Everybody's Happy Nowadays: Twins 8, Yankees 2
by RandBall's Stu on May 27, 2010 11:29 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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PrintTwins fans can back off the ledge until...Friday, when Kevin Slowey starts. But for now, enjoy that feeling of beating the Yankees twice in one season.
Story of the night, and (positive) story of the series, was the Twins starting pitching. Thursday night, it was Nick Blackburn's turn, and despite some middle-inning struggles, he gave the Twins seven innings, scattering 9 hits and allowing just 2 runs.
Meanwhile, the Twins offense did more than enough to win, plating three runs in the first two innings on a smattering of doubles, and adding two more runs off Yankees starter Javier Vazquez in the 5th and 6th, with an Orlando Hudson triple and a towering home run by Jason Kubel's Beard providing the key hits. The Beard of Understanding then broke the game open in the 7th, with a 2-out (!) 3-run (!! (two exclamation points because there was a runner in scoring position)) homer, giving him 5 RBI for the evening.
Jose Mijares and Alex Burnett gave the Twins one scoreless inning of relief each, and hey, that's the ballgame.
Studs:
Nick Blackburn: holy crap, Nick Blackburn is 6-1.
Jason Kubel: duh.
Justin Morneau: another day, another extra base hit, sac fly, intentional walk and solid defense.
Duds:
Joe Mauer: throwing error that helped put the Yankees on the board and another double play right to Jeter in the 8th. I actually feel guilty about calling Joe Mauer a dud, and hope He'll forgive me.
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Rec'd
Because after the apocalyptic atmosphere yesterday. this win (and just reading about it) is heaven. Furthermore, it broke the seemingly endless steak of Yanks-Twins nailbiters with a blowout almost singlehandedly courtesy of Kubel’s Beard.
And I swear I do a double take upon realizing Blackburn has the best record of all of our starters.
by MarshalltheIrish on May 27, 2010 11:34 PM EDT reply actions
*Endless streak
Although an endless steak would be an apt celebration right now.
by MarshalltheIrish on May 28, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Now I'm not even that mad about the previous games in this series.
Here’s hoping that Kubel stays hot for the rest of the season!
Kubel=yanqui Slayer
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Kubel smashed it." -Jesse
by less cowbell, more 'neau on May 28, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Ahhh, that feels sooooooo good!
(TWSS)
I swear, the full moon is smiling down on Target Field tonight!
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Kubel smashed it." -Jesse
by less cowbell, more 'neau on May 27, 2010 11:47 PM EDT reply actions
Thank you very much everybody!
Thank you!
I couldn’t help myself.
Seriously though…I know I was one of the near ledge-jumpers earlier today but we improved our record vs. the Yankees from .000 last year to .333 and held them to 6 runs over 3 games….
And holy cruddie pies…Blackburn is 6-1?
The beard abides.
by Jason Kubel's Beard on May 27, 2010 11:47 PM EDT reply actions
Did I not say this day was too perfect to be ruined by a Twins loss?
I’m telling you…Big Game Blackbeard, and a little pre-summer magic. Woo!
"A-Rod has that arrogance about him. I’d drill him." -Bert Blyleven
YES!
And may I also say its GREAT to have more RandBallStu this season?
Stu: He’s not just for Fridays anymore.
I always loved that one.
by FoulJack on May 27, 2010 11:54 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Is it wrong to rec a post-game thread?
Victory makes me feel somewhat less negative in a way. 
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Kubel smashed it." -Jesse
by less cowbell, more 'neau on May 28, 2010 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Lucky for us.
You have been a black cloud hanging over our hot-dish loving, hymn singing, bake-sale-ing community for TOO LONG.
I vote we ban you. For like…5 CONSECUTIVE GAMES.
I always loved that one.
by FoulJack on May 28, 2010 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
rec'd
Do you want to know the terrifying truth, or do you want to see me sock a few dingers?
by natetheskate on May 28, 2010 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Everybody's happy nowadays...
I was so tired of being upset
Always wanting something I never could get
Life’s an illusion love is a dream
But I don’t know what it is
Everybody’s happy nowadays…
Do you want to know the terrifying truth, or do you want to see me sock a few dingers?
I think the two most important offensive plays today....
…were the sacrifice flies from Morneau and Thome. Kubel had the big hits and deserves the spotlight (I really hope this helps break his slump), but I’ve been feeling so discouraged lately when the Twins are in that man-on-third one-out-or-less situation where we are so used to them producing consistently. Finally we picked up a couple of those easy runs, and Kubel made it convincing.
Great point
Early on before Kubel’s power shots, I was deeply satisfied just seeing us pick up those three runs. The Twins were surprisingly in control here, and that’s a nice change of pace.
by MarshalltheIrish on May 28, 2010 1:10 AM EDT up reply actions
“Don’t you wish you were free, Nick Blackburn?”
“I don’t know what you mean. I am free. Free to have the most wonderful time. Everybody’s happy nowadays.”
Gardy laughed, “Yes, ’Everybody’s happy nowadays.’ We begin giving the children that at five. But wouldn’t you like to be free to be happy in some other way, Nick? In your own way, for example; not in everybody else’s way.”
Do you want to know the terrifying truth, or do you want to see me sock a few dingers?
Off topic
But I just noticed your tagline and how awesome it is.
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. ~ Terence Mann
by John Veldhuis on May 28, 2010 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Sitting Cuddy
According to the StarTrib, Delmon Young is a career .438 hitter against Javier Vazquez and had four hits in his previous four plate appearances against him. So why not sit Cuddy for a night instead of Young? Does Cuddles have to be in the lineup by law?
okay, shoulda done my research
Cuddles has a career .957 ops against Vasquez. But still, it might do Cuddy good to rest from time to time.
My first visit to the new ballpark
Guess I picked a good day for my first ballgame of the year. Kubel’s first homer was a mega-shot – must have traveled 430 feet at least. His second made it to a side aisle on the second deck, but wasn’t as huge as the first. Yep, the warmer weather helps!
Thanks to “Jay” for scalping me a couple of tickets for $40 apiece. First row, second deck, overlooking Michael Cuddyer. Great viewing angle of the pitcher, home and first base, where all the action is.
One gripe with the new park: They got rid of the Philly cheese steak sandwiches, my favorite, and replaced it with a grossly over-priced ($10.25) grilled steak sandwich from Murray’s. The meat was good, but the overall sandwich is nowhere near as good as those big, greasy Philly’s used to be.
Prediction: At $10.25, the Murray’s grilled steak sandwich won’t be around very long. People expect one helluva sandwich for that kind of money, and it’s just not that good. Oh, and the Twins will win the Series.
Kramaraczuk's
$6.50, Polish Sausage or Brat with sauerkraut and onions. Best deal in the place.
I love the Italian sausage
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
Buzzcocks
See, I knew there was a reason this was my new favorite Twins blog: Gleeman gives us YT vids of Jack Johnson, and you name your posts after Buzzcocks songs. (Just kidding, Mr. Gleeman! Love you!)
You're Welcome, Again
Last Yankee series I benched Kubel on my fantasy team, and he torched Rivera. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to get him going, so this time I took the drastic measure of cutting him. I figure reality is more important than winning some stupid fantasy league.
As for Blackburn, I don’t care about “stuff” or the meaningless of win-loss records, he is clearly the “Ace” of the staff in my mind. When you need a win, Blackie will deliver.
My endless love for Blackburn and his eyelashes pays off.
I’m glad everyone else is seeing it now, too :) (Even if his eyelashes are a lot harder to see out of doors, with the sun creating shadows. I’m trying to adjust.)
http://www.realityfish.com
Two consecutive AL Pitcher of the Month awards?
Last month, Liriano won. This month, Blackburn has to be considered: 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 37.1 innings for the month.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
For all of our pre-season concerns...
Pitching has not been much of a weakness. A couple very ugly starts and some underperforming by Slowey, but overall our staff has done a good job of keeping us in games and our bullpen has been better than expected. It’s actually been our offense “losing” us games recently. I think the trend will switch (I have to believe that Cuddyer and especially Kubel will pick up their performance and start hitting runners in), but I’m very happy with our pitching so far this season. Now if we could just pick up an ace for the off-season, I think we’d be all set. :)
I don't know if Gibson is an ace
But he might help us replace Pavs.
"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot
Yea, now all we have to do is win a series from them.
It’s a long season, so I’m going to enjoy it. What does concern me though is that the Yanks will be waiting there at the end of it. Winning the central is our 1st priority. A few more of Ozzie’s White Sox meltdowns should be fun along the way also. We should trade Ramos toward Roy Oswalt or Cliff Lee. Getting another quality pitcher will never hurt. The Twins have stepped up to the big time in payroll & in order to keep a team that can seriously contend year after year you have to spend some jack. This small market talk is a load of crap. We are very much a top twenty or middle market team. Every year I hear how competitive we are. Well we haven’t been to a World Series in almost 20 years. Lets go out at the trade deadline or before and make a real deal. Standing pat every year has resulted in 0 championships.
We made deals last year.
Orlando the o-dog and Pavano. This year we need to bring up the young sticks-Ramos,Valencia,Hughes,Revere, also Slama,Fox,Waldrop.
by b1 on May 28, 2010 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions
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