Can Carl Pavano make it 5-0 vs the Tabbies?
Posted on September 19th, 2009 – 12:38 PMBy La Velle
Does Carl Pavano have any more spells left to cast over Detroit hitters. It would be pretty impressive if he could go 5-0 against the Tigers in one season.
He enters today’s game on a run of five straight quality starts. (At least six innings, no more than three runs given up).
Relatively new Tiger Aubrey Huff is batting .294 against Pavano with a homer and 4 RBI.
Big crowd expected here today. The Twins print an attendance estimate on the back of the lineup sheet. Their estimate for today was 36,000.
But I just got off the phone with Twins president Dave St. Peter, who indicated that there’s been a late spike in ticket demands. The Twins now expect to approach 42,000 today, which means it could get a little loud in here.
St. Peter, while being grilled by KSTP’s Patrick Reusse this morning, said it looks like Target Field will hold about 39,800 seats but standing room only tickets could push a full house attendance to around 41,000. A final seat total will be known by the end of the year.
Not only would the Twins move within two games of Detroit with a win, it would be a season-long six-game winning streak and their high water mark for the year.
Lineups
Tigers (78-69)
1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Carlos Guillen, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Aubrey Huff, DH
6. Magglio Ordonez, RF
7. Brando Inge, 3B
8. Gerald Laird, C
9. Adam Everett, SS
Pitching: Justin Verlander, RHP
Twins (75-72)
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Jason Kubel, RF
5. Michael Cuddyer, 1B
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Jose Morales, DH
8. Brian Buscher, 3B
9. Nick Punto, 2B
Pitching: Carl Pavano. RHP
151 Responses to "Can Carl Pavano make it 5-0 vs the Tabbies?"
I almost don’t want the Twins to make the playoffs.
Billy might not make any necessary changes, we have no ace for the playoffs so we would be a pushover.
Yet I can’t stand losing, especially to a horrible Tigers team.
C’mon boys! Keep the good times rolling!
Exciting time of the year. Admittedly, i was one of the people that said the season was over. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong .. GO TWINS!!!
Why the F*** is O-Cab still in the #2 hole? If Gardy is going to be intentional about getting Morales at bats, he’d be the best hitting option there. He can’t run well when he gets on base, but he’s the best option to move Span from 1st to 3rd, etc.
O-Cab–you’re a #8 hitter at best!
I don’t get “not wanting to make the playoffs.” Even if they got swept, being one of eight teams is an achievement.
Nobody can take away a divisional title, and the one thing teams play for each year is a chance.
I like the confidence in Buscher. He’s reached base 4 times in 9 career PAs vs Verlander. Not much slugging though. But his 1 out single was a key component of that 6 run rally vs Verlander and the Tiger pen back in May.
STOP COMPLAINING PEOPLE!!! for the love of god, just enjoy the pennant race
Everyone the Twins have with a plus 350 OBP vs Verlander is in. Span (.417), Mauer (.500 [1.167 OPS to boot]), Kubel (.455), Young (.400 - 2 WALKS!! Against one pitcher!!) and Buscher (.444). We also have all three available guys who have taken V deep (Mauer 2x, Cuddy and OC)
“STOP COMPLAINING PEOPLE!!! for the love of god, just enjoy the pennant race”
Agreed! Let’s go TWINS!
Ill take the win but man, can Nathan every breeze through the ninth without giving us a heart attack? Why not leave Rauch in? He was doing fine?
STOP COMPLAINING PEOPLE!!! for the love of god, just enjoy the pennant race.</i
Double Agree! Let the good times roll.
STOP COMPLAINING PEOPLE!!! for the love of god, just enjoy the pennant race
Let’s try that one more time — Double Agree. Go Twins!
The current Twins roster vs Verlander:
PA: 217 AVG: .266 OBP: .346 OPS: .726
(Really missin Morneau and Crede today)
Current Tigers Roster vs Pavano:
PA: 168 AVG: .245 OBP .271 OPS: .592
Obviously past performance doesn’t predict future results, but… These numbers indicate the twins players have done a better job overall in getting on base vs their opponent today.
It also suggests that Pavano’s mastery over the Tigers this year hasn’t been down to lots of fluky things. Perhaps he can keep it up.
I almost don’t want the Twins to make the playoffs.
Good for you. Go whine elsewhere.
Calling him “O-Cab” is really dumb. I hate the nickname thing which has swept the nation. first letter of first name with first syllable of last name. Get more creative.
Gotcha “R-Zimm”!
You set yourself up for that one R-Zimm.
Don’t let it get you down!
Can’t watch the game, gotta work.
BOO WORK!
Hurrah TWINS!
We need Pavano to come up big today.
And everyone knows it’s “Orlando Cabrerror.”
right on, u-chi
God I’d love to see Verlander intentionally (or “unintentionally”) walk Mauer today & Kubel crush one to make him pay.
I don’t know about you, but methinks this team has a bit of ‘87 in it… what do you think?
coming around on cuddyer, thrylos?
Think back to not so long ago when everyone had the Twins dead and buried.
Yet, here they are! Sit back and enjoy the ride! Considering everything that’s happened this season it’s amazing they’re still in it. It would have been easy to just roll over and die. But they haven’t!
speaking of nicknames…. How about we call “”"RAzimmerman”"” the Azman? (soft s). 
thrylos98, not really considering that team in ‘87 won over twice as many games at home as they lost.
I’m calling a KuBoom today…
Interesting combo on Fox today with the Twins’ play-by-play announcer and the Tigers’ color commentator.
I’m getting the LA vs. SF feed. They never show the Twins here.
lets hope that smith and ryan aren’t thinking this come back run means they don’t need some major upgrades this winter. the come back so far has been more the tigers stinking the place up than the twins playing great baseball.
is anyone finding the banter between bremer and the Fox guy to be painful at best?
I’m sorry but Span has to go after that harder.
Turning the sound off on this game…Tigers color guy is horribly unprepared. How many times can you repeat the same stat about Pavano beating the Tigers?
nice, mauer
Mau Pau!!!!!
Atta boy, Joe!!!!
Interesting to hear Bremer have to restrain himself.
Shaun, I don’t like this makeshift announce team that Fox put together at all. Half the time, it sounds like it is both guys just trying to brag up their teams.
last night somebody said joe mauer is one of the emptiest .370 hitters ever. don’t know whether to laugh or cry over stuff like that …
I was surprised to hear Dick. I guess Fox didn’t want to send anyone to the game
I saw that, mickey… I laughed at that rediculous one.
Brandon Inge looks like a rodent
“”"… says:
September 19th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Brandon Inge looks like a rodent”"”
Gary Gaetti already owns that.
Pretty big AB here for Pavano, and for Guillen and the Tigers
Pavano not sharp at all today, lucky only 2 runs have been scored. 4 innings, 8 hits, and a HBP.
Pavano’s been playing with fire a lot today, not sure how long he can keep pitching out of jams.
Terrible inning there.
Somebody please remind me why Punto is in the lineup. That was pathetic there. Worse yet, how in the world is that a hit?
They had been doing a good job driving up Verlander’s pitch count, but let him off the hook with 3 bad at bats in the 4th.
was that really a double play ball? I know that Huff isn’t a trailblazer….. I don’t really see him beating out an dp
Gardenhire, why do you continue to shade Cabrera up the middle even on righties like Ordonez? Get a clue!
11 hits in 4 and 1/3 inning. How long you going to leave him in Gardenhire?
Thank goodness he got that DP, had to have it. Now get him some runs.
Not like things are being hit hard…
Morales just keeps on hitting.
That ladies and gentlemen is the Buscher that hit a whopping .178 in AAA.
Do we need a third strikeout from him? Please pinch hit Harris next time through.
Seriously, what does Gardy have against Harris? Buscher is clueless at the plate…
Which announcer throws the first punch?
nah, it will be Tolbert the next time through…. he is the reason we are losing, because we don’t have his “energy” out there….
Span, you are the leadoff hitter, take some pitches.
Got to have the pen warming up with Polanco and Cabrera coming up.
Heart of the order coming up, let’s get some runs.
1-2-3 inning. Really needed that.
Which announcer throws the first punch?
Dick should.
wish i had the feed. stuck with dodgers giants.
Alright, Pavano beat the ridiculous luck that the Tigers had. Lets go offense. Redeem yourself after that funny looking catch, Delmon
Why is Butcher still batting here?
Gardenhire, how many times are you going to continue to run youself out of an inning? Manager of the millenium!
Thanks Ron for blowing this game for us with your stupid decisions.
atleast he didn’t strikeout… looking for a positive here
Gardy looking a bit daft getting his guys tossed out at second all day.
Not only is trying to run off Laird stupid, but now you have yourself one more inning of Verlander.
I thought that too, LMS, he’s making progress! Babysteps…
OK LNP! Get it started!
Sit down Punto, you are terrible.
Gardenhire you better hope OC doesn’t strike out, because Span is not getting any jump over there.
Plays like that will make me miss the Dome lol
C’mon Kubel!
We need a run here!!
Kubes!!!
KUUUUUUBELLLLLLL!!!!!!!
Kubel YOU THE MAN!!
WOW
I can’t believe there still showing the LA-SF game in my area.
“Alright, Pavano beat the ridiculous luck that the Tigers had.”
only the other teams get luck never the twins!
Big Time by Jason Kubel!
you gotta feel for the Tigers on that exchange of events
I’m w/ you Nick. But then I guess most people here in the Bay Area are more interested in the LA-SF game.
Can’t believe Leyland left Verlander in to face Kubes. Don’t the kitties have a loogy in the pen?
Let’s not let up here Cuddyer, let’s get at least one more since Nathan has been shaky lately.
““Alright, Pavano beat the ridiculous luck that the Tigers had.”
only the other teams get luck never the twins!”
LOL
I am so happy right now… GO TWINSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that was sweet!
CUDDYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cukky!!! I wish I could see whats going on but GORDO is calling a great game on the internet.
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
That makes me feel better… now a win can’t entirely be blamed on the roof.
I mean Cuddy!!! Wow!!
Cuddyer, how do you like that thrylos98?
Wow……..keep Cuddyer and first and trade Morneau! JK
Woah-Nellie!!!
Keep All the Twins!!!
Presented without comment, from Howard’s blog yesterday afternoon:
USAFChief says:
September 18th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
If we’re going to send the ‘dome out in style, there has to be a ball lost in the roof contributing to a game-winning rally somewhere this weekend, no?>/i>
Is Cuddy going for 30 / 100 this year?
Is Mauer?
Another reason I can’t wait for outdoor baseball is so opponents don’t have to worry about losing a routine fly ball in the roof. Losing fly ball in a roof is an absolute embarassment to the game of baseball. This is one homefield advantage I can’t wait to surrender.
? seriously? I think any advantage is good.
Do you really feel good when the opposing pitcher makes a great pitch, deserves to get an out, and the outfielder can’t find the ball? That’s a joke, and I don’t take a lot of satisfaction in it.
Hmm, move Morneau to third and leave Cuddyer at first next year?
(I have to admit, Cuddyer is playing better at first.)
They all play in the same outfield, that is why they call it a home field advantage
Game over Twins Win!!! 2 out of first place!! Go Twins!!!
Yes!!!! We got us a race now!
Can Morales play 3B? Or maybe 2B? Need find that kid a position…besides catcher.
I fail to see how a lost fly ball in the roof is any more annoying or frequent than a ball in the sun.
In reality, Verlander had no biz going out for the 8th. Dude was gassed and it was just a slap to the head of their pen to think they couldn’t defend a 1 run lead.
And before they boo hoo about the roof, its not like a run scored on the play. Kelly was put in for defense and looked to have no clue about how to play the field at all.
The tigers still had a chance to get out with nothing on the board and failed.
Lets finish them off tomorrow… GREAT win… One of the best sports games i have ever watched
Jesse, have you ever tried to catch a fly ball in The Dome? It’s an absolute joke that such a routine part of the game drastically changes underneath that miserable teflon sky. If MLB had any brains, they would have never allowed the game to be played in a park where the color of the roof is so similar to the color of the ball.
Dome Sweet Dome! We got a big break and a bloop hit, but both of the Tigers runs were produced on bloop hits and seeing eye singles. Gutsy effort by Pavano. Great base running by O Cab on Kubel’s big hit and Cuddyer was HUGE again. And best of all Nathan wasn’t needed. Great win especially against Verlander. Let’s go for the sweep tomorrow! WIN TWINS!
Put it on the boarddddddd, yessssssssssssssssssss!
Sweet I was out on the golf course for a tourney and just got in, love the bottom line and that Pavano aka TIGER KILLER did his job. How about that Jessie Crain? For all the crap he took from fans earlier in the year, I think he is regaining his form and glad to see he got the W. He always had the arm, it is the head that needed fixing. It is not the Tigers whom worry me so much as the damn Chisox coming up, hope we pound them into dust as well.
I wonder how many more games the Twins could have won if Morneau had been shut down earlier in the 2nd half?
Its obvious at this point that Morneau was a total drag on the offense.
I like the guy, but part of we wonders what would happen if Cuddy could truly show he is a good first baseman?
I partially agree with 2244. Its tough for the Tigs to have to lose that way. Having said that, there are bad, odd breaks in baseball all the time, and at the end of the day, or season, the twins have been on the bad end of breaks as much as the good end. They all balance out.
2006 all over again. If I was a Tiger fan, I would be sweating bullets.
Shaun, Morneau was hurt though. Let’s not forget that. A healthy Morneau definitely belongs in the lineup, but I see what you are saying.
Shaun, I hate to say it, but I tend to agree. Something about the lineup since Morneau has been gone that it seems to gel more.
Its hard to say that about a potential MVP.
I’ll take a win any way we can get it, but it will be nice next year not to have the constant whining about the dome from other teams, and realizing we win because we’re good (at least, I hope we’re good next year, BS needs to have a good offseason!)
Do you guys really believe Cuddy’s recent hot streak is due to his move to first base?
Cuddy was drafted out of high school as a shortstop and debuted in the bigs as a third baseman. His defensive struggles at third carried affected his at-bats. Moving him to right field took some pressure off his glove and seemed to carry over to his at-bats.
Cuddy’s recent streak is nothing more than a coincidence in regards to the timing of his move to first base. I would need to see a much larger sample size than less than a week’s worth of at-bats before I’m ready to annoint Morneau as the next Wally Pipp.
Yes Morneau was hurt this year. However that was not an excuse last year.
Still I like Morneau. I have 2 Morneau jerseys I spent good money on. I just wonder what his value would be to another team?
That being said, if Morneau is trade I don’t see Mauer staying here, so I guess I don’t want that to happen!
Actually Cuddy was the DH in his first MLB game on 9.23.01
I think Cuddy’s hot streak is him responding to the situation and working a bit extra to be ready to take advantage of mistakes made.
It’s possible that Cuddyer playing first has had an impact on his offense. He’s in the action on just about every play now, rather than in right field where he can daydream and think about his last AB.
Leyland’s decision to leave Verlander in against Kubel could have been clouded by Verlander saying “I’m the ace of this staff, I want Kubel, I can get him.” It was a gritty performance by Verlander for sure. Going out there for the 8th, although in hindsight not the best decision, was pretty hard-nosed, and I loved it.
I loved it because We got to wipe that smug grin off his face again.
and by We, I mean everyone who’s been a part of making the Dome a living entity in the annals of MLB
Wowza!!! What a win for the Twins!
The negative FO bunch are not exactly on a roll,Cuddy comes up big 2 games in a row and against Lyon,who they slammed for not signing.Fire Gardy,we know you are out there,come out of your hole.
Leyland’s mistake, according to stats, was intentionally walking the bases loaded for Kubel. Kubel’s career bases-loaded stats are now: 50 plate appearances, 9 1B, 5 2B, 5 HR, 1 BB, 7 SF, 56 RBIs, .453/.400/.929.
crazy as hell.
Go Twins!
Leyland’s mistake, according to stats, was intentionally walking the bases loaded for Kubel.
Tough position. Do you pitch to the best hitter in the AL or a born fastball hitter in a fastball throwing situation.
No game tommorow,Leland just pulled the switch to implode the dome or was that Ozzie!
Twins’ chances of winning division up to 35%!
The mistake Leyland made wasn’t the IBB, it was letting Verlander pitch to Kubel.
Again…that at-bat in the 9th by Punto with comical. he is not a big league hitter and that is our gripe. Put in a clutch situation against a real pitcher and it is game over.
Again…that at-bat in the 9th by Punto with comical. he is not a big league hitter and that is our gripe
You must’ve been too busy consulting your “Idiots Guide to Trolling” to notice, but there was no ninth inning at bat for Punto. Mostly because there was no 9th inning for the Twins.
As far as Leyland’s mistake goes, he was in a no-win situation. You either face the league’s top hitter with runners on second and third or you face Kubel with the bases loaded.
He was better off walking Mauer to face Kubel…and I have to think any left fielder with a bit of experience under his belt makes a catch if not actually fielding the ball properly to hold Cabrera at 3B.
Though if you assume all else is equal, Cuddy still goes deep with a granny instead of a 3-run shot.
Ben says:
September 19th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Thanks Ron for blowing this game for us with your stupid decisions.
Given how the game ended, this comment is my favorite.
Cuddy is hands down the MVP on this team, regardless of how they finish.
He is simply carrying the team right now.
I will be the first to admit that I was calling for Cuddyer’s head in April as he seemed to be in line to carry over his putrid, injury-riddled ‘08. But has put together a real nice season and has picked up the slack in Morneau’s absence. Keep it up.
Not that I think by any means that it will happen (Note Time), but doesn’t the hottest team going into the post-season recently done very well?
Also in response to JC. He looks like a leader on this team, watching him, even after this game, he - not Mauer, is the leader (maybe comes with seniority as well)
“Yes Morneau was hurt this year. However that was not an excuse last year.”
Wrong, Shaun. Morneau was banged up last September too. I believe it was his back and legs.
He trained extra hard over the winter. Gardy simply can’t let him play every single game in the first 3-4 months of the season anymore.
And actually, Gardy shouldn’t have played Cuddy as much as he played in the first 3-4 months either.
We’re lucky Cuddy isn’t suffering his recently typical bad luck either.
BTW, I had to work and miss the game — the most important and interesting game of the year.
And I gotta say this blog thread was pretty boring, considering the excitement and outcome of this game.
Y’all better pick your game up here, people. You’re looking pretty pale compared to your surging Twins.
I hope Baker realizes he’s in a fight today.
Since coming back from his 2-month absence, N. Robertson has a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings.
In addition to what he usually does, Baker is gonna have to pitch tough inside. And he’d better pitch strategically to Detoilette’s hottest hitters — Polanco, Cabrera, Inge. And throw Granderson in there too because he’s batting against a rightie.
So I hope Baker isn’t pitching by rote, but is actually competing — and that he keeps pace with Robertson.
Wasn’t Liriano about the best Twins starting pitcher late in the season last year?
Galarraga was Detoilette’s best, I believe.
Yet, they both sit on the shelf a year later in this showdown at the Dome.
I wonder if we’ll see either of them today.
How refreshing to read up on this blog and not see endless comments about Punto’s presence and blind Cuddyer bashing. I’m used to comments like this when Cuddyer is up o bat:
“darren004 says:
August 17th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Well, we are down 5, so maybe Cuddy will get a hit here. He only comes through in blowout situations…
Ben says:
August 17th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
darren04, this isn’t enough of a blowout for him to come through.”
A day before Morneau’s news broke, some were commentng that Cuddyer shouldn’t bbe stealing playing time from Gomez and Young.
Cuddyer is proving there is wisdom in Gardenhire’s trust in him. He’s also showing that his bat doesn’t necessarily depend on his position as much as has sometimes bee claimed. Maybe 3rd will become a realistic option again?
