Game Thread Twins vs Blue Jays, 5/31, 1:10pm CT

[twinsnorth49]

Game time Weather Forecast (courtesy Weather Network) 16 degrees Celsius, Wind E/12 km/H, 20% pop.

 

 

 

Not exactly a masterpiece but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a win is a win. The Twins seemingly won another game by all accounts they probably shouldn’t have but 3 double play balls from Kyle Gibson, including one with the bases loaded and 1 out , a timely triple by Brian Dozier and 1 hit ball by the maligned bullpen was enough to do the trick.

 

If I didn’t know any better I would have sworn that was last year’s Twins wearing Blue Jay uniforms yesterday. The Jays paid homage to the 2014 Twins lineup by going 0-8 with RISP, having the bullpen allow the winning run almost immediately upon entering the game and going 1-11 at the  plate   in the game’s crucial innings.

 

 

In today’s tilt Ricky Nolasco (5-1, 5.12 ERA….hmmm) goes up against Drew Hutchison (4-1, 5.12 ERA….what the?) in a matchup between two guys with identical ERA’s and an inexplicable combined record of 9-2. To be fair, Nolasco, since coming off the disabled list has been a different pitcher with a 3.77 ERA in his last 5 starts. Hutchison has struggled for most of this year but is coming off a 4 hit shutout of the White Sox in  his his last start. In keeping with the similarities, both of today’s starters own run support of over 9, so my prediction for today is a 19-18 win for the Twins…….book it…………………or not.

 

A few things to   think   about   today.

 

 

1. Target Field.   The Twins seemed to have finally found their comfort zone in their shiny new park.  They hold an AL best 18-7 record at home and  seemed to have found their groove since the inaugural season in 2010. They still need to put those damn trees back though.

 

2. Brian Dozier, now sits 2nd in the AL in extra base hits and continues to come up big at the plate and in the field when the Twins need it the most. There are a number    of all star worthy 2nd basemen in the league and I think Dozier is definitely one of them

 

3. Blaine Boyer. Boyer continues his improbable run of near perfection. While everyone else anxiously watches for the clock to strike midnight, Boyer continues to roll along setting down the last 3 Blue Jays with ease yesterday, including a red hot Josh Donaldson in a 1 run game for    the save.

 

4. Another series win, a win today would give the Twins their 5th straight series win and 30th win of the season. The Twins haven’t won 5 straight series in , umm about 5 years and haven’t reached 30 wins in the past 4 years until probably July!

 

5. Busy Sunday mornings, I hate them and I have one. So to wrap things up, in honour of Toronto and little time, another cheap Rob Ford gif......thanks Rob, the gift that keeps on giving.

 

http://i.imgur.com/h0s0F.gif

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the game everyone..............Go Twins!!!

 

 

 

Starting Lineups

 

 

Twins

 

1. Brian Dozier 2B

2. Torii Hunter RF

3. Joe Mauer 1B

4. Trevor Plouffe 3B

5. Kurt Suzuki C

6. Eddie Rosario LF

7. Eduardo Nunez DH

8. Aaron Hicks CF

9. Danny Santana SS

 

SP Ricky Nolasco 5-1 (5.12 ERA)

 

 

Blue Jays

 

1. Jose Reyes SS

2. Josh Doanldson 3B

3 Jose Bautista DH

4. Edwin Encarnacion 1B

5. Russell Martin C

6. Chris Colabello LF

7. Ezequiel Carrera RF

8. Kevin Pillar CF

9. Ryan Goins 2B

 

 

SP Drew Hutchison 4-1 (5.12 ERA)

[USAFChief]

A top 5 number 5. Awesome!

[Platoon]

I am pleased and surprised to see Hunter in the lineup today. He was missing yesterday, and I was concerned he had been traded to the Astros, as today's Strib had a story on Houstons win over the Sox. After the win, the story recounted how Houston retired to the clubhouse for a laser, smoke and disco ball celebration. It was my understanding from the Twins team beat writers that this celebration was a Hunter phenomenon, that he possibly had it copyrighted. :).

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Capital thread starter, as always, speaking of groove and comfort zone.

 

Game time Weather Forecast (courtesy Weather Network) 16 degrees Celsius, Wind E/12 km/H, 20% pop.

...

20% pop sounds like it's inviting a joke about what the other 80% is...

 

And by a process of elimination (there's a pertinent Sherlock Holmes quote i'm too lazy to find), i gather Santana is playing... Shortstop?

 

But i like to think he's covering the entire field...

[USAFChief]

Given the options, this is IMO the Twins best current lineup.

 

Which is sad, considering it contains a backup futility infielder at DH, a sub-.600 OPS at SS, Suzuki hitting fifth, and a .707 OPS hitting third.

 

On the other hand, it probably explains why the team is ten games under .500.

 

I love baseball.

[JB_Iowa]

 

Given the options, this is IMO the Twins best current lineup.

 

Which is sad, considering it contains a backup futility infielder at DH, a sub-.600 OPS at SS, Suzuki hitting fifth, and a .707 OPS hitting third.

 

On the other hand, it probably explains why the team is ten games under .500.

 

I love baseball.

 

It's the sum of the parts ... not necessarily each individual part.

 

And apparently Molitors "new math" is working.

[Blake]

Rob Ford, panache, style or just plain crazy? Enquiring minds may not really want to know.

 

The only problem with baseball season is that it starts getting very warm in my neck of the woods.

 

Although, it does give me an excuse to stay inside and enjoy the Twins.

[curt1965]

Day of reckoning for Nolasco vs. the Jays today. If he holds this lineup in check, and in the park, I might start to believe. I hope I'm wrong, but I see Donaldson and Bautista going long on hanging curves. Maybe it will be a high scoring game with our guys ending with their 20th victory in May.

[Platoon]

Capital thread starter, as always, speaking of groove and comfort zone.20% pop sounds like it's inviting a joke about what the other 80% is...And by a process of elimination (there's a pertinent Sherlock Holmes quote i'm too lazy to find), i gather Santana is playing... Shortstop?But i like to think he's covering the entire field...

Elementary, my dear Watson!

[Craig Arko]

Elementary, my dear Watson!

You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.

[twinsnorth49]

 

Capital thread starter, as always, speaking of groove and comfort zone.


20% pop sounds like it's inviting a joke about what the other 80% is...

And by a process of elimination (there's a pertinent Sherlock Holmes quote i'm too lazy to find), i gather Santana is playing... Shortstop?

But i like to think he's covering the entire field...

Aren't you a sharp one........or maybe I'm just that, unsharp shall we say.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Elementary, my dear Watson!

That indeed satisfies the pertinence and the Holmes quote...

 

The one i'm too lazy to remember is something about eliminating all other possibilities, and then else about no matter how improbable. But i'm too lazy to go further, i think. Because i have a new one:

 

The game is afoot!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Aren't you a sharp one........or maybe I'm just that, unsharp shall we say.

Indeed, i could use a whetstone...

 

I'm sure it'll be less of an issue once i've baseball to occupy myself with.

[TheDean]

 

Given the options, this is IMO the Twins best current lineup.

 

Which is sad, considering it contains a backup futility infielder at DH, a sub-.600 OPS at SS, Suzuki hitting fifth, and a .707 OPS hitting third.

 

On the other hand, it probably explains why the team is ten games under .500.

 

I love baseball.

 

If they can do damage with a lineup like this, what happens when they replace the backup futility DH with Vargas, give Pinto a chance behind the plate, and let Esco play SS? It gives me hope against the sometimes insurmountable fear of regression.

[USAFChief]

I opted for the Toronto b'cast today.

 

Is there something about pink today?

 

One of the two guys on the pregame show is wearing a pink suit, with a pink striped shirt.

 

The other guy has a pink tie.

 

It's like someone spilled pepto bismol all over the set.

 

Very, uh, disturbing visually.

 

FWIW, they're of the opinion the Jays should score something like 2 touchdowns and field goal against Nolasco today, led by Jose Reyes.

[JB_Iowa]

 

That indeed satisfies the pertinence and the Holmes quote...

The one i'm too lazy to remember is something about eliminating all other possibilities, and then else about no matter how improbable. But i'm too lazy to go further, i think. Because i have a new one:

The game is afoot!

Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

Arthur Conan Doyle

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/arthurcona134512.html#EgGGEY43oetezya6.99

 

 

Google is a wonderful invention!

 

[JB_Iowa]

 

[Mill1634]

Looks like a big crowd.

[formerly33]

 

Google is a wonderful invention!

 

So is Photoshop.

[JB_Iowa]

 

So is Photoshop.

 

It is.  I'm so glad I got it loaded again.

 

I have to do fun things for here because I've spent months working on putting names on plots in our local cemetery.  Volunteer effort for the local historical society.  Thank heavens we only have about 2250 graves.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Another Blue Jay left in scoring position.

 

Strandard operating procedure, even if it doesn't constitute a CBU.

[Gibby]

 

  How fun is it to be Dozier now?

[JB_Iowa]

 

  How fun is it to be Dozier now?

 

I just may have to do some All-Star voting even though I hate it.

[USAFChief]

 

Another Blue Jay left in scoring position.

Strandard operating procedure, even if it doesn't constitute a CBU.

It seems to me many of the Blue Jays are in scoring position when they step into the batter's box...

[USAFChief]

in play, run(s), please.

[JB_Iowa]

Thank You, Jays!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

It seems to me many of the Blue Jays are in scoring position when they step into the batter's box...

Well played, sir!

 

I'm doubly glad when they get stranded there.

 

Especially when we don't do it.

[formerly33]

 

  How fun is it to be Dozier now?

Not sure, but I do know that it would be fun to be his wife.

 

http://www.playerwives.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/brian-doziers-wife-renee-dozier-meetup.jpeg

[JB_Iowa]

 

After 1, Twins 1, Jays 0

 

on a Dozier double, moved to 3rd on a Hunter fly and came in on a dropped fly from Mauer.

[Gibby]

 

Not sure, but I do know that it would be fun to be his wife.

 

http://www.playerwives.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/brian-doziers-wife-renee-dozier-meetup.jpeg

 

  I just threw up in my mouth a little.