Game Thread: Twins (López) v Angels (Ohtani), 5/21 @ 3:07pm CT

[Mortimerkenny21]

6 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Yeah … the Rays are having an insane year, the Orioles doing pretty well … and the rest are lumped within a few games of one another

The Orioles have turned a huge corner! I've wondered how the went from being terrible to being near the top in such a competitive division. Guess I would have to watch more baseball than just the Twins. Did Cal Ripken come out of retirement??

[Squirrel]

5 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Filthy, nasty, and gas. Mostly slider fastball with a split mixed in.

Yet we’re going to beat him today! 😁

[wabene]

Pick to click Monsieur Julien! Vive la bombe! 

[chpettit19]

Just now, Squirrel said:

Yet we’re going to beat him today! 😁

As long as Lopez brings his nasty filth, too, they have a real chance!

[UpstateNewYorker]

5 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Filthy, nasty, and gas. Mostly slider fastball with a split mixed in.

It looks like he's throwing a sweeper now too, which is basically bigger breaking slider.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/05/19/angels-shohei-ohtani-sweeper-pitch-imitate

[Squirrel]

How many wrong calls will go against the Twins today?

[Squirrel]

I wouldn’t have guessed it, but I think Gallo is a pretty good lead off hitter

[chpettit19]

2 minutes ago, UpstateNewYorker said:

It looks like he's throwing a sweeper now too, which is basically bigger breaking slider.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/05/19/angels-shohei-ohtani-sweeper-pitch-imitate

Yeah, I just lumped it all in as a slider.

[Craig Arko]

2 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

How many wrong calls will go against the Twins today?

All of them.

[CRF]

5 minutes ago, Mortimerkenny21 said:

The Orioles have turned a huge corner! I've wondered how the went from being terrible to being near the top in such a competitive division. Guess I would have to watch more baseball than just the Twins. Did Cal Ripken come out of retirement??

Remember all those great Oriole teams from the 60's and 70's? Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Paul Blair, Mark Belanger, Dave Johnson, Elrod Hendricks...and the pitching staffs with Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally...I'm sure I'm forgetting a whole bunch of guys. Those were some great teams. 

[Mortimerkenny21]

8 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Filthy, nasty, and gas. Mostly slider fastball with a split mixed in.

Is that a new thing? Are they checking the pitchers hands for gas now??? I wonder what works best, 87, premium, or E85? I think I would use diesel or a kerosene distillate. 

[Mortimerkenny21]

6 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

How many wrong calls will go against the Twins today?

Six. 

[wabene]

Pablo hittin 97, pump it up, er 98

[rwilfong86]

I'm foreseeing a short outing from Lopez today. 

[Craig Arko]

4 minutes ago, CRF said:

Remember all those great Oriole teams from the 60's and 70's? Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Paul Blair, Mark Belanger, Dave Johnson, Elrod Hendricks...and the pitching staffs with Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally...I'm sure I'm forgetting a whole bunch of guys. Those were some great teams. 

Pat Dobson, from the year they had four 20 game winners.

[UpstateNewYorker]

1 minute ago, CRF said:

Remember all those great Oriole teams from the 60's and 70's? Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Paul Blair, Mark Belanger, Dave Johnson, Elrod Hendricks...and the pitching staffs with Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally...I'm sure I'm forgetting a whole bunch of guys. Those were some great teams. 

I grew up in Rochester, NY, and back then the Red Wings were the AAA affiliate of the Orioles. I went to a jillion games as a kid and saw most of those great players. 

[Squirrel]

Come on, PLO!

[Craig Arko]

1 minute ago, Squirrel said:

Come on, PLO!

Sunday in the Park with Pablo.

[SwainZag]

Pablo and the dreaded first inning, at least he got out of it unscathed.    Can we get a 1st inning opener just for him?  That would certainly work right?

[RickOShea]

1 minute ago, UpstateNewYorker said:

I grew up in Rochester, NY, and back then the Red Wings were the AAA affiliate of the Orioles. I went to a jillion games as a kid and saw most of those great players. 

Considering the Orioles swept the Twins in the playoffs in 1969 and 1970, I wasn't their biggest fan, but I respected them.  They definitely had some of the best all-around teams in baseball.

[Squirrel]

I’m half watching today … starting a home reno project on Tuesday and have to clear out everything in my entry and kitchen. Well, not everything in the kitchen, but parts of it

[Squirrel]

Lol, Plouffe … looking good 

[RickOShea]

Just now, RickOShea said:

Considering the Orioles swept the Twins in the playoffs in 1969 and 1970, I wasn't their biggest fan, but I respected them.  They definitely had some of the best all-around teams in baseball.

The one thing I hoped to see, when the Orioles visited the Met, was seeing Weaver, arguing calls.  I loved the way he turned his cap around, so he could get nose to nose with the umpire.

[CRF]

What, if anything, is Lopez doing differently the last 3-4 starts? I don't think his pitch mix is different, but his command isn't quite as good as the first several starts. His velo is the same, so that's not it. He just seems a little bit off. I'm maybe not picking up on whatever it is. 

[Robert Floren]

1 minute ago, SwainZag said:

Pablo and the dreaded first inning, at least he got out of it unscathed.    Can we get a 1st inning opener just for him?  That would certainly work right?

Something like that would break tradition but I don't think there's a rule against it.

[wabene]

Just now, Squirrel said:

Lol, Plouffe … looking good 

I'd like Marney to sneak up behind him when he's on camera and mess up that slick hairdo (jealous)

[stringer bell]

Nice at-bat Edouard.

[RickOShea]

1 minute ago, Robert Floren said:

Something like that would break tradition but I don't think there's a rule against it.

Contact Kevin Cash in c/o the Tampa Bay Rays.

[stringer bell]

Waiting for that first hit.

[RickOShea]

Anyone see Guerrero of the Jays, give that kid in the stands a bat during the game?  Quite a gesture.  That kid will never forget that!