First Pitch: 6:10pm CDT
TV: FS-N
Radio: Twins Radio Network
Know Thine Enemy: South Side Sox
Starting Pitchers
Perkins is currently scheduled to start, although the Twins are reserving the right to change their minds at the last minute. If he does take the hill, it will be his first time in 10 days. Should he resemble the guy he was over his last two starts (14 IP, 2 ER), Minnesota should have enough time to mount an attack on Floyd. If not, or if Perk is still sick, get out your gloves.
Over Floyd's first eight starts, he was horrible. A 7.71 ERA and 60 hits in 34.1 innings; it wasn't pretty. Then, just like Stella, Gavin got his groove back. His second eight starts were day to night, with a 1.39 ERA and just 38 hits in 56.1 innings. What happened? Ground balls, for one. His ground-out to air-out ratio was close to two-to-one over the effective stretch, and with so few balls in the air Floyd allowed just a pair of home runs. The roof caved in his last time out, as the Royals took advantage of a pitcher off his game. But there are a number of peripherals which make Floyd an even more formidable pitcher than he was when he broke out last season, at age 25. He's doing a superb job of keeping the ball in the park; he's inducing the highest rate of ground balls in his career; he's striking out more batters; his curveball, which was always toted as his "money pitch", has been more effective this season than ever.
Looks like the A-Squad is getting the go-ahead tonight. With the guys we have, these are the ones I want on the field.