XMariner
08-01-2004, 12:39 PM
Boston(56-46)8.5GB@Minnesota(58-45)1st
Here we go again. Minnesota throws out quite possibly the best pitcher in all of major league baseball right now in Santana and Boston sends there big name guy in Pedro Martinez to the hill for the rubber match of the brief 3 game series. Santana on the year has a 1.02whip, .71whip in the last 3. Santana has not faced the Sox this year although he pitched 1 game vs them last year going against Pedro his last time out. Twins won that game 5-0 at the dome and Santana went 5 giving up 0 while Martinez gave up 5er in 5 innings to take the loss. In the Red Sox last 10 contest they are hitting an abysmal .218 vs lefties none of which are the calibur of Santana. Minnesota which lost Doug Meintkiewicz in a trade that freed up all the playing time to Justin Morneau felt no effect in Saturdays game taking the contest 5-4 as Joe Nathan came in the 9th and for the 29th time this season shut the door. JC Romero and Ricardo Rincon also saw action and gave the Twins the extra 1 1/3 they needed to bridge the gap. Jaquae Jones and Michael Cuddyer went deep for the Twins off Sox starter Dereck Lowe. The Twins are hitting .280 vs righties in there last 10. Shannon Stewart and Christian Guzman are hitting .356 combined off of Martinez. This is his first start vs the Twins this year.
Minnesota is 8-2 in Santana's last 10 starts and the Twins have now won 10-12 overall. I think Santana's ability to neutralize Damon and Ortiz will be the key to a Twin victory today as the big matchup should be Santana vs the struggling Manny Ramirez. Stewart, Guzie, Koskie. Morneau will be the keys to a Twin win. The Red Sox will find it imperative for them to have a chance to get to Santana with that pen luming over there shoulder. The Twins will try to wear down Pedro and get to the Red Sox pen who is now up too 1.54whip in there last 3. Joe Roa or Terry Mulholland should be the first off the bench for Minnesota if Santana finds himself in trouble. Roa already faced Boston on Friday going 3 and a 1/3 giving up 0 vs the Sox. If Pedro slips into mediocrity Terry Adams or Ramiro Mendoza should come out in middle relief with Keith Foulke hoping for and oppurtunity. The Red Sox were not sure if David Roberts (OF) Bos would be with the team in time for today's game, according to the Boston Globe. Twins take this sucker!
Minnesota over Boston
gl all
Here we go again. Minnesota throws out quite possibly the best pitcher in all of major league baseball right now in Santana and Boston sends there big name guy in Pedro Martinez to the hill for the rubber match of the brief 3 game series. Santana on the year has a 1.02whip, .71whip in the last 3. Santana has not faced the Sox this year although he pitched 1 game vs them last year going against Pedro his last time out. Twins won that game 5-0 at the dome and Santana went 5 giving up 0 while Martinez gave up 5er in 5 innings to take the loss. In the Red Sox last 10 contest they are hitting an abysmal .218 vs lefties none of which are the calibur of Santana. Minnesota which lost Doug Meintkiewicz in a trade that freed up all the playing time to Justin Morneau felt no effect in Saturdays game taking the contest 5-4 as Joe Nathan came in the 9th and for the 29th time this season shut the door. JC Romero and Ricardo Rincon also saw action and gave the Twins the extra 1 1/3 they needed to bridge the gap. Jaquae Jones and Michael Cuddyer went deep for the Twins off Sox starter Dereck Lowe. The Twins are hitting .280 vs righties in there last 10. Shannon Stewart and Christian Guzman are hitting .356 combined off of Martinez. This is his first start vs the Twins this year.
Minnesota is 8-2 in Santana's last 10 starts and the Twins have now won 10-12 overall. I think Santana's ability to neutralize Damon and Ortiz will be the key to a Twin victory today as the big matchup should be Santana vs the struggling Manny Ramirez. Stewart, Guzie, Koskie. Morneau will be the keys to a Twin win. The Red Sox will find it imperative for them to have a chance to get to Santana with that pen luming over there shoulder. The Twins will try to wear down Pedro and get to the Red Sox pen who is now up too 1.54whip in there last 3. Joe Roa or Terry Mulholland should be the first off the bench for Minnesota if Santana finds himself in trouble. Roa already faced Boston on Friday going 3 and a 1/3 giving up 0 vs the Sox. If Pedro slips into mediocrity Terry Adams or Ramiro Mendoza should come out in middle relief with Keith Foulke hoping for and oppurtunity. The Red Sox were not sure if David Roberts (OF) Bos would be with the team in time for today's game, according to the Boston Globe. Twins take this sucker!
Minnesota over Boston
gl all