MIN 1, HOU 0: Let’s Go Crazy

Raise your hand if you thought the Twins would head into the last day of April a game behind Tampa Bay for the best record in baseball.

You’re lying.

I knew if the Twins were to ever show they can beat a really good team in a tight, low-scoring game, that it would have to be Odorizzi and Adrianza.

AND WE CAN BUILD THIS DREAM TOGETHER

[.......................]

Now thatsa what I like my paisano! Nothing better than one zip! Crisp clean dubya

What a gem! Baldelli's strategy worked, but why not send Odorizzi out for the 8th, on a short leash? Only 86 pitches through the 7th, with the #9 hitter, the first of three righty batters, coming up against RHP, Odorizzi. Rogers has proven to be effective against right handed batters, but not as effective as port-sided swingers. Either Parker or Odo might have made more sense, match-up wise.

Finally, another inning from Odorizzi takes just a little more pressure off the bullpen. This is the first of four against the Astros, four games into a stretch of 13 in a row.

Oh, well. Small potatoes. Tidy win. Go Twins.

Rogers...SMH

  On 4/30/2019 at 2:48 AM, IndianaTwin said:

Raise your hand if you thought the Twins would head into the last day of April a game behind Tampa Bay for the best record in baseball.

You’re lying.

Things are going just the way I thought they would.

  On 4/30/2019 at 2:52 AM, jkcarew said:

I knew if the Twins were to ever show they can beat a really good team in a tight, low-scoring game, that it would have to be Odorizzi and Adrianza.

Lies. All lies.

Verlander has become my most respected pitcher. He is what Clemons was towards the end, just a nasty bulldog out there. And a big thumbs up to Odo tonight! He has pitched like a solid #2 this year, but hasn't shown it in the win columns yet. Would like to know if they considered letting him go out for the 8th with so few pitches thrown

  Does this game prove that Verlander and the Astros just can't compete with the big dogs like the Twins?

  On 4/30/2019 at 3:18 AM, USAFChief said:

indeed.

I had the Twins a game ahead of the Rays for best record in baseball.

Except for the word indeed this was exactly what I was going to post before seeing yours.    Well, actually, my prediction was about the results finishing the 2nd last day of April rather than heading into the last day of April but that is just semantics.

  On 4/30/2019 at 2:48 AM, IndianaTwin said:

Raise your hand if you thought the Twins would head into the last day of April a game behind Tampa Bay for the best record in baseball.

You’re lying.

I never thought the Rays would have the best record, that's the big surprise. 

Honestly, does it get much better than this?

Oh hell, I can't just shut up! LOL

Odorizzi is just one of those guys you just keep waiting to turn a corner! You saw glimpses late last year, and you saw glimpses this year before mysterious wildness took over. I love how he works high in the zone in today's game of low ball hitters and launch angles. It's the crap in the umpires mask and above the catchers reach that befuddles me.

Is what we saw tonight, or his first start, and glimpses in the starts between maturation, (similar to Gibson mid 2017), and the work of Johnson? Or just a welcomed blip on the radar?

I know what I am hoping for.

it was exactly what it was. A good old fashioned showdown between two of the best teams in the American League.

That homer by Adrianza was a no doubter, a bomb, spanked tater.... a Thome Blast! Just what we needed, just what he needed. 

Hopefully, Odorizzi will inspire Pineda. We need him to really step up. 

Jake Odorizzi:

April 10: 0-2, 6.35 ERA

April 29: 3-2, 3.34 ERA

  On 4/30/2019 at 3:21 AM, Don't Feed the Greed Guy said:

What a gem! Baldelli's strategy worked, but why not send Odorizzi out for the 8th, on a short leash? Only 86 pitches through the 7th, with the #9 hitter, the first of three righty batters, coming up against RHP, Odorizzi. Rogers has proven to be effective against right handed batters, but not as effective as port-sided swingers. Either Parker or Odo might have made more sense, match-up wise.

Finally, another inning from Odorizzi takes just a little more pressure off the bullpen. This is the first of four against the Astros, four games into a stretch of 13 in a row.

Oh, well. Small potatoes. Tidy win. Go Twins.

That would have been cool, but it was just as cool, if not moreso, to see a rested Taylor Rogers just wipe out those Houston boys in the 8th.

Now, I'd like the rest of the team to just beat the living snot out of 'em the rest of this series! Announce our presence with authority! 

And by gum, ain't it great to get one over on Verlander once in a while? 

Adriana strikes out against Chris Davis, homers off of Justin Verlander. Baseball!

P.S. Thank you Ehire for saving it for when it was needed.

Now the Twins have a regular ol’ three game home series against the Astros. Take 2 of 3, and take the season series against them. Oh, and they miss Verlander in this series, and have Berrios lined up for the finale.

Baldelli threw the Verlander game in Houston, so Hinch simply returned the favor last night

I liked Odo's comment about this team being "special."  They do seem to have some real mojo.

Coming into this series I was hoping the Twins could split.  Win one of three would have been ok.

OK, we have the one win and will be going for the split tonight.  With Verlander out of the way, can we win 2 of 3?

Was that the best game Odorizzi has pitched as a Twin?  I seem to remember one very good outing last year, but not the details.  And wasn't it fun watching a real pitchers duel?  Loved it!