Game Thread: Twins (Lopez) v Red Sox (Paxton), 6/19/23 @ 6:40 CT

[wsnydes]

Edited June 19, 2023 by wsnydes
Added Red Sox lineup.

[wsnydes]

If Buxton can get off the K train, the top of this lineup could be productive.  A lot hinges on that though.

[Riverbrian]

Interesting lineup... 3 lefties starting against the left-handed James Paxton.

Closer examination reveals that Paxton is tougher on right handed hitters over his career and even more so this year. 

Paxton Splits:

Career

vs LHB - .285/.344/.395

vs RHB - .228/.284/.376

2023

vs LHB - .320/.414/.560

vs RHB - .196/.240/.340

 

 

[Craig Arko]

41 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Interesting lineup... 3 lefties starting against the left-handed James Paxton.

Closer examination reveals that Paxton is tougher on right handed hitters over his career and even more so this year. 

Paxton Splits:

Career

vs LHB - .285/.344/.395

vs RHB - .228/.284/.376

2023

vs LHB - .320/.414/.560

vs RHB - .196/.240/.340

 

 

And none of them are Kepler.

[Riverbrian]

3 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

And none of them are Kepler.

Tick Tick Tick

[CRF]

Buxton really needs to be dropped down toward the bottom of the order. If it hurts his feelings, tough ****. Him going 0-4 with three K's every game just isn't cutting it. Do something...prove you belong in the 3 or 4 slot. 

[umterp23]

The automatic $48MM 3 & 4 hitters in the lineup spot game after game after game who are more like 5, 6 or 7hole hitters 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, CRF said:

Buxton really needs to be dropped down toward the bottom of the order. If it hurts his feelings, tough s**t. Him going 0-4 with three K's every game just isn't cutting it. Do something...prove you belong in the 3 or 4 slot. 

Swap Castro for Buxton in order.

[CRF]

Any update at all about MAT? If there was, I apologize as I haven't seen it. That was a pretty scary and solid bonk to the head he took. 

[IaBeanCounter]

In yesterday's game was there any explanation as why Solano didn't score on Lewis' ground ball single?  On the video it look like it took almost 6 seconds for the cf to pick the ball up.   Correa may have been able to advance to third on that play.

[Craig Arko]

7 minutes ago, CRF said:

Any update at all about MAT? If there was, I apologize as I haven't seen it. That was a pretty scary and solid bonk to the head he took. 

All I’ve seen so far is ‘day to day.’ Maybe they’ll say something more during the broadcast. 

[Nine of twelve]

5 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

All I’ve seen so far is ‘day to day.’ Maybe they’ll say something more during the broadcast. 

If he is day to day he is a very fortunate man

[Craig Arko]

Just now, Nine of twelve said:

If he is day to day he is a very fortunate man

I believe Baldelli said no concussion, just a ‘head contusion.’  On the other hand, the track record about day to day has not been prize winning.

[stringer bell]

23 minutes ago, IaBeanCounter said:

In yesterday's game was there any explanation as why Solano didn't score on Lewis' ground ball single?  On the video it look like it took almost 6 seconds for the cf to pick the ball up.   Correa may have been able to advance to third on that play.

Solano is one of the slower runners on the team, but he should have scored on Lewis’ single. He made an out on the bases earlier in the series and the Twins would still have been behind, but him scoring could have changed the remainder of the inning and the game. 

[wabene]

This team needs a shakeup, BB moved down the order etc, beating a dead horse but I'm just not seeing it. Well I'll be watching Pablo anyway and hope he can stay away from the stray bad inning. 

[lecroy24fan]

No Lewis again.

[IaBeanCounter]

2 minutes ago, wabene said:

This team needs a shakeup, BB moved down the order etc, beating a dead horse but I'm just not seeing it. Well I'll be watching Pablo anyway and hope he can stay away from the stray bad inning. 

I think Buxton and Gallo need to the 8 & 9 batters, in May and June they have struck out 47.7% and 59.8% of their ABs, respectively.  If they get on they have good speed for the top of the order.   I don't believe that Buxton is anywhere near 90% and it showed in the Detroit series 13 AB, 0 H and 8 SO.    I wish they would have sent him on a rehab assignment to help him get his confidence back.

[IaBeanCounter]

I made a mistake on Gallo's strike out rate for May and June, its "only" 46.4%

 

[Riverbrian]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

Solano is one of the slower runners on the team, but he should have scored on Lewis’ single. He made an out on the bases earlier in the series and the Twins would still have been behind, but him scoring could have changed the remainder of the inning and the game. 

I got into this with another poster when Solano was picked off at 3B on the Gallo double. 

I don't have the answer but I have to ask. I hope this conversation goes better. 

What was Watkins doing? 

Did he hold up the stop sign on the Lewis single? 

Did Solano "make(made) an out on the bases earlier in the series or did Watkins make that out earlier in the series? 

I don't know myself but the 3B coach makes the decision because the 3B coach is the one who can see the play as it happens. 

On the Gallo double... I've read that Watkins was pointing to stand up and then he started to wave him home as he was slowing and then changed his mind again with a 2nd late stop sign.

I didn't see it... but if true... is that on Solano or Watkins? 

Lots of people think it was awesome that Castro ran a stop sign and scored against Milwaukee last Tuesday. It was awesome because it was a huge run at the time. But, Lets be honest... he ran a stop sign... he shouldn't have done that. 

[wsnydes]

7 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I got into this with another poster when Solano was picked off at 3B on the Gallo double. 

I don't have the answer but I have to ask. I hope this conversation goes better. 

What was Watkins doing? 

Did he hold up the stop sign on the Lewis single? 

Did Solano "make(made) an out on the bases earlier in the series or did Watkins make that out earlier in the series? 

I don't know myself but the 3B coach makes the decision because the 3B coach is the one who can see the play as it happens. 

On the Gallo double... I've read that Watkins was pointing to stand up and then he started to wave him home as he was slowing and then changed his mind again with a 2nd late stop sign.

I didn't see it... but if true... is that on Solano or Watkins? 

Lots of people think it was awesome that Castro ran a stop sign and scored against Milwaukee last Tuesday. It was awesome because it was a huge run at the time. But, Lets be honest... he ran a stop sign... he shouldn't have done that. 

Haha!  I was at that game yelling "NO!" at Watkins when he gave Castro the stop sign and then "DAMNIT!" at Castro when he ran through it! 

It was quite the rollercoaster.

[wsnydes]

Rocco says that Maeda should be pitching for the Twins by the end of the week.

[Nine of twelve]

2 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

Rocco says that Maeda should be pitching for the Twins by the end of the week.

In what capacity? That's the big question.

[chpettit19]

2 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

In what capacity? That's the big question.

They've been building him up as a starter, and the rumors are that he'd likely start on Friday in Detroit, which, I believe, would be Varland's day. So entirely possible Maeda takes Varland's spot in the rotation.

[wsnydes]

7 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

In what capacity? That's the big question.

Agreed.  I'm interested to see what direction they go with him.

[wsnydes]

4 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

They've been building him up as a starter, and the rumors are that he'd likely start on Friday in Detroit, which, I believe, would be Varland's day. So entirely possible Maeda takes Varland's spot in the rotation.

Not crazy about that, but I guess that I did hear that too.  

I think I'd rather he go to the pen.  Leave Varland in the rotation.

[Riverbrian]

10 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

Haha!  I was at that game yelling "NO!" at Watkins when he gave Castro the stop sign and then "DAMNIT!" at Castro when he ran through it! 

It was quite the rollercoaster.

Remember the Minneapolis Miracle against the Saints. 

I was watching the game with my youngest son... we were pretty bummed because we knew the odds were against us. My son thought it was over with 10 seconds left with no time outs and down by a point and the ball is on the 40 out of field goal range. I told my son we had one chance... a 20 yard out... and get out of bounce right away and we kick a 50 plus yard FG... maybe a penalty.  

OK...that was the plan... I was locked into it. My son and I were standing up... before the ball was hiked... I was already saying get out of bounds and I kept repeating it... get out of bounds... get out of bounds over and over again... as the ball was thrown... I was still saying get out of bounds... get out of bounds. The Vikings ran would I said they had to... 25 yard out to Diggs... Diggs comes down with the ball and I'm now screaming... GET OUT OF BOUNDS... GET OUT OF BOUNDS. 

Never mind that the safety took the cornerback out and Diggs had the end zone waiting for him untouched... I think I stopped yelling get out of bounds around the 5 yard line.  

[Riverbrian]

1 minute ago, wsnydes said:

Not crazy about that, but I guess that I did hear that too.  

I think I'd rather he go to the pen.  Leave Varland in the rotation.

Unless there is an injury... I'd bet a large sum of money that Varland will be reporting to St. Paul. 

I'm Ok with that. 

[wsnydes]

2 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

Unless there is an injury... I'd bet a large sum of money that Varland will be reporting to St. Paul. 

I'm Ok with that. 

It's not the end of the world.  The pen needs help though.

[chpettit19]

3 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

Not crazy about that, but I guess that I did hear that too.  

I think I'd rather he go to the pen.  Leave Varland in the rotation.

I'm not all that excited with either of them in the rotation. Don't trust either to make it through more than 4 innings smoothly. And think they're both way too likely to put way too much on the pen. But I think they do need to see what Maeda has between now and the break. I think 3 starts for him is relatively reasonable to see if he has anything left.

[Squirrel]

33 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I didn't see it... but if true... is that on Solano or Watkins? 

yes 🙂