Game Thread: Twins vs. Cleveland 6:10 PM MST (7:10 PM CDT) 8/9/2019

[SwainZag]

I had a nice big, long game thread I worked on all morning with videos and graphs.......and it's gone.  So I am going to make this as long as possible before I have to run.

 

What a difference a couple of days make!  Monday night we were celebrating Sano's pinch hit HR deep into the Minneapolis night for a walk off win against Atlanta and an 8-2 stretch.  Today we come in losers of 3 straight and a single game ahead of Cleveland, who just will not go away.  The Indians are riding a stretch of playing .700+ baseball in their last 50 games and a win tonight would tie our Twins for 1st place atop the AL Central.

 

In not so good news, Nelson Cruz joined Byron Buxton on the IL today with a strained left wrist.  With how hot his bat has been, it's a shame to see him go down.  

 

Interesting lineup tidbit as it seems Mitch Garver is not in the lineup again, which marks the 5th time in the last 8 games he will not start.  Hopefully Mr. Smeltzer can carry some momentum off of his last start and limit the early runs, something  Twins pitching has not been able to do in their last 3 contests.

 

There's been a lot of lunging at the panic button around the forums the last couple days.  I want to remind everyone, this team is still on pace to win 98 games, there are 47 games left in the season and as of right now still are in 1st place.  A hated QB around these parts once said RELAX.  Let's wait and panic until it's actually warranted!!  

 

Here's to breaking that 3 game losing streak, scoring some early runs and to Friday night!

 

More of this:

 

 

and this:

 

 

 

Good Guys:

 

1. Max Kepler CF
2. Jorge Polanco SS
3. Miguel Sano DH
4. Eddie Rosario LF
5. Marwin Gonzalez 3B
6. Luis Arraez 2B
7. C.J. Cron 1B
8. Jason Castro C
9. Jake Cave RF

 

Starting Pitcher : Devin Smeltzer

 

Bad Guys:

 

TBA

[HawksNest]

First game with Cruz on the IL and Garver sitting AGAIN.

 

Garver has been on the bench for six of the past nine games and has started just 30 of 59 games since June 1.

 

This is weird.

[Mike Sixel]

First game with Cruz on the IL and Garver sitting AGAIN.

 

Garver has been on the bench for six of the past nine games and has started just 30 of 59 games since June 1.

 

This is weird.

Awful is not spelled "weird".

 

Assuming he's not injured.... Which we have heard no such thing.

[yarnivek1972]

Well, at least I think I know why Marwin is hitting 5th tonight. 5 for 6, with 2 2b and a HR vs Bieber.

 

Not sure why that matters more than how poorly he has hit lately, but whatever.

[MMMordabito]

Didn't we do this Smeltzer/Bieber thing in Cleveland already?

 

Expecting the same result.

 

Last time Cleveland won to even up their record.  This time they will just even up the race for the division.

[ashbury]

I had a nice big, long game thread I worked on all morning with videos and graphs.......and it's gone. 

Sorry for your loss. The stages of grief are tough. Denial. Anger. ...

[ruralTWINS rube]

Is 8/9 going to be the official date that the wheels come completely off? It feels like the lug nutz have been loose for the better part of 2 months and the trade deadline was the last gas station to get our car checked before we drove off into the desert. 

[USAFChief]

There's almost gotta be some issue with Garver.

[ashbury]

There's almost gotta be some issue with Garver.

You mean a .115 BA for the past several games? I consider that an issue.

 

Facing a tough righty in an important series, you ask your veteran lefty bat to give a little extra. Might backfire, but not completely wrong-headed, to me.

[Bomba2026]

My fav, Smeltzer will do good tonight. I can't imagine anyone pitching worse than the last 3 this week....Cruz will be back soon I hope. OK Eddie, you are the Power Star now so go at em!! Twins win! Please.....

[yarnivek1972]

You mean a .115 BA for the past several games? I consider that an issue.

 

Facing a tough righty in an important series, you ask your veteran lefty bat to give a little extra. Might backfire, but not completely wrong-headed, to me.

He also has 2 HR in his last 4 starts. He may be reverting to the mean a bit but he’s still hitting better than Marwin has been for the last month.

[mrtwinsfan]

Were gonna win 94 -95 games  hope its good, 

[Danchat]

I suspect Garver is either nicked up or possibly sick... but it would be nice to be starting him at 1B some of these games.

[SwainZag]

 

Sorry for your loss. The stages of grief are tough. Denial. Anger. ...

 

The dreaded Windows Update when I was out making me a sandwich. What timing.  

[yarnivek1972]

I suspect Garver is either nicked up or possibly sick... but it would be nice to be starting him at 1B some of these games.

Garver has not started 6 of 9 games in August. If he’s in that bad of shape, he needs to be on the IL.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

My humble apologies that computers occasionally eat work.

 

If only they wrote poems like "This is Just to Say" by Williams ...

 

Anyway, we must make the best of it this here thread.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

"1! 1 scoreless inning by Smeltzer. Ha ha."

-the Count

[wavedog]

Very nice at bat by Sano

[wavedog]

And now the swinger

[sampleSizeOfOne]

The... Not as good guys (being 1 back in the standings, duh)

 

 

1. F. Lindor ( S ) SS

2. Oscar Mercado (R ) CF

3. Carlos Santana ( S ) 1B

4. Yasiel Puig (R ) RF

5. Jose Ramirez ( S ) 3B

6. Roberto Perez (R ) C

7. Jason Kipnis ( L) 2B

8. Franmil Reyes (R ) DH

9. Greg Allen ( S ) LF

[Riverbrian]

 

There's almost gotta be some issue with Garver.

 

Lots of Lefties in the Twins Lineup. 

[Riverbrian]

 

The dreaded Windows Update when I was out making me a sandwich. What timing.  

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly? 

[MNT1996]

Has Puig already served his suspension? Or did he appeal?

[Riverbrian]

 

Has Puig already served his suspension? Or did he appeal?

 

Puig is an appealing player. 

[jtkoupal]

A couple of unrelated, Twins-related questions for you all:

 

1: Is a strong outing by Smeltzer tonight enough to propel him past Pérez in the rotation?

 

2: Are you surprised about the Twins and/or Royals not being a part of the Field of Dreams game next season?

[LVTwinsfan]

Smoltz on Smeltzer..... I can’t remember what he said but I just wanted to post that

[MNT1996]

More walks

[Riverbrian]

 

A couple of unrelated, Twins-related questions for you all:

 

1: Is a strong outing by Smeltzer tonight enough to propel him past Pérez in the rotation?

 

2: Are you surprised about the Twins and/or Royals not being a part of the Field of Dreams game next season?

 

1. He's already propelled past Perez in my eyes. 

 

2. I'm more surprised that people know where Iowa is. 

[mrtwinsfan]

Walking guys is killing this team

[LVTwinsfan]

A couple of unrelated, Twins-related questions for you all:

 

1: Is a strong outing by Smeltzer tonight enough to propel him past Pérez in the rotation?

 

2: Are you surprised about the Twins and/or Royals not being a part of the Field of Dreams game next season?

1: I don’t know but it might keep us in first place e a while longer

2: I just want to know if ghosts will walk out of the cornfield