So not only did the Twins lose:
a. Their starting pitcher had to leave the game two innings in with elbow pain
b. The game went 13 innings, so they also used all of their healthy relievers.
c. Their starting pitcher for tomorrow/Friday came into the game at the end (and took the loss)

Fun night at the ballpark.

Barf.

I'm just amazed that Laird actually did something useful.

So not only did the Twins lose:
a. Their starting pitcher had to leave the game two innings in with elbow pain
b. The game went 13 innings, so they also used all of their healthy relievers.
c. Their starting pitcher for tomorrow/Friday came into the game at the end (and took the loss)

d. Another starting pitcher threw 2 innings on 1 day's rest.
e. Even though it's September, they didn't bother to bring up ONE reliever before yesterday's game.
f. Angel Hernandez was the only (I repeat ONLY) umpire not to botch a call yesterday.

The story of the 2010 White Sox is going to be about what they didn't do this past offseason in terms of adding a bat, but I'd like to set that aside for a moment and talk about what has gone right for this team.

Before the season started, I said that if everything went well, the 2010 White Sox would win 85 games. As I type this, they're 73-60 with 29 games to go, so barring a total collapse in September, they'll reach that 85-win mark.

Really, many more things have gone well than haven't. Paul Konerko is having an MVP-caliber season. Alexei Ramirez has been a revelation, combining a league-average bat with absolutely stellar defense at shortstop (he might well be the best defensive shortstop in the American League, if not MLB). Alex Rios is back to being Alex Rios again (.293/.342/.479).

After a shaky start, the White Sox starting rotation has bounced back and performed as advertised. Sergio Santos came out of nowhere to provide a good extra reliever, and they've gotten a nice bounceback season from JJ Putz.

Really, the only major disappointments have been AJ Pierzynski and Gordon Beckham. Beckham is having a really nice second half (.338/.404/.561) after an atrocious first half (.216/.277/.304) to try to bring his numbers up to respectability, but Pierzynski looks like toast.

Overall, I really can't complain about this White Sox season. I thought that in a best-case scenario, they'd contend, and really, they've contended. These last few weeks will be entertaining, and I wasn't sure they would be.

g. And they didn't use their closer at all, despite using two of their starters in relief. Give Capps an inning or two and then you've suddenly got a starter for today's game. It's a home game Gardy...you don't need to save Capps to get a save. And if Joe AAA is starting tonight, you're probably not going to need him tonight either. Brilliant managing.

Capps was hurt and getting the night off.

Like 7 mentioned, Capps was unavailable for injury. Oh, and I like to blame the stupidity on Ullger, since Cowboy Joe tossed Gardy in the seventh. It's always fun blaming everything on Ullger. I think this chart shows a pretty quick reason why the Twins bullpen was pathetic yesterday.

If Capps was hurt and Fuentes was hurt, then there's even more reason that they needed to bring up a reliever or two before the game. If you know that you're managing a game that short handed, then you've got to ask for more from Rauch, Flores, and Guerrier. In the 7th inning, they had 4 relievers left, and they got 4 innings out of them.

I see that today they've called up 3 pitchers, with Matt Fox to take Blackburn's start against Texas. This is an epic fail for Bill Smith -- how can you not call these guys up earlier than September 3rd? What exactly was he delaying this for? Labor Day?

The worst thing is, they've known about Fuentes' injury for the last four days. On Sunday they should have bought August 31st plane tickets for every Rochester arm on the 40-man roster. (And maybe an outfielder too.)

Then, Ullger "plays it safe" and uses every available reliever except Crain by the time there is one out in the 8th inning, despite still holding a 3-run lead at the time. He brought in Flores to start the 8th, when he could have stretched Rauch another inning and likely kept Raburn on the bench. And then he pulled Flores after two batters anyway, allowing Leyland to bring in Raburn, who wound up going 3-for-4, despite not entering the game until the 8th. Arg.

And Ullger doesn't dare stretch out Guerrier for more than 2 outs / 18 pitches, despite the game being tied and having only 1 reliever left. Why? Because Guerrier has sucked lately? Then why the heck was it so important to bring him in during the 8th with a 3-run lead? Would it kill Flores to pitch a whole inning one of these days?

The worst thing is, they've known about Fuentes' injury for the last four days. On Sunday they should have bought August 31st plane tickets for every Rochester arm on the 40-man roster. (And maybe an outfielder too.)

I half-jokingly asked why team's don't follow that exact strategy.

I'm a "virtual general manager" in my OOTP simulations, and come September 1 we have 40 guys in the dugout every game. I'm not bringing in my left-fielder to pitch the 24th inning of a meaningful September game.

From mlb.com

Twins to call up Morales, Plouffe
MINNEAPOLIS -- Wednesday is the first day that Major League rosters can expand for September callups, and manager Ron Gardenhire said on Tuesday that the Twins will likely add a catcher and an infielder at that time.

Minnesota did so after its 4-3 win over Detroit on Tuesday, announcing it will recall catcher Jose Morales and infielder Trevor Plouffe from Triple-A Rochester in time for Wednesday night's game against the Tigers.

The Twins will then wait until the Minor League season ends, which for Triple-A Rochester comes on Labor Day, to add a few more players.

"Maybe one or two position players at most, and maybe one or two pitchers at most," Gardenhire said of the additional callups.

I guess the Twins were trying to be polite to Rochester...? Help them break their 11-game losing streak before finishing the season in last place?

We used all of our available relievers on Tuesday, except Rauch and mop-up Manship. That should have been a clue. Wednesday we used everybody except Manship -- there really is no excuse for not having a couple extra guys fly in on Thursday, even if they didn't know about Capps' "soreness" yet. No excuse. Not in September, in a pennant race, with an important series coming up (Texas), and no off-days for a week. Bad.

Meanwhile, Matt Tolbert has quietly been on the roster the last two weeks and accumulated 5 PA (1 in extra innings last night).

I half-jokingly asked why team's don't follow that exact strategy.

I think that's what they call Minnesota Nice.

Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire says right-hander Scott Baker will probably miss two starts because of tendinitis in his pitching elbow.

Baker lasted just two innings in his start on Thursday night. He had a cortisone shot after leaving the game and says that his elbow already is feeling a little better.
...
Carl Pavano will start Saturday and Blackburn on Sunday. Kevin Slowey will be reinstated from the disabled list in time to start Monday with Duensing getting backed up to Wednesday.

AP