Sunday pregame: Twins/Orioles
Posted on September 14th, 2008 – 11:14 AMBy Joe Christensen
BALTIMORE — Boof Bonser said his back feels better today. Sounds like he could have had a muscle spasm last night, and if there is no lingering pain, he won’t have to miss much time.
The Twins have won eight consecutive games at Camden Yards, and they’ll try to make it nine in today’s series finale with the Orioles, who are 2-12 in their past 14 games.
(*) Sounds like Scott Baker will indeed pitch Wednesday, opposite Cleveland’s Cliff Lee. Baker or Glen Perkins pitched Saturday and would need to bounce back on three day’s rest for that start.
Perkins had the shorter outing Saturday, but Manager Ron Gardenhire knows Perkins missed 3 1/2 months last season with a shoulder injury.
“I think our guy will be Baker,” Gardenhire said. “I think he’s the one guy, the bigger stronger guy who has been around a little bit. He’s the one guy we’re not afraid to do it with. Perkins threw 28 innings or 30 innings last year. We’re in an area, where I don’t think giving him more starts is what we’re trying to do.”
(*) Gardy, on Morneau taking third base on Nick Markakis in Game 2 Saturday:
“When he took off running, I went, ‘Oh my.’ I thought they were going to relay and get him. But that’s the way he plays.
“He’s looking in the dugout for a green light. I’m telling you, he’s looking in there, and I’m going ‘Ooof.’ But he’s always looking to take advantage, and that’s a baseball player.”
Twins (82-66)
1. Denard Span, RF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Brian Buscher, 3B
8. Nick Punto, SS
9. Carlos Gomez, CF
Starting pitcher: RH Nick Blackburn (10-8, 3.67 ERA)
Orioles (65-82)
1. Brian Roberts, 2B
2. Adam Jones, CF
3. Nick Markakis, RF
4. Aubrey Huff, 3B
5. Ramon Hernandez, C
6. Luke Scott, DH
7. Oscar Salazar, 1B
8. Lou Montanez, LF
9. Juan Castro, SS
Starting pitcher: RH Radhames Liz (5-5, 7.75)
Camden Yards. First pitch: 12:35 p.m.
134 Responses to "Sunday pregame: Twins/Orioles"
Delmon Young has some flaws but he’s a gamer!! Let’s hope the O’s continue to struggle on the mound and we can take advantage. Blackburn can really cement himself as the number 4 starter with a good outing.
Also, it was nice to see Gardy blew the dust off of Brendan Harris and Randy Ruiz last night. Ruiz didn’t look very good after his RBI single in the 1st, but he got a big knock early in the game.
The home town nine should crush this clown today. We do seem to not fair well against scrub pitchers though. We have won games against Webb, Peavy, Sheets, and Cliff Lee than we get these scrubs and they seem to wow us.
Wouldn’t it be great if we won and the Sox got swept today…giving us a 1 1/2 game lead? This division is ours to take starting this weekend!
Who are the Twins going to make the sacrificial lamb vs. Lee this week?
i wish harris would get more playing time, but its nice to see that gardy rolled out what he thinks is his best lineup instead of resting players and getting new ones in there.
White Sox could be rained out today & facing a rare triple header at end of the season?
no triple headers….niether team has common off days so they would only play as many as necessary depending on the standings
If the White Sox “owe” three games, they would have to play a doubleheader Monday (9/29) and a single on Tuesday, if necessary, correct? Say, the Twins led by 1.5 games, they would have to wait and see what the Sox and toothless ones did, and if the Sox swept, then they’d have to play a one-game playoff in Chicago.
The Twins have scored 766 runs this year, 4th in MLB, 3rd in the AL.
Delmon and Harris have produced 224 runs. (Runs + RBI - HR)
Jason Bartlett has produced 69 runs. (same formula)
So the Twins have gained 155 runs in exchange for the loss of Matt Garza this year.
The players’ defensive performance is also a factor, especially Bartlett’s.
Remembering last year’s struggle for runs (Johan losing 2-1 games), IMO it was well worth it for one year.
A realistic evaluation of the trade will obviously take several more years.
Anybody here thinks that the Tigers would tank that last doubleheader just to spite us?
Carlos Gomez’ march to infamy:
Year AB Strikeouts
1972 513 145 Bobby Darwin
1973 560 137 Bobby Darwin
1997 443 130 Rich Becker
2008 524 130 Carlos Gomez
In 1972, Bobby Lee Darwin set the all-time Twins mark in futility, by striking out 145 times. To the Twins credit, and their willingness to play the game the right way, in only three seasons since, has a Twins player struck out 130 or more times. Darwin did it again in 1973 and 24 years later Rich Becker put together one of the worst seasons in Twins history whiffing 130 times. Carlos Gomez has now joined the ugliness, eleven years after Becker’s pathetic display.
Sane,
I suppose two players would produce more runs than one. Too bad neither Harris or Young can play SS, or any other position for that matter.
Sane,
Beyond acknowledging your remedial arithmetic, I can’t find any logic in your post.
“I suppose two players would produce more runs than one”
Two players produce 224 runs.
One player produces 69 runs, or LESS THAN 1/3 of the two-player total.
Either of the two produce more than Bartlett.
If you can’t find any logic, then I guess I will direct the post toward whomever can find the logic.
[…] Originally published by Around the Majors […]
Sane,
Makes sense to me.
My brother thinks Delmon needs glasses, seriously, not a knock. Opinions out there?
+155? I suppose if the left fielder produces 0 for the season.
I suppose the fact that Bartlett has 409 AB and Harris and Young have a combined 929 AB shouldn’t matter?
Or the fact that Harris is such a bad fielder he has become a bench rider?
If you add Bartlett’s production to a couple of scrap heap bums the Rays signed for nothing, like Cliff Floyd and Eric Hinske, you have about the same productivity of Harris-Young.
The Rays would not trade Jason Bartlett straight up for Young, Harris and Pridie. I personally guarantee it. They are glad to be rid of those three bums, and they credit Bartlett for much of their success. They sure as hell wouldn’t throw in one of the best pitchers in baseball: Matt Garza.
The Rays got lucky somewhat with Garza. Garza was not even close to that good last year and had an attitude problem. He went to a psychologist and got help, I believe. As sane said thougg, 1 year is not enough time to make a judgement.
I mean, though
Great start, Blackburn. Not. *sigh*
Twins look like they have hits left in them after yesterday. Young grounds out on first pitch. It would not hurt if he took a pitch once in awhile at least make the pitcher work.
One pitch, grounds out to SS. How many times do we have to watch that replay? Pathetic.
I mean ‘no hits’ left in them.
yeah, guess the season is over. again.
Um, I am certainly not in that idiotic crowd who thinks that after every game. But it is frustrating sometimes though.
Hi mickey,
The season was over after winning two straight and scoring only 24 runs yesterday. Awful.
Nice to see blackie is taking a page from Perkins and grooving some balls.
Blackburn is following in Perks footsteps today. Salazar has 4 HRs total. 2 of them against the Twins in this series.
Another starter hitting the wall.
Another starter having a bad start. We’ll see if it continues.
Twins afraid of sweeping a series.
All the REAL fans are here today. No REAL baseball fan watches a stupid football game in the middle of a division race.
Football season started?
A hit!
Great job Punto!
Sane,
We all understand you’re a friend of Delmon’s. We can respect your desire for him to do well. As Twins fans we all do. But please stop finding any number you can you think justifies an argument for him being good. He could be someday but he is underachieving to this point of his career (and let’s not hear the he’s 22 argument. We all know that).
Look at his at bats this week. Swinging at everything (first pitches, bad pitches, when a pitcher has lost his control and is walking people, K’s and double plays with men in scoring postion) No sign of improvement or getting the message. Stubborn can just be a nice way of saying he uncoachable. Maybe it will change but the anecdotal evidence to this point suggests otherwise. Sane, if you think Delmon was, and his talent is of that of at .285 opposite field singles hitter, then you’re right to think he’s doing well.
bufftwins,
Being a “gamer” (as you called Delmon) is not a player who shows up and plays despite an injury or some sort of ailment. The player actually has to produce to be a gamer. 2-9, ground ing into double plays and swinging at everything withing 5 feet of the plate is being a “gamer” and not being able to track anything down hit to left because he can’t run. That’s actually stubborn, selfish or whatever word you’d prefer. I’m surprised he didn’t swing when they tried to intentionally walk.
All of this coming at was a terrible week for him at the plate. It’s nice to hear the “gamer” finally decieded to was the first time he should get some treatment for an ankle that’s been hurt for weeks.
Go Twins!
hi craig,
correct me if i’m wrong, but didn’t you also give your personal guarantee that the twins would not eat lamb’s contract? (for the record, i totally agreed.)
Happy 23rd Delmon! Thanks for the weak groundout with two men on to end the 4th.
Its a homerun derby today
Once again Blackburn takes us out of first place.
Blackburn should remember he’s a starting pitcher, not a reliever!
Are the Sox even going to play one game today? Geesh.
Blackburn says why wait until the relivers blow it.
It is almost like the the twins forget that they are on the road for the first couple of games and then suddenly remember.
Nora,
Supposed to stop raining down here in Chicago by 4pm, supposedly.
arg…
I wonder what team will pick up Punto in the off season I hope his time with the the Twins is over.
Punto needs an off week.
Sit Punto Gardy!
Can anyone tell me why Punto doesn’t have a seat next to Gardy? He is pathetic.
Gardy is addicted to Punto and just can’t quit
punto needs an off-career
Humber looks like he is fitting in with the bullpen.
Let’s have a contest. Think of adjectives that describe Nick Punto. I’ll start:
AWFUL.
The keys here are more the lack of offense against a guy with Livan type numbers and a starting pitcher that didn’t give us a chance.
Another scrub shutting the Twins out. We have a knack for that.
Twins: Making Cy Yuk pitchers into Cy Young.
Bad, Crappy, Dumb, Excruciating, Foul, Ghastly, Horrendous, Idiotic…
Just like yesterday. Oh wait…LOL
On a positive note…the Reyes-Bonser clone looks to be promissing
Looks like both minnesota teams are intent on laying an egg today. Although this game wasn’t nearly as bad as the other one.
LNP = T-Jack
Liz is a horrible pitcher and there isn’t a good enough excuse in the world to not get a win against him two starts in a row.
Twins need to take care of business in Cleveland before they get destroyed four games in a row at the Trop.
Liz threw the ball really well, and Blackburn gave us no chance. I hope Punto pulls his head out of his butt when the Twins land in Cleveland. Two stupid base running plays. The second one, Jerry White was telling him to get back to first, but he thought he could get away with it. But Gardy will have him back out there Monday. And why the hell was Mauer catching in the bottom of the 8th? It’s a muggy 90 degree day and he’s still in there? What would happen if he got a foul tip and got hurt? And then he pinch hits for Joe leading off the 9th. Just ridiculous managing. You kind of knew when we went 6 up and 6 down and the O’s took a 2-0 lead it was going to be a bad day.
And for all the Vikes fans, did you really think the creative mind of Brad Childress and the arm of T-Jack were going to beat Peyton and the Colts?
Tough day to be a sports fan in the Minni-Apple.
At least the twins will have a winning season this year. The twins yet again are proving that they are a better organization than the Norseman. The Norseman game today was the worst loss I have seen in years, but I am not surprised. That is the difference between the twins and the football team. The twins can actually bring joy into your life.
“correct me if i’m wrong, but didn’t you also give your personal guarantee that the twins would not eat lamb’s contract? (for the record, i totally agreed.)”
mickey,
I personally guaranteed that Tolbert would make the team out of spring training.
Even a bad pitcher can have a good start now and then same as a good pitcher having a bad start.
It is almost backwards. The twins can beat Cy Young winners, but get shutdown by Cy Yuk pitchers. Whatever. As long as the twins win 2 of 3 in Cleveland, they will be fine.
Burning Bush says:
I wonder what team will pick up Punto in the off season I hope his time with the the Twins is over.
Shaun says:
Punto needs an off week.
Shaun says:
Sit Punto Gardy!
freewheeler says:
Can anyone tell me why Punto doesn’t have a seat next to Gardy? He is pathetic.
AgateHunter’swife says:
Gardy is addicted to Punto and just can’t quit
JustinCB says:
punto needs an off-career
Kitty Kaat says:
Let’s have a contest. Think of adjectives that describe Nick Punto. I’ll start:
AWFUL.
Kitty Kaat says:
Bad, Crappy, Dumb, Excruciating, Foul, Ghastly, Horrendous, Idiotic…
*********************************************************
Here’s the reason for all that hate:
HE WENT 3 FOR 4!!!!!!!!!
BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
Besides going 3 for 4, Punto also drove in one of the three runs the team scored, played error-less in the field, and participated in two double plays.
Yeah, he made a base-running gaffe, which is more than enough to cause all the haters to pile on him.
Almost, except yesterday Twins beat up on anything close to Cy Young contenders.
Punto went 3 for 4 which is great, put him up there when it really matters and Punto melts down.
Reference, base running today when they have a chance to score.
Come on twins win three of your next 4 games!
ive thot u bloggers were all real idiots for your constant bitching about punto but today his bonehead baserunning running from seconnd was a mistake but his being out at first was terrible lack of hustle all he had to do was hustle back to th bag and hes safe
Craig, he’s such an easy target. Can’t help myself. He just has the misfortune at seeming being in the middle of every ‘gaffe’ that loses a game. Today’s ‘gaffe’ didn’t matter, as this one was out of hand by the 4th inning, but when you build a little reputation for yourself over the course of the last couple years as the guy that makes the really dumb mistakes, people tend to overlook all the great plays. That, IMO, is the reason for the continued collective hate….. and the fact that he bat .210 last year and still played 150 games and had the most atbats of his career b/c Gardy just can’t quit on him. He’s his freaking ‘Rudy’ or something.
playing in 150 games in a season and batting .210 in and of itself is enough to justify the (sometimes) irrational heckling for at least another full season. It wasn’t even fun heckling him last year, the numbers just spoke for themselves…. quite possibly one of the worst offensive years for any regular major league player ever. Certainly worst for the Twins among players with that many at-bats in a season.
A White Sox game sighting, what a shock
If you all don’t want Punto to play, who do you want, Tolbert or Everett? It’s not going to be Harris. He was pressed into service at SS when all Gardy’s real SS were hurt.
Punto is hitting .287 with a .340+ OBP. I don’t think Everett can hit anywhere close to that. Tolbert might. Do you trust his glove as an everyday SS?
I like both Everett and Tolbert. Tolbert is a personal favorite. Ev is a really special fielder. I just don’t think either are better all-around than Punto right now. Do you?
Actually, LNP made two base-running gaffes today. Doesn’t do much good to get a hit if you are going to make a stupid out on the bases. But, Gardy will start him again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next…
Kay,
Who do want to play instead?
Who do YOU want to play instead.
Verlander is looking pretty good so far. Hopefully the tigers offense can flex its muscle…
Assistant GM Rob Antony said the Twins are content to have Brian Buscher as the everyday 3B next year.
Mike Radcliff, along with GM Bill Smith and Gardy, now make the decisions on player personnel. Gardy downplays his role.
Looks like the wheels are starting to come off for Verlander…
Vazquez is dealing today, hopefully he will groove one to mags…
8 pitch seventh inning for Vazquez. The Tiger hitters just look over matched…
Really annoying if this ends up 1-0
Well, it won’t, Verlander grooved one.
2-0
Well, it is still annoying. The only way it won’t is if Tiger can score at least 3 in the 9th.
Seems like the boys never play well on Sunday afternoons, are they hung over or what?
Q: If Denard could swim upstream and mate, he’d be Denard……?
That is if Detroit pitching can have scoreless 8th.
Well, I should have known. Sox up 3-0 now.
*sigh* Dye gets his only hit. 4-0
Another poor performance by Nick Blackburn. At this late point in this season Im in no mood for excuse’s from him or our beloved manager.But I can say this. Blackburn is no longer a member of the MN Fav Five, he along with Glen Perkins have both been removed from this elite group. I can only hope the Twins can find suitable teams for both of these guys in the offseason…
Yeah so they can do with those clubs. Garza comes to mind…
‘good’ with those clubs
He still has an ERA under 4. It is a little soon to give up on these guys. Perkins, if we can get something good back if we traded him I would not be ooposed to that.
When was the last time the twins hit four or more HRs in a game. I don’t think they have done it this year…
Twins will most likely be down 1.5 games today, which is too bad.
Why is that more then likely? Sox have only played one game. Does not mean they will automatically win game 2. Have some faith!
Orioles had one, but look at their record.
Tigers are doing everything in their power NOT to score.
I guess Rogers’ ERA is bad for a reason.
Hi all, sorry but didn’t read any of the above, so don’t know if you’ve talked about this already. It was reported yesterday that Gardy was not going to juggle his rotation the way Ozzie is trying to do for that final series at the Dome. Given their performance this weekend and other recent games, I’d prefer some juggling to make the rotation be Baker, Liriano and Slowey when the Whities come into town. Both Perk and Blackie may have hit a wall. Has anybody done some theoretical juggling?
Perk definately cannot be allowed to pitch against the Sox.
Blackburn, I am not sure but the way he was giing up HRs today was not promising.
Blackburn seems to get flustered more than the others when falling behind and Perkins seems to lose his focus around inning #5. Liriano has shown that he can still wriggle out of self created jams with RISP with no outs even. Baker and Slowey also seem more capable of that than the other two.
It’ll also be interesting in ‘10 and beyond…hard to believe that the boys have it so comfy with 72 degrees all season in the Dome that they are not affected by weather, e.g. that thick humid stuff today at Camden Yards. Let’s hope it was that since it was so disappointing that they couldn’t keep up the momentum after 24 runs!
HA!! Great to see the Whities get a taste of their own HR medicine. And great to see someone else’s pen implode for a change!!!
Can’t believe the Tighty Whities are going to find a way to blow a game where they were up 7-0 going into the 7th. Fantastico!
Go tigers!It is now 7-7. Chicago’s bullpen is as bad or possibly worse then the Twins.
Holy Sheepsh!t ! ! ! The Tiger’s Marcus Thames just hit a grand slam to tie the White Sox game up in the eighth! It’s on ESPN if anybody wants to watch.
Good to see Thames do that against another team. Besides a Twins killer he has added the Sox as well.
You gotta be kiding! Detroit bullpen is just as bad.
A GS by a guy with 3 HRs? What a joke.
Wow, I did not expect to see a grand slam by each team in the same inning. Let it be known that Kyle Farnsworth sucks.
Loading the bases with walk and then gives up the HR, talk about useless.
Even as bad as the twins bullpen is, Kyle Farnsworth would still be the worst pitcher in the bullpen.
Worst bullpens in AL:
1)Minny
2)ChiSox
And the absolute worst:
3)Detroit Tigers
ouch. this is gonna hurt the twins
I think Twins and Sox are about equal.
What a tease that tie was. Argh. Didn’t mean Detroit would win but didn’t think a GS would be hit by the Sox the very same inning. That must be a dubious record of some sort.
Never fear, Chicago goes on a long road trip after the DH tonight…
I know Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in the same inning once, talk about RBI machine…
This is Farnsworth 2nd stint with Tiggers. He and Girardi were practically crying when the trade went down. Maybe this is his way of making sure he stays in Leyland’s doghouse and gets back with the Yanks.
Yeah, but gatty, one stop is at KC. Three easy wins for them there.
Anything can happen on the road and wins were not so easy for the Sox on road against KC earlier.
So it would seem, but the WSox are not exactly a gifted road team.
last time i remember seeing the sox in KC, they lost 2 of 3…so nothing’s for sure. twins need another good series against cleveland, 2 out of 3 a minimum. as long as the twins are within 2 games going into that series in the dome, they are in good shape. i think they’ll sweep. joe morgan said it best, a team is at its worst all around during the final 3 games of a long road trip. do research on every team and i’m sure more often than not that’s the case.
This is where the race is going to get exciting and I can’t wait!
who is worse…….punto or young? I have a mutual hatred for both and i cant decide. Anyone wanna help me make a decision?
gladden4gov- You have asked an unaswerable question. like “What is the sound of one hand clapping.”
Both Delmon and LNP are so awful that it is impossible to choose. Better minds than ours have been driven to insanity trying to answer that question.
