Game Thread: ST Game #7&8, Cardinals @ Twins, 3/8 @ 12:05pm CT --- Twins @ Blue Jays, 3/8 @ 12:07pm CT

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Today is for the birds?

 

No, the Twins are just facing two other pro teams that just happen to have avian mascots...

 

Line ups to follow, just figured i'd get my foot in the door...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Pitchifyin'. Michael Wacha

 

1. Greg Garcia (L) 2B

2. Stephen Piscotty ® RF

3. Randal Grichuk ® DH

4. Matt Adams (L) 1B

5. Jacob Wilson ® 3B

6. Anthony Garcia ® LF

7. Jeremy Hazelbaker (L) CF

8. Eric Fryer ® C

9. Aledmys Diaz ® SS

 

Pitchifyin'. Ricky Nolasco

 

1. Brian Dozier ® 2B

2. Eduardo Escobar (S) SS

3. Joe Mauer (L) 1B

4. Trevor Plouffe ® 3B

5. Kennys Vargas (S) DH

6. Carlos Quentin ® LF

7. Ryan Sweeney (L) RF

8. Kurt Suzuki ® C

9. Danny Santana (S) CF

 

(1 down... 1 to go...)

[Blake]

Can anyone explain to me the utility of the split squad format? Is it merely to make sure people get in the game work or is it also a useful tool for player evaluation?

 

 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Twins

Pitching. Tyler Duffey

 

1. Byron Buxton ® CF

2. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B

3. Eddie Rosario (L) LF

4. Miguel Sano ® RF

5. Byung Ho Park ® 1B

6. Eduardo Nunez ® 3B

7. Adam Walker ® DH

8. John Ryan Murphy ® C

9. Wilfredo Tovar ® SS

 

Blue Jays

Pitching. Gavin Floyd ®

 

1. Troy Tulowitzki ® DH

2. Josh Donaldson ® 3B

3. Michael Saunders (L) LF

4. Justin Smoak (S) 1B

5. Domonic Brown (L) RF

6. Josh Thole (L) C

7. Darrell Ceciliani (L) CF

8. Jio Mier ® SS

9. David Adams ® 2B

 

Passable?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Can anyone explain to me the utility of the split squad format? Is it merely to make sure people get in the game work or is it also a useful tool for player evaluation?

Yes.

 

Er, if i was feeling eloquent, i woulda made an analogy in the intro to my dryer, which sometimes takes two cycles to dry everything.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

But beyond extra playing time, it probably is up to each team/player to make a better tool of it, or use it well.

 

Just speculating on a hypothesis...

[James]

When I clicked on the MLB feed, Nolasco's ERA was 20.25.  It's down to 10.13 after one out though.  Small sample sizes for ya.

 

Edit: I listed Nolasco's starting ERA as 20.75.  That was unfair of me as it was a full half run lower.

[Mike Sixel]

 

When I clicked on the MLB feed, Nolasco's ERA was 20.25.  It's down to 10.13 after one out though.  Small sample sizes for ya.

 

Edit: I listed Nolasco's starting ERA as 20.75.  That was unfair of me as it was a full half run lower.

 

So, if every out drops his ERA in half.....how long until it is effectively zero? That's how it works, right?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Toronto gives Duffey another rude welcome, Grand slamming him in e first.

 

5-0 in the second.

 

Dozier gets first blood off of Wacha, coming in on a Mauer double play ball.

 

1-0 in a different second.

 

Seconds matter...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

So, if every out drops his ERA in half.....how long until it is effectively zero? That's how it works, right?

I know this one!

 

Opening day.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Mr. Park has left the park. Leastwise a ball from his bat.

 

5-1 Toronto.

 

Alas, am subsisting on gameday as i await the dryer, so not exactly living up to digital era updating capabilities...

 

But so it goes.

[Vanimal46]

Dare I say Nolasco is looking..... good? Just checking in on gameday, but through 2 1/3 0 R, 15 Pitches, 15 strikes... Who is this guy?

[James]

Dare I say Nolasco is looking..... good? Just checking in on gameday, but through 2 1/3 0 R, 15 Pitches, 15 strikes... Who is this guy?

He's also now given up 2 doubles... so those numbers are a bit deceiving.

[Hrbowski]

Duffey must have a gentlemen's agreement with Nolasco.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Dare I say Nolasco is looking..... good? Just checking in on gameday, but through 2 1/3 0 R, 15 Pitches, 15 strikes... Who is this guy?

I don't believe they track/publish individual pitches for spring training, so it autopopulates the minimum needed to be consistent with what they do track/publish.

 

That being said, the results are still better than they mighta been.

 

Oh good. Dryer finished...

[Mike Sixel]

Dare I say Nolasco is looking..... good? Just checking in on gameday, but through 2 1/3 0 R, 15 Pitches, 15 strikes... Who is this guy?

edit: ninja'd

[puckstopper1]

Park with his 2nd spring tater!  NICE!  

 

Two on and nobody out in the 1st and Joe "the rally killer" Mauer hits into a double play.  Some things never change.

 

Keep Duffey away from Toronto and he'll be fine.

[James]

Sorry Nolasco I jinxed you... right when I post something a double like you said, now he plunks a batter.

Then a strike 'em out/throw 'em out. Nolasco ERA now at 6.23.

 

These small sample sizes make tracking ERA a lot more fun.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Same scores in the fourth...

 

And perhaps if Duffey can figure out the Jays, he'll be unstoppable...

 

"Sweet are the uses of adversity..."

[Blake]

 

Same scores in the fourth...

And perhaps if Duffey can figure out the Jays, he'll be unstoppable...

"Sweet are the uses of adversity..."

Hey, for whatever reason, the Twins have owned Chris Sale. Maybe the Jays are Duffey's kryptonite.

 

Baseball is funny that way.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Different ends of 5th inning, Toronto now up 6-1, Minnesota up 2-0 (over the Cards)

 

Something... Rich get richer... That's how it goes... Everybody knows.

 

(incomplete musical interlude)

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Premature update... inning ends with Jays up 8-1. Sorry about that.

 

Sano has an assist at 2nd.

 

Cards on the board 2-1.

 

Both in the 6th, if lethargic interent has not failed me to grievously...

 

Dryer is done, hopefully for good. Nothing left but the folding...

[Twodogs]

Hey it is very possible that after two partial seasons that Nolasco could have a really good season this year.  His velocity seems to be up and his breaking ball is still really nasty.  So with increased velocity, he really could be that type of pitcher that the Twins paid the money for?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Hey it is very possible that after two partial seasons that Nolasco could have a really good season this year.  His velocity seems to be up and his breaking ball is still really nasty.  So with increased velocity, he really could be that type of pitcher that the Twins paid the money for?

That is nice to hear.

[Halsey Hall]

Sano follows Rosario's double with a long ball.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Toronto still up 8-3 after Sano goeth Yard following a Rosario double, mid 7th.

 

And Darnell almost gets out of a no outs runner on 3rd with 2strikeouts, but the ball carries over the fence (or so i speculate, not seeing what actually happened, don't mind being corrected at all) to put the Cards up 3 to 2, now entering the 7th.

 

Oh well. still a few innings to catch 'em!

[70charger]

Is Escobar okay? Announcers made it sound bad.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Outside working today (on March 8th!) and caught the game on radio. Nolasco sounded pretty good.

[Craig Arko]

Per Phil Miller: Escobar was hit in the right forearm, but he's OK. Nothing serious.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Per Phil Miller: Escobar was hit in the right forearm, but he's OK. Nothing serious.

Thanks for the update.

 

Jays won 9-3.

 

Twins are down to the Cards 5-3 with runners at the corners and 2 out. Beresford at the bat...