TDA Bullpen - Our Writers' Blog

Wednesday, August 06, 2003

More wackiness from the Twins: Baltimore's up with one out in the bottom of the 8th, runners on the corners. Deep fly to center, but the runner on 3rd streaks for home and crosses the plate. After the catch, the runner realizes his mistake and heads back to 3rd, missing home on the way back. The relay beats the runner but short-hops Koskie at third, Koskie can't pick the hop and the ball is out of his control just long enough for the runner to slide in head first. The Twins still have the appeal, but LaTroy Hawkins doesn't realize he needs to break contact with the rubber to make the appeal throw, so he lobs up Ball 1 when he thinks he is appealing the play at home. The Twins are actually lucky Hawkins doesn't lob one through the strike zone, as it could have turned a 5-3 Twins lead into a 6-5 deficit in a heartbeat. For that matter, I wonder if Hawkins actually balked in the process, I didn't take close enough note of Hawkins's motion on the mound to determine if there was a missed call in there.

On the plus side for the Twinkies, Torii Hunter goes 2-4, with his two hits a 3-run homer to right and a laser beam up the middle. Hunter has been hitting in a bit tough luck, a lot of at 'em balls seemingly in the past month. Seeing Hunter hit the ball hard the opposite way and through the box has to be a good sign, though.

Finally, I listened to Harold Reynolds's speech about the 2-hole and how it's the best place in the lineup to hit or break out of a funk. There's some merit to that, and certainly the way that Carlos Lee has been hitting since he's been moved up to #2 in front of The Big Hurt and Magglio supports the notion. But I couldn't help thinking to myself, "so, what's Cristian Guzman's excuse?" I guess the 9-hole is where slumping #2 hitters go to get back on track, at least in the AL.

posted by Tom Renbarger 8:29 PM