Game Thread: Twins vs. Royals 12:15 PM MST (1:15 PM CDT) 9/28/2019

[obtusebanter]

I go down a lot of rabbit holes when it comes to this game we all love. Inevitably, when I was researching those Chip Hale and Jeff Reboulet hit streaks, I came across the name Walt Dropo. Moose was the AL rookie of the year in 1950 for the BoSox and, although he never matched the promise he showed in that first campaign, went on to have a solid career. Alvin Davis, Eric Hosmer, and Sixto Lezcano are some of his comps. All that said, Walt Dropo is best known for getting twelve hits in a row, the major league record (Pinky Higgins also singled in twelve straight ABs but mixed in a pair of walks). But I’m not here to talk about all that. It’s just how I got started. 

 

Dropo, you see, had his streak in July of 1952. As one does, I was poking around in those game logs and came across a fun little boxscore. On August 6 of that year the Detroit Tigers lost to the St. Louis Browns 1-0 in twelve innings. What jumped out was that the victor was none other than a forty-six year old Satchel Paige and that victory resulted from a twelve inning shutout. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHxSLwswKuY

 

Leroy Robert Paige arguably had his best year in the bigs in 1952 compiling a record of 12-10 with a 3.07 ERA across 138 innings while tossing two shutouts and “saving” ten games. In other words, Satch was a jack of all trades who had one last magical night. Those twelve shutout innings piqued my curiosity. How often do that happen? Long shutouts were surely more common way back when but this had to be rare. So I checked it out.

 

Starting with the 1950s I found that fourteen hurlers had pitched 12+ inning shutouts across the decade (highlighted by such legends as Jack Harshman and Jerry Walker who both twirled 16 inning masterpieces). The number would have been fifteen if the Buccos could have scored a d*mn run before they made 39 outs when Harvey Haddix pitched the ultimate heartbreaker. Anyway, such feats were rare but not unheard of. But how had they ebbed and waned over time?   

 

The 1960s saw six such gems with Juan Marichal spinning 16 and 14 inning shutouts. The 1970s saw five with Ross Grimsley’s twelve innings of dominance on May 22nd 1974 being the last time it happened. And on it went.  Jesse Jefferson hurled the lone eleven inning shutout of the ‘80s on May 16th, 1980 and was matched one last time by Dave Stewert on August 1st, 1990. The aughts saw two final 10 inning shutouts. Roy Halladay accomplished the feat on September 6th, 2003 and Mark Mulder tossed the last extra inning shutout on April 23rd, 2005. This past decade hasn’t seen an extra inning complete game so I’d imagine Mulder’s heroics were the coda. 

 

Going the other direction, the 1940s saw eighteen 12+ inning shutouts, the 1930s saw fourteen, and the 1920s saw nine. I will note that the truly legendary Carl Hubbell threw an eighteen inning shutout in 1933 against the frickin’ Gashouse Gang. As one would imagine, the numbers pick up in the deadball era so I’ll leave it here. Plus, I gotta get this thing posted.  

 

Twins:

 

 

Royals:

 

[obtusebanter]

I was gonna investigate the ages of the hurlers who spun 12+ inning shutouts and likely conclude that Satchel Paige was unparalleled (as if that was in question) but Mother Nature intervened.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Halladay’s 10-inning shoutout came in the midst of 4 consec complete games and a 41 inning streak allowing only one run, which was unearned. Against not great opponents, but still.

[mrtwinsfan]

Gonna be a long week waiting till Friday, And we all know all were gonna hear is how the Yankees own us, Which yes they have tormented all of us Long enough, Just hope we can get all the important pieces playing, Love our road record, Game #1 im already nervous about it, Berrios has the Talent. hasent been great in New York but who has ?, Schoop will probably start and Cron?? im Guessing against the big lefty. alot will  depend on Max  And Marwin , could see maybe Max not starting, Just hope he is ready off the bench and for Severino in game 2,  This rant probably not for a game thread   Sorry, Just gettin Pumped for when we put the Yanks out of it,  What A Awesome Year,   Thanx Minnesota Twins

[obtusebanter]

That Jesse Jefferson shutout is a fun one too because Jesse Jefferson was garbage and matched up with Mike Norris in his only good, shoulda been Cy Young campaign. Those two dueled into the 11th tied 0-0 and both threw complete games. 

[mrtwinsfan]

And for those who dont have M.L.B. Network  Bilasport.net is a site - Hopefully they have the playoffs ?, been watching alot of it this year, Fox has 1st rights but they had already put houston and w/c/ on FS 1  AND on the main fox which would be normal, They r having a Wrestling program, thats why MLB Network got it,  Can only laugh at that,  Trying to help !!!!  Bilasport.net

[Squirrel]

 

the Yankees 

 

 

Sorry, mrtwinsfan, I'm using you as an example, but this goes to everyone ... please stop with the derogatory nicknames. We are all in this together, we all have the same dislike - maybe to different degrees, but the same dislike - there is no need to go there, and it's against our comments policy. I know it's all meant in fun, and in some ways, part of the game, but let's keep it better than that. So ... no more Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Spankmees, etc. And that goes for the White/Red Sox, too ... no more Sux, Sucks, etc.

[VATwinsFan]

So I looked at this year's Sporting News baseball annual.

 

They were right on the money with the NL to include Wash vs Mil in the WC game.

 

They had Minn vs NY in the WC with the division winners being Boston, Cleveland and Houston, and they have Houston beating Atlanta in the WS.

[mrtwinsfan]

 

Sorry, mrtwinsfan, I'm using you as an example, but this goes to everyone ... please stop with the derogatory nicknames. We are all in this together, we all have the same dislike - maybe to different degrees, but the same dislike - there is no need to go there, and it's against our comments policy. I know it's all meant in fun, and in some ways, part of the game, but let's keep it better than that. So ... no more Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Spankmees, etc. And that goes for the White/Red Sox, too ... no more Sux, Sucks, etc.

No problem,

[Bomba2026]

To change the subject, please don't let this pitcher anywhere near the Yankees....I really want to beat them in Bombas this year as well. And I can't wait till work today as the biggest Cleveland fan works there and he hates me which will make my taunting of Clevinger tonight all that more enjoyable!

[notoriousgod71]

Cliff Lee had a 10 inning complete game when he was with Philly.

[Squirrel]

woohoo ... let's go Twi-ins!!

[PDX Twin]

Do all turtles walk on the bottoms of their pant legs? Or is it just ours?

[wabene]

A solo shot before a hit is better than the other way around, is like to see Stashek settle in.

[wabene]

I think they will stretch him a little today.

[Nine of twelve]

I will abide by the policy of this web site and avoid using a derogatory term for the home plate umpire regarding the strike three call he made on Polanco. This I will do even though he richly deserves any such treatment.

[obtusebanter]

Real curious to see how many innings Gibson eats.

[mrtwinsfan]

 

I will abide by the policy of this web site and avoid using a derogatory term for the home plate umpire regarding the strike three call he made on Polanco. This I will do even though he richly deserves any such treatment.

Was bad,  as long as we dont see Phil Cuzzi , in N.Y.  Opps almost hit the S again instead of the C

[obtusebanter]

 

Cliff Lee had a 10 inning complete game when he was with Philly.

 

Are you talking about the 10 scoreless innings he tossed against the Giants in 2012? He deserved that win but Antonio Bastardo and his O let him down in that one. 

[mrtwinsfan]

Cmon Gibby, its like slo-motion when he gets runners on,  pick up the pace pleez

[notoriousgod71]

 

Are you talking about the 10 scoreless innings he tossed against the Giants in 2012? He deserved that win but Antonio Bastardo and his O let him down in that one. 

 

 

Apparently.

 

I didn't remember that he didn't throw a complete game.

[notoriousgod71]

May want to pull the plug on the Gibson experiment.

[denarded]

what is it we needed to see from Gibson again?

[mrtwinsfan]

Not making a good case for your self Kyle, 

[notoriousgod71]

Every time Gibson pitches a scoreless inning I crack open another beer.

 

My AA sponsor is proud of my six years of sobriety.

[obtusebanter]

 

what is it we needed to see from Gibson again?

 

If he belongs on the post-season roster. I'd say this outing would doom that prospect.

[notoriousgod71]

 

If he belongs on the post-season roster. I'd say this outing would doom that prospect.

 

Nothing he did this series should even factor into that decision.

 

That would be the ultimate SSS.

[wabene]

Gibson two inning over/under 50 pitches

[denarded]

 

If he belongs on the post-season roster. I'd say this outing would doom that prospect.

 

I thought the answer already was a resounding NO. There will be no wiggle room for this team after tomorrow

 

[obtusebanter]

 

Nothing he did this series should even factor into that decision.

 

That would be the ultimate SSS.

 

If one were arguing from stats sure. I think the eyeball test suffices in this instance. Gibson's inclusion would be a feel-good story and dead weight on the roster. Can't do it.