Game Thread--Twins @ Royals 5-20/22 7:10 PM

[Gingernsnap25]

Good afternoon/evening Twins fans and happy FriYay from wherever you may be! Today is a great day for some baseball. 

 

After a day of rest, the Twins are back in action to take on the Kansas City Royals on the road. The Twins have a record of 9-8 on the road this season while the royals have a home record of 8-12. 

 

News: Per Dan Hayes, Fox has picked up the Twins 6/25 home game against the Rockies, which has shifted first pitch from 1:10 PM to 6:15 PM. Game will not be televised on Bally Sports. 

 

Let's get to the pitching matchups. 

 

For your Minnesota Twins, Devin Smeltzer is taking the mound. His only appearance this season has been against the Guardians where he went 5 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB's, and 2 SO's. 

 

For the Kansas City Royals, they have Daniel Lynch out on the mound. Last outing for him, he went 5.1 IP, with 3 hits, 0 ER, 4 BB's, and $ SO's. This season, he is sitting at a 2-2 record with an ERA of 3.30 with 30 IP's, 26 hits, 11 ER's, 13 BB's, and 29 SO's. 

 

Today in baseball history: Requested by Cubs officials, policemen disguised as soldiers, farmers, and bootblacks raid the bleachers and arrest 24 fans for gambling in a game against the Phillies. 

 

Here are the Starting Lineups:

Royals:
 

Whit Merrifield RF

Andrew Benintendi LF

Bobby Witt Jr. SS

Hunter Dozier DH

MJ Melendez C

Carlos Santana 1B

Emmanuel Rivera 3B

Nicky Lopez 2B

Dairon Blanco CF

 

Twins:

Byron Buxton CF

Carlos Correa SS

Kyle Garlick DH

Jorge Polanco 2B

Gary Sanchez C

Gio Urshela 3B

Max Kepler RF

Jose Miranda 1B

Gilberto Celestino LF

[PDX Twin]

The absence of a certain Senor Perez in the lineup should lower KC's expected run production against the Twins by about 2 per game. Nice timing for him to be on the IL.

[CRF]

27 minutes ago, PDX Twin said:

The absence of a certain Senor Perez in the lineup should lower KC's expected run production against the Twins by about 2 per game. Nice timing for him to be on the IL.

Agreed...without Sally in the line up, KC is losing their best weapon. We need to go in there and break out the brooms. 

[shortround81]

49 minutes ago, Gingernsnap25 said:

The Twins have a record of 9-8 on the road this season while the Royals have a home record of 8-12. 

I realize this is an apples to oranges comparison. There's an adage in the NFL that good/playoff teams go undefeated at home and .500 on the road. What's the baseball equivalent? What are good/playoff teams expected to do at home vs away?

I'm sure this stat has been out there for the ages. Baseball has stats for EVERYTHING. Just curious about the TD's expectation. 

[ashbury]

54 minutes ago, shortround81 said:

I realize this is an apples to oranges comparison. There's an adage in the NFL that good/playoff teams go undefeated at home and .500 on the road. What's the baseball equivalent? What are good/playoff teams expected to do at home vs away?

I'm sure this stat has been out there for the ages. Baseball has stats for EVERYTHING. Just curious about the TD's expectation. 

My expectation, not derived from historical analysis, is pretty similar.  A team with World Series ambitions should be at least .500 on the road.  Aiming for 90+ wins is tough if you are somehow giving away 45 road games.

[stringer bell]

58 minutes ago, shortround81 said:

I realize this is an apples to oranges comparison. There's an adage in the NFL that good/playoff teams go undefeated at home and .500 on the road. What's the baseball equivalent? What are good/playoff teams expected to do at home vs away?

I'm sure this stat has been out there for the ages. Baseball has stats for EVERYTHING. Just curious about the TD's expectation. 

50-54 home wins (somewhere between 60% and 2/3 wins at home..500 on the road--that nets 90-91 wins and if a team gets to 54, they have a leg up on getting 95.

[Danchat]

Seeing Miranda in the lineup over Lewis, facing a lefty... ugh. Not putting our best lineup out there.

[stringer bell]

Enjoying the game threads? Want to put your brand on a game thread? You can compose an introduction to a game thread. There is one introduction remaining without an assigned volunteer (May 31st). If interested in doing an intro, send me a message and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

A new schedule has been posted for the month of June and there are available dates to be filled. Here is a link for that schedule. You also can find it above in the thread entitled "Game Thread Introductions-2022". Thanks in advance for your interest.

Here is the link:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VBGARQcTvpGJTZghxN4meDvK3rgl6wmTzWy1_OJ7UJM/edit

[bighat]

54 minutes ago, Danchat said:

Seeing Miranda in the lineup over Lewis, facing a lefty... ugh. Not putting our best lineup out there.

Miranda is technically in the lineup over Arraez, which is also bad IMO.

I suppose the reasoning is that Luis is batting just .217 against LHP so far this year with no extra base hits in 23 ABs. But honestly, I think he's just such an elite hitter that I'd prefer him at 1B over Miranda right now, regardless of matchups.

[Mill1634]

Twins 6, Royals 5

PTC: Buxton

[Mill1634]

Kyle Garlick eat's lefties for breakfast

[Mill1634]

EL GARY!

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

Enjoying the game threads? Want to put your brand on a game thread? You can compose an introduction to a game thread. There is one introduction remaining without an assigned volunteer (May 31st). If interested in doing an intro, send me a message and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

A new schedule has been posted for the month of June and there are available dates to be filled. Here is a link for that schedule. You also can find it above in the thread entitled "Game Thread Introductions-2022". Thanks in advance for your interest.

Did you forget to put the links in this?

[stringer bell]

7 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Did you forget to put the links in this?

I did. I edited the post. 

[Eris]

Jomboy media break down on Angel Hernandez. Posting because the 2nd strike call on Kepler was well of the plate. 

 

[stringer bell]

I don't think three runs will be near enough.

[stringer bell]

Angel Hernandez behind the plate should be an adventure.

Actually, the zone is a little tight, but he hasn't been too bad........so far.

[wsnydes]

13 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

Did you forget to put the links in this?

 

5 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

I did. I edited the post. 

Let them figure it out!  I'm sure it'll work just fine! ?

[Mill1634]

Another reminder that we are giving AAAA swingman Devin Smeltzer this start over the teams top 5 prospect Josh Winder.

[Mill1634]

Great job getting one back

[Mill1634]

[wsnydes]

I like that Garlick produces when given the opportunity.  He's got a niche, but he's done it well this se

[Clare]

I have to say that I am getting really tired of the military gear on MLB ballplayers.  Parents take their impressionable kids to the  game to see their team. The military pays MLB to wear the gear to make an impression on the kids. The players have no choice but to wear what they are given.  Enough already.  It ruins the game for me.

[Squirrel]

wow ... Urshela!!!

[USAFChief]

10 minutes ago, Clare said:

I have to say that I am getting really tired of the military gear on MLB ballplayers.  Parents take their impressionable kids to the  game to see their team. The military pays MLB to wear the gear to make an impression on the kids. The players have no choice but to wear what they are given.  Enough already.  It ruins the game for me.

It ruins the game? How so?

 

For the record, they're worn this weekend in honor of Armed Forces Day. Revenue generated from sales helps support various military related charities.

 

I don't see how that can be offensive in any way. 

[Schmoeman5]

4 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

It ruins the game? How so?

Because it clashes with the unis silly

[bighat]

C'mon Smeltz - you're up 3 runs early, throw strikes for crying out loud.

[bighat]

Great defense there Polanco!

[Mill1634]

Great play by Polo

[USAFChief]

4 minutes ago, Schmoeman5 said:

Because it clashes with the unis silly

Nonsense. They're camouflage...you can't even see em!