Liriano gets a nice early shower, Tigers beat Twins 7-3
by Jon Marthaler on Jul 9, 2010 10:22 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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PrintDenard Span started the game Friday night with a single. He promptly got picked off first base. Things only went downhill from there.
Francisco Liriano gave up seven runs in just an inning and two thirds. Along the way he walked two batters, hit two more, and gave up six hits. He was out of the game by 6:45. It wasn't a moment too soon: Minnesota was down 7-0, Magglio Ordonez had two singles and three RBI, and Carlos Guillen had just tripled in a pair of runs.
On the other side, Justin Verlander pitched pretty well for the Tigers, striking out seven and allowing just one run in his first five innings, on a Jason Kubel RBI single. In the sixth, though, he ran into some trouble, and had to be taken out of the game after just 5.1 innings.
Allow for me a moment to detail the Twins' sixth, which in its own way is a microcosm for the team's latest swoon. The inning began with five consecutive singles, which should be enough to score multiple runs, enough to get a team back in the game perhaps. Instead, Minnesota got one bare measly run. Orlando Hudson's single was erased when he got picked off first. Jim Thome hit the third single, and of course, two singles behind Thome can barely move the big guy all the way to third base. So bases loaded with one out for Delmon Young. If you have watched the Twins at all this season, you can guess what happened next. Rally over.
Minnesota did get another run in the ninth, and had runners on first and third with nobody out, but they went quietly thereafter - foul popup from Nick Punto, strikeout from Span, groundout from Hudson. Just your usual ho-hum Twins capitulation.
Some seem to believe that the All-Star Break will help this team, but I can't quite figure out how. Every night the starting pitcher puts the team in a giant hole, and if he doesn't, the bullpen falls apart, and if they don't, the hitters have managed to string together a mighty two runs. Every night it's something. The Twins can talk about all the trades they want, and they can look forward to Monday all they want, but if they keep playing this brand of poor, talentless baseball, nothing else will matter.
Dud: Liriano, who redefines Dud, and might think about tattooing it on his forehead.
Stud: If pressed, I'll give you Jason Kubel, who drove in two of the three of the Twins runs.
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At least Cliff Lee isn't a Yankee
That would have made tonight so much worse.
Going to try to forget this game and think of the silver lining…
Those turtles that were climbing turtles couldn't climb over the turtle fence...
by what_would_gil_thorp_do on Jul 9, 2010 11:17 PM EDT reply actions
At least Cliff Lee isn't a Yankee
is getting old and won’t make any of us feel better tomorrow if Blackie gives up 5 runs by the 3rd inning
At least Cliff Lee isn't a yanqui
And at least we didn’t give up 6 players and give up our future seasons for a rental.
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Now I am become Mod, the destroyer of bad words." -fischean
by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jul 10, 2010 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, this is really ugly.
Really, I cannot think of a reason why this team isn’t at least leading the division right now. The pieces are there, it just seems like they can’t put good pitching and good hitting together in a game. Bottom line, the starters just need to start pitching better. For the past month, they’ve been absolute horse schiesse. I’m not convinced Blackburn can ever be an effective major league starter again, and Baker and Slowey are pitching well below their career averages. Poor pitch location seems to be the culprit for those two.
Maybe the starters just aren't really that good
I would have hoped a trade for Lee would have fired them up, but that isn’t gonna happen
well
even if we got Lee, the rest of the rotation has been awful. My thoughts were you get Lee if you can win the division with what you have. Then Lee for the playoffs. I.e. Yankees
c'mon, that's just horsepucky
the rest of the rotation has not been awful. Pavano and Liriano have been pitching well all season. Yes Baker and Slowey have been bad and Blackburn has been mostly awful.
Every pitcher has bad outings through the course of a season, and Liriano had one last night.
It may seem a bit more painful than usual because it was against a division rival and because the team has been in freefall and we we had unfairly high hopes that Liriano would come in and outduel Verlander. But Verlander is good and at home. A loss on the road is not that big of a deal and “the rest of the rotation” has not been awful.
My life's goal: to force fischean itno using her moderator powers
by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
all true
I was specific in my “isn’t very good” comment… I wasn’t including Liriano and Uncle Carl in that comment even after last night.
The main point for me is that getting Cliff Lee wasn’t going to magically make Baker, Slowey, and Blackburn better. They are going to have to figure out why they haven’t been pitching well on their own.
We’ve all seen them pitch better than they have so there is reason for hope but even in July you have to worry about whether they will figure it out in time…
There is no spark there.
Why?! They’ve blown the lead in the division and they’re playing the leader this weekend…I can’t think of any reason to not be excited…
I’m still not convinced that the CWS and DET are better teams than us simply because of their strength of schedule as of late…but I’m getting more and more worried everyday.
I'm still a Minnesotan at heart...
that's been the problem of the first half
When we get men on base and should score multiple runs. You can bet we will come away with the least possible runs. Whether it be one run or none..
That’s why it’s hard to watch this team play.
Brian
the wheels
aren’t clicking the way they should be, but I fully expect the twins to get out of their funk
by twinscrazy_german on Jul 10, 2010 7:01 AM EDT reply actions
I agree
Seems like something breaks down and we lose. Last night it was Frankie, against Tampa it was the bullpen, or the bats are asleep and the pitching is fine. Let’s get the Mighty Twins Machine in gear again!
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Now I am become Mod, the destroyer of bad words." -fischean
by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jul 10, 2010 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions
The team as a whole is luke warm.
Mauer- no power, Kubel- to many easy outs, same with Cuddyer, Hudson -hot and cold, Span at .275 not .310. Gardy will not let Valencia win the 3b spot, and of course the Pitching is like a roller -coaster . Young, Morneau, Duensing and Skank have all been good but they need more help.
This team is frustrating to watch
It’s always “one thing” that separates us from a win and it’s maddening! If we suck, fine…let’s suck. But with the talent on this team, we should be leading the division by 3 freaking games. Put no…we’ll piss around until September, make a run, get the playoffs with no steam and promptly get swept out in the first round.
I call it the Minnesota special.
(sorry for being so negative but last night put me over the edge. I need a break I think.)
the Minnesota special.
+1
I need the All Star break more than the team does.
by SteadyDietOfCheese on Jul 10, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
The last time I remember a swoon this long....
…was 2006, and everyone was screaming to promote Liriano from triple A, because he was going great down there at that time. They did, and he provided just the spark the team needed. A new catalyst. I think that is how it went anyway. So why not promote Slama now to try and get the same effect? Shake up the rotation, and let some of these guys know that if they can’t cut it, there are guys waiting in the wings who want to prove themselves. Slama has paid his dues and has been patient long enough. Everyone knows he will be with the big club at some point, so why not try him now? It certainly couldn’t hurt.
Slama is a relief pitcher.
Liriano was a starter. I can’t imagine 26 yr old career relief pitchers – with the possible exception of a dominant uberheat throwing closer – is gunna provide any spark. If he looks like Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt maybe he puts a spark in the panties of the female veiwership, but he sure as hell ain’t gunna put a spark in a clubhouse of veterans from the bullpen. And he sure as hell isn’t gunna
Shake up the rotation
Don’t get me wrong, it might be time for Slama to get a callup but to do that someone has to go down and I’m not sure the Twins are in a position to do that right now.
My life's goal: to force fischean itno using her moderator powers
by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2010 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Ramos could be a spark
he was when he came up the first time. He was ripping the ball. We need a RH bat and Cuddy aint getting it done. He gets hot at times.
by b1 on Jul 10, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Ramos came up,
and promptly proved that he needs more time in the minors.
My life's goal: to force fischean itno using her moderator powers
by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2010 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions
If you look at the span of time that Baker, Slowey, and Blackburn have been pitching
-then what we have seen of late is not the norm. I don’t believe that someone just looses talent. They all have the ability, the problem right now is execution. I don’t think we need to burn down Target Field. In fact, the problem right now is probably mental for them, like Liriano said today, he was hyped up for the game, got too excited. If each pitcher tries to single handedly fix the rotation problems, (Which I think they have been trying to do) then we see a lot of blown up 1st or 2nd innings. They just need to settle the hell down and start working on only what they can control, and leave the rest to the rest.
Cuddles can’t bat us out of a slump, Punto can’t hustle us back into contention. Carl Pavano’s Mustache can do all things, but thats for another thread. Point is, they all just need to stop pressing and enjoy playing baseball. And we all need to settle the hell down too. (Myself included)
I always loved that one.
Agreed, all that you mentioned
about pressing, well its the Managers and coaches job to set tempo and calm players down or play players who are hot, pull pitchers that are not. How much of this do we put on Gardy 60%
Just from a casual observation perspective (which is about all any of US can provide)
Gardy has been doing just what you want him to do, but are insinuating he doesn’t do. You’re saying its his job to calm players down. I don’t see or hear Gardy out making a fuss and causing anxiety in the clubhouse through his actions or words. He’s remaining calm and appears to be keenfully aware that there is a lot of season yet to play.
Unless he goes out and gets his M.D. so that he can start dealing out the Xanax and Klonopin, I don’t know what the hell more you think he could do right now to calm the team down.
My life's goal: to force fischean itno using her moderator powers
by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2010 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions
No disrespect but you might be the only one happy with Gardy.
Calm them down or Kick them in the ASS. A good majority of the game is mental. A good manager knows how to read the players. Sit someone, send someone down, but to just say it’s a long season and the other teams we are playing are good isn’t good leadership.
by b1 on Jul 10, 2010 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions
no problem, and no offense back
but only a fool would presume to know what does, or does not, go on in the locker room.
My life's goal: to force fischean itno using her moderator powers
by montanatwinsfan on Jul 10, 2010 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
Thank you. Plus, saying that its a long season keeps the teams spirits high. Would you rather him come into the clubhouse and say, “Well, damn, we might as well give up because the season is almost over and we can’t win a ballgame.”????
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any of us." - Kirby Puckett
Twins are not a good baseball team
Rowdy thing to say, but, there’s a level of denial on this site.
They’ve been playing under .500 for two months, longer than they’ve been playing over .500, which was really only through the first week in May. They played the NL under .500 Big clue that they are not a good team.
How did we achieve this level of suckitude? It all starts with starting pitching, though it certainly doesn’t end there. Nonetheless, when you have a young staff, you are always hoping for natural progression. Of Blackburn, Baker, Slowey and Liriano, aside from maybe Liriano, there has been no improvement. In fact, there has been regression from Baker, Slowey and Blackburn. That’s the core of the staff heading the wrong way.
Defense, which had been a strength has become almost a liability. I think of Span being unable to catch the Grand Slam by Joyce at Target Field. The ball was catchable, it hit the top of the wall. In Toronto, Span and Delmon turn a looping fly ball into a 2-run homer. Liriano, how many bunt hits has he given up to Detroit in the last two starts? Then, throw in some regular garden-variety errors and you have mediocrity for defense. When was the last clutch fielding play that helped them win a game? I can’t think of one either.
Offense. No power from Mauer, and not even much for a batting average. Span, hot and cold. Hudson, the same. Cuddyer, not even close to league-average for a corner guy. Hardy, what?, 14 rbis? The only two guys having good years are Morneau and Young. You can’t win like that. Remember how they started the season leading the league in walks? Where are they now?
Injuries, blown saves, inconsistency in the bullpen. Lack of a bench. Poor road play. And, what always kills me is that on “get away day” Gardy trots out a losing line-up and they play with exactly zero energy and enthusiasm. This is a poor baseball team right now, and I believe they are destined to fight with KC over third place.
In another place and time, more scrutiny would fall on the manager, but this is the Twins and the status quo is always okay when it comes to the manager. At some point though, the media has to start asking questions about how the Twins went downhill so fast.
by Old Twins Cap on Jul 10, 2010 11:27 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
You've summed it up nicely
I’m not sure of the Denial. I think most of us have come to see all that you mentioned. Who knew that so many players would back-slide? As you mentioned I expected the natural progression forward not backward! Now I’d settel for last year performance from the pitchers and hittes, with no progress forward. Just please stop the backslidding!
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