Oh, Bother

by AdamOnFirst on May 15, 2009 11:39 PM EDT

The Twins fought, scraped and clawed their way through 8 at Yankee stadium. Francisco Liriano walked 6 Yankees in 6 innings yet somehow managed to only allow a single run. Jesse Crain and Jose Mijares got themselves in a whole heap of trouble but managed to avoid a complete implosion. The offense squandered several decent opportunities, but three home runs from the M&M boys and the Yankee's new bread box of a stadium got enough on the board.

Then the strangest of things happened. The Twins got the game to Joe Nathan, and they did not win. Nathan struggled with control of his own, and pitching on his fourth straight day, would finally allow a bases loaded, two out bloop single to Melky Cabrera to lose it for the Twins, 5-4. I literally briefly popped my shoulder out of place by throwing my jacket across the room.

Disheartening for the Twins to lose on this way. It was already an oddity for the Twins to be up after all that went the Yankees' way, including a bad hop inside the park home run around Denard Span that almost opened the floodgates for New York. Even stranger was how the Twins managed to walk 10 hitters while Heath Bell was giving out extremely generous calls off the plate all night (Nathan worked Alex Rodriguez a full 6 inches inside once he realized he was getting the call).

All around, a very strange one with a stinker of an ending that I'd just as soon forget about quickly. The good news is tomorrow's game is a noon start, so we won't have to wait long.

Note: Matt Tolbert, hitting second again, was 0-5 and is now hitting .171. When is Gardenhire going to stop being stubborn and take the easy out away from the middle of his best hitters, all 4 above .300?

Stars of the Game

The M&M boys. 2 dingers for Justin and 1 for Joe.

Duds of the Day

Matt Tolbert. 0-5, had a couple chances to add rund for the Twins, made a poor effort on a ball up the middle in the 9th that I thought should have been an out.

Joe Nathan. 3-run blown save in fourth straight day pitching. Probably needs a rest.

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Nathan

He blew the first cuz he was “rusty,” now the second because he “needs a rest.” Whatever the case, everyone from Winona to Crookston knew a first-pitch “get-it-over-fastball” was coming to Melky with the bases loaded, and he jumped on it. Poor pitch selection.

by wcooley on May 16, 2009 7:40 AM EDT reply actions

Nathan's numbers against the Yankees are not great...

…and he’s been worse in New York. His work against them in the 2004 post-season was so genuinely dreadful that the notion arose that the Yankee uniform affects Nathan adversely. He hasn’t done much to disprove this notion in the past four seasons.

Bloggin' the bloggers since 1938.

by Johnny Safron on May 16, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Well

Well Melky didn’t really kill it, just sort of a blooper out there. The mistakes came with the walks.

"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 16, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Well

That was a pretty good “get-me-over” fastball, down and away with some movement. Credit the hitter. A lot of guys get excited and roll over on the pitch. He just went with it. That said, I might have buzzed him inside first. But Nathan had zero margin for error and hadn’t shown great control in the inning.

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

by cmathewson on May 16, 2009 10:25 AM EDT reply actions

Tolbert hitting second

Tolbert should not be hitting second. He’s fun to watch play, but Gardy’s stubbornness about consistent batting order is a mistake. Harris should hit #2 everyday that he plays, which should be against all LHP, and occasionally against righties. When Harris isn’t playing, either slide up everyone else in the order (mauer #2, Morneau 3), or put Cuddyer, with his .361 OPB and .417 SLG in between Span and Mauer.

Also, if Crede is hurt, is Buscher going to get more at-bats? He should be getting more, and Crede shouldn’t be playing everyday. That’s how you keep him healthy, by playing him 3-4 times per week.

by snolls on May 16, 2009 11:14 AM EDT reply actions

Gardy

You intentionally walked one of the coldest hitters on the team (Swisher) to pitch to one of the hottest (Cabrera) when having 1st base open was inconsequential.

Grrrr.

by TMW on May 16, 2009 12:36 PM EDT reply actions