No one seems to be able to agree on who's an ace pitcher, but I think we would all agree that Jose Berrios pitched like one on Sunday afternoon. Brian Dozier homered on the first pitch of the game, the Twins scored four in the first frame and Berrios cruised to his first career shutout.Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Download attachment: Snapshot41.png

Berrios had some tough acts to follow. Jake Odorizzi and Kyle Gibson combined to throw 12 shutout innings, limiting the Orioles to just two hits in the first two games of the season. Berrios was even better.

 

Jose pitched his his first shutout, which was also his first career complete game, and gave up just three hits and one walk. He struck out six hitters and only needed 107 pitches to finish off the O’s.

 

He was aggressive, efficient and his curveball looked especially untouchable.

The bats followed up a three-homer night by swatting another four dingers, two of which came from Dozier. Just like last night, they were all solo shots. Here they are:

Though his overall stats were less impressive, O's starer Kevin Gausman finished 2017 by posting a 3.31 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 9.8 K/9 over his final 18 starts, so it’s not like the bats were feasting on a bottom feeder.

 

Twins starting pitchers now have 21 shutout innings and have only surrendered five hits. Wow. Pressure's on, Lance Lynn.

 

Postgame With Molitor

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:

Download attachment: Bullpen41.png

Next Three Games

MON: at PIT, 12:05 pm CT

WED: at PIT, 5:05 pm CT

THU: vs. SEA, 3:10 CT

 

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Just finished watching the game (love MLB.com for out of region coverage).   Wow, just wow.   La Machina esta en fuego hoy.

Worst K rate on the starting staff.

 

Disappointing.

 

 

Kid has a boat load of talent

It's an absolute pleasure watching Berrios pitch when he's in cruise control like he was today.

I think Lance Lynn is gonna be motivated.  Love it!  Just like good hitting begets good hitting, good pitching begets good pitching.  I bet Lance is chomping at the bit.  

 

 

I keep watching clips of Berrios' curveball... the Orioles hitters are going to need an especially long after game shower because that is just absolutely filthy.

 

 

​"Shudders"... ​Actually I think I need a cigarette myself now

Worst K rate on the starting staff.

 

Disappointing.

 

 

Our Pythagorean record is off to a good start.

I may or may not have said to some folks standing in line to run the bases after the park “these kids are going to run the bases now since the Orioles weren’t allowed to earlier.”

That's about the best start I could have asked for from our rotation. Just fantastic pitching from all three of the guys, and we haven't even seen Lynn and Ervin will eventually be back. This team is gonna be good this year. If the lineup can do what they did last year and our starting and relieving pitching is improved like we've seen so far, we have a playoff-caliber squad here.

Looking at those two clips of Berrios, especially the second one, you have to wonder what the heck you’re supposed to do with a pitch like that??!? So nasty! Great start to the season for he hometown nine!

 

Looking at those two clips of Berrios, especially the second one, you have to wonder what the heck you’re supposed to do with a pitch like that??!? So nasty! Great start to the season for he hometown nine!

He definitely has the stuff to be a true ace.

What a great way to start the season.  Great pitching and a bunch of dingers.  Couldn't ask for more.

Absolutely love these game recaps, may there never go away!!!

Thanks so much for doing them!

Absolutely love these game recaps, may there never go away!!!

Thanks so much for doing them!

Concur!

As long as our starting pitching doesnt give up any runs this season, we hace a chance.

What a great way to start the season.  Great pitching and a bunch of dingers.  Couldn't ask for more.

The only other thing would have been one more run in the 9th inning of the first game.

Why are some ... upset, I guess ... over the 9th inning bunt? With a shift on, what are you going to do? Why put a shift on in the 9th anyway?

 

Why are some ... upset, I guess ... over the 9th inning bunt? With a shift on, what are you going to do? Why put a shift on in the 9th anyway?

Yeah, I don't really understand. Maybe it's an old school unwritten rule that I've never heard of?

Edited April 2, 20188 yr by jimmer

 

Why are some ... upset, I guess ... over the 9th inning bunt? With a shift on, what are you going to do? Why put a shift on in the 9th anyway?

Exactly, they're getting upset over something really dumb. Why shouldn't Sisco try to get on base and start a rally? Some of the Twins comments from Dozier and Berrios are some of the dumber things I've ever heard. Yeah, let's shame the rookie for trying to win the game when they're down big in the 9th. 

Never over 'til it's over, get on base.

 

On the other hand...what's up with Oriole hitters smacking our catchers with a bat?  If there's something that deserves some yapping, and maybe a couple of inside fastballs, that's my choice.

 

Why are some ... upset, I guess ... over the 9th inning bunt? With a shift on, what are you going to do? Why put a shift on in the 9th anyway?

Yeah, that stuff came out after I had already posted this and now it seems to be all anybody wants to talk about. For those who didn't catch the game or haven't heard about it yet, with one out in the ninth inning Chance Sisco dropped down a nice a shift-beating bunt single. Berrios had already given up a hit, so it's not like that was to break up the no-hitter.

 

I had the same reaction as you, Carole. I didn't think much of it. They were down 7-0, it was the batter's job to get on base.

 

Mike Berardino shared quotes from Dozier, Rosario and (in his game story) Berrios where they all said something along the lines of "we didn't like that" or "that's not good baseball."

 

My Guess is the Twins thought it was a cheap, gimmicky move by Sisco to do that in the bottom of the ninth in a 7-0 game ... but it seems the same thing could be argued about putting on an extreme shift in the bottom of the ninth in a 7-0 game.

 

In their quotes, the Twins seemed more annoyed than actually upset about it, but I don't know what they expected the guy to do. If a Twins hitter was in that same situation, I'd have wanted him to do the same thing.

 

Hell, Rosario put down a nice shift-beating bunt himself earlier in the game 

I heard the play on the radio but didn't realize there was a shift. Still should have been swinging away, imo.

 

Also, did it sound like a "let's go home!" chant after that bunt?

Awesome pitching! With pitching like this, I might forget about losing Luke and JT, who both had great debuts for the Angels and Dodgers. Funny how two contending teams can use them, but not the Twins. It's a long season, with a great start.

Edited April 2, 20188 yr by h2oface

My Guess is the Twins thought it was a cheap, gimmicky move by Sisco to do that in the bottom of the ninth in a 7-0 game ... but it seems the same thing could be argued about putting on an extreme shift in the bottom of the ninth in a 7-0 game.

 

 

That’s just it, if you are going to get ‘gimmicky’ with a shift in the first place at that point in the game, you should expect it. Personally I think calling for the shift was kind of dumb. If anyone should be annoyed by that it should be the Orioles. I read a comment on Twitter (which was my mistake to even go there) where someone made a comment about how Sisco should have just hit the ball, play the game the way it was supposed to be played. Well, couldn’t one say that about the shift in the first place? It’s just all dumb.

That’s just it, if you are going to get ‘gimmicky’ with a shift in the first place at that point in the game, you should expect it. Personally I think calling for the shift was kind of dumb. If anyone should be annoyed by that it should be the Orioles. I read a comment on Twitter (which was my mistake to even go there) where someone made a comment about Sisco should have just hit the ball, play the game the way it was supposed to be played. Well, couldn’t one say that about the shift in the first place? It’s just all dumb.

The way the game is supposed to be played is to always try your best and take advantage of the opponent's weakness! No need to be a baby about it! Should they not try to comeback, and hit a home run either?

Edited April 2, 20188 yr by h2oface

The way the game is supposed to be played is to always try your best and take advantage of the opponents weakness! No need to be a baby about it! Should they not try to comeback, and hit a home run either?

Right. If you are going to put a shift on, expect the batter to try and beat it. That’s playing. I just don’t think the Twins should be annoyed by it, and if they are, then I think the Orioles should be more annoyed. Whatever, game is done, we won, not that big of a deal. Just don’t know why people are talking about it like they are. (Not here, but on Twitter and in the media.)

If the game is "too close to over" for a bunt, it's too close to over for a shift.  If you shift, you get what you asked for.  Twins are spoiling an amazing effort with whining.

I'm not really sure how upset the Twins are, given that Dozier said he felt he didn't need to say something to Sisco even though he was on secondbase and given the chance to talk smack.  I imagine the Twins players are just responding to a line of questioning (reporters looking for a story...), rather than voicing their own feelings about the unwritten rules of baseball.  

 

I think it's a non-story.

Edited April 2, 20188 yr by PseudoSABR