Game Thread: ST Game #23, Twins v Rays, 3/23 @ 12:05pm CT

[Squirrel]

Woohoo! A televised game I can watch ... sort of ... on my iPad at work, since I'm the only one here today. Hey, it's better than nothing ... yay! And for those out of the viewing area without an MLB.TV subscription, it's being shown on the MLB Network today, if you have that in your particular cable, direct TV or other package. So, one way or another ... covered! Hopefully. And there's always Nick on TD Twitter.

 

More cuts today and the field gets narrower. More decisions to be made before April so I'm sure we'll see some of that reflected in playing time. But for now ... today ...

 

RAYS:

Lee CF

Hager 2B

Decker RF

Roller DH

Leonard 3B

Seitzer 1B

Robertson SS

Field LF

DePew C

 

Ramirez P

 

TWINS:

Buxton CF

Mauer 1B

Sano RF

Plouffe 3B

Rosario LF

Quentin DH

Nunez SS

Suzuki C

Santana 2B

 

Nolasco P

 

And it looks to be a fantastically beautiful day in Fort Myers today ... sigh. Clear, sunny, 79 deg F, a breeze from the SE ... sigh.

 

[Blake]

Quentin certainly seems to be getting a long look this spring.

[Willihammer]

Nunez at Short I'm guessing.

Santana at 2B?

[Squirrel]

 

Nunez at Short I'm guessing.
Santana at 2B?

Yep, sorry ... fixed. Plus added the Rays lineup.

[Squirrel]

It'd be funny if the Rays' catcher's first name was Pepe.

[Riverbrian]

If this game was really on TV... Ricky Nolasco would be starting. 

 

Is Ricky starting? 

 

I ask of thee

[Seth Stohs]

Fair to say this is a pretty important start for Nolasco...

 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/712684335544008704 

[Willihammer]

Ricky with a K, two fly balls to Rosario and Buxton. Good formula for Ricky.

[Riverbrian]

 

Fair to say this is a pretty important start for Nolasco...

 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/712684335544008704 

 

Any chance the Twins factor in that the Tampa A squad is in Cuba

[Willihammer]

Phew, Buxton has worked very hard on his bunting. With any luck, he'll get more bunts down. Because if there is anything holding him back, its the poor bunting.

[Willihammer]

Fair to say this is a pretty important start for Nolasco...

 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/712684335544008704

Dickbert say the Twins plan to make a rotation decision after this game.

[Willihammer]

Can only imagine the elation Dickbert had when the Rays manager gave them his lineup card this morning.

[bluechipper]

 

Fair to say this is a pretty important start for Nolasco...

 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/712684335544008704 

Thanks a lot, Tyler Duffey. All you had to do was be not terrible this spring, and we wouldn't be forced to watch Ricky Nolasco throw up a mid 5 ERA the first month of the season.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Any chance the Twins factor in that the Tampa A squad is in Cuba

 

Certainly, but the other thing to factor is what is best for Duffey and if he's just not finding it, might as well send him down for a month or so to figure things out. 

[Riverbrian]

 

Certainly, but the other thing to factor is what is best for Duffey and if he's just not finding it, might as well send him down for a month or so to figure things out. 

 

and Duffey and Berrios becomes depth which is totally understandable thinking.

 

However... the Twins will need to replace what Duffey gave them at the end of last year or take a step backwards.

 

In my opinion of course 

[Winston Smith]

Brian you move back to No Dak? Didn't like the water in Mich?

[scottz]

Did we win yet?

[Riverbrian]

 

Brian you move back to No Dak? Didn't like the water in Mich?

 

Yep

 

Too many Tiger Fans.... and depressed Lions Fans. My god are they Jaded. 

 

They start complaining about the Lions on Friday. They could be up by two touchdowns and they wait for the roof to collapse. 

 

I'm back amongst the positivism of North Dakota/Minnesota. 

[big dog]

Wow, that was one of the worst throws to first I've ever seen.  Nunez at his, um, best.

 

edit- followed by a great pitch to throw on, and a horrible throw, by Suzuki on a stolen base.

 

This will be a good inning to check Nolasco's ability to keep his composure.

[big dog]

and he's out of the inning with two easy ground balls.  Nice save.

[Riverbrian]

Thank God Eveland is done. Give us a chance. 

 

Maybe we can jump on this Carpenter guy. 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

The Baseball being played at this game is leaving a little to be desired. 

[big dog]

Nunez lost his helmet.  Drink!

[Riverbrian]

Suzuki going the other way was the finest baseball moment thus far

[Willihammer]

Wow, that was one of the worst throws to first I've ever seen.  Nunez at his, um, best.

 

edit- followed by a great pitch to throw on, and a horrible throw, by Suzuki on a stolen base.

The old Nunez would have done what Leonard did- gun it to the fourth row for a 2 base error.

Veteran Nunez lobs the ball 8 feet over the 1B to keep the runner on first.

[Riverbrian]

And Santana does what he needed to do. 

 

Hopefully things are becoming better.

[Willihammer]

...Aaand Buxton bunts for the third out.

You knew that was coming after Molly penciled him into leadoff.

correction- you knew that was coming after Molly penciled him in.

[big dog]

 

The old Nunez would have done what Leonard did- gun it to the fourth row for a 2 base error.
Veteran Nunez lobs the ball 8 feet over the 1B to keep the runner on first.

So...he's learned to control his errors so they are less dreadful.  I guess that's something.

 

Nunez scores on a sac fly.  Buxton tries to bunt with two outs and is out easily.

 

I agree with Brian- Suzuki hitting to the right side was the only artistic moment so far.

[Willihammer]

So...he's learned to control his errors so they are less dreadful.  I guess that's something.

Stay around this game long enough and you learn a few tricks.

[big dog]

I know this isn't the Big Rays lineup.  But Nolasco, gulp, looks good.  Nice location so far.  Just gave up a hit on a really nice curve ball that the batter managed to blast about 15 feet up the line on 8 hops.