Series Thread: Twins @ Blue Jays | April 1-3

[Santoki]

I was at the game today - heartbreaker indeed. When Escobar hit that liner into the gap it looked like it was going to fall easily. But watching Span cover that much ground that quickly was unreal. I couldn't believe he chased that down. At the end I knew what Lind was thinking. Someone else said it already, but he thought Nathan was trying to get ahead of him in the count, so he was looking for a fastball in. Nathan made a good pitch and cuffed him - game over. That place was ready to explode but Span was the difference in this game with his baserunning, ability to cover a huge amount of space in centre field and that back-breaking insurance run in the top of the ninth.

[TR50]

We just didn't capitalize our chances....there was a moment earlier in the game where Rivera just needed to lift the ball to the outfield for a sac fly, but grounded it right back to Capps. Jose then got out. We just missed our chances. Heartbreaker indeed.

[Duffman100]

One of the biggest misses was Rivera not getting that SAC fly in the 6th? 7th?

That was an easy way to tie the game and he failed to convert. Not impressed.

[Michael Bradley]

Went to Opening Day and it was great. Missed Bautista's HR because I went to the bathroom (which had a line that I've only seen women's restrooms have) but saw everything else. Fun night. Wish I went to Game 2 as well but heard in the news that they had a problem with walk ups.

Also, Bautista is for real as far as marketability is concerned. Say what you want about the years he got, but I saw a lot of Bautista jerseys being worn out there (and even a Tanyon Sturtze one that baffled me) and there is definitely a buzz in the stadium every time he comes to the plate. It's fun. Two home runs and a bunch of walks to start the year isn't bad either.

Didn't see today's game as I was driving back home, but it's a long season. We'll lose one run games, win one run games, win blowouts, lose blowouts.....that's baseball. Just great to have it back.

[SharoneWright]

It's just luck, they're not chokers. The difference in close baseball games like this often comes down to luck.

Yeah, that's what I've always argued as well. It's just baffling how remarkably consistent we are...year in and year out, those last-ditch innings always seem to end brutally.

2 hardest outs of the game might have been JPA to lead off and YESco to deep center...

Really unlucky not to have won it in the 9th...

Warren Spahn won another game...

[Kapono]

Lind needs to have a good year for us to be successful. Twins all series long have been pitching around Bautista because they are confident about getting Lind out. Its amazing Bautista has 2 HRs this season already considering the way the Twins pitched him. If Lind has a good year, Bautista will get more fastballs and wont be pitched around.

Also Snider needs to be moved up the line up.

[SharoneWright]

Lind needs to have a good year for us to be successful. Twins all series long have been pitching around Bautista because they are confident about getting Lind out. Its amazing Bautista has 2 HRs this season already considering the way the Twins pitched him. If Lind has a good year, Bautista will get more fastballs and wont be pitched around.

Also Snider needs to be moved up the line up.

Word.

The solution to Lind is Snider/Bautista 3/4 or 4/3.

[evilRyu]

btw pierro: you gotta make the next series thread

[jaymeister15]

Went to all 3 games this weekend, great weekend off ball. Would've been nice to pull out the game today, but like others said, there were some really hard hit balls that were just hit to some unlucky spots.

[ItsDanger]

One of the biggest misses was Rivera not getting that SAC fly in the 6th? 7th?

That was an easy way to tie the game and he failed to convert. Not impressed.

You know Farrell wasnt too impressed either especially with the infield defence set up as it was. I think Rivera is on a short leash with the Jays.

[spykelee]

Has to be said, that was a great pitch from Nathan. After walking two consecutive guys with breaking ball after breaking ball, it looked like Lind expected Nathan to try to get a strike over. Instead, he threw a pitch tailing in on his hands -- a fairly risky pitch, given that if it tails too far, it's an HBP and tied game, and if it sticks on the plate, Lind probably rifles it down the line -- and got him to turn it over.

In on his hands? That breaking ball was actually right down the middle of the plate. The only tailing it did, was into the dirt...

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/mlb/gam ... p&c_id=tor

Click the bautista video, and Go to the Nathan closes it out video and go to 1:35ish to see the highlight.

It was still a gutsy pitch to be sure. After walking 2 guys, having given up a run, with the bases juiced, in your first action in like a year and half, and you come with a first pitch breaking ball... that was a gutsy pitch, but there's just no way Lind should have been swinging first pitch given how his at bat came about.

[Kaizen]

http://www.ghostrunneronfirst.com/2011/ ... ffice.html

[torontoaces04]

http://www.ghostrunneronfirst.com/2011/04/kyle-drabeks-day-at-office.html

Wow, that was a great breakdown. Thanks for the link Czar.

Like some people have already said, the fact that he was so dominant without a great curveball brings a huge smile to my face. His cutter was absolutely filthy and like Delmon Young said, ALMOST unhittable.