Series Preview: Seattle Mariners @ Minnesota Twins

Seattle: 15-14
Minnesota: 13-16

SUMMARY

Back to where this season began, in Minnesota. Our two game foray in Kansas City provided a pair of opportunities for our offense to further demonstrate how much it sucks, dropping just under two runs against average. Our rotation lost a little value as well though not at the fault of Jarrod Washburn, who put up another stellar outing including ten missed bats and a significant number of ground balls. The bullpen lost some runs as well, but actually climbed a spot in the rankings. All in all, the team dropped 2.8 runs while in KC.

GAMES

Game 1: Chris Jakubaukas vs. Scott Baker
Game 2: Felix Hernandez vs. Francisco Liriano*
Game 3: Erik Bedard* vs. Nick Blackburn

Scott Baker combines the golden pair of both throwing a lot of strikes and missing a healthy number of bats. The issue is his fly balls allowed. Never much of a ground baller, Baker has gone extreme so far this season, with a ground ball ratio at just over 23% and a fly ball rate of 50%. And that is what has killed him as eight of those fly balls have gone over the wall for home runs. Every other aspect of his game has been top notch.

The next two games are rematches of the first two games of the season, games that should have seen us end with a 2-0 record. Liriano's strikeout and ground ball rates are at all time lows and he is posting his first ever below average tRA so far in 2009. Also, he's a lefty so the Mariners might actually repeat their Opening Day success against him. Though I would not be holding my breath or caffeine addiction for another Griffey home run.

Nick Blackburn has been missing the zone a little more often so far this season and missing fewer bats than before giving weight to his falling strikeout and rising walk rates. With just 13 strikeouts and ten walks through 34.2 innings, Blackburn is not that intimidating on the mound. The ground balls are still there though and given his overall profile picture, he's exactly the sort of pitcher that has been shutting down out line up of late.

THIS SERIES BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Town Hall Wee Heavy
Town Hall Brewery. Minneapolis, MN

"Traditional Scottish ales are brewed with large amounts of base malt, generous use of roasted malt and very few hops. This deep ruby/brown ale is the king of Scottish ales. Offering huge malt flavor and little hop profile, deep caramel, toasted chocolate & and wine-like fruitiness are evident. While extremely sweet at first, the extended aging process results in a mellowing effect, thus producing a very strong complex ale that is smooth and drinkable."

I don't have anything to add to the commercial description.