Game 67: Twins at Cleveland
Posted by ubelmann on Thursday, June 12th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Livan Hernandez vs. Aaron Laffey
You know, I would love for Livan to really be the exception to defense-independent pitching statistics. I would love for him to go out there and use his guile and competitive nature and his veteranness to prevent more runs than you would expect based on his strikeouts, walks, and ground balls. If that happened, two good things would happen: 1) the Twins would win more games and 2) I would learn something. So far, though, Livan's been good for some laughs, but if this is how well he pitches with all of his veteranny wisdom, I'd hate to see what it would look like without all that knowledge.
The good news for today is that Laffey's been nearly as bad as Livan this year. Laffey has just a 4.40 xFIP and Livan has a 4.81 xFIP. Of course, ZiPS had Laffey projected at a 4.55 ERA and Livan projected for a 5.55 ERA, so maybe Livan still has some regressing to do.
Not much regressing since Livan is at a 5.32 ERA. If he can't use his guile to put up a quality start against this lineup then he won't be long for the rotation with the Twins. Hopefully, he remembers his lucky rabbit's foot to keep that run support coming. Of course, I'm not sure how much hope I have when our LF and DH are combined hitting under .200 with one XBH against lefites this year. Meanwhile, Delmon has been slightly better against lefties this year and in his career and sits on the bench. But, hey, Kubel is 2-for-2 with 2 doubles against Laffey!
With brass and choir practices tonight, this one should be over by the time I get back home again. Fight the good fight, everyone...
Gomez CF
Casilla 2B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Cuddyer RF
Kubel LF
Monroe DH
Harris SS
Macri 3B
Sizemore CF
Carroll 2B
Francisco LF
Garko 1B
Dellucci DH
Peralta SS
Choo RF
Blake 3B
Shoppach C
Martinez and Barfield both placed on the DL today. And no Del-mon?
I suppose Monroe needs at bats too. He has only played 4 games this month
Check this out if you have time... good Twins talk and more on this webshow.
http://media.myfoxtwincities.com/livestream/webcast/archive.htm
Bases loaded for the Dude.
...spoke too soon. Dag.
I smell a Kubel salami.
I'm catching the faint whiff of urine. Coming from the rug, maybe?
Laffey is a chinaman?
the preferred term is Asian-American.
/way too late
Cleveland announcers commenting on the no-power-Mauer-whining phenomenon. They almost get my shoe thrown at the radio by saying that "you'd like to see him drive in 95 to 100 runs a year", before noting that "depends a lot on who's hitting in front of him".
Apparently, that was just my shoes I was smelling.
must of been a bad fuse on the dynomite during the Kubel at bat
I love the banana flavor
Blake pwns the Twins' pitching staff
there goes the shutout
Livan doesn't seem hungry tonight. Hope his appetite improves, I'm for dinner out tonite.
Gordo: 'thats balls going to be a base hit......and he's out'
OY
The Year of Livan Dangerously
Jeebus with the dropsies tonight.
I Choo Choo CHOOSE not to like you
Livan gives up a homer
Too much!
Not much guile displayed tonight.
Huh? Mauer fails to catch a "nice throw" from Kubel, and Kubel gets the error?
Grady
Suddenly, I have an urge to head home.
but you'll miss the amazing comeback
I don't know what you're smoking wattsy, but I'd like to get my hands on some.
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
Kicks just keep getting harder to find
Livan's innings smelling a bit rotten tonight.
Has anybody else here noticed that Livan kinda sucks?
Why bother to go to the 'pen? Make him eat it.
Has our Cuban friend eaten his last innings as a Twin?
getting close to Expiration Date time. When were the dictators deposed?
These innings were three day old leftovers which presented a high probability of e.coli if eaten.
2 pitches, 3 outs?
nice goin', Rook!
Macri-bleu!
BIG MAC!
Macri!
You know, I would love for Livan to really be the exception to defense-independent pitching statistics.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if such a pitcher existed. Baseball is a complex game after all. However, if such a pitcher did exists, I would expect that he would do things significantly different than most other pitchers do. But you can't go out and just do things the same way everyone else does (except worse) and expect that somehow you're special. Livan isn't special, he's just bad.
I think I'll do you one better and say "especially bad."
Ok, I'm walking too.
Gordo and Dazzle making the smallest of small talk. I'm bailing, too.
Not me. Glutton for the atomics.
How about this:
-- Eventually, Liriano returns to the rotation
-- Perkins to bullpen
-- Bass to waivers and the minors if he gets through
Bass has done an OK job most of the time, but I think Perkins/Bonser have more stuff to offer out of the pen.
(assuming Twins don't trade Hernandez - I am certainly open to that)
pleeeeeease
Breslow gets the K. Can you believe that was only 5 innings?
I am liking Breslow
Me too. I think he's up to 6 scoreless innings as a row since joining the team? A good streak, and certainly some luck in there. Seems like he has some reasonable stuff with the strikeouts, and hasn't really had enough innings in the majors to really establish his potential. 10.5 K/9 in the minors.
One thing you can count on is me having current Twins' stats. :geek: Breslow has 7.0 innings in 6 appearances, 3 hits, 1 walk, 7 K (6 swining, 1 called), no extra-base hits. (His strike percentage is 62.5%, his GO/AO is .30.)
some good news. Twins sign 1st round pick
Jamey Carroll: halfsharkalligatorhalfman with a Twin on the mound.
OK, time to hit the whiskey.
On the Grill
A money-back guarantee (in SBG-bucks) you will like this dessert (from GQ, June 08):
Look for good peaches, in season. Get on the firm side, as the fire will soften them up. Cut them into halves, and remove the pits.
Set the peach halves on a platter, flesh-side up. In a saucepan, heat up a couple of tbsp butter, remove from heat - add 1/2 tsp vanilla, and some brown sugar. Mix and brush on the flesh side of peaches.
Place on the grill flat-side down - cook for 5 min, then cook on skins for 5 mins. Should be golden in color. Serve with a lil butter or scoop of ice cream.
Molto bene!
(Boof not a reliever, boyos).
You don't think the Twins are feeling relief right now? Yeah, I guess not.
Lamb hits the ball hard again
but gets an RBI!
That's what I call situational pitching!
Slight misunderstanding.
(Where's the Shiv?).
Nice. Woulda been useful in Chitown, but works here.
Crisp punch+judy by the boys, there.
still in second place!
Har har har
I have absolutely no confidence in this team right now.
I feel like a Royals fan.
The earthen pot now is, and now is not, my sole possession.
By breaking, it has become a lama, for it has preached an admirable discourse on
The impermanence of things.
Mila Repa, Ladakh poet.
Twins lose.
Apparently you guys misunderstood my instructions "fight the good fight" to mean "die a bad death" or something. better you guys them me. you have my sympathies.
Headline at espn.com: "Laffey outduels Hernandez as Indians roll past Twins"
Must've had to get the headline in at the end of the second inning. Outduels??
Hey, somebody forgot to detonate this thermonuclear device....
Let's see, insert key into failsafe mechanism, yeah, turn clockwise one full revolution, okay, enter alphanumeric detonation code on keypad, yep, run like hell... what? Feets, gets a'movin'!
Jump into the lead-lined fridge, boys!