Game Thread: Twins vs Baltimore @ 1:10 CT, 4/27/19

[Mill1634]

Baltimore Lineup:

 

Jonathan Villar (S) SS
Trey Mancini ® RF
Dwight Smith Jr (L) LF
Renato Nunez ® DH
Rio Ruiz (L) 3B
Joey Rickard ® CF
Chris Davis (L) 1B
Stevie Wilkerson (S) 2B
Pedro Severino ® C

 

P Dan Straily

 

Twins Lineup:

Max Kepler (L) CF
Jorge Polanco (S) SS
Nelson Cruz ® DH
Eddie Rosario (L) LF
C.J. Cron ® 1B
Marwin Gonzalez (S) 3B
Willians Astudillo ® RF
Jonathan Schoop ® 2B
Jason Castro (L) C'

 

P Jose Berrios

 

Mill's thought:

 

Might be time to move Max Kepler down in the order, but there isn't a clear candidate to hit leadoff. Polanco makes sense, but not until Sano comes back. When Sano is back, I see the top of the order being:

 

SS Polanco

LF Eddie Rosario

3B Miguel Sano

DH Nelson Cruz

1B CJ Cron

RF Max Kepler

 

Go Twins. Player of the game prediction: CJ Cron

[Jerr]

Where's everyone? Hope not watching NFL draft.......

 

[MMMordabito]

Was that German engineering or island laziness?

[MMMordabito]

Mancini out with injury ... I will feel bad for Baltimore Sunday night.

[h2oface]

What the hell was that? Kepler could have easily had that catch of that easy fly ball by Mancini! Saunter in and let it drop? Bogus. There goes the no-hitter/perfect game.

[Mill1634]

Berrios rolling

[Circus Boy]

Just a thought, but could The Turtle's low strikeout rate be a consequence of his stature? In other words, his strike zone is smaller, pitchers thus have to try harder to throw strikes, and -- viola! -- our cherub has better odds that he'll get served better pitches.

 

(And just as I typed that, Astudillo stroked a nice single to left.)

[Mill1634]

ugh oh, La Tortuga hurt

[PDX Twin]

So the Twins have 13 straight games against the two teams in the league that wear orange. That's just strange scheduling!

[Mill1634]

I don't understand Rosario never getting a shot in right field...he has a cannon of an arm. Seems like your prototypical right fielder. 

[Jerr]

What's with the lazy fielding by Kepler?

[Mill1634]

O's seem to be able to lay off of his curveball today

[h2oface]

That is what I mean by Castro creating wild pitches. Folks claim he is such a good defensive catcher.... but those are the pitches that a good catcher stops, and blocks. Castro way too often turns the pitch into a wild pitch by not defending it. I don't see the better defense that people claim Castro provides.

 

This defense is pretty bad this game.

[jkcarew]

Coming up on about 25 or so extra pitches thrown by Barrios based solely on Kepler not attempting to catch two balls that should have been caught...not should have been caught by Buxton...should have been caught by Kepler. Or anyone.

[h2oface]

2 of the hits charged to Berrios should have been outs.

[h2oface]

Kepler needs to do some damage with the bat to make up for his laziness and the run he is responsible for. At least the Mancini fly didn't hurt us.

[twinsbaby]

His velo is a big problem this year.

[Mill1634]

 

His velo is a big problem this year.

Is it his velo, or does his velo just appear down because he seems to be throwing more two seams than four seams. 

[h2oface]

COME ON MARWIN!

Time to contribute, Mr. Pop-up.

[Danchat]

 

2 of the hits charged to Berrios should have been outs.

And that's why we should never use fielding percentage to judge how good a fielder is!

[mrtwinsfan]

Marvin= ?????????????????? getting old

[h2oface]

Swinging at another ball. I don't know why he just doesn't swing these days. He is just pathetic at the plate. When will it end?

[h2oface]

Batting the two craters in the line-up back to back now. 

[h2oface]

Just don't swing, Adrianza.

[Mill1634]

I haven't, and won't understand hitting Marwin 6th. He should be hitting no higher than 8th. 

[h2oface]

Right down the middle and he still can't hit it. Not even touch it.

[h2oface]

See, if Gonzalez learns not to swing, that would have been a runner walked in.

[Mill1634]

Real unlucky for the bats so far. We are hitting the ball hard, right at people. 

[stringer bell]

OK Schoop. Be consequential.

[h2oface]

 

I haven't, and won't understand hitting Marwin 6th. He should be hitting no higher than 8th. 

 

He should have a "injury" and get some time in extended spring training until he can contrubute instead of being a liability.