What Makes A Good Baseball Game?

After writing my post about the Twins game I was at on Saturday night, I got to thinking...

What makes a good baseball game?

I will start off with what I think most people like in a game. A game with a high score and lots of home runs. I will admit that it's always fun to see the runs come across home plate and it's always more fun to see balls fly over the outfield wall. While those things are fun to see in a game, that does not necessarily mean you are watching a good ball game. Lots of scoring in a game might come from errors and bad defense in general and lots of home runs might come from the pitcher not having his stuff that game. While there were lots of runs from both teams than the lead teetering all night, all I could think about what when do we see the next bad pitch and when do we see the next error. I have nothing against long games... and that game went 4 and a 1/2 hours... but it just dragged on with bumbled plays and pitching replacements.

Here is what I think makes a good baseball game...

* Great Pitching
The starting pitcher is hitting all of the right spots in the strike out. If he is having a good outing, they make it difficult for batters to get a good hit. You don't want to watch a game where the pitcher is throwing batting practice and the other team's #9 hitter is going 4-for-4. Likewise, there is much more satisfaction when a batter gets a hit, especially a home run, off of great pitching.

* Stellar Defense
There's no worse feeling in baseball than losing a game because of errors. Again, if a team is playing great defense during the game, there is more satisfaction when a hit goes through.

* Low Scoring, Close Scoring
I don't have to tell you that a close scoring game creates a lot of tension and build up for the final innings. While a game is close scoring, there is a lot of anticipation for that next run. There is another a lot of excitement to see your closing pitcher shut down the opposing team in the last inning. Why do you think Joe Nathan looks like a rock star running out to the mound to start the 9th?

This example leads to my favorite Twins game of all time:



* Great Pitching
Jack Morris 10-inning shutout. Need I say more?

* Stellar Defense
With bases loading in the top of the eight. A ground goes to first. Hrbek to Harper to Hrbek double play to get the outs at home and first.

* Low Score, Close Score
The lone winning run came in the bottom of the 10th inning. Dan Gladden doubles to center field. Chuck Knoblauch sac bunts to move Gladden to third. The Braves intentionally walk Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek and load the bases. The Braves outfield is force to move in. Gene Larkin is brought in to pinch hit and loops a fly ball over the left fielder to drive in the winning run. Not sure if the final play of the game could ever be more dramatic than this.

Sunday Afternoon Baseball

Yesterday, I finally had my first look at the Twins in Spring Training. (I only have basic cable so I am only able to catch Twins games when they are broadcast on local WFTC 29. Sunday afternoon games are normally broadcast on local TV while the majority of games are broadcast on cable Fox Sports. Not sure how many Spring Training games have been broadcast, but this was the first one on local TV.)

The Twins have just been one big winning machine all Spring Training, but I happen to watch the one game they get beat... and to the Yankees. Even in Spring Training, the Twins can't beat the Yankees.

Just some thoughts about the game:

* The Twins have been given Brian Buscher playing time at first base. He had a couple of miscues defensively, including a dropped ball to first. Since the signing of Joe Crede, I think the Twins are trying very hard to find a place for Buscher. It's not so much of an issue with Brendan Harris, who is a pretty flexible back up at third, short and second.

* Nick Blackburn looked very solid in relief. He pitched the fourth and fifth innings. I guess he hasn't pitched much in Spring Training because of an injury.

* Denard Span seems to be playing left field well. He's now hitting half a Menzoda line this Spring.

* I finally got to see a view players that I've only seen on Bowman baseball cards. Luke Hughes started at third. He had become a home run threat in the minors last year, but has struggled defensively since changing positions. He will start the season at Rochester.

* Trevor Plouffe, another player I've only seen on Bowman cards, played at short. He will probably start in Rochester also.

I think I may head to the Twins Pro Shop during my lunch break and get tickets for Opening Day.

Four in the Outfield

With my blog, I also wanted to write, not just about baseball cards, but about the team. This post will be a first in a number of season previews. Though, the preview will not be about where I think the Twins will stand in the Central Division after Game 162 (because we all know I'm going to say they will be first), but just some of the aspects about the team.

First, we have four starting outfielders where there is room only for three: Michael Cuddyer, Carlos Gomez, Denard Span and Delmon Young. Cuddyer is coming back from injuries that caused him to miss most of last season. Gomez at first surprised opposing teams with his quickness off of bunt hits and his range in the outfield, but was figured out when teams figured out he would swing at every bad pitch. Span, who started last year in Rochester, but was called up after Cuddyer's injury and secured a spot on the Twins roster. Young, the former #1 pick traded from Tampa Bay, disappointed in the field and at the plate early in the season, but established himself later on. There has been talk of simply rotating all four equally throughout the season, but I'm not sure any player, or fan, wants to see a rotating outfield.

I am most anxious to see how Delmon Young will bounce back from his first season in a Twins uniform. Part of the reason was because I was at one of the games in 2007 when the Twins played the Devil Rays. The Twins won that game 12-5, but Young was a beast in that game. He hit 2 for 4 with a double. But, from right field, he has a cannon for an arm making triples into doubles and doubles into singles. During this series, Young his .294 with a HR and 2 RBI. Young was third in the American League in outfield assists in 2006; Michael Cuddyer was first.

After, Young was traded to the Twins, he became the starting left fielder. Despite the slow start at the plate and a number of blunders in left, Young ended the season with a .290 average and lead the Twins outfield with 11 assists.

However, I'm hoping comments made by manager, Ron Gardenhire, in the offseason has lit a fire under him. Young is having a hot spring and it's looking like he is ready to earn a starting outfield spot.

Michael Cuddyer, of course, is coming back from injuries and is looking to get back into form. Some fans and sports writers have suggested moving him back to third to clear up the outfield, but I don't know how you can see how well he plays in right and how horrible he was at third in 2005 and say that with a straight face. However, since his breakout 2006 season in which he drove in for than 100 runs, we haven't seen that production in 2007 or 2008. I really like Cuddyer, I even had an autographed Michael Cuddyer baseball, and I would like to see him get back to his form.

Carlos Gomez was exciting to watch at the start of last year with the Torii-esque plays in the outfield and those bunt hits that would catch pitchers by surprised. However, teams started to figure him out and found out he chased about every bad pitch. Still, he has a lot of upside. If he can get past the mental lapses in center, Gomez can become a Gold Glove outfielder. If he can start watching his pitches, he can become one the leagues best lead-off hitters. There's also talk that he has home run power to harness. Gomez is also off to a hot spring hitting .313.

Denard Span, the Twins #1 pick in 2002, was called up to the big leagues in 2008 after the injury to Cuddyer and showed that he deserved a starting spot in the outfield. While he played right field and center field last year, he has been playing some in the left field this spring. However, Span has been pretty cold at the bat hitting only .111. Did we see the best of Span last year or is this only a minor slump?

However, the outfield turns out, I'm hoping all four can improve from last year.