Twins and Losses

Download attachment: pitchin.jpg With Joe Mauer having a big series and an outstanding pitching performance on the mound from a guy named Johan, er, Yohan Thursday night, I’m sure more than a few Twins fans (myself included) were imitating Robin Williams’ character in Jumanji, yelling “What year is it!?”, much to the chagrin to those in close proximity. The year is 2014, and by all accounts the question is somewhat justified. The Royals are coming off a ten-game winning streak and are challengers in the AL Central, the Tigers schizophrenic while Justin Verlander’s ERA approaches 5.00, and the Twins are only five games out of first place through the end of June. No, I promise the date on your watch/phone/newspaper is correct. Did I mention the Twins starting rotation has posted five quality starts last week? Yes, that includes Kevin Correia. Twice. In fact, it was Correia’s start on Monday in Boston that got the train rolling. He pitched six innings giving up just one run and one walk while allowing five hits, the fewest he’s given up since May 20th against the Padres. Then he matched those numbers on Saturday. While his strikeout count leaves a little to be desired (42 over 84.1 innings) he does have a K/BB ratio over two and has only allowed eight HRs, tying him with the likes of Gerrit Cole and Doug Fister. His last few starts are evidence he’s getting his act together, lowering his ERA month by month and seems to be returning to his 4.23 ERA back-of-the- rotation self from yesteryear. Next up last week was Phil Hughes. Do we really need to talk about Phil Hughes? The dude has been lights out for most of the season. He leads the majors in walks per 9 IP (0.8, he’s twelfth in WAR (2.2) and eighth in WHIP (1.13) in the AL, plus he already has 2/3 of his strikeout total from last year (82/121) in about half as many games started. His win percentage is higher than it’s been since 2009 and is tied for seventh in wins in MLB. The Twins concluded the series in Boston on Wednesday by losing in extra innings, cinching the sweep for the Red Sox. The offense was stagnant as it was all series, notching a total of two runs on eleven hits thus wasting a brilliant start by Kyle Gibson. Earlier in the season there were some question marks surrounding Gibson but he appears to have called Stella (or run into Aaron Gleeman at Stella’s) and gotten his groove back. In his last three starts Gibby has been downright dominant, not allowing a run (21 IP) while giving up just nine hits and five walks while striking out sixteen, including a career high eight punch outs Wednesday in Boston. You can almost hear the raspy, metallic voice of Darth Vader uttering “Impressive…” Gibson’s 1.74 K/BB is a little concerning but he also has the tenth best batting average against in the American League at .228, right behind Sonny Gray, so whatever he’s been doing let’s hope he keeps it up. Continuing the Twins quality start streak on Thursday night was Yohan Pino, a thirty-year-old (don’t scoff, he’s about six months younger than Samuel Deduno) career minor leaguer making his major league debut. If you have been paying any attention to the Twins' minor league system this year you are probably aware of Pino’s exploits at AAA Rochester. In fourteen appearances, (including seven starts as Scott Diamond floats away on his ballooning 6.68 ERA) Yohan has a 9-1 record, 1.93 ERA, 0.934 WHIP and a K/BB ratio of 61:16. While some argue that Trevor May deserved the call up it’s hard to argue with those numbers. It's even harder to argue with the numbers he put up Thursday night against the White Sox in Target Field. Pino started off his major league career with back-to-back strikeouts of Adam Eaton and Gordon Beckham and cruised for most of the night, aside from a two-run hiccup in the third inning on his way to an exceptional first impression in a Twins uniform, going seven innings giving up five hits, two earned runs and one walk while striking out seven. Optimism is at an all-time high for the newest addition to the rotation but expectations do need to be held in check. After all, there was another pitcher sporting the number 63 on the mound last year for the Twins who had fantastic starts in his first two outings. He now pitches in Korea. With Hughes and Gibson looking like long term options in the starting rotation and a AAA affiliate brimming with skillful prospect arms chomping at the bit to make it to “the show” it’s hard not to feel good about the future of this club, especially when pitching has been the main problem during a streak of ninety loss seasons. [/hr] Originally posted on twinsandlosses.com Click here to view the article

While the rest of America is struggling to find a seat on the World Cup bandwagon and spouting off regurgitated soccer stats, we here at Twins And Losses have been MIA. Plain and simple, we’ve been busy with life, and we suck! So here’s a photo that hopefully brings a smile to your faces: http://www.twinsandlosses.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/1959348_10104725105941750_3375576155633379102_n.jpg Some quick notes: - Kevin Correia’s monthly ERA total has gone down drastically each month. As a known Correia hater, it helps ease my mind somewhat that there are signs of improvement. From 7.33 in April, to 4.72 in May, to 3.18 in June. Don’t believe me? Click this link and be amazed: http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/gamelog/_/id/5580/kevin-correia - Yohan Pino is getting his first MLB start on Thursday. The Twins have called up the 30 year old career minor leaguer (Ruiz, Colabello), who like May and Meyer, are tearing up AAA Rochester. Pino is 9-1, with a 1.92 ERA in 61 IP. He’s gotten 61 strikeouts to 16 balls, and thrown 2 complete game shutouts. One more thing, he was also a member of the Twins’ orginization about a month before Plouffe, Perkins, and Swarzak were drafted. - I never thought I would be at a point in my Twins fandom where I wanted Aaron Hicks and Trevor Plouffe to come back as soon as possible. The dropped ball by Arcia vs. Detroit still haunts my dreams. *Shudders* - Still in a wanderlust due to the Twins signing Kendrys Morales last week. I thought it was a cruel joke started by someone on the interwebs. Luckily he showed up and has been playing on par with his career numbers. There’s still a little rust to shake off, but Morales has been a nice addition to the Twins, doing what Jason Kubel could not. - Speaking of Kubel, I wish him all the best. I hope he latches on with another team, and gets the chance to retire on his terms. Kubel’s first stint with the Twins was a key part of so many of our post-season runs, so it makes me sad to see how far he’s fallen. That being said, I wasn’t happy that we re-signed him along with Bartlett and Guerrier. Fortunately Matty G. is all that’s left of the “Reunion Tour,” and I don’t for-see him staying with the club all season.

Couldn't agree with you more Paul. Having guys that let their emotions show like Waldo and Casey Fien give me hope for the future because you know they've got one thing on their mind: win at all costs.

I'm with ya man, Papi is what he is but most of us can't wait to see what Dozier can become.

(originally posted on www.twinsandlosses.com) Awhile ago there was a debate surrounding two prominent names near and dear to every heart that beats within Twins Territory that was trying to work out which is/was the better player. A comparison of skill not only with the bat and glove but also the passion in which they play(ed) and their leadership qualities. I’m talking about Mark Rosen’s son vs. The Cannonball. Kid Sideburns vs. Pucky Smiles. Mauer vs. Puckett. But I ask you fellow fans, are we asking the right questions? Should we be comparing two of our most beloved players when doing so is like asking which Twins logo you prefer, the “M” of the “TC”? You like them both, just for different reasons. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand” and I must say I agree. Instead of comparing two folklore heroes let us instead parallel two southern boys, albeit one from a little more south than the other. Not only are they well known to Twins fans but also both are still active players giving this evaluation an additional dimension the Joe/Kirby discussion had lacked. I propose this showdown to you: an up-and-comer squaring off against a well-established slugger. The Curly Fro vs. The Golden Flow. The Igniter vs. Big Papi. Dozier vs. Ortiz. The Competitors: [TABLE=width: 640] Name:[TD=width: 148]Brian Dozier[/TD] [TD=width: 148]David Ortiz[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Age:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]27[/TD] [TD=width: 148]38[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Hometown:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Tupelo, MS[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Santo Domingo, DR[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Height:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]5’ 11”[/TD] [TD=width: 148]6’ 4”[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Weight:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]190 lbs. (86 kg)[/TD] [TD=width: 148]250 lbs. (113 kg)[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Position:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Second Base[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Designated Hitter[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Experience:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]2 years[/TD] [TD=width: 148]17 years[/TD] [TD=width: 148]Debut:[/TD] [TD=width: 148]5/7/2012[/TD] [TD=width: 148]9/2/1997[/TD] [/TABLE] Offense* This is where I initially got the idea for this expose that you are perusing. It all started out innocently enough as a short story about how I think Brian Dozier has a shot at an All-Star nod this year, yet the deeper I dove into the numbers the more times I saw the names “Dozier” and “Ortiz” in close proximity to one another. Two pages of notes later I decided to split the numbers into three “rounds” complete with pretty spreadsheets. Before we begin, if you’d like to get more into the mood, I suggest cueing up for an enhanced experience. Round One: “Primary Stats” [TABLE=width: 640] [/TD][TD=width: 44]AB [TD=width: 44]R[/TD] [TD=width: 44]H[/TD] [TD=width: 44]2B[/TD] [TD=width: 44]3B[/TD] [TD=width: 44]HR[/TD] [TD=width: 44]RBI[/TD] [TD=width: 44]BB[/TD] [TD=width: 44]SO[/TD] [TD=width: 44]Dozier[/TD] [TD=width: 44]167[/TD] [TD=width: 44]40[/TD] [TD=width: 44]43[/TD] [TD=width: 44]4[/TD] [TD=width: 44]0[/TD] [TD=width: 44]11[/TD] [TD=width: 44]25[/TD] [TD=width: 44]30[/TD] [TD=width: 44]38[/TD] [TD=width: 44]Ortiz[/TD] [TD=width: 44]154[/TD] [TD=width: 44]22[/TD] [TD=width: 44]46[/TD] [TD=width: 44]8[/TD] [TD=width: 44]0[/TD] [TD=width: 44]11[/TD] [TD=width: 44]25[/TD] [TD=width: 44]24[/TD] [TD=width: 44]29[/TD] [/TABLE] See what I mean? By examining only these eight stats one might think that our two fighters ballplayers are nearly identical at the plate, and the numbers point in that direction. Dozier (AB, R, BB, SB) and Ortiz (H, 2B, SO) notch three points but they also split three categories (triples, home runs, runs batted in) to tie the first round at five. Some stats are expected such as Dozier’s lead in runs (tops in the MLB) and Ortiz’s lead in hits (although surprisingly close) but others are rather impressive. For example, Dozier has more walks even though he hasn’t been intentionally walked at all this season while Ortiz has been given nine free passes (none via the Twins). Another is the tie in HR and RBI since Dozier blushes at the notion of being thought of as a power hitter while Ortiz is known for nothing but. At the end of the first round it’s all tied up. Round Two: “Secondary Stats” [TABLE=width: 640] [/TD][TD=width: 63]SB [TD=width: 63]BA[/TD] [TD=width: 63]OBP[/TD] [TD=width: 63]SLG[/TD] [TD=width: 63]OBP[/TD] [TD=width: 63]WAR[/TD] [TD=width: 63]Dozier[/TD] [TD=width: 63]12[/TD] [TD=width: 63].257[/TD] [TD=width: 63].374[/TD] [TD=width: 63].479[/TD] [TD=width: 63].853[/TD] [TD=width: 63]1.8[/TD] [TD=width: 63]Ortiz[/TD] [TD=width: 63]0[/TD] [TD=width: 63].299[/TD] [TD=width: 63].394[/TD] [TD=width: 63].565[/TD] [TD=width: 63].959[/TD] [TD=width: 63]1.5[/TD] [/TABLE] As you might have expected this is where Ortiz starts to make some noise for himself on the spreadsheet. Already an established (and feared) batter he takes four out of six in this round even though I slipped stolen bases in there to make a case for Dozier (he’s tied with Ben Revere for 6th in the league) however unfair that may be for Ortiz. While BD only gets two points for the round, it should be noted that his OBP is only twenty points behind Papi while batting more than forty points worse. In fact, the numbers Dozier has put up in OBP, SLG and OBP are good for the second best in the MLB for second basemen behind only Chase Utley and his 1.8 WAR ties him for 15th in the entire MLB with Carlos Gomez and places him twenty spots ahead of Papi in that grouping. Regardless, at the end of the second round now Ortiz leads the overall point total 9-7. Round Three: “Expanded/SABR Stats” [TABLE=width: 640] [/TD][TD=width: 49]P/PA [TD=width: 49]XBH[/TD] [TD=width: 49]SF[/TD] [TD=width: 49]RC[/TD] [TD=width: 49]SecA[/TD] [TD=width: 49]AB/HR[/TD] [TD=width: 49]BB/PA[/TD] [TD=width: 49]BB/K[/TD] [TD=width: 49]Dozier[/TD] [TD=width: 49]4.18[/TD] [TD=width: 49]15[/TD] [TD=width: 49]3[/TD] [TD=width: 49]32.9[/TD] [TD=width: 49].455[/TD] [TD=width: 49]15.2[/TD] [TD=width: 49]14.8%[/TD] [TD=width: 49]0.79[/TD] [TD=width: 49]Ortiz[/TD] [TD=width: 49]3.92[/TD] [TD=width: 49]19[/TD] [TD=width: 49]0[/TD] [TD=width: 49]33.8[/TD] [TD=width: 49].422[/TD] [TD=width: 49]14.0[/TD] [TD=width: 49]13.3%[/TD] [TD=width: 49]0.83[/TD] [/TABLE] Once again we see a dead heat between the two. Dozier appears to be slightly more patient at the plate posting better figures in P/PA and BB/K while Ortiz continue to flex his muscle both figuratively and literally by notching more XBH, RC and fewer at bats between home runs. Dozier’s impressive SecA is not only higher than Ortiz’s but every other player in the MLB aside from the human videogame that is Troy Tulowitzki (.586), Jose Bautista (.494), and Giancarlo Stanton (.465). Pretty good company if you ask me. The end of the third round still has David Ortiz in the lead by a score of 13-11. Defense I am aware that this part of the comparison may not be very fair to David Ortiz since he doesn’t exactly play in the field much these days but defense is an important part of the game and Dozier’s incredible play this season needs to recognized. Here’s a shot of his numbers so far: Round Four [Part One]: Brian Dozier [TABLE=width: 640] GP[TD=width: 44]FULL[/TD] [TD=width: 44]TC[/TD] [TD=width: 44]PO[/TD] [TD=width: 44]A[/TD] [TD=width: 44]E[/TD] [TD=width: 44]DP[/TD] [TD=width: 44]FPCT[/TD] [TD=width: 44]RF[/TD] [TD=width: 44]DWAR[/TD] [TD=width: 44]42[/TD] [TD=width: 44]381[/TD] [TD=width: 44]209[/TD] [TD=width: 44]77[/TD] [TD=width: 44]129[/TD] [TD=width: 44]3[/TD] [TD=width: 44]26[/TD] [TD=width: 44].986[/TD] [TD=width: 44]4.86[/TD] [TD=width: 44]0.0[/TD] [/TABLE] To shed some light to the assessment of the above stats, consider this: he is second in the MLB in games played, assists, total chances and third in full innings played; in the AL he is third in both range factor and double plays turned. Heck, he’s had multiple web gem moments at the quarter-point of the season and was even featured in an ESPN Sports Science segment. He credits his composure on the field amidst all the action that comes his way to Tom Kelly for teaching him to “keep calm” out there. For a small contrast between Dozier and Ortiz on the field, Brian’s 1.6 DWAR this season is better than any that Ortiz has ever posted by more than a run and a half. Always the humble kid from Mississippi, he never fails to credit his teammates with his success while sporting an infectious smile. Need a refresher of this defensive prowess? I got one right . Round Four [Part Two]: David Ortiz Never known for flashing this leather, Ortiz wasn’t a bad first basement just… not exciting nor has he ever posted a positive DWAR. Nor was he really ever at first base. In his previous sixteen seasons Ortiz started 250 games at 1B whereas Dozier has started 183 in three seasons. Like I said, not exactly a fair fight. I even tried to look up “David Ortiz defensive highlights” and got nothing except a clip of him from game three of the 2013 World Series. Total Points: Brian Dozier – 3, David Ortiz – 0 (DNQ) Round Five: “Passion/Leadership” We’ve all heard Ortiz’s rousing speech to the city of Boston proclaiming it as “their f-king city” and know that his veteran presence in the dugout has helped bring the Red Sox together time and time again through player-only clubhouse meetings and (my own theory) the fact that no one would want to make a man of that size and stature angry which makes his leadership qualities undeniable. Papi has always been know as a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and has no problem doing what needs to be done in order to notch a “W” up on the board thanks to a seemingly inextinguishable fire to win raging inside his rotund midsection. While his hot start this season has been one for the ages in Twins Territory, Dozier just isn’t as well established in the clubhouse to garner as much respect although I doubt if he called a meeting he would be the only one in attendance. If you’ve seen him play you know he has no problem laying everything on the line to make a play at second base that has you wondering “How did he do that?” followed by “Thank [insert preferred religious figure here] he’s on our team.” I’m sure with time Dozier will have no issue becoming an elder statesman in the future within Twins locker room but that comes with experience and tenure with the club. I’m not saying he’ll be a Puckett or Hunter, although he seems to show the same amount of passion for the game, but if his skills continue to flourish at the rate they are right now we could have a leader similar to the one we thought we’d get with Joe Mauer. Total Points: Brian Dozier – 1, David Ortiz – 2 Final Scorecard: Brian Dozier – 15, David Ortiz – 15 Conclusion: As it sits, the Twins are getting this kind of production out of a younger player for $540,000 while the Red Sox pay $15 million for slightly better hitting and no defense. We’re only at the quarter point of the season so we’ve yet to see if any of the aforementioned numbers are sustainable but given the information you have just read (unless you skipped to the bottom to see who won in which case welcome back): Who would you rather have? *All stats current as of 5/19/14

(Originally posted on www.twinsandlosses.com) Something tells me that the atmosphere surrounding the Boston sports market is a little less than chipper at the moment. The Celtics missed the playoffs for the first time since the ’07-’08 season, the Bruins lost game seven of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to their bitter rival Montreal on home ice and the Cannons are off to a 1-2 start (hey, professional lacrosse is big over there). Oh yeah, and the defending World Series champion Red Sox are treading .500 water and just lost a series to the Island of Misfit Players that is the Minnesota Twins. Regahdless, dis ain’t exactly been a wicked pissa of a time fo’ dem chowda heads who ain’t use-ta seein’ dis kinda gahbage. (Un)Fortunately for us Minnesota sports fans, we are used to that kind of gahbage. I mean garbage. Our (male) basketball team hasn’t made the playoffs since ’03-’04, the Wild got bounced from the Western Conference semis in six games and we’re ecstatic if our baseball team is even remotely close to .500 at any time during the season. Hope springs eternal. But it wasn’t hope that helped the Twins earn their first series win against Boston at Target Field since it opened in 2010 (although it should be noted that the Twins are now 6-0 in series rubber matches this season), rather it came in the form of unlikely heroes in dramatic fashions. Chris Parmelee was the man of the hour in the first game of the series blasting a 9th inning walk off two run shot to the right field bleachers off of Red Sox reliever Andrew Miller. The Twins threw up five runs in the second inning and Ricky Nolasco pitched a solid six innings giving up three runs on six hits (including two solo HRs by Ortiz) but the Sox battled back and a poor outing by Michael Tonkin in the seventh inning that saw him give up three runs on three hits, tying the game until Parms sent fans home happy in the bottom of the ninth. Game two of the series was more of the same, and by that I mean that Ortiz hit another two dingers bringing his season total from seven to eleven in the span of two games. A seemingly typical short and horrific start for Kevin Correia (4 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 K) coupled with Papi Power spelled doom for the Twins as the were trounced 9-4 behind a solid outing from Felix Doubront (6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K). The series came down to a rubber match on Thursday afternoon that saw Phil Hughes continue his dominance pitching six solid innings allowing five hits, one earned run and striking out eight. His opponent on the mound however did not fair so well. Clay Buchholz surrendered ten hits in his six innings of work giving up three runs while striking out six and walking three. Burton and Fien combined for two perfect innings and it looked like the series was won as Glen Perkins took the mound for the save. Except Perkins didn’t get the save. Instead, he gave up four hits and two runs in his inning of work sending the finale to extra innings. Duensing came in in the tenth and slammed the door on the Sox, which left it up to the offense to as Larry the Cable Guy says “Get’r done” and get’r done they did. Kurt Suzuki continued his rampage this season with a double off of Andrew Miller (remember him from game one?) and Aaron Hicks came through in the clutch just a day after getting ripped by Gardenhire and Rob Antony for not being prepared with a walk off single. With spirits high and the Twins now sitting at 19-20 they look to hit the .500 mark for the first time since May 4th tonight against the Mariners at home. Kyle Gibson (3-3, 4.74 ERA) looks to shutdown the high-flying Seattle offense and the Twins hope to spoil Chris Young’s perfect record (3-0, 2.63 ERA). First pitch is at 7:10 at Target Field broadcasting on KTwin 96.3 or Fox Sports North.

Stability has certainly not been one of our strong suits in the past few years that's for sure. Throw in a "player-who-shouldn't-even-be-on-the-team" or a prospect (sometimes called up too early) into those gaps caused by injury, pair it with seemingly incompetent/cheap front office and you start accumulating consecutive 90+ loss seasons. I'll continue to harbor hope and optimism for the future with all the young talent still yet to blossom in the minors. I read an old Twins fan's post somewhere saying that he hadn't been this excited too see young blood in the organization since the '84-'85 years and we all know what happened after that. Fingers crossed.

This article sums up being a Twins fan perfectly: always hoping for the best, trying to be patient, having an abundance of enthusiasm and excitement but more often than not wondering "What are they thinking?" Good piece of writing.

(Originally posted on twinsandlosses.com) Haikus written for each of the Twins Opening Day 2014 starters This was our lineup, An ode to Opening Day, Looks different now. C – Kurt Suzuki We all know his age, Yet still showing he has it. Mauer wants his knees. 1B – Joe Mauer Moved to first this year, He found that sweet swing again! Uh oh, back spasms. 2B – Brain Dozier Should be an All Star, Have you seen this dude’s Web Gems? Please bring back the hair. 3B – Trevor Plouffe He knows how to hit. He has made the adjustments. Now, consistency. SS – Pedro Florimon He can’t swing a bat, Is the glove really worth it? Here comes Santana. LF – Josh Willingham Been out since April, Was hitting two ninety four, Now can’t hit a tee. CF – Aaron Hicks Fly ball against wall, Now on seven day DL. Needs more Triple A. RF – Oswaldo Arcia Hurt after four games, Wrist still sore in rehab stint. Thank God he’s still young. DH – Jason Kubel Hey we know this guy, Welcome back to Loserville. Better than Cleveland? SP – Ricky Nolasco Big free agent splash, Forty-nine million bucks. Bring back Garza please.

(Originally posted on twinsandlosses.com) As the saying goes: “April showers bring May flowers.” They also bring two rainouts at Target Field in a matter of three days. Following the rain spell the Twins frolicked their merry way to four straight losses in ways that made you want to do a rain dance in your living room. Fun stats include: a team RISP ratio of 7-40 (17.5%), a team strikeout rate of 27% and Jared Burton generously giving a 12th inning homerun to Drew Butera. April showers should bring center field pine trees with them, not flowers. That all-too-familiar feeling of “here we go again…” began to slowly creep in as lawn chairs and grills were pulled out of storage so Twins Territory could wait for the inevitable in comfort. Just when all hope seemed lost, Toto blessed the rains down in Minnesota and the Twins won two of three against the Orioles thanks to solid pitching, stingy defense and even a Joe Mauer opposite field three run homer (no, seriously, there’s video proof). The winning streak continued in Cleveland the following night as the pitching staff turned in a ten-inning shutout earning Gibson his third win, Perkins his eighth save and the Twins their “Back to .500” achievement badge. In fact three different Twins players also earned new achievement badges last night at Jacob’s Field. I mean Progressive Field. Please excuse the slip-up I have the same problem with Camp Snoopy. I mean Nickelodeon Universe. Regardless, will the following Twin Scouts (I’m almost certain the Twins organization has a Boy Scout copycat that hands out badges to players based off achievement) please come up and receive your badges: Samuel Deduno, Danny Santana and Logan Darnell. Samuel Deduno – “First Start of the Season” Badge Still looking for his “First Win of the Season” badge, Sam didn’t do much to help himself earn it in the first two innings last night giving up four runs (three earned). He did settle down after his shaky start lasting five innings but he was his typical erratic self, recording his second balk of the season that equals his season total from last year in one-tenth the number of innings. Don’t get me wrong, the offense did Sammy no favors but when a third of your hits are RBI doubles you’re looking in the wrong cookbook for the recipe to success. Gardy had told the media before the game that his pitch count was going to be in the 75-80 range so seeing Deduno being pulled after 77 came as no surprise to anyone. Look for him to try and get his groove back in his second start against the red hot Tigers in Detroit this weekend. I know that sounds bad but just remember: Deduno is tied for 6th in American League in complete games. Danny Santana – “First Major League Start” Badge Yes I know his debut was technically Monday when he pinch ran and recorded his first hit but for the sake of the bit let’s go with it. Look, I even fixed the badge name. Anyways, Santana got his first experience in the field at shortstop and didn’t look half bad in the role. Known for being error prone he kept his composure on a nasty one hopper and also helped to turn a double play. He still looks a little Bambi-eyed at the plate however, going 0-3 with a strikeout and dropping his batting average from a legendary 1.000 to a run-of-the-mill .250. His speed, which he displayed in first career plate appearance reaching on an infield single, was just as advertised and almost reminiscent of Christian Guzman [insert Million Dollar Man sound effect here]. With such a small sample size it’s hard to judge what this 23 year old will really turn out to be but we’ve seen some upside. Logan Darnell – “First Major League Appearance” Badge Drafted by the Twins in 2010 from the University of Kentucky this twenty-five year old left handed hurler pitched three perfect innings of relief in his first taste of pro baseball. Sporting a good fastball (89-93mph), a changeup that dipped to 67mph and a curveball/slider combo in the mid 80s, his locations were well chosen and for the most part well executed. Darnell only needed 33 pitches to retire nine batters with a variety of infield singles, deep flyouts and a strikeout against Michael Brantley (3-2 count, fastball outside) utilizing his breaking balls very effectively. Just as with Santana, this is small sample size but we caught a glimpse of a face we could become very familiar with. “Logan, Danny and Samuel, you have all entered Twin Scouts via a different paths. You have learned the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout Motto, Scout Sign, Salute and handshake. You have a clear goal and are taking the right path toward this goal. These scout Badges represent the first step towards achieving your career goals.” -DM

Perfect. Using it.

Quick math has them at a little over 700 walks, and 750ish runs.

In regards to the runs / walks scored Bot 8?

http://www.twinsandlosses.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/sb2cn.jpg (Originally posted on twinsandlosses.com) #IfTheTwinsWereWWE (CC: Phil Mackey, Dana Wessel), Joe Mauer would be "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels. Joe has had more back and knee problems than Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker combined. ** Alas, this post is not about Joe, nor is it an article where I tear my shirt ala Hulk Hogan when I finish writing. No, this post is to compare the 2013 Twins versus the 2014 Twins. We'll look at team stats to see: A) If the Twins are on pace to avoid 100 losses, In a better place than 2013, and C) Slowly turning the franchise for the better. Through May 1st, the Twins were 12-14 in 2014. They were last at .500 on 4/30. The Twins are 4-4-1 in series wins, losses, and spilts. The 2013 Twins were 12-12 through May 1st, and last at .500 on 5/13/2013. The Twins were 4-3-2 in wins, losses, and splits. Let that sink in for a moment. The 2013 Twins were NEVER at or above .500 after May 13th. The Twins pitching staff currently holds a 4.78 ERA. They've given up 147 runs, 141 of them earned. They've thrown 170 strikeouts, to 102 walks. The 2014 pitching staff is on pace for 821 strikeouts, and 570 walks. That's, uh...that's not so good. Especially when you put R. Nolasco ($12 mil) and P. Hughes ($8 mil) into the mix. Meanwhile, the 2013 Twins had a team ERA of 4.55, 985 SOs, and 458 BBs. They did all of that with guys like P.J. Walters and "Shining" Scotty Diamond (#FreeScottDiamond). Vance Worley never pitched in the majors for the Twins past May, and we were saddled with many innings of "Pelf" and "Corre-dog." *** Let's take a look at hitting, seeing as I'm a glutton for punishment. 2014 has a .248 BA, to .343 OBP. In comparison, the 2014 Red Sox are .244, and .337. The Twins have 268 SOs, to 141 BBs. The Likes of Dozier, Plouffe, Colabello have helped the Twins to 250 Hs, 149 Rs, and 135 RBIs. That would put the 2014 Twins on pace for: 1497 strikeouts. 788 walks. 1397 hits. 832 runs 754 runs-batted-in. Here's the 2013 Twins in comparison: 1430 strikeouts. 533 walks. 1346 hits. 614 runs. 590 runs-batted-in. ...the Twins are currently on pace to score more runs (+218), RBIs (+164), hits (+51), and BBs (+255). And the Twins got big name free agents, such as Jason Kubel, Jason Bartlett, and Kurt Suzuki. Not exactly Murderer's Row, but the Twins have always found ways to win with many Not-Ready-For-Primetime Players. Josmil Pinto, Bull-Dozier, Chris Colabello, and Trevor Plouffe have been the heart and soul of this team 29 games into the season. When you look at the stats, the players, and their record, it's hard to say that the Twins are over-achieving. Dozier and Plouffe have seemed to figure out how to play at the major league level, while guys like Mauer, Nolasco, and Hughes will (hopefully) get better as the season goes along. The Twins spent money on pitching, and somehow ended up with better hitting out of the deal. That makes sense. I predict the 2014 Twins will stay around .500 rest of the way. My quick math has the Twins at 75-87 should they continue to play at the same pace. The Twins are finding pieces that fit the style Ron Gardenhire manages best, and doing so while keeping the payroll well below the $120 million spent in 2010. Time well tell if the Twins will regain their AL Central dominance, but they look to be headed in the right direction. -PL ** Slight exaggeration. Those three combined have had more injuries than Vikings have had quarterbacks. *** I don't know what Gardy has dubbed Correia. Kevy? Corry? Reia-y?