Esmerling Vasquez.. That's the pitcher from the margins that the Twins are trotting out today to make his first Major League start. After having spent the last three seasons pitching mostly ineffectively out of the pen in Arizona, the 28-year-old was miraculously turned into a serviceable Triple-AAA starter in Rochester. I'm sure his advanced years and Major League experience had nothing to do with that.
Regardless, Vasquez will surely embarrass the Royals today, likely resulting in the Twins' 11th win against the Royals. That is 11 of what would be 56 at the end of the day, or 19.6% of their win total coming against the Royals.
Luis Mendoza--Esmerling Vasquez without the K-rate--will take the mound for the Royals. This will be a bloodbath. A WAR, if you will.
Two-and-a-half good weeks.