Game 22: Orioles @ Twins

Time: 7:10 Central. Vegas Line: -175 MIN / BAL +190

Weather: Nice Today, Ooky Tomorrow, First Pitch 56°

Opponent’s SB Site: Camden Chat

TV: FSN. Radio: The Provus is back, baby!

This is Target Field’s first “All You Can Eat” game of the season. There will be five more, all on Fridays, and only if you buy tickets in the “grandstand” (center-right risers). It covers hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, nachos, and non-alcoholic beverages, all for $29. That’s $11 more than normal for those seats, so if you plan to eat $11 worth of such items in the future, click the link. Bring Pepto. Do not hurl hot dogs at players; it doesn’t end well.

Today’s Orioles starter is Alex Cobb, who the Twins knocked around pretty badly last Friday. His split-finger was darn effective (3.21 ERA) before TJ surgery in 2015; now he throws his 4-seamer a shade harder but mastery of the splitter hasn’t returned (4.67). He’ll mix in a curve to change speeds, and it isn’t much of much.

The Twins are running out Martin Perez, who was “eh” for Texas over seven years, and so far this season has been “eh” for the Twins. However, We Have The Technology — We Can Rebuild Him. From this Sports Illustrated article (h/t geomyidae):

“The Twins hope they have found the next undervalued pitcher based on pitch data. In January they signed Martin Pérez to a one-year, $3.5 million contract after he had a 6.22 ERA last year with Texas while using a 93-mph two-seamer as his primary pitch. The Twins saw that Pérez’s two-seamer, four-seamer and changeup blended together with minimal separation in pitch path. As the Astros did with Cole, Minnesota has converted Pérez from a sinkerball pitcher into a four-seam pitcher who pounds the top of the strike zone. In his first spring training start, Pérez hit 97 mph with his fastball. According to Statcast, he had not thrown a single pitch that fast over the previous four years.”

Time will tell, usually does.

Did you know:

The Orioles were originally the Milwaukee Brewers, from 1894-1901. 1901 was their first year in MLB (and the American League’s first year). They went 48-89 and moved to St. Louis in 1902.

From the Maryland DNR website: “Baltimore (Northern) Orioles were named because their striking orange and black plumage resembled the coat of arms colors of Sir George Calvert, 1st Lord of Baltimore.” Yeah, sorta maybe.