Hiyohhh (Game 4)

So this game started a little dicey. The Angels did not seem like they wanted to lose 3 out of 4 to start the season at home. And they were bashing the ball all over the place against Kevin Slowey, who rarely had much movement on his pitches, and didn’t seem fully capable of not hanging breaking balls. But sometimes he pitched out of it, other times he got lucky as hell. In the end though, he only gave one run in 5 1/3 innings and got the win.

I just hope to god he doesn’t pitch that like much this season.

Jim Thome awakened and was largely responsible for the offensive explosion. His double against Joel Piniero came after Piniero had set down 8 in a row. And the double in question came on a good pitch down and in that Thome muscled out the the gap in right center. The Jason Kubel finally got a hit and laced a sharp single to right, scoring Thome. J.J Hardy hit a fielders choice grounder, and then Brendan Harris, the unfortunate soul who happens to play the same position as Sir Nicholas Punto, whacked a two run homer that gave the Twins the lead. If he can keep hitting, he may be able to work himself into more of a true platoon with Punto, rather than a “It’s been 3 days I guess you can play” type of situation.

Thome turned a tight game into a comfortable lead with his three run homer in the 8th, then Delmon Young made it a blowout with his one pitch three run homer to left (Although if I was Jason Kubel I’d be semi pissed that I was taken out of a 7-1 game when I had a chance with runners on 2nd and 3rd).

Delmon Young. Forealz? If he is, and Thome has something left, which it appears he does, Gardy’s going to have some issues divvying up playing time among Young, Kubel and Thome.

Mijares looked okay, but I still don’t trust that he knows where the ball is going when it comes out of his hand. He’s like that kid in little league who throws it really hard and has no idea where its going and keeps hitters off balance with a mixture of high speed and surprise locations. Hitters can’t know if Mijares is working them inside or outside, because even Mijares doesn’t know that. In any case, I will not trust him in close games.

Neshek was good, and so was Alex Burnett, in a super low leverage situation.

Span is still scuffling pretty hard, but O Dawg at least got a few hits.

This team is lookin goood.