Game Thread: Twins v Rangers, 5/26 @ 1:10pm CT

[stringer bell]

Hit and run?

Looked to me like Hicks just froze.

[Riverbrian]

Outing. Not to be confused with an inning...

 

This post is brilliant on a couple of levels.

[longstrangetrip]

I'm so tired of Mauer taking the fat fastball he always gets for strike one, and then later in the account having to hit the pitcher's pitch...too often a slow roller to the 2B.

 

My new nickname for him is J(O and 1) Mauer, pronounced Joe and 1 Mauer, because he is always behind in the count. I know it sounds foolish of me to criticize the highest active batting average hitter, but I just think he could be so much more effective if he jumped on the first grooved fastball.

[Guest USAFChief]

They need to start fining Mauer every time he takes a fastball down the middle for strike one.

 

Strike one called.

Foul ball on a worse pitch.

Ball one.

Mauer puts a weak swing on a pitcher's pitch and rolls it over to second or lobs one weakly to the left fielder.

 

Rinse, lather, repeat.

 

edit: or what lst said

[Tibs]

Guys on radio said it was a balk. Weird that that can't be reviewed.

There was something weird about it and it got Hicks easily. Might have been a balk

[Richie the Rally Goat]

That would be Hodor

Does Hodor on game of thrones waft too?

[Riverbrian]

 

Rinse, lather, repeat.

 

 

Always a "Head and Shoulders" reference with Mauer.

[Willihammer]

They need to start fining Mauer every time he takes a fastball down the middle for strike one.

 

Strike one called.

Foul ball on a worse pitch.

Ball one.

Mauer puts a weak swing on a pitcher's pitch and rolls it over to second or lobs one weakly to the left fielder.

 

Rinse, lather, repeat.

 

edit: or what lst said

Go to baseball-reference. Search the index finder for team batting split "swung at or took 1st pitch." Sort by OBP

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I'm so tired of Mauer taking the fat fastball he always gets for strike one, and then later in the account having to hit the pitcher's pitch...too often a slow roller to the 2B.

 

My new nickname for him is J(O and 1) Mauer, pronounced Joe and 1 Mauer, because he is always behind in the count. I know it sounds foolish of me to criticize the highest active batting average hitter, but I just think he could be so much more effective if he jumped on the first grooved fastball.

I would call you foolish if we were watching the Joe Mauer we are used to seeing, but .281 BA isn't the average joe

[Riverbrian]

I actually like these Colors.

[stringer bell]

This is our inning!

[Riverbrian]

This setup was a great way to start my day. RB, you are both hilarious and profound.

 

Thanks Glunn

[Guest USAFChief]

Go to baseball-reference. Search the index finder for team batting split "swung at or took 1st pitch." Sort by OBP

I am not one who worships solely at the alter of OBP. All OBP is not the same, and no matter a player's or team's OBP, someone still needs to knock those runs in.

[longstrangetrip]

I would call you foolish if we were watching the Joe Mauer we are used to seeing, but .281 BA isn't the average joe

 

In all fairness to Joe (although I do go nuts when he takes that first fat pitch), the bizarre outfield shift he is getting now might take perhaps 25-30 hits away from him this year, many of them doubles. It looks to me like he is trying to change his swing to become more of a pull hitter though, but it might take some time to get used to it. My simple mind tells me his best chance of really driving a pulled ball comes on that first fastball he invariably lets go by.

[Riverbrian]

I am not one who worships solely at the alter of OBP. All OBP is not the same, and no matter a player's or team's OBP, someone still needs to knock those runs in.

 

If I'm guessing right... You belong to the Church of Family and Outdoor Barbecue.

[longstrangetrip]

I am not one who worships solely at the alter of OBP. All OBP is not the same, and no matter a player's or team's OBP, someone still needs to knock those runs in.

 

So true. In fact, I think Joe should be embarrassed to be the only player in the major leagues with a BA over .260 to have a higher OBP than SA (at least last week when I checked). You have to be an extraordinarily soft hitter, and not helping your team enough, to have that unusual aberrant stat.

[Beezer07]

I love armchair batting champ-ing

[stringer bell]

Didn't think the play was that close.

[longstrangetrip]

Does it seem to anyone else that Gardy's challenge success rate is about 15 % and our opponents' rate is about 85%?

[Willihammer]

I am not one who worships solely at the alter of OBP. All OBP is not the same, and no matter a player's or team's OBP, someone still needs to knock those runs in.

So, fine him for taking strike 1 or leaving a runner on base? I thought you wanted him swinging at strike 1.

[Willihammer]

So true. In fact, I think Joe should be embarrassed to be the only player in the major leagues with a BA over .260 to have a higher OBP than SA (at least last week when I checked). You have to be an extraordinarily soft hitter, and not helping your team enough, to have that unusual aberrant stat.

 

All the more reason he should try to take all the walks he can get. The best possible payoff of swinging, is a single.

[Guest USAFChief]

So, fine him for taking strike 1 or leaving a runner on base?

Yes.

[stringer bell]

KC for 7?

[Riverbrian]

So, fine him for taking strike 1 or leaving a runner on base? I thought you wanted him swinging at strike 1.

 

He makes 23 million a year... So I'd fine him 100 bucks for everything... double dipping a potato chip... Taking a selfie... Letting a strike go by... Getting the words to Purple Haze wrong.

[stringer bell]

Just a little too much air under that one.

[longstrangetrip]

I love armchair batting champ-ing

I know I'm guilty of that, beezer, and it usually bugs me too. But you can't argue the fact that Mauer is rated 18th among first basemen in OPS this season, and that is really hurting the team. It seems to me to be a worthwhile topic to discuss why he is so unsuccessful this year, and my theory is pitchers have finally figured out that they can get ahead of him in the count every time with impunity, since he's not going to swing at that first pitch. And ML pitchers love to work ahead in the count.

[Guest USAFChief]

The best possible payoff of swinging, is a single.

Maybe that's related to his reluctance to look for a pitch to hit.

[Beezer07]

I know I'm guilty of that, beezer, and it usually bugs me too. But you can't argue the fact that Mauer is rated 18th among first basemen in OPS this season, and that is really hurting the team. It seems to me to be a worthwhile topic to discuss why he is so unsuccessful this year, and my theory is pitchers have finally figured out that they can get ahead of him in the count every time with impunity, since he's not going to swing at that first pitch. And ML pitchers love to work ahead in the count.

 

You really think his OPS ranking is hurting the team more than the black holes at every OF position? Or that pitchers haven't known about his first-pitch tendencies for years? MLB players and coaches are smart. No way this is the first year they've finally gleaned that throwing a first-pitch strike is a good idea against him.

[longstrangetrip]

He makes 23 million a year... So I'd fine him 100 bucks for everything... double dipping a potato chip... Taking a selfie... Letting a strike go by... Getting the words to Purple Haze wrong.

 

Way too harsh! He'd be flat broke by the time he got to 1745 years old.

 

And I'm still confused. Is it "excuse me while I kiss the sky", or "this guy". I'll hang up and listen and mail you the $100.

[Riverbrian]

Way too harsh! He'd be flat broke by the time he got to 1745 years old.

 

And I'm still confused. Is it "excuse me while I kiss the sky", or "this guy". I'll hang up and listen and mail you the $100.

 

Whatever it is... That girl put a smell on me!!!