First Pitch: 6:10pm CDT
TV: FS-N
Radio: Twins Radio Network
Know Thine Enemy: Lookout Landing
Starting Pitchers
This matchup took place once this season already, on Opening Day. Felix Hernandez came out on top, going eight innings and striking out six. He had a good night, aside from a few walks, and allowed just one run. By contrast, a pair of home runs ruined Francisco Liriano's performance. It wasn't a bad night, as he didn't walk a batter and only surrendered four hits over seven innings, but the two bombs did the trick.
Liriano's coming off his best start of the year, having better command of all three pitches. While the Mariner offense won't exactly strike fear into hearts across the baseball nation, with Hernandez on the mound Liriano will need to be on his game once again. He's likely to be wildly effective, which seems to be his M.O. whether he's actually got it in any given start or not, so expect longer counts if Seattle is patient enough to make him work. If they choose to be aggressive and try to put the ball in play, it should be advantage: Liriano.
King Felix, on the other hand, is having a great start to 2009. He's striking out more than a batter per inning, he's keeping the ball in the park as well as ever if not better than, and his fastball still lends credence to the cliche: Speed Kills. The breaking balls and off speed pitches will have varying degrees of effectiveness, but in conjunction with the fastball Hernandez should rack up a few strikouts tonight against an undisciplined Minnesota lineup.
Batting Orders
For absolutely no good reason, Matt Tolbert and Brendan Harris are hitting where each other ought to be. Brian Buscher gets another start at third base, against the southpaw, and Carlos Gomez is still riding the pine.