- This was really three separate games: a surprising 7-3 Royal laugher, a tight 7-5 game that looked like a familiar meltdown, then a 10-5 laugher again. Baseball games man, baseball games.
- I've got to be fair to Hillman here. Since a real low point last summer, he's really started to use Soria in the 8th with regularity. This is an improvement and a welcome change. Sure, it seems like he's still operating on the old closer model, with no real attention to leverage or game situation (you may disagree with me on this, I'd like to hear what you think). Basically, in the past, he thought you use your closer in the 9th. Now, he's expanded that to also include part of the 8th, assuming he's fresh. So today, with two outs in the 8th, and Justin Morneau stepping to the plate, Soria came in to end the inning. While some of us might ask, "why not just have Soria face Mauer as well?" with a two run lead and no one on, its a solid gamble to sneak along with Rupe as long as possible. In any case, things have gotten better, and we can now credit Hillman as advancing at least to the Joe Torre level of closer management.
- Congrats to Alberto Callaspo on a two homer day.
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