Friend of Nordhagen

In 35 years of watching baseball, I've seen the fake throw to third, then throw to first work twice. They were both today, against the White Sox.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Sep 4, 2010 -> 01:53 PM) Way too many DPs. I don't think I've ever seen a player as fast as Rios hit into so many DP's -- and not on hard-hit balls, either.

QUOTE (EvilJester99 @ Sep 4, 2010 -> 01:31 PM) Update? As good as the White Sox at-bats were in the first 4 innings, they were pretty much that terrible in the 5th. Inning over. Still 2-0.

So I guess the Red Sox scouting report on Alexei is to throw him changeups.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Sep 4, 2010 -> 01:13 PM) sorry about that. Another great at-bat.

That was a clinic on how to get a man to third base. Awesome approach.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 4, 2010 -> 01:09 PM) After Rios gets into the rundown, Omar has to try to steal that run. I am not sure why Rios was running, but Omars play was exactly how you draw it up. No problem with what Omar did; not sure what Rios was doing.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Sep 4, 2010 -> 01:03 PM) I like the Sox approach at the plate though. The have Bucholz to over 60 pitches in three innings Agreed.

I'm becoming pretty confident that other teams have our signs, too.

Words fail.

What a shock: Danks losing his release point, leaving the ball up and running up his pitch-count, all in the early innings.

MLB Gameday says Josh Hamilton left the game with a back problem. So, maybe he could be out the rest of the series? Awesome.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 3, 2010 -> 10:26 PM) Capps continues to be a godsend for the Twins. Twins still lead 4-3 afer top of 8th is over He's due to blow one. Or two. Particularly when he's pitching more than an inning.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 1, 2010 -> 10:57 PM) Exactly. I can't believe the Twins blew that 9.5 game lead early and yet are firmly in command again. Though I've believed the Twins are the better team (all year), I do think a couple of points are important about the Twins lack of invincibility, guys: (1) The Twins DID blow that 9.5 game lead. They're good, but they're not a super-team, by any stretch. (2) With all the lamenting about the Twins always playing the right way in the second half, let's not forget how they absolutely CHOKED during the last weekend in 2008. After we played our usual lousy series in the Metrodome, handing them the division, they gave it right back against THE ROYALS, then couldn't score a run against John Danks, who hasn't pitched well against them ever again, in Game 163. (And that happened because our 38-year old centerfielder threw a guy out at home.) Just some things to remember when we're slobbering all over these f***ers.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 1, 2010 -> 12:59 PM) What a terrific line. 1 Run on 5 hits and 3 errors. Glad they were ready for the early start . . .

QUOTE (Real @ Sep 1, 2010 -> 12:54 PM) My thoughts on why bunting guys to 2B or 3B in this offense doesn't work: We have a team of tightass mental midgets. When you force a guy like Rios or Konerko or Alexei or just name somebody, they get tightass when the pressure is on them to HAVE to get the run in, because the bunt implies that Ozzie wants the next two guys to come through with a hit. Let the hitters swing the bat with a runner on first or second with no outs and they play loose because there's no f***ing pressure on a single player to get the run in It sucks that we have a lineup of chokers but it is what it is. Here's another thing: the Sox are actually ahead of the league average on getting guys home from 3rd with less than 2 out. The league average is an astoundingly low 53%, which tells you that (1) a lot of teams struggle to bring home those runners; and (2) all things being equal, you have a slightly better than 50% chance to bring home the run that will still leave you 2 runs short, with few outs remaining. Not so hot.

I think it's great how we have to pinch-run for Kotsay. I thought the idea was that we didn't want base-cloggers at DH.

Dear Lord, Carlos.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 06:49 PM) Yeah, advancing a runner to third isn't ideal for Pierre because if he hits the ball in the air, chances are the runner isn't going to score. It's frustrating to not get the man home, but I saw the statistic last week for success in bringing men home from third with less than 2-outs in the entire AL: it's a shockingly low 53%, I think.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 06:48 PM) bad habit maybe since he was coming off that foot injury? Interesting point.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 06:41 PM) It is a confusing thing for sure. He has shown some good moves out there and at other times just like this one he has been real bad I know; he was supposed to be a good defender. I don't know if he used to, but he seems to run on his heels a lot. That's a big no-no, fundamentally, for outfield play.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 06:40 PM) Alexei has the GG locked up. His improvement moving to his right, this year, is unbelievable. He's so good out there.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Aug 31, 2010 -> 06:38 PM) taking his bat into the field with him, that's what. He ought to be pulled. Glad that Carlos could add to Jackson's pitch total. That's good for the whole team.

Now that's the defense of a playoff team! At least Carlos didn't take another crappy at-bat of this into the field!

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 30, 2010 -> 09:52 PM) Kotsay keeps the perfect season vs LHP in tact!!! The first baseman made a miraculous play to snare that screamer. Yes, he had to "lay out" to corral a vicious topper from Malicious Kotsay.