Game 130, Mariners at Twins
Iwakuma vs Diamond, 5:10 pm.
Scott Diamond is exactly the type of pitcher you expect the Twins to have – a soft-tossing command lefty who doesn’t miss bats and outperforms his FIP. For years, the Twins have been building rotations with guys exactly like this. This year, it all fell apart, and Diamond is the only guy they have doing this. He’s also not likely to keep doing it for that much longer.
Diamond’s ERA is pretty sparkly, but look at his splits in the various baserunner states:
Bases Empty: .306/.331/.456, .339 wOBA
Men On Base: .225/.274/.343, .272 wOBA
RISP: .217/.281/.348, .276 wOBA
With the bases empty, Diamond has been a below average strike thrower. When people have gotten on base, his BABIP has gone through the floor and he’s managed to leave them there. This isn’t really a sustainable skill, though – Diamond’s splits are going to even out, and his ERA is going to go up, even if he doesn’t do anything differently.
He’s probably a decent #5 starter given his strikes and groundballs approach to the game, but he’s not as good as his 2012 numbers look. Of course, Liam Hendriks 2012 numbers were terrible and the Mariners got one run off of him, so who knows.
Ackley, 2B
Gutierrez, CF
Seager, 3B
Montero, DH
Smoak, 1B
Olivo, C
Thames, RF
Robinson, LF
Ryan, SS
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72 Responses to “Game 130, Mariners at Twins”
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Don’t worry, Adruidan – Olivo is certainly capable of hitting a grand slam, but he’d follow it with 12 strikeouts.
All on pitches outside the strike zone Westy. hehe
hehehe Terry – it’s funny because it’s true!
Wow, either gamecast is off, or the umpire really blew that first pitch.
Iwakuma don’t do that you haven’t got Johnny Bench back there!
With Felix drawing so much attention for his brilliant pitching, Iwakuma has really slid under the radar. He’s been pitching really great too.
Great DP there – unusual.
Ryan is certainly enjoying Twins pitching today…
Believe it or not, I haven’t been able to see a live game since the USSM/LL event at Safeco. But that changes Friday, as I found a place locally that will show the game. Never thought I’d be so excited to catch a game on TV!
Cool beans, Steve!
Must be nice. I live in Montana and we get no games on tv. None. At least in Minneapolis I could catch Twins games.
Wow, sorry to hear that GZ. I’m in Brazil… what does that say about Montana?!
See with a pitching change Wedge should swap Olivo for Jaso and use his bench for a change. What am I thinking? This is Wedge. Never mind. hehe
Iwakuma will be with the M´s again next season, he´s earned it…
Man, the Twins announcers are extremely angry and bitter about the lack of hitting.
Great job by Iwakuma, tonight.
Alright Tommy … Close this mother, out!
Good grief, the tying run at the plate.
Well, now, let’s go for another sweep tomorrow.
Um… and Thursday.
I love how we’re all so accustomed to the new normal that five runs of offense doesn’t even draw much of a comment anymore. What a difference two weeks makes.
Is it just me, or is Trayvon Robinson giving the team a lot more 2-for-4 kinda nights?
I still think his ceiling is “first-rate fourth OF”- that arm just isn’t playable on a full-time basis unless you’re a young Rondell White or Rickey Henderson- but it’d be nice if the guy has proved he can handle a stick enough to not embarrass us that he’s on the team.
It’s pretty amazing how well Trayvon’s done cutting down his strikeouts AND increasing his contact rate. Jeff Sullivan even wrote an article about it.
He might actually end up being a useful player.
Olivo has 8(now) pass balls. Montero has 6. He’s bad but not near as bad as people want him to be.
Here’s the thing: They’re both really really bad. But Montero is 22. His awfulness is recognized. He’ll either get better or stop being a catcher. Olivo has a reputation for being good, and there’s apparently mass denial about his inadequacy as a catcher. That’s what makes watching him utterly maddening.