Milwaukee at Twins. Brewers 7, Twins 3
Take me out to the ballgame
Take me out with the crowd
Buy me some Dome dogs and soft pretzels
I don’t care if my gut goes to hell
So it's root, root, root for the home team
If they don't win it's a shame!
For it's 1-2-3-4 balls you score
At the Old Ballll Gaaaaaame!
I think that's how the song goes, at least that's how it sounded during the stretch today. Kyle Lohse had pitched a pretty good game through six innings, and the Twins were behind 2-1 going into the top of the 7th. If he could just hold the Brewers in the 7th, if the Twins could just score him a couple of runs, he could get a win and then shave that sad little chin pube spot.
Poor Kyle. Brad Radke thinks he's got it bad, but he's won in the last month. Not that Kyle's been Rad-like or anything, but he has certainly pitched better than his 2-6 record would indicate. (Hell, the BatKitties have pitched better than 2-6).
So Lohse gave up a leadoff single in the seventh, and then Blanco blew a fielding play on a bunt to put two on with no outs. Then Scott Posednik bunted and Blanco got it this time, proving that, as BatMom has always said, if at first you don't succeed, try try again. Then Junior "Junior" Spivey struck out—runners on 2nd and 3rd, two outs. Could Lohse get out of the jam?
No. He walked the next batter. Bases loaded. At this point Ron Gardenhire trotted out to do his familiar 7th-inning yank. Using our exclusive BatDropping technology, we're able to detail the conversation for you.
Gardy: What's up, yo?
Lohse: Dude, I can get him. I can get this guy. I feel it. Let me get him.
Gardy: Word.
Lohse: Word.
So, Gardy left him in. And if "Getting the guy" means "walking him with the bases loaded," Lohse delivered on his promise.
So then Gardy brought in Aaron "No Exit" Fultz. Has something happened to Fultz? Did he wake up with a horse head in his bed? Or maybe the head of TC Bear? This once-dominant lefty has been pitching like Bob Wells [Batgirl, that's WAY harsh! --Jeb] the last week. Today, he came in and promptly gave up a single, then another bases loaded walk. Then Joe "Human: All Too Human" Roa came in and promptly walked Bill Hall before getting the final out.
That's four runs in the inning, three of them on bases-loaded walks, all of them with two outs—and that garbled noise you heard coming from the dugout was pitching coach Rick "Being and Nothingness" Anderson ripping off his own mustache.
It would be a lot easier to know what to do with the bullpen if they didn't keep messing with us so much. A week ago, it would have been Fultz coming in to mop up Grant Balfour's mess—this week the floppy-eared Aussie is our only viable non-cereal-mascot option. It's hard for a Batgirl to keep track.
Off-day tomorrow, time for the Twins to catch up on their philosophy and get themselves together before the Bitch Sox come to town. The bullpen can use the time to gather themselves, think about their goals for the future, and maybe take a nice walk.
Posted by Batgirl at June 27, 2004 04:56 PMWhich is more painful:
Aaron Fultz comes in and gives up a homer with two men on, or Aaron Fultz coming in and walking in runs?
It's really hard to choose. I went to the game and it was true fan torture. I'm chanting quietly, put it in play, put it in play, but no, another ball four is called. On the positive side, Guzman went 4 for 5 and had some great plays in the field. Too bad everyone else on the team didn't copy his diet today.
cricket
Posted by: cricket at June 27, 2004 06:17 PMYou know, I really think we need hitting.
Do any of you know what the objection is to dumping LeCroy and replacing him with Morneau? I mean, sure he's loveable and all but I find it hard to believe that Morneau is the better player. I'm not saying he has to do Doug's job (beacuse although he can't buy a hit, he's still getting on base) but with Mauer back and strong and Blanco around, we don't need that 3rd catcher.
So dump LeCroy, bring up Morneau and let that man swing away with the bases loaded and no outs.
Posted by: Mimiru at June 27, 2004 07:29 PMI find it hard to believe that Morneau is NOT the better player rather.
Also I think the pitching was just luck today. I'm so scared for the Sox series, TC Bear hold me!
Posted by: Mimiru at June 27, 2004 07:30 PMDear Ms. Ru,
Do not be afraid. We have Radke, Silva, and Santana ready to face the wicked Bitch Sox. All is well.
Sincerely,
Batgirl
We welcome the sight of Silva, Radke and Santana. Did Carlos join the Girl Scouts since we last met? Because the way he served up cookies, you would hope the money was going to a good cause (Joe Mays is definitely not pitching, right? Right?!).
You might remember our friend Mark Buerhle who will take the hill on Tuesday. In addition, we may thrown long Jon Rauch on Wednesday (3 career wins...2 versus the Twinkies) and Jon Garland on Thursday. Or, to mix it up, you might get a little taste of Freddy Garcia.
So we lose 4 of 6 to the Brewers, and the Bitch Sox get Garcia, and all is rosy for the upcoming confrontation? It would, if you'll excuse me, appear otherwise.
Posted by: al at June 27, 2004 08:03 PMThe Bitchsox already stole the Yankees unis, now they gotta get all sorts of bats and midseason pitching help, plus they dump Koch? I only hope that the cosmic corrections to their hubris come, not as the Yankees' have lately (in the postseason), but much, much sooner.
Could a central division team win the wild card? It would surely convince the coastal sports pundits that the unbalanced schedule needs to be junked. (Fattening up wins on all those weak teams (i.e. the Royals and, uhm, I guess just them this year) while the BoSox and Yanks in the "difficult AL East" get 20 games each against the Jays of Blue, Orioles, and Tampa Bay "Suddenly Competent" Ugly Greenies.
Posted by: amr at June 27, 2004 08:20 PMI hope Terry Ryan is working the phones good.
*sigh*
Not that I think Freddy Garcia is a particularly good pitcher. He needs a top-knotch pitching staff to straighten him out if his arm didn't get burned out last year.
Posted by: Mimiru at June 27, 2004 09:00 PMKeep Lecroy.
Posted by: Biggie_Robs at June 27, 2004 09:12 PMDear Mimiru,
Your postings are almost always lucid and well-informed. But I would like to bring a few of matters to your attention: (1) Doug is not still getting on base. In the last week his on-base-percentage has been .250. That figure is poor even for a batting average!; (2) Garcia's 3.20 ERA is actually very good for starters this year, and his losses are no fault of his own; (3)if you check your history you will find that the Yankees weren't the first to wear black and white, let alone pinstripes; and (4) Go Sox! Boy do I hope the Sox win this series. I'm so sick of everybody talking about what a swell and loveable team the Twins are. Who's more loveable than Mr. Zero?! Or for that matter, the cuddly Big Hurt?
Terry does have a phone? Terry does have the phone numbers of other teams? Terry has a incomplete starting staff? Terry has the worst hitting first baseman in recent memory{don't Tony me your Clarks}? Terry has prospects galore? Am I missing something here? Has Terry ben struck dumb? stupid?
Posted by: al at June 27, 2004 09:54 PMDear Sox Fan,
After posting about Doug getting on base I went and looked up his OBP and found the number you described. More-over, in the last 7 days his OPS was a mind-blowing .368.
As for Freddy Garcia, I'd like to see his WHIP be a bit better, but that comes from having Schilling/Hudson/Carpenter/Sabthia/Beckett on my fantasy team so my expectations are a little high.
I did not say anything about the Sox unis.
Moreover, I Darth Thomas scares me too much to cuddle the Sox, I think I'll stick with TC Bear. Perhaps Darth Thomas will cuddle you when you cry after we (hopefully) sweep you ;)
Sincerely,
Mimiru
If Freddy Garcia is not a particularly good pitcher, I'd like to see Terry Ryan bring us a starter who can top a 3.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and .236 OBA (76-50, 3.89 ERA career).
The Bitch Sox just got an All-Star pitcher in the prime of his career, who has held the Twins to a 2.51 ERA and .224 OBA in two starts this season, and apparently loves Ozzie Guillen like an uncle--so he'll probably be a thorn in our sides for years to come. This isn't good news for us fans in the Land O' Lakes.
Posted by: frightwig at June 28, 2004 03:18 PMActually, Garcia was CRUSHED to be leaving Seattle. If you saw the press conference he nearly broke down a few times. Things may not be all roses.
The problem with Garcia is that he has been inconsistent. But worry not, we beat Garcia when we faced him before :)
Posted by: Mimiru at June 29, 2004 02:38 AM