Game Thread, Twins v. Tigers April 28 7:10PM

[Danchat]

Starters: Mike Pelfrey (1-0, 2.65 ERA, 5.43 FIP) VS Anibal Sanchez (1-2, 5.96 ERA, 4.80 FIP)

Hello, everybody! I’m going to be tonight’s entertainment, so please, sit back and relax. Let’s see how my first game thread goes.

1: Mike Pelfrey
OK, let’s get a few things cleared up first. Some of you may remember me trashing Pelfrey and saying he doesn’t deserve any more chances in the rotation. But now I look stupid for saying that, don’t I? Pelfrey has an ERA of 2.65 and has had pretty good starts in the last two games. So what do I think about him now?

The main thing is that he’s finally healthy. He’s throwing that fastball at 93 MPH and he’s clearly in better form than last season. He looks like he can actually become that #5 starter like we thought he could!
However, Pelfrey’s ERA is the only positive stat I see. His FIP is suggesting that he’s getting pretty lucky and he only has a K/9 of 4.2. His ratio of strikeouts to walks is 1.14. I’m no statistics wizard, but that’s not a good looking stat right there.

I think Pelfrey’s future is in the bullpen. At this point, he’ll be a better option that Boyer, Stauffer, and Thielbar. But I’ll leave that discussion for when Nolasco returns or when Santana returns.

Anyways, Pelfrey’s numbers (according to ESPN’s stats) against the current Tigers batters are .314/.417/.371. The AVR and OBP are a bit higher than you’d like to see, but Pelfrey doesn’t give up extra base hits to them. He hasn’t given up a single homer to any current Tigers batter!

I may not be a big Pelfrey fan, but I think he can win this one today. He’ll let plenty of runners on base from singles and walks, but if he can get out of jams, the Twins can win.

2: Anibal Sanchez
What’s up with Anibal? He’s got an ERA of 5.96! Small sample sizes aside, I took a closer look at the numbers. He’s got a K/9 of 9.9 and a BB/9 of 3.2, so those don’t look bad… oh, here we go! He’s given up 5 HRs in his first four starts. The Tigers entire rotation has given up just 7 HRs, and Sanchez is accountable for 5 of them! 

Unfortunately, Sanchez is lights out versus the current Twins team. Using those nifty ESPN stats again, the Twins bat .163/.235/.228. Yikes! 29% of those ABs end in strikeouts! Only one current Twins batter has hit a HR off of Sanchez. Who is it? Whoever can guess this right first will get to choose the “Rally” animal, whether you want it to be the Rally Monkey, Rally Rhino, Rally Olsen Twins (ugh), or whatever you like.

3: Lineup Analysis
Twins
1: SS Danny Santana
2: RF Torii Hunter
3: 1B Joe Mauer
4: 3B Trevor Plouffe
5: DH Eduardo Nunez
6: 2B Eduardo Escobar
7: LF Oswaldo Arcia
8: C Kurt Suzuki
9: CF Jordan Schafer
SP: Mike Pelfrey

Tigers
1: CF Gose

2: 2B Kinsler

3: 1B Cabrera

4: DH Martinez, V

5: RF Martinez, JD

6: LF Cespedes

7: C Avila

8: 3B Castellanos

9: SS Iglesias

SP: Anibal Sanchez

 

My analysis: Brian Dozier is getting the night off and Escobar is starting in his place. I’d bet that if Dozier got hurt for an extended amount of time, Escobar would get the call.
Another note – this is the third straight game without Kennys Vargas. Is he working on his swing with the batting coach? Is Nunez actually a better option? At this point, they have to consider demoting Vargas to AAA and calling up Pinto. I’d much rather see Pinto at DH than Nunez.
One last thing. Jordan Schafer’s career VS Anibal Sanchez: 2 for 14 with 8 strikeouts. I think I’d rather see Shane Robinson in CF tonight.

4: My Avatar and Past Twins
Here’s my chance to talk about something random like Riverbrian does!
I couldn’t think of anything better to talk about, so time to talk about my avatar! Yes, it’s the picture of Matthew LeCroy talking on a baseball phone.
When I was a wee lad, I watched the Twins and rooted for my favorite baseball player, Jacque Jones. My second favorite was Matthew LeCroy. I honestly can’t understand why those two were my favorites. LeCroy would always pinch-hit and get a homer (or so it seemed to my younger self). And I don’t know why I obsessed over Jacque Jones – seriously, I dressed up in a Jones jersey for Halloween three years in a row, and I would have continued for a 4th and 5th year if my mom forced me to change it.
So there’s a little of my Twins background from when I was about 7 years old.

5: Twins Daily
I just wanted to say here that I really enjoy coming to Twins Daily every day. I love the topics and the comments and that like button! I thoroughly enjoy watching the baseball and watching all our predictions and thoughts get crushed and confirmed. And I especially enjoy when big news breaks in and everybody overreacts. I really enjoy being a part of this Twins community!
So, on that note, stay classy, everyone.

[Squirrel]

 

 

Let’s see how my first game thread goes.

I'd say it went fine!

 

 

[jokin]

Yeah, I'd say if you're sitting for three straight games in favor of the likes of "Nunie", you're sitting on some pretty thin ice.  I'm thinking Vargas gets this time off to "clear his head", get right with Bruno in the cage, and then get one more extended chance to get it going.  But at this point, he looks like he's on short-time in Minnesota-  I'm thinking the Red Wings management already has a Little Papi marketing plan in the works.

[JB_Iowa]

 

1: Mike Pelfrey

OK, let’s get a few things cleared up first. Some of you may remember me trashing Pelfrey and saying he doesn’t deserve any more chances in the rotation. But now I look stupid for saying that, don’t I? Pelfrey has an ERA of 2.65 and has had pretty good starts in the last two games. So what do I think about him now?

The main thing is that he’s finally healthy. He’s throwing that fastball at 93 MPH and he’s clearly in better form than last season. He looks like he can actually become that #5 starter like we thought he could!
However, Pelfrey’s ERA is the only positive stat I see. His FIP is suggesting that he’s getting pretty lucky and he only has a K/9 of 4.2. His ratio of strikeouts to walks is 1.14. I’m no statistics wizard, but that’s not a good looking stat right there.

 

 

Ted ‏@tlschwerz  · 5h5 hours ago 
Mike Pelfrey owns a 2.65 ERA and a 5.43 FIP...YIKES!!! #MNTwins

 

Wrap your head around that one.  I guess we can only hope that the 2nd number comes down a lot faster than the 1st one goes up!

[Halsey Hall]

"So, on that note, stay classy, everyone"

 

That's very, very, hard to do for me with a IMO senseless thread on a Poof extension, which I should just ignore. 

 

But, what I'd have liked to see tonight is Nunez at 3rd, rather than dh'ing, and having Vargas dh.  Vargas sitting a couple of days after his last ****ty showing just has to burning on him.  I'd get him in tonight and see what happens while he's still got a strong sting going. 

 

And of course I'm pulling for Pelfrey again tonight, no matter how slow the game goes. 

[Platoon]

I concur with your mom! While a Jacque Jones jersey generally generates generic gentrification , and 15 and 16 is an acceptable age for trick or treating, after that it's time to switch to something that shows your level of maturity. But what?? I am sure there are wags on here that would suggest just being on a TD game thread already indicates that maturity level, or lack thereof. But they should be advised that to do so, is a self indictment in and of itself!

[Platoon]

On a rare baseball note, Dozier seems to be extremely frustrated lately. His displays on called strikes is becoming pretty common. A night to calm down?? I don't think Molly did him any favors in the 4 hole, he is already pull happy, and this just exacerbated It.

[Danchat]

 

I concur with your mom! While a Jacque Jones jersey generally generates generic gentrification , and 15 and 16 is an acceptable age for trick or treating, after that it's time to switch to something that shows your level of maturity. But what?? I am sure there are wags on here that would suggest just being on a TD game thread already indicates that maturity level, or lack thereof. But they should be advised that to do so, is a self indictment in and of itself!

Just for clarification, this was from ages 8 to 10, not at 15/16.

[Cap'n Piranha]

My two cents

 

That 9-1-2 section of the lineup is a disaster.  No average, no OBP, no power.  Given Pelfrey's time in the NL, maybe we should just let him bat tonight.

 

As it stands right now, Shane Robinson has been our hottest hitter (excuse me while I resist the urge to gouge my eyes out).  Why would he be sitting in favor of Jordan Schafer, who has not only been unequivocally our worst hitter, but also our worst defender (according to the very SSS UZR, Schafer has been worse in center than Ozzie has been in left.  Yikes).

 

Also, Vargas to AAA in exchange for Pinto?  Your views intrigue me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Hrbowski]

I love Jacque Jones! You should have kept your costume.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Pelfrey doesn’t give up extra base hits to them. He hasn’t given up a single homer to any current Tigers batter!

You had to mention it?

Rookie mistake.

[Danchat]

 

You had to mention it?

Rookie mistake.

Oops... are they going to hit a homer off of Pelfrey now?

[D. Hocking]

 

Pelfrey doesn’t give up extra base hits to them. He hasn’t given up a single homer to any current Tigers batter!

 

 

You had to mention it?

Rookie mistake.

 

At least we know who to blame if Pelfrey's goes south.  This actually takes a lot of pressure off of the rest of the posters.  People can relax knowing if there is a Tiger offensive carnage -- that it was not due to anything they posted -- but was already set in motion by Danchat.  I don't think Pelfrey will be happy if this is the reason he ends up in the bullpen when Nolasco comes back.

[stringer bell]

I'm intrigued by Pelfrey's velocity and the addition of a new pitch.   Certainly, he has pitched with a horseshoe in his pocket so far this year, but I like what I've seen with the splitter. 

 

Jordan Schafer is stretched in center field, yes.   If he can hit like last year, a couple balls can drop in than better center fielders would have caught.   Let's remember, he had three hits last night and had a pretty good game against Felix. 

 

I'm glad Molitor is giving Dozier a day off.  

[Hrbowski]

 

On a rare baseball note, Dozier seems to be extremely frustrated lately. His displays on called strikes is becoming pretty common. A night to calm down?? I don't think Molly did him any favors in the 4 hole, he is already pull happy, and this just exacerbated It.

I have noticed that most of those called strikes were questionable, what Dozier really needs is this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VgEU_Xi7QU

[Danchat]

 

At least we know who to blame if Pelfrey's goes south.  This actually takes a lot of pressure off of the rest of the posters.  People can relax knowing if there is a Tiger offensive carnage -- that it was not due to anything they posted -- but was already set in motion by Danchat.  I don't think Pelfrey will be happy if this is the reason he ends up in the bullpen when Nolasco comes back.

It's all part of my master plan to get Pelfrey into the bullpen and to keep May in the starting rotation.

[formerly33]

 

I have noticed that most of those called strikes were questionable, what Dozier really needs is this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VgEU_Xi7QU

When Justin Moore found out that Brian had changed his walk-up song, he immediately began campaigning for him to go back to his old one:

[Circus Boy]

Last night was encouraging. Hope the lads get over the top tonight. Go Twins!

[Gibby]

 

  Hey Danchat. I have the same great memories from that age, except the players I which I was obsessed, were Tony Oliva, and believe it or not, George Mitterwald.

[Hrbowski]

I think that all the Twins need to do is get Justin Moore walkup songs, Dozier broke out when he got one, and now he is slumping.

 

Here is Danny Santana's:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55GAUgjpDQA

[Hrbowski]

Torii Hunter would like this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMatCFZ0IZA

[Hrbowski]

I don't think Joe needs anything to going so we will move on to Vargas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbG9vspCeFs

[stringer bell]

Thanks for the fine opener Danchat.  Let's hope the guys live up to the setup.

[Mill1634]

Nice job Danchat!

[stringer bell]

According to Gameday, both Pelf and Sanchez have a game score of 50.  Great start Pelf.  Oh, snap!

[ashbury]

First pitch by Big Pelf, fouled away. This has been your Circus Boy Update.

[Mill1634]

Pelf for CY Young TBH. 

[stringer bell]

Cy Pelfrey!

[JB_Iowa]

Chalk a good 1/2 inning up for Big Pelf.

[ashbury]

According to Gameday, both Pelf and Sanchez have a game score of 50.  Great start Pelf.  Oh, snap!

A one-two-three top o' the first inning stands to have improved that number for Pelfrey. CBU.