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The Metrodome Induces Broken-Bat Singles

ubelmann July 29, 2009, at 12:09 am 35 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , , ,

To prove this, I am calling an expert witness:

"I'm not a big fan of broken-bat, bloop singles," Buehrle said. "It just seems like any time at this place you just know it's going to happen. You could be up 10-0 in the ninth inning and something's going to happen in that inning."

It never ceases to amaze me how much of a loser's attitude the White Sox have about the Metrodome. No one else complains nearly as much as those guys about the Dome. Of course, it's possible that no one anywhere complains as much as Mark Buehrle.

2009 Game 40: Minnesota @ Chicago White Sox

FirstTimeLongTime May 19, 2009, at 6:01 pm 159 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , ,

Scott Baker (4.61 xFIP)

vs

Mark Buehrle (4.61 xFIP)

Now that we have that out of the way. The Minnesota nine march onto another team that we, as Twins fans, love to hate: the Chicago White Sox.  Earlier this year the Sox took two of three against the Twins in Chicago including a 8-0 loss where Liriano got shelled for 5 runs in 4.2 innings. Luis Ayala also stuck out two batters in an innings work that game while allowing no hits.....

So here we are, the middle of May, 3.5 games behind the first place Detroit Tigers, who, might I add, suck.   Thankfully for the Twins seemingly every team in the AL Central sucks, including the Chicago White Sox.

Here is a little help from U2, hoping to help the Twins in avoiding another stinker tonight.  Because honestly, if Minnesota gets swept by the White Sox, right after the Yankees, I am going to go nuts.

Game 158: White Stockings @ Twinkies

brianS September 24, 2008, at 6:40 pm 305 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , , , , , , ,

Mississippi Meltdown, Part Deux. In which Don Guillote tries to rally his monkey to save the day.

First pitch: 7:10 pm Central Time. That means that come about 7:00, it's time to strap on a pair of
Buffalo Juice these bad boys and get busy wif it.

for the Pale Hose: Mark Huehrle Buehrle (4.10 xFIP, 116 tRA+, 1.32 WHIP, .426 SLGA, 131:47 K:BB)
for the home side: Nick Blackburn (4.51 xFIP, 98 tRA+, 1.35 WHIP, .440 SLGA, 91:34 K:BB)

Lefty Buehrle (Will Young's favorite pitcher) has put up yet another solid season. Hate him all you want, he's a damned fine pitcher and has been since coming up as a 21-year old in 2000. That's right. It's hard to believe, but he's been a thorn in our sides since he was barely legal. For his career, he's 10-6 with a 4.16 ERA, 10 HRs, 74:27 K:BB and 290/335/437 in 110+ innings in the Metrodome.

Continuing last night's theme, however, he's been eminently hittable on the road this year (326/356/500 with a ridiculous .353 BABIP, vs. a tidy 234/287/356 and .265 BABIP at home). He was terrible in August (5.86 ERA in 6 starts) but recovered to a very thrifty September (2.13 ERA in 4 starts).

Nick the Pirate King has been solidly above average at home this year (260/303/420, .275 BABIP), as opposed to something of a punching bag on the road (318/349/456, .335 BABIP), so we got that going for us. On the other hand, he could use a little pick-me-up, as he's really struggled in the second half (5.09 ERA, colored by an awful 7.58 in his last 4 starts, compared to 3.65 in the first half).

So, despite my bravado, this game skeers me. Buehrle is tough, albeit more vulnerable on the road. And he's a lefty, which puts the pressure on the M&M Boys and last night's hero, The Dude. Prolly we see Cuddyer somewhere in the lineup [update: no, according to LENIII; save him for that critical PH opportunity]. I'd sure, sure, sure like to see Cuddy justify my love tonight. Or maybe _elmon could croon some Young Americans for us. Whatever. Smash some, boys. Keep hope alive.

And despite all indications to the contrary above, I'm not going North of the Border. I'm recommending
dinner at the Happy Gnome tonight, as they will be featuring actual, quality beer from upstate New York (Ommegang). Of course, you won't be there, because you'll be listening to/watching the game with us, so instead pull out an Ommegang Witte to celebrate the boys of summer and to pray for FTLT's beer-drinking soul.
And for the 7th inning stretch, break out the Rally Cap.

I'll be thinking pissy good thoughts, as I (a) pick up the Girl from hebrew school and (b) take the Boy to a freakin' college fair (uh, he's a freshman in high school Mrs. S!). So I won't actually be around to needle FTLT about his potables tonight.

Game 150: Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians

eschapp September 15, 2008, at 4:58 pm 141 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , , , , , , ,

After getting rained out on Friday night, I again made the trip from DC to Baltimore to see the Twins play in person on Sunday. Although they lost, it was a fun game to watch. Being at Camden Yards always gets me excited for outdoor baseball in Minnesota. I've posted some pictures I took during the game over here.

The Twins try to gain some ground in the division race tonight against the Indians. Overall the Twins played well this weekend, but they'll probably need two wins against Cleveland to stay in the race. Go Twins! Oh and Cuddy's back and starting at DH today. Hopefully he's swinging a hot bat, because the Twins will face three lefties in Cleveland.
Cuddyer batting against the Orioles

First Pitch: 6:05 CST (7:05 EST) at Jacobs Field Whatever the Indians are calling their field these days.

Probable Pitchers:

For the Twins: K-Slow (12-9, ERA: 3.63, xFIP: 4.06, tRA+: 125 )

For the Tribe: Scott Jeremy Lewis (1-0, ERA: 0.00, xFIP: 4.88, tRA+: 385 ) **Note: Small Sample Size** Here are Lewis's minor league statistics. Lewis appears to have good control striking out 82 and walking 13 in 97 innings.

Pale Hose Watch: The ChiSox start their four game series at Yankee Stadium tonight. Word on the street is that Joe Crede is done for the White Sox, and that his locker has even been cleaned out.

Probable Pitchers:
Sox: Mark Buehrle (xFIP: 4.09; tRA+: 120)
Yankees: Alfredo Aceves (xFIP: 4.22; tRA+: None)

It is okay to root for the Yankees . . . right? Yuck. I can't believe I just typed that, but the Twins need any help they can get.

Game 105: Pale Hosers vs. Twins

ubelmann July 28, 2008, at 6:00 pm 196 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , , ,

Buehrle vs. Slowey

Top 6 VORP, 2008, Twins:
37.0 -- Morneau
33.6 -- Mauer
12.6 -- Casilla
11.6 -- Kubel
9.6 -- Delmon
9.2 -- DSPAN2

If you claim that you had that group picked as the six most valuable players this far though the season, I claim that you're a liar.

Top 6 VORP, 2008, White Sox
35.1 -- Carlos Quentin
34.8 -- Dye
30.0 -- Thome
14.7 -- Alexi Ramirez
12.5 -- AJP
12.3 -- Orlando Cabrera

I find this group equally unlikely. (Note: I kind of wonder if Carlos Quentin is really as bad in LF as he looks according to RZR.) Ratewise, this is Dye's 2nd-best season ever, and he's 34--that's pretty crazy.

Game 62: Minnesota at White Sox

ubelmann June 7, 2008, at 5:05 pm 43 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , ,

Livan Hernandez vs. Mark Buehrle

Players that I'm happy with so far: Mauer, Morneau, Nathan. (Alexi Casilla gets honorable mention. Even though he's probably playing over his head, he's still young and as a low-cost player could be a real asset to the team if he plays to his abilities.)

Players that I'm not so happy with so far: Delmon, Lamb, Harris. (I guess that doesn't exactly sound like a ringing endorsement of Bill Smith, eh?)

It's kind of weird--this team seemingly has a lot of the same glaring weaknesses in common with that 2006 team: 3B, SS, LF. (Though to be fair, Cuddyer hasn't been a whole lot better than Delmon this year.)

Anyway, LOSINGSTREAKBEGONE!

2008 Game 32: Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago Inflatables

ubelmann May 7, 2008, at 4:55 pm 407 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) , , , ,

Livan Hernandez vs. Mark Buehrle

I don't know what it is--perhaps a sort of "playing with house money" effect--but I can't help but be amused whenever Livan is pitching these days. My reaction when he gives up a big home run isn't so much "Oh no! How will we win now?" but rather "That ball might never land!" as I chuckle to myself.

Most of the time when coaches talk about how much a guy likes to compete, or how smart he is on the mound, it's because they don't have anything nice to say about him that can be verified. And clearly no one is going to go trashing their own players, especially when they just signed them. But I feel like I can see that a little bit out there with Livan. Offseason claims of him having no stuff seem a little overblown to me in that he seems to still have some pitches with good movement, even if he has no velocity left. The low velocity gives him a small margin for error, but having seen him for a while, I'm less concerned about the possibility of "Livan Time" turning into "Lima Time."

Bert often brings up Jamie Moyer as a comparison to Livan, but I think another good comparison might be another Hernandez--Orlando Hernandez. Livan throws his fastball a little more often than El Duque (60% to 50%) and El Duque throws the curve a little more often (~15% to ~9%), but both of them now essentially have mid-80s fastballs which force them to get a lot of movement and hit their spots with their various offspeed offerings.

Anyway, this ends today's episode of Dr. Strangeglove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Livan.