Angels Smear Twins Pitching All Over 35W & 94E Interchange
by Jesse on Aug 2, 2009 6:22 AM EDT
in Game Recaps
7 comments
As far as interchanges go, it doesn't get much worse.
After allowing 11 runs in extra-innings on Friday night, the Twins decided to break everyone's heart in regulation on Saturday and allow 11 runs in the allotted nine innings. It allowed everyone to get an earlier start on their Saturday night.
Orlando Cabrera's Debut
It wasn't a bad night for O-Cab. He looks good in a Twins uniform, although this might have something to do with the fact that I now compare everyone to Tony Batista and how he looked. It's a low bar.
At the plate he collected a pair of hits, scoring on a Justin Morneau single in the third and then plating Nick Punto in the eighth. His double in the third was a shot going the other way, slicing down the right field line and into the corner. Denard Span went from first to third, with Cabrera flashing some decent speed behind him. In the field he was largely as advertised, making four put-outs in four attempts. According to his THT stats, he made one play out of the two in his zone (not great), but he also converted a pair of outs outside of his zone (which balances it out a bit). He looked good moving to his left, and on his first play in the top of the first made a play on a tough hop as he ranged toward second base before making the throw to first.
Anthony Swarzak's Night
Everything he threw just wasn't good enough. It's harsh, but I can't lie; nine hits in three-plus innings on just 64 pitches looks more like batting practice than it does anything else. He struck out one (lucky guy, Bobby Abreu, although at least two of those pitches looked like balls to me), and to his credit didn't walk anybody. Although, well...he didn't have to. Nobody wanted to take a walk with all those pitches coming through the zone. Swarzak gave up a double and a triple in addition to his seven singles. But he didn't give up any of the three home runs. So we're ending on a positive.
Joe Saunders' Night
He was pretty much what I expected, which was a good thing. It was just unfortunate that the Angels hit Swarzak harder than the Twins hit Saunders.
Les Bullpenne
That's French for "the bullpen". R.A. Dickey (2.1 IP, 3 R, 1K, 3 BB, 1 HR) and Bobby Keppel (2.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 HR) couldn't keep it close. For the first half of the game the offense was keeping the Twins in it, and after five it was just 6-4. Dickey had just thrown a scoreless fourth (not counting the one Swarzak let in after two batters), although he did make it interesting; Dickey had also thrown a scoreless fifth. Then came that damn sixth inning.
Something named Sean Rodriguez singled, Chone Figgins walked, and then Maicer Izturis (yes, MAICER IZTURIS) decided that four home runs on the season wasn't enough, because five is his favorite number. With nobody out it was suddenly 9-4, and a game well within reach was suddenly a massive uphill battle.
Keppel's first two jobs were to get Juan Rivera and Kendry Morales. It went like this: strike-ball-ball-home run; ball-strike-strike-home run.
Joe was the only Twin who didn't get a hit on Saturday night. He also didn't walk. I guess even Joe can regress to the mean. Tears.
The Rest
Jesse Crain pitched a scoreless ninth, making him the only Twins pitcher to not allow a run. Morneau collected a trio of hits, including his 27th home run which made it 11-5. Carlos Gomez picked up another triple, and Mike Redmond joined Cabrera in the doubles club. Span, Cabrera, Morneau, Redmond and Punto all collected multi-hit nights.
Stars of the Game
Honorable Mention: Carlos Gomez (1-for-4, 3B, RBI, SB, .074 WPA)
#3: Justin Morneau (3-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI, .057 WPA)
#2: Orlando Cabrera (2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI, .071 WPA)
#1: Mike Redmond (2-for-3, R, RBI, BB, .160 WPA)
The Dark Side
#1: Anthony Swarzak (3+ IP, 9 H, 6 R, K, -.511 WPA)
#2: R.A. Dickey (2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, -.062 WPA)
#3: Joe Crede (1-for-5, -.083 WPA)
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Punto
absolutely horrible last night. I was at the game and made observations.
1st: Punto did not make any attempt to knock down two liners that were “shot” 5 feet from him. He knocks those down, runners do not go from first to third, etc. Instead, he took two steps toward the ball, threw his glove at it, and then turned around to get in position for the cutoff…absolutely no effort. Casilla makes both of those plays easily!
2nd: On the pickoff, when Dickey threw a knuckler to Morneau, which skipped by the big man, Punto slid to try and catch up with it, kicked it even further away from him, tried to pick it up – failed, and then Span got irritated and took over. In my mind, there were three errors alone on that play: Dickeys throw, Puntos kick, Puntos bobble when attempting to pick the ball up.
If Punto went after that ball without any of his showboating slids etc, he keeps the runner from going all the way around to third base. Luckily, Span stepped in, because otherwise, that runner would have scored all the way from first base on a pickoff throw that went 40 feet behind Morneau!
by 33MorneauMVP on Aug 2, 2009 8:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm on with you on point number 2.
With point 1, I think the statement that Casilla makes that play easily is pretty subjective. You might be right, but I think that’s kind of hard to say. What kind of a position was Punto in? Was he playing more shallow for whatever reason? It would cut down on his reaction time. If he wasn’t, then I have no idea.
There were a lot of miscues last night, but I’m not about to blame this loss on Punto. Even if he makes both of those plays, or Dickey makes a better throw/Morneau makes the scoop so Punto does have to chase after it, I don’t think it changes the outcome of the game. The Angels kicked our pitchers all over the field last night.
by Jesse on Aug 2, 2009 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
casilla v punto
funny how when punto does stuff like that he’s hustling his butt off, compared when casilla does stuff like that he’s attempting to showboat or is being sloppy.
Gardenhire's major league career: Banjo hitting, futility infielder who couldn't lick it.
Rick Anderson's major league career: Strikethrower who never made it happen with his sub 90's fastball.
Really gives a new definition to living vicariously through other people, don't it?
by caseintheface on Aug 2, 2009 11:12 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
how can we suck
this bad and still be only 3 back?
JT
by STLVikesFAN on Aug 2, 2009 9:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Everyone else sucks just a little bit less.
It’s an AL Central thing apparently.
by Jesse on Aug 2, 2009 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Re-treads
It’s okay to give AAAA/vet retread pitchers another chance. But when they start going bad, you repalce them with another retread, of even the new kid on the block that you can always send back down after a modest inning-plus (did Mulvey really get a chance, folks?).
Time to look at Delaney and Slama, amongst others, and send Keppel and Dickey packing.
Visit www.TwinsCards.com and check out "rosters" to see my collection!
by rosterman on Aug 2, 2009 11:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That statement alone
Is a sad commentary on Twins pitching this season.
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
by less cowbell, more 'neau on Aug 2, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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