

How ignorant can you get? The organizational vomit girl over at mlb.com came up with that one line to describe last night’s victory. Baker pitched a great game and the only mistake he had was the cookie he gave Joyce in the 4th. The pitch he presented to Granderson can be blamed on Young and Casilla getting carried away with their throws in the 8th. Course sending Baker out in the 8th could also be partially blamed on Gardy but personally I didn’t mind the move. Bullpen was taxed and you wanna see who your horse is going to be in the second half.

On another note, most games I listen to broad casted by the national guys can be quite brutal. Last night I thought they did a much better job. Karros in particular was nice to listen to after recovering from his first comment of the broadcast, saying that the Twins were basically made up of their 3 All-Stars.

Gardenhire's major league career: Banjo hitting, futility infielder who couldn't lick it.
Rick Anderson's major league career: Strikethrower who never made it happen with his sub 90's fastball.
Really gives a new definition to living vicariously through other people, don't it?

by caseintheface on Jul 13, 2008 11:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw that title too...

...nothing like being totally inaccurate.

by Jesse on Jul 13, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Karros

Karros made a few factual errors. He said that Baker had allowed three homers in his last start (not five seconds later Stockton mentioned he had pitched seven scoreless innings), he got a couple of other numbers wrong (I can’t remember exactly, but something about how many wins in their last ten or something). He had some very good analysis, for example when Cabrera was holding Morneau in the ninth and calling for Delmon to take a pitch in the ninth, and Cabrera’s phantom check swing in the eighth. Karros and Stockton didn’t appear to favor one team, and that is refreshing after hearing home town announcing on mlb.com.

by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Jul 13, 2008 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs