Game Thread: Twins @ Kansas City, 7/20/18 @ 5:15 PM PT (7:15 PM CT)

[Don Walcott]

Roy Smalley: I love him as a fan, but he’s incredibly boring.

[Don Walcott]

Sano would have had that.

[h2oface]

Delmon Escobar. 

Doesn't even get scored an error. 

Pitiful.

 

[Mike Sixel]

What just happened? Gameday says two runners scored on a pop up?

[Mike Sixel]

Min - KC is MLB's free game of the day.

 

Boy, they really know how to pick 'em, don't they?

I think they are all free today

[VATwinsFan]

 

Can Gibson do it?

Apparently not.  Bleh.

[yarnivek1972]

What just happened? Gameday says two runners scored on a pop up?

Poor route by Escobar. He drifted into foul territory down the line. The ball landed about 5 to 10 feet fair.

[USAFChief]

That ball has to be caught.

[VATwinsFan]

 

I think they are all free today

You are correct.  My bad.

[operation mindcrime]

wtf was that?

 

That has to be caught.

It might have been if Rosario wasn't in center field!

[h2oface]

 

What just happened? Gameday says two runners scored on a pop up?

 

Escobar pulled a Delmon Young and missed a relatively easy fading pop up that he had a horrible path to. It dropped. Definitely should have been caught and the end of the scoreless inning.

[twins_89]

I feel bad for Gibson, he pitched out of the jam but Escobar completely misplayed what should have been a relatively easy pop out. 

[Mike Sixel]

You are correct. My bad.

I had the same initial reaction, that's the only reason I know

[yarnivek1972]

So, Berrios needs a full 6 days rest after throwing 15 pitches?

 

Twins are saying Monday starter is TBD and Tuesday is Berrios.

 

I’ll wager most everyone else who pitched in the AS game starts Sunday.

[yarnivek1972]

I have a bad feeling 2 runs will be plenty for the Royals tonight.

[Danchat]

I am to understand that the "hit" that scored two runs was yet another should-have-been error? Boy, the official scorers have been terrible at their job this season.

[VATwinsFan]

Ervin with 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, and 1 K this evening for Rochester.

[USAFChief]

My granddaughter's first day of kindergarten was today. I just talked to my daughter, and I couldn't be prouder of my granddaughter, she's ... smart.

 

The teacher asked the class "What comes from a chicken?"

 

All the rest of the kids were shy, but not my little grandaughter. She waited just a beat, and piped up "Eggs!"

 

"That's great!" said the teacher. "And what comes from a pig?"

 

"Bacon" came the answer from my granddaugher.

 

"Fantastic," said the teacher. "And what do we get from the big fat moo cow?"

 

"Homework!" yelled my grandaughter.

[yarnivek1972]

I am to understand that the "hit" that scored two runs was yet another should-have-been error? Boy, the official scorers have been terrible at their job this season.

Well, they havd never counted mental errors.

 

Escobar wasn’t close enough to the ball to get a glove on it.

[USAFChief]

 

I am to understand that the "hit" that scored two runs was yet another should-have-been error? Boy, the official scorers have been terrible at their job this season.

 

Escobar never came close to getting a glove on it, so that's the correct scoring.

 

But it should have been an easy out.

[S.]

Man, the way they've been hyping Wilson for the last 5 minutes, you'd think he was the best catcher in the league. 

[Danchat]

Looks like Gibby's having a Odorizzi-esque start today. 58 pitches to get 8 outs.

[Nine of twelve]

 

I have a bad feeling 2 runs will be plenty for the Royals tonight.

Oh ye of little faith. First and second with nobody out. Here we come.

[USAFChief]

Dick started the game today by happily telling us, after Joe Mauer watched the first two pitches go by for an 0-2 count, that it didn't matter. "Joe hits just as well with two strikes as he does in any count."

 

Well, the thing is, this sort of stuff is easy to look up. I was skeptical--no hitter is as good behind in the count as he is ahead--so I checked:

 

Mauer, 2018:

After 0-1: OPS .545

After 0-2: OPS .408

Two strikes: .504

pitcher ahead: .451

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=mauerjo01&year=2018&t=b

 

for career

two strikes: .654

pitcher ahead: .595

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=mauerjo01&year=Career&t=b

[Nine of twelve]

 

Man, the way they've been hyping Wilson for the last 5 minutes, you'd think he was the best catcher in the league. 

Keep in mind who's doing the play-by-play. I am absolutely sure Dick Bremer is a great guy, but if you look up "homer" in the dictionary you see his picture.

[USAFChief]

I know we got an RBI Sac Fly, but that's a disappointing swing to me from Kepler on 2-0.

[Nine of twelve]

Key at bat for....oh, Bobby Wilson. Well, never mind.

[VATwinsFan]

Well, that inning was certainly disappointing.  

[Aggies7]

[Aggies7]

Sigh.