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GAME THREAD: 4/20/21 Minnesota Twins @ Oakland A's, Doubleheader, Game 1 @ 5:30 CDT

Mill1634

By Mill1634
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Mill1634 Minnesota Twins

Mill1634

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Roster Moves

As we all know, the Twins have been dealing with a mini-COVID outbreak through the weekend, and today is their first game back. We know that Simmons was already on the COVID IL, and he was joined by LHP Caleb Thielbar, OF Kyle Garlick, and OF Max Kepler. Kepler tested positive for COVID, as did Kyle Garlick. Thielbar is on the IL as a close contact. The Twins recalled IF Travis Blankenhorn, selected the contract of RHP Luke Farrell, and reinstated OF/1B Brent Rooker from the IL. 

 

The Pitchers

RHP Matt Shoemaker (0-1, 4.71 ERA, 26 K's, 28.1 IP in 2020) vs LHP Sean Manaea (4-3, 4.50 ERA, 45 K's, 54 IP in 2020)

 

The Twins turn to Matt Shoemaker, who last pitched last Sunday against Seattle. Shoemaker was rolling through four innings, but gave up two home runs in the 5th inning in what would become a comeback W for the Mariners. Shoemaker has been a reliable back end arm, but has struggled staying healthy in the past. Manaea is making start number 4 on the year, and has faired well thus far.  Manaea last started against the Tigers, going 6 innings while striking out 7. He did not walk a batter, and extended his winning streak against ALC teams to 9 games straight. Manaea relies on a sinker paired with a changeup and curveball. The sinker has been hittable in the past, but has been reliable this year.

 

The Lineups

 

Twins

 

C Mitch Garver R

3B J. Donaldson R
DH Nelson Cruz R
CF Byron Buxton R
SS J. Polanco S
1B Miguel Sano R
LF Luis Arraez L
RF Brent Rooker R
2B W. Astudillo R

 

A's

 

LF Mark Canha R

CF R. Laureano R
2B Jed Lowrie S
1B Matt Olson L
3B Matt Chapman R
C Sean Murphy R
DH M. Moreland L
RF S. Piscotty R
SS Elvis Andrus R

 

Mitch Garver leads off against a lefty once again, followed by a trio of Twins we've been clamoring to see all in the lineup at the same time. One benefit to the COVID break was allowing Buxton and JD to heal, and tonight we see them go 2-4, with Nelson Cruz hitting in the middle. With Kepler and Garlick both on the IL, the Twins head into the game with only four outfielders. Luis Arraez will be playing a lot of left field, as will Brent Rooker, Willians Astudillo, and Jake Cave. The A's lineup has been hit or miss this year. Mark Cahna has been a run scoring machine, and Laureano has been running on the basepaths like crazy. Jed Lowrie has had a resurgence in Oakland, the Matt Olson is as consistent as he always has been. The bottom of the order has been bad, and will be key to get those outs in a 7 inning game.

 

This Day In History: 2013 - In an emotional ceremony before the team's first game at Fenway Park since the bombing at the Boston Marathon, the Red Sox recognize the victims and the heroes of the tragedy. David Ortiz sums up the mood of the city when he tells the capacity crowd, "This jersey that we wear today, it doesn't say Red Sox. It says Boston. This is our f'***ng city, and nobody's going to dictate our freedom. Stay Strong."

 

Pick to click: Nelson Cruz gets back to hitting bombas, and the Twins sweep the DH

 

Go Twins!!!

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sampleSizeOfOne MVP

sampleSizeOfOne

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One of my friends relayed an interesting detail of David Ortiz' speech.

 

Some unremarkable person commented that he approved of what David Ortiz said, but if you happened to look up who he was, he turned out to be the FCC regulator.

jkcarew Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

jkcarew

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Anyone heard Rocco’s rationale for not throwing his top two pitchers today? Both Maeda and Berrios worked 4+ innings 6 days ago. Not willing to subject them to such a massive workload? Why worry about winning today when you can always win tomorrow? All of the above?

sampleSizeOfOne MVP

sampleSizeOfOne

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Anyone heard Rocco’s rationale for not throwing his top two pitchers today? Both Maeda and Berrios worked 4+ innings 6 days ago. Not willing to subject them to such a massive workload? Oakland can’t hit lefties? Why worry about winning today when you can always win tomorrow? All of the above?

I speculate just keeping the rotation rotating. But if i had to justify it...

 

Wouldn't you rather have aces pitch in 9 inning games?

sampleSizeOfOne MVP

sampleSizeOfOne

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Switch positions for Astudillo and Arraez? Thorpe is the extra player, but he pitched three days ago. How much could the Twins get out of him?

Whatever became of the positional flexibilty society?

 

I assume it was done by alphabetical order, but maybe someone thought Arraez could cover more ground than Astudillo?

 

And Thorpe probably has something left in the tank, maybe even lined up for his usual bullpen session?

Cap'n Piranha Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

Cap'n Piranha

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Anyone heard Rocco’s rationale for not throwing his top two pitchers today? Both Maeda and Berrios worked 4+ innings 6 days ago. Not willing to subject them to such a massive workload? Oakland can’t hit lefties? Why worry about winning today when you can always win tomorrow? All of the above?

 

You have to balance the needs of all players--Shoemaker has now had 8 days of rest; because of the off day on Thursday, this allows you to get your rotation completely set up again (Maeda tomorrow on 6 days rest), Pineda on Friday on 7 days rest, Happ on Saturday on 7 days rest), followed by Shoemaker on Sunday, then back to Berrios on Monday (which also lets you pitch Berrios/Maeda/Pineda against Cleveland on regular rest).  162 games is going to be even more of a marathon this year than usual, so ensuring everyone gets rest is important.

cHawk Cedar Rapids Kernels

cHawk

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Calling for a doubleheader sweep where the bullpen looks better than it has so far.

Cap'n Piranha Ft Myers Mighty Mussels

Cap'n Piranha

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When he's not sick anymore. Noah Dobson was out about two weeks with mild symptoms.

 

The minimum is 10 days, and I assume requires multiple consecutive negative tests, spaced over a defined time period.  It is, as I understand it, possible that Simmons has already met the testing requirements, but as 10 days has not passed, he cannot yet return.

bighat Cedar Rapids Kernels

bighat

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I think that a pair of 7 inning games as part of a double-header on the road is about the worst possible scenario to get this team back on track.

 

Against a scorching hot A's team, nonetheless. Honestly it couldn't be worse.

 

Of course....that's why they play the game! Ya never know, it's baseball after all. But I can't help but have a pretty bad feeling about this.

stringer bell Cooperstown

stringer bell

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I suppose that with two lefties starting today, it makes sense to keep Kirilloff in the minors (at the alternate facility) for the Oakland series. It is getting close to the time when the Twins garner another year of control over AK.

bighat Cedar Rapids Kernels

bighat

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Game Over.

I gotta say I agree.

 

These 7 inning games are just so unbalanced - as Dick Bremer just said, the team that scores first has such a huge advantage.

 

I really hate the new double-header rule, I have no idea why it's still around. I thought it was supposed to be a special Covid/2020 rule only...is this going to be the rule going forward? Horrid.

bighat Cedar Rapids Kernels

bighat

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Just let Piscotty steal 2nd, why don't you.

 

No throw? Anyone paying attention?

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