Game Thread: Twins v. Tigers, Sat. 7/10/21, 1:10 PM

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

BREAKING: Twins still have half the season to play, and that means another game to play this afternoon.

We will have more information as this situation develops.

For now, let us talk amongst ourselves. 

Lineups to follow.

[tony&rodney]

Detroit is a good test for Bailey Ober as the Tigers like to swing early and Ober likes to throw strikes. The quality of those first pitch strikes will matter if Ober is to have another decent outing.

[stringer bell]

According to Dick Bremer, this will be a bullpen game for the Tigers. The opener, Kyle Funkhouser (yes, that's a real name) has good numbers in over 30 innings this year. 

I have a few random thoughts in connection with the Twins and MLB:

1) Which AL Central team will be the best for the next 3-6 years? I had thought going into this season that the Twins looked like a good bet to be good for quite a while. After this season, not so much. Chicago looks good now, but like the Twins, life on top is fleeting. Cleveland has managed to stay competitive, but how long can that last with limited payroll? KC and Detroit are rebuilding, it appeared the Royals had more good pieces than Detroit, but the Tigers are outperforming them this year and seem to be loaded in the lower minors.

2) Tampa Bay is universally praised for their ability to be more than competitive despite facing the big markets in the East. They have been early believers in baseball metrics, early innovators with using openers and managed to make the World Series last year. If the Rays manage to win the World Series this year, will Tampa be crowned the city of champions? They have the Super Bowl winning Buccaneers and the two-time Stanley Cup champion Lightning.

3) By the time the Twins play somebody new, they may well be in third place in the Central. Do anyone care at all, or is it "first place or no place"? Personally, I hate to see my team on the bottom and I believe the rewards of early claim status and higher draft selection aren't worth that much. 

 

[jimbo92107]

I love how Arraez has a big hug for the first baseman after he gets a hit. Cabrera yesterday, Schoop today. 

[RickOShea]

Kirilloff is beginning to look like the mirror image of Max Kepler, with his right side ground balls.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Goodrum!!!!
 

Wait...

He plays for them.

[Vanimal46]

Uh oh… Ober’s prone to the long ball. 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Short.... didn't come up short.

 

Sigh.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Just now, Vanimal46 said:

Uh oh… Ober’s prone to the long ball. 

Especially when he's standing. On the mound.

[twinssporto]

Ober better tighten this up or he'll be Ober (sorry, last Ober joke for me).

[PDX Twin]

2 minutes ago, twinssporto said:

Ober better tighten this up or he'll be Ober (sorry, last Ober joke for me).

Is he Ober-rated?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

4 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Lineups to follow.

Which is which is left as an exercise to the reader.

 

0. Kyle Funkhouser (R) P

1. Akil Baddoo (L) CF

2. Jonathan Schoop (R) 1B

3. Robbie Grossman (S) RF

4. Eric Haase (R) C

5. Jeimer Candelario (S) DH

6. Harold Castro (L) 3B

7. Niko Goodrum (S) LF

8. Zack Short (R) SS

9. Willi Castro (S) 2B

 

0. Bailey Ober (R) P

1. Luis Arraez (L) 3B

2. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B

3. Trevor Larnach (L) LF

4. Nelson Cruz (R) DH

5. Alex Kirilloff (L) RF

6. Miguel Sano (R) 1B

7. Max Kepler (L) CF

8. Ryan Jeffers (R) C

9. Andrelton Simmons (R) SS

[RickOShea]

Is Kyle any relation to Marty, from "Curb Your Enthusiasm"?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Detroit is doing a bullpen game?

[RickOShea]

3 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Detroit is doing a bullpen game?

Yeah, only thing is Hinch will probably promote a reliever or two to the rotation, the way funkhouser pitched.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

8 minutes ago, RickOShea said:

Yeah, only thing is Hinch will probably promote a reliever or two to the rotation, the way funkhouser pitched.

Are the Twins a good test? People here often remark how we make mediocre pithcers look good...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Hey, look!

 

Baserunners!

 

Let us get a 2 out hit!

[Vanimal46]

Stolen base for Cruz! 

[sampleSizeOfOne]

2 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Hey, look!

 

Baserunners!

 

Let us get a 2 out hit!

Nope.

[Unwinder]

Love to see Cruz steal bases.

[RickOShea]

14 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Are the Twins a good test? People here often remark how we make mediocre pithcers look good...

No, the Twins are far from a good test. And, yes, we are the creators of Cy Young performances.

[PDX Twin]

His day is Ober.

[jimbo92107]

Ober is missing arm side wide because he's opening up his torso a little early. Same thing happens in tennis with a RH forehand. If you open up early, the ball peels off to the right, which is fine if you aim down the middle, but terrible if you're trying to drive the ball down the line. 

I suppose tennis is good for a pitcher if it teaches them to see why a ball curves one way or the other. Tennis players hit hundreds of times more balls than baseball players throw or field. Because of tennis I could hit baseballs off the bounce when I was running fielding drills. Same thing at the plate. It's not that hard to hit a ball off the bounce, if you recognize the spin like a tennis player. 

[Irishman]

Ober choked!    Please send him back to St. Paul.   Recall 2nd base Miranda and see what he can do!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Are we allowed to make Law jokes too?

 

Or are they not as funny as Ober jokes?

[RickOShea]

When did the Twins sign Jason Biggs to pitch?

[Irishman]

Just now, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Are we allowed to make Law jokes too?

 

Or are they not as funny as Ober jokes?

Or Lawless jokes?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Alright!

Let us come roaring back and put a Win in Law's column.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Just now, Irishman said:

Or Lawless jokes?

Yes?

[RickOShea]

No wonder Rocco is having a difficult time managing.  He's getting married next week, and having a kid ( or at least his girlfriend is) in Sept.  I just knew he couldn't multi-task.