Article: White Sox vs. Twins, 06/25/2012, 7:10pm

[PseudoSABR]

7.5 out. Here we go on a run, enabling us to get nothing for our trade chits and still have enough time to swoon into irrelevance by august 15th. Yay!

[Guest USAFChief]

Not often you leave 24 runners on and still win.

I don't have the box score in front of me, but I'm pretty confident the Twins didn't have 24 LOB tonight.

 

And nice win. The price of that Liriano extension just keeps going up, Ryan.

[Dilligaf69]

I don't have the box score in front of me, but I'm pretty confident the Twins didn't have 24 LOB tonight.

 

And nice win. The price of that Liriano extension just keeps going up, Ryan.

 

I go by individual LOB but team LOB was around 14...still way to many!

[snepp]

I don't have the box score in front of me, but I'm pretty confident the Twins didn't have 24 LOB tonight.

Typo? Meant 14?

[Ultima Ratio]

I don't have the box score in front of me, but I'm pretty confident the Twins didn't have 24 LOB tonight.

 

And nice win. The price of that Liriano extension just keeps going up, Ryan.

You are correct, Dilligaf69 referred to individuals leaving runners on. Team LOB was only 13.

[Ultima Ratio]

Where are you guys getting 14?

 

The number that need to improve from tonight's game is RISP 2-12 .... ouch.

[Dilligaf69]

Typo? Meant 14?

 

It was actually 13 but if you go thru the boxscore it was 24....whatever!

[NorthwestTwinsFan]

This thread seems pretty negative, considering the Twins just beat their arch rivals.

[PseudoSABR]

This thread seems pretty negative, considering the Twins just beat their arch rivals.

Might have something to do with our overall record. Context matters. That's not to suggest that everyone isn't pleased with a win.

[glunn]

This thread seems pretty negative, considering the Twins just beat their arch rivals.

I agree and will try to restore some karma by voting for Butera as a write in for the All Star game.

[Ultima Ratio]

This thread seems pretty negative, considering the Twins just beat their arch rivals.

While I enjoy the win, I don't know if I can get too rosy until we've won the series and are getting close to being competitive in the central at least.

[Ultima Ratio]

I agree and will try to restore some karma by voting for Butera as a write in for the All Star game.

Let's not celebrate the victory with barbiturates now... come on.

[NorthwestTwinsFan]

Might have something to do with our overall record. Context matters. That's not to suggest that everyone isn't pleased with a win.

Yeah, I get that....every team goes through times like these. But it's going to be a long season if we're all complaining during both wins and losses.

[kydoty]

To Whitesoxinteractive!

 

Oh wait, they privatized their boards. Nevermind.

[glunn]

While I enjoy the win, I don't know if I can get too rosy until we've won the series and are getting close to being competitive in the central at least.

But if that does not happen, then you will have missed a fleeting opportunity for momentary joy.

 

I hope that we sweep, but am grabbing some joy tonight while it's a sure thing.

[NorthwestTwinsFan]

But if that does not happen, then you will have missed a fleeting opportunity for momentary joy.

 

I hope that we sweep, but am grabbing some joy tonight while it's a sure thing.

Thank you. This is the point I was trying to make.

[Ultima Ratio]

But if that does not happen, then you will have missed a fleeting opportunity for momentary joy.

 

I hope that we sweep, but am grabbing some joy tonight while it's a sure thing.

Well then, count me stoically pleased.

[glunn]

To Whitesoxinteractive!

 

Oh wait, they privatized their boards. Nevermind.

You could try whinycrybabies.org.

[IdahoPilgrim]

OK, I just got back from the game and read this thread. My advice is to lighten up, everyone! They won! Frankie pitched a decent game, the Twins got to Peavy a little bit early before he settled in, and in spite of poor hitting with RISP that could have put it out of reach, they still held on. And let's declare a general amnesty for Butera, just for 24 hours, for novelty sake if nothing else.

[snepp]

You could try whinycrybabies.org.

It just redirects to WSI.

[jokin]

I'm not sure that Ben wasn't 5 for 5 tonight. Looked safe to me. Close but safe.

I replayed it a few times, the ball was definitely in the air as Revere crossed the bag. The ump was a little biased toward raising the right arm a couple times time tonight. The play from Morneau to Carroll looked like that runner was safe, too.

[DaveW]

Can someone explain to me why the hell Butera was allowed to hit with the freaking bases loaded and Liriano already out of the game?!?!?!

 

It's one thing to give Butera (who literally might be the worst hitter in the history of baseball with 500+ PA) starts for some absurd reason like "He is the Latin Pitcher Whisperer," but to keep him in a 3 run game with the bases loaded...ugh...there is no excuse for that.

 

I'm happy the Twins won and all, but these are the decisions that will eventually burn them in the future, and if the Twins have any chance to get back into the race the margin for error lies somewhere between slim and none.

[glunn]

Can someone explain to me why the hell Butera was allowed to hit with the freaking bases loaded and Liriano already out of the game?!?!?!

 

It's one thing to give Butera (who literally might be the worst hitter in the history of baseball with 500+ PA) starts for some absurd reason like "He is the Latin Pitcher Whisperer," but to keep him in a 3 run game with the bases loaded...ugh...there is no excuse for that.

 

I'm happy the Twins won and all, but these are the decisions that will eventually burn them in the future, and if the Twins have any chance to get back into the race the margin for error lies somewhere between slim and none.

Rumor has it that Doumit may have some minor injury. Or this might be a psychological warfare strategy to send a message to the White Sox that they are not good enough for the Twins to use a catcher who has a good bat.

[jokin]

Can someone explain to me why the hell Butera was allowed to hit with the freaking bases loaded and Liriano already out of the game?!?!?!

 

It's one thing to give Butera (who literally might be the worst hitter in the history of baseball with 500+ PA) starts for some absurd reason like "He is the Latin Pitcher Whisperer," but to keep him in a 3 run game with the bases loaded...ugh...there is no excuse for that.

 

I'm happy the Twins won and all, but these are the decisions that will eventually burn them in the future, and if the Twins have any chance to get back into the race the margin for error lies somewhere between slim and none.

Listened to the press conference. I can count a half-dozen questions asked on this thread that should have been asked of Gardy, queston #1 is why Doumit didn't play, or at the very least, pinch hit in that situation. That was Managing 101 unless Doumit has an injury.

[jokin]

Someone commented earlier on Plouffe's markedly changed approach at the plate lately, looking like a RH Joe Mauer going almost exclusively to the opposite field. It appears he is suffering from information overload- 1) he "knows" they are pitching him away, 2) they "know" that he knows it, 3) inject the Vavra-esque advice regimen for becoming a GB/singles hitter, and Voila!, you have the "new and dis-improved Plouffe", higher OBP, GB and OPP field rates, markedly lower SLG . 4) In the meanwhile, that defensive plate approach has him swinging and missing badly at pitches that he was routinely parking in the seats just 10 days ago.

 

I think it's time for yet another Parker-Slomo-Swing-Intervention Clinic.

[snepp]

It's one thing to give Butera (who literally might be the worst hitter in the history of baseball with 500+ PA)

He literally isn't too far off. The joys of BaseballReference....

 

Since 1901, position players with more than 450 career plate appearances, Drew is tied for the 8th worst OPS+. And he's within spitting distance of sole possession of 3rd place.

[one_eyed_jack]

I was at the game tonight. I was so happy to see a victory over the Whities and the end of a personal 8-game losing streak in Target Field visits, that I can't bring myself to get too worked up over Butera, the 883 blown chances to blow the doors off (OK, I'm exaggerating, but it seemed like that many as I was watching) or any of the other negatives raised, valid though they are.

 

And it was fun to see Good Frankie. I hope he keeps showing up.

[Guest USAFChief]

It's plausible Butera was left in to hit, with a 3 run lead, because he's a much better defensive catcher. Sort of like lots of people used to go bananas when Delmon wasn't swapped out for a better defensive outfielder with a lead in the late innings. It's also possible Doumit isn't 100 percent. It's also possible Gardy and/or his bench coach just didn't think of it, or they thought of it and said "nah...I gotta hunch here."

 

Hard to say.

 

I was sort of punching the radio at the time, though.

 

Let's get another tomorrow.

[jokin]

I was at the game tonight. I was so happy to see a victory over the Whities and the end of a personal 8-game losing streak in Target Field visits, that I can't bring myself to get too worked up over Butera, the 883 blown chances to blow the doors off (OK, I'm exaggerating, but it seemed like that many as I was watching) or any of the other negatives raised, valid though they are.

 

And it was fun to see Good Frankie. I hope he keeps showing up.

I had confidence that you would do it. It looked more like Frankie the pitcher vs. Frankie the thrower...maybe there is something to this Butera Caddy thing after all...nah! Now, to win the series, Morneau has to follow through and get out of his funk against Floyd tomorrow. I'm thinking the team that reaches 9 runs first wins it, certainly more easily accomplished with Butera locked back up for another week in the bullpen. The Twins own Floyd (current Twins are batting .369/.420/.580/.1000), even Morneau, and Hendriks will need all the help he can get. They have to win tomorrow to get the series, because it seems likely that Blackie's recent luck runs out on Thursday against Sale.

[Scheherezade]

this might be a psychological warfare strategy to send a message to the White Sox that they are not good enough for the Twins to use a catcher who has a good bat.

I like this explanation. =)