Twins Notebook 8/15: Let’s Play 1.556!

Twins had better score early and often.  Royals bullpen is very tough

Looks like Sean Poppen got added for today's 14 innings. Heck, if they were both nine inning games I would consider driving downtown and buying a ticket.

Will one of today's games go extra innings so we get to see the other change to the rules? 

Every game is essentially the equivalent to 2.7 games compared to the 162-game season. Well today, every out will be like it’s worth the equivalent of 1.286 outs compared to a nine-inning game.

That means that every out today is worth 3.47 normal outs. One double play wipes out more than 2 innings of a normal season!

I think the 7 inning double dip will be fun/fascinating. It's easier to embrace change when you have no choice Prediction... high scoring and Twins sweep

The Cardinals are trying to play 21 games in the last 17 days of the month, 55 games by the end of September. This is unprecedented in our lifetimes, and I find it fascinating. Anyone who likes Ernie "let's play two" Banks should be all over this. 

So much divisiveness and bad news in the world; thank god for baseball. I'm loving the experimentation going on! Hate to see what has brought baseball to this point, but glad to see the resiliency.

That means that every out today is worth 3.47 normal outs. One double play wipes out more than 2 innings of a normal season!

At first I thought your math was off, but when I realized you were considering a 162-game season I found that your numbers were approximately right. I say approximately because there are two things that were not accounted for: extra-inning games and home team wins. That said, due to the fact that I'm too lazy to determine the adjustments that need to be made I'll give you full credit for your calculations.

Thinking of this this morning. Genetically speaking, and disregarding the question of whether a bullpen game is a good strategy, if a team has a Saturday doubleheader and a Sunday game, without off days before and after, when is the best time to use the bullpen game?

Is it one of the seven-inning games, figuring that you only need to get through perhaps five guys without one getting shelled vs. needing to get through perhaps seven guys?

Or do you go the traditional route in the doubleheader, hoping you get perhaps five innings from one starter and six from the other, meaning that you only needed three innings of relief and hopefully have a well-rested pen for the bullpen game? The risk is a starter getting shelled and having used a bunch of guys heading into the bullpen game.

If it doesn’t mess with a starter’s psyche, I wonder if it makes sense to assume two starters, but if the first guy goes six, or better yet, seven, switch to the bullpen for Game 2. The bullpen is well rested for the bullpen game, and hopefully doesn’t get depleted heading into the 9-inning game. But if the first game pitcher gets shellacked and only goes two or three, better start the starter in Game 2 so you don’t have to get 12 innings from the pen in a single day.

What other thoughts?

I love the seven innings.  No way would I go to a double header with nine innings each in this time of bloated games.  I am not in favor of spending 9 hours at the ball park eating and drinking over priced items. When we took our annual trip to Milwaukee to see the Braves in the 1950s a game took 2 1/2 hours.   We could enjoy the game, the zoo, and dinner and it was a great day.