The first three games

[longstrangetrip]

A quick start to the season can mean a lot and provide some promise for a good season. At least that is what I have heard...it's been awhile:).

 

This year the Twins start out in Chicago against three lefties. That traditionally has been a prescription for disaster for our boys, but I see it as opportunity with our 2014 roster. Gone are the days where lefties will be much tougher on us than righties. Three of our starters (Dozier, Hicks, and Plouffe) hit much better against lefties, Dozier being the most extreme with an OPS last year of .978 compared to .649 against RHP. Three of our starters (Mauer, Willingham and Suzuki) have no significant difference in OPS against righties and lefties. Left-handed hitting Arcia is 100 points lower in OPS against lefties, but hopefully will be more disciplined this year.

 

That leaves SS and DH. Escobar's OPS against lefties is 200 points higher than Florimon's, and that fact combined with Florimon still not being fully recovered from surgery should lead to Escobar getting at least two of those three starts. We don't know who will make the final roster out of Kubel, Colabello and Parmalee, but the sad fact is that none of them (even RHB Colabello) hit lefties at all. This tells me that Gardy needs to look at Pinto for at least two of the first three starts at DH.

 

The good news is we should be able to field lineups that hit LHP better than previous squads. I'm optimistic about the first three games if Gardy makes the right choice and goes with Escobar and Pinto.

[JB_Iowa]

Pitching Match-ups:

 

 

• LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal 2h
  Looks like the pitching matchups for next week will be: Mon: Nolasco v Sale; Wed: Correia v Felipe Paulino; Thurs: Hughes v Quintana
   
   
   
  
  • LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal 2h
    Those matchups are barring last minute developments
     
     
    Just to add pitching to the discussion, too.
     
     
    

   

   

[Squirrel]

I'm still trying to decide whether or not to go to any of these ...

[longstrangetrip]

Pitching Match-ups:

 

 

• LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal 2h
  Looks like the pitching matchups for next week will be: Mon: Nolasco v Sale; Wed: Correia v Felipe Paulino; Thurs: Hughes v Quintana
  
  • LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal 2h
    Those matchups are barring last minute developments
     
     
    Just to add pitching to the discussion, too.
    

   

   

Thanks for that, JB...I incorrectly had Danks as one of the first three starters.

 

I still think Gardy has potential to field better lineups against LHP than he had in the past.

[Fatt Crapps]

I recall the Twins starting out 4-2 last year. Then they travelled to KC...

[ashbury]

They started out 66-90, but then slumped the rest of the season.

[AScheib50]

I'm still trying to decide whether or not to go to any of these ...

 

As am I. I'm just playing the wait and see game since tix on stubhub are pretty cheap other than for Opening Day. If the weather turns out nice I will probably end up at Wed or Thursday's game.

[longstrangetrip]

They started out 66-90, but then slumped the rest of the season.

 

Ha! Let's hope they can jump out of the box at least as quickly this year.

 

All seriousness aside, though, do others share my belief that we have the potential to be stronger against lefties this year than recent years? And ideally what lineup would you like to see Gardy put out there against LHP?

 

Okay, this is a pre-post edit, because I went back to check Twins splits in recent years. I'm not sure why I have this impression that they don't do well against lefties, because the splits in recent years have been relatively equal. I must be living in the past.

[Paul Pleiss]

The Twins struggled against everyone last season, RHP/LHP, everyone. I look for them to struggle again this season. They would have set an all time record for strikeouts last season if not for the Astros, and they may give that number a run for it's money this season as the youngsters continue to find their groove in the big leagues and guys like Florimon and Suzuki continue to get regular ABs. The pitching will be improved, but the lineup is worse than 2013 and they struggled to score runs last season. Hope for better, prepare for the worst.