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Game 99: Twins at New York Yankees

Posted by ubelmann on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 5:00 pm

Blackburn vs. Ponson

Sidney Ponson is apparently an asshole, but posted a very respectable 4.38 xFIP (and 3.88 ERA if you're into that) with the Rangers. Nick Blackburn, on the other hand, has a 4.24 xFIP. So, the pitching matchup is really pretty even, talent-wise.

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This entry was posted by ubelmann on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 5:00 pm and is filed under 2008 Twins Game Logs. It is one of 613 entries by the author. Feel free to write a letter to the editor if you are a registered SBG Nation Citizen. If you are not a Citizen, you can register here.

140 LTEs »

FirstTimeLongTime
FirstTimeLongTime replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pm

That is a disturbing thing to say; Blackburn and Ponson even talent wise. Sadly the numbers back that up. Hopefully Blackburn can create a little bit more room between the two of them tonight so that comparison won't be quite so accurate. The Twins are on tv in Buffalo tonight so I will be out enjoying some delicious beverages in a public setting. Let's start this series off on the right foot.

 
Suspended
Suspended replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:16 pm

Only 1 more week, until I get to watch the Twins play on TV again.Hopefully as they take 1st from the Sox, so I can give all my friends a bunch of crap, after all the crap I got from when the Twins got swept by Chicago 598-4 earlier this year.

 
GreekHouse
GreekHouse replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:30 pm

Some predictions for the game:

  • Twins 34, Yankees 4
  • Arod makes love to Madonna on the field.
  • A member of the NY media makes love to Jeter on the field.
  • A member of the NY media attempts to assassinate Arod on the field.

I don't see how I could possibly be wrong on any of these points.

davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:38 pm

Arod makes love to Madonna on the field.

That would add a kick to Yankees radio announcer John Sterlings call ' An A-Bomb, from A-Rod!'

 
SBG
SBG replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Suzyn Waldman and Jeter?

 
 
socaltwinsfan
socaltwinsfan replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:33 pm

I think it's more accurate to say so far this year these two pitchers have been pretty equally effective. Fortunately, the Twins' offense has been quite a bit better than the Yankees, which probably hasn't been true this late in a season since at least 1992.

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:15 pm

The Yankees have a better team OBP and better team SLG than the Twins--I can't at all agree that the Twins' offense has been "quite a bit better" than the Yankees this year.

brianS
brianS replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:55 pm

0.36 more runs per game so far. In the spirit of Bill Smith, which history would you rather have so far this year? :-)

 
 
 
socaltwinsfan
socaltwinsfan replied on July 21st, 2008 at 5:57 pm

Posada put on the DL today.

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:20 pm

good start to the inning

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:22 pm

stupid A Rod

E-6
E-6 replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:26 pm

No sign of the Material Girl, but A-Rod poked that one.

brianS
brianS replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:58 pm

which one?

 
 
 
Guppy
Guppy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:29 pm

I'm new to MLB.TV, so this is the first YES broadcast I've watched. I don't know who these Yankee broadcasters are--I didn't catch the names--but they are amazingly unprofessional. Especially the 'color' guy - my God he's terrible. Almost sounds like a minor league game or something. You'd think a big-time operation like the Yankees would have class A broadcasters.

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:59 pm

The widescreen feed is quite nice, though, since they stream everything in widescreen anyway.

 
 
twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:31 pm

A threat!

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:34 pm

a run!

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:35 pm

safe! sweet!

all tied up

 
twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:36 pm

Wow! Harris was dead on the play at the plate and we get the call... in Yankee friggin' Stadium. Miracles do happen.

E-6
E-6 replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:38 pm

Gordo concurs.

 
smalls
smalls replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:59 pm

Sterling surmised that since the throw beat Harris that he should have been out regardless of the presence of an in-time tag. He spoke of it as if it was one of those stupid unwritten rules.

 
 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:37 pm

way to go Laddie
2-2 so far

 
Guppy
Guppy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:42 pm

Boy Harris has no range at SS. On that last play it looked like he dove when he really didn't need to and was unable to recover.

 
meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:48 pm

Evening folks.

 
twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:51 pm

Blackburn needs to throw fewer fastballs.

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:51 pm

Dazzle seems to have brought his 'A' game tonight
notes that its hot, and players are overheating

thanks

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:56 pm

ummm

twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 6:59 pm

out of order

kortronovitch
kortronovitch replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pm

SBG
SBG replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:25 pm

That is very nice.

kortronovitch
kortronovitch replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:38 pm

In the interest of full disclosure, I jacked that from TwinkieTown sometime last year.

 
 
 
 
smalls
smalls replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:01 pm

Do you think it would get a rise out of the New York's fans (undoubtadly with some Jersey fans interspersed) if the announcers paged for Jon Bon...Zer?

 
kortronovitch
kortronovitch replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:02 pm

 
 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Harris is involved in sooooo many non-DPs. So many.

davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:03 pm

I noticed that when I was at the game Saturday night
the SS to 2B toss seems like it takes forever

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:07 pm

Yeah, he can't get the ball to the second baseman quickly, and it seems like it takes him a long time to get to the ball, too. Almost like he's just being too careful or something.

 
 
 
twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Doing the little things....

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:01 pm

Our defense is being overexposed right now.

meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:09 pm

something like this?
manray

 
 
E-6
E-6 replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:02 pm

Not a good outing for Black Lips.

 
twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:02 pm

If I were a piece of clubhouse furniture, I'd be looking for a place to hide from Blackburn right now.

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:03 pm

Well, Blackburn allowed one XBH and from the part I saw, got some pretty crap defense behind him. Just one of those days.

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pm

Liriano would of pitched a no hitter

just sayin...

 
meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pm

Does Blackburn have options left?

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:06 pm

Does it matter?

 
twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:09 pm

Real estate, insurance, used car sales....

meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Zing!

 
 
 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:13 pm

 
E-6
E-6 replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:14 pm

Dazz: That was one of those home run shots.

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:17 pm

So that's what the kids are calling them these days.

 
 
Guppy
Guppy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:16 pm

Jeez, Bonser can't even throw it to first effectively. Had such high hopes for him coming into the season.

 
New Guy
New Guy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Boy this certainly isn't going well.

Thank God this is the LAST SERIES THE TWINS WILL EVER PLAY IN YANKEE STADIUM!

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:18 pm

Melky respecting Gomez's arm.

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:21 pm

Delmon certainly not with impressive range towards the line.

twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Delmon certainly not with impressive range towards the line.

 
 
Banjo
Banjo replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pm

Why do the Twins always morph into the Royals when they play NY?

smalls
smalls replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:23 pm

The Grand Forks Royals.

 
New Guy
New Guy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm

Why do the Twins always morph into the Royals Washington Generals when they play NY?

The Twins only exist in order to lose to the Yankees.

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:28 pm

It always seems that way, doesn't it?

 
 
meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pm

Someone stop the bleeding!
bleeding

 
greenmachine
greenmachine replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:23 pm

You know, when Bonser strikes the batter out, things seem to turn out OK. He should consider striking out every batter.

 
meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm

Apparently the Twins didn't get the memo about Sir Sid starting tonight.

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:29 pm

Ponson is not a bad pitcher.

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:36 pm

I was surprised about something Gardy said during the radio pregame
Gardy said that Ponson seems to be more effective with his sinker this year, something that was not happening with the Twins last year because of an arm injury that was not quite healed. Gardy figuered his arm is very healthy this year

 
 
Banjo
Banjo replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm

I'm off to drink (some more..)

greenmachine
greenmachine replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:40 pm

Who says you can't drink right here in front of the computer? Heck, I'm thinking of moving the liquor shelf into the filing cabinet.

 
 
SBG
SBG replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:29 pm

This has not turned out well.

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:41 pm

These Yankees analysts are hacks--using Mauer's BA this season to surmise that he's better against LHP. Sure, guys.

 
davidwatts
davidwatts replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:45 pm

kuuuuubes

 
meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Kubes!

brianS
brianS replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:47 pm

or "coooo-BELL", per the Yanqui radio guys.

meat
meat replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:48 pm

bS- you gotten into the black ale yet?

brianS
brianS replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm

review is in the can, scheduled for Wednesday.

 
 
New Guy
New Guy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Did you hear when the stadium guy announced his first at bat?

"Kubble"

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:58 pm

Things happen fast in the Big Apple, they can't be bothered with details like names.

 
 
 
 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 7:46 pm

Attaboy, Kubes.

 
greenmachine
greenmachine replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:01 pm

 
ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:01 pm

3 1/3 for Boof with 3 K, 1 BB, 2 runs allowed. Not too bad in a pinch. If the Twins make a couple more plays for Blackburn on defense, this would be a much different game right now.

twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:06 pm

We certainly brought the ass-gloves on this trip. I had heard Punto was ready to go today, but no such luck. Having him at short tonight might have made a difference.

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:10 pm

Sounds like Gardy's willing to use him as a defensive replacement, but must see something in Punto's hitting drills that makes him unwilling to send him to the plate too often.

twayn
twayn replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:14 pm

I heard on the radio a little while ago that he only took BP from the left side, so it doesn't sound like he's 100% yet.

 
New Guy
New Guy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:14 pm

but must see something in Punto's hitting drills that makes him unwilling to send him to the plate too often.

A little something called 2007 would like to have a word with you about this.

ubelmann
ubelmann replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:17 pm

Because Harris has totally been tearing it up at the plate this year.

New Guy
New Guy replied on July 21st, 2008 at 8:47 pm

I think you misunderstood me. I meant that based on the num