Biting Off What We Can Choo

Jeanmar Gomez! Sweet dependable Jeanmar Gomez! He is getting to be everyone's favorite starter. He was able to stop the bleeding after the Boston series and help ease us in to victory against the Twins. I say "ease" because it wasn't a blowout either way, but he left us with just one run on the board - not earned by him - and 7 innings gone. He only struck out 2 but caused 11 ground outs. And he didn't even get the win.

You're welcome.

Not sure what was up with the bullpen today, but they were lucky to get out alive. Pestano gave up a walk then a RBI double, and then his double came around to score when Hagadone was brought in. He gave up a homer then a walk. All of a sudden we're able to stack up our relievers like so much Pez and they're being eaten up! I wonder if part of the problem is that I deemed Hagadone worthy of your Fantasy Baseball team. Oops. Joe Smith came in and untangled that mess for the W, and Perez came in for a quick and easy 9th to strike out one for his 12th save.

The top of the lineup was gelling today. Damon was sat out and they put our man CHOO up top. He's been walking and getting hits - plenty of doubles but not homers - so Acta decide that he'd make a good #1 guy. I guess after last night's game, Choo admitted that he was doing poorly against lefties because he's afraid of getting hit again. Not so much because it hurts, I imagine, but because he gets hit on the hand and that can ruin his season and maybe his career AND THEN HE HAS TO JOIN THE ARMY! Of course, now every bullpen in the AL has a little "throw inside" Post-It Tab on Choo's page. Poor fella - bares his soul now he's going to get beaned in the butt. Oh and guess who got hit today? By a rightie, noless.

Anyway, other than getting hit Choo went 1 for 4 and got the game-winning RBI! Who here didn't have their own private "CHOOOO!" from their chair when that happened? You know what I'm talking about! If not, here you go, you can Choo to the replay!

Kipnis went 1 for 5 and scored a run. Not very impressive for him as of late BUT he is working a 5-game streak so that's cool.

Asdrubal went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. He is actually slightly slumping. Like just for a few games. Average is dwindling down to .313 o noes!

Pronk did some good tonight. With a runner on 3rd he grounded out to the right side to get an RBI. He also got a double and a walk. Santana also got a hit and a walk and a sacrifice RBI. That's a step in the right direction for both those guys - if you can't be the big hero, just do something that matters.

Michael Brantley was silenced tonight after being pretty much the only guy to have a good Boston series. Middle of the order, not sure what's up. Did you know he's hitting .260 versus both righties and lefties?

Hey guess who was up today? LOPEZ! I'm guessing maybe because Wheeler was let go? They brought up an infielder to give Hannahan a day off or something. Yeah he played third and yeah he got a hit! He went 1 for 4 and scored a run!

Tonight's BIG BAT goes to Casey Kotchman who got a homer! That guy is just full of surprises. Hitting just shy of .200, nobody expects a 2-run dinger from Kotchman but there it was (his 3rd of the season). He actually went 2 for 4, which is maybe even more unexpected. Keep swingin' for the fences, Casey!

The victory tonight hopefully can help wash away the bad taste of the Boston series (would you believe...we're still in 1st place by 2 games?) and put us back on the path of being a good-hitting and good-pitching team. We've got a nice easy week - Twins, Mariners, Marlins - so by the time we meet up with Detroit next week maybe we can be like 5 games ahead.

Tomorrow is a 1:05 game, don't forget! Our favorite, Derek Lowe, versus Jason Marquis who has a 6.26 ERA. I am ready for some good hitting and a nice solid win.

See you then!

Radio Chatter:
"The Twins have four players with no home runs. So you can just say 'Here's a fastball, try to hit it.'"
- Tom Hamilton

"That's like going to prom and telling your date you have a canker sore. You're going to get a heck of a handshake at the end of the night. 'Thanks for the corsage, loser, now go home.'"
- Tom Hamilton on Choo admitting he is afraid of being hit by left handed pitchers

"You can't be losing to the worst team in baseball that has a record of 10 and 24."
- Tom Hamilton