Minnesota Twins @ Kansas City Royals Game Thread (4/9)

[alnorth]

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
MIN (4-4)	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	4	8	0
KC (5-3)	5	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	X	7	13	1

Eduardo Escobar hits his 1st career MLB home run



Loss, (1-1) Mike Pelfrey 2IP 6R 6ER 0BB 1K
Anthony Swarzak 4IP 1R 1ER 0BB 2K
Ryan Pressly 2IP 0R 0ER 0BB 1K

VS.



Win, (2-0) Jeremy Guthrie 6⅔IP 4R 4ER 1BB 2K 3HR
Hold, (1) Tim Collins 1⅓IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K
Save, (2) Greg Holland 1IP 0R 0ER 2BB 2K

Home Runs

MIN

Joe Mauer, (1) - Top 1st solo shot to left
Josh Willingham, (2) - Top 3rd solo shot to left
Eduardo Escobar, (1) - Top 5th solo shot to center

KC

none

AL Central

Final: TOR 3, DET 7
Final: CWS 7, WSH 8
Final: NYY 14, CLE 1

Starting Lineups

MIN

1. Darin Mastroianni, CF
2. Joe Mauer, C
3. Josh Willingham, LF
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Ryan Doumit, DH
6. Trevor Plouffe, 3B
7. Chris Parmelee, RF
8. Jamey Carroll, 2B
8. Wilkin Ramirez, ph
9. Eduardo Escobar, SS

KC

1. Alex Gordon, LF
2. Alcides Escobar, SS
3. Billy Butler, DH
4. Mike Moustakas, 3B
5. Salvador Perez, C
6. Eric Hosmer, 1B
7. Jeff Francoeur, RF
8. Lorenzo Cain, CF
9. Chris Getz, 2B

[Hootie]

so you can't say, "Alex...just pretend you're leading off. Use the same approach. A walk doesn't hurt. Billy is on deck."

and he can't do that?

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

But no...the geniuses on CP wanted to pull his ass so that the next time he pitched he would absolutely have zero confidence whatsoever and also know that if he ****s up one time he's going to get the hook.

Yeah.

Genius.

I didn't want him pulled, unless he gave up a run or two. Aren't you arguing that Gordon should be more mentally tough, yet in the very next post you're worried about our closer's psyche?

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

so you can't say, "Alex...just pretend you're leading off. Use the same approach. A walk doesn't hurt. Billy is on deck."

and he can't do that?

I feel like a manager might have thought of that idea.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by KevB

I didn't want him pulled, unless he gave up a run or two. Aren't you arguing that Gordon should be more mentally tough, yet in the very next post you're worried about our closer's psyche?

well

50% of closing is stuff
50% is psyche

when a closer loses his psyche, he's out

but maybe you're right...I just don't understand it

I'm a huge Gordon fan...dude rakes

just rather see him rake in a spot in the lineup that makes more sense, to me, as a baseball fan

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

I'd rather see our .300+ hitter who constantly has extra base hits be in the position to drive in runs

because, well, runs win games

You know the best way to score runs? Get people on base. Cain, who you've said is perfectly capable of batting leadoff, has a career .327 OBP. Gordon the last two seasons in the leadoff spot is roughly .370.

If they Royals had no other players worthy of the middle of the order, I'd probably agree with you. But with Butler, Sal, Moose and Hosmer in place, we have guy capable of driving in baserunners.

[MeatRock]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

well great

we just compared Alex Gordon to those two...

so like I said...if he can't take the pressure of hitting #3...I can't wait to see him in actual important games if we ever make a postseason

Don't pull a Chiefsshrink to the game thread dude. Enjoy the win.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I feel like a manager might have thought of that idea.

Sure.

I'm just baffled over it.

You have to be a badass mother ****er to be able to hit a 90 MPH fastball

it's strictly muscle memory and reaction

not sure how the dude can rake at 1 and not rake at 3

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by KevB

You know the best way to score runs? Get people on base. Cain, who you've said is perfectly capable of batting leadoff, has a career .327 OBP. Gordon the last two seasons in the leadoff spot is roughly .370.

If they Royals had no other players worthy of the middle of the order, I'd probably agree with you. But with Butler, Sal, Moose and Hosmer in place, we have guy capable of driving in baserunners.

if Sal, Moose and Hosmer hit to their potential then you are right, this is a moot point

but if Moose and Hosmer hit .240 we are wasting runs with Gordon at leadoff

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

well

50% of closing is stuff
50% is psyche

when a closer loses his psyche, he's out

but maybe you're right...I just don't understand it

I'm a huge Gordon fan...dude rakes

just rather see him rake in a spot in the lineup that makes more sense, to me, as a baseball fan

But if you're worried about Gordon in an important situation in the playoffs, wouldn't you also worry about a closer with a questionable psyche in a high stress playoff game? Can't have it both ways. Either you acknowledge that you have to account for each individual player's mental state makeup, or you argue for a player being used in the best way to win games excluding any thought around the player's mental side.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by KevB

But if you're worried about Gordon in an important situation in the playoffs, wouldn't you also worry about a closer with a questionable psyche in a high stress playoff game? Can't have it both ways. Either you acknowledge that you have to account for each individual player's mental state makeup, or you argue for a player being used in the best way to win games excluding any thought around the player's mental side.

well all Holland needs is a few 1,2, 3's and he'll be fine

he has the stuff, and he has PROVEN he can close

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

if Sal, Moose and Hosmer hit to their potential then you are right, this is a moot point

but if Moose and Hosmer hit .240 we are wasting runs with Gordon at leadoff

Cain at .327 OBP hitting in front of a very good hitting Gordon, or Gordon at .370 OBP hitting in front of decent hitters like Moose/Hos. Not sure the scenarios produce a large variance one way or another.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

if Sal, Moose and Hosmer hit to their potential then you are right, this is a moot point

but if Moose and Hosmer hit .240 we are wasting runs with Gordon at leadoff

If Moose and Hosmer hit .240, it's a moot point because we aren't going to be in contention, anyway.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Peyton's Princess

well all Holland needs is a few 1,2, 3's and he'll be fine

he has the stuff, and he has PROVEN he can close

Completely agree

[Hootie]

I love this team though...great lineup.

We literally...if we can hold down 1st place through the all-star break...

we're 1 trade deadline 'Cliff Lee' sell out away from being World Series contenders. But we can't do it without a trade like that. I know I'm getting ahead of myself.

[Saul Good]

The only thing that really worries me about Holland is that he's a max effort guy. When a max effort guy loses just a little bit, things can unravel immediately and permanently. You can't just make an adjustment to a guy who can't hack it physically.