4/28/05: Twins/Royals

[Steak]

Twins finish their three-game series against the Royals this afternoon before they go home for a weekend series with the Angels. They will go for the sweep today. This is a game that they need to have. Anytime you get an opportunity to sweep a team that is just playing awful, you should seize that opportunity. Let's hope the Twins can get it done.

It won't be easy though. Kyle Lohse is starting so the Royals have a very good chance to get it done. I am not a fan of his and my patience has been tested with this guy. He was actually demoted by having his start taken off just so he can work on his mechanics. I hope that works even though I am not counting on it. I don't think his mechanics are the problem. It's more about his head.

I just hope the Twins win in a slugfest.

Lohse vs. Hernandez

[Steak]

This was a long game, but I am just glad the good guys won today. We needed a sweep by the Twins. They got it done. They could not lose this game. Great teams find a way to sweep the Royals. Twins needed this sweep especially with the division being tight this year. Like I said in the game thread, anytime you can get a sweep against a team who is struggling, you take advantage of it. I am glad the Twins found a way to get it done this afternoon especially after the Royals tied it at 5 in the ninth. Twins could have packed it in the tenth and go home, but they found a way to get it done and go to the 11th. It would have really bothered me had the Twins lost this game and not get the sweep after She-ca-go swept the Royals last weekend at KC.

I am so happy Lew got the big hit there in the 11th hit. As Earl Weaver loves to say, there is nothing like a big two-out hit and Lew got it done. This two-out hit was something this team needed. Lew also had that big hit in the seventh inning to give the good guys the lead. What a series Lew had against KC. He has had a good start. I like how the Twins got all the big hits with runners on the corners in this series. I hope that's a sign of things to come. I hope they can do the same against the Angels this weekend.

Justin was fantastic in this series. He had 4 hits today and drove in some big runs when the Twins needed that. He is just a presence and he makes everyone in the lineup better. I am so glad he is on our side and I am glad he is healthy.

I thought our hitters was fantastic in this series.

I can't tell you how down I am with Kyle Lohse. I had enough of him. He has a 3-0 lead and he melts down in the third inning. For the money he is making, he shouldn't be doing that. This guy may have great stuff, but he clearly has zero confidence on himself and he has no mental toughness. His makeup stinks. Jack Morris, who did the game on WCCO, seemed furious everytime Kyle was throwing balls in the third inning. Kyle just does not have what it takes to win. He did the team a favor by getting hurt and leaving the game. I hate people getting hurt, but since I am so down on Kyle, he did the team a favor. Matt Guerrier cleaned up his mess when he relieved Kyle. He did a good job keeping the team tied at 3.

Matt was fantastic out there in relief today. He has been a godsend for the Twins. He has stepped up and seized the opportunity with Balfour on the DL. I am really proud of him.

J.C. did okay, but he could have given KC a chance to lead or tie the game had Shannon not had a good read and made that sliding catch. That had a extra base hit all over it, but Shannon found a way to make that great catch. Good job by Shannon. Also good jo by Gardenhire taking J.C. out immediately and let Juan finish the seventh.

Juan was shaky in the eighth, but to his credit, he got it done with a strikeout. That's what great pitchers do. They get out of jams and Juan did exactly that. He is not a good setup man for nothing.

It's a shame the Nathanator did not get it done there in the ninth, but I won't blame it on him. Lew's bad throw and Corky's inability to catch that ball in the ninth was the reason why Joe could not get the save. That will happen in baseball. I am just glad Joe kept it tie. It would be really bad had the Royals won it. Joe was fine out there.

Jesse did a great job in the 10th and he finished it up in the 11th. I know Jesse struggled, but to his credit, he got out of it. That can only give him confidence in a big game situation.

Couple of things that bugged me in this game was Corky Miller and Gardy. First off, I got the impression that Juan and the Nathanator did not feel comfortable throwing to Corky. They shook off signs with Corky and they just did not feel comfortable with him today. Corky had a rough day at home plate. Gardenhire's decision to have Luis Rivas pinch-run for Morneau was so idiotic. First off, you don't ever pinch-hit your best hitter at all costs. I don't care if the runner is fast. Justin is our big bat and he can flat-out hit. You never do that. To make it worse, Luis was caught stealing in the 10th.

I am just glad we won. It sure beats talking about a game the Twins lost.

As for the Royals, I hope things get turn around for them soon. They are playing hard and it showed this afternoon. I hope Royals fans will keep the faith.

Twins were resillent today and they found a way to get this sweep. Good job by them

[DiamondGirl]

I read a report in the Star Tribune that Kyle felt pain in his shoulder. He hit a batter and then threw those two balls and got yanked. He's going for an MRI. As much as he has been bad, he was throwing pretty good. We just don't know how much discomfort he was feeling up until then so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He has had some great games for us in the past so I hope it is nothing serious.

Great win for the Twins. Lew got some Sportcenter coverage last night with getting hit by a pitch and then having his helmet knocked off by a foul ball off his bat, etc. But they ended it with his winning single.

We now have the LAA Angels (Los Angeles Anaheim Angels) coming in pretty cocky after winning the series against the Skankies. Let's go Twins!!!

[Steak]

Couple of things:

-- How about Runlevys Hernandez going out and guranteeing a win on his birthday? I think it's great that you are guranteeing a win to get your team out of a slump, but when a team that is struggling so bad, why be funny and stupid. I am not taking it personally, but it's still funny and stupid.

-- I hear Shannons's catch made it as #1 in Webgems last night. Nice! That was a great catch.