Game Thread: Twins @ Indians, 5/7 @ 6:05 pm CT

[Squirrel]

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to left field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 65.

 

Twins:

SP, Nolasco

 

Dozier 2B

Fuld CF

Plouffe 3B

Colabello 1B

Kubel RF

Suzuki C

Pinto DH

Escobar LF (hmmmm ... )

Florimon SS

 

Indians:

SP, Salazar

 

Morgan CF

Swisher 1B

Brantley LF

Santana 3B

Murphy RF

Cabrera SS

Chisenhall DH

Gomes C

Aviles 2B

 

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Please check back for the stylings of Riverbrian!

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"The Stylings"... That's the name of a Philadelphia Soul Band if you are incredibly lazy... Betcha By Golly Wow!!!

 

Things to Think about:

 

1. Escobar in LF -- I actually had some different thoughts but this thread has already exploded and directed my thoughts so I will just follow the crowd. To me it's pretty simple... The Twins are short handed and they have insisted on making an outfielder out of our infielders and if that's what they insist on doing. Damn Right... Put Escobar in LF and let's see what happens... If he looks like Bartlett out there... or if he looks like Delmon Young out there... I'll complain tomorrow. If it works... I will relax a bit and not worry as much about the way the organization approached CF this year. But I don't think I'll ever understand why Bonofacio is not in a Twins Uniform.

 

2. Florimon at SS -- I'm not surprised... and I'm not sure we should be up in arms about it. If you get up in the morning and you have a cup of coffee every morning. No one should be surprised that you had a cup of coffee this morning. There will be people that say that the coffee will raise your blood pressure and is bad for you but that cup of coffee is how you get through the day... no one should be surprised. Let's save our surprise for when Florimon gets a couple of hits in a game or Gardy quits drinking coffee.

 

3. Suzuki/Pinto -- Escobar in LF... Yep... Bring it on... Florimon at SS... Yep... Bring it on... But... what's this... Suzuki has moved in front of Pinto in the batting order. This is also not a surprise... Suzuki has been hitting very well and Pinto has cooled off... But to me... This is news... Pinto has been nothing but a terrific hitter his entire short major league career. Pinto is the hitting star in this pair... Suzuki has simply earned it and his performance has outdone and trumped perception.

 

4. Where's Oswaldo? -- Last I heard... He's in Rochester... Gardy says that he needs to get some more swings but the wrist is not bothering him. I assume that Gardy is getting those reports from someone else and passing them along like a middle man. Roster Moves are supposed to be coming after the game. I guess we will sit and wait... Herrmann going down is my guess... Arcia coming up?

 

5. The Sky above you -- I read something today that made me pause for a second to ponder what I was reading. According to Military Experts... In Ten Years time... every single country on this planet will have armed drones. Sleep Tight everyone!!!

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Awesome. Escobar in Left.

 

Wait. Why? Gardy had to get Florimon's bat in the lineup?

[gmarais66]

Why is Florimon playing? I just don't get it... He's the worst hitter in the majors... He's more of an automatic out than many National League pitchers... He needs to go away...

[Boom Boom]

Awesome. Escobar in Left.

 

Wait. Why? Gardy had to get Florimon's bat in the lineup?

 

Someone had to be in the lineup instead of Herrmann, I guess.

 

I thought LEN3 said it was a foregone conclusion the Twins would make a roster move before this game. It's like they're deliberately playing with one arm tied behind their back.

 

Edit: Just went back and saw that he said the Twins would be making a roster move after tomorrow's (today's) game. I don't know what they're waiting for.

[Halsey Hall]

I was in Grand Marais yesterday. It's about as cold as Florimon, but he's about to warm up too.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm getting a headache just reading this.

[Beezer07]

Until a move is made, one of Florimon/Hermann basically has to play, no?

[diehardtwinsfan]

Game-time forecast: Partly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to left field at 10-15 m.p.h. Temperature around 65.

 

 

It's in the 80s today in Indy... Not too much longer guys...

[Squirrel]

Someone had to be in the lineup instead of Herrmann, I guess.

 

I thought LEN3 said it was a foregone conclusion the Twins would make a roster move before this game. It's like they're deliberately playing with one arm tied behind their back.

 

Edit: Just went back and saw that he said the Twins would be making a roster move after tomorrow's (today's) game. I don't know what they're waiting for.

 

For Arcia to officially clear coming off the DL?

[Winston Smith]

This year Floriman's slash line is:

 

.109/.186/.156/.342 ops plus of, drum roll, -2.

 

Serious question, has any major league player played nearly every day this late in the season with a worse line?

 

This is a wild guess but a negative ops+ is bad, right?

[Boom Boom]

For Arcia to officially clear coming off the DL?

 

They could DL Mauer or send down a pitcher to get another player up. Parmelee's not on the 40-man but he's looking deserving right now and could play a corner outfield spot.

 

Arcia looked very bad even before he was hurt.

 

I guess I'd be more aggressive about making roster moves rather than waiting for a convenient time for them.

[ScottyB]

Until a move is made, one of Florimon/Hermann basically has to play, no?

 

You could play Santana instead. Of course that would leave you with no one to pinch hit - Mauer injured, Florimon .109 BA .342 OPS, Herrmann .114 BA .298 OPS. I guess at least Herrmann gives you some versatility on the bench. Leaving Herrmann and Santana on the bench gives you an alleged backup at all positions.

[TheDean]

This year Floriman's slash line is:

 

.109/.186/.156/.342 ops plus of, drum roll, -2.

 

Serious question, has any major league player played nearly every day this late in the season with a worse line?

 

This is a wild guess but a negative ops+ is bad, right?

 

Fun fact: Florimon's 2014 OPS+ (-2) is lower than Nolasco's career OPS+ (-1). If the rules allowed it (they don't), you might consider using a DH in place of the SS instead of the pitcher.

[twinsnorth49]

Florimon ughh, I'm embarrassed for them.

[S.]

That outfield....what the hell?

[Mike Sixel]

Sigh......I'll be at my oldest son's last HS Jazz concert tonight, I won't get to listen to Floriman "bat"......at least not the first three times.

[Mike Sixel]

You could play Santana instead. Of course that would leave you with no one to pinch hit - Mauer injured, Florimon .109 BA .342 OPS, Herrmann .114 BA .298 OPS. I guess at least Herrmann gives you some versatility on the bench. Leaving Herrmann and Santana on the bench gives you an alleged backup at all positions.

 

Having a possible PH/PR is waaaaaaaaaaay more valuable than having a better* player hit 4 times for Floriman

 

* we don't know if Santana is better, but given the HISTORICALLY bad numbers Pedro is putting up, it is certainly possible.....

[Guest USAFChief]

I have been calling for a new manager since last season, but in this case he can only pick from the available options. Of course, there is ample evidence he is at least partially responsible for the construction of the 25 man roster (3 catchers! I need 3 catchers!) So I'm less inclined to cut him complete slack here.

[S.]

I propose we work out a full FO trade with another team. We'll even throw in Brian Duensing.

[Guest USAFChief]

And while I will get crucified for bringing it up...could Mauer perhaps play at less than 100 percent?

[Tibs]

How do you have a negative OPS+ on May 7th? April 7th, sure. But May 7th?

[twinsnorth49]

Well this is shaping up to be quite the game thread, lots of joy and sunshine.

[Willihammer]

Well this is shaping up to be quite the game thread, lots of joy and sunshine.

 

Did you see that lineup?

[twinsnorth49]

Did you see that lineup?

 

Yes, and I'm trying to erase the memory thanks.

[Willihammer]

Ok, looking at the lineup again, I see just 3 holes, but I've seen worse...

 

(eh hem)

[ashbury]

(eh hem)

 

September 11. I'm going to remember that date as a bad one.

[Willihammer]

September 11. I'm going to remember that date as a bad one.

 

9/11 - the date baseball decided to turn the middle of the 7th inning from a stretch into a siesta

[diehardtwinsfan]

Ok, looking at the lineup again, I see just 3 holes, but I've seen worse...

 

(eh hem)

 

1 hole is rangers returning

2 holes are wildlings

3 holes are white walkers

[diehardtwinsfan]

I went to the Dr. today to get my head checked out. He said that my problem was watching the Twins. Apparently, looking at lineups like these the last few nights cause the same symptoms.

[Willihammer]

1 hole is rangers returning

2 holes are wildlings

3 holes are white walkers

 

The Twins kinda are the White Walkers today