Ok, kids, we’re putting up the chat a bit early so that anyone watching the Induction ceremony can chat about it – it’s on MLB Network and MLB.com for those who are interested.
I’m really really really hoping that once the game starts, Frankie has one of his good days. *crosses fingers* I also hope that the bats (the Twins variety) manage to show up too. As for the fans, they couldn’t have ordered up a more gorgeous day for baseball in Minnesota!
| Detroit |
@ |
Minnesota |
| Jackson, A, CF | Revere, CF | |
| Boesch, LF | Casilla, A, 2B | |
| Ordonez, DH | Mauer, C | |
| Cabrera, Mi, 1B | Cuddyer, 1B | |
| Martinez, V, C | Kubel, RF | |
| Peralta, Jh, SS | Valencia, 3B | |
| Raburn, RF | Thome, DH | |
| Betemit, 3B | Young, D, LF | |
| Santiago, 2B | Nishioka, SS | |
| Porcello, P | Liriano, P |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Detroit | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
This loss brings an end to a very disappointing homestand. Talk all you want about looking to the trade market for bullpen help, but if this team doesn’t start producing some runs again, pitching help won’t generate any additional wins. No pitching staff will win games if the hitters can’t do better than 2 runs a game.
This team needs a healthy and productive Denard Span at the top of the order and quickly. I’m also hopeful that Justin Morneau will come back and help out, but the question is whether this team can hold on long enough for it to matter.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka is playing some nice shortstop defensively, but he looks about as lost at the plate as anyone I’ve seen at the Major League level in a long time. If I’m the GM and I’m serious about helping my team get in the race, I go shopping for a shortstop (no, I do not believe Trevor Plouffe is the answer) that can play adequate defense and at least make contact with a pitch from time to time. Let Nishi finish the season in Rochester and get some swings in down there, then come back and try again in Spring Training 2012.
Anyway… on to Texas, while the Tigers and BitchSox slug it out and the Tribe takes on the Halos. This thing isn’t over yet, but if the Twins aren’t going to take care of the competition themselves, they’re going to need a little help from others. – JC
This game was uglier than Phyllis Diller. No wonder Gardy is sick. I’d be sick too watching the Twins sleep walk through another loss. Frankie was a train wreck. Defense looked like a Little League game. And the Twins made Porcello look like Cy Young as he mowed them down like a Toro lawnmower. The Tiggers are a far superior team and the Twins will need other teams in the Central Division to beat them. The Twins roll over like a gentle farm collie when they play the average Tiggers. I look for the Twins to fold like a cheap pup tent in Texas. This team and their level of play discusts me.