Lineups for today's game:

 

Indians

1. CF Michael Bourn

2. 2B Jason Kipnis

3. LF Michael Brantley

4. 1B Carlos Santana

5. RF Brandon Moss

6. DH David Murphy

7. 3B Lonnie Chisenhall

8. C   Roberto Perez

9. SS Jose Ramirez

 

PITCHING: TJ House

 

Twins

1. 2B Brian Dozier

2. RF Torii Hunter

3. 1B Joe Mauer

4. DH Kennys Vargas

5. 3B Trevor Plouffe

6. C   Kurt Suzuki

7. LF Oswaldo Arcia

8. SS Eduardo Escobar

9. CF Shane Robinson

 

PITCHING: Trevor May

 

-------

 

Today's matchup: TJ House vs the House DJ [borrowed from someone on Twitter, I honestly cannot remember who, sorry to that person]...

 

Trevor May, as many fans know, moonlights as a DJ spinning as DJ heybeef. Let's hope that instead of spinning records today, he's spinning from the mound and keeping Cleveland's hitters off-balance.

 

Yesterday's loss to Danny Salazar and the Indians snapped a 3-game winning streak for the Twins. More disappointingly, it was the third straight start that Phil Hughes bore little resemblance to the dominant starting pitcher we saw last year. As Mike Berardino noted on Twitter during the game yesterday, it took until pitch 73 for Hughes to get his first swing and miss of the game. Hopefully as Hughes' cutter comes around, we'll start to see the guy who signed the big contract over the offseason.

 

Salazar, meanwhile, was dominant. He struck out 10 in 6+ innings as the Twins' bats caused some extra wind to swirl in the stadium. It was a great 2015 debut for Salazar; we will likely hear lots more about him as the current season progresses.

 

Today acts as the rubber game for the 3-game series between teams off to disappointing starts. Here are 3 Things To Watch For:

 

1. Once Again, Starting Pitching

 

Maybe there's a little less star power today, but still plenty of intrigue. Trevor May, pushed into duty at the home opener thanks to Ervin Santana's 80-game suspension, failed to get out of the 6th, allowing 5 runs. Last year's starts against Cleveland both came in September, when May had supposedly gotten the bugs out and was pitching better than how he began in August. He had a decent five innings on Sep 9 in Cleveland, but on Sep 20 at Target Field, he was rocked for 7 runs in just 4 2/3 innings.

 

TJ House clearly didn't have the start he wanted 7 days ago, when Detroit pounded him for 6 runs and House was only able to get 4 outs before being lifted. But last year against Minnesota, he was able to handle Minnesota pretty well, allowing only 5 R while scattering 27 H/BB and getting 20 K in 22 1/3 IP over 4 games.

 

Neither pitcher will get a ton of Ks, meaning there should be plenty of balls in play today. Defenses will need to be up to the challenge.

 

2. Who's batting first?

 

We see Brian Dozier make the classic cleanup to leadoff change in lineup spot today with Danny Santana taking the day off. Danny Santana, in two weeks to start the season, is hitting .195 and hasn't taken a walk. While no one expects him to hit THIS badly the rest of the season, his ability to draw a walk made many question whether he could truly be an effective leadoff man for the Twins. Dozier makes the move there today, but it's difficult not to wonder if the Twins have the perfect guy in their #3 slot: Joe Mauer.

 

Mauer's ability to get on base is well-documented. What flies a little further under the radar is his baserunning skill. During 2014, Mauer rated as the 17th best baserunner in MLB according to UBR. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in savvy angles and decisions. And while it's fair to note that Brian Dozier ranks #1 on that same list, Mauer's higher OBP and Dozier's better pop make him suited to bat 2nd or 3rd, ideally.

 

It's quite easy and typical to dream of having that Rickey Henderson-esque leadoff guy, and Mauer certainly doesn't fit the mold from a speed and SB perspective. But in the absence of a classic leadoff guy, Mauer may be their best option. It will be interesting to see how Molitor handles Santana days off throughout the season.

 

3. Weather

 

Okay, it's an easy one, but after several beautiful days at Target Field this week, the skies turn grayer today and it will be a bit cooler. This will likely negatively impact the beer sales a bit, but how it will impact performance and ball flight is more of an unknown. They likely won't have a problem getting the game in (a delay isn't out of the question, however), so hopefully the Twins get the ball in play plenty and make an otherwise depressing sort of day a bit more exciting. The Twins take off for Kansas City after the game and will hopefully usher the gray skies out of here with them (though the forecast tells us otherwise....)

 

Enjoy the game today - perhaps after starting the season with two series losses, we'll have a second straight series win under our belts by dinner time.

Edited April 19, 201511 yr by BK432

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Last Place Minnesota Twins!

 

Possessors of the sixth longest current losing streak in the majors.

 

_{^{/ kind of a Fun With Numbers thing, y'know, cf. yesterday}}

A bit of a different lineup. Trying to see what works.  I still don't like Hunter batting 2nd. For this line-up, the guy I would hit 2nd is Mauer or Suzuki. 

Suzuki batting as high as he is a good example of a manager using SSS to build a lineup.

speaking of fun with numbers, early-season stats for the starting pitchers say that the twins oughta win by a score of 40-8.

Toronto's CF just turned a relative can of corn third out into a 3 runs for the Braves.

Looking for a Joe Mauer Birthday Home Run!!!

Edited April 19, 201511 yr by JB_Iowa

 

Looking for a Joe Mauer Birthday Home Run!!!

Aha! And I'm hoping for a Twins win in honor of stringer bell's birthday, today, too!

 

Happy Birthday, stringer and Joe!

 

Aha! And I'm hoping for a Twins win in honor of stringer bell's birthday, today, too!

 

Happy Birthday, stringer and Joe!

Oh yeah. Happy Birthday, old timer. (Stringer, not ChiTown.)

So, we get to see Mr. Robinson. Cool and about time. (Okay, yes, I know Shane has played already, but, I want to see more of him. After all, Shane is auditioning for the 4th outfield spot, once the Twins start bringing in other center fielders)

So, we get to see Mr. Robinson. Cool and about time. (Okay, yes, I know Shane has played already, but, I want to see more of him. After all, Shane is auditioning for the 4th outfield spot, once the Twins start bringing in other center fielders)

 

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon.

Going to the baseball game debate.

Laugh about it, shout about it

When you've got to choose

Every way you look at this you lose.

 

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio,

Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

What's that you say, Mr. Robinson.

Jolting Joe has left and gone away,

Hey, hey, hey

Hey, hey, hey

 

 

Oh yeah. Happy Birthday, old timer. (Stringer, not ChiTown.)

yeah, good thing you clarified that or I'd have told you to look in a mirror. Besides, you all missed my birthday.

For those of you who like to keep track of the MiLB scores. http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?cid=&lid=&org=142&sc=&sid=milb&t=affiliate&ymd

Chattanooga was postponed.

 

yeah, good thing you clarified that or I'd have told you to look in a mirror. Besides, you all missed my birthday.

 

 

  Happy belated birthday. Mine is July 4th, I'm sure everyone will remember.

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon.

Going to the baseball game debate.

Laugh about it, shout about it

When you've got to choose

Every way you look at this you lose.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio,

Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

What's that you say, Mr. Robinson.

Jolting Joe has left and gone away,

Hey, hey, hey

Hey, hey, hey

We most likely have a thread winner already.

 

 

Chattanooga was postponed.

 

The choo-choo's going to be late!

If Zuke's late home run yesterday had won the game, would he be sitting today?  Inquiring minds want to know.

This is my projection of positivity for the day: Mauer goes 4/4, Vargas and Plouffe - 2HR's a piece. Twins win 13-4.

 

This is my projection of positivity for the day: Mauer goes 4/4, Vargas and Plouffe - 2HR's a piece. Twins win 13-4.

I'm a big dog and I support this message.

 

Good inning

 

Aha! And I'm hoping for a Twins win in honor of stringer bell's birthday, today, too!

 

Happy Birthday, stringer and Joe!

 

String and Mauer? 

Born on the same day? 

 

Yet... It's just another day in Minnesota? 

 

I'm a big dog and I support this message.

 

  My big dog woofed her agreement.

May 1-2-3 with a K on 15 pitches.  I'll take it.

We most likely have a thread winner already.

If only the twins could win games this early...

Hunter is an old dog and is having a hard time adjusting to the new rule of staying in the box.

 

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon.
Going to the baseball game debate.
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at this you lose.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio,
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
What's that you say, Mr. Robinson.
Jolting Joe has left and gone away,
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

 

Asking only workman's wages
I come looking for a job,
But I get no offers,
Just a come-on from the whores
On One Twins Way
 

Lie la Lie

 

Rally Roger.jpg

 

And... 

 

And... 

 

yeah, good thing you clarified that or I'd have told you to look in a mirror. Besides, you all missed my birthday.

 

We didn't miss it... We just didn't know when it was... 

 

I heard your last birthday was back in 2002

 

And... 

 

And...