Game Thread: Twins vs Royals, 5/25/16 @ 12:10 PM CT

[Shane Wahl]

Forecasts: 75 degrees, and 72% chance of rain after 2 p.m.

 

LINEUPS

Royals:

 

1. Alcides Escobar (SS)

2. Whit Merrifield (LF)

3. Lorenzo Cain (CF)

4. Eric Hosmer (1B)

5. Salvador Perez (DH)

6. Paulo Orlando (RF)

7. Cheslor Cuthbert (3B)

8. Omar Infante (2B)

9. Drew Butera ©

 

vs. Tyler Duffey (RH)

 

Twins:

 

1. Eduardo Nunez (3B)

2. Brian Dozier (2B)

3. Joe Mauer (DH)

4. Miguel Sano (RF)

5. Robbie Grossman (LF)

6. Byung Ho Park (1B)

7. Eduardo Escobar (SS)

8. Kurt Suzuki ©

9. Danny Santana (CF)

 

vs. Dillon Gee (RH)

 

 

Things to think about:

 

1. Protests and Fate. Albuquerque was in turmoil last night after the Trumpster rolled into town. This was inevitable after he became the presumptive nominee. And fate will have it that this is just going to keep happening. Similarly, if things keep going this way for the Twins, that is, if they keep losing and there continues to be no plan going forward, I am inevitably going to get on a plane, run onto Target Field mid-game, and light myself on fire. So, go Twins! (offense: to Trump supporters and Buddhist monks, my apologies)

2. Bouncing back or shipping out? Tyler Duffey is a young pitcher. He had a bad last start. Is he one more bad start from receiving the bizarre Berrios treatment in favor of Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes? Or will he bounce back with a strong performance? Duffey is remarkably better in day games, actually (.583 Opp OPS vs. .789 for his career). (offense: to Twins Deciders, my apologies)
 

3. Nuthin' But a Gee Thang. Dillon Gee is over performing his FIP (4.42 vs. 2.90 ERA). I see a correction coming today, in a large way. Also, I am going to demand that thread followers bump Dre all day (Dre Day). So don't forget about Dre. Actually, Target Field should just play "Nuthin' But a G Thang" for the entirety of Gee's time on the mound. Something. Has. To. Work. (offense: to Dillon Gee and people who don't like hip-hop, my apologies)

4. Lineup. It's just so weird to see into Molitor's mind this year with these lineups and with terribly short samples. If there still is this insistence on batting Mauer third, than clearly Robbie (not Rex) Grossman is, somehow, the best candidate to bat behind or in front of Nunez. Simple knowledge of OBP, please! Of course, Mauer should be batting first or second. Bremer remarked about how batting first as been bad for everyone this year . . . short samples, Dick. Also, Grossman, Santana, and Sano in the OF. Going into the off-season, they had Hicks, Rosario, Buxton, Arcia, and Kepler as the top five guys to choose from out there. What. On. Earth? (offense: to Twins deciders, Paul Molitor, and Dick Bremer, my apologies)

5. Player of the Game. The Reusse-maligned Miguel Sano is going to go off today. I predict two bombs and the beginning of the turnaround for him this year. (offense: to Patrick Reusse and those who defended him about his Sano article, my apologies)

 

6. Prediction: Twins 9, Royals 3. Duffey strong and someone in the bullpen gives up two runs in the final two innings. (offense: to the Kansas City Royals. No apologies.)

 

[Shane Wahl]

The Royals are taking forever. Also, is it going to restart to rain at about 2 there?

[USAFChief]

Nice job Shane!  Gracias!!

[rghrbek]

Interesting that Molly said in pregame on radio, that his plan was to hold Dozier out until Friday.   Dozier takes a walk in his only appearance last night and he's playing today and batting 2nd.

[Craig Arko]

Pretty rainy and stormy up here today.

[twinsnorth49]

Please rain, I don't want to watch but I can't look away.

[Shane Wahl]

 

Pretty rainy and stormy up here today.

Didn't it stop now, for a bit. Looking at radar on weather.com is like watching my toddler try to ride his trike. It's a shaky mess.

Also, seriously Royals?

[HitInAPinch]

 

Please rain, I don't want to watch but I can't look away.

The whole 'train wreck' scenario??  

[USAFChief]

 

Didn't it stop now, for a bit. Looking at radar on weather.com is like watching my toddler try to ride his trike. It's a shaky mess.

 

Try not drinking so much coffee in the morning.  

 

 

[Halsey Hall]

Just a couple of minutes down the light rail line at the VA hospital it's not raining.  I'll miss this one as my next appointment is at 1 pm.  Been a constant parade to this place for a month.  Hoping to get some good news today. 

[Mike Sixel]

Just a couple of minutes down the light rail line at the VA hospital it's not raining. I'll miss this one as my next appointment is at 1 pm. Been a constant parade to this place for a month. Hoping to get some good news today.

Good luck.

[DaveW]

A rain out is just like a win!

[savvyspy]

Praying for Rain

[Blake]

Question for the experts: Are all games made up or only the ones that will affect final standings?

 

In other words, is it possible the Twins will not have to make up this game, should it be rained out, if it will not affect the final standing of the Royals?

 

 

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

 

Interesting that Molly said in pregame on radio, that his plan was to hold Dozier out until Friday.   Dozier takes a walk in his only appearance last night and he's playing today and batting 2nd.

 

Well his probable 0-4, 2K day waiting ahead makes total sense for the top of the Twins order this year.

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

God that lineup looks awful. I'm not saying there's anything else to be done to improve it. It just sucks!!! It's like a AAA team!

[Mike Sixel]

Agreed......this is going to sound harsh, but Sano is the only one I'm confident is a good player 1-2 years from now, of the nine of them. I'm pretty sure Park is.....but not real sure.

[USAFChief]

Per the pre game:  Perkins to 60 Day DL, Mastro to 15 day DL (rib cage), Boshers to Minnesota.

[Shane Wahl]

 

God that lineup looks awful. I'm not saying there's anything else to be done to improve it. It just sucks!!! It's like a AAA team!

That is putting it nicely. Grossman and Santana are essentially AAA players. Escobar and Dozier look to be reverting to AAA players as well. But it isn't clear that any of them would be any good in AAA right now!

[Shane Wahl]

 

 

Per the pre game:  Perkins to 60 Day DL, Mastro to 15 day DL (rib cage), Boshers to Minnesota.

Such a long time before finally moving Perkins there.

 

Poor Chargois.

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

What a year! It's May and Nunez, Santana, Suzuki, and Robbie Grossman are regulars in the lineup. Only 4 more months of this!!!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Look for 12:30 first pitch per radio

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Per the pre game:  Perkins to 60 Day DL, Mastro to 15 day DL (rib cage), Boshers to Minnesota.

thank goodness we could DL Mastroianni and not have to risk losing him on waivers

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

I can't believe Mauer batting 3rd is the least objectionable thing about the lineup to me.

 

Speaking of, I wonder what the lowest SLG ever was for a #3 hitter over an entire season? Has there ever been one who had a higher OBP than SLG?

[Shane Wahl]

 

What a year! It's May and Nunez, Santana, Suzuki, and Robbie Grossman are regulars in the lineup. Only 4 more months of this!!!

 

And Murphy hasn't lit AAA up. In fact he has been terrible there.

Murphy's being overrated was clear at the time of that trade, though.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Good job on the set up--your restraint was actually amazing!

[David HK]

Ha ha!  Chicken dinnah for me!  I'm going to sleep now, and I'll miss this mess!   Nom nom nom nom......

 

[Shane Wahl]

 

 

I can't believe Mauer batting 3rd is the least objectionable thing about the lineup to me.

 

Speaking of, I wonder what the lowest SLG ever was for a #3 hitter over an entire season? Has there ever been one who had a higher OBP than SLG?

 
That's a fascinating question. A higher OBP than SLG????

[David HK]

 

And Murphy hasn't lit AAA up. In fact he has been terrible there.

Murphy's being overrated was clear at the time of that trade, though.

Yeh, but he did hit that one homerun against us that one time, so he can't do that again.

[Shane Wahl]

 

 

Good job on the set up--your restraint was actually amazing!

I try not to be quite so polemical in setting these up. And humor (or attempts at it) go a long way.