Game 58: Minnesota Twins @ Seattle Mariners
by Jesse on Jun 7, 2009 3:20 PM EDT
in Game Threads
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PrintMinnesota Twins at Seattle Mariners, Jun 7, 2009 4:10 PM EDT
First Pitch: 3:10pm CDT
TV: WFTC29
Radio: Twins Radio Network
Know Thine Enemy: Lookout Landing
Starting Pitchers
The southpaw's been a strike-throwing machine for the Mariners, as is his custom. He's cut back down on his walks this season, but another big change is the number of swings he's getting when throwing pitches outside the strike zone. It's helped him strike people out, but it's also helped him get some pop-ups and a few other poorly-hit balls that can easily be turned into outs. Minnesota has actually been one of the few teams who have "gotten" to Bedard, striking for three earned runs over five innings on April 7. Right-handers have an OPS of just .538; left-handed hitters just .672.
Since leaving the game on May 6 after just three innings, Slowey has strung together five quality starts. He's been able to mitigate his home runs since his first few starts of the season, and now in spite of having some fly-ball tendencies isn't as susceptible to the long ball. He gives up his share of hits, but thanks to a miniscule walk rate is able to keep baserunners to a respectable average. To keep pace with fellow staff ace Nick Blackburn, Slowey will have to come up big tonight. Hopefully, he can get a little more run support than the offense gave Blackburn Saturday afternoon.
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Cuddyer playing 1st today.
I don’t mind this once in a while, which is all it’s been, but it still makes me nervous.
Who is our other option to spell Morneau? Buscher?
Still not as bad as when LeCroy played first…
by guinness junky on Jun 7, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah it'd have to be Buscher.
I’d rather have Cuddyer, don’t get me wrong. It’s just one of those things where, when you have a star at a certain position, not a lot of other guys get game time there. It’s a good problem to have, all things considered, but it still makes me nervous playing a guy out of position.
Good to see no Delmon Young. He sure sucks lately. In fact that should be his nickname… Delmon “Sure Sucks” Young.
Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.
He has some issues.
Doesn’t like to take advice from coaches, doesn’t like to talk about mechanics…he’s not good enough to play through the bad times. Maybe he needs an attitude adjustment, starting with being sent to Rochester. Who knows? There’s a lot of talent there, he’s only 23, but we’re seeing NO improvement, and even worse, no desire to work on that improvement or to accept help.
Sitting against a LHP
I’m a little late on the reply, but I must say that its pretty odd to see him sitting against a LHP especially with Morneau “resting” at DH. The team is saying they would rather have Kubel in the field against the wrong-handed pitcher.
If the team can’t count on Young to play the field and mash lefties — the position where he’d most likely succeed — then he’s running out of reasons to be on the roster.
Can the team send him to Rochester without him having to clear waivers?
Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.
Didn't he sign a major league deal after he got drafted?
If so, he wouldn’t have options
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Are you sure?
Because that deal expires after this year, and after that he’s still eligible for arbitration for three seasons. I’m asking because I’m not really sure how it works myself.
Well if he signed a major league deal after he got drafted, he’d have to be placed on the 40 man roster, thus using up 3 options for his first 3 minor league years. But he’d get an extra year of options because he spent a full year on the 25 man, so I don’t know I guess. I think he can’t be sent down but I’m not positive.
stop by Waving the Wheat (http://wavingthewheat.wordpress.com/) and The College Hockey Blog (http://thecollegehockeyblog.wordpress.com/)
I've been told
That Young doesn not have options remaining. The club signed him to a split contract this year which would indicate they would have the option to send him down. No one has shown me conclusively that he doesn’t have any options.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Jun 7, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I kinda like this lineup, but against Bedard it won't matter anyway
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions
yeah except
Slowey gives up longballs, Bedard really doesn’t
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 3:53 PM EDT reply actions
Kevin's done a good job keeping the ball in the park recently.
Only his first three games or so gave him trouble. Otherwise he’s been fine.
Bedard in only one less start than Slowey has this season
Has given up 35 less Hits then Kevin Slowey,..
Yikes
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 3:54 PM EDT reply actions
I will say this
anytime 2B Jose Lopez is in the lineup for Seattle its basically an automatic out for us.
thats good fro sure
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 3:56 PM EDT reply actions
Ahhhhh NEVERMIND!
what an awful performance from Kevin Slowey today though…he doesn’t have the same stride he had last year but the release point is basically there.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
For such a rough series so far For DENARD Span that was a great 1st AB to lead off the game against Bedard which resulted in a single!
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions
3-1 count to Mauer here what will Bedard throw?
it is a ……Fastball which resulted in a deep fly out.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:15 PM EDT reply actions
question:
Are Morneau’s hips flying open or he is taking good cuts?
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions
In spite of what the Mariners announcers are saying,
that wasn’t Justin swinging for the fences. He doesn’t swing like that on his home run swings. All that happened was that he was a big shocked at how quickly that fastball came in. He was late, tried to get wood on it. Definitely not lookin to send it deep.
yeah, good point, I’ve noticed other announcers don’t exactly know what to think about the Twinkies hitters sometimes.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Branyan cuts on the first pitch, too.
Fouled it off, but I like the Mariners being aggressive against Slowey.
Branyan fouls off another one.
Man, he’s got a lot of power in that swing. Not that I want to see him get ahold of one, but I bet it’s a sight to see.
Another one.
Lots and lots of foul balls by R-Bran here. He’s getting pretty good wood on some of these.
Wow, Kubel actually made decent contact on a pitch from a lefty.
Too bad he bounced it right to first base.
Kubel needs to bend that right knee like he used to before
the ball slam into himself.
thus all his homers came in April, sans that one 2 home-run game he had recently.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions
The nice thing is that
even without the home runs, he continued to be a great hitter and on-base guy. He still was able to contribute. I’m loving him this year.
Jesse, are there any hidden gems like SP Edwin Jackson
the Twins can go and get themselves through a trade this month or before the deadline?
maybe using Delmon Young as the bait?
I vote we do it, then put Liriano or someone in the bullpen…
I just don’t know who the next Edwin Jackson is…. Rhadamez Liz?
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:40 PM EDT reply actions
I think it's ironic that you bring up Edwin Jackson...
….a highly-touted pitching prospect who made his MLB debut at 19, with a sexy fastball. This is the first good year he’s had. Three quick stints in three years with the Dodgers, three very underwhelming years in Tampa before going to Detroit. I think the key here is patience, if Jackson is to have any sort of a career at all beyond this year. He has the tools, but considering his history the Tigers have to be hoping he’s not just a flash in the pan. And he’s still just 25.
All that relates to Delmon, in its own way. Delmon doesn’t have much trade value right now, just like Jackson at 23.
The only real gems are minor league guys that the Twins covet, who are under-valued by their current teams. I don’t think they’ll be going after anyone like Jackson, guys who happen to be having good seasons in the midst of sub-par careers to date.
I like the idea of trying to improve the club, but I seriously doubt Delmon is going anywhere right now. It’d be nice to see the Twins find a gem somewhere, but I wonder if they’re guys already in our system, like Slama or Delaney.
Yeah I think Knapp has had a huge (I weep)
impact on the Detriot Staff this year, That was a Great hire for Jim Leyland.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Gomez walks?
Love that guy.
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yep Casilla goes down on Ball Four
for some reason he swung at that.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jun 7, 2009 4:51 PM EDT reply actions
I propose a new award
In the spirit of the Silver Slugger and Golden Glove we should also have the Leaden LOB
The only stat that counts is W
Wow.
What a great play by Beltre! GREAT bunt by Span, Beltre already rushing in bare-hands it, throws across his body and gets Denard by a step. GREAT PLAY.
Crede: K'd
Bad call, but he’s been giving the outside to the pitcher anyway. At least he’s consistent.
Damn....of all people, Jose Lopez?
I guess he has to get his numbers somehow.
Liner to the gap, 2-0 Mariners, scoring Beltre from first.
Runners on the corners, two outs...
Slowey’s on the ropes here…mostly because the Twins offense has been blanked by Bedard.
whew...
Pitch counts for both pitchers are high… we’re going to see the bullpen relatively early in this game.
damn that is a cannon
stop by Waving the Wheat (http://wavingthewheat.wordpress.com/) and The College Hockey Blog (http://thecollegehockeyblog.wordpress.com/)
I thought Kubel sent that one for a ride.
I don’t know if it died in center field or if it just wasn’t hit as well as I thought it was.
2-2
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Casilla just tried
to barehand it, and couldn’t get it. I’m glad he didn’t have a chance to try and make that play actually, he could have thrown it away pretty easily.
Great throw by Mauer to the right side of second base, Casilla was there to make a great tag on Cedeno.
Cut down in his prime, dagger!
Burke: HR
Wow. WTF.
Remember earlier when I talked about Slowey doing a good job of keeping the ball in the park?
Yeah. Not so much. This is pathetic.
Span FO to end the threat.
More wasted opportunities. I know there were two outs, but we needed a run there.
Way to hang in there Jesse
It looks as if everyone has abandoned you.
Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.
I think they need to start bringing the Twins girlfriends on the road with them
maybe their wives too. I don’t have any other reason for why the bats go limp on the road.
The only stat that counts is W
I don't see why playing baseball on the road is so tough.
It’s not like they can’t hear the snap count like in football. This is just getting ridiculous.
Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.
Mijares
Has a chance to get a little revenge for getting long-balled by Griffey.
by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Jun 7, 2009 7:25 PM EDT reply actions
BIG BIG BIG walk for Joe Crede.
He worked that one, earned it.
Two on, two out, down by two….here’s Jason Kubel.
And the Leaden LOB award for the game goes to ...
(DRUM ROLL)
Alexi Casilla, who accounted for 5 of the 20 LOB for the boyz this afternoon.
The only stat that counts is W
To be fair ...
Team LOB was 12, and every batter for the Twins had at least 1 LOB, Kubel was second with 3.
The only stat that counts is W
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