Game 96: Rangers at Twins
July 18th, 2008 by ubelmann
Millwood vs. Perkins
We now enter the portion of the season where it begins to become fashionable to say things like "they don't play the games on paper"* and strawmen come into play all over the place. I'm going to try to do a better job ignoring that BS and focusing on enjoying baseball. We'll see how that goes, I guess.
I'm going to say this as delicately as possible: the Rangers are one crazy motherberting team. With 538 runs scored, they have scored more than every team in baseball and are in front of the next-highest-scoring team (the Cubs) by a healthy 31 runs. On the flip side, with 559 runs allowed, they have allowed more runs than every team in baseball and are in "front" of the next worst team (the Pirates) by 31 runs. When you're playing the Rangers, you are experiencing a different style of baseball than anyone else is bringing to the table.
Part of this is park effects, but a bigger part of it is roster construction. While they have players that can hit, those same guys that can hit can't really field that well. At -35 runs, their defense is ranked dead last in the AL by what is essentially John Dewan's +/- system. (Of course, as a Twins fan, I'm in a bit of a glass house here, as the Twins' -23 runs is nothing to brag about and is third-worst in the AL.)
On top of that, their pitching is nothing to write home about--their 4.74 FIP (not park-adjusted) is second-worst in the AL behind just the Orioles' 4.83 FIP.
From the Twins' standpoint, they have allowed the 10th-most runs and scored the 6th-most runs in baseball--so we're in a pretty high run-scoring environment in the first place. This sounds like a recipe for lots of runs this series.
Of course, they don't play the games on paper, so we'll probably see a bunch of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 games, right? That's how the "they don't play the games on paper" thing works? (Dammit, there I go again. And I was doing so well with my new resolution....)
*For the record, they play the games on computer simulations, thankyouverymuch.
This entry was posted by ubelmann on Friday, July 18th, 2008 at 6:00 pm and is filed under 2008 Twins Game Logs. It is one of 640 entries by the author. We are no longer accepting Letters to the Editor on this post.
SBG replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:08:41 pm
I'm with you ubelmann on the runs scored. Should be a ton this series. These teams have played 7 times and have scored a combined 93 runs -- or over 13 a game. The fewest number was ten, a 10-0 Rangers win. The lowest total by the winning team in any of those seven games is six, and four of the seven games included a team scoring double digit runs.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:51:01 pm
Yeah, this morning I saw that you had that in the CoC. I was too lazy to change my game intro, though. The fans in Texas might not get a pennant, but they've got a pretty entertaining team, nonetheless.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:20:44 pm
methinks that the "related WGOM posts" perhaps should not include references to game logs. The list is going to get mighty long.
SBG replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:37:48 pm
It's limited to fifteen posts, so it won't get any longer than what you see right now.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:26:55 pm
Bean-counter...
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:20:58 pm
Here's to hoping Mountie starts the "second half" off all "take that ESPN, for not paying attention to me" and kills the ball for the next few months.
SBG replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:55:09 pm
That'd be cool. I guess those of us in flyover country get used to that kind of coverage our team, but sometimes it gets a bit much to take.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:25:59 pm
anyone know if there is anything to do in Anderson, IN, aside from going to Indianapolis? I have to go there for a couple of days, and expect to be generally pretty bored.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:27:25 pm
Is a Texas Ranger team ever going to be good? The only time in my lifetime that I remember them being ok was in the mid 90's, but they were ousted by New York in the playoffs. Hopefully, after the Twins sweep this series, Texas can win the AL West and springboard them into greatness
SBG replied on July 18, 2008 at 6:56:31 pm
The theory on Texas is that it's very tough to play there. The heat is absolutely oppressive and players wear down over the course of a long hot summer.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:06:23 pm
Maybe they need to switch uniform material.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:10:18 pm
cotton!
*channels George Costanza*
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:09:38 pm
I think it's going to be tough for Texas to really win until they focus more on defense. It's going to be tough for them to get pitchers to pitch well there, but they can make up for that somewhat by putting a good defense out there. Michael Young, in particular, seems to be a problem to me because he's entrenched at SS but is more or less Jeter-Harris-level bad in the field.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:00:17 pm
Gardy on the radio pregame: Cuddys hand did not improve over the ASB.
Thats not good news
also Punto is going to get a cotrizone shot in his finger. he has a sprain. Slowey is looking good from his finger, and Casilla is as healthy as he is going to get with his finger
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:06:31 pm
It's bad news that Cuddyer's not healthy, but I'm glad to hear that they're not putting him out there before he's ready, too. When considering offense and defense, healthy Span > injured Cuddyer.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:21:21 pm
I can't understand being more interested in the HR derby than the ASG, but I guess it's a matter of taste.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:23:05 pm
At least the derby finished at a reasonable hour. (for those not out west.)
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:32:37 pm
I agree with ya ubes
but it was nice to nice a Twins player win the HR Derby
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:24:16 pm
Come on, Dick, how many players are you going to have to cycle through until you figure out who Texas' CF is?
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:47:26 pm
All that and he never even got the right guy.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:08:11 pm
Yeah, as I recall, it went something like this:
"Joe Mauer with a drive to Josh Hamilton in center field. I mean, Milton Bradley. How about Brandon Boggs?"
Guppy replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:24:27 pm
Way to work it Gomez
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:30:10 pm
Do they make a radio V-chip? I really don't wanna hear Joe Doucheray's promos anymore.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:36:38 pm
turn your volume down for 1:45
thats how long the commercial breaks are
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:42:44 pm
That involves getting out of my seat--listening on an old "retro" radio.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:46:37 pm
You need a fing-longer.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:06:52 pm
It would totally kill the feng shui.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:47:21 pm
well cover you ears after the Rangers bat in the third, thats the next local break
Gutzon replied on July 18, 2008 at 10:11:32 pm
Haven't you heard? Kids are for changing the channel.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 10:29:22 pm
Damn. I knew I shouldn't have sold them...
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:39:57 pm
I really have problems judging the strike zone high/low with this camera angle. Maybe I'm just more used to the traditional angle, but I feel like I don't have that much problem with inside/outside with the old camera angle.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:40:26 pm
Black Jack not a fan of the home run derby, either. Says put it on tee, see who the strongest guy really is.
(Big motorcycle rally somewhere? Dizz is AWOL.)
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 7:48:54 pm
I say have a pitching machine
having a tee seems time consuming
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:01:59 pm
not a whole lot of excitment so far this game
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:12:33 pm
wattsy, what do you think of the Small Faces?
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:56:43 pm
they sound nothing like 'Itchycoo Park'
I have to give it another listen to have a full opinion. But generally, I liked it. (although 22 songs is a lot of songs for one sitting for me lately :lol:)
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:04:36 pm
<3 Mauer
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:05:23 pm
Thou shalt not run on Baby Jeebus.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:11:09 pm
that is commandment #2
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:11:47 pm
Jason 'Wheels' Morneau with a double
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:12:45 pm
Clearly his swing was messed up in the HR derby.
SideshowTootie replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:14:37 pm
Does anyone else helicopter the bat post-swing like Morneau?
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:16:24 pm
The batting stance guy does
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVmzF_NK76o
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:26:40 pm
That guy is spot on. Funny sh!t.
Charlie Lau was the hitting coach who added that maneuver to MLB batters oeuvres, if I'm not mistaken.
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:29:58 pm
Didn't Fred McGriff do something similar?
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:55:16 pm
yah. Charlie Lau had a big impact.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:16:43 pm
C'mon, wheels,
take this boy away
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:29:11 pm
because I am in a Cream mood
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:33:07 pm
And here I was thinkin' Flying Burrito Brothers...
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:15:39 pm
Loud out for The Dude.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:18:52 pm
Did Gardy or Vavra threaten to fine Delmon if he swings at first pitches, or something?
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:19:50 pm
I was more worried about Delmon making the 3rd out at 3rd, but Harris was even closer to getting nailed (and probably was?).
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:25:33 pm
Evening folks. I'm trying to recover from Famous Dave's gluttony. Started eating in the first inning, finished in the third. And Buscher was very close to getting nailed at second. I was surprised the ump called him safe.
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:31:42 pm
Looked like a good call - Young slapped him on the back of the leg after he was on the bag.
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:38:58 pm
Oh, I thought he was safe, too. But I'm still surprised the ump called him safe.
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:40:22 pm
Ah, agreed. That would have been easy to miss.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:53:56 pm
Famous Dave's is quality. Not as good as John Hardy's in Rochester, but quality. There's actually some smoke flavor involved.
Can't get decent 'cue in Cali, unless I make it myself.
Dread Pirate Will Young replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:56:45 pm
The Twin Cities needs to have a place open like Rocklands in DC. Of course, that can be said about pretty much every location besides DC. I used to live 2 blocks away and get the Italian Sausage Sandwich for lunch before catching the bus to work at least three times a week.
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:00:05 pm
Lee's & Dee's is a little hole in the wall in St. Paul - highly, highly recommended. Skip the baked beans, double up on the cornbread. Pulled pork sammich and ribs are awesome. I haven't ever had it, but am told the catfish sammy is top notch.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:36:47 pm
Perk at play.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:46:42 pm
The longer this situation persists, the less I like it.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:47:54 pm
Whew. Crisis averted.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:49:55 pm
Not playing games on paper... persisting.
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:47:38 pm
Nice wiggling by Perkins. Six shutout innings against this lineup is solid.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:51:13 pm
Ubelmann's curse.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:51:01 pm
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:51:11 pm
Dude.
Dread Pirate Will Young replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:51:24 pm
Hamilton played that ball awkwardly.
Neil replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:02:15 pm
But what a story.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:51:59 pm
Abidement.
How do you "take on the wall in right field"?? Isn't there a baggie there??
Dread Pirate Will Young replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:54:09 pm
Well, running full speed into it for no apparent reason would be one way.
Beau replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:55:55 pm
Delmon batting 1.000 with RISP and has no RBI
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:57:46 pm
Harris has been swinging a hot bat the last few games
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:58:03 pm
Harry with some good placement there.
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:59:33 pm
Ump seems to have a low strike zone tonight. Perkins couldn't buy a high strike, but anything close to the knee is getting called.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 8:59:49 pm
How did the first run score? No mention in the game log.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:02:54 pm
Single by Buscher.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:04:14 pm
I was too worried about baserunning hijinks to actually mention the hit.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:04:35 pm
I dont remember
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:07:41 pm
I may have been the victim of internet sarcasm.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:07:29 pm
11 pitch inning for the B man
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:11:04 pm
I've decided that Casilla is a good bunter.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:13:31 pm
Damn, Dick is talking so much out of his ass right now that he can't make stuff up fast enough to make his contrived point.
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:15:39 pm
Obviously a graduate of the George W. Bush School of Oratory.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:24:00 pm
That was just an awful sequence. Dick basically decided that he wanted to find a reason to make Mauer's hitting this year seem more impressive than it was in 2006. So he decided that Mauer had been hitting behind accomplished veterans in 2006. So then he went to name those veterans. He came up with Luis Castillo and a big bag of nothing.
So far this season, Twins hitters are:
.243/.285/.344 -- as #1
.301/.351/.421 -- as #2
In 2006, they were:
.277/.336/.358 -- as #1
.289/.349/.377 -- as #2
With Castillo/Stewart mainly leading off and Punto/Castillo mainly hitting second.
The Twins were probably a little better at 1/2 in 2006, but the difference isn't huge and has a lot more to do with talent than experience.
Anyway.....
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:55:21 pm
He had a better point when he mentioned Justin hitting behind Joe this year.
Diggity Dino replied on July 18, 2008 at 10:01:02 pm
Quite a bit of OBP difference in the #1 hitter, which could have some form of impact with regards to the pitcher throwing from the stretch more. Overall, I'd agree the impact is probably relatively small.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 10:42:41 pm
In 2006, Mauer had runners on base 49.5% of the time, in 2008, he's had runners on base 48.0% of the time. If he'd had runners on base at the 2006 rate, he would have had a whopping 5 extra PA with a runner on base. So while the OBP difference looks like it might have a significant effect in getting the pitcher into the stretch more often, it just doesn't. It's such a small effect that it is reasonable to argue that Gomez/Casilla are more of a distraction than Stewart/Castillo/Punto were, and that could potentially have a bigger effect of making things easier for Mauer.
In the end, I think Dick just has too much time to overanalyze this. Mauer has a high average because Mauer's a very talented hitter. The scouting report on him from back in the day was always, always frozen rope machine with the potential to win a batting title as a catcher. There were no caveats about who was hitting before or after him in the lineup. It's not really worth our time worrying about a 20-point difference in average between seasons--baseball players aren't machines and there will be variance and there's not always a reason for the variance.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:15:42 pm
Someone needs to give Dicknbert a time out so they can settle down before things get even more Uggla up in the booth.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:26:04 pm
they had four days off
and had broadcast only 2 games since last Wednesday
they have a lot of clutter to get out
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:18:46 pm
KUUUUUUBELLLLLLL!
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:18:54 pm
dude.
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:21:03 pm
Sometimes there's a man... I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? Sometimes, there's a man. And I'm talkin' about the Dude here....Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's the Dude.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:24:53 pm
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:27:11 pm
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:31:33 pm
I love that stuff!
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:28:21 pm
+ 300 pins.
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:25:24 pm
Harris was pulling about an 8 blade plow down to first there.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:28:25 pm
Cuddy wasn't using it in RF...
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:30:32 pm
Redmond and Lamb will be taking their turns later in the series.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:35:25 pm
No wonder they love the Twins "out-state."
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:25:32 pm
I love Mauer's baserunning. He's got decent speed, but only scored on Kubel's hit because he saw it as a hit the whole way, got a good jump and scored easily.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:30:07 pm
Jack Morris (no Dazzle tonight) said the same thing
great minds thinks alike?
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:31:28 pm
I'm sure that Black Jack and I disagree on more than one thing.
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:29:05 pm
See, I would think that this would be a good Bass spot, since he might be able to finish the game, keeping the rest of the 'pen fresh. I guess maybe Crain was already loose.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:29:11 pm
Crain keep a rollin' all night long? Or Crain wreck?
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:30:00 pm
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:31:19 pm
Did anybody else see Matt Guerrier's new baseball card?
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:37:17 pm
Um, no.
EDIT- Wasn't visible at first.
looks like Matty shaved before they animated his card...
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:44:26 pm
looks like a cross between Bill Brown and a Who from Whoville.
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:48:46 pm
Boom Boom Bill Brown?
LOL.
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:36:22 pm
boy Gomez is struggling
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:45:56 pm
I think he's gone beyond struggling and is getting very close to sucking.
Nate Tubbs Rules replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:45:07 pm
Good win to start the post all-star break. I assume we get the L tomorrow with Livan, but then Bake can go for the series win.
cheaptoy replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:48:12 pm
That's why I voted "win 2 of 3"
ubelmann replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:45:56 pm
What a great night to be an atheist!
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 11:36:49 pm
but I believe in Sweet Baby Jeebus
am I supposed to renounced him as my Savoir of Baseball?
E-6 replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:45:57 pm
Shutting down the Rangers is nothing to be scoffed at. Well done, boys.
Fireworks here.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:46:40 pm
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:47:27 pm
I'm going to be at the game Sunday... wife got some free tickets from a co-worker. Free tickets rock.
brianS replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:47:44 pm
Hell, Jason Kubel did what I did over the break!
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:47:49 pm
Black Jack: So Delmon what did you do during the ASB?
Delmon: I slept, I watched TV, I ate a lot of food
BWHAHA. awesome. I cant to get your Bobblehead tommorrow
twayn replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:48:38 pm
davidwatts replied on July 18, 2008 at 9:57:52 pm
wow, the Twins did not give up a hit after the 4th inning
Gutzon replied on July 18, 2008 at 10:16:24 pm
A good game log to stop by afterword...can't wait to get back home to watch a couple.