Total Take In Mariners Vs Twins

Mariners vs. Twins, 7:40 ET

Last night I took a loss on the diamond. It isn't the first time or the last time that it will happen this season, but it was one of the frustrating ones. I hope I can convey this lesson because I don't always follow it enough. I have made a lot of money playing games with Logan Webb involved. He's been reliable for me, and even reliable this year with the exception of now three starts. The problem is I am not identifying when he is going to have those bad starts. One was yesterday and it cost me. My lesson is this: always be willing to reevaluate your stance on a team/player/situation because things can happen. Don't let any bias cloud your judgment. The lesson needs to be implemented tonight as well as I look to get a win on the Mariners and Twins.

The first bias I have for this game is the starting pitcher, Luis Castillo. I wrote an article about him this offseason, and how I thought he could end up being the Cy Young this year. He didn't exactly come out to an amazing start, but seems to have settled in a bit. He is now sitting at a 3.46 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. His first three starts of the season saw him allow four earned in each game and he never completed six innings. Perhaps more alarming was that he allowed 25 hits in those 15.2 innings he threw to start the season. Luckily, he kept the walks down. As I mentioned, he has turned his season around, posting four consecutive quality starts. He has two games out of his last four which he has gone seven innings and allowed no earned runs. Twins hitters have been fairly productive against him, going 16-for-69 against him with six extra-base hits in there. The Mariners as a whole are playing good baseball right now, going 9-5 over their past 14 games. The Mariners are still not hitting very well as a team, but they are winning games and that's all that really matters. They have the best pitching staff in baseball though with a 2.98 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. 

May 1, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Twins third base Jose Miranda (64) hits an RBI double against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins are a team that I suppose you can say I have a bias against. I just don't really like the franchise, but I suppose I have told myself this year to try and come into the season with an open mind. For the most part, I think I've done that. I said they were likely to repeat as the AL Central winners. So far, the Guardians are on top, the Tigers look to be a threat, and the Royals look improved, but the Twins could end up as the top team in the division. Their hitting has been decent, but not great. Their pitching staff really needs to lock in soon as their ERA is almost at four. That normally wouldn't be that bad but with the way the other teams are pitching it is hard for me to envision them winning with an ERA that high. Today they will have Simeon Woods Richardson throwing for them. He has a 2.45 ERA in just 14.2 innings. This will be the fourth start of the season for Woods Richardson, and he hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of the starts. He looks like he is fairly efficient with his pitching, but did throw 81 pitches in just 3.2 innings in his last start. The Mariners haven't seen him before so this could be an advantage he can capitalize on through the first few innings of the game.

If I throw out the names on the backs of the jerseys, I think the Mariners are still the better team. The Twins aren't terrible by any means and are probably better than I tend to give them credit for. However, this looks like it should be a low scoring game no matter what. I think Castillo is on a roll and has found his groove. Woods Richardson has pitched well to this point and should find a way to hold a struggling offense at-bat. Let's take under 8 in this one. 

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