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Game Thread: Twins vs Mets, 7/16/19, 7:10 PM CT

Mill1634

By Mill1634
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Mill1634 Minnesota Twins

Mill1634

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I am getting this game thread up a lot earlier than I normally do. I typically like to wait until lineups are out so I am able to talk about them, but my brother is playing in a playoff baseball game tonight (Thank you Iowa High School Athletic Association for playing baseball in the SUMMER, when it is supposed to be played), and he takes priority over the Twins, albeit very close :) The Twins come in to the series with a 1-1 record vs the Mets this year, both games agains the Mets' aces in Noah Syndergaard and Jacob DeGrom. Thankfully for the Twins they aren't expected to see either of them. The Twins will send Michael Pineda and Martin Perez to the mound for their first starts out of the break.

 

ConcernedHastyAgouti-size_restricted.gif

 

The Pitchers

Steven Matz (5-6, 4.89 ERA, 78 K's) vs Michael Pineda (6-4, 4.56 ERA, 84 K's)

 

The Mets left hander gives up home runs, and gives up a lot of them. Matz is giving up the long ball two times per nine innings, which is insane. He is striking out almost one batter per inning, but this is not a great matchup for Steven against a Twins team who hit a lot of dongs. Expect the baseball to be flying all around Target Field in the bottom half of innings. Pineda also gives up his fair share of homeruns, coming in at 1.6 HR/9. However, he is facing the Mets lineup which isn't exactly great. However, they do have a huge power threat in Pete Alonso, who is probably the rookie of the year right now. Pineda is also finding his rhythm right now, giving up only one run four of his previous five trips to the mound. He has also only given up two long balls in those give games, a key factor to his success.

 

The Lineups

I will have someone post the lineups when they are available, either in a different post, or edited in here. 

 

 

No Minnesota Twin has ever taken an at-bat against the left hander, but the Twins absolutely crush left handed pitching. So far this season the Twins have an OPS of .868 vs southpaws, compared to .817 against righties. A few more key pieces could be back for the Twins, too. I fully expect Byron Buxton to be back in the lineup tonight after a few days back, and Eddie Rosario should be nearing a return as well. CJ Cron is also on the DL, and could be making his return to the lineup tonight, which would help a lot. Cron crushes left handed pitching, and would be a welcome return to the lineup. Former teammate of Pineda, Robinson Cano, has had decent success off the Twins righty, going 6-9 with two homers. The only other Met with a hit off of Pineda is veteran third basemen Todd Frazier. 

 

Mill's Moments

1. Please Enjoy Buxton's Aggression in the Field

I know, I know. Nobody wants Byron Buxton to be hurt, and neither do I. Of course you can not be valuable if you are not on the field. However, I don't want Byron Buxton to stop playing with the defensive aggression that we have seen out of him his entire MLB career. Sure, he would still be the best MLB outfielder if he wasn't diving or running into walls all the time, but this is who he is. He wants to make every single catch he can, and you can't turn that off like a switch. Sure, we are going to be holding our breath every single time he looks like a crash test dummy slamming against the wall, or dives into the grass with no respect for his body, but that is what makes him the most exciting player in baseball to watch in the outfield. Enjoy it Twins fans, he is a rare talent on the defensive side of the ball, and he is on our team. 

2. This is Why You Can't Quit Sano

Sure, Miguel Sano is probably not the annual All-Star that we thought he would be coming up through the minor leagues, but that is okay. Those type of prospects rarely reach their ceiling. However, he is one of the most dangerous hitters in the Twins lineup at this given time. He is riding a double digit hitting streak, and they aren't bloops or weak rollers through the infield. Sano is laying off sliders that we have seen him chase in the past, and is crushing the pitches that are over the plate. His walk rate is down, and sure, his strikeout rate hasn't changed much at all, but that is the way baseball is going. Joey Gallo, who should've been the All-Star Game MVP, is the exact same way as Sano is right now. Sure, he may strike out in 40% of his plate appearances. However, when he is hitting the ball, he is hitting it, and hitting it hard. If Sano keeps his current approach up, and get trim 3% off his K rate, while adding it to his walk rate, he is a borderline All-Star. 

 

 

 

This Day in History: 2000 - The Twins announce the possibility of playing a home series outdoors in a temporary stadium next season. The move away from the Metrodome, however, would require approval of major league baseball, the players' association, the opponents, broadcast affiliates, and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.

 

Pick to Click: It's hard to make a pick to click without the lineups, but count me down for Jonathon Schoop if he plays. I know he's been bad lately, so that means he's gonna get a big hit today.

 

Go Twins!!!

 

 

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yarnivek1972 Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

yarnivek1972

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I think Rosario is more likely than Buxton. If no Buxton, I would imagine he would hit the IL and Cave would stay up. Or do they still have the 7 day concussion IL? Buxton has already missed 2 days, if he can’t go today, it’s a no brainer to deactivate him.

USAFChief GOAT

USAFChief

Twins Daily Contributor
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I think Rosario is more likely than Buxton. If no Buxton, I would imagine he would hit the IL and Cave would stay up. Or do they still have the 7 day concussion IL? Buxton has already missed 2 days, if he can’t go today, it’s a no brainer to deactivate him.

phrasing.

John Kelsey FCL Twins

John Kelsey

Verified Member
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1. SS Jorge Polanco (S)
2. RF Marwin Gonzalez (S)
3. DH Nelson Cruz ®
4. LF Eddie Rosario (L)
5. 1B C.J. Cron ®
6. CF Max Kepler (L)
7. 3B Miguel Sano ®
8. 2B Jonathan Schoop ®
9. C Jason Castro (L)

yarnivek1972 Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

yarnivek1972

Verified Member
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Interesting. That puts us down a reliever. Combine that with the now 3(?) open spots on the 40 man, does that mean a BO trade coming? Inquiring minds want to know.

The Twins didn’t use two of their relievers in a 3 game series in which the pen threw 11 innings.

MN_ExPat First Round Pick

MN_ExPat

Verified Member
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Good luck to your brother Milldaddy.   I love HS baseball, and the playoff atmosphere at that level is awesome.   Although at times I have to do a double take and remember that baseball up north starts waaaay later than down here (my son's season starts in January and school finishes up in April... heck his HS summer team just finished up for the summer already, and school and offseason practice start back up in August).

 

 

Puckett34 FCL Twins

Puckett34

Verified Member
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According to?

 

I haven't seen anything official.

1. SS Jorge Polanco (S)
2. RF Marwin Gonzalez (S)
3. DH Nelson Cruz ®
4. LF Eddie Rosario (L)
5. 1B C.J. Cron ®
6. CF Max Kepler (L)
7. 3B Miguel Sano ®
8. 2B Jonathan Schoop ®
9. C Jason Castro (L)

Musk21 First Round Pick

Musk21

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted

Confirmed by Derek Wetmore (I can't figure out how to post Twitter posts here):

 

Rocco Baldelli confirms: Rosario and Cron activated, Buxton 7-day IL (concussion) + Mike Morin DFA'd

 

Darius First Round Pick

Darius

Verified Member
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Almost forgot we were missing Cron. Nice to see he and Rosario back in the lineup.

 

Now, if we could just get Buffon healthy again we may be able to field our optimal lineup for the first time this year (even the Yankees can’t claim that).

howeda7 FCL Twins

howeda7

Verified Member
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I mean Morin was only OK. But couldn't Parker have another kid or a hangnail or something? Or Magill has options.

 

I'm OK with it if they did this knowing they're acquiring 2 new relievers in the next 14 days and he would be gone eventually anyway.

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