It’s almost time for Game 2!
Posted on October 9th, 2009 – 1:05 PMBy La Velle
Team Strib just arrived at Yankee Stadium. The tarp is coming off as I write this but there is rain in the forecast.
These modern stadiums usually handle rain well. So we expect to get nine innings in. But there’s nothing that gets a pressbox buzzing like the chances of travel plans blowing up because of a rained out game.
Twins will work out at the Dome tomorrow at 10 a.m. BTW.
Here’s the Twins lineup:
1. Denard Span, RF
2. O-Cab, SS
3. St. Joe, C
4. Ku-Boom, DH
5. Cuddy, 1B
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Go-Go, CF
8. Matt Tolbert, 3B
9. Nick Punto, 2B
Pitching: Nick Blackburn, RHP
Check here from time to time for updates. And don’t forget our twitter pages!
Update: Just got done with Gardy. Jose Morales is not in the lineup tonight but the manager has no problems using him as a pinch hitter.
Morales look nervous at the plate in the last two games at the Dome, leading to Brendan Harris starting at DH in Game 1. Morales needs to get into a game and get hit so he can feel better about himself.
Jesse Crain told Gardy that he felt pretty good today. But Gardy will check with Crain and the rest of his team after warmups to make sure he can call on them if needed.
Gardy was Gardy when asked about getting Carlos Gomez in the starting lineup: “Go-Go brings speed, covers a lot of ground and…irritates people. Sometimes me.”
That got a chuckle out of the media horde.
43 Responses to "It’s almost time for Game 2!"
Nice to see Go-Go get in there.
Working out at 10 PM???
The team will work out tomorrow at 10:00 PM (or AM?????????)
Don’t want a rain out, but if we could have a short delay so I can get home from work that would be great. Thanks for doing whatever you can to help out LaVelle.
That has to be AM. You know, LaVelle was without oxygen for awhile when he was stuck in that elevator at Yankee Coliseum. Can you imagine the gases given off in a closed elevator full of baseball reporters, right after the free buffet?
tommyB….these guys work weird hours.
Go-Go is going to go-go.
Hahahahahaha
coom’s shrooms?
I love how arrogant the Twins are when it comes to the playoffs. We will take away 6 outs of our game (Tolbert and Punterrible) so we are only playing 7 innings worth of offense against the team that scored the most runs in the game this year. This is David Vs. Golliath with one hand tied behind David’s back.
We need Chone Figgans to come here and play 3rd base next year 3 years 16 million
And if he hasn’t already signed a big time deal with LA… Orlando Hudson would be a very nice pickup. 4 years 32 million
And trading for a legit ACE is a must.
We cannot keep playing and expecting to win with Nick Punto as a starter. I think he’s a very solid backup… like Carlos Gomez…
Span
Hudson
Mauer
Morneau
Cuddyer
Kubel
Young
Cabrera
Figgans
Webb
Blackburn
Baker
Slowey
Pavano
Expressions = Blog Killer 
Wishful thinking about Figgins. He’ll be a type-A free agent, so it’s unlikely Twins would forfeit a draft pick to get him.
As for Punto and playing regularly, he’s been pretty darn good in the last month. Check the stats.
We could get Chone Figgins for for 3 years for only $16Mill???
A perfect lineup - after a perfect blog by Howard. Win or lose - this is the best we can do with this roster - including Blackburn
Expressions,
Well we are at why don’t we just sign John Lackey as well. Did you just become a Twins fan say Tuesday night maybe? Wowsers…
Nobody is going to get Figgins for that low of a price. He’s making nearly $6M this year, and he’s probably the most prized FA out there that CWS, LAA, and who knows who else want! 5 Yr/$60M might be more like it.
Expressions,
The season isn’t over yet. We should not even be talking about the offseason yet!
Actually, Tolbert’s chances of making an out are 70%, and Punto’s are 66%. If they get up 6 times today, I expect them to be on base a total of 1.92 times.
If Span (61%) and Mauer (56%) took those same 6 ABs, I’d expect them to be on base a total of 2.49 times.
In one game, .5 times on base isn’t a big difference. Tolbert and Punto aren’t worldbeaters, of course, but in any one game, the difference is very, very marginal. It’s not like we are comparing guys who get on base 0% to someone who gets on base 100% of the time.
Let’s hope the margins favor the Twins today.
“Expressions” is the self-important BC Beneke from previous years.
If you think his baseball opinions are ridiculous, you should try reading his “poetry”!
That has to be AM. You know, LaVelle was without oxygen for awhile when he was stuck in that elevator at Yankee Coliseum. Can you imagine the gases given off in a closed elevator full of baseball reporters, right after the free buffet?
This, my friend, is genius. Seriously, I think I pulled something laughing.
We need Chone Figgans to come here and play 3rd base next year 3 years 16 million
This, not as a much…Punto’s rate was 2 year @ $8.5M, but we’re getting Figgins for 3 at 16? Pull the trigger on that deal!
I’m not sure what the point of posts like Expression’s is.
We are all aware that there are gaps in the Twins lineup. We are all aware that the Yankees have probably the best top-to-bottom lineup in baseball. And we are all aware that holes need to be filled in the offseason.
This is a playoff blog about a team that currently is in the playoffs.
The Twins are not “arrogant” for having this lineup. They may be thrifty, overmatched, and even unwise, but they are not arrogant.
Let’s go Twins! Play some Twins ball, move some runners over and let our big boys hit.
Oh, by the way La Velle, great job giving us the scoop in the Bronx!
WOW! Who knew we could trade for Webb without giving anything up…
If BS can pull that off, Exec of the Year.
lavel….maybe you all have discussed this over & over this year, but if so I’ve missed it. Why are we as a team not trying to bunt for base hits like we did last year. I loved watching Gomez, Punto, Span & Casilla go round & round bunting and pissing off the opponents pitchers.
Anyone else want to see Blackburn reach back and send some chin-music to A-roid?
They SHOULD bunt a couple of times, especially against C.C!!
I know they talk about it…
Gomez all up in Teixeira’s grill was one of the highlights this year against the Yanks. Wanna see Go-Go lay down some drag bunts for sure.
I am a fan of this defensive alignment.
Now, guys, let Burnett beat himself…his walk rates are extremely high.
Let’s hope Gomez gets a couple of hits (or a walk) and earns his way into the starting line-up for the rest of the series.
Here’s hoping we don’t have to see Kubel in the outfield again until Game 3 of the World Series. Bring it tonight, Gomez.
I perdict the Twins will have serious conversations internally and externally regarding Mr Halladay.
We have the young catcher and CF they desire. Would have to be crreative on the pitching side.
Plus Halladay’s contract is reasonable for a stud.
good luck getting figgins for $16 million over 3 years..if his price was that low, anyone could get him..his price will be at least $20 mill over 3 years
“That has to be AM. You know, LaVelle was without oxygen for awhile when he was stuck in that elevator at Yankee Coliseum. Can you imagine the gases given off in a closed elevator full of baseball reporters, right after the free buffet?”
PoD.
Was Souhan in the elevator?
“Morales needs to get into a game and get hit so he can feel better about himself.”
Well, if Morales gets hit like Delmon did, and then goes on a tear like Delmon did, I’m all for it. Or, why don’t we just plunk Jeter to lead off the bottom of the 1st and get tensions high? I love the idea of an Eff You from the Twins to the Yankees to start the game. Of course, no head hunting.
And then, every player on the roster should show a bunt to start every first at bat. Did you see how slow ARod and Derek Cheater moved? I can hear bones creaking now as they have to keep moving in for the potential of a bunt from everyone.
What would the TBS announcers say about that game plan?
Figgans is actually a Type B free agent, I was pretty suprised when I saw that. I beleive i saw that on mlbtradingrumors.com but not sure about it, I think the twins should go after him and go get him. He is a very good defensive fielder and an amazing baserunner. But as far as hitting goes, he is having a down year at about .250 or so, hopefulyl he goes to about .300 and 60 steals. They could sign him for about 3 years at 24 million. If they could get him for that, pull that trigger!
Macleod:
“”What would the TBS announcers say about that game plan?”"
Knowing the TBS dirtball announcers, they would claim that the Twins are trying to cheat.
Expressions is a tool. Figgins would be a GREAT addition to this team, but he won’t be had for 3/$16M. Why would you put the guy who is 2nd in Runs, 3rd in SB’s, 1st in BB’s, and 7th in OBP (in the AL) in the 9 hole anyway? Idiot.
i hope the twins **** the yankees up tonight
LaVelle —
Have you, or has anyone else here, noticed that the Homer Hanky the Twins are making so much noise about (see 10/7 press release) is the same as the one they were handing out at the last two games? Although it may suffice it is neither new nor 2009 specific - all it really is is the unused leftover from 2008 which was not needed (unfortunately).
SORRY BUT THAT IS BS. Yanks get help from the umps as well??? WOW
What a absolute joke of a game in New York tonight…Major Joke Baseball again proves they are only after the money a big market gets compared to the teams fighting it out themselves. Ball off a fielder yet falls another foot inside fair territory and called foul???? Do they not need to see the ball hit the foul territory to be foul.. And the other side of this is the hit was off the bat of the MVP of the league and still no correct calls.
What a scam…the ump blew that call, and in the end, it should be tied 4-4…BS!
“Call Me Stupid”:
I agree that it was a terrible call. That ball was definitely fair. It sucks to have a terrible call go against your team late in an important game.
Oh…BTW…Brandon Inge, Jim Leyland, and the Detroit Tigers say “hi”…
LaVelle, you’re a journalist. How about you investigate this Phil Cuzzi umpire. This guy has been at the center of so many controversies and bad calls (look him up on Wikipedia), he beginning to smell like a rose… A Pete Rose.
I realize he’s in a union, and short of committing murder, he’s there for life, but perhaps all his questionable calls will expose something.
I’m sure Ozzie will give you a quote about him.
