Say what you will about certain M-sluggers forgetting to show up and certain best-centerfielders-ever flopping around after balls like a freshly-caught salmon, but what the butt is Jason Tyner doing as a starting DH in the playoffs? And how likely is the end-of-the-game strategy of an inside-the-park home run of our own to succeed? Sorry Nick Punto, but you're only a slightly talented version of Lew Ford. It's not looking good, and I'm not counting anybody out even if the A's saved their best two pitchers for games 3 and 4 (Zito has nothing on Haren and Harden), but at least I have a backup team this year (both my childhood team and my current favorite local team are in the playoffs the same year for the first time since i was negative 17 years old).
By the way, this is the greatest bike ever.
Comments (3)
hey, was cool seeing you at the show last night. band i mentioned: this sea reflects stars
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Posted by rian | October 8, 2005 3:16 AM
Posted on October 8, 2005 03:16
I think the strategy was to get Punto on base and then see what Mauer could do. The options for the Twins weren't exactly good—Kubel has pop but he hasn't had a base hit in about 6 weeks. Nevin hasn't done anything yet. You maybe could've thrown Red Dog in there just to see if he could punch one the other way but then you are out your backup catcher.
I actually prefer having Tyner in their over Nevin or anyone else. After all it was guys like Tyner, Punto and all the other "piranhas" that got the Twins where they are in the first place. Might as well go with what has worked for you right?
What's been interesting is that the supposed "achille's heel" of the team (starting pitching) has been the one thing that's been just about perfect. Santana was great and Boof was as good as anyone could have expected. Even the bullpen hasn't been that bad (Hunter's f-up wasn't technically an error but that's a pretty tough earned run to charge a pitcher with).
Horrendous at bats are what has done this team in. Zito couldn't locate a fastball to save his grandma yet the Twins were swinging at pitches 2 ft out of the strikezone or swinging at FIRST pitches in key situations. Unacceptable.
And I'm sorry, I don't care how great an August Loaiza had, he hasn't been consistently good since he won 21 games for the Sox. For a team with the 1st or 2nd best batting average in the league that's a beatable pitcher right there. The Twins lost that game long before the Hunter miscue...
Posted by Chris D. | October 5, 2006 3:03 PM
Posted on October 5, 2006 15:03
You're right about Loiaza. We should have been hitting him. Unfortunately we didn't face him on May 6 (he takes Cinco de Mayo very seriously say the rumors). I ragged on Punto out of frusteration. I like him, it's just the one situation I would not want to see him batting is down by 3 with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth in a playoff game. As for Tyner, he's never hit the ball more than 250 feet in his entire life. He's a pinch runner at worst and a number 2 hitter at best. Yarrrrrr.
The good news is oakland is 0-9 in their last 9 elimination games.
Posted by ryan | October 6, 2006 12:50 AM
Posted on October 6, 2006 00:50