*** Official Minnesota Twins @ Kansas City Royals Game Thread (8/26) ***
 

<table border=3 cellpadding = 4>
<tr><td>Final</td> <td> 1 </td> <td> 2 </td><td> 3 </td><td> 4 </td><td> 5 </td><td> 6 </td><td> 7 </td><td> 8 </td><td> 9 </td><td> R </td><td> H </td><td> E </td></tr>
<tr> <td> MIN (58-73) </td> <td> 0 </td> <td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 1 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 1 </td><td> 5 </td><td> 0 </td></tr>
<tr> <td> KC (73-58) </td> <td> 0 </td> <td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 0 </td><td> 2 </td><td> 2 </td><td> 5 </td><td> 0 </td></tr>
</table>

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/logos/80x80/min.png

Ricky Nolasco 7IP 0R 0ER 1BB 6K
Hold, (13) Jared Burton 1IP 0R 0ER 0BB 2K
Blown Save, (5); Loss, (3-1) Glen Perkins 0IP 2R 2ER 0BB 0K 1HR

VS.

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/logos/80x80/kc.png

Danny Duffy 6⅔IP 1R 1ER 2BB 4K
Kelvin Herrera 1⅓IP 0R 0ER 0BB 2K
Win, (7-2) Wade Davis 1IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K

Home Runs

MIN

none

KC

Alex Gordon, (16) - Bottom 9th 2-run walk-off homer to right

Other Relevant Games

Final: TB 2, BAL 4
Final: NYY 2, DET 5
9:10 pm, TEX @ SEA

Starting Lineups

MIN

1. Danny Santana, CF
2. Brian Dozier, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, 1B
4. Kennys Vargas, DH
5. Oswaldo Arcia, RF
6. Trevor Plouffe, 3B
7. Kurt Suzuki, C
8. Eduardo Escobar, SS
9. Jordan Schafer, LF

KC

1. Jarrod Dyson, CF
2. Alcides Escobar, SS
3. Alex Gordon, LF
4. Billy Butler, 1B
5. Salvador Perez, C
6. Josh Willingham, DH
7. Mike Moustakas, 3B
8. Lorenzo Cain, RF
9. Christian Colon, 2B

Why is Raul Ibanez still on our roster?

I understand why we picked him up, we were desperate for a bat and hoped he could turn it around late, but now we have Willingham. There is no reason why Ibanez should be starting.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/31g0YE61PLQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Best game thread starter EVAR.

Holding Hosmer's spot.

Raul should be cut but he can wait I guess until FauxHawk returns

You are late to that argument:D

I feel ya, Brother. I do.

Yeah Willingham should be starting every game.

Amazes me that Ned really started him 2 games over Willingham

Ibanez will be here the rest of the season, especially since its close to the September call up time. He should only be used if he has the splits that warrant him being played ie if he is known to rake against a certain pitcher. I think he has had a presence in the clubhouse though.

2 consecutive games in which we lost, and scored a combined 2 ****ing runs! Ned needs to stop over-thinking the righty lefty shit with Ibanez and just play Willingham. If he wants to PH Ibanez against a Righty late in the game, fine. But, enough of this shit already. FFS

They both went 0-2 yesterday to be fair

Don't care. Willingham has been swinging a productive bat. He needs to play and Ibanez needs more time on the bench.

Gotcha. For a moment I thought you were blaming Raul for the offense yesterday despite going 0-2 like Josh also did

Ricky Nolasco is really shitty. Chances are, he's throwing a shutout.

I'm wondering how he even won 5 games with those stats.

Yet another data point against the pitcher win stat.

On paper, this should be a rout.

That's what's so great about baseball though.

I see that the Royals are -172 for tonights game. Does that mean someone would have to bet $172 to win $100?

Also, doesn't that make us a pretty heavy favorite?

Yes. In baseball, that is freaking enormous.

Never underestimate the Twins against the Royals. =(

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Nuclear Seasons Lineup: Dyson 8, Escobar 6, Gordon 7, Butler 3, Perez 2, Willingham DH, Moustakas 5, Cain 9, Colon 4, Duffy 1. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/royals?src=hash">#royals</a></p>&mdash; Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCulloughStar/statuses/504340041108578304">August 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Colon sighting.

Done, sold. Lets run this lineup out there every night for the rest of the year, with the occasional off-day for Salvy.

edit: maybe flip Colon and Escobar

I like it. Let Aoki play vs. Lefties in RF. But this is a good lineup.

Yeah I like this lineup, other than Escobar at 2. I'm with Al. Colon has showed good patience and ability as a #2 hitter, IMO.

When Hosmer comes back, I'd think about a platoon with Aoki and Willingham. No question he's a step up over Josh defensively, but Willingham's bat...I think we're going to need it.

Having Salvy, Butler, Gordon, Hosmer, and Willingham in the same lineup has some potential.

Time to get back on track. Hopefully, Willingham can punish his old club and we can sweep these chumps!

All of this, some of you need to get over yourselves thinking we have no need for a seasoned veteran on the roster!

And yes, Willingham needs to be in the lineup basically every damn day, his presence in the line up is HUGE!

Ibanez is not a guy who has been here for years and who everyone high-5's on their way into the office. He's been here literally weeks.

The value of his "veteran presence", if such a thing ever has any value with anyone, is basically zero.

As much as we bag on Moose, his D is + at 3B while Colon is not really a 3B, IMO. His arm screams 2B. I think Colon continues to platoon with Moose and Infante against lefties when necessary. Moose's "power" is needed, IMO.

Damn, not bad but I just do not understand why we do not use this lineup ?

Dyson
Gordon
Willingham
Perez
Butler
Mouse
Cain
Esky
Colon

Damn, I may be old, but somebody explain to me why we do not use this. Esky or Cain can use all parts of the field better in the # 2 spot. Gordon has became almost a complete pull hitter now where once before, he used the whole field!

Actually none of this. That veteran presence shit is so overrated, and is his value to the team. HE'S GOT TO GO!

We basically agree on everything, but this we simply do not. His LH bat as a PH is what we need at times off the bench or against some pitchers he has a solid history against. His presence in the locker room with younger players who have never been in a playoff chase is very valuable. His call of a players only meeting after only being here for a week caught the attention of the younger players where as it was delivered by a guy that has taken on the role of team leader in the dugout, somebody that who is a player, not a coach, that has been in playoff games and chase's before.

It's called, leadership. Shields has provided it to the younger pitchers. Gordon to the younger players on defense, plus his bat along with Butler. Ibanez has provided it to the role bench & players as well as dugout / locker room.

It is what it is, anybody should be able to see this. Coaches in any sport likes the right mix of veterans & younger players, as well as guys that do the dirty work, guys who lead by example with everything they do.

Let Willingham play more RF.

No doubt about it, but Willingham needs more plate appearances, no freaking way he should be any lower that 3rd or 4th in the line up.

Finally a lineup I agree with

Alternate theory: Young players naturally improve. I do not believe the rest of our starting pitchers would have done worse if Shields was not here. Same with outfield and Gordon.

These guys are just really good players. They are not coaches or mentors who teach others how to play baseball. Cain, Dyson, Duffy, etc are all grown-ass men who have been playing baseball their whole lives.

How can I see this game besides actually going to the K? Is there a stream?

Never mind, found it on FS1

Tonight is a must win, especially with Ventura out tomorrow night.

tomorrow's GDT needs to have an oasis flavor to it

Improve, hell yeah, they have to or get shipped out. They have to learn how to not only perform, but to train daily, prepare themselves daily mentally as well. How to take care of themselves, go about the daily non-baseball stuff so that it doesn't interfere with with their performance on the field.

Puppies are wild and radical until they hang out with older dogs!

Am I the only one who thinks Willingham should be batting 3rd on the lineup? That batting 6th or 7th is a perfect fit ?

Nuts! Nuts I say, just plain nutty!

Actually, puppies don't learn how to mellow themselves by hanging out with older dogs, they learn that from their Master's.

Master Ned ?

Come on now, everybody knows you can teach a new dog a new trick, not so much old dogs, they already know them.;)

That's a weak comparison, but you're a sharp guy, and you already knew that.

I don't get the ire for having the guy that did call the players only meeting which coincidence or not was right when the club turned it around and got hot.

If he was taking up a spot with someone else clearly available that would make a difference, then sure, I would better understand the rationale. I'd also be in agreement, but right now there's a vacuum of an upgrade in waiting, and the guy hardly plays, so it's much ado about nothing.

As for his leadership and clubhouse presence and any positive gains by him being around, it's speculation on both sides of the coin.

Based on what little information that does see the light of day, it's more than likely he has been an asset. The talk circulating is this, so dismissal of his intangibles to the team goes in contradiction of the whispers, and is a fool's errand to adamantly take up the refuting position.

The probabilities are against you, and as they say, 'that dog don't hunt.'

Let's **** some shit up tonight

As long as you mean that in a good way, as opposed to, say, our narrow division lead!

Rain delay in Detroit. Tigers/Yankees game starts about 7:15. Scoreboard watching in late August!!

PBJ

That's a lot of words just to tell me to: SHADDUP YOU FACE!

:D

National Fox Tuesday Night Game tonight

must.hit.better

Holy cow I'm already annoyed by the guy commentating next to Physioc

Good start Duff

1st inning
 

Top 1st

Santana strikes out (swinging)
Dozier grounds out to third
Mauer lines out to third

0 runs, 0 hits

Bottom 1st

Dyson flies out to center
Escobar pops out to third
Gordon strikes out (swinging)

0 runs, 0 hits

Bert "Be Home" Blyleven

Twins fans have to listen to this guy's voice every night? **** that

Thank you

Circle me, Bert!

Good start by Duffman.

Love the way Duffy has come out pitching. Great inning!

LET'S SCORE EARLY AND SCORE OFTEN

Hope the Royals bats wake up tonight

That voice is intolerable for more than 3 seconds, and I have a feeling he's going to talk a lot.

Good start from Duffy

Nice try Dyson, better than a slap ground ball to 2nd

No no, you're good people in my book. I just didn't want to create a giant scroll by quoting multiple times for all that were weighing in. So, you got designated cumulative honors.

Pretty tolerable for a Minn native

SquareHeads probably love him

shut up!

That was a called strike?

Ohhh... Cy Nolasco is in the building.

Guarantee you Rex is next door shining Bert's shoes

WTF was that call??

Apparently Gordon swung, but it didn't look like it at all

2nd inning
 

Top 2nd

Vargas strikes out (swinging)
Arcia walks
Plouffe grounds into a 4-3 double play, Arcia out at second

0 runs, 0 hits

Bottom 2nd

Butler hit by pitch
Perez singles to left, Butler to second
Willingham grounds into a 4-3 double play, Perez out at second, Butler to third
Moustakas flies out to left

0 runs, 1 hit

He swung

He definitely went around. This team is allergic to taking pitches and/or walking. Would REALLY like to see Willingham start rubbing off on some of these guys.