MINNESOTA SPORTS FAN DAILY: Tuesday, September 5, 2017

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MSF Daily: 9/5/17

Twins @ Rays in Game 1 of 3:

It was a pitching-intensive game early, that was dragged on by Alex Cobb’s snail-like tempo. Some pitchers’ tempo gets me absolutely HEATED. The best thing that could happen to Major League Baseball would be a pitch clock. They have messed around with it in the minors but they should bring it to the big leagues. It is time to speed the game up. It would add excitement that the game doesn’t see right now. It would be similar to the excitement and chaos you get at the end of a basketball shot clock. It makes too much sense for the MLB to jump on it too hastily. It isn’t like their sport is dying or anything.

Anyway, Cobb’s style was obviously working at more than just putting me to sleep. He dominated a Twins’ lineup that has been mashing pitchers of late. Going into the 5th inning, he had given up just 2 hits. They were back-to-back when Buxton pushed a single to right field and then stole 2nd. Kepler followed with an RBI single. That was in the 2nd inning. The Twins didn’t do shit after that.

2-1 Rays after 3

Berrios was impressive early as well but wasn’t quite as good as Cobb. He had given up 5 hits and 2 runs (1 off a HR) going into the 5th inning.

Things would get a little rocky for the Twins from that point, on. Berrios struggled big time in the 6th inning. He gave up 2 runners and then a base hit that scored one of them. This was before an out had been recorded. He was pulled for Ryan Pressly at that point.

Pressly got 2 outs immediately and Buxton almost through out a tagging Ray at home, to end the inning. But he didn’t. And the Rays would end up getting 3 more before the inning was over…

6-1 Rays after 6

The Rays would add another run with a home run in the 7th. I hate Florida.

7-1 Rays after 7

Brian Dozier doesn’t care about the score. He still likes to hit home runs. It was his 28th of the season.

But then, things got away from the bullpen in the 8th, like they have so many times this season when the Twins are down a bunch of runs. When they are bad. They are REALLY bad.

The Rays would finish with 4 more in the 8th and 11 in the game.

The Twins got one more in the 9th but it didn’t really matter at that point.

 11-4 Twins LOSE

The Angels won an 11 inning thriller earlier on Monday so they gained a full game on the Twins and are now just .5 games behind for that coveted 2nd WC spot.

The Twins will be back in Tropicana Field on Tuesday and they need to get things back on track. Who better than Bartolo. He will take the mound against Jake Odorizzi (7-7, 4.84 ERA)

(Help from ESPN)



Noteworthy Twins Notes/Posts:

Miguel Sano slowly getting healthy:

Miguel Sano fouled a ball off his shin awhile back and was put on the 10-day disabled list for a stress-reaction in that shin. The recovery process has been longer than expected. Fortunately, guys like Buxton, Polanco, and Mauer have made up for his production and the Twins have actually gotten better since the injury on August 19th (3 games above .500 before, +5 now).

However, I don’t think anyone in Minnesota thinks he should stay off the field. Thinking about his bat in this lineup right now gets me reeeeeaaaaaaal excited. Almost inappropriately excited… If the Twins are going to compete in a playoff series, they are going to need all of their offensive production.

Here is LaVelle’s full write up.

Aaron Gleeman Shows Twitter How Good Byron Buxton is at Stealing Bases:

This shows why Buxton should have the green light every time he gets on base. He is becoming a monster on the bases and that only happens if he hitting at the plate. Which he has been doing ever since the All-Star break.

Robbie Grossman coming back to Twins

Robbie is coming back. What does that mean for the Twins? Who is going down? Spin the wheel… Garver? Granite? Vargas?

Castro is back too so we are going to see more than one guy go down.

Correction: Roster Expands to entire 40-man on Sept. 1 (Nobody is being sent down) – There will be a lot of bats and some speed for Molitor to choose from as September plays out.

Lynx Clinch Home-Court Advantage for Playoffs:

The Lynx finished with the best record in the WNBA today and clinched home-court advantage for the playoffs… what’s new?

MSF Daily by Eric Strack @RealMNSportsFan

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