Toronto Blue Jays series simulation: Blue Jays vs. Twins

With the season on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m doing a simulation based on the Blue Jays schedule using the online version of Statis Pro.

For those of you that follow Mike Wilner on Twitter, you’ve probably noticed the simulated season he’s been doing. What he’s been up to lately is very similar to what I’m doing, just that we’re using different games to do it. I have also made an account for the simulations on Instagram that can be followed @jays.simgames.

The Blue Jays are in Minnesota to take on the Twins for their last series before the All-Star break.

How Statis Pro Works 

Just like a real ball game, you set your lineup by choosing each player’s spot in the batting order, and everything else that comes with managing a ball game. Basically you are the manager.

To play, you have cards that you go through that have a bunch of information on them. Each pitcher has a PB number with the lowest number starting at 2, and the highest number going at 9. For example, Hyun-Jin Ryu has a PB of 2-9 so if you flip a card with a PB of 7, you go based off the stats on his card. If you flip a card and get a PB of 11, you go based on the stats of the batter’s card.

After you flip the first card, you have to flip another card to determine the random number. Let’s say you get the first card of a PB 7 with Ryu pitching and the random number is 38. Ryu’s card may have a strikeout from the numbers 22-46, meaning if you get a PB 7 and a random number of 38, Ryu struck out whoever he faced.

Let’s say Ryu is pitching and he’s facing J.D. Martinez of the Red Sox. You flip the first card and get a PB of 10 and you flip the next card and get a random number of 26. Martinez’s card may have a double to centrefield as 24-26, meaning if you get a PB of 10 and a random number of 26, Martinez got a double off Ryu.

A few things to take into consideration with a simulated season:

• No trades
• No injuries for other teams unless it’s during the series against the Jays
• No prospects can be called up
• No standings to determine records of other teams in the league

Game 94 

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Hyun-Jin Ryu
Twins: Randy Dobnak

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Alford CF
Biggio 2B
Bichette SS
Tellez DH
Guerrero Jr 3B
Grichuk RF
Shaw 1B
Hernandez LF
McGuire C

Twins

Polanco SS
Kepler RF
Donaldson 3B
Sano 1B
Cruz DH
Rosario LF
Garver C
Arraez 2B
Buxton CF

Game recap 

The Twins scored a run in the 3rd to take a 1-0 lead. In the 4th, Buxton and Polanco hit back-to-back doubles, which brought in three runs total, and then with the bases loaded in the 5th, Buxton hit a 2-RBI double. McGuire also had to leave the game in the bottom of the 5th after taking a foul tip. Polanco started off the bottom of the 8th with a home run, putting the game away for good for the Twins.

Final score: Twins 7 Blue Jays 0

Key stats (Twins) 

Dobnak: 9IP 5K 4H 0BB 0ER CG W

Polanco: 3 for 5 with a HR and a double

Garver: 2 for 3 with a walk

Buxton: 3 for 4 with 2 doubles

Key stats (Blue Jays)

Ryu: 4IP 3K 9H 1BB 4ER L

Font: 0.2IP 2K 2H 2BB 2ER

Bichette: 2 for 4

Game 95 

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Tanner Roark
Twins: Jose Berrios

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Alford CF
Biggio 2B
Bichette SS
Tellez DH
Guerrero Jr 3B
Grichuk RF
Shaw 1B
Hernandez LF
Jansen C

Twins

Polanco SS
Kepler RF
Donaldson 3B
Cruz DH
Rosario LF
Garver C
Arraez 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Buxton CF

Game recap 

Our former MVP Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer in the first and he drew a bases loaded walk the next inning. The Twins put up two more runs in the 4th, and Donaldson scored another run in the sixth on an infield base hit from Rosario. The “Bringer of Rain” put the finishing touches on his huge day when he hit his second home run of the game in the 8th.

Final score: Twins 8 Blue Jays 0

Key stats (Twins) 

Berrios: 9IP 9K 5H 1BB 0ER CG W

Kepler: 1 for 3 with a walk and HBP

Donaldson: 4 for 4 with 2H a double and a walk

Buxton: 2 for 4

Key stats (Blue Jays)

Roark: 4IP 3K 7H 2BB 4ER 1HR 1HBP L

Alford: 3 for 4

Game 96

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Matt Shoemaker
Twins: Jake Odorizzi

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Alford LF
Biggio CF
Bichette SS
Guerrero Jr 3B
Tellez DH
Grichuk RF
Shaw 1B
Panik 2B
Jansen C

Twins

Polanco SS
Kepler RF
Donaldson 3B
Cruz DH
Rosario LF
Astudillo C
Arraez 2B
Avila C
Buxton CF

Game recap 

Cruz hit a grand slam in the 6th. In the 8th, Jansen hit a two-run home run to bring the Blue Jays within reaching distance, but that’s as close as they got.

Final score: Twins 4 Blue Jays 2 

Key stats (Twins)

Cruz: 1 for 4 with a HR

Arraez: 1 for 2 with a double and a walk

Key stats (Blue Jays)
Jansen: 2 for 3 with a HR

Game 97 

***The Jays called up relief pitcher Jordan Romano and sent down starter Jacob Waguespack***

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Chase Anderson
Twins: Kenta Maeda

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Alford CF
Biggio 2B
Bichette SS
Guerrero Jr 3B
Grichuk RF
Tellez DH
Shaw 1B
Hernandez LF
McGuire C

Twins

Polanco SS
Kepler RF
Donaldson 3B
Cruz DH
Rosario LF
Garver C
Arraez 2B
Astudillo 1B
Buxton CF

Game recap 

In the top of the 3rd, Biggio doubled in Hernandez to open the scoring. In the bottom half of the inning, Shaw had to leave the game as he was hit by a liner and he was quickly added to the Injured List.

The Jays scored a run in the 4th, but in the bottom half of the inning, Rosario and Garver went back-to-back. Oddly enough, the same thing happened in the 5th as they went back-to-back again. The Jays also put up a run in the 5th and 6th inning as well, but fell short of a comeback once again.

Final score: Twins 6 Blue Jays 4 

Key stats (Twins) 

Cody Stashak: 2IP 3K 0H 0BB 0ER

Rosario: 2 for 4 with 2 HR

Garver: 3 for 4 with 2 HR and a double

Astudillo: 2 for 4

Key stats (Blue Jays)

Font: 1IP 2K 3H 0BB 3ER 2HR L

Biggio: 2 for 5 with a double

Guerrero Jr: 2 for 4

McKinney: 2 for 3 with a double

Blue Jays simulation record: 52-45

With that record, where do you think the Jays would be in the AL East standings? Comment what you think.