Game Thread: Twins vs Mariners, 8/1/15, 6:10 PM CDT

[ashbury]

at some point you have to count on your closer to not throw a wild pitch,

An example being the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead and a runner on third. That would be such a point.

[Squirrel]

McClendon is an idiot, but walking Rosario was the right move by far. Rosario hits RHP very well and is "hot" as of late. Suzuki is a much better matchup for the closer, at some point you have to count on your closer to not throw a wild pitch,

And keep the runner from taking 3rd.

[stringer bell]

Let's remember Gibson wriggling out of a jam in the seventh. Pretty tough to come back if the score is 4-1 or worse.

[Bark's Lounge]

Paul has got to stop pinch running for our elite hitters when it is a close game in the 8th or 9th. You might have another 5 innings on your hands. Sano is an athletic fella… leave him alone.

 

That is not a bitch fest, but just an irritant.

 

P.S. Hunter is a very good player still folks, for all of you instant gratification people out there, he is a big part of why we are 5 games over .500.

 

Arcia lost out, it was not his year. He was outplayed and that is the bottom dollar. Put it together anyway you want and it is not justified. He will be nice to have as a pinch hitter in September that is that.

 

Great F'in Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Riverbrian]

 

McClendon is an idiot, but walking Rosario was the right move by far. Rosario hits RHP very well and is "hot" as of late. Suzuki is a much better matchup for the closer, at some point you have to count on your closer to not throw a wild pitch,

 

I'm going to have to disagree on both points. 

 

McClendon may have made managerial mistakes and he might be moments away from losing his job because the Mariners have been miles from meeting expectation but it's really hard for an idiot to get a job like his. 

 

And... There is no way I intentionally walk the potentially winning run. 

[Pius Jefferson]

Only a game behind the Angels for the first wildcard.

[notoriousgod71]

That was a rather exciting and improbable win. We'll need some more of these if we're going to stay in the race.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Just like we drew it up, eh? Er, i mean "as expected."

 

Sorry, i musta dozed off.

 

Too much excitement in the game thread for me to handle...

 

I woke up briefly to hear the walk off win from the bed though, so i knew all was well...

 

Just caught up on the thread, and y'all came through in fine fashion!

 

Malapopeism... isn't that the obvious result of bears and popes sitting in the woods? Demonstrating once again all is right with the world.

[DaveW]

I'm going to have to disagree on both points.

 

McClendon may have made managerial mistakes and he might be moments away from losing his job because the Mariners have been miles from meeting expectation but it's really hard for an idiot to get a job like his.

 

And... There is no way I intentionally walk the potentially winning run.

My whole family lives in Seattle and I spent Some of my high school years there. So the Mariners are my number 2 team and I have watched them wayyyyy to much, trust me, McClendon is an idiot and probably the worst manager in the game.

 

But.....you aren't worried about the winning run in that situation, you are worried about the tying run. You want to get the win and get off the field. 2 outs, RHP on the mound who has been pretty awesome against righty batters, (12 k/9 overall I believe) you absolutely walk the lefty with pop to face the struggling right handed hitting Suzuki there. Even if Suzuki gets a hit its unlikely it's enough to bring Rosario home anyways....then your best RP decides to go all wild thing. Not much you can do.

[DaveW]

Only a game behind the Angels for the first wildcard.

more inportantly, still up for the 2nd wild card.

 

1 game up on Baltimore.

2 up on Toronto.

 

I think we can hold off Baltimore regardless. Toronto we need all the help we can get...with that said....go royals!

[Riverbrian]

 

My whole family lives in Seattle and I spent Some of my high school years there. So the Mariners are my number 2 team and I have watched them wayyyyy to much, trust me, McClendon is an idiot and probably the worst manager in the game.

But.....you aren't worried about the winning run in that situation, you are worried about the tying run. You want to get the win and get off the field. 2 outs, RHP on the mound who has been pretty awesome against righty batters, (12 k/9 overall I believe) you absolutely walk the lefty with pop to face the struggling right handed hitting Suzuki there. Even if Suzuki gets a hit its unlikely it's enough to bring Rosario home anyways....then your best RP decides to go all wild thing. Not much you can do.

 

Worst Manager in the Game... That is quite possible. 

[ashbury]

Malapopeism... isn't that the obvious result of bears and popes sitting in the woods?

[DaveW]

Paul has got to stop pinch running for our elite hitters when it is a close game in the 8th or 9th. You might have another 5 innings on your hands. Sano is an athletic fella… leave him alone.

 

That is not a bitch fest, but just an irritant.

 

P.S. Hunter is a very good player still folks, for all of you instant gratification people out there, he is a big part of why we are 5 games over .500.

 

Arcia lost out, it was not his year. He was outplayed and that is the bottom dollar. Put it together anyway you want and it is not justified. He will be nice to have as a pinch hitter in September that is that.

 

Great F'in Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I usually hate PR, but in a low scoring game I don't mind PR for sano there.

 

Also, hunter is not a good player anymore. He is straddling the 100 ops+ line and plays bad defense, that is pretty bad for a RF.

 

Ideally Buxton comes back up strong and we have: Rosario LF Buxton CF and Hicks RF

 

Or Arcia gets hot.

 

Hunter just can't be counted on in most big situations anymore. Those two at bats with guys on third were just awful.

[Bark's Lounge]

 

I usually hate PR, but in a low scoring game I don't mind PR for sano there.

Also, hunter is not a good player anymore. He is straddling the 100 ops+ line and plays bad defense, that is pretty bad for a RF.

Ideally Buxton comes back up strong and we have: Rosario LF Buxton CF and Hicks RF

Or Arcia gets hot.

Hunter just can't be counted on in most big situations anymore. Those two at bats with guys on third were just awful.

Dave, Hunter has been very good this year. This team is filled with a bunch of streaky hitters… that is what we have and T-Hunt is in a semi-slump right now - he will find his mojo again. His defense has been passable.

 

Why don't you ever complain about Mauer? Mauer is a shell of his former self. As a first baseman he is almost an embarrassment, which I hate to say because I want to believe in him still.

 

If you are to compare Hunter and Mauer it is not even close. At this juncture Hunter is the better player by a good amount.

 

I curse you for putting me in a position where I had to put these 2 players side by side. Too much reality sucks… but it is the truth.

[DaveW]

Actually Hunter hasn't been the better player by any amount excluding home runs and only home runs. Mauer also has been hitting very well the last 40 days, hunter not so much.

 

And no, hunter hasn't been very good this year, he has been average at best, and even that is a stretch for the position he was signed to play.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

Dave, Hunter has been very good this year. This team is filled with a bunch of streaky hitters… that is what we have and T-Hunt is in a semi-slump right now - he will find his mojo again. His defense has been passable.

 

Why don't you ever complain about Mauer? Mauer is a shell of his former self. As a first baseman he is almost an embarrassment, which I hate to say because I want to believe in him still.

 

If you are to compare Hunter and Mauer it is not even close. At this juncture Hunter is the better player by a good amount.

 

I curse you for putting me in a position where I had to put these 2 players side by side. Too much reality sucks… but it is the truth.

Mauer's OPS: .720

Hunter's OPS: .736

 

We seem to be comparing apples that are no longer as fresh and shiny as they once were. Given that they're both here to stay for the year, cut off the rotted parts and eat. (Metaphors only go far ...)

[Platoon]

I cannot actually remember the last time I saw a manager intentionally put the winning run on base. I think "Thou shalt not intentionally put the winning run on base" was in the Ten Commandments at one time. But when God got done with them, he had made 11 by mistake. One had to go, so he dropped the one that he knew no idiot would be dumb enough to do anyways!

[DaveW]

I cannot actually remember the last time I saw a manager intentionally put the winning run on base. I think "Thou shalt not intentionally put the winning run on base" was in the Ten Commandments at one time. But when God got done with them, he had made 11 by mistake. One had to go, so he dropped the one that he knew no idiot would be dumb enough to do anyways!

it definitely happened multiple times in the Barry bonds Giants years. Not that Rosario is bonds...but you get the point.

[Pius Jefferson]

 

more inportantly, still up for the 2nd wild card.

1 game up on Baltimore.
2 up on Toronto.

I think we can hold off Baltimore regardless. Toronto we need all the help we can get...with that said....go royals!

 

Win tomorrow and split with Toronto and keep fighting.

[DaveW]

An example being the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead and a runner on third. That would be such a point.

yup. He was wild all inning it seemed.

[jimmer]

 

I cannot actually remember the last time I saw a manager intentionally put the winning run on base. I think "Thou shalt not intentionally put the winning run on base" was in the Ten Commandments at one time. But when God got done with them, he had made 11 by mistake. One had to go, so he dropped the one that he knew no idiot would be dumb enough to do anyways!

Or that commandment was on the tablet Moses dropped.