Game Thread: Houston Astros vs. Minnesota Twins, 5/10, 6:40pm CST

[Mill1634]

No damage in the first, or really much of a threat, but Ryan threw a ton of pitches. Going to be lucky to get him through 5 tonight.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Pick to click: Max and Miranda go yard back-to-back, Verlander leaves after three, Ryan carries a perfect game into the 8th, Rocco pulls him, sends him by ambulance to the hospital for a C-Scan, PET-Scan, Turkestan and Afghanistan before ordering arm replacement surgery, Astros tie it up in the 9th, game goes a gazillion innings, last pitcher, an eight-year old kid they pull out of the stands, throws a one-two-three inning, Sano limps in from the bench, still in a cast, lays down a 140 mph bunt with a 5% launch angle that somehow makes it over the left field wall, the Twins go down in history, I clean up in Vegas and get elected to the White House because of my amazing perspicacity.

Just trying to be optimistic...

 

[bighat]

42 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

I expect a Buxton to DL move by Thursday to be honest. It's the same basic injury he had last year and missed 6 weeks. Even if it's a lesser version of it.

 

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

I was going to make the same comment with a slightly different spin. My optimism is slowly diminishing. 

I knew when I saw the replay of him legging out that play that he'd hurt himself. There was no reason for it, but Buxton was literally smoking down the line, firing all cylinders on a passed ball strikeout on the first play of the game. Overextended his hip when he hit the bag....

Remember when Green Bay fans used to cheer Brett Favre when he threw the ball away? Favre had such a gun that he always tried to thread the needle and it ended up killing the Packers all too often. Anyway, maybe Twins fans need to stand up and cheer for Buxton when he lollygags down to first on a two hopper to 3rd base. Applaud him for living to fight another day.

[wsnydes]

2 minutes ago, Mill1634 said:

No damage in the first, or really much of a threat, but Ryan threw a ton of pitches. Going to be lucky to get him through 5 tonight.

Maybe he'll settle in and get more efficient.

I'm guessing the current book on him is to make him work though.  He's young, don't bail him out.

[PDX Twin]

We made him throw 6 pitches in the first. At that right, he probably can't go more than 16 innings or so tonight.

[Mill1634]

Heck of a play by Brantley. Sanchez crushed that ball. 

[wsnydes]

Kinda wondering if Verlander started laughing when he saw this lineup.  Particularly the top 3.

[TwerkTwonkTwins]

Yeah, Verlander came up in a time of higher pitch counts, and he saves velocity for when he needs it. Not a fan of a single digit pitch inning in the first. 

[bighat]

Astros are letting Ryan beat himself here.

Kid's all over the place and looks afraid to throw strikes. That's not his game.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Down one...

[stringer bell]

At least Verlander had to work a little in the second. I have a hard time believing the Twins will score more than one or two runs tonight.

[Brazilian Twins Fan]

28 minutes ago, Dave The Dastardly said:

Pick to click: Max and Miranda go yard back-to-back, Verlander leaves after three, Ryan carries a perfect game into the 8th, Rocco pulls him, sends him by ambulance to the hospital for a C-Scan, PET-Scan, Turkestan and Afghanistan before ordering arm replacement surgery, Astros tie it up in the 9th, game goes a gazillion innings, last pitcher, an eight-year old kid they pull out of the stands, throws a one-two-three inning, Sano limps in from the bench, still in a cast, lays down a 140 mph bunt with a 5% launch angle that somehow makes it over the left field wall, the Twins go down in history, I clean up in Vegas and get elected to the White House because of my amazing perspicacity.

Just trying to be optimistic...

 

I'm affraid the FO is going to order to replace his arm for one of Shoemaker's arm

[Mill1634]

Yeah, Ryan seems really afraid to go in the zone tonight for some reason, and the Astros are good enough to let him pitch himself out of this game. They know if they get him out of this game in the 4th or 5th inning, they'll get a look at Stashak or Cotton, where they can do damage. 

[RpR]

walks were the death of Minn. many times last year, I hope it is not repeating.

[The Mad King]

Ryan needs his lucky turtleneck

[Mill1634]

Celestino seems to get really bad/slow reads on balls hit in front of him.

[bighat]

Ryan really getting squeezed here, meanwhile Verlander was getting strike calls a foot outside. C'mon, Blue.

[Buffy the Twins Fan]

Jeffers' pitch-framing is high art

[Buffy the Twins Fan]

agreed..I'm looking forward to seeing the umpire grade for this game ?

[bighat]

7 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

At least Verlander had to work a little in the second. I have a hard time believing the Twins will score more than one or two runs tonight.

Yeah it feels like one of those nights where by the 6th inning we're going to start wondering if the Twins are gonna get no-hit.

So many light-hitting bats in this starting nine, and down early with Ryan scuffling, 5-0 loss looking more and more likely.

[Mill1634]

Ryan is getting zero favors from the HP ump. Some of these pitches have been correctly called balls, but some have been incorrectly called balls, while Verlander is getting a few inches off each edge. Consistency, please. 

[stringer bell]

46 minutes ago, Sielk said:

Predictably, the Buxton haters come crawling out of their holes at the first opportunity again.

Yeah, it's sucks that he is not in the lineup. The 2/3 of the time he is in he is still the best player on the team. 

But apparently, some people would rather have no Buck at all and Celestino the entire year as your starting center fielder. Because I guarantee you, there is not exactly a huge amount of star center fielders out there that are just waiting to sign with the Twins at a price they can afford. 

Which is exactly what Buxton did, so stop hating. 

I admire Byron Buxton and marvel at his skills. Everything I’ve seen or heard about him indicates he works hard and plays hard. He’s not a malingerer or anything like that. I’m more disappointed with each injury. I question the plan to rest him and particularly to use a platinum glove center fielder as a DH. I don’t have any answers, but it sure doesn’t seem like the plan is working. 

[Mill1634]

That might be the farthest broken bat flyout I've seen.

[Buffy the Twins Fan]

Lol how did Alvarez splinter his bat and still hit the ball that far?? He's so fun to watch

[bighat]

Alex Kirilloff grounding out to 2nd base every AB is starting to wear on me. Now Jeffers goes down on 3 pitches. Pretty awful effort from this Twins team.

[LVTwinsfan]

Just now, bighat said:

Alex Kirilloff grounding out to 2nd base every AB is starting to wear on me. Now Jeffers goes down on 3 pitches. Pretty awful effort from this Twins team.

Pretty good pitcher on the mound

[RpR]

Umpiring is a farce tonight.

 

[MMMordabito]

**** Verlander! E-Strike Zones please!

[Mill1634]

Alright blue, that's gotta be a call in the top of the inning then too. 

[TwerkTwonkTwins]

Umpire definitely owes Ryan a strike for that last one against Celestino.