Spring Training Game Thread: Twins v Pirates, 3/26/14 @ 12:05pm CT

[Squirrel]

Getting this up EARLY today because my day later on is a mess! But I love my job! I just wish I could watch baseball while I'm working. Thanks to SampleSizeOfOne for posting a game thread yesterday ... it was great!

 

Pirates:

SP, Cumpton

 

Josh Harrison ® LF

Travis Snider (L) RF

Andrew McCutchen ® CF

Travis Ishikawa (L) 1B

Neil Walker (S) 2B

Gaby Sanchez ® DH

Tony Sanchez ® C

Jordy Mercer ® SS

Clint Barmes ® 3B

 

Twins:

SP, Nolasco

 

Brian Dozier ® 2B

Joe Mauer (L) 1B

Jason Kubel (L) LF

Josh Willingham ® DH

Oswaldo Arcia (L) RF

Trevor Plouffe ® 3B

Kurt Suzuki ® C

Aaron Hicks (S) CF

Pedro Florimon (S) SS

 

Since I'm not Brian, I haven't quite as much to think about. I was at the game last Friday when Nolasco pitched, and the Mets scored 7 runs in the first. I just hope Nolasco does better.

 

And this lineup ... I don't hate it; I think it's about as good as it can get with what we have. I'd swap Suzuki and Hicks, though, but at this point, whatever.

 

Okay, chatter it up ... and play ball! (in a few hours)

[Winston Smith]

Thanks Chi Town

I'd bat Hicks 9th because I think he'd have a better chance of being on base when the top of the order comes up than Suzuki or Pedro will. However, I'm not sure any order they pick will help much with this bunch.

[JB_Iowa]

Came in here to hide out. The forum threads are getting a little nasty. Can't wait for the season to start so we can argue about facts instead of projections.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Yeah, the forums often lack humor.

 

I've claimed Pirates as my second team since they signed Mientkiewicz to a minor league deal in '08, and he told them how they'd turned it around while he was in Minnesota.

 

I just took a walk down memory lane, and dug up one of those articles:

 

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/08049/858330-13.stm?cmpid=pirates.xml

 

He has something to say about "accountability" there...

 

Anyway, i'm lookin' forward to a good game either way!

 

"Play Ball!"

[JB_Iowa]

1st inning turned out better than it started.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Yup, Nalasco got those two breaking balls by McCutchen with the runner at second with three balls.

 

Nice to see.

[ashbury]

Yeah, the forums often lack humor.

 

I could run over to the Accountability thread and try to come up with a Carnac routine on "Vance Worley" if you think it would help.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

If you think they'd appreciate it, sure. But don't do it just for me.

 

But i'm not entirely accurate. There is humor in them, it is just less prevalent.

 

I guess it goes with the territory of taking things seriously.

 

And i still enjoy reading them. I just read them a bit less thoroughly sometimes.

[ashbury]

Plouffe with a double to right - what he needs to do, if he wants to see pitches where he needs them for homers.

[Winston Smith]

[ashbury]

If you think they'd appreciate it, sure.

 

Oh, well then. Consider it done.

[ashbury]

 

Wasted here. Bring this to the "Will this team be the worst of the last four years?" thread and cheer everybody right up.

[JB_Iowa]

Going a lot better today for Nolasco than his last outing. Hope it means that whatever he was working on last time came together.

[ashbury]

One hit for each side after four. This may be how good games go this year.

[ashbury]

Only 4 innings for Nolasco, in his final tuneup. Is that a bit short? I guess we should expect no more than 6 next Monday.

[JB_Iowa]

Only 4 innings for Nolasco, in his final tuneup. Is that a bit short? I guess we should expect no more than 6 next Monday.

 

I wondered the same thing about Pelfrey's 4 yesterday. Correia seems more stretched out.

[Fatt Crapps]

Finally Swarzak nails 'em.

[Winston Smith]

Does Willingham look done like last year and his spring ave. seem to indicate?

[ashbury]

Does Willingham look done like last year and his spring ave. seem to indicate?

 

It's hard to be optimistic, but I do think we need to give him a lot of time before giving up on him.

[Halsey Hall]

For some reason Gardy is down at the minors in the tower watching the AA game closely.

[Craig Arko]

 

We're all bozos on this bus.*

 

 

 

 

*Props to those who get the reference.

[ashbury]

For some reason Gardy is down at the minors in the tower watching the AA game closely.

 

It's a game thread. Best explanation for this wins the Internets today. Here's mine:

 

He just wants to get the bitter taste out of his mouth from watching Worley too much, and see some live arms.

[ashbury]

*Props to those who get the reference.

 

Hand me the pliers and I'll assist.

[Craig Arko]

Does Willingham look done like last year and his spring ave. seem to indicate?

 

It means about as much as ST hitting for Hicks last year. See what happens by the Ides of May.

[JB_Iowa]

Should I feel insulted that Hy-Vee (a grocery store chain) has Royals, Cardinals and Cubs peanuts in their ads? (But no Twins, White Sox or Brewers -- all of which are also Iowa "markets" under the BB blackout rules)????

 

They're cut bags, I might have actually bought a Twins one or two for opening day.

[MileHighTwinsFan]

How many times will Joe Mauer be stranded at second base this season. Kubel - K, Willingham pop out.

 

Mauer has to hit third - doesn't he? - if we are ever going to get any runs.

[ashbury]

OK, gotta run now, will have to miss the rest of this slugfest.

[Halsey Hall]

How many times will Joe Mauer be stranded at second base this season. Kubel - K, Willingham pop out.

 

Mauer has to hit third - doesn't he? - if we are ever going to get any runs.

 

No, Mauer has to leadoff.

 

How can they not keep Thielbar? Tonkin is really, really PO'd, is Thielbar next?

[JB_Iowa]

Arcia!!!

[Fatt Crapps]

Boom goes the dynamite.

 

 

..and it was off a lefty.