7/4/05: Twins/Angels

[Steak]

Hope everyone here is enjoying their 4th of July as we celebrate America's birthday and Independence.

Twins finish the first half of the season by going a week-long road trip. Their first trek is Southern California as they play the AL West leading Angels. Twins are coming off a great week by beating the creampuffs in the homestand. Now the test gets a little harder as they play the Angels who always give the Twins fits.

If the season is over today, the Twins play the Angels in the playoffs. I will sign up for that if it happens. I will take my chances with them than Boston. I think Boston is the best team in baseball and I don't think the Twins would match up well even though the Twins have dominated Boston in the last few years. Boston got the whole package while Anaheim and She-ca-go doesn't. I just don't think the Angels pitching are that great. They are either very good or very bad. Twins can expose that type of team.

Carlos is on the hill tonight. Twins got their two best pitchers in this series so they got a good shot to win the series.

Whenever the Twins play the Angels, it's always fun because it's very tight and very entertaining games. I love watching those two teams play against each other.

777rak will be at the game tonight in Anaheim so I am hoping he gives his report on the Twins and the game in this thread here.

Silva vs. Lackey

[Steak]

Great win tonight by the Twins. It was a crazy game as usual when both the Angels and Twins face each other.

What a night for Juan Castro! He was huge as he got the big two-out hit TWICE to give the Twins the lead in the fourth inning and in the sixth inning for good. Juan has been efficient all year for the Twins. I did not care for the signing, but he has proven me and I am sure most Twins fans wrong. He has been awesome defensively and he has been good offensively. He has definitely made everyone forgot Cristian Guzman and Jason Bartlett, who was supposed to be this year's starting SS. He has been the team's feel-good story of the year.

Jacque (he hit a HR in the eighth), Shannon, and Torii (3 hits) had great nights at the plate. I swear when Torii and Jacque really are hitting the ball, the Twins win 97 percent of the time. When Torii and Jacque play well, this team does so well. I have a good feeling that we may see a great second half from Jacque and Torii and this team is going to need it if they want to earn a playoff spot this year.

Justin played well too as he had two hits. I think he is starting to come around a little bit.

Carlos did okay. He had his rough spots like in the first inning and then in the fifth, but he got out of it. He was solid.

J.C. was huge in the seventh when he had to relieve Carlos. He got out of a jam there.

Juan and Joe was great as usual in the eighth and ninth. I think Juan Rincon is really starting to look good again which is very good to hear.

The turning point of the game was when Torii got Adam Kennedy out to prevent the Angels from leading in the bottom of the fifth. Without that throw, who knows what would have happened.

It's always great to get the first win of the series especially against a team like the Angels. This is a big win because the Indians won both games of the doubleheader against the Tigers today as the Twins still have that Wild-Card lead. I tell ya what. The Indians ain't going away like the Sux this season. Twins better keep this up because I don't see the Indians fading anytime soon.

[777rak]

Hope everyone here is enjoying their 4th of July as we celebrate America's birthday and Independence.

Twins finish the first half of the season by going a week-long road trip. Their first trek is Southern California as they play the AL West leading Angels. Twins are coming off a great week by beating the creampuffs in the homestand. Now the test gets a little harder as they play the Angels who always give the Twins fits.

If the season is over today, the Twins play the Angels in the playoffs. I will sign up for that if it happens. I will take my chances with them than Boston. I think Boston is the best team in baseball and I don't think the Twins would match up well even though the Twins have dominated Boston in the last few years. Boston got the whole package while Anaheim and She-ca-go doesn't. I just don't think the Angels pitching are that great. They are either very good or very bad. Twins can expose that type of team.

Carlos is on the hill tonight. Twins got their two best pitchers in this series so they got a good shot to win the series.

Whenever the Twins play the Angels, it's always fun because it's very tight and very entertaining games. I love watching those two teams play against each other.

777rak will be at the game tonight in Anaheim so I am hoping he gives his report on the Twins and the game in this thread here.

Silva vs. Lackey

I will when I get back from the game. And I will aslo post it in the Angels section too.

And btw not sure you got this Im going to todays game(July 5th)

[mntwinsfan]

Is Baker starting tonight? Thought he was starting. Anyways was a huge win last night. We needd to stay hot going in to the all star break.

Was not happy that we only got 2 players into the allstar game. Crain should have been invited. Best mr in the game right now per his stats and he gets snubed. I think we need to get Torii into the game lets vote him in.

[Steak]

Baker starts tonight.

I was okay with two guys out there. Crain should have been there, but you know what. A lot of middle relievers should have been there too like Shields, Donnelly, Timlin, and etc, but they are not. Francona only picked one middle reliever and he was selected only to represent his team.

Every win is so huge now with the Yankees and Indians starting to make that run.

I would love to see Torii go and believe me I am doing everything I can to vote for him, but those fine people in Japan will do everything they can to get Matsui in there so I doubt it will happen. I don't think Matsui should go, but it's going to happen.

[mntwinsfan]

you have the link to vote for Torii? I cant find it anywhere. Oh boy I am up to a freaking bench warmer... How about an all star?? LOL.

[Steak]

mntwinsfan: Go to twinsbaseball.com