Game 135: KC vs. Minnesota
Posted by ubelmann on Friday, August 31st, 2007 at 6:10 pm
GilgaMeche vs. Scotty "Light Rail" Baker
Meche has outperformed Baker so far this year overall, but not by much.
Meche started the season with a much, much higher GB% than he ever had before in his career (~60%), but it has since plummeted down to his typical ~40% GB%. (GB/FB/LD graph here.) Of course, he still gets more ground balls than Baker, whose 34.7% GB% would be the lowest in the AL if he had enough innings to qualify for the ERA title.
Going forward, I would say that Baker will be the better pitcher. Meche's numbers at the beginning of the season were different enough to convince me that he was doing something different, but he has since reverted back to whatever it was he was doing in Seattle, which generally netted him a ~5.00 xFIP.
Nick Punto fun fact: Nick hit .217/.273/.272 over 92 AB for Philly in 2003--not too far off his current pace, actually.
Rondell White fun fact: Rondell's OPS+ has roughly halved each of the last years: from 122 to 66 to 32. If he plays next year, perhaps he can go for that elusive sub-15 OPS+!!
well, both RonDL and Punto are in the lineup tonight!
A. Casilla 2b
J. Bartlett ss
T. Hunter cf
J. Morneau 1b
M. Cuddyer rf
J. Kubel dh
M. Redmond c
R. White lf
N. Punto 3b
Is 9 enough?
Here I'd hoped hoped the Dome staff had fumigated the joint between games. However, with Poo and Delle in the line-up, the stench will probably linger.
Only one Jesus in the lineups tonite. De.
High caliber thespian, there.
Agreed. Miller's Crossing might be my favorite so far.
Interesting that he got in w/ th' Spike Lee Joint with 'Mo Better Blues' and 'Do th' Right Thing', both of which I liked.
Well he is a Brooklyn boy, right?
I just had an idea! With a couple of empty spots on the 40-man roster, the Twins should add none other than Ron Gardenhire to the 40-man roster and make him one of the September call-ups. Then, the next time that Gardy really needs to get a bunt down, he can sub himself into the lineup, put down the bunt, and trot back to the dugout. I think this would be extremely entertaining.
Only if he also gets the fine-ski for a popped-up bunt.
I can get behind that.
Court is in session.
we do need an extra infielder
I'd say "Let's play two!" but that would imply that the Twins' effort this afternoon actually resembled playing the game of baseball in some way.
much better than the first game!
I hear the train a comin'
A comin' round th' bend.
But I ain't seen no offense
Since I don't know when.
I'm stuck in th' Metrodome
the game keeps draggin' on.
A Boy Named Poo
Agree w/ Gladden that Meche could fare better with a team that has some mettle.
The same could be said for Santana.
Zowie. *Denial is not just a river in Egypt*
Ruh-roh. "Butler has a wide stance."
I was kind of bummed I missed the first game, until I saw the box score and read the game thread.
Baker Street aka Light Rail is running through Kansas City like crap through a goose.
choo choo!
Baker channeling his inner Johan
Morneau, Cuddyer. Yawn.
MLB Radio ahead of Gameday. I can see the future.
Tampa Bay spanking th' Hated 5-1 in the 6th. Go Boyo's!
Finally we get 'That' out of the way.
Great at bat by Redmond. 8 pitches and a base hit.
So Redmond can't advance with Grod. tripping over the security guard?
And Rondell pops up on an absolute meatball.
Good grief.
Punto on with a BH. An Alexi up to bat. Me likey.
Man, Bartlett has been on fire.
Barty gets the party started.
NBBW reports that she tried to watch 'Snakes on a Plane', but couldn't do it. 'Inane. Truly inane.'
Piranha bites!
Two whole runs. What will Light Rail do with all that run support?
Twayn, when do you get profiled in the BKAC? As far as I know, the Patriot Act isn't involved. Right, Andrew? Andrew?
I turned in my part 2 last night, so I expect sometime next week.
A serial? Excellent.
If you don't post, we will for you, and just make up stuff. "I was always afraid of non-linear equations..." and the like.
Have you been reading my dossier?
Math guy?
Not so much. I got past trig and calc and called it quits.
I had a bunch o' that and never used it later in life. What an academia joke.
Fatherhood becomes Baker.
I remember when Nathan's baby was born and he had similar powers. But the adrenaline will only get you so far.
Spoken like a dad.
Grudzielanek = Mientkiewicz
Either one of those cats could've sold Hrbek a vowel (or two.)
Baker Inning-Maker.
Hey, they hit was as good as a bunt.
Finally. Some base paths.
Two straight singles. Familiar territory.
Base hit scores here.
Bo, I'm looking for the rally fez. Seem to have misplaced it.
I got slammed for that last time. Do you expect that... ? I'm lookin'.
We could wrap the Shroud of Turin around this team and they'd still not make the playoffs.
Don't you dare, E-6. We'd have to score that E-E-6.
As a sartorial choice, I was all for it.
The results? Not so much.
Loaded up for Punto. Maybe if we all wish really hard he'll get a hit.
What a situation. Bases loaded for Nicky.
Kinda makes you want to laugh, ey?
I'm with Twayn. Doh'n mess with powers you doh'n understahn.
Mr. Punto, that's what they call a curveball, thus named for its propensity to assume a curved trajectory. And you suck.
I really hope Punto never discovers this blog. He'll probably off himself immediately.
I might feel partly responsible, but mostly I'll blame ubelmann.
If he'd offer to give part of his salary to charity, I for one, promise to lighten up.
If he offered to give me some of his salary I'd promise to lighten up. I'm much cheaper than giving to charity too. $50 and I'm his biggest fan!
Punto should probably just give up reading entirely. Oh, and baseball, too.
Scott B., we are with you heart and soul...
Light Rail is cruising tonight. 64 pitches, 48 strikes, 7 K. Only one ground out and 7 fly ball out, but so far not a single base runner.
C'mon Face - deliver!
(BTW- NBB did a stress test w/ Dr. Gandel. Clean bill o' health. I suggest th' WGOM'ers do th' same).
RBI!
The elusive sac fly. Good to see us hitting more of those recently.
Kubel: C'mon. Base hit pally.
better save some of these hit and runs for tommorrow morning
Dick mentioning that BA might not be the end all statistic of hitting and that a higher slugging percentage might be helpful.
I think he might be on to something!
I keep seeing this interesting pattern. Twins bloggers and astute fans identify problem, team and media whitewash problem until it becomes so obvious that even the drunk guy who spills beer on you at the game notices, team and media finally acknowledge problem without mention of the problem being identified by bloggers and astute fans weeks before.
Winding your way down to Baker Street
Light in your head and dead on your feet
This Baker kid might be alright. Who saw this coming?
(Oh wait, I did when I said he was the player I expected most to exceed expectations over on LEN3's blog)
Almost afraid to comment the way Light Rail is cruising here. No jinx.
you must not be listening to the radio :p
Kind of reminds me of this.
Well another crazy day
You'll drink the night away
And forget about ev'rything
Light Rail sitting at 74 pitches through 6 innings. And I just heard a disembodied voice say 'Go the distance.'
And I just heard a disembodied voice say ‘Go the distance.’
It was prolly Bert.
He's going the distance. He's going for speed.
I wonder what beer bS will tilt tonight in memory of Michael Jackson.
Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale pre-birthday dinner for The Boy™ at the local Applebees. Big margarita to compensate for being at the local Applebees. Contemplating the celebratory almost no-no beer as I type.
Scotty!
Nice.
Baker making it look easy as pie.
Crap. I'm genuinely excited about this game now. Damn you, baseball! Damn you to hell!
This is pretty horrible. Why didn't they have Dick sing, you know, between innings?
Makes me glad I don't have cable.