Game 139: Twins @ Blue Jays
by Jesse
on Sep 3, 2008 5:30 PM EDT
in Game Threads
Minnesota Twins @ Toronto Blue Jays
Pregame
I don't want to talk about last night. I haven't wanted to talk about last night all day. The Twins have 24 games left this season, and the number of favors they've done themselves over the last few weeks amounts to zero. If they'd like to take control of their own destiny, they're free to do so at any time.
Tonight the Twins run out Nick Blackburn, who in spite of having a 3.70 ERA in his last 10 starts is 2-4 in that span. He's voiced frustrations over not having his best stuff, and over having the few mistakes he's made get taken advantage of, so it seems the best thing for him to do against the Jays is to establish what does and what can work early on, and to attack Toronto based on how he feels. If he doesn't have confidence in his breaking balls, or if he struggles to locate his fastball, it'll be interesting to see how he approaches hitters. If he's on his game, the Jays will put a lot of balls in play, but if they're converted into outs it should also make him efficient and allow him to get to the seventh inning or beyond. I call seven innings, two runs.
A.J. Burnett: Even having lost some velocity on his fastball, averaging 94.2 mph still makes it one of the fastest fastballs in the majors. Unlike Purcey, Burnett is pitching better than his numbers indicate, pulling down a 3.65 xFIP. As much as I hate to see the Twins face a good pitcher, as a baseball fan it's nice to see Burnett having a decent season. His strikeout rates are still high, and his walk rates are relatively static. It's interesting to see his ground-ball rates on the south side of 50%, but they're still so close that one or two games could easily put that ratio back to where it's been for most of Burnett's career. In addition to a good fastball, the 31-year old Burnett throws a changeup, curveball and an occasional slider.
Yay for our first right-hander in 753 games! I predict: Span (RF), Casilla (2B), Mauer (C), Morneau (1B), Kubel (DH), Young (LF), Buscher (3B), Punto (SS), Gomez (CF)
And for the home team: Inglett (2B), Scutaro (SS), Rios (RF), Wells (CF), Lind (DH), Overbay (1B), Barajas (C), Rolen (3B), Snider (LF)
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According to LEN3
Twins (77-61)
1. Denard Span, RF.
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, LF
6. Brian Buscher, DH
7. Nick Punto, SS
8. Matt Tolbert, 3B.
9. Carlos Gomez, CF
Pitching: Nick Blackburn
Blue Jays (71-66)
1. Joe Inglett, 2B
2. Marco Scutaro, SS
3. Alex Rios, RF
4. Vernon Wells, CF
5. Adam Lind, LF
6. Rod Barajas, C
7. Lyle Overbay, 1B
8. Scott Rolen, 3B
9. Travis Snider, DH
Pitching: A.J. Burnett
by Zathras on Sep 3, 2008 6:20 PM EDT 0 recs
Hello, everyone.
Newbie here.
Let’s go for a win tonight. Twins need to get it going.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:08 PM EDT 0 recs
I thought Morneau was going to be out, but he got a hit.
Let’s get a run.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:16 PM EDT 0 recs
Nick strikes out Wells to end the first.
Good job, Nick.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:25 PM EDT 0 recs
I hope Gomez gets a hit and Tolbert runs like hell to home.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:32 PM EDT 0 recs
You did not expect Gomez to get a hit off Burnet, did you?
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:34 PM EDT 0 recs
I will be surprised if Blackburn matches up to Burnett tonight.
Burnett is that good.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs
Come on Boys
Get the W tonight, Keep Pace in the AL Central
by Tony_O on Sep 3, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs
It’s going to be tough against Burnett, and that’s why last night’s loss hurts.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:40 PM EDT 0 recs
LOVE THE DOUBLE PLAY!
Double play is a pitcher’s best friend.
One of my favorites about watching Twins baseball is how they get double plays.
After two, no score.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:41 PM EDT 0 recs
BURNETT IS DEALING!
5 Ks for Burnett.
This is going to be a tough task tonight.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:50 PM EDT 0 recs
This should be over.
Inglett’s two run bomb should just do it.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 7:56 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah
But he has to be pretty darn good to have the 1.00 ERA you’re predicting.
by PhoenixV on
Sep 3, 2008 7:59 PM EDT
up
0 recs
The Twins are a good offensive club
but Burnett is a good pitcher going well. I’m relatively confident the Twins will score a couple, but I really doubt Blackburn and company can hold Toronto to 2 runs in 9 innings.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Sep 3, 2008 8:00 PM EDT 0 recs
Burnett has done very well in the last couple of months so.
This was a tough matchup to begin with, and it’s not like Blackburn is anything great on the road.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 8:01 PM EDT 0 recs
The Jays have struggled to score runs all year
Lets remind them of that
by .mnqwerd on Sep 3, 2008 8:01 PM EDT 0 recs
Well the Jays did a good job scoring against the Twins bullpen so they couldn’t be that bad.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 8:03 PM EDT 0 recs
Blackburn looks about as good
as he has all year.
by Eric in Madison on Sep 3, 2008 8:15 PM EDT 0 recs
Gomez...put the ball in play!
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 8:19 PM EDT 0 recs
Span too!
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 8:20 PM EDT 0 recs
Patrick Reusse called out the Twins in his show today. It was a good listen.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 8:30 PM EDT 0 recs
Span looks totally overmatched today
for about the first time all year. No shame—Burnett is very good. But it’s been ugly
by Eric in Madison on Sep 3, 2008 8:53 PM EDT 0 recs
Blackburn only 69 pitches threw 6
Hopefully he can continue to cruise and give the Twins a solid 8 innings
by .mnqwerd on Sep 3, 2008 9:01 PM EDT 0 recs
Now, hold 'em
Jays have the bottom of the order this inning.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Sep 3, 2008 9:02 PM EDT 0 recs
Howdy do!
Sorry for the absence lately, guys. Let’s go Twins!
Twins Fix
http://www.twinsfix.com
by Andersklasen on Sep 3, 2008 9:04 PM EDT 0 recs
Gold star performance
Nick has pitched well tonight.
I hope he can give you one more inning.
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 9:08 PM EDT 0 recs
Twins...
are inventing ways to lose.
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:13 PM EDT 0 recs
This Twins team does not have it in them to be a playoff team. How could anyone be confidence?
by Timber on Sep 3, 2008 9:13 PM EDT 0 recs
Wow
What the F#%^. Why is Gardy going to the bullpen. Blackburn hasnt even thrown 90 pitches and has got 4 outs already this inning. I trust him over the bullpen
by .mnqwerd on Sep 3, 2008 9:14 PM EDT 0 recs
Positive me sees an easy out
Negative me sees a wild pitch to score the lead run or a blooper just over someone’s head.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Sep 3, 2008 9:15 PM EDT 0 recs
Blackburn deserved better.
Other than the homer he gave up it was a solid start.
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:15 PM EDT 0 recs
Why didn’t they just walk Inglett and let Blackburn face Scutaro and then see if they brought in a left handed pinch hitter
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:18 PM EDT 0 recs
It's tied
but we should be up. We need these final two games on this trip to make it a good one. Going 5-9 or 6-8 isn’t very good at all. We’ve blown 4, but we can partly make up for that tonight and tomorrow.
by Twins Territory on Sep 3, 2008 9:23 PM EDT 0 recs
Jason Pridie in the On Deck Circle
Time to see what he can do
by Tony_O on Sep 3, 2008 9:24 PM EDT 0 recs
It'd be
a good time for his first homerun with the team :)
by Twins Territory on
Sep 3, 2008 9:27 PM EDT
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0 recs
Why not pinch hit Ruiz for tolbert?
They still have Macri, Harris and Everett to play defense
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:28 PM EDT 0 recs
I would have left Pridie in there but hit for Tolbert since they have 3 infielders on the bench
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on
Sep 3, 2008 9:30 PM EDT
up
0 recs
It’s time for Span to come up clutch yet again.
by Twins Territory on Sep 3, 2008 9:29 PM EDT 0 recs
Span is due.
Left two guys at third already today.
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:30 PM EDT 0 recs
Not to be
nagative, but I just don’t feel confident in our chances to win. Until the bullpen proves me wrong, I’m not sure if that will change. Fricken Punto!
by Twins Territory on Sep 3, 2008 9:31 PM EDT 0 recs
Effective 8th
for Guerrier. Ryan on for the Jays.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Sep 3, 2008 9:38 PM EDT 0 recs
Casilla, Mauer, Morneau, Kubel
vs. BJ Ryan
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Sep 3, 2008 9:38 PM EDT 0 recs
RF
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on
Sep 3, 2008 9:39 PM EDT
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Can't
put anything better against them. Hopefully we can take this game like they took it from us last night.
by Twins Territory on
Sep 3, 2008 9:39 PM EDT
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end of 8th
I thought I would check in. Good short inning for Gurrier. Try to score some runs now.
by WITwinsfan on Sep 3, 2008 9:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Homeruns
When was the last time someone other than Morneau hit one out?
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:41 PM EDT 0 recs
Mauer
So I’m following on Gameday, how close was Mauers fly out?
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:42 PM EDT 0 recs
Morneau comes through
now Kubel needs to give us the lead…
by Twins Territory on Sep 3, 2008 9:42 PM EDT 0 recs
3-0 to Kubel
Looks like they are pitching around him to get to Buscher.
by Twins Territory on Sep 3, 2008 9:43 PM EDT 0 recs
Bring on Ruiz!
"Oh really fool! Really! Stop looking at me swan!" -- Billy Madison
by JD34 on Sep 3, 2008 9:44 PM EDT 0 recs
Can Nathan hold it?
Lets hope he doesn’t blow number three. He needs to get back on track here in September.
by Twins Territory on Sep 3, 2008 9:48 PM EDT 0 recs