Brad Radke had a better-than-quality start night last night, going 7 innings while giving up 9 hits and just 2 runs. Joe Mauer highlights the Twins’ offense, going 3-for-5 with a double and 2 RBIs. He raised his league-leading average to .367.
Luis Castillo and Nick Punto each had good nights as well, going a combined 5-for-10 with 3 runs and an RBI (Punto).
Jason Tyner and Jason Bartlett each struggled though, with neither of them recording a hit, although they both walked once. Bartlett scored from that.
Joe Nathan got his 24th save of the year last night. Before he came in, Dick and Bert were saying that Joe was the July DHL Delivery Man of the Month. Dick said “It’s a great honor for Joe, and I’m sure it would be even greater if he knew what the award was.” Leave it to our announcers to come up with the best stuff in baseball.
Francisco Liriano‘s diagnosis as of right now, with no MRI (tomorrow), is inflammation of the muscles near his elbow. He admits he was pitching in pain on Monday night, and says he should have told the coaches.
Matt Garza was called up today. I hope this kid can play. His minor league stats this year (in all three levels): 23 games started, 14-4, 1.99 ERA, 135 2/3 IP, 154 K, 32 BB. Certainly great. The worry with him now is that he’s already pitched a little more than 135 innings this year. If he starts 10 games the rest of the regular season, he’d be up around 180-190 in innings pitched. Probably not much left in his gas tank if we make the playoffs. By that time though, Liriano should be back to give the Twins a rotation of Liriano-Radke-Johan Santana.
Liriano will go on the DL and Scott Baker or Boof Bonser will be called up.
Luis Rodriguez came in to pinch-hit last night. Not surprisingly, he didn’t get on base. The last time he had more than one at bat in a game was August 2nd, when he played second to give Luis Castillo a break. The last time before that was July 17th. Gardenhire cannot expect this guy to give good pinch-hit at bats if he doesn’t play more than he has. But, he’s up here to give Castillo a break, so I guess we need him on the bench.
I want to point out that I’ve added a link to another Twins blog, Twins Territory. He added my page on his links too, so please check him out.
Also, about the Twins stadium. I’m only going to say one thing, and it’s a question to all my readers: Would you be willing to go to a game in April, early May, or September when the game does not decide anything important, when there is no roof? I wouldn’t.
One last thing, with the win tonight the Twins are now in second place in the Wild Card standings. They are a half game behind the White Sox who pulled off an extra-innings win last night.
Twins, not Twinkies 
August 9, 2006 at 8:47 am
Dick also mentioned that it was Joe’s dad who called and told him that he had won the award. I think that Dick and Bert inferred that Joe had not heard of the award before yesterday.
Yes I would go to a game in April, May or September.
August 9, 2006 at 10:01 am
Hey there fryguy, don’t forget there is more than just at bats at stake in a game. Tyner pulled his weight last night with a double play from left. Huge throw to home on a tagging runner from third (Ordonez maybe?), giving Mauer plenty of time for the tag! Two probable game saving outs when Radke had em loaded with no outs.
I like the Twin’s strong defense. Any team can buy big hitters, but scrappy D has kept the Twins lookin good. That’s why I like Rodriguez too. Solid D. Too bad he’s been cold at the plate.
I was also afraid the Twins were gonna be dumb AGAIN, and use Garza right away. (Thinking they might rest Radke a rotation) I don’t know how you expect a good start from a minor league debuting a few hours after his last game. (Smith was it?)
Gotta concur on the outdoor stadium. I think it is the dumbest compromise ever. We will be having this stadium battle again in 15 years, no doubt. And we will all claim the lack of a roof is why we need ANOTHER huge tax payout to a private corporation. Arhghghg! Oh and no I would be hard to convince to sit in rain or cold or snow to watch baseball. (Football I’ve done, but that’s a different type of watching).
~Nato
August 9, 2006 at 10:11 am
I also just thought of something. The temperature and weather will affect the Twins too. You’d have to think they’d rather play i 75 degrees or whatever it is in the Dome than 50 degrees in September when they’re trying to get into the playoffs. Just a stupid idea in my opinion.
August 9, 2006 at 12:19 pm
I’m not completely convinced we will have a stadium without a roof. I have faith that we will have an eleventh hour hero step up to the plate (pun totally intended). But, alas, if no roof, I would be with Nato and Frymaster, no ryfryfan.
August 9, 2006 at 12:28 pm
By the way, I think you should email this site http://eteamz.active.com/PatNeshek/ and my guess is you will get an email back. He sounds like a really down to earth sort of guy who would get a kick out of your blog.