Twins 11, Seattle 0: Streaks end, and how
by Jon Marthaler on May 8, 2009 11:00 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
14 comments
Call it what you will - a run of misfortune, a string of bad luck, a dip in form, whatever. Entering Friday, the Twins were in a rut, and desperately needed to find a way out.
After an 11-0 win at the Metrodome over slumping Seattle, it's safe to say that the escape has been made.
Minnesota's three-game losing streak? Done. Their run of five games without a home run? Finished. Their 2009-long run without a shutout? Over. Even Scott Baker's consecutive-implosions streak fell by the wayside.
For the first time in 2009, Baker started well, ended well, and pitched well in the middle. That, and eleven runs - including home runs from Brendan Harris, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Brian Buscher - were more than enough to get the hurler his first win of the year. The righthander threw seven shutout innings without allowing a runner past second base, striking out five, walking none, and scattering five dinky singles.
At the plate, meanwhile, the Twins jumped on Seattle's Chris Jakubauskas and didn't let up. Denard Span singled to start the game, Matt Tolbert immediately followed with a ground-rule double, and - ending another streak - the Twins actually got both runners home with productive outs.
The Twins had fallen behind early in seemingly every game this season, but with that streak out of the way, the Twins proceeded to end their power drought as well - with a vengeance. Harris began the parade with a three-run homer over the Baggie in the second. Mauer and Morneau followed with back-to-back blasts in the fifth. And Buscher put a cap on things with his first of the year, a moon shot to right that plated three more.
When the dust cleared, the Twins led 10-0 - and the losing streak was all but done.
After the jump, the Twins' three stars.
3. Brian Buscher
Buscher got a rare chance to start at third base - and made the most of his at-bats, drilling a three-run homer, walking, and scoring twice.
2. Scott Baker
Now that's how we'd expect a "staff ace" to pitch. 7IP, 0ER, 5H, 0BB, 5K.
1. Brendan Harris
Harris's three-run blast in the second inning broke a homer-less drought that stretched back to last Saturday. It opened up a big lead, helping Baker, and it got the Twins rolling in the right direction on a big night. Harris was 2-4 on the night, with the 3 RBI.
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Honorable Mentions:
- - Morneau – 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
- - Mauer – 1 HR, 2 RBI
- - Bullpen: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
- - Delmon Young: 2-3, 1 BB, 1 RS
by 33MorneauMVP on May 9, 2009 12:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It was fun to watch!
Always better to win than lose but let me take up my pessimist mantle:
They only have x number of runs in them this year and they just burned 11 of them when they needed closer to 2-3! They blew their “awesome” all in one game. End Pessimism.
by MNPundit on May 9, 2009 1:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If we're shut down over the next couple games
it won’t be because we scored 11 last night. It would be because Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard are a ton better than anything we saw last night, as well as having Punto and probably Gomez and Redmond back in the lineup.
by Adam Peterson on May 9, 2009 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why
Why was Harris batting 9th and Tolbert batting 2nd??
by Zathras on May 9, 2009 8:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Because Tolbert is a good bunter and Harris is not
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
by cmathewson on May 9, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I realize that's likely Gardy's reasoning and not yours, but...
That’s a TERRIBLE reason to bat a guy second. You shouldn’t be bunting before the late innings, at which point you can’t tell which guy is going to bat second in an inning anyway. Harris is simply a better hitter than Tolbert, and he should be batting higher up in the order so he gets more plate appearances.
Of course, it took sending Casilla to Rochester to get him out of the two hole; inertia is a powerful force, especially when it comes to Twins lineups.
"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein
by BeefMaster on May 9, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK then speed
I know the answer you’re looking for is OBP. This year doesn’t really count ‘cause of small samples. So let’s look at last year:
Tolbert OBP: .322
Harris OBP: 327
Factor in sample sizes and they’re virtually identical. Given the same OBP, you take the guy with better speed, better bat control, and a better bunter.
I might be inclined to go with Harris anyway based on what I think he’s capable of from a scouting perspective, especially power. But in the scheme of things, there’s a lot of other stuff Gardy does that bugs me more.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
by cmathewson on May 9, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bat control
The ability of Tolbert to make contact where Harris tends to strike out is also a reason to put Tolbert #2.
by Adam Peterson on May 9, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Likely reasons
1. Tolbert is a great bunter…discussed above
2. Speed at the top of the lineup
3. Tolbert is replacing Casilla (was the #2 hitter) and Harris replaced Punto (#9 hitter)
Don’t underestimate reason #3, same reason Gardy likes to bat Redmond and his below replacement bat in the #3 hole. Before this year, at least…
by Adam Peterson on May 9, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Question
I didn’t see/hear the game last night. How do you pronounce the Seattle pitcher’s name? “jack-a-BOW-skiss” was my guess, but I guess I could see it being a soft “j” (like “Johan”).
"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein
by BeefMaster on May 9, 2009 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Soft J
You have it like I’ve typically heard it elsewhere, but I think it’s a soft “J”.
Also, it was hilarious listening to Gary Thorn on the Orioles broadcast. Note to Gary…“Punto” doesn’t start with “Punt”…
by Adam Peterson on May 9, 2009 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We wouldn't have scored half of those runs if...
Punto was in the lineup. A guys slugging % shouldn’t be the same as his batting average. Especially when there both hovering at or below .200. I hate him like I hate A-rod.
Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.
by taskersd on May 9, 2009 2:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Tolbert is fine at #2
Harris has hit well—small sample size—so has Tolbert—smaller sample size. Tolbert is a prototypical “little guy”, but I believe if both he and Harris have the same number of ABs, they will match up pretty closely. Harris a bit more power, Tolbert perhaps a better table-setter. Tolbert definitely has more speed.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on May 9, 2009 3:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Depends on how you're measuring
I would guess over a full season, there would be about a 30 point gap in wOBA and 50 point gap in OPS in Harris’ favor. IMO.
by Adam Peterson on May 9, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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