Game of the Week: May 1: TOR @ MIN

[Commissioner Erick]

Toronto Blue Jays (16-13) @ Minnesota Twins (18-9)


TOR: T. J. Zeuch (1-0, 4.68)
MIN: Nick Kingham (2-1, 4.63)


The Toronto Blue Jays were one of 2022's surprise teams, arriving ahead of schedule to earn a trip to the World Series. The Minnesota Twins may be the surprise team of 2023.

The Twins will try to show they have staying power when they face a Blue Jays team trying to fight to the top of a tough AL East in this edition of the Game of the Week.

Minnesota has relied on several breakout offensive players and an outstanding bullpen. Jake Reed led the league in saves last year with 42, and has nine saves this year, locking down the ninth inning. Jared Miller has a 1.86 ERA, Connor Bennett has a 1.06 ERA, and Hunter Greene has a 2.93 ERA as a long man as Minnesota has locked up the middle and late game.

Their offense has relied on several players playing over their heads. Akil Baddoo is hitting .318 with seven home runs, after hitting .235 with five home runs in double the plate appearances last year. Unheralded rookie Michael Busch is hitting .358 in his rookie year. Amaurys Miner's first week in the majors saw him win the Player of the Week award with a .476 average and a pair of doubles and homers after a -1.3 WAR combined the last two seasons.

While Toronto's pitching has been exceptional, the one pitcher who hasn't gotten going is nominal ace T.J. Zeuch. Three Blue Jays starting pitchers have an ERA of 2.38 or less, but Zeuch is up at 4.68. He's limiting walks and has home runs better than he ever has, but throwing more strikes has meant a higher BABIP and fewer strikeouts. It may be counterintuitive, but he may need to throw more balls to get back on track.


Questions for the GMs:


For Brian Violette, Eric Drouet was dropped to the eight-spot in the order as he hasn't hit to start the year. Any thoughts of sending him to the minors?

Last season Rowdy Tellez was a playoff hero, while Jake Burger was a player going through a second straight miserable year. You essentially chose Burger over Tellez this year and now Burger is third in the league in home runs. What made you believe in Burger?

While they're still getting some at bats, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Luis Alexander Basabe are backups this year. Why the decision to move away from them?

For Ben Nuzzo, do you believe in some of these offensive performances or are your guys playing over their heads?

Has this hot start affected your plans for the season?

Most of your club is home grown and young. What role does Sam Travis have on the club?


TRIVIA: Roberto Osuna has five saves in the World Baseball Classic in his career, putting him in a tie with which Dominican Pitcher?

[Commissioner Erick]

Twins 18 - Blue Jays 0


WP: N. Kingham (2-0)
LP: T. Zeuch (1-1)


Akil Baddoo made an impact in the 18-0 Minnesota win over Toronto. Baddoo, who is tied for 10th in the AL in bases on balls with 16, was 3 for 6 with a home run and a double. He scored 3 times and drove in 6. The Twins, now 19-9, have been on a roll in the early going.

The Twins got a big at-bat from second baseman Michael Busch. For the game, Busch was 1 for 4 with 2 walks. In the bottom of the sixth, with a runner on 3rd, he stroked a run-scoring single. His 30th hit of the season gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead.

Toronto manager Brian Violette called the loss "a monumental failure."


Questions for the GMs:


For Brian Violette, are you more disappointed that your team allowed 18 runs (though five were allowed by position players pitching) or that you mustered only six hits in getting shut down by Nick Kingham?

Your disastrous sixth inning began with your team yielding an infield hit up the middle, a stolen base, a bloop single over short, and an opposite field grounder through the right side. Are you upset with your defense with how they played?

T.J. Zeuch has struggled early in the year. It's not a huge concern as your rotation is deep and talented, but does this affect your team outlook at all?

For Ben Nuzzo, Akil Baddoo had an infield hit and two stolen bases. He also had a double, home run, and six RBIs. Who is Akil Baddoo and why is he the best player in baseball this year?

You were high on Dalton Rone, but he was brutal to begin the year. How much confidence does it give you to see him rack up three hits and two walks?

Your offense overall has really overachieved. What's been the cause for your offense's surge?


TRIVIA: Before tonight, who was the last team to score more than 10 runs in a Game of the Week?

[dbackhon]

Your offense overall has really overachieved. What's been the cause for your offense's surge?[\quote]

Going into the year I wanted to put an emphasis on getting on base and team speed, our bench coach certainly approved and when talking with ownership we went in that direction. I think that has helped the offense a lot because we are able to get on base and turn a double into a run. Our hitting has certainly been timely, some of that is luck but a lot of it is the new direction that we are taking.

For Ben Nuzzo, Akil Baddoo had an infield hit and two stolen bases. He also had a double, home run, and six RBIs. Who is Akil Baddoo and why is he the best player in baseball this year?

Akil is a young player who we've been really excited about in the organization and has made the absolute most in his time starting in the place of Luis Robert. What is there to say about him that we haven't seen? He's a 5-tool player who does everything well, and despite his young age has really stepped up as a leader in this young clubhouse. Best player in baseball is some lavish praise, but he is an invaluable member of our organization on and off the field and if you don't know his name now... You're going to learn.

You were high on Dalton Rone, but he was brutal to begin the year. How much confidence does it give you to see him rack up three hits and two walks?

It certainly is, this is the Dalton Rone that we foresaw when we acquired him and when he gets on base at a high clip it sets up our offense to fire on all cylinders. We're confident in him and think he'll get on a hot streak soon enough.

Has this hot start affected your plans for the season?

It's too early for that kind of question. It certainly has solidified the answers to questions that we had going into the season. For example, Michael Busch has answered the call to be an everyday second baseman for what we hope to be the coming years.

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 1: Jeurys Familia

TRIVIA 2: On August 1 2022, the Chicago Cubs scored 10 runs in a win over the Colorado Rockies