Twins:

Ben Revere CF

Alexi Casilla 2B

Joe Mauer 1B

Josh Willingham LF

Ryan Doumit DH

Matt Carson RF

Trevor Plouffe 3B

Drew Butera C

Pedro Florimon SS

(Liam Hendriks P)

 

Billy Beanes:

Coco Crisp CF

Stephen Drew SS

Josh Reddick RF

Yoenis Cespedes LF

Chris Carter 1B

Seth Smith DH

Josh Donaldson 3B

George Kottaras C

Cliff Pennington 2B

(Tommy Milone P)

A .547 OPS "hitting" second, and just .424 since the start of July.

 

 

Play second, bat second!

I feel sorry for Hendricks. He might have to pitch a shutout to avoid a loss.

Twins:

Ben Revere CF

Alexi Casilla 2B

Joe Mauer 1B

Josh Willingham LF

Ryan Doumit DH

Matt Carson RF

Trevor Plouffe 3B

Drew Butera C

Pedro Florimon SS

(Liam Hendriks P)

 

Billy Beanes:

Coco Crisp CF

Stephen Drew SS

Josh Reddick RF

Yoenis Cespedes LF

Chris Carter 1B

Seth Smith DH

Josh Donaldson 3B

George Kottaras C

Cliff Pennington 2B

(Tommy Milone P)

 

Sal Jr got his caddying job back?

For those of us unswayed by 'balance' in the lineup arguments, and more concerned with stringing hits together in succession to score runs, the lineup should read:

 

Revere, Mauer, Hammer, Doumit, Plouffe, Carson, Casilla, Florimon, Butera.

For those of us unswayed by 'balance' in the lineup arguments, and more concerned with stringing hits together in succession to score runs, the lineup should read:

 

Revere, Mauer, Hammer, Doumit, Plouffe, Carson, Casilla, Florimon, Butera.

 

I concur, with the exception of my own preference for an on-base guy at the bottom of the order to set up the turnover back to the top and improve the odds of hit-stringing- ie, I'd flip Florimon with Butera.

For those of us unswayed by 'balance' in the lineup arguments, and more concerned with stringing hits together in succession to score runs, the lineup should read:

 

Revere, Mauer, Hammer, Doumit, Plouffe, Carson, Casilla, Florimon, Butera.

 

I agree that Florimon would be better ninth. I also wonder why bat Plouffe as high as he is - he is in a massive slump. Carson or even Casilla might be a better choice until he gets his bat working again.

And Liam walks the first batter.

 

And now a wild pitch.

 

Aw, come on...

What's the over/under on how many innings of this game I'm going to watch? 2?

Hendriks' line predictions anyone?

Well, I can live with one run. Hopefully he settles and stops throwing so high in the zone.

He's so dang nervous... got to get past that or he'll never be effective. I'm thinking 4 ER on 5 IP 3K 3 BB

Bad luck, Trevor.

In the 1st inning, Coco Crisp did a fake bunt with a 3-0 count. That reminds me, the little League World Series is on.

It'd be so great to get Liam a win right off the bat. He needs to get over the stigma of being winless, it seems.

Way to field your position, Liam!

Damn. What a play by Florimon.

Good second inning for Stifler. Way to help your pitcher Pedro!

Damn. What a play by Florimon.

 

I don't think Dozier makes that play... Carroll either for that matter.

I'm following the game on MLB's Gameday - it looks like the ump today has a small strike zone. Does that correspond to what people watching the game are seeing, or am I getting bad intel?

It'd be so great to get Liam a win right off the bat. He needs to get over the stigma of being winless, it seems.

 

It's obviously all in his head. He just needs a win to know he can do it and he belongs on a major league roster. Once he relaxes a little, I would think that he can have the same success he had in Rochester.

I'm following the game on MLB's Gameday - it looks like the ump today has a small strike zone. Does that correspond to what people watching the game are seeing, or am I getting bad intel?

 

Nah... can't say that with any confidence at this point. Just that low ball which should have been a strike (Liam's pitch for the K).

Why did we have Dozier up all season with this guy playing in Rochester. I don't care if hits .500 or .200 if he can keep making plays like that every game, we need him at short.

Why did we have Dozier up all season with this guy playing in Rochester. I don't care if hits .500 or .200 if he can keep making plays like that every game, we need him at short.

 

Is that you, Gardy?

Why did we have Dozier up all season with this guy playing in Rochester. I don't care if hits .500 or .200 if he can keep making plays like that every game, we need him at short.

 

Is that you, Gardy?

 

They just installed Wi-Fi in the Oakland dugout this morning.

.255 OBP hitting 2nd...top notch Mr Gardenhire.

The ump does seem to be giving some on the outside corner but he definitely does not seem to want to call the strike at the knees.

Why did we have Dozier up all season with this guy playing in Rochester. I don't care if hits .500 or .200 if he can keep making plays like that every game, we need him at short.

 

To be fair, at the start of the season I heard a number of pundits thinking Dozier was ready (it was actually a little bit of a surprise he started in Rochester) and Florimon wasn't even on the radar scope. He's played his way into this over the season.

It'd be so great to get Liam a win right off the bat. He needs to get over the stigma of being winless, it seems.

 

It's obviously all in his head. He just needs a win to know he can do it and he belongs on a major league roster. Once he relaxes a little, I would think that he can have the same success he had in Rochester.

 

I would tend to agree. He clearly has the stuff to pitch up here. He just seems to be pressing. I would imagine that one good outing would really help his confidence and just let him focus on pitching.

Nice hit by Cespedes. Hard to do much about that (except not allow the bases to load in the first place).