| 16 June 2010
Even though I've spent this past week in the heart of Twins' Territory, I haven't found the time to sit down and share my thoughts. (You can find some of the work I've done for the Green Valley News throughout the past week and a half here, here, and here.)
Last night, I had the chance to attend my third Target Field game of the season, and had a blast
Scott Baker channeled his inner Francisco Liriano and set a career high in strikeouts by fanning twelve Colorado batters. No, you read that right: Scott Baker tallied 12 strikeouts. His fastball/slider combination was as good as it's ever been, and Baker looks to have officially transitioned from his usual early-season struggles to last-season dominance.
Through all of the first-halves in his career, Baker has a 4.94 ERA. From August 1 on, Baker's ERA lowers to 3.71. In the first two months of this season, Baker's ERA was a disappointing 4.48. Opponents were batting .284/.326/.447 against Baker; essentially Jason Kubel or Hideki Matsui. His last two starts have been especially poor, though the seven shutout innings he threw Wednesday night indicates a turn for the better.
As a team, the Rockies have a wOBA of .330, the 11th-highest total in the league. They've relied heavily upon the long ball, though their on-base average is also among the league leaders. Colorado is a good offensive team, which may or may not be primarily a result of the hitters-friendly Coors Field. Still, allowing just three base-runners through seven innings (and striking out twelve) is a very impressive feat.
This afternoon, the Rockies will attempt to salvage the third and final game of this Interleague matchup. They will have their ace, Ubaldo Jimenez, on the mound, but so will Minnesota. Francisco Liriano and Ubaldo Jimenez are perhaps the best two pitchers in their respective leagues, and Thursday's game could be one of the quickest games so far this year. At the rate these two have been getting outs, the game could be over in just two hours.
Some food for thought: If Baker can K an even dozen Colorado batters, how many can Liriano retire via the strikeout? Also, is it wrong to root for a dual no-hitter?
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