GAME THREAD: Twins @ Red Sox, 4/18/22, 10:10 AM CT

[Mill1634]

The Pitchers

RHP Dylan Bundy (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 K's, 5 IP) vs LHP Rich Hill (0-0, 6.23 ERA, 4 K's, 4.1 IP)

Both starters will be making their 2nd start of the season this morning, with Bundy coming off of an impressive performance against Seattle. While Bundy wasn't missing bats or blowing pitches past hitters, he was varying speed and had command of his pitches. Of course, Bundy is going to need to get swings and misses to have sustainable success, but that will hopefully come in time. Old friend Rich Hill did not enjoy the same success in his first start of the season. Hill went just 4.1 innings against the Tigers, allowing 5 hits and a walk while allowing 3 runs. He did not give up a homer, and struck out nearly 1 per inning. Hill has been a successful backend starter for the later part of his career, including time in Minnesota. However, he is limited to a curveball and fastball, and throws below the speed limit. He will also likely be held to only two times through the batting order, so the Twins should get an extended look at the Red Sox bullpen today.

 

The Lineups

Twins

1. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
2. Carlos Correa (R) SS
3. Gio Urshela (R) 3B
4. Kyle Garlick (R) RF
5. Gary Sanchez (R) C
6. Trevor Larnach (L) LF
7. Miguel Sano (R) 1B
8. Ryan Jeffers (R) DH
9. Gilberto Celestino (R) CF

Red Sox

1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF
2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
4. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF
6. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B
7. Travis Shaw (L) 1B
8. Christian Vazquez (R) C
9. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) RF

Jorge Polanco hits in the leadoff position against a left handed hitter, while Correa hits behind him with Buxton out of the lineup once again. Urshella, who has been in the middle of the order against LHP, does so again. Garlick gets his first start of the season and finds himself in the cleanup position. This shouldn't be a surprise to anybody. He's here to do one thing, and that is to hit LHP. Sanchez gets another start behind the dish, and he's been fine there this year. Larnach gets the start as the only left handed OF in todays lineup. Sano, who is starting to heat up, hits 7th. Jeffers, who should only DH against lefties, does that today. Finally, Celestino gets his 2nd start of the season which allows Gordon to sit vs LHP. The Red Sox lineup looks largely the same at the top, with some changes in the back half. Christian Arroyo gets a start at 2nd base, and Travis Shaw starts at 1st replacing Spring Training Legend Bobby Dalbec.

 

Vegas Odds: Twins +120, Red Sox -140, O/U 8.5 runs.

 

On this Day: 1981 - Reds pitcher Tom Seaver strikes out Keith Hernandez in the fourth inning of a 10-4 loss to the Cardinals, becoming the fifth pitcher in major league history to register 3,000 career strikeouts.
 

Pick to Click - Carlos Correa has a 3 hit day.

 

Prediction: Twins 7, Red Sox 5

 

Go Twins!

 

[wsnydes]

With the early start, let's hope that the bats got their morning coffee today!

[shortround81]

It'll be nice to see an old friend, Rich Hill. I hope he has fun today

[stringer bell]

The lineup posted is a combined 29-171. Off to a hot April start, well maybe not. The top batting average is .250 (Larnach) and if he were to go 0-4, he would be under the Mendoza line. Hitting was supposed to be this team's strength. 

[wsnydes]

4 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

The lineup posted is a combined 29-171. Off to a hot April start, well maybe not. The top batting average is .250 (Larnach) and if he were to go 0-4, he would be under the Mendoza line. Hitting was supposed to be this team's strength. 

Wow.  That's not good.  Though, it somehow feels even worse than that.

[bighat]

Thanks for the intro.

Looks like a dream matchup on paper. Twins facing a soft-tossing old washed up lefty who they know very, very well....unfortunately games aren't played on paper and my guess is the Twins are gonna have to scratch and claw to manage a base knock against him.

I'll miss the first pitch as I'm off to the outdoor aquatic center to swim a few laps under the palm trees, get some exercise in while enjoying our temps in the mid 70s today. How's the weather up north der eh?

[wsnydes]

3 minutes ago, bighat said:

I'll miss the first pitch as I'm off to the outdoor aquatic center to swim a few laps under the palm trees, get some exercise in while enjoying our temps in the mid 70s today. How's the weather up north der eh?

Pretty similar.  Minus the 70 degree temps and palm trees.  Add in upper 30s temps, leafless trees swaying in the stiff and constant breeze.  Lake Minnetonka is ice free now though, I hear.

[Vanimal46]

10 AM CT game today? Uhhh what?

[wsnydes]

Just now, Vanimal46 said:

10 AM CT game today? Uhhh what?

Patriots Day in the Boston.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

24 minutes ago, shortround81 said:

It'll be nice to see an old friend, Rich Hill. I hope he has fun today

Nothing against Rich Hill, but I hope he’s miserable today

[Mill1634]

Worth noting:

https://twitter.com/joonlee/status/1516055130004762625?s=20&t=0ZQ94tFlqokwRXag1xOb1w

[shortround81]

1 minute ago, Vanimal46 said:

10 AM CT game today? Uhhh what?

I think it's to coincide with the Boston Marathon. That way both can get done around the same time, and everyone can celebrate.

[stringer bell]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

10 AM CT game today? Uhhh what?

It's Patriots Day in Massachusetts today. Boston Marathon after the game.

[shortround81]

Just now, Sconnie said:

Nothing against Rich Hill, but I hope he’s miserable today

Thank you for speaking your truth

[USAFChief]

3 4 5 of Urshela, Garlick, and Sanchez. 

 

Yeesh.

[stringer bell]

Just now, USAFChief said:

3 4 5 of Urshela, Garlicky, and Sanchez. 

 

Yeesh.

TBH 1 thru 9 is Yeesh.

[LVTwinsfan]

20 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

The lineup posted is a combined 29-171. Off to a hot April start, well maybe not. The top batting average is .250 (Larnach) and if he were to go 0-4, he would be under the Mendoza line. Hitting was supposed to be this team's strength. 

This their 10th game! The amount of drama around here is laughable. A win today gives them a split in Boston, even a loss with 152 games left should still be a long, long way from panic mode, except on this site.

[wsnydes]

5 minutes ago, Sconnie said:

Nothing against Rich Hill, but I hope he’s miserable today

Or at the very least, the Twins have even more fun!

[Dave The Dastardly]

1 minute ago, stringer bell said:

It's Patriots Day in Massachusetts today. Boston Marathon after the game.

Let's see... if they started the runners the same time as the game could the marathoners still catch the last three innings? Is that right? I mean is that right?

[shortround81]

1 minute ago, wsnydes said:

Or at the very least, the Twins have even more fun!

100% absolutely

[Puckett34]

Mornin everyone

[Squirrel]

1 minute ago, Dave The Dastardly said:

Let's see... if they started the runners the same time as the game could the marathoners still catch the last three innings? Is that right? I mean is that right?

Well, the professional marathoners, yes. The average Joe marathoner, no. I’m at the end of the course for the Chicago marathon, some of those runners take a looooooooong time to finish

[Dave The Dastardly]

12 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

Pretty similar.  Minus the 70 degree temps and palm trees.  Add in upper 30s temps, leafless trees swaying in the stiff and constant breeze.  Lake Minnetonka is ice free now though, I hear.

I heard Pollyanna checked herself into HCMC's mental ward this morning; depression.

[wsnydes]

3 minutes ago, LVTwinsfan said:

This their 10th game! The amount of drama around here is laughable. A win today gives them a split in Boston, even a loss with 152 games left should still be a long, long way from panic mode, except on this site.

I don't see the comment as a sign of panic, simply a statement of fact.  

[Puckett34]

28 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

The lineup posted is a combined 29-171. Off to a hot April start, well maybe not. The top batting average is .250 (Larnach) and if he were to go 0-4, he would be under the Mendoza line. Hitting was supposed to be this team's strength. 

 

Have to wake up bats

[LVTwinsfan]

16 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

I don't see the comment as a sign of panic, simply a statement of fact.  

Hitting was supposed to be this team's strength……

 

That’s not panic?

[USAFChief]

6 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

TBH 1 thru 9 is Yeesh.

I'm not talking about slow starts.

I'm talking about a team forced to put those three in the 3 4 5 spots in the lineup. 

I'd venture that's the least talented group in those spots in MLB this season.

[TouchEmAllGuy]

Good morning! Twins win today and mash the old lefty on the mound

[PatPfund]

Thank goodness we don't need to wait  forever for a hit. Correa gets it started

 

[shortround81]

4 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Well, the professional marathoners, yes. The average Joe marathoner, no. I’m at the end of the course for the Chicago marathon, some of those runners take a looooooooong time to finish

Yeah, I had an old neighbor who ran the Fargo Marathon. She said by the time she finished they were already closing things up. ?