Twins 6, Astros 2: Pablo Lopez Provides Ace-Level Performance, October Correa Leads Offense and Defense

[singlesoverwalks]

The Twins are going to win this series.

[singlesoverwalks]

3 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Beware, Astros were 3 games under .500 at home this year and about 20 games over .500 on the road. I agree, we have an advantage with the playoff crowd…….just don’t think the Stro’s are going to rattle very easily. I’d like to see us get back in their bullpen by 5th or 6th to reduce effectiveness for Wednesday’s game.

Verlander is only 18 months away from coming off surgery with a rebuilt/rejuvenated arm………he’s in great shape. He scares me for Game 4.

Do we know he's pitching Game 4? That would be short rest.

[IndianaTwin]

9 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Farmer had the biggest hit. That home run was huge. 

On a different note, why was Farmer playing all the way at the back skin of the infield with Altuve at the plate to start the game? That was confusing and Altuve DID notice. 

I thought the same. I did appreciate that Altuve was only on first after his at bat, compared to Saturday night's leadoff experience. 

[DJL44]

6 hours ago, h2oface said:

Why our pitchers keep giving Alvarez anything at all to hit is baffling. Giving him middle middle is just stupefying. 

You act like the plan was to pitch him middle-middle. I agree, that would be dumb, but I'm sure they're not trying to do that.

[JD-TWINS]

6 hours ago, h2oface said:

Ya gotta love coming home with a 1-1 split. What a great game for the Twins and their fans. 3-1 in this post season. Living high on travel day. 

Why our pitchers keep giving Alvarez anything at all to hit is baffling. Giving him middle middle is just stupefying. 

Tucker - Abreu - Brantley - McCormack are the reasons why. They are constructed to terrorize opposing pitchers. I completely agree on the middle-middle comment. Ober made a mistake with a change-up too high in zone - first curveball home run by a lefty all year against Thielbar - Stewart just needs to move his fastball around v. throwing a different pitch every other pitch…….98 mph is tough, he hung a slider.

All 3 just weren’t executed. it Alvarez has still got to hit them. I think the worst pitch was from Stewart - he’d seen what Alvarez can do……..some blame goes to coaching/Jeffers for the need to never throw back to back fastballs.

[saviking]

Nice to see Correa contributing. Complaining about him all season wore me out .. 😜

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, singlesoverwalks said:

Do we know he's pitching Game 4? That would be short rest.

If Houston loses game 3, I’d say it was a good bet.

[Blyleven2011]

The greatest sporting event in Twins territory would be the world series ...

Great game by the Twins last night , suspenseful  but not stressful  ....

[MMMordabito]

0-18 Playoff Game losing streak = Over

0-9 Playoff Series losing streak = Over

0-15 ALDS Game losing streak = Over

0-9 Road Playoff Game losing streak = Over (as noted by OP)

Keep the Streak Slaying going, Twins!!

 

[Dantes929]

11 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Correa was great, and Lopez was dominant. 🙂

My not so small nitpick was that squeeze play and forcing Lewis to make a play running on that bad hammy, and he was actually forced into a rundown. Ouch. On the other hand, Rocco let Lopez go 7, which was wonderful.

We’ve got a series! 

Unfortunately, Lewis actually ran out of the path to avoid the catcher.   If he had run straight for the plate they would have collided and he would have gotten the interference call.   Ironically, the announcer for the game is the one guy in the world I would count on to try to get the interference call.   Our formerly own AJ Pierzynski

[chinmusic]

9 hours ago, VivaBomboRivera! said:

MLB.tv is your friend 

Not so much to Canadians. I love mlb.tv but unfortunately, post season games are blacked out ( in real time) north of the border.

However, you can still get the radio broadcasts live. I listened to the first 5 innings, went to sleep, and watched the rest this morning. It's Thanksgiving here, so don't have to work today. All worked out pretty well.

The Twins are, as the saying goes, clicking on all cylinders. They're looking confident. Notably Polanco. I think I saw him display something close to swagger at one point! That would be a first, and I think it's significant.

I'm getting ahead of myself, but man, it would be great to finish off the Astros at home, and have ample time to recalibrate for the ALCS opener on Sunday.

[PDX Twin]

Quote

It was just another Pablo Day in paradise,

I lived there for ten years. Houston is just about as far from paradise as it's possible to get outside of an active battle zone!

[Nine of twelve]

In a postseason series the objective of the visiting team during the first two games is to take home field advantage away from the opponent. Mission accomplished.

[Nine of twelve]

This is regarding the question of whether Verlander starts on three days' rest. For the 2023 Verlander, maybe if Houston is down 2 games to 1, and not if Houston is up 2 games to 1. If we were discussing the 2011 Justin Verlander I would change those guesses to definitely and probably.

[joefish]

Did you mean "exorcise" where you wrote exercise?

[singlesoverwalks]

3 hours ago, Nine of twelve said:

This is regarding the question of whether Verlander starts on three days' rest. For the 2023 Verlander, maybe if Houston is down 2 games to 1, and not if Houston is up 2 games to 1. If we were discussing the 2011 Justin Verlander I would change those guesses to definitely and probably.

I have some shreds of data, and I think they support this position. According to my eyeball of Baseball Reference, Verlander didn't pitch on short rest in the 2022 post-season. The last time he pitched on short rest in the post-season was in Game 4 of the 2019 ALDS. The only other other appearance I can find is in the 2017 ALDS, when he came in in relief.

Here are his lines in those appearances:

Short rest appearance	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	HBP
2019 ALDS - game 4	3.666667	7	4	2	3	5	0
2017 ALDS - game 4 (in relief)	2.666667	1	1	1	2	0	0
Total	6.333333	8	5	3	5	5	0

 

Averages over that small sample size:

7.11 ERA

7.11 SO/9

7.11 BB/9 (yes, these are all the same numbers...that's because he had 5 ER, 5 BB, and 5 SO).

4.26 HR/9

 

So not good!

Also, he had a 7.31 ERA in the 2022 post-season.

I think we're over-rating him just a bit. Good pitcher at this point in his career, yes. Peak Verlander? No he is not.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Correa's an absolute stud. He's not going to let the Twins lose this series.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

1 hour ago, chinmusic said:

Not so much to Canadians. I love mlb.tv but unfortunately, post season games are blacked out ( in real time) north of the border.

However, you can still get the radio broadcasts live. I listened to the first 5 innings, went to sleep, and watched the rest this morning. It's Thanksgiving here, so don't have to work today. All worked out pretty well.

The Twins are, as the saying goes, clicking on all cylinders. They're looking confident. Notably Polanco. I think I saw him display something close to swagger at one point! That would be a first, and I think it's significant.

I'm getting ahead of myself, but man, it would be great to finish off the Astros at home, and have ample time to recalibrate for the ALCS opener on Sunday.

This Twins' team is the product of Carlos Correa. They're following his lead. Statistically, he's one of the best post-season players of all time. Then you add in the leadership, quiet confidence and swagger. Correa is doing for the Twins what Tom Brady did for the Bucs.

[jmlease1]

35 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

I think Smoltz did the earlier game.  Our pitcher in the booth was Wainwright.  I thought he was pretty good but was repetitive of many of his comments.  He is new so probably nerves.

As for A-Rod I do NOT like him at all.  In the post-game show he basically ripped off Wainwright's comments regarding Pablo speaking in terms of WE instead of ME.  He said the exact same thing as Wainwright said on the telecast.  He has nothing of significance to offer IMO.

I'm sure you're right, but Wainwright did nothing for me either. Nerves/newness certainly didn't help him, nor being in a crowded booth with a guy like AJ who loves to talk. But he still wasn't very good. None of them seemed to pay attention to obvious strategy considerations and had seemingly no idea how the Twins would likely approach their substituting (as in, it's going to be different based on the game state, not just the platoon advantage, which is why Farmer was left in for another AB in the 5th; no need to weaken the defense with 2 outs and a 5-0 lead. But it's like no one in the booth had any idea, they just assumed the Twins would immediately flip the hitters once valdez was out of the game)

A-rod is bad in the studio. He just is. Unoriginal and talks a lot without saying much. Jeter seemed bored. Ortiz didn't seem comfortable on that set.

[IaBeanCounter]

Umpire Scorecard is out +.77 Hou.  The Twins opponents have been favored in all 4 games. (1.46, .96, .43, .77)

[ashbury]

7 minutes ago, IaBeanCounter said:

Umpire Scorecard is out +.77 Hou.  The Twins opponents have been favored in all 4 games. (1.46, .96, .43, .77)

This passes the eye-test, for me.

[Steven Trefz]

1 hour ago, joefish said:

Dis you mean "exorcise"? where you wrote exercise?

I prefer to run my demons until they pass out...  Good catch! Thanks!

[GNess]

Pablo Lopez's performance given the circumstances ranks in the same discussion with the greatest Twins pitching efforts in the postseason all-time. Absolutely dominating against one of the elite lineups in MLB.

[tony&rodney]

6 hours ago, dxpavelka said:

I'll take your word for it but I actually do a little softball umpiring myself and will darned sure make certain that I check that out to be sure.

 

Sorry, I was using the usual call and not the rule. i have not read the rule recently but the umpire has a decision to make. It is a judgment call and contact is not required and even contact is not an automatic obstruction call. The usual call on that play would be obstruction if the runner comes into contact with a fielder without the ball or the umpire feels the runner change their course because a fielder was in the way. Like many rules, the umpire gets to make the call. It is a call, when made, that often brings about a vigorous exchange of verbal thoughts.

[USAFChief]

3 hours ago, Dantes929 said:

Unfortunately, Lewis actually ran out of the path to avoid the catcher.   If he had run straight for the plate they would have collided and he would have gotten the interference* call.   Ironically, the announcer for the game is the one guy in the world I would count on to try to get the interference* call.   Our formerly own AJ Pierzynski

*obstruction 

 

Interference would be called on Lewis for interfering with a fielder

[minman1982]

16 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

Another game to confirm what we ALL on TD have UNIVERSALLY espoused right from the beginning... The Lopez trade and Correa signing were genius! (no need to go review the archives....I said NO NEED!)

I will admit, I was not convinced about the Lopez trade when it happened. I thought giving up Arraez wasn't worth it. I gladly stand corrected on this one. It was one of those rare trades that actually works out for both teams. The Marlins got a great hitter who gets on base and the Twins got an true ace-level pitcher.

[DocBauer]

Can't help saying this, I'm largely a fan of the FO. And Iike to think I'm fair in my opinions of of them. Coming out of ST, I DIDN'T like either not adding 1 arm to the pen, AND/OR just letting a couple arms walk...that had good years...and trusting too much in Moran and Alcala. And I still thought they should have signed a FA RH OF bat or made a similar inexpensive trade similar to the Taylor move to add. 

BUT, I also stated coming out of ST that I really liked this team and it's potential. My biggest concern was the offense, and not just due to the loss of Arraez. We were waiting for Wallner, Larnach, Lewis, Kirilloff, and Julien to step forward. Well, it took a while, but they all did, except for Larnach. (Though he flashed at times). But I honestly didn't expect Kepler to take an honest step forward this season that looks sustainable. 

All of this to say the team the Twins have been the 2nd half, and so far in the playoffs, is the team I expected them to be. And a couple of the young bats haven't exploded as of yet. 

Houston is a very talented team and the reigning WS champ. They are not to be taken lightly. But the Twins are GOOD. Going to Houston, I wanted a split. And we got it! Now momentum swings to the Twins. 

1] Lopez is a stud, and has been for most of the year. And he's under control and only going to be better.

2] Gray is having one of his best seasons and should be rested and pumped and ready for game 3 at home.

3] Correa is doing what he was signed for and expected to do...and has done in his career...regardless of a frustrating, injured season. He's special.

3a] Valdez was about done when Correa came up to bat in the 5th, if I believe. But Valdez produces a lot of ground balls. And Correa has, unfortunately, hit in to a ton of double plays this season. But Correa, being the astute player he is, reportedly, went to the cage to face a bunch of sinkers and told himself "just find a way to lift the ball and don't hit it on the ground". So he went out and did that. Again, he's special.

4] As stated above, a couple of the Twins bats haven't made a major contribution yet. Could we see AK or Wallner step up at home in games 3 or 4 to just end this thing?

5] I just don't want to look beyond game 3 because that would be silly at this point...BUT...if Gray and the rest of the team can make game 3 a W, the Twins have Ryan, Ober, Paddack, and potentially half of the pen for game 4 and the Houston has either a ? OR a 40yr old Verlander on short rest. 

You CAN'T look ahead! You HAVE to take care of business in game 3. But things are lining up for the Twins right now, especially if a couple quiet bats step forward to help.

GO TWINS!

[DocBauer]

Small side note:

I've been restricted in what I've personally seen, but what's with the ump scorecards? A half run differential is NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. But overall, how does the umpire scorecard favor the other team for 5 straight games? 

Is that some kind of fluke? Are the Twins batters maybe TOO disciplined in their approach? Just seems weird to me.

[jkcarew]

16 hours ago, mnfireman said:

Just re-watched this play on mlb.com game recap. Lewis had to swing way out to his right to avoid Maldonado standing in the baseline. I think if the game was closer Baldelli may have used a challenge there. 

It was a rundown play…the catcher has a right to be in the base path (as does the 3rd baseman)…and the catcher was where he was because he was expecting a return throw. The umpire is never going to call obstruction there unless the catcher goes out of his was to initiate some contact…which isn’t what happened.

[jkcarew]

13 hours ago, h2oface said:

Ya gotta love coming home with a 1-1 split. What a great game for the Twins and their fans. 3-1 in this post season. Living high on travel day. 

Why our pitchers keep giving Alvarez anything at all to hit is baffling. Giving him middle middle is just stupefying. 

middle middle is never good, but I’m ok with “over the plate” up 6-0 in the 8th. A walk is even worse in that situation…the guys behind him can reach the seats too…at least he made him beat him. He’s a great hitter, if we can control the rest of the order, we’ll be able to pitch around him when it matters.