Game Thread: Twins @ Rays, 8/26, 6:10pm

[jimbo92107]

Man, I can't wait to get Hicks back. Rosie LF, Buxton CF, Hicks RF. Speed, arms, power, glory!!

[jimbo92107]

Sano pulls a low, outside slider off the end of his bat...with power. Jeebus.

[VandyTwinsFan]

Was just thinking, compare Eddie to Alex Gordon. Mid to upper teens in HR, decent average, great D, with plenty of assists until people realize how good his arm really is. 

[jimbo92107]

Is there anybody that still wants to compare Eddie Rosario to Danny Santana? I'm not knocking Santana, but Rosario is a ballplayer through and through.

[LaBombo]

I posted this in the Sano thread, but since he just scorched another ball it's worth repeating here.

 

Sano's Fangraphs line drive percentage is over 26%, which would rank 8th or 9th among qualifiers.

 

And Fangraphs also ranks contact as Soft/Medium/Hard.    Plouffe leads non-Sano Twins with a 35% Hard contact score.

 

Sano's is 49%.

[David HK]

Lotta K's, but a lotta pitches thru 4 for Archer.  Duffey holds the Rays down, we may have a chance at this one.

[VandyTwinsFan]

 

Lotta K's, but a lotta pitches thru 4 for Archer.  Duffey holds the Rays down, we may have a chance at this one.

 

I blame it on you.

[David HK]

 

[David HK]

 

I blame it on you.

I gotta wear that one.  Sorry.

[VandyTwinsFan]

Through 4 IP, Berrios: 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K. Think he knows who's watching tonight?

[Jham]

I recall Duffey's stuff not playing nearly as well 2nd and third time through

[SwainZag]

That was hammered.......Duffy can't fall behind to hitters like this, it takes away his best weapon

[JB_Iowa]

Buxton had good positioning on that one.

[LaBombo]

 

 

Is there anybody that still wants to compare Eddie Rosario to Danny Santana? I'm not knocking Santana, but Rosario is a ballplayer through and through.

 

After enduring years of outfield statues like Kubel, Willingham, Doumit, and the like, it's going to be a real treat to see Buxton, Rosario, and Hicks out there together.

 

And the only people who will enjoy it more than Twins fans will be the Twins pitchers.    The effect of great outfield defense on a pitcher's confidence was perfectly illustrated by Duffey's reaction to Rosario's throw.  Having a teammate erase a baserunner can alter a game as surely as a big hit.

[jimbo92107]

Where is Duffey's curve ball? He's throwing almost nothing but heat.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

Brian Dozier 1st half:   .256/.328/.513

 

Brian Dozier 2nd half:    .214/276/.400

 

Brian Dozier August:    .207/.255/.370

Instead of Bull Dozier, it's Dog Day Dozier?

[Turd Furgeson]

 

Is there anybody that still wants to compare Eddie Rosario to Danny Santana? I'm not knocking Santana, but Rosario is a ballplayer through and through.

 

Yeah, really about the only thing you can complain about is a bit of a lack of discipline at the plate. He can really hit and he plays good defense. 

[Turd Furgeson]

 

I posted this in the Sano thread, but since he just scorched another ball it's worth repeating here.

 

Sano's Fangraphs line drive percentage is over 26%, which would rank 8th or 9th among qualifiers.

 

And Fangraphs also ranks contact as Soft/Medium/Hard.    Plouffe leads non-Sano Twins with a 35% Hard contact score.

 

Sano's is 49%.

 

Yeah, people compare him to Stanton and if he had Stanton's offense at third base that would be remarkable but just looking at I think he might be capable of a bit more. I believe his hard hit rate only trails Stanton (by 1%)  in all of baseball this year and Stanton has a higher hard contact rate than he normally has in his career. Sano hits fewer grounders and more line drives than Stanton does too and has a lot better discipline on pitches outside the zone. This is of course on a small sample size but if he keeps this up he has a good chance to be better. 

[jimbo92107]

Finally, Duffey brings out the big bender. When hitters miss your curve by four inches, there is no reason not to use it a lot.

 

I'm still trying to figure out why Duffey was throwing so many fastballs. It's not a dominant pitch unless he uses it as an alternate to his curve.

 

Maybe Duffey planned to use the heater the first time through the order, then change things up the second time through. Problem is, they started sitting on his heater, with nasty results.

[LaBombo]

 

Yeah, really about the only thing you can complain about is a bit of a lack of discipline at the plate. He can really hit and he plays good defense. 

He's definitely got room to improve in that area.   But the good thing is that control of the strike zone is probably the last tool to develop in most young hitters. 

 

Shane Mack was a fairly nondescript outfielder until he learned better plate discipline in his late 20's, and it turned him into an All Star-caliber player at his peak.

[jimbo92107]

 

Yeah, really about the only thing you can complain about is a bit of a lack of discipline at the plate. He can really hit and he plays good defense. 

I can't even complain about Eddie being aggressive at the plate. For years the Twins have been too damned passive. Finally we get a guy like Eddie that looks to drive the ball. Eddie plays offensive offense. Putting pressure on the other team is what makes baseball fun to watch.

[David HK]

OK, here's my contribution to Dog Day.  

Bucky, the Wonder Whippet.  With me for 13 years.  Came all the way to China with me, until he succumbed last year.  

Have another dumpling, buddy, and smile.

 

[LaBombo]

Interesting bit of baserunning by Robinson there.    For a guy whose speed is pretty much the only thing keeping him in the league...    Oh well, he eventually did get around to scoring the tying run, but c'mon, man...

[ScrapTheNickname]

A gutsy call by the ump!!

[Intramural Legend]

Remember when Mauer had a fantastic eye at the plate? That didn't suck

[sane]

Adam Brett Walker just got RBI #100 and HR #29.

[Ultima Ratio]

Let's make it six in a row, boys!

[Squirrel]

Was gonna jump in and say something, but once I got caught up with the thread, forgot what I was gonna jump in and say.

[LaBombo]

Chris Archer is a tremendous pitcher, but he's gotten help here and there from the umpire.  Where is pitchtrax tonight?   Called third on Mauer looked outside.

[Ultima Ratio]

 

Was gonna jump in and say something, but once I got caught up with the thread, forgot what I was gonna jump in and say.

 

That'll happen.