Game Thread “Brusdar” Twins @ Tigers, 1:10ET (12:10CT), Monday, September 2

[AlwaysinModeration]

Whew. What a week. There was so much Twins news, our heads are spinning. There was good news. There was bad news. There were bombas. There were games (ok, game) without bombas. There were opposite field singles. There were lots of opposing team singles. It kind of reminds me of that classic children’s book by Remy Charlip, “Fortunately”:

 

Fortunately, my friend lent me an airplane. Unfortunately, the motor exploded. Fortunately, there was a parachute.

Unfortunately, there was a hole in the parachute.

Fortunately, I landed on a haystack.

Unfortunately, there was a pitchfork on the haystack.

 

In honor of that timeless book and the head spinning Twins goings on, today’s game thread will take up the fortunately mantle. Let’s see what we’ve got.

 

FORTUNATELY, the Twins have extended their division lead over the Indians to 5.5 games.

 

UNFORTUNATELY, the Twins play the Indians 6 more games in September.

 

Fortunately, the Twins played their last four series against the White Sox and Tigers.

 

Unfortunately, they started that stretch 1-3.

 

Fortunately, they finished that same stretch 7-1.

 

Unfortunately, that stretch is over. After today, anyway.

 

Fortunately the Indians went 5-7 during those same 12 games, losing 3 games to the Twins in the standings.

 

Unfortunately, the Twins play their next four series against the Red Sox, Indians, Nats and Indians again, and unfortunately, could easily give those 3 games in the standings right back.

 

Fortunately, the offense is beastly, having hit the most home runs by any Major League Baseball team ever, with a month to spare. I don’t know if you heard.

 

Unfortunately, the Yankees and the Astros, the likely first round and *cough* second round playoff opponents for the Twins, are also beastly home run hitting machines, on pace to do exactly the same record breaking thing as the Twins.

 

Fortunately, the Twins rotation has been amazingly healthy! Their starting five pitchers have stayed in the rotation almost the entire season, starting all but seven games.

 

Unfortunately, they haven’t been great shakes, especially recently, and three of them seem like they are unreliable or downright unhealthy right now; Berrios is losing velocity and has been lousy in August, Perez has turned back, more or less, into the pitcher he was in Texas, and Gibson was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, which just seems cruel and unnecessary.

 

Fortunately, there is time to get them healthy. Smeltzer and Thorpe (and Stewart) are up and can take a start or two from Gibson, and hopefully Berrios, and hell, hopefully Perez, too.

 

Unfortunately, those starts may be coming against the aforementioned Red Sox, Nats and Indians.

 

Fortunately, the Twins bullpen is here to save the day. What?!?

 

Oh right. Unfortunately, the bullpen has been pretty rough all year.

 

Fortunately, Brusdar.

 

Oh, and fortunately Sergio. And fortunately May and fortunately Duffey, and yes, fortunately Dyson, too. And, Fortunately, Taylor. Rogers.

 

Unfortunately, Nelson Cruz ruptured his tendon.

 

Fortunately, Nelson Cruz is made of kryptonite forged from the fountain of youth.

 

Unfortunately, Byron Buxton keeps running into walls and banging his face on the ground.

 

Fortunately, he’s back now, and seems to be talking about things like “feet first slides” and running into fewer walls.

 

Unfortunately, he may just be a defensive replacement and pinch runner for now.

 

Fortunately, it’s ok, because, well, Tortuga.

 

And fortunately, it’s Labor Day, and fortunately you don’t have to go to work, and fortunately there is baseball on, and fortunately it is your first place Minnesota Twins, and fortunately they are playing against Gardy and his last place Detroit Tigers one last time before it gets real.

 

Go Twins!!

[big dog]

My head is spinning from this dramatic piece of prose.  However, I'm mostly excited so it's a good spinning.

 

I look forward to this team putting Cleveland on the ground and putting a foot on their chest.  Go Twins!

[AlwaysinModeration]

Lineups:

 

Twins (84-52)

 

Jake Odorizzi ® P 14-6, 3.55ERA

 

1. Max Kepler (L) CF

2. Jorge Polanco (S) SS

3. Nelson Cruz ® DH

4. Eddie Rosario (L) LF

5. Mitch Garver ® C

6. Luis Arraez (L) 2B

7. C.J. Cron ® 1B

8. Jake Cave (L) RF

9. Ehire Adrianza (S) 3B

 

Tigers (40-94)

 

Jordan Zimmermann ® P, 1-9, 6.24 ERA

 

1. Victor Reyes (S) LF

2. Willi Castro (S) SS

3. Miguel Cabrera ® DH

4. R. Rodriguez ® 2B

5. Harold Castro (L) CF

6. Dawel Lugo ® 3B

7. Jordy Mercer ® 1B

8. John Hicks ® C

9. T. Demeritte ® RF

[operation mindcrime]

Thank you Demeritte!!!!!

[PDX Twin]

No error? Then surely some demerits!

[GCTF]

 

No error? Then surely some demerits!

On the road it's probably an error but the home town scorekeep chalks it up to Tiger Baseball.

[GCTF]

The corpse of Miguel Cabrera can still be a dangerous hitter.

[operation mindcrime]

ARRAEZ!!!!!!!!!!

[obtusebanter]

'The Sprinkler' right on cue.

[jz7233]

Arraez should bat leadoff. Kepler should bat cleanup. Garver or Sano could bat 5th. Rosario should bat 6th in the lineup.

[stringer bell]

 

On the road it's probably an error but the home town scorekeep chalks it up to Tiger Baseball.

No way that would be an error. He misjudged the ball a bit and then slipped and short hopped the ball. Poor fielding yes, but no way is that an error.

[operation mindcrime]

EHIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bighat]

Adrianza just CRUSHED that ball. Wow!

[Nine of twelve]

Ehire Adrianza can still be a dangerous hitter.

[operation mindcrime]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MNT1996]

Adrianza. Exactly the guy who I thought was going to homer first today for the Twins

[stringer bell]

From the centerfield camera, this ump is giving quite a bit off the outside corner.

[PDX Twin]

 

No way that would be an error. He misjudged the ball a bit and then slipped and short hopped the ball. Poor fielding yes, but no way is that an error.

 

What's the definition of error? I thought it was a play that would be made easily by an average fielder. How does misjudging the ball not qualify as such a failure? Not to mention slipping.

[ashbury]

EHIRE !!!!

 

On any given day, you just don't know.

[Diesel]

The 269th homerun of the year. Nice

[ashbury]

What's the definition of error? I thought it was a play that would be made easily by an average fielder. How does misjudging the ball not qualify as such a failure? Not to mention slipping.

"Ordinary effort" is the phrase. And mental errors are largely protected from that classification. For better or for worse, this probably was the standard call from any scorer MLB employs.

[PDX Twin]

 

"Ordinary effort" is the phrase. And mental errors are largely protected from that classification. For better or for worse, this probably was the standard call from any scorer MLB employs.

 

Doesn't really seem appropriate. I'll give him demerits anyway!

[obtusebanter]

 

Adrianza just CRUSHED that ball. Wow!

 

That was Big Boy HR alright. Deep to right-center.

[stringer bell]

 

What's the definition of error? I thought it was a play that would be made easily by an average fielder. How does misjudging the ball not qualify as such a failure? Not to mention slipping.

He didn't get leather on the ball before it hit the ground. If he had, he probably would be charged with an error. Of course, this is why errors and fielding percentage are almost meaningless, especially for outfielders.

[ashbury]

Doesn't really seem appropriate. I'll give him demerits anyway!

I don't like the "Error" stat, because of the definition and the way it's implemented. So I'm with you on the demerit for Demeritte. Maybe I was incorrectly inferring that you were criticizing the scorer.

[Nine of twelve]

 

That was Big Boy HR alright. Deep to right-center.

I'm going to reference the game in May when the Twins beat Verlander 1-0 on a dinger by Adrianza. At the time I thought it was one of those blind squirrel moments. But looking at season-long stats, it was not unexpected.

[ashbury]

I'm going to reference the game in May when the Twins beat Verlander 1-0 on a dinger by Adrianza. At the time I thought it was one of those blind squirrel moments. But looking at season-long stats, it was not unexpected.

There was a certain point in Eduardo Escobar's career where this was happening. I don't know if you can predict a utility infielder's career progression, but I like where this is heading so far.

[Blake]

Cabrera goes deep, yawn.

 

Only 1 run, wasn't worried,

 

And, of course, just as Baldelli drew it up, Adrianza blasts one out with Arraez on base.

[GCTF]

 

I'm going to reference the game in May when the Twins beat Verlander 1-0 on a dinger by Adrianza. At the time I thought it was one of those blind squirrel moments. But looking at season-long stats, it was not unexpected.

WHERE?

[GCTF]

 

No way that would be an error. He misjudged the ball a bit and then slipped and short hopped the ball. Poor fielding yes, but no way is that an error.

You should know better than to take me seriously.