Twins vs Tigers - March 20, 2024

[RpR]

So far , Varland by 2nd inning -- 6 hits, 2 walks, 5 runs.

[9moons27]

Varland! Ouch!! Sign Montgomery.

[CRF]

Louie's having a rough one today. It happens. No worries. 

[RpR]

last of 43 Spring Training No-Hit games was last March, first since 2017 -- I wonder if the Twins could add one in 2024.  😏

https://www.nonohitters.com/spring-training-no-hitters/

[Parfigliano]

6 minutes ago, RpR said:

last of 43 Spring Training No-Hit games was last March, first since 2017 -- I wonder if the Twins could add one in 2024.  😏

https://www.nonohitters.com/spring-training-no-hitters/

Nope.  Buxton infield single.

[LaBombo]

Morneau: 'A spring start where you have to struggle through some tough innings can have more value getting you ready for the regular season than a good outing'

 

Varland, three pitches later:  <gives up two run bomb to make his line 4 IP, 8 ER, 3 BB, O K>  'All dialed in, Skip'

[Parfigliano]

Lewis hit not a hit

[RpR]

1 minute ago, LaBombo said:

Morneau: 'A spring start where you have to struggle through some tough innings can have more value getting you ready for the regular season than a good outing'

 

Varland, three pitches later:  <gives up two run bomb to make his line 4 IP, 8 ER, 3 BB, O K>  'OK, I'm ready for the season!!!'

Morneau was not a pitcher.☺️

[big dog]

4 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Nope.  Buxton infield single.

Glad to see Buxton back in the lineup and running well!

[Squirrel]

5 minutes ago, RpR said:

Morneau was not a pitcher.☺️

So? He understands what ST is for

[RpR]

17 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

So? He understands what ST is for

For other teams to make the Minnesota Twins look inept?

[FlyingFinn]

I'm thinking the Twins will keep a guy like Headrick or Sands around as the long reliever, like in past years. You can't burn up most of the pen on a day like today when the starter is leaving early.

[MABB1959]

This is an ugly game and it is against the Tigers!

[RpR]

For what it is worth:

The 1997 Marlins had their best ever Spring Training record 26-5, best ever regular season record 92-70 , and won the World Series.

[RpR]

Jeffers get his 4th home run of Spring Training.

[MMMordabito]

50 minutes ago, RpR said:

For what it is worth:

The 1997 Marlins had their best ever Spring Training record 26-5, best ever regular season record 92-70 , and won the World Series.

You've convinced me.  I'm betting half the farm* on the Rockies (14-8 in ST) and the other half on the Nationals (14-9 in ST) to make it to the NLDS.

 

*The only farm that I can possibly claim ownershp on exists in a Minecraft world on a PC in my basement.

[nicksaviking]

1 minute ago, MMMordabito said:

You've convinced me.  I'm betting half the farm* on the Rockies (14-8 in ST) and the other half on the Nationals (14-9 in ST) to make it to the ALDS.

 

*The only farm that I can possibly claim ownershp on exists in Minecraft world on a PC in my basement.

Ha, yeah, I put about as much stock in spring training as I do the All Star Game.

Just get the reps in.

[jaimedude]

Still think Varland is mote valuable as short inning reliever than 5th starter. His stuff suggest one inning guy for being effective. 

[RpR]

35 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Ha, yeah, I put about as much stock in spring training as I do the All Star Game.

Just get the reps in.

And keep on losing.

[9moons27]

Good news. Kepler, Margot, and Wallner have a spring training batting average of .315. When you add their averages together.

[Rosterman]

Yikes - Ouch. Not only was the pitching bad, but the hitting almost worse.

Happens. Even during the regular season. Have to let Varland see how he handles getting out of such messes. Lots of singles with those walks.

Alcala, too, got hit.

[Tbrooker11]

It amazes me every year how often people invest way too heavily into ST stats and W-L records. 

I'd love to know how many times the WS winner has had a losing record in ST.

Or how many times the worst team in baseball had a winning record during ST. 

Or how many players have amazing springs and then do nothing in the regular season and vise versa.

The Phillies blew 3 leads in the 9th inning back to back to back earlier this ST, what are the odds that happens during the regular season?

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Tbrooker11 said:

It amazes me every year how often people invest way too heavily into ST stats and W-L records. 

I'd love to know how many times the WS winner has had a losing record in ST.

Or how many times the worst team in baseball had a winning record during ST. 

Or how m"any players have , amazing springs and then do nothing in the regular season and vise versa.

The Phillies blew 3 leads in the 9th inning back to back to back earlier this ST, what are the odds that happens during the regular season?

'93 Blue Jays, '95 Braves, '08 Phillies, '11 Cardinals, '16 Cubs.

5 times in 31 years, which is 16.129 percentage of World Series winners.

Gee, why didn't the Twins win the World Series when they were lousy in Spring Training, the odds are so high.

Twins ST 1984 = 14-10, 1991 = 21- 10 ,  hmmm, maybe the secret is to lose only 10 games in Spring Training.

[Parfigliano]

4 innings and no K's today by Varland bothers me.

[Tbrooker11]

3 hours ago, RpR said:

'93 Blue Jays, '95 Braves, '08 Phillies, '11 Cardinals, '16 Cubs.

5 times in 31 years, which is 16.129 percentage of World Series winners.

Gee, why didn't the Twins win the World Series when they were lousy in Spring Training, the odds are so high.

Twins ST 1984 = 14-10, 1991 = 21- 10 ,  hmmm, maybe the secret is to lose only 10 games in Spring Training.

Better run and bet on the Red Sox, Nationals, Tigers, or Rockies to win the World Series then!

Currently the only playoff teams from 2023 who have a winning record in Spring Training 2024 are the Orioles and Dodgers. 

But yeah, continue judging teams based on a bunch of guys who will be in the minors for the next few years, or judging teams who have their players split between two games at the same time, or judging teams based on road games that starters haven't been traveling to. 

[SteveLV]

Can Margot hit?  Or is he strictly a platoon player vs. lefties?  .079 batting average, with quite a few AB's?

Looks like he could be another bargain basement bust by the Twins FO......

[Tbrooker11]

31 minutes ago, SteveLV said:

Can Margot hit?  Or is he strictly a platoon player vs. lefties?  .079 batting average, with quite a few AB's?

Looks like he could be another bargain basement bust by the Twins FO......

Career .255 hitter. Batting averages of .264 and .274 the past two seasons. Only played over 100 games once in 4 years with the Rays.