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MINNESOTA ( SANTANA )
HOUSTON ( MCCULLERS ) |
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| 921 | MINNESOTA | +160 | Ov 8.5,+100 | +182 | Ov 8,-120 | | 922 | HOUSTON | -170 | Un 8.5,-120 | -195 | Un 8,+100 |
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| All Games | 69-65 | +17.9 | 61-62 | 4.3 | 0.248 | 0.301 | 0.400 | 0.701 | 4.4 | 0.272 | 0.322 | 0.424 | 0.746 | | Road Games | 27-39 | -1.6 | 29-32 | 3.9 | 0.230 | 0.283 | 0.370 | 0.653 | 4.9 | 0.281 | 0.336 | 0.444 | 0.780 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 44-45 | +8.1 | 38-42 | 4.1 | 0.245 | 0.295 | 0.394 | 0.689 | 4.6 | 0.278 | 0.328 | 0.431 | 0.759 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +1.7 | 3-3 | 3.7 | 0.223 | 0.290 | 0.364 | 0.654 | 4.1 | 0.264 | 0.315 | 0.380 | 0.696 | | Grass Games | 67-60 | +19.9 | 56-60 | 4.3 | 0.249 | 0.302 | 0.398 | 0.700 | 4.3 | 0.271 | 0.319 | 0.419 | 0.738 | | Night Games | 41-36 | +15 | 34-38 | 4.5 | 0.250 | 0.301 | 0.404 | 0.705 | 4.1 | 0.266 | 0.316 | 0.407 | 0.722 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.248 | 0.301 | 134 | 4500 | 1117 | 230 | 36 | 127 | 0.400 | 550 | 337 | 1043 | 57 | 792 | 121 | 68 | 122 | 68 | | Road Games | 3.9 | 0.230 | 0.283 | 66 | 2259 | 520 | 118 | 18 | 54 | 0.370 | 242 | 165 | 570 | 29 | 389 | 52 | 31 | 55 | 44 | | Righty Starters | 4.1 | 0.245 | 0.295 | 89 | 2964 | 726 | 155 | 27 | 78 | 0.394 | 345 | 210 | 721 | 44 | 513 | 76 | 42 | 78 | 43 |
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| All Games | 3.95 | 1.299 | 417.3 | 200 | 183 | 408 | 48 | 134 | 312 | 23-21 | 40 | 11 | 78.4% | | Road Games | 4.10 | 1.333 | 206.3 | 100 | 94 | 199 | 24 | 76 | 148 | 12-11 | 20 | 7 | 74.1% |
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| All Games | 74-61 | +6.1 | 60-69 | 4.3 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 0.421 | 0.726 | 3.6 | 0.236 | 0.292 | 0.369 | 0.660 | | Home Games | 47-23 | +17.2 | 31-36 | 4.4 | 0.248 | 0.313 | 0.451 | 0.764 | 3.3 | 0.232 | 0.282 | 0.366 | 0.648 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 48-38 | +7.3 | 42-40 | 4.6 | 0.246 | 0.306 | 0.427 | 0.734 | 3.7 | 0.236 | 0.291 | 0.366 | 0.657 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -2.8 | 4-2 | 4.7 | 0.281 | 0.333 | 0.438 | 0.771 | 4.1 | 0.233 | 0.307 | 0.414 | 0.721 | | Grass Games | 74-55 | +12.5 | 58-66 | 4.4 | 0.246 | 0.307 | 0.427 | 0.734 | 3.5 | 0.235 | 0.290 | 0.366 | 0.657 | | Night Games | 51-41 | +3.8 | 38-49 | 4.3 | 0.242 | 0.301 | 0.420 | 0.721 | 3.5 | 0.236 | 0.290 | 0.369 | 0.660 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 135 | 4523 | 1101 | 222 | 18 | 182 | 0.421 | 556 | 402 | 1184 | 101 | 836 | 97 | 67 | 117 | 75 | | Home Games | 4.4 | 0.248 | 0.313 | 70 | 2240 | 555 | 113 | 11 | 107 | 0.451 | 298 | 211 | 609 | 47 | 399 | 57 | 33 | 65 | 36 | | Righty Starters | 4.6 | 0.246 | 0.306 | 86 | 2900 | 712 | 142 | 8 | 123 | 0.427 | 373 | 255 | 748 | 64 | 534 | 57 | 39 | 65 | 49 |
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| All Games | 2.74 | 1.039 | 385 | 133 | 117 | 286 | 37 | 114 | 387 | 24-22 | 32 | 16 | 66.7% | | Home Games | 2.29 | 0.926 | 216 | 63 | 55 | 153 | 24 | 47 | 230 | 14-11 | 18 | 7 | 72% |
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| 8/22/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | 3-2 | W | 140 | 8.5 un | U | 7 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GAUSMAN(R) | 4-3 | W | 160 | 8.5 ov | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 3 | | 8/25/2015 | SANTANA(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | KARNS(R) | 11-7 | W | 130 | 7 un | O | 12 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | 5-3 | W | 170 | 7 un | O | 13 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | SMYLY(L) | 4-5 | L | 120 | 7.5 un | O | 9 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 1 | | 8/28/2015 | GIBSON(R) | HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | 3-0 | W | +110 | 7.5 un | U | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 0 | | 8/29/2015 | PELFREY(R) | HOUSTON | FIERS(R) | 1-4 | L | +100 | 8 un | U | 5 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 0 | | 8/30/2015 | SANTANA(R) | HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | 7-5 | W | +135 | 8 ev | O | 8 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 | | 9/1/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 8-6 | W | +140 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 2 | | 9/2/2015 | MILONE(L) | CHI WHITE SOX | RODON(L) | 3-0 | W | -125 | 8.5 ev | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | | 9/3/2015 | GIBSON(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 4-6 | L | -115 | 8 un | O | 7 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 1 | | 9/4/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 0-8 | L | 182 | 8 ov | P | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 0 | | 9/5/2015 | SANTANA(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | | | 9/6/2015 | DUFFEY(R) | @ HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | | | 9/7/2015 | MILONE(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | | | 9/8/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | VOLQUEZ(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | MEDLEN(R) | | | 9/11/2015 | SANTANA(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | DANKS(L) | | | 9/12/2015 | | @ CHI WHITE SOX | | |
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| 8/22/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | LA DODGERS | GREINKE(R) | 3-1 | W | +115 | 7 un | U | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 8/23/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | LA DODGERS | KERSHAW(L) | 3-2 | W | +140 | 6.5 un | U | 10 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 8/24/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | @ NY YANKEES | EOVALDI(R) | 0-1 | L | 155 | 8 ov | U | 5 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 8/25/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ NY YANKEES | NOVA(R) | 15-1 | W | -145 | 7.5 ev | O | 15 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | | 8/26/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ NY YANKEES | PINEDA(R) | 6-2 | W | 145 | 7.5 ov | O | 10 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | 0-3 | L | -120 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | 8/29/2015 | FIERS(R) | @ MINNESOTA | PELFREY(R) | 4-1 | W | -110 | 8 un | U | 10 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 2 | | 8/30/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | @ MINNESOTA | SANTANA(R) | 5-7 | L | -145 | 8 ev | O | 12 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 8/31/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | SEATTLE | NUNO(L) | 8-3 | W | -245 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 2 | | 9/1/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | SEATTLE | ELIAS(L) | 5-7 | L | -160 | 8.5 ov | O | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 2 | | 9/2/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 3-8 | L | -155 | 7.5 un | O | 7 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 11 | 1 | | 9/4/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | MINNESOTA | PELFREY(R) | 8-0 | W | -195 | 8 ov | P | 13 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 9/5/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | MINNESOTA | SANTANA(R) | | | 9/6/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | MINNESOTA | DUFFEY(R) | | | 9/7/2015 | FIERS(R) | @ OAKLAND | NOLIN(L) | | | 9/8/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | | | 9/9/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ OAKLAND | BROOKS(R) | | | 9/11/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | | | 9/12/2015 | | @ LA ANGELS | | |
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| |  | MINNESOTA: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Paul Molitor was hired as Minnesota's new manager, bringing Hall of Fame membership and renowned intelligence and intuition to a team seeking a fresh start.
The Twins brought back one of their most popular players ever, Torii Hunter, to help solidify an unsettled outfield, mentor a fledgling team and hit a few home runs. They have collected plenty of promising young hitters, either slated for the opening day lineup or waiting in the minor league wings.
None of that will matter much if the starting pitching continues to wobble the way it has the last four seasons.
Phil Hughes had by most measures a career year, his first away from the New York Yankees, but his ability to match that is low on the list of 2015 goals. Ricky Nolasco needs to rebound from a terrible first season with the Twins. Ervin Santana must show he's worth that $55 million, four-year contract. Kyle Gibson has to reduce the times (five of 31 starts in 2014) he goes three innings or less and gives up six runs or more. The fifth spot winner, Trevor May, Tommy Milone or Mike Pelfrey, needs to keep it.
''We'd put up a couple good starts and somebody would get hurt or we'd take a step backward,'' said Hughes, whose 2014 season has been one of the few true success stories of the rotation since it unraveled in 2011. ''Every good team I've been on, it seems like the rotation gets on a roll.''
New pitching coach Neil Allen will have more impact on the staff than Molitor, but after 13 years under manager Ron Gardenhire the clubhouse has been naturally buzzing with excitement about the new boss.
''He's one of the smartest baseball people I've ever been around,'' first baseman Joe Mauer said.
As for Hunter? His presence was desired for more energy and stronger camaraderie.
''If there's no tension between players and you're comfortable with everyone, you're going to play better,'' closer Glen Perkins said. ''So that's chemistry, I guess. I think we've held it together as much as we can, as much as we've struggled.''
Here are some key angles to know about the Twins in 2015:
MAUER IMPROVEMENT
Mauer, soon to turn 32, will make $23 million each of the next four years. Injuries have limited him to an average of 116 games from 2011-14. His batting average hit a career-low .277 last season, and he had a career-most 96 strikeouts despite time lost to an oblique muscle injury.
The Twins haven't lost faith in their franchise player, the homegrown guy who was the first overall draft pick in 2001. Playing for Molitor, whom he grew up admiring as an alumnus of the same St. Paul high school, ought to help.
''He's healthy. I think he's anxious to prove that last year was just an aberration,'' general manager Terry Ryan said.
LINEUP FLEXIBILITY
Molitor has been touting his options at the top and in the middle of the order, with a team that quietly scored the third-most runs in the majors after the All-Star break last year and added an accomplished hitter in Hunter.
One decision is whether to bat Mauer third, where he was most of his career until Gardenhire began to bat him second often over the last two seasons.
With Hunter, Kennys Vargas, Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia, Molitor has power to play with in the heart of the order. The downsides are Arcia's inconsistency, leadoff man Danny Santana being the only player with a 2014 average above .290 and an unsettled situation in center field.
''It's a small sample, our track record from last year, but it's something you can use as a foundation to see potentially how your offense can work. We're going to have depth, I think, all the way down to the bottom,'' Molitor said.
BULLPEN SHUFFLE
The Twins could return as few as three relievers to their roles from last season: Perkins, Casey Fien and Brian Duensing. Blaine Boyer and Tim Stauffer, from San Diego, were signed. At least one of the losers in the fifth starter competition was headed for the seven-man bullpen. Rule 5 draft pick J.R. Graham, who must be returned to Atlanta if he's not on the 25-man roster, has been pushing for a spot, too.
Reliever use will be one area in which Molitor's strategy could differ from that of Gardenhire.
''I want to get them out of a one-inning mentality. Not that they all have it, or don't want to pitch more. But we've talked a lot about some of those guys, trying to get two innings out of them here, if we can,'' Molitor said. | | HOUSTON: HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Astros moved out of the major league basement last season.
Now the question is whether Jose Altuve and his teammates are ready to contend this year or if they still need a couple of seasons to complete their rebuild and get back to the postseason.
Owner Jim Crane is confident the time is now.
''This is our year,'' he said, adding that their goal is to make the playoffs.
The Astros made a 19-game improvement in 2014 to win 70 games and snap a streak of three straight 100-loss seasons. They beefed up a bullpen that struggled last year and added more pop to a lineup that was fourth in the majors with 163 homers in 2014 in an attempt to take another step in 2015.
''These guys are all professional baseball players and they all want to win,'' general manager Jeff Luhnow said. ''We're not going to set any limitations on them. It's up to them at this point. We've done our work for the offseason.''
The Astros blew 25 saves last season, a statistic that troubled Crane more than any other number associated with his team. His first order of business this offseason was to bring in players to get that number down this year.
To that end, Houston added relievers Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek. Gregerson appeared in 72 games for the Athletics last season and posted a 2.12 ERA and Neshek saw action in 71 games for St. Louis in 2014 with a 1.87 ERA.
A lineup that already had power aplenty with Chris Carter, whose 37 homers tied for second in the majors last season, and George Springer, who hit 20 in just 78 games, now has more sluggers with the addition of Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus. Gattis has hit 43 homers combined in his first two major league seasons and Rasmus has hit at least 22 home runs in two of the last three years.
That power is what excites first-year manager A.J. Hinch most about his team.
''We have a chance to be a dangerous lineup,'' Hinch said with a smile.
Some things to know about the 2015 Astros:
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALTUVE: Altuve became the first Astros player to win a batting title by hitting .341 last season. He set a team record with 225 hits, was third in the majors with 47 doubles, had 59 RBIs and tied for second in the league with 56 stolen bases.
So what does Luhnow expect the 24-year-old second baseman to do for an encore?
''He's going to be a .300 career hitter, which are few and far between,'' Luhnow said. ''So there's going to be years like with most of these great hitters where they hit .340 and years that they hit .305. In my mind Altuve is an elite major league hitter and we're going to see it year in and year out.''
SPRINGER'S SECOND YEAR: Springer, the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft, hit .231 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs in 78 games as a rookie. He injured his left quadriceps on July 20 and he didn't play again. The Astros are eager to see what the right fielder can do in a full season.
''He's got a ton of potential,'' Hinch said. ''He's a dynamic player. He can do a lot of different things in a lot of different ways. Everybody sort of sits up in their seats when he comes up to bat. I think there's a chance for him to have impact in all (areas) of the game, which is hard to come by.''
CAN ROTATION BE CONSISTENT?: Dallas Keuchel (12-9, 2.93 ERA) and Collin McHugh (11-9, 2.73) had breakout seasons in 2014, but can they perform at that level in a second year to lead the rotation? Keuchel posted ERAs of over 5.00 in both of his first two seasons before being chosen this year's opening day starter with his work last year, and McHugh had ERAs of 7.59 and 10.04 in his first two years before his success in 2014.
ANOTHER NEW SKIPPER: Counting interim managers, Hinch is the seventh manager the Astros have had since 2009. He was hired just after last season following the firing of Bo Porter, who was let go near the end of his second season.
This is the second time the 40-year-old Hinch has led a team after he managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010, when he was fired after 31-48 start. He was the vice president of professional scouting for San Diego from 2010 until August. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (MINNESOTA-HOUSTON) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Twins-Astros Preview* ======================
By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
Minnesota (69-64) at Houston (73-61), 7:10 p.m. EDT
After managing little against Ervin Santana last weekend, the Houston Astros didn't have to wait long for another shot at the Minnesota Twins right-hander.
Hoping for a better performance this time, the Astros will try to add to Santana's recent road struggles Saturday night.
Following a six-start stretch in which he went 0-4 with a 9.20 ERA, Santana (3-4, 5.40 ERA) gave up six hits, struck out a season-high 10 and didn't issue a walk in seven scoreless innings of Sunday's 7-5 victory over Houston (74-61).
"I've been smiling, but don't get it wrong, I've been frustrated," Santana said. "I knew I could pitch better than (those previous starts)."
His teammates hope that his effort against the Astros is the beginning of good things to come for the veteran.
"Hopefully it'll be a confidence booster for the next time he goes out," said Twins catcher Chris Hermann.
Making his first career appearance at Minute Maid Park, Santana now must improve his work on the road, where he's gone 0-3 with a 9.64 ERA in his last four starts. He went 2-0 with an 0.76 ERA in the first three.
Lance McCullers (5-5, 3.21), meanwhile, tries to improve on a 4-0 record and 1.65 ERA in eight home starts this season. The right-hander also gets another chance at Santana after he walked four and gave up three runs in six innings last Sunday.
McCullers looks to help the Astros build on Friday's 8-0 rout of Minnesota (69-65). Collin McHugh threw 7 2-3 strong innings and Hank Conger hit his second grand slam this season as Houston avoided a third consecutive home defeat.
With his career-high 10th homer, Conger is the 10th Astros player with at least that many this season - breaking the franchise record of nine set in 2000. With one more home run by Marwin Gonzalez, Houston would tie Detroit's major league mark of 11 from 2004.
"When you got guys down in the order hitting double-digit home runs that are part-time players, that's a pretty unique roster to have," Astros manager A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website. "You know clearly we've got power throughout and we've had guys come up through the minor leagues and hit for power, and it's a good achievement."
Batting leadoff, George Springer went 1 for 4 in his first game since landing on the disabled list with a broken wrist July 2.
"I don't have any hesitation putting him back in the lineup, at the top," Hinch said about Springer, who had 13 homers and 29 RBIs in 75 games before the injury. "The offense functioned very well with him at the top. He's a dynamic player. I'd like to get his energy kick-started from the very beginning."
Hitting in the middle of Houston's order, Jed Lowrie is 8 for 14 with four doubles in four games since going 0 for 26 in his previous eight. He's 2 for 10 against Santana, but both hits were doubles.
Joe Mauer had two of the seven hits Friday by Minnesota, which has dropped two in a row after winning 10 of 12. Mauer's hitting .370 in seven games at Minute Maid Park.
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| | Last Updated: 5/8/2024 3:52:33 PM EST. |
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