Game Thread: Twins vs Rangers, 4/28 - 1:10pm

[Brock Beauchamp]

Lineups:

 

Twins:

Brian Dozier 2B

Joe Mauer C

Josh Willingham DH

Justin Morneau 1B

Chris Parmelee RF

Oswaldo Arcia LF

Aaron Hicks CF

Eduardo Escobar SS

Jamey Carroll 3B

(Kevin Correia P)

 

Rangers:

Ian Kinsler 2B

Elvis Andrus SS

Lance Berkman DH

Adrian Beltre 3B

A.J. Pierzynski C

Nelson Cruz RF

David Murphy LF

Mitch Moreland 1B

Leonys Martin CF

(Alexi Ogando P)

[stringer bell]

No Doumit, Plouffe, or Florimon. Hammer at DH, Escobar at short hitting eighth, and Carroll at third, hitting ninth.

[PseudoSABR]

This is the lineup I want, sans Carroll. Plug Plouffe in there and this is something I can watch.

[ashbury]

Hoping for the best against Ogando but he seems like the quality starter that the Twins have trouble with.

[ashbury]

This is the lineup I want, sans Carroll. Plug Plouffe in there and this is something I can watch.

 

Hammer at DH should allow him to rest up for more stolen base attempts. No one was reading yesterday's game thread when I came back and asked the circumstances of his SB - does anyone know? With a lead, it just can't be that a steal was called, or that a green light was given, so I assume a busted hit-and-run or something, but I'm still curious for more than just a guess.

[Guest USAFChief]

Hammer at DH should allow him to rest up for more stolen base attempts. No one was reading yesterday's game thread when I came back and asked the circumstances of his SB - does anyone know? With a lead, it just can't be that a steal was called, or that a green light was given, so I assume a busted hit-and-run or something, but I'm still curious for more than just a guess.

Pickoff attempt by LHer on the mound. Hammer took off on first movement, was picked off, but the pitcher's move was slow to first and Hammer beat the throw to second. Made an awkward slide towards the OF side and had to sort of twist his arm back to maintain contact with the bag.

[ashbury]

Why in the world was Hammer moving on the pitch? For a guy who will not dive on defense (and I give him all the benefit of the doubt in the world given his back troubles), this seems as ill-conceived as if Morneau suddenly started doing LNP dives into first.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Why in the world was Hammer moving on the pitch? For a guy who will not dive on defense (and I give him all the benefit of the doubt in the world given his back troubles), this seems as ill-conceived as if Morneau tried to do a LNP dive into first.

 

I understand that Willingham's back is in bad shape but he's absolutely loafing out there in left field.

 

If he's going to continue doing that, he needs to DH.

[Riverbrian]

Plouffe sitting 2nd straight... Injury or Doghouse?

[PseudoSABR]

It's weird to feel good about the game when you Kevin Correia going. Weird.

[Riverbrian]

I'm gonna watch the Twins... I have SWAT team down the block cuz some guy is holed up in house. Yet... I'm gonna watch the Twins instead.

 

You can't say I'm not dedicated.

[ashbury]

Plouffe sitting 2nd straight... Injury or Doghouse?

 

R. Clyde Gardenhire's VIP Kennel Services, would be my guess.

[ashbury]

It's weird to feel good about the game when you Kevin Correia going. Weird.

 

I've got the avatar up for luck, but I caution all to not succumb to this feeling of good omens. KC will dodge and feint, but the opponent will always get some licks in and sometimes many.

[ashbury]

That was a quick inning. Blink and you miss it. 21 pitches, 6 batters down.

[ashbury]

I understand that Willingham's back is in bad shape but he's absolutely loafing out there in left field.

 

If I were manager I would have to convince myself one way or the other, but as an outsider I simply go back to giving the benefit of the doubt. If the doctor has told you as a player, "one bad dive and you're finished", and you are forced to be ultra careful about not letting balls get by you yet staying on your feet, then you let some drop that another player would try for. If that's loafing, well, we need a pair of words to cover both this and what I consider the usual meaning.

[snepp]

If that's loafing, well, we need a pair of words to cover both this and what I consider the usual meaning.

 

Let's go with "reasonably cautious."

[Milkman]

That was a quick inning. Blink and you miss it. 21 pitches, 6 batters down.

For a second I thought you were predicting Correia's pitch count through two

[Brock Beauchamp]

If I were manager I would have to convince myself one way or the other, but as an outsider I simply go back to giving the benefit of the doubt. If the doctor has told him "one bad dive and you're finished", and you are forced to be ultra careful about not letting balls get by you yet staying on your feet, and you let some drop that another player would try for. If that's loafing, well, we need a pair of words to cover both this and what I consider the usual meaning.

 

It's not about diving, I accept that his back doesn't allow for leaving his feet. A few days back, he trotted toward a double that caromed off the wall that might have prevented a run had he hustled. He has trotted to first on a few groundballs where he could have made it close at full speed.

[Riverbrian]

I'm gonna watch the Twins... I have SWAT team down the block cuz some guy is holed up in house. Yet... I'm gonna watch the Twins instead.

 

You can't say I'm not dedicated.

 

OK... I lied... Loud Boom as they fire Tear Gas into the house... I had to gawk for a moment.

[PseudoSABR]

Hicks can't make mistakes like that. It was Delmonesque

[ashbury]

OK... I lied... Loud Boom as they fire Tear Gas into the house... I had to gawk for a moment.

 

Haven't found any breaking stories on Startribune.com or WCCO, but I'll keep browsing. Stand by the window and wave in case a camera is taking an establishing photo.

[big dog]

Hicks broke the wrong way on Moreland for the second time in a row. I wonder if he was thinking about how Moreland put one over his head yesterday and was determined not to let it happen again? Oops.

[Riverbrian]

You all must deal with SWAT teams all the time... It's a little unique for Grand Forks.

[Riverbrian]

Haven't found any breaking stories on Startribune.com or WCCO, but I'll keep browsing. Stand by the window and wave in case a camera is taking an establishing photo.

 

Report from the crowd is depressed guy with weapons in his house. Girlfriend broke up with him.

 

Of course Rumors tend to twist a bit.

[ashbury]

You all must deal with SWAT teams all the time... It's a little unique for Grand Forks.

 

Forgot your remote location. Checking WDAZ now. Ah, I see they have a news flash about some disturbance at the Boston Marathon...

[ashbury]

Hicks broke the wrong way on Moreland for the second time in a row. I wonder if he was thinking about how Moreland put one over his head yesterday and was determined not to let it happen again? Oops.

 

Moreland then got thrown out? Is this the second or third baserunning oopsie by the Rangers in this series? There's aggressive, and then there's wasting baserunners.

[ashbury]

Hicks can't make mistakes like that. It was Delmonesque

 

Reported to the moderators. No grounds to ever be *that* insulting.

[Riverbrian]

Forgot your remote location. Checking WDAZ now. Ah, I see they have a news flash about some disturbance at the Boston Marathon...

 

LOL... WDAZ won't be updating on the weekend. They probably have one reporter and one camera guy and they probably are not noticing the police scanner.

[ashbury]

A few days back, he trotted toward a double that caromed off the wall that might have prevented a run had he hustled. He has trotted to first on a few groundballs where he could have made it close at full speed.

 

That first one does sound bad, and I would hope Gardy took normal action, either a pointed comment after the inning or a lengthier discussion after the game; maybe DHing in favor of Arcia is positioned to him as part of the consequence. I'm less worried about the second situation you mentioned unless management believed it actually cost a base; again maybe a dose of Gardy's patented sarcasm was applied and the matter put behind them.

 

Something to keep tabs on, though.

[PseudoSABR]

At least Carroll made it a close play.