Game 135: Twins @ Athletics
by Jesse on Aug 29, 2008 7:07 PM EDT
in Game Threads
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PrintMinnesota Twins at Oakland Athletics, Aug 29, 2008 10:05 PM EDT
Pregame
Southpaw Dan Meyer appeared to be on the fast track to the majors at the age of 23. After being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 2002 draft, he made his mark as a strikeout pitcher by sitting down more than one per inning on K's from '02 - '04. Combined with an ERA that never topped 2.87, the Braves were impressed enough to call him up for a cup of coffee that fall. He pitched two innings. That winter he was part of the trade that saw the Athletics ship Tim Hudson to the Braves.
He hasn't been the same since.
After spending all of '05 and '06 in the Oakland farm system, he rebounded in triple-A Sacramento last summer at 26. The strikeouts were back up, the home run rates were back down and the control had taken a big step in the right direction. Three years after his MLB debut he returned to the majors, appearing in six games and starting three, and generally suffering at the hands of professional hitters. This summer he was virtually replicating his triple-A numbers when Oakland called him up:
| Stat | AAA 2007 | AAA 2008 |
| Innings | 115.1 | 116.0 |
| Hits | 103 | 107 |
| Walks | 51 | 51 |
| Strikeouts | 105 | 102 |
| BABIP | .301 |
.301 |
| Ground Ball | 39% | 38% |
Since that recall Meyer has made two starts and five relief appearances, and before his last two stints was doing well. But overall he's again struggling, getting strikeouts but at times struggling to hit the strikezone and put hitters away. He's an extreme fly-ball pitcher (58.3%) who's susceptible to the long-ball, so hopefully tonight he'll hang a few sliders.
Trying to stem the tide will be Kevin Slowey, who's been huge for the Twins this month. In his last four starts (25 innings) he's allowed just five earned runs and walked just one batter. Kevin is good enough that if he can keep the A's on his game plan, he shouldn't have too much trouble. Of course, the problem is that exact thing could have been said for the last four games...of which the Twins have won one. And while we can bring up the White Sox, and how we hope Boston can take them out tonight, the bottom line is that Minnesota needs to start taking care of business, or this puppy will be over very, very soon.
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Lineups go as Follows
Twins (75-59)
1. Denard Span, RF
2. Nick Punto, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Brendan Harris, 3B
8. Alexi Casilla, 2B
9. Carlos Gomez, CF
Starting pitcher: RH Kevin Slowey (10-8, 3.74 ERA)
Athletics (62-72)
1. Rajai Davis, CF
2. Bobby Crosby, SS
3. Ryan Sweeney, RF
4. Frank Thomas, DH
5. Jack Cust, LF
6. Kurt Suzuki, C
7. Daric Barton, 1B
8. Jack Hannahan, 3B
9. Eric Patterson, 2B
Starting pitcher: LH Dan Meyer (0-2, 5.95 ERA)
I remember it was at the Dome more
but yeah, Slowey can be our stopper, and if his pitching continues next year he might be our ace…
such as it is
gomez is a waste of AB
maybe we can ask to just have someone else bat twice?
Who’s up?
Gomez
Whoops, Harris bat again
Ghost runner on 1st!
Gomez and Span are out...
as I said the five scoreless innings are coming up because we now have the CY young Kirk Saarloos on…Cy young pitcher with an ERA over 4 before he came on
Jennifer Lopez
Lol, theirs Two Nicknames ive come up with this season, K-Slow and Delmon “Only the Good Die” Young
Gomez
is just The Killer whenever we have a chance to break the game open and he comes up, Always gets out
not enough runs for you?
hey while you beat up Gomez, how about you look at Span and Punto…they also have put up 0-fers tonight
Nice inning
They need a couple more so I can pay attention to something else—maybe my pillow.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Aug 29, 2008 11:44 PM EDT reply actions
"Quickly 0 and 2"
every announcer says it. If the count is 0-2 doesn’t always mean the first two pitches are strikes. So, when the count goes 0-2, it is always quick.
Just my pet peeve.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Aug 30, 2008 12:03 AM EDT reply actions
Slowey might be done tonight.
Who is ready to pitch?
I would say Reyes, Guerrier, and of course (heart attack) Everyday Eddie.
Nathan could twirl the ninth.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Aug 30, 2008 12:06 AM EDT reply actions
Casilla
now back over .300. Maybe he’ll only stay in the 8 spot for one day.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Aug 30, 2008 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Span with an RBI single
and Span picks up his first hit of the game…
and the only man without a hit is up: Punto
Punto flies out to Davis....
Punto remains without a hit in this game….Punto and Young are also the only ones without an RBI tonight…everybody else has an RBI. Punto is the only player without a hit though
Saarloos is out and Casilla is coming in to pitch to Morneau
what will happen? Will Morneau go 5-5 for the third time in his career? Will he get out for the first time tonight?
Lets see!
Span is out...
Gomez moves to second.
Punto is 0-fer…..maybe he can get a base hit here to get every starting Twin a base hit in this game!
its too bad that Morneau still isnt in the game to see if he can get 5 hits tonight
but Morneau did need a little rest…..
Breslow came on and retired all nine batters he faced.....
he deserves the save for doing such a fine job.
Twins Pitchers Final K Count:
KKKKKKKKKKKKK
13 Ks for the Twins pitchers – 10 for Slowey, 3 for Breslow.
Slowey’s final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R (both ER), 1 BB, 10 K
Slowey wins his 11 game…..Great game for the offense and pitching staff. Slowey AND Breslow saved the pen tonight. GREAT PERFORMACE AND WELCOME TO .5 GAMES BACK OF THE AL CENTRAL LEAD!!!!!!!!!!
nice
nice streikout game for the pitchers
22 k’s for Slowey in the last 2 games pitched (13 innings)
by DedicatedFollowerOfFashion on Aug 30, 2008 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Crap, I always miss the good ones.
A junior high volleyball match got in the way tonight. My eldest grandaughter has made the team and did quite well. The won 3-0 so a good night was had by all and now that Twins had an easy win. This very late night victory cocktail is worth it. Go Twins….
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