Game 45: Milwaukee Brewers @ Minnesota Twins
by Jesse on May 24, 2009 6:00 PM EDT
in Game Threads
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PrintMilwaukee Brewers at Minnesota Twins, May 24, 2009 8:05 PM EDT
First Pitch: 7:05pm CDT
TV: ESPN
Radio: Twins Radio Network
Know Thine Enemy: Brew Crew Ball
Starting Pitchers
Baker's issues this season have run the gamut from being nickled and dimed to death to getting into one big inning, but they've all had the same outcome: bad starts. He walks more guys, he's susceptible to the long ball, and even after all that he's been lucky on balls in play: 23.4% line-drive rates, against just a .292 BABIP. Ron Gardenhire has been increasingly frustrated when his starters, especially the ones who are supposed to be leaders, are unable to buckle down and make pitches and get outs. If Baker has another bad one tonight, it will be interesting to read Gardy's quotes post-game. I'm hoping for Scott's second good outing of the year, because he's due.
Bush has put in the exact opposite season as Baker, giving the Brewers a high rate of quality starts; four in a row and seven in eight starts. His walk and strikeout rates are his best since 2006, but his FIP insists he's not pitching quite as well as his ERA says he is. Stil, the 4.94 FIP is better than Baker's, which we won't even put down. Hitters aren't swinging at as many of Bush's pitches that end up outside the zone, and they're making more contact overall, so here's hoping that the Twins can catch up to him a little bit. He offers a fastball, cutter, slider, changeup and an exceptionally slow curveball.
Lineups when they're available...
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lineups
per LENIII
Brewers (26-17)
1. Craig Counsell, SS
2. Casey McGehee, 2B
3. Ryan Braun, LF
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Mike Cameron, CF
6. Corey Hart, RF
7. Mat Gamel, DH
8. Mike Rivera, C
9. Bill Hall, 3B
Pitching: Dave Bush
Twins (21-23)
1. Carlos Gomez, CF
2. Joe Mauer, C
3. Justin Morneau, DH
4. Michael Cuddyer, RF
5. Joe Crede, 3B
6. Brian Buscher, 1B
7. Brendan Harris, 2B
8. Delmon Young, LF
9. Nick Punto, SS
Pitching: Scott Baker
Gomez
Is it just me or has Gomez been running some lousy routes lately and then making up for it with his athleticism?
wow
Yah I think Dave Bush was reading your article about pitching Mauer inside, he’s gonna be pissed at you.
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
I'm thoroughly flummoxed by this Mauer situation
10 bombs in 22 games is just so far outside of his norm that I don’t know what to make of it.
by Eric in Madison on May 24, 2009 8:34 PM EDT reply actions
I don't think PEDs work this way
first of all, HGH isn’t really a performance enhancer—this is one of the disservices that the media has done on this issue. Besides, I don’t think steroids cause something like this.
My sense is it’s just a combination of emerging power, and random fluctuation.
by Eric in Madison on May 24, 2009 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm going with I have no idea
but spinach is a decent call.
Actually, though, I want to take this opportunity to mention…I don’t think he’s doing anything against the rules (drugs), but…we really have no idea. We like to think of “our boys” as good guys, but we really have no idea.
by Eric in Madison on May 24, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Strengthing the back
I would guess that he strengthened his back up while out, that adds a little power to your swing, until this one most have been just a little over the wall, that extra 10 feet or so makes some of his doubles into homers.
Mauer has been so good that he's
already showing up on certain leaderboards for rate stats even though he isn’t qualified—he’s still in the top 10 of OPS and SLG if you add enough hitless atbats to get him to the qualifying number.
by Eric in Madison on May 24, 2009 8:39 PM EDT reply actions
I think Dave Bush
stole R.A> Dickey’s beard.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 8:47 PM EDT reply actions
Without Span and Kubel
there are a lot of near-automatic outs in the Twins line-up tonight. Better hope Baker is sharp.
At least Gomez has had a couple of decent at bats
even if they were outs.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions
are you counting
this last one, where he swung at a ball that might have hit him and struck out looking like he’d never seen a baseball pitched before?
Huh?
He struck out swinging last at bat at a strike pitch?
But, no I didn’t mean he looks “good” I wasn’t very clear. I really only meant that he was taking somepitches and protecting the plate, which is better than a one or two pitch pop out like Punto.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Loos like Cameron
is a little better offensively than he looked like while at Safeco field.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 9:10 PM EDT reply actions
oops, nevermind
just looked at his stats and he hasn’t palyed at Safeco in about 300 years – where the hell have I been, under a rock?
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Young, come on!
It’s a good thing Harris “beat that out” one automatic out is bad, automatic DP’s are the worst.
Phew!
Baker getting a little lucky, but still pitching pretty well.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 9:44 PM EDT reply actions
on field delay?
I’m watching on gameday at work, do we have a wall jumper?
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
he ok?
Is baby Jesus hurt?
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
hes ok,
ball got 90% nub of bat – 10% his pinky finger.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions
thank god
I’d hate to lose our newest power hitter
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
HOLY COW!
Ken Macha has got to be furious!
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 10:25 PM EDT reply actions
Baker
So, do they let him go 9 with the big lead and under 100 pitches
Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?
Apparently so,
but I suspect he’ll be on a short leash.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I guess that's just Baker being a good friend to Nathan,
setting him up for a save.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Bad News: Delmon Young SO, again
Good News: we won’t have to watch Punto bat for the 4th time tonight.
by montanatwinsfan on May 24, 2009 10:47 PM EDT reply actions
even after that
Baker still pitched amazingly. He wouldn’t have went through 9 if we had that 1 run lead still, so that’s a positive.
Looked like last year
Baker was very impressive tonight. I saw him pitch a couple of years ago at Miller Park and turned in a very similar performance. He was probably left in an inning too long though.
And Mauer, wow, the guy is a stud. Nothing better than seeing the hometown kid do so amazing.
few thoughts
1. Nice game by Baker, he needed this. I kind of wish they would have pulled him after the 8th. Just had a feeling he was going to give up a HR when he went through the heart of their order again.
2. Nice game by Gardy — Successfully arguing that Mauer got hit was huge.
3. Steve Phillips — I never question why this guy is no longer a GM, he rivals Joe Morgan in what he actually knows about modern baseball.
by guinness junky on May 25, 2009 12:03 AM EDT reply actions
Steve Phillips . . .
Did anyone else think that it was completely whack when he said he didn’t think that Denard Span fits the leadoff role, and should hit 7th in the lineup? What is this guy on?
by Mel A. Droyte on May 25, 2009 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
That is precisely
the comment that got me….
by guinness junky on May 25, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
seriously
he gets on base at a .390 clip…what else do you want?
by guinness junky on May 25, 2009 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions
It's official
Phillips is a moron. The only thing I could think of was he meant Gomez.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
Gardy won an argument
There’s always a first for everything. Maybe Carol won’t be so pissed at him tonight.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
he looked ready to blow a gasket
so I figured he had already lost the argument, but somehow he got it all together.
by guinness junky on May 25, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Great Job Tonight by Baker
Final line and ERA hurt by him getting left out too long (but as I’ve been saying, that’s what’s going to happen this year, get used to it), but a great job today by Baker.
"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
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