Twins vs Rangers, 08-23-2012, 7:05pm

[JB_Iowa]

The Twins have been playing pretty apathetically on this road trip. Maybe Oswalt gave them a figurative kick in the butt via Mauer's shoulder.

[Mauerzy4Prez]

Well at least we got some redemption! Wally Bell just took a ball straight off the top of his forearm... Try and throw somebody out now Wally Boy!

[B Richard]

Oswald is a veteran pitcher that is known for his control... If you don't think that was intentional then watch it again. It hit Joe in the U in Mauer, and was a 3-0 count. Nobody was warned which is ridiculous. That's bush Wash, just bush!

 

 

He posted an ERA of 6 this year going into the series, so I'd say it's fair to say he hasn't exactly been a control-artist this year. With that said, I do agree and think it was intentional now, especially in light of the play he blew just before. I hope somebody catches one in the ribs before this is all done.

[Ted666]

That's quite the outfield positioning for Mauer

[IdahoPilgrim]

Well at least we got some redemption! Wally Bell just took a ball straight off the top of his forearm... Try and throw somebody out now Wally Boy!

 

He had no choice but to throw Diamond out, given the location near the head.

[Mauerzy4Prez]

Oswald is a veteran pitcher that is known for his control... If you don't think that was intentional then watch it again. It hit Joe in the U in Mauer, and was a 3-0 count. Nobody was warned which is ridiculous. That's bush Wash, just bush!

 

 

He posted an ERA of 6 this year going into the series, so I'd say it's fair to say he hasn't exactly been a control-artist this year. With that said, I do agree and think it was intentional now, especially in light of the play he blew just before. I hope somebody catches one in the ribs before this is all done.

 

I don't know if an elevated ERA this year would leave to a lack of control that bad! Usually lack of control in a high ERA type guy means he's leaving it up in the middle of the plate. Not hitting his spots on the corners...

 

Either way as you said, I don't think we have seen the last of this little tiff. Probably later on in the series somebody will take one again.

[Mauerzy4Prez]

Well at least we got some redemption! Wally Bell just took a ball straight off the top of his forearm... Try and throw somebody out now Wally Boy!

 

He had no choice but to throw Diamond out, given the location near the head.

 

You're absolutely right he had no choice. League rules state if a pitcher makes it look that intentional the ump must eject him. However it doesn't make it right that we got the s***end of the stick and they didn't even get a warning. Still as a die hard twins fan and Mauer bobo I have to say I felt a small victory inside when Wally took that ball off the arm.

[pjnelly]

Here are some facts:

 

Oswalt hits Mauer on a 3-0 pitch. Doumit and Morneau both strike out to end the inning while their manager is pacing in the dugout and obviously pissed off.

 

We can't really be positive if Oswalt threw at Mauer intentionally, but he was probably not as tense as Doumit or Morneau when facing them after plunking Mauer. I think it was intentional and pretty brilliant on Oswalt's part if in fact it was intentional--he gets out of the inning unscathed, pisses off the other team into having some bad at-bats, and gets two others from the opposing team thrown out of the game while he gets to stay in. Great pitching if you ask me!

[IdahoPilgrim]

You're absolutely right he had no choice. League rules state if a pitcher makes it look that intentional the ump must eject him. However it doesn't make it right that we got the ### of the stick and they didn't even get a warning. Still as a die hard twins fan and Mauer bobo I have to say I felt a small victory inside when Wally took that ball off the arm.

 

I was kinda surprised when Wally Bell didn't warn both sides after Oswalt's pitch, but then I figured he was giving the Twins a chance for payback. If Diamond hits Hamilton in the back or leg, Hamilton takes first, Diamond stays in the game, and then Bell warns both sides - after they are even. Didn't work out that way.

[Tcrose3636]

Here are some facts:

 

Oswalt hits Mauer on a 3-0 pitch. Doumit and Morneau both strike out to end the inning while their manager is pacing in the dugout and obviously pissed off.

 

We can't really be positive if Oswalt threw at Mauer intentionally, but he was probably not as tense as Doumit or Morneau when facing them after plunking Mauer. I think it was intentional and pretty brilliant on Oswalt's part if in fact it was intentional--he gets out of the inning unscathed, pisses off the other team into having some bad at-bats, and gets two others from the opposing team thrown out of the game while he gets to stay in. Great pitching if you ask me!

 

Brilliant the way it turned out, but it could have also got Hamilton killed if it did hit him in the head (I don't really mean killed but hurt pretty badly). That is probably why Wash wad pacing back and fourth in the dugout. It was just plain stupid, you have your team competing for the playoffs and you do something dumb like that against a bad team, your team and your best offensive player are the only ones that you can really hurt in that situation.

[gil4]

Does anyone here have any good sites for streaming games? I don't have mlb.tv and am habitually frustrated by not being able to watch the Twins

 

 

Free MLB TV 10-day trial:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/sponsors/lexus/y2012/free_trial/index.jsp

 

If for some reason it doesn't work for you, I apologize in advance. It worked for me, although I should have waited until after the Texas series - it's in my local broadcast area.

[Bark's Lounge]

The HBP was definitely intentional. I would think the Rangers must seriously regret signing this guy - he has pitched like S@#t, he says he will not pitch out of the bullpen if he is demoted on a team that has the guns to win it all, and then he goes and pulls a bulls@#t move liking hitting Mauer on a 3-0 count after he makes a bone-headed fielding play, looking like a spoiled arrogant brat all the while. Seeing the look on his face after his fielding mishap was all I needed to see to know the HBP was intentional. I cannot imagine Ron Washington or many of his teammates were thrilled with Oswalt's actions... honestly it would not surprise me if Texas gets rid of him soon. Oswalt has been good in the past and you never heard anything bad about him - I guess this is Roy's bad person year and probably his last as a player.

[ashbury]

Totally random thought: I was glancing at Yahoo Sports' in-game box score page, and it shows Doumit facing Mike Adams at the moment, and darned if the two photos don't look like randomly generated player photos in this computer game I used to play. You'd think they could find a better photo of Doumit at least; Adams, I am afraid he just looks like a Sim, period.

[Ultima Ratio]

So can Plouffesie field a position? That's just bad x2

[notoriousgod71]

The Twins have been playing pretty apathetically on this road trip. Maybe Oswalt gave them a figurative kick in the butt via Mauer's shoulder.

 

 

Doesn't look like it by our eighth inning "fielding".

[Top Gun]

Twins just giving it away.

[wavedog]

Falling apart - can't hit, pitch or field - other than that good game. I am about to give up on Plouffe at third - he can't field.

[JB_Iowa]

The Twins have been playing pretty apathetically on this road trip. Maybe Oswalt gave them a figurative kick in the butt via Mauer's shoulder.

 

 

Doesn't look like it by our eighth inning "fielding".

 

 

Or pitching

[wavedog]

Sad thing is this was the one game of the series they had a chance to win. Only going to get worse from here on out.

[notoriousgod71]

Falling apart - can't hit, pitch or field - other than that good game. I am about to give up on Plouffe at third - he can't field.

 

Or hit.

[snepp]

Remember when it was 4-4?

[ashbury]

Remember when it was 4-4?

 

Good times, those were. Good times.

[Top Gun]

Joe Nate time!

[TheLeviathan]

Falling apart - can't hit, pitch or field - other than that good game. I am about to give up on Plouffe at third - he can't field.

 

Too soon. Just like it is too soon to rush to the "Plouffe is our starter at third now for the next decade", it's too soon to judge based on the last dozen games.

 

But frankly, his herculian power surge was always most likely to be a fluke - we can hope though.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Look at that box score and soak it in, folks... Jeff Gray was the pitcher of the night for the Twins.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Just my two cents, but I'm trying to figure out exactly why Oswalt would want to hit Mauer in that situation. It isn't as though he was retaliating against something.

 

That said, I don't have a problem throwing at someone, but I have a huge issue with throwing at someone's head where you have a potential career ending or life threatening injury. If you are going to do it intentionally, put it right on his thigh which will leave a nice bruise and slow him down for a game or two, but at the head is classless and should warrant a rather long suspension.

[IdahoPilgrim]

Just my two cents, but I'm trying to figure out exactly why Oswalt would want to hit Mauer in that situation. It isn't as though he was retaliating against something.

 

That said, I don't have a problem throwing at someone, but I have a huge issue with throwing at someone's head where you have a potential career ending or life threatening injury. If you are going to do it intentionally, put it right on his thigh which will leave a nice bruise and slow him down for a game or two, but at the head is classless and should warrant a rather long suspension.

 

Mauer had doubled in the first Twins run in the first inning, and the Twins had just tied the game on a Texas error (Oswalt probably frustrated at that). Runner in scoring position with one out, best player up with a possible rally. That's why Oswalt threw at him. And it worked - they got out of the inning with no more damage.

[powrwrap]

Be patient. This is a four-game series. Guarantee he gets nailed before they finish up Sunday.

 

The Twins should have pitched to Hamilton normally on his next immediate at bat and then plunked him in his successive at bat.

[wavedog]

Plouffe's display of defense in the 8th inning was close to Little League quality. I read where Gardy was on him to be more ready to react when the ball was hit and he looked a little slow on the first 2 hit to him in the inning so that worries me. Granted they were rocket shots - not exactly dribblers but it looked like he could have done better on the 2nd one which he correctly got charged for an error on. The 3rd miscue was moving back on the grounder which resulted in a late throw to first base. 4th was fielding the grounder and then running late to the 3rd base bag before throwing to first where he did make that throw in time. It was getting painfully embarrasing to watch. Perhaps these are all correctable - I don't know if we have an infielder instructor - I know Plouffe has moved around to many positions but he needs to gain some confidence.

 

 

In regards to the hit batsmen, Oswalt's control looked pretty good last night except for that pitch to Mauer. At 3-0 you usually look to groove one down the middle so I am pretty sure that was on purpose - why? who knows. The moral of the story with the current rules is make sure you are the first pitcher doing the hitting in the game. Interesting to see if Diamond gets suspended for this, if so it would seem Oswalt should also get the same suspension.

[powrwrap]

Plouffe's display of defense in the 8th inning was close to Little League quality. I read where Gardy was on him to be more ready to react when the ball was hit and he looked a little slow on the first 2 hit to him in the inning so that worries me. Granted they were rocket shots - not exactly dribblers but it looked like he could have done better on the 2nd one which he correctly got charged for an error on. The 3rd miscue was moving back on the grounder which resulted in a late throw to first base. 4th was fielding the grounder and then running late to the 3rd base bag before throwing to first where he did make that throw in time. It was getting painfully embarrasing to watch.

 

Yep, on the 3rd one you mentioned Plouffe should have charged the ball and stepped on 3rd rather than try to throw out Andrus. Apparently he realized his mistake and tried to do that on the 4th play you mentioned but figured he'd never get there in time so threw to Morneau at 1st base.