The Twins closed their series with the Sox by beating them 10-6. It was a game full of excitement and it pulled the Twins (again) within a half game of the division lead.
I'm not going to pick three stars tonight. I could, but the whole offense contributed to the win. The pitching was just good enough to hold on. Here's a look at some of the guys' nights:
Justin Morneau - 1 for 4, 2 R, 3-run HR. Have I mentioned I think he's the MVP?
Joe Mauer - 3 for 4, R, 2 RBI. For as long as I've wanted him in the 2-hole, I'm starting to come around to him batting third.
Jason Kubel - 1 for 5, 3-run HR. I was getting that "strikeout feeling", so I quick told LeAnne, "I'm starting to like Kubel less every game." It worked! Next pitch: 3-run blast. Face it Kubel: You need my support.
Brendan Harris - 2 for 3, 2 2B. I like Harris as a utility-guy.
Delmon Young - 2 for 4, 2B, RBI, R. Still has some brutal at-bats, but I think the page is turning...
Nick Punto - 2 for 5, 2B, RBI, R. Batting him second tonight turned out ok, but seriously...
Carlos Gomez - 1 for 4, R. For as bad offensively as he looks sometimes, at least he's not as bad as...
Adam Everett - 0 for 5. At least he didn't have any errors.
But the line of the night goes too:
Denard Span - 0 for 3 with 3 runs. I guess that must have helped his OBP.
The other news coming out of the Cities is that the Twins are expected to DFA Livan Hernandez. This would make room on the roster and in the rotation for Francisco Liriano. I am actually a little surprised by this report. I expected Brian Bass to be the one moved. If Livan is replaced in the rotation, I figured he's still experienced enough to keep around just in case. Although, I wouldn't jog him in from the bullpen in a close game.
Minor League Update: Shooter Hunt pitched for Beloit tonight. 5 IP, 2 H, 1 unearned run, 5 BB, 9 K. The walk numbers are a little high, but that's been his story. At this rate, if he can gain control he may be competing for a rotation spot by 2010.
We'll see what happens, I guess.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Trade Deadline Today
The trade deadline is this afternoon and I expect the Twins to be active. By active I mean I think they will make some sort of transaction.
These are either rumors I've read or thoughts in my head:
These are either rumors I've read or thoughts in my head:
- Francisco Liriano will be promoted and in the rotation.
- Boof Bonser will be traded. The Giants and Rangers are in the running.
- Craig Monroe will be traded or cut. The Rays may be interested.
- The "8th inning" job that needs to be filled will go to current Twins starter Glen Perkins.
- The Twins will fail in their attempt to land a second baseman.
- To fill Monroe's spot, the Twins will call up 1B/DH Randy Ruiz from Rochester.
- Somehow, someway, Livan Hernandez, Mike Lamb and Adam Everett will all remain with the Twins.
2:30 UPDATE: Still no action from the Twins. It appears that Liriano will be promoted sometime - although he is scheduled to start tomorrow for Rochester - so it is unclear whether his promotion will come before or after his start.
Twins prospect INF Luke Hughes was promoted to Rochester to replace injured OF Darnell McDonald. (I posted my thoughts earlier on Seth's work-in-progress blog. LEN3 just reported the promotion at 2 this afternoon. Apparently, I have decent sources.) I think this move suggests an additional move or moves because right now the Rochester roster only has one natural OF (Jason Pridie), one guy that can play OF (Garrett Jones) and an INF that has been playing a lot of OF lately (Howie Clark). Hughes has dabbled in center for New Britain, but is considered more of a 2B/3B player.
I believe that Rochester will have a spot after Liriano's promotion. It would make sense for either OF Dustin Martin and/or 1B/OF Erik Lis to be moved up. As I mentioned earlier, there may also be a spot when and if Randy Ruiz is brought up.
The deadline is less than a half hour away.
4:30 UPDATE: The deadline has come and gone; The Twins didn't make a deal. But hey, this sure beats being a seller like last year...
All signs point to Franciso Liriano being called up. Not sure if that means that Boof Bonser or Brian Bass will be DFA'd.
The big move that went down was centered around the Red Sox and Manny Ramirez, who went to the Dodgers. In return the Red Sox acquired Jason Bay. A deeper look reveals the Red Sox parted ways with Manny, kicked in $7m and gave up two decent prospects... and got Jason Bay in return. Doesn't that seem like a lot? The Pirates made out like thieves, getting four really good prospects, including top 3B Andy LaRoche, who many Twins fan were interested in. Even the Dodgers get Ramirez's salary paid and two draft picks after Manny leaves as a FA. I guess in Boston's mind, getting rid of a headache is worth doing whatever it takes.
Lost in the hoopla of today is the fact that the Twins close their series with the Sox tonight. I expect Scott Baker to get it done.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Twins Win (Game), Lose (Casilla)
The Twins came from behind to beat the Sox 6-5. It was a great win and it pulled the Twins within a half of a game of the White Sox.
Instead of naming Three Stars, I'm going to briefly talk about the other news surrounding the Twins. If you haven't heard, 2B Alexi Casilla was placed on the Disabled List this evening. He injured his thumb sliding into second base last night and apparently has a torn tendon. It's not known whether he'll be able to play again this year or not. In my mind, it's a big loss; but not a loss that can't be overcome. I anticipate Nick Punto will become the everyday second baseman. Punto clearly is not the hitter that Casilla is (so he shouldn't be in the 2-hole), but makes up for it with his defense. Personally, I would like to see Punto batting 9th and Gomez batting 2nd.
The second half of the news is about SS Adam Everett. Everett's rehab assignment expired today, so something had to be done. Initially, the Twins were going to designate him for assignment. He was apparently given his walking papers; he just had 3 days to decide whether he wanted to take a minor-league assignment. (He wouldn't have.) Shortly after he left - thinking his Twins career was over - the Twins called him back and probably had a conversation that went something like this:
"Hey Adam... you know how we cut you today... GOTCHA BITCH!"
Ok, it probably wasn't entirely like that. But I'm assuming that Everett had to agree to come back. With that being said, he should probably just find a piece of bench next to Mike Lamb, because that's where he will be. The only difference is that where Lamb offers limited offense and less defense, Everett can be a solid late-inning defensive replacement.
So where does that leave the roster? In my estimation, when Michael Cuddyer is ready to come back - which might not be for a while yet - Craig Monroe will be heading elsewhere. And then when Casilla, or Matt Tolbert is healthy again, Adam Everett will be re-issued his walking papers.
The other thing that I've been asked about is the trade today between the Angels and Braves that netted the Angels 1B Mark Teixeira. Personally, I think the Angels are getting better, but this trade allowed them to get a jump on free agency. The Angels don't make this trade if they don't think they'll be able to resign Teixeira. They'll throw a boatload of money at him; and the trade price was steep as well.
Why didn't the Twins throw their hat in the ring? Because they didn't have the ammo to pull it off. Casey Kotchman is a pretty good ballplayer and is under the team's control for a couple more years. It would have taken a piece the Twins are probably trying to build around... and with a small market club, there is no way that Teixeira would resign.
Anyway, tomorrow night's game is actually a battle for first-place. The game pits Livan Hernandez against Gavin Floyd. If you remember, Floyd almost no-hit the Twins earlier this year. It should be a good one!
Instead of naming Three Stars, I'm going to briefly talk about the other news surrounding the Twins. If you haven't heard, 2B Alexi Casilla was placed on the Disabled List this evening. He injured his thumb sliding into second base last night and apparently has a torn tendon. It's not known whether he'll be able to play again this year or not. In my mind, it's a big loss; but not a loss that can't be overcome. I anticipate Nick Punto will become the everyday second baseman. Punto clearly is not the hitter that Casilla is (so he shouldn't be in the 2-hole), but makes up for it with his defense. Personally, I would like to see Punto batting 9th and Gomez batting 2nd.
The second half of the news is about SS Adam Everett. Everett's rehab assignment expired today, so something had to be done. Initially, the Twins were going to designate him for assignment. He was apparently given his walking papers; he just had 3 days to decide whether he wanted to take a minor-league assignment. (He wouldn't have.) Shortly after he left - thinking his Twins career was over - the Twins called him back and probably had a conversation that went something like this:
"Hey Adam... you know how we cut you today... GOTCHA BITCH!"
Ok, it probably wasn't entirely like that. But I'm assuming that Everett had to agree to come back. With that being said, he should probably just find a piece of bench next to Mike Lamb, because that's where he will be. The only difference is that where Lamb offers limited offense and less defense, Everett can be a solid late-inning defensive replacement.
So where does that leave the roster? In my estimation, when Michael Cuddyer is ready to come back - which might not be for a while yet - Craig Monroe will be heading elsewhere. And then when Casilla, or Matt Tolbert is healthy again, Adam Everett will be re-issued his walking papers.
The other thing that I've been asked about is the trade today between the Angels and Braves that netted the Angels 1B Mark Teixeira. Personally, I think the Angels are getting better, but this trade allowed them to get a jump on free agency. The Angels don't make this trade if they don't think they'll be able to resign Teixeira. They'll throw a boatload of money at him; and the trade price was steep as well.
Why didn't the Twins throw their hat in the ring? Because they didn't have the ammo to pull it off. Casey Kotchman is a pretty good ballplayer and is under the team's control for a couple more years. It would have taken a piece the Twins are probably trying to build around... and with a small market club, there is no way that Teixeira would resign.
Anyway, tomorrow night's game is actually a battle for first-place. The game pits Livan Hernandez against Gavin Floyd. If you remember, Floyd almost no-hit the Twins earlier this year. It should be a good one!
Twins beat Sox
I (think I) have a little bit of time to write about last night's game...
I wasn't able to watch the game live. However, I did DVR it and watch it later last night without knowing the outcome. I like to do this because 1) I usually don't have a lot of time to sit and watch TV and 2) I can fast-forward in between pitches and minimize the amount of time I have to hear Dick 'n Bert.
On an aside, I've determined that ADD was created by the advancement in technology. Growing up, the Twins might have been on TV once a week; now, every game is broadcast and I don't even have to wait for commercials, let alone waiting seven days until the next game is on TV. I'm a pretty patient person - I work with 8 and 9 year olds for nine months out of the year - but even I love being able to fast forward everything. It's not that we have attention-deficit, it's that we usually aren't required to have any sort of attention-span... and when we are, well, we don't know what that's like...
Back to baseball...
Twins beat Sox 7-0. WOO HOO!
Three Stars:
Kevin Slowey - CG, Shutout, 6 H, BB, 5 K. Francisco Who? Slowey was amazing. Loved it.
Denard Span - 1 for 5, 2-run HR to start the scoring. Again, he's here because he's a catalyst and a stud on defense. You can't send him down when Cuddy comes back, can you? (No, you can't. Craig Monroe WILL be sent packing.)
Justin Morneau - 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R. All-Star. Home-Run Derby Champ. Gold-Glove First Baseman. Team MVP. AL MVP. Yup, I really think so.
That's all for today.
I wasn't able to watch the game live. However, I did DVR it and watch it later last night without knowing the outcome. I like to do this because 1) I usually don't have a lot of time to sit and watch TV and 2) I can fast-forward in between pitches and minimize the amount of time I have to hear Dick 'n Bert.
On an aside, I've determined that ADD was created by the advancement in technology. Growing up, the Twins might have been on TV once a week; now, every game is broadcast and I don't even have to wait for commercials, let alone waiting seven days until the next game is on TV. I'm a pretty patient person - I work with 8 and 9 year olds for nine months out of the year - but even I love being able to fast forward everything. It's not that we have attention-deficit, it's that we usually aren't required to have any sort of attention-span... and when we are, well, we don't know what that's like...
Back to baseball...
Twins beat Sox 7-0. WOO HOO!
Three Stars:
Kevin Slowey - CG, Shutout, 6 H, BB, 5 K. Francisco Who? Slowey was amazing. Loved it.
Denard Span - 1 for 5, 2-run HR to start the scoring. Again, he's here because he's a catalyst and a stud on defense. You can't send him down when Cuddy comes back, can you? (No, you can't. Craig Monroe WILL be sent packing.)
Justin Morneau - 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R. All-Star. Home-Run Derby Champ. Gold-Glove First Baseman. Team MVP. AL MVP. Yup, I really think so.
That's all for today.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Twins win series; gain game on Sox
The Twins completed their series victory today with a win over the Indians. It wasn't exactly pretty, but a win is a win. Couple that with a Tigers victory over the White Sox and the Twins now sit 2.5 games back in the Central Division heading into a 4-game showdown with the ChiSox. Personally, I wouldn't be disappointed with a split, although that wouldn't be progress. However, I expect by the time the Twins leave Kansas City (August 10), they will be on top of the AL Central. You can put that on the board! (The Twins are also 2.5 game back in the Wild Card Race. They trail both the Red Sox and Yankees, and they are currently playing.)
Three Stars - I think today's game is tough to pick!
Nick Blackburn - 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, BB, 3 K. This is a great line! His performance, on the other hand, wasn't this pretty. Blackburn had to deal with leadoff runners every inning... ok, not every inning, but pretty close. He was able to wiggle his way out of trouble and left the game with only one run allowed and a win staring him in the face. And then Reyes came in... No matter, Blackburn pitched very well. If it weren't for bad luck (or a bad bullpen?) - and thus, a few extra wins - I really think he would be in the running for AL Rookie of the Year. At 7-6, though, it's not gonna happen.
Craig Monroe - 2 for 4, 2B, R. I gonna give Monroe the benefit of the doubt today. On a day where the offense wasn't too visible, Monroe was able to get the ball rolling on a bloop double. This started the 2-run 6th inning and put them back in a position to win the ballgame. For today, Craig, we'll forget that your "specialty" - hitting against left-handed pitchers - you came into the game batting .125 (10 for 80), but just for today!
Denard Span, sorry Justin Morneau - I know, Morneau had a pretty big-deal double in the 9th, but let's talk about Denard Span and his defense! I forget the inning, but Span made a great catch running towards center and leaping/turning to snag a sure double. And then in the bottom of the 8th, a shot to the gap, a sure go-ahead double... wait, here comes SuperSpan. Dare I say it... does Gomez make that catch? He probably does, but holy smokes, what a catch!
Tomorrow, White Sox, 7:05, Slowey, Buehrle, GIDDYUP!
By the way, Francisco Liriano - you may have heard of him - pitched for Rochester. He improved his record to 10-2. 6 IP, 8H/1BB, 4 ER, 9 K. Not the greatest line, but surely skewed by a 3-run HR. With over 100 pitches, and roughly 60% strikes, it's definitely better than it was in April, but still not how it was in 2006. I go back and forth (oscillate, if you will) on whether or not I think it's F-Bomb time. Right now, I'm content with the rotation... but for real, can't Liriano be the 8th inning guy? I don't want to hear how it would screw him up... two months of relief... isn't there a reason for "spring training"?
On another, unrelated note - am I the only person that thinks that Barry Bonds could help somebody?!? Honestly, he seems to be messed up, sure, but he was injured last year and still managed to hit 28 homers. How about a .480 OBP? How about averaging over a walk a game? Mauer leads the team in walks - less than half a game. I'm not saying Kubel is junk - because Kubel would be the most directly affected when it comes to playing time. But let's compare:
Jason Kubel - $1.3 million in '08, .263/.327/.451, 13 HR, 20% K-rate
Barry Bonds - $200,000 (prorated minimum), 07 stats - .276/.480/.565, 28 HR, 16% K-rate
To me, that's more production for less money. And I'm not even going to say anything about how it would positively affect the on-field production of Mauer, Morneau, Young, etc. Off-the-field, locker-room type-stuff, yeah, maybe that wouldn't be great... but Bonds wouldn't need to be a leader... he would just need to take walks and hit HRs, which, I remind you, he's still pretty good at.
I'm not calling for the Twins to sign Bonds... but I really think he's unfairly taken the blame for what was wrong with baseball the last bunch of years. He deserves another shot.
Three Stars - I think today's game is tough to pick!
Nick Blackburn - 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, BB, 3 K. This is a great line! His performance, on the other hand, wasn't this pretty. Blackburn had to deal with leadoff runners every inning... ok, not every inning, but pretty close. He was able to wiggle his way out of trouble and left the game with only one run allowed and a win staring him in the face. And then Reyes came in... No matter, Blackburn pitched very well. If it weren't for bad luck (or a bad bullpen?) - and thus, a few extra wins - I really think he would be in the running for AL Rookie of the Year. At 7-6, though, it's not gonna happen.
Craig Monroe - 2 for 4, 2B, R. I gonna give Monroe the benefit of the doubt today. On a day where the offense wasn't too visible, Monroe was able to get the ball rolling on a bloop double. This started the 2-run 6th inning and put them back in a position to win the ballgame. For today, Craig, we'll forget that your "specialty" - hitting against left-handed pitchers - you came into the game batting .125 (10 for 80), but just for today!
Denard Span, sorry Justin Morneau - I know, Morneau had a pretty big-deal double in the 9th, but let's talk about Denard Span and his defense! I forget the inning, but Span made a great catch running towards center and leaping/turning to snag a sure double. And then in the bottom of the 8th, a shot to the gap, a sure go-ahead double... wait, here comes SuperSpan. Dare I say it... does Gomez make that catch? He probably does, but holy smokes, what a catch!
Tomorrow, White Sox, 7:05, Slowey, Buehrle, GIDDYUP!
By the way, Francisco Liriano - you may have heard of him - pitched for Rochester. He improved his record to 10-2. 6 IP, 8H/1BB, 4 ER, 9 K. Not the greatest line, but surely skewed by a 3-run HR. With over 100 pitches, and roughly 60% strikes, it's definitely better than it was in April, but still not how it was in 2006. I go back and forth (oscillate, if you will) on whether or not I think it's F-Bomb time. Right now, I'm content with the rotation... but for real, can't Liriano be the 8th inning guy? I don't want to hear how it would screw him up... two months of relief... isn't there a reason for "spring training"?
On another, unrelated note - am I the only person that thinks that Barry Bonds could help somebody?!? Honestly, he seems to be messed up, sure, but he was injured last year and still managed to hit 28 homers. How about a .480 OBP? How about averaging over a walk a game? Mauer leads the team in walks - less than half a game. I'm not saying Kubel is junk - because Kubel would be the most directly affected when it comes to playing time. But let's compare:
Jason Kubel - $1.3 million in '08, .263/.327/.451, 13 HR, 20% K-rate
Barry Bonds - $200,000 (prorated minimum), 07 stats - .276/.480/.565, 28 HR, 16% K-rate
To me, that's more production for less money. And I'm not even going to say anything about how it would positively affect the on-field production of Mauer, Morneau, Young, etc. Off-the-field, locker-room type-stuff, yeah, maybe that wouldn't be great... but Bonds wouldn't need to be a leader... he would just need to take walks and hit HRs, which, I remind you, he's still pretty good at.
I'm not calling for the Twins to sign Bonds... but I really think he's unfairly taken the blame for what was wrong with baseball the last bunch of years. He deserves another shot.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Back to Winning
The Twins won tonight 11-4 behind a 6-run 1st inning. Even though the game lacked the suspense of last night's loss, I definately will take the outcome.
Three Stars:
Brian Buscher - 3 for 5, HR, R, 5 RBI. Buscher's first inning 3-run HR really blew this game open. Maybe this game makes the front office reconsider their quest for a different 3rd baseman...?
Delmon Young - 3 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI. I wish he would hit for something other than singles. But singles are better than outs, so I'll take them. I really hope Young can get and keep his average over .300. Then we'll look for his power numbers to go up.
Denard Span - 1 for 5, R, BB. This has more to do with his patience at the plate than it does with his performance. Span's leadoff walk began a huge inning; would Gomez have taken a walk? Everything is different with Denard leading off.
On a side note, Carlos Gomez left last night's game on a stretcher. He seems to be doing better, but is still very sore. I don't know what's going to happen when all four outfielders are healthy. I do know that with Gomez being dinged up, it's an excuse to shelve him for a while. Maybe a stint on the DL wouldn't be too bad. Gomez to the DL, call up Liriano. When Cuddyer is healthy, DFA Bass. There, it's solved.
I posted previously about the sucess that Shooter Hunt was having in Elizabethton. That sucess earned him a promotion to Beloit. (Sidenote: Hunt and Ben Revere are two of the Twins top prospects and they are both at Beloit. If you could make it there, it would be worth it.) He made his premier at low-A today. He didn't disappoint.
5 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, (1 wild pitch), 9 strikeouts
The knock on Hunt was that he's a little out-of-control. He didn't do anything to show me that's gone, but the 9 Ks is a great start. Is it crazy to think that Fort Myers might not be too far away?
Three Stars:
Brian Buscher - 3 for 5, HR, R, 5 RBI. Buscher's first inning 3-run HR really blew this game open. Maybe this game makes the front office reconsider their quest for a different 3rd baseman...?
Delmon Young - 3 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI. I wish he would hit for something other than singles. But singles are better than outs, so I'll take them. I really hope Young can get and keep his average over .300. Then we'll look for his power numbers to go up.
Denard Span - 1 for 5, R, BB. This has more to do with his patience at the plate than it does with his performance. Span's leadoff walk began a huge inning; would Gomez have taken a walk? Everything is different with Denard leading off.
On a side note, Carlos Gomez left last night's game on a stretcher. He seems to be doing better, but is still very sore. I don't know what's going to happen when all four outfielders are healthy. I do know that with Gomez being dinged up, it's an excuse to shelve him for a while. Maybe a stint on the DL wouldn't be too bad. Gomez to the DL, call up Liriano. When Cuddyer is healthy, DFA Bass. There, it's solved.
I posted previously about the sucess that Shooter Hunt was having in Elizabethton. That sucess earned him a promotion to Beloit. (Sidenote: Hunt and Ben Revere are two of the Twins top prospects and they are both at Beloit. If you could make it there, it would be worth it.) He made his premier at low-A today. He didn't disappoint.
5 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, (1 wild pitch), 9 strikeouts
The knock on Hunt was that he's a little out-of-control. He didn't do anything to show me that's gone, but the 9 Ks is a great start. Is it crazy to think that Fort Myers might not be too far away?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Twins Get Swept
I'm not too discouraged by the sweep that just occured. Yeah, it's disappointing; but only because the Twins couldn't get one win. No one expected more than that. The pitching wasn't great, but the offense was clearly disappointed.
The big news continues to be Francisco Liriano. When is he going to be promoted? Personally, I don't think arbitration has anything to do with him being held down there. I think other things - like his behavior from November 06 to April of 08 - are the things weighing heavier on the Twins mind. With that being said, if Liriano doesn't reach Super-2 status, his contract will be renewed and he will probably make about $420,000 next year. If he were to reach arbitration he would make significantly more. Of the pitchers who were arbitration-eligible last year, Scott Kazmir and Chien Ming-Wang are most comparable to Liriano.
Scott Kazmir avoided arbitration by agreeing to a 1 yr, $3.875m contract with the Rays. He has since signed a long-term deal.
Chien Ming-Wang went to arbitration with the Yankees. He requested $4.6m, while the Yanks offered $4m. The Yankees won and Ming-Wang is making $4m this year.
Liriano's case differs in that he missed a whole year, but while he played he was better than either Kazmir or Ming-Wang. I would say $3.5m would be a fair guess - which is $3m more than he would make without arbitration. Regardless, this should be a moot point.
The part that needs to be addressed is getting Liriano up to the big club. It needs to happen. Having just pitched yesterday, he will need his rest, but should be ready by Sunday. In my opinion, it is Nick Blackburn and not Kevin Slowey who needs to be moved to the bullpen.
Nick Blackburn sits at 120 innings this year and is on pace to pitch 192. In my mind, I want him at a number that's more around 150 to 160. Kevin Slowey has only pitched 87.2 innings. He has a lower WHIP and BAA (although his ERA is higher) and is on pace to only pitch 140 innings.
My other concern is with Glen Perkins. He needs to stay in the rotation, but is now at almost 130 innings (combined MLB and AAA). If he stays in the rotation he will finish with around 180 innings. I think that number is too high.
So what's my solution? Slowey gets bumped up to pitch Sunday. Because of the off-day he will stay on 5-days rest. Liriano gets called up and pitches at home on Monday. Blackburn moves to the bullpen. To make room for Liriano, Brian Bass needs to be designated for assignment. For one, his spot on the 40-man roster will be needed in November and for another, Brian Bass will clear waivers and end up in Rochester, where he belongs. As for the the questions with Liriano's contract... well, they can play themselves out, because I doubt Bill Smith has let him affect his decision. (If anything, having to pay Liriano an extra $3m will limit Smith's ability to sign another Mike Lamb.)
I guess we'll see what happens...
The big news continues to be Francisco Liriano. When is he going to be promoted? Personally, I don't think arbitration has anything to do with him being held down there. I think other things - like his behavior from November 06 to April of 08 - are the things weighing heavier on the Twins mind. With that being said, if Liriano doesn't reach Super-2 status, his contract will be renewed and he will probably make about $420,000 next year. If he were to reach arbitration he would make significantly more. Of the pitchers who were arbitration-eligible last year, Scott Kazmir and Chien Ming-Wang are most comparable to Liriano.
Scott Kazmir avoided arbitration by agreeing to a 1 yr, $3.875m contract with the Rays. He has since signed a long-term deal.
Chien Ming-Wang went to arbitration with the Yankees. He requested $4.6m, while the Yanks offered $4m. The Yankees won and Ming-Wang is making $4m this year.
Liriano's case differs in that he missed a whole year, but while he played he was better than either Kazmir or Ming-Wang. I would say $3.5m would be a fair guess - which is $3m more than he would make without arbitration. Regardless, this should be a moot point.
The part that needs to be addressed is getting Liriano up to the big club. It needs to happen. Having just pitched yesterday, he will need his rest, but should be ready by Sunday. In my opinion, it is Nick Blackburn and not Kevin Slowey who needs to be moved to the bullpen.
Nick Blackburn sits at 120 innings this year and is on pace to pitch 192. In my mind, I want him at a number that's more around 150 to 160. Kevin Slowey has only pitched 87.2 innings. He has a lower WHIP and BAA (although his ERA is higher) and is on pace to only pitch 140 innings.
My other concern is with Glen Perkins. He needs to stay in the rotation, but is now at almost 130 innings (combined MLB and AAA). If he stays in the rotation he will finish with around 180 innings. I think that number is too high.
So what's my solution? Slowey gets bumped up to pitch Sunday. Because of the off-day he will stay on 5-days rest. Liriano gets called up and pitches at home on Monday. Blackburn moves to the bullpen. To make room for Liriano, Brian Bass needs to be designated for assignment. For one, his spot on the 40-man roster will be needed in November and for another, Brian Bass will clear waivers and end up in Rochester, where he belongs. As for the the questions with Liriano's contract... well, they can play themselves out, because I doubt Bill Smith has let him affect his decision. (If anything, having to pay Liriano an extra $3m will limit Smith's ability to sign another Mike Lamb.)
I guess we'll see what happens...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Twins Win Big
Tonight's 14-2 victory was very exciting. Being in the Metrodome with 35,000 other people was also quite the time.
Three Stars:
Justin Morneau - 2 for 4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB. All I can say is, "MVP!"
Livan Hernandez - 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K. I think he has earned another start. Oh, and this was his 10th victory.
Delmon Young - 3 for 5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI. I was especially excited after Young's 3rd hit, which put him at .300 for the year. His line-out in the 8th dropped him back to .299. (Side note: Delmon absolutely destroyed the ball during BP. In my opinion, more impressive than Josh Hamilton even. And yes, my friend Tim did catch two of his BP Home Runs... in the air.)
According to LaVelle E. Neal III, the Twins will not be trading for Adrian Beltre. Apparently the price is too high. If the price, in fact, would be one of the four youngsters in the rotation, then yes - that is too high.
Neal suggested this afternoon that the Twins "are also on the lookout for bullpen help, an area some people in the organization feel is a greater need. There are a few out there. Jon Rauch of the Nationals is one."
If the name "Jon Rauch" rings a bell, it's probably because I suggested yesterday that the Twins may have interest in him. (I'm not suggesting that the Star Tribune hire me, but I would have broke that news for an earlier edition.)
Also of note (and new to me), Neal believes that four of the Twins top prospects are out for the year: Tyler Robertson, Chris Parmelee, Joe Benson and Deibinson Romero. I will be the first to say that none performed to expecations and all will probably dropped on prospect lists. Ok, I'm probably not the first to say that.
Going for the sweep tomorrow!
Three Stars:
Justin Morneau - 2 for 4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB. All I can say is, "MVP!"
Livan Hernandez - 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K. I think he has earned another start. Oh, and this was his 10th victory.
Delmon Young - 3 for 5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI. I was especially excited after Young's 3rd hit, which put him at .300 for the year. His line-out in the 8th dropped him back to .299. (Side note: Delmon absolutely destroyed the ball during BP. In my opinion, more impressive than Josh Hamilton even. And yes, my friend Tim did catch two of his BP Home Runs... in the air.)
According to LaVelle E. Neal III, the Twins will not be trading for Adrian Beltre. Apparently the price is too high. If the price, in fact, would be one of the four youngsters in the rotation, then yes - that is too high.
Neal suggested this afternoon that the Twins "are also on the lookout for bullpen help, an area some people in the organization feel is a greater need. There are a few out there. Jon Rauch of the Nationals is one."
If the name "Jon Rauch" rings a bell, it's probably because I suggested yesterday that the Twins may have interest in him. (I'm not suggesting that the Star Tribune hire me, but I would have broke that news for an earlier edition.)
Also of note (and new to me), Neal believes that four of the Twins top prospects are out for the year: Tyler Robertson, Chris Parmelee, Joe Benson and Deibinson Romero. I will be the first to say that none performed to expecations and all will probably dropped on prospect lists. Ok, I'm probably not the first to say that.
Going for the sweep tomorrow!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Twins open 2nd half with win
The Twins cruised to a 6-0 victory tonight over the Texas Rangers.
Three Stars:
Glen Perkins - 6 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 1 K, 98 pitches. With this performance, Perkins's ERA drops to 3.84. That is a pretty encouraging number for a guy that started the year in the AAA rotation and was viewed as a possible reliever. Although the 3 walks, with only 1 strikeout, isn't great; the fact that Perkins was able to hold a big-time offense to 3 hits - and 6 innings of shutout baseball - is a feat in itself. (This is the first game of the year that the Rangers haven't scored, I believe.) I think it should be pointed out that Perkins has never pitched more than 134 innings in a year as a professional. He is at 117.2 right now. So basically, when the calendar turns to August, Perkins will be in unchartered waters when it comes to innings pitched. I don't think it would be crazy for the Twins to limit his innings, especially coming off a shoulder injury, but at 7-2 and cruising, it would be tough to shut him down for any amount of time. Although, I do think the Twins might have a guy that could step in for a start or two...
Delmon Young - 4 for 4, RBI, SB. Don't look now, but D-Young is batting .294. I know the power numbers aren't there, but he's batting 30 points higher than Jason Kubel. And with tonight's game, he will be somewhere are the Top 20 in batting average in the AL. His slugging percentage on the other hand... four singles don't really help that.
Justin Morneau - 1 for 3, 2 R, BB, 2B. No let-down after the All-Star game. Tonight's scoring started after Morneau was able to reach with a double in the 4th. I think Morneau is officially on the radar when it comes to AL MVP.
Livan Hernandez will be on the hill tomorrow night. It is also Delmon Young bobblehead night. Hopefully, I will be able to snag a nodder or two from the "haters" that will be in the stands. I'm still a big fan of the guy; even though he hasn't performed as many of us had hoped. And his defense remains shaky. We'll see what happens with him.
On a side note, I wouldn't mind the Twins looking into making a deal with the Nationals to get Delmon's brother, Dmitri Young. He's relatively cheap ($5m this year and next) and would be a great mentor to little brother. He also still has some ability and could provide the team with a player much like Craig Monroe, only as a guy who could play a little 1B. The Nationals have the worst record in baseball, so they probably wouldn't hesitate to sell. Other guys on their roster that may generate some interest with the Twins:
-SS Cristian Guzman - .312/.341/.423. He's been (by far) the Nationals' best player. But his contract ($4.2m) expires at the end of the year and by trading him, the Nationals guarantee a return.
-RP John Rauch - 2.85 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 17 SV. If the Twins are actually looking for an 8th inning guy, this could be an answer. Rauch's contract is also affordable: $1.2m in '08; $2m in '09; $2.9m option in '10.
Of course, those names are all just curiousity/specualtion, but interesting as well. There is also that other rumor involving a Gold-Glove 3B. But at this point, with the team playing so well, why make a move?
Three Stars:
Glen Perkins - 6 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 1 K, 98 pitches. With this performance, Perkins's ERA drops to 3.84. That is a pretty encouraging number for a guy that started the year in the AAA rotation and was viewed as a possible reliever. Although the 3 walks, with only 1 strikeout, isn't great; the fact that Perkins was able to hold a big-time offense to 3 hits - and 6 innings of shutout baseball - is a feat in itself. (This is the first game of the year that the Rangers haven't scored, I believe.) I think it should be pointed out that Perkins has never pitched more than 134 innings in a year as a professional. He is at 117.2 right now. So basically, when the calendar turns to August, Perkins will be in unchartered waters when it comes to innings pitched. I don't think it would be crazy for the Twins to limit his innings, especially coming off a shoulder injury, but at 7-2 and cruising, it would be tough to shut him down for any amount of time. Although, I do think the Twins might have a guy that could step in for a start or two...
Delmon Young - 4 for 4, RBI, SB. Don't look now, but D-Young is batting .294. I know the power numbers aren't there, but he's batting 30 points higher than Jason Kubel. And with tonight's game, he will be somewhere are the Top 20 in batting average in the AL. His slugging percentage on the other hand... four singles don't really help that.
Justin Morneau - 1 for 3, 2 R, BB, 2B. No let-down after the All-Star game. Tonight's scoring started after Morneau was able to reach with a double in the 4th. I think Morneau is officially on the radar when it comes to AL MVP.
Livan Hernandez will be on the hill tomorrow night. It is also Delmon Young bobblehead night. Hopefully, I will be able to snag a nodder or two from the "haters" that will be in the stands. I'm still a big fan of the guy; even though he hasn't performed as many of us had hoped. And his defense remains shaky. We'll see what happens with him.
On a side note, I wouldn't mind the Twins looking into making a deal with the Nationals to get Delmon's brother, Dmitri Young. He's relatively cheap ($5m this year and next) and would be a great mentor to little brother. He also still has some ability and could provide the team with a player much like Craig Monroe, only as a guy who could play a little 1B. The Nationals have the worst record in baseball, so they probably wouldn't hesitate to sell. Other guys on their roster that may generate some interest with the Twins:
-SS Cristian Guzman - .312/.341/.423. He's been (by far) the Nationals' best player. But his contract ($4.2m) expires at the end of the year and by trading him, the Nationals guarantee a return.
-RP John Rauch - 2.85 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 17 SV. If the Twins are actually looking for an 8th inning guy, this could be an answer. Rauch's contract is also affordable: $1.2m in '08; $2m in '09; $2.9m option in '10.
Of course, those names are all just curiousity/specualtion, but interesting as well. There is also that other rumor involving a Gold-Glove 3B. But at this point, with the team playing so well, why make a move?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Shooter Hunt
As much fun as it has been to follow Ben Revere's year -- and his assault on .400 -- I think it's now time to tune into the new career of Shooter Hunt.
For those of you who don't know, Hunt was a top prospect but fell to the Twins in the Sandwich Round after a disappointing last half of his collegiate year. Since signing, Hunt has played 3 games in the Rookie Level Appy League with the Elizabethton Twins. Here are his lines:
July 4 - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 6 K
July 11 - 5 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 10 K
July 16 - 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K
His stats: 0.64 ERA, 0.29 WHIP, 16.7 K/9
People don't just luck out and have numbers like that.
My only question is does he make his next start with low-A Beloit or high-A Fort Myers?
For those of you who don't know, Hunt was a top prospect but fell to the Twins in the Sandwich Round after a disappointing last half of his collegiate year. Since signing, Hunt has played 3 games in the Rookie Level Appy League with the Elizabethton Twins. Here are his lines:
July 4 - 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 6 K
July 11 - 5 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 10 K
July 16 - 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K
His stats: 0.64 ERA, 0.29 WHIP, 16.7 K/9
People don't just luck out and have numbers like that.
My only question is does he make his next start with low-A Beloit or high-A Fort Myers?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Morneau wins Derby
Congrats to Justin Morneau, who just won the Home Run Derby. I'm fairly certain he will go down as "the guy that won the Derby the year Josh Hamilton hit 28 HR's in the first round".
If you didn't watch it, I'm sure it will be on ESPN Classic.
If you didn't watch it, I'm sure it will be on ESPN Classic.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Twins head into break
The Twins finished their series with the Tigers today, ending their "first-half" with a loss. I think all Twins fans should be happy with where the team sits -- it's definitely exceeded expectations.
Instead of saying much about the last three games, I'm going to focus on a rumor that is starting to pick up some steam: Making a trade to acquire Adrian Beltre from the Seattle Mariners.
The obvious is this: The Twins lack power from the right side. They also lack a great glove. Enter Beltre - 16 homers, Gold Glove 3B. He is under contract for $12 million for both this year and next year.
If the price was only in dollars, that would be steep. He'd be the Twins highest paid player both this year and next. But the steeper price would be what the team would need to give up. I'm just going to throw out some possibility and finally, make a hypothetical trade.
Whenever there is a discussion about the Mariners, we first need to focus on what they've done - and that is trade away the farm for Erik Bedard. They gave up their 2007 #1 prospect CF Adam Jones and their 2008 #3 prospect RHP Chris Tillman, not to mention two left-handed pitchers and another right-handed pitcher. So those would be natural "need" starting points. Add into that the fact the Mariners would be giving up their starting 3B and we have a lot of potential trade possibilities.
First of all, pitchers are usually always included in trades like this. Some names I'd expect the Mariners to be tossing around:
LHP Glen Perkins
RHP Boof Bonser
RHP Philip Humber
RHP Kevin Mulvey
LHP Brian Duensing
RHP Anthony Slama
I also believe that guys like Swarzak (even though he's struggled), Robertson and Guerra would be mentioned, but I doubt the Twins would part with them; Swarzak because his value is not real high right now.
The other intriguing position would be outfielders. I would consider the Twins CF depth very good right now. Some possible names:
CF Denard Span
RF Michael Cuddyer
CF Joe Benson
CF Ben Revere
CF Angel Morales
I would also assume the Mariners would want to get an INF back, probably someone that could play 3B.
3B Mike Lamb
3B Matt Macri
3B/SS Trevor Plouffe
3B/SS Luke Hughes
3B Garrett Olson
3B Danny Valencia
3B Deibinson Romero
Presumably, for the Twins to take back $12m, they would require the Mariners to take some money back. In my mind, Mike Lamb or Michael Cuddyer would have to be included. With Cuddyer's big contract, I would have to assume that the package of prospects would have to increase. So the first part of the puzzle is easy: Mike Lamb. What's his value to the Mariners? Not too much.
Another piece of the puzzle would have to be a "top position prospect". The names that I would categorize there would be: Denard Span, Ben Revere, Joe Benson, Trevor Plouffe, Luke Hughes, Danny Valencia. Obviously, they are not all equal. I would have a really hard time giving up Span, Revere or Hughes. The other three - lesser prospects - could go. Of those three, the Mariners would probably find Joe Benson - an Adam Jones-like player - the most appealing.
Now the part that would make this trade actually happen - the pitchers. I think Perkins and a low prospect could make it work. I don't think the Twins would trade the guy from Stillwater. I don't think Bonser or Humber really excite anyone right now - their value is low. That leaves LHP Brian Duensing and RP Anthony Slama as guys the Mariners would probably focus on. (That's not to say some guys like Manship, Mullins, Rainville, Steadley, Devries, Waldrop, McCardell, Van Mil, etc. wouldn't/couldn't be traded.)
Would the price of CF Joe Benson, LHP Brian Duensing, RP Anthony Slama and throw-in 3B Mike Lamb be enough to get it done? Would the Twins need to include more major-league ready players? Is that too much? Who on the big-league club would the Twins be willing to part with?
If I was Bill Smith and the Mariners offered Beltre for these four, I would have to think hard about it. I would need to work out something money-wise, because $12m is a load to take on.
I would take a step back though and say this:
Joe Benson has fallen below Ben Revere, who will still be blocked by Gomez, Span and probably Young. Brian Duensing is a good prospect, but for a team that has all their "prospects" in the rotation already - and they're doing a good job at a higher level. Anthony Slama has been lights out, but he's old for his class. Mike Lamb... does anyone actually want Mike Lamb?
When I think about it that way, now I don't think that would be enough. Who else would have to be added? Who really knows? It's just something fun to think about.
Instead of saying much about the last three games, I'm going to focus on a rumor that is starting to pick up some steam: Making a trade to acquire Adrian Beltre from the Seattle Mariners.
The obvious is this: The Twins lack power from the right side. They also lack a great glove. Enter Beltre - 16 homers, Gold Glove 3B. He is under contract for $12 million for both this year and next year.
If the price was only in dollars, that would be steep. He'd be the Twins highest paid player both this year and next. But the steeper price would be what the team would need to give up. I'm just going to throw out some possibility and finally, make a hypothetical trade.
Whenever there is a discussion about the Mariners, we first need to focus on what they've done - and that is trade away the farm for Erik Bedard. They gave up their 2007 #1 prospect CF Adam Jones and their 2008 #3 prospect RHP Chris Tillman, not to mention two left-handed pitchers and another right-handed pitcher. So those would be natural "need" starting points. Add into that the fact the Mariners would be giving up their starting 3B and we have a lot of potential trade possibilities.
First of all, pitchers are usually always included in trades like this. Some names I'd expect the Mariners to be tossing around:
LHP Glen Perkins
RHP Boof Bonser
RHP Philip Humber
RHP Kevin Mulvey
LHP Brian Duensing
RHP Anthony Slama
I also believe that guys like Swarzak (even though he's struggled), Robertson and Guerra would be mentioned, but I doubt the Twins would part with them; Swarzak because his value is not real high right now.
The other intriguing position would be outfielders. I would consider the Twins CF depth very good right now. Some possible names:
CF Denard Span
RF Michael Cuddyer
CF Joe Benson
CF Ben Revere
CF Angel Morales
I would also assume the Mariners would want to get an INF back, probably someone that could play 3B.
3B Mike Lamb
3B Matt Macri
3B/SS Trevor Plouffe
3B/SS Luke Hughes
3B Garrett Olson
3B Danny Valencia
3B Deibinson Romero
Presumably, for the Twins to take back $12m, they would require the Mariners to take some money back. In my mind, Mike Lamb or Michael Cuddyer would have to be included. With Cuddyer's big contract, I would have to assume that the package of prospects would have to increase. So the first part of the puzzle is easy: Mike Lamb. What's his value to the Mariners? Not too much.
Another piece of the puzzle would have to be a "top position prospect". The names that I would categorize there would be: Denard Span, Ben Revere, Joe Benson, Trevor Plouffe, Luke Hughes, Danny Valencia. Obviously, they are not all equal. I would have a really hard time giving up Span, Revere or Hughes. The other three - lesser prospects - could go. Of those three, the Mariners would probably find Joe Benson - an Adam Jones-like player - the most appealing.
Now the part that would make this trade actually happen - the pitchers. I think Perkins and a low prospect could make it work. I don't think the Twins would trade the guy from Stillwater. I don't think Bonser or Humber really excite anyone right now - their value is low. That leaves LHP Brian Duensing and RP Anthony Slama as guys the Mariners would probably focus on. (That's not to say some guys like Manship, Mullins, Rainville, Steadley, Devries, Waldrop, McCardell, Van Mil, etc. wouldn't/couldn't be traded.)
Would the price of CF Joe Benson, LHP Brian Duensing, RP Anthony Slama and throw-in 3B Mike Lamb be enough to get it done? Would the Twins need to include more major-league ready players? Is that too much? Who on the big-league club would the Twins be willing to part with?
If I was Bill Smith and the Mariners offered Beltre for these four, I would have to think hard about it. I would need to work out something money-wise, because $12m is a load to take on.
I would take a step back though and say this:
Joe Benson has fallen below Ben Revere, who will still be blocked by Gomez, Span and probably Young. Brian Duensing is a good prospect, but for a team that has all their "prospects" in the rotation already - and they're doing a good job at a higher level. Anthony Slama has been lights out, but he's old for his class. Mike Lamb... does anyone actually want Mike Lamb?
When I think about it that way, now I don't think that would be enough. Who else would have to be added? Who really knows? It's just something fun to think about.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Twins get back to winning
After a good couple of games at Boston, the Twins were destroyed yesterday to complete the sweep. Although the series did put some distance between the Twins and Boston in the Wild Card Race, and the Twins and White Sox in the AL Central Race, the are still within striking distance.
Today's game against Detroit was not televised. I saw the score in the 6th - 6-2 Tigers - and thought we were headed for a 4th straight loss. Later, while watching ESPN News, I saw the Twins pulled out a 7-6 win in 11 innings. I read through the play-by-play and think we missed a pretty good game.
Three stars:
Justin Morneau: 5 for 5, 2 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB. Morneau reached base all six times and hit a solo HR in the top of 11 to complete the comeback win. Let the official race for MVP begin.
Denard Span: 4 for 4, 3B, 2 R, RBI, BB. Span reached base all five times. (Leadoff anyone? HELLO!) It is becoming increasingly difficult to envision Span being returned to Rochester when Cuddyer is ready to return. (The two guys in jeopardy - Craig Monroe and Mike Lamb - combined to go 0 for 5 today.) If I was in charge: Span replaces Monroe on the roster. In a 6-game week in the outfield, Cuddyer gets a game off, Span gets a game off, Gomez gets two games off, Young gets two games off. Kubel would be the only DH; however, against a LHP, Young (or Gomez) would play DH. Another option would be to play Cuddyer at 1B and DH Morneau. I also wouldn't mind seeing Cuddyer get a game or two at 3B. In fact, Cuddyer could become that super-utility player he came into the league as.
Bullpen: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 7 K. It's about time! Kevin Slowey had another brutal performance, but the bullpen was able to give the Twins a shot. In fact, it appears that Joe Nathan and Craig Breslow - the two most dependable guys in the bullpen - pitched the worse.
I haven't able to keep up much with the minor leagues lately, so I don't have any good information.
Tomorrow the Twins play at 6:05. Glen Perkins will be making the start.
Today's game against Detroit was not televised. I saw the score in the 6th - 6-2 Tigers - and thought we were headed for a 4th straight loss. Later, while watching ESPN News, I saw the Twins pulled out a 7-6 win in 11 innings. I read through the play-by-play and think we missed a pretty good game.
Three stars:
Justin Morneau: 5 for 5, 2 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB. Morneau reached base all six times and hit a solo HR in the top of 11 to complete the comeback win. Let the official race for MVP begin.
Denard Span: 4 for 4, 3B, 2 R, RBI, BB. Span reached base all five times. (Leadoff anyone? HELLO!) It is becoming increasingly difficult to envision Span being returned to Rochester when Cuddyer is ready to return. (The two guys in jeopardy - Craig Monroe and Mike Lamb - combined to go 0 for 5 today.) If I was in charge: Span replaces Monroe on the roster. In a 6-game week in the outfield, Cuddyer gets a game off, Span gets a game off, Gomez gets two games off, Young gets two games off. Kubel would be the only DH; however, against a LHP, Young (or Gomez) would play DH. Another option would be to play Cuddyer at 1B and DH Morneau. I also wouldn't mind seeing Cuddyer get a game or two at 3B. In fact, Cuddyer could become that super-utility player he came into the league as.
Bullpen: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 7 K. It's about time! Kevin Slowey had another brutal performance, but the bullpen was able to give the Twins a shot. In fact, it appears that Joe Nathan and Craig Breslow - the two most dependable guys in the bullpen - pitched the worse.
I haven't able to keep up much with the minor leagues lately, so I don't have any good information.
Tomorrow the Twins play at 6:05. Glen Perkins will be making the start.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Baby News
So shortly after I signed off last night, we headed to the hospital. We spent a long time waiting for things to progress... and they did at 2:49 pm. Cade Rodney Nygaard (8 lbs 7 oz, 20.5 in long) came into the world shortly before Nadal defeated Federer (in a 5-set epic match) and shortly after the Twins hung 3 runs on Cliff Lee in the 7th inning today. Needless to say, the big news - and pics - is below.
Marin was pretty excited to hold her little brother. Things will now be a little more interesting around the house.
Have a good night. I'll be sleeping like a baby!
Marin was pretty excited to hold her little brother. Things will now be a little more interesting around the house.
Have a good night. I'll be sleeping like a baby!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Twins beat Indians twice
The Twins have beaten the Indians twice since I last posted.
On Friday night, the Twins put together a 12-3 win. For as lopsided as the score was, the game was actually quite close until the 7th inning. The Twins were able to pour on a few extra runs late.
Three Stars:
Delmon Young - 3 for 5, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI. Delmon's finally starting to come around offensively. (Defensively, he will always be below-average.) His 3rd HR of the year, which came in the 3rd inning, is a sign that the power is starting to come. I don't think he'll get 20, but 15 isn't out of the question. (I still think that Gomez will be more a power-guy throughout the course of their careers.)
Nick Punto - 2 for 4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB. LNP's coming out party? I don't know if I'd go that far *coughTimcough* but it was nice to see a performance like this. Punto's glove is what gets him into the game, so whenever he's able to put forth this kind of offensive effort, it's nothing to icing on the cake. (I also promised to only say nice things about LNP for a week.)
Justin Morneau - 2 for 3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB. Regardless of how his teammates perform, Morneau continues to get it done. But would we expect anything less?
Saturday night's game started off with a quick lead and then Slowey gives up 5 second-inning runs. It didn't look good. But as always - at least lately - the offense is able to put together a rally. The Twins end up with a 9-6 victory. It is interesting to note that no Twins player had more than one hit. (Morneau was the only player without a hit; but managed to score twice.)
Three Stars:
Kevin Slowey - 6 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K. This may be debatable. But without the big 2nd inning, Slowey's line is 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. That is an amazing line. However, he had a really bad inning and bounced back to pitch a solid game. After Sizemore's HR, Slowey retired 13 straight; and 14 of 15 before leaving the game. I'm still not on board that Slowey is the BEST STARTER on the staff, but he definitely deserves to be mentioned along with Baker and Blackburn. (All three have ERAs under 4.00. I went back and looked - from 2002 to 2007, the Twins never finished a year with 3 starters under 4.00. There still is half a year to go, but that gives a good idea of how well these young guys are pitching.)
Joe Mauer - 1 for 2, RBI, 3 R, 3 BB. Not a lot of guys can improve their batting average by getting one hit in a game. Mauer can - he's up to .325 (2nd in the AL), he also improved his OBP to .415 (also 2nd). This goes without mentioning that he's playing the most physically demanding postition and statistically is light-years ahead of the other AL catchers.
Look (stats through yesterday's games):
Runs: 51 (1st by 12)
Hits: 90 (1st by 3)
Doubles: 22 (1st by 2)
Triples: 1 (2nd trails by 2)
Home Runs: 3 (low)
RBI: 36 (1st by 3)
Walks: 43 (1st by 17)
Average: .324 (1st by 25 points - among qualifiers)
OBP: .409 (1st by 68 points)
Slugging: .442 (2nd trails by 5 points)
OPS: .859 (1st by 64 points)
Denard Span - 1 for 2, 2 BB, R, RBI. I'm officially on board. Switch Span to lead-off and Gomez to 9th. When Cuddyer comes back, make a roster spot (either Lamb or Monroe), start Span at LF and let Young get his ABs at DH and rotating through the corner OF positions.
MY ALL-STAR PREDICTIONS:
I'm not sure if the whole line-up is announced tomorrow, or just the starters. But I'm going to make my prediction without doing too much research. Here are the guys that should represent the Twins in New York next Tuesday:
C Joe Mauer (starter) - I don't need to give you stats. I did that already.
1B Justin Morneau - He won't catch Youkilis, but Morneau should start. Oh, and he should be talked about in the MVP race too.
CLR Joe Nather - Because he's 5th in the AL in saves, he probably won't make it. His ERA, however, is 1.30 and that is pretty solid.
Anyway, I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow. I hope you all enjoyed the holdiay. Still no baby news.
On Friday night, the Twins put together a 12-3 win. For as lopsided as the score was, the game was actually quite close until the 7th inning. The Twins were able to pour on a few extra runs late.
Three Stars:
Delmon Young - 3 for 5, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI. Delmon's finally starting to come around offensively. (Defensively, he will always be below-average.) His 3rd HR of the year, which came in the 3rd inning, is a sign that the power is starting to come. I don't think he'll get 20, but 15 isn't out of the question. (I still think that Gomez will be more a power-guy throughout the course of their careers.)
Nick Punto - 2 for 4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB. LNP's coming out party? I don't know if I'd go that far *coughTimcough* but it was nice to see a performance like this. Punto's glove is what gets him into the game, so whenever he's able to put forth this kind of offensive effort, it's nothing to icing on the cake. (I also promised to only say nice things about LNP for a week.)
Justin Morneau - 2 for 3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB. Regardless of how his teammates perform, Morneau continues to get it done. But would we expect anything less?
Saturday night's game started off with a quick lead and then Slowey gives up 5 second-inning runs. It didn't look good. But as always - at least lately - the offense is able to put together a rally. The Twins end up with a 9-6 victory. It is interesting to note that no Twins player had more than one hit. (Morneau was the only player without a hit; but managed to score twice.)
Three Stars:
Kevin Slowey - 6 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K. This may be debatable. But without the big 2nd inning, Slowey's line is 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. That is an amazing line. However, he had a really bad inning and bounced back to pitch a solid game. After Sizemore's HR, Slowey retired 13 straight; and 14 of 15 before leaving the game. I'm still not on board that Slowey is the BEST STARTER on the staff, but he definitely deserves to be mentioned along with Baker and Blackburn. (All three have ERAs under 4.00. I went back and looked - from 2002 to 2007, the Twins never finished a year with 3 starters under 4.00. There still is half a year to go, but that gives a good idea of how well these young guys are pitching.)
Joe Mauer - 1 for 2, RBI, 3 R, 3 BB. Not a lot of guys can improve their batting average by getting one hit in a game. Mauer can - he's up to .325 (2nd in the AL), he also improved his OBP to .415 (also 2nd). This goes without mentioning that he's playing the most physically demanding postition and statistically is light-years ahead of the other AL catchers.
Look (stats through yesterday's games):
Runs: 51 (1st by 12)
Hits: 90 (1st by 3)
Doubles: 22 (1st by 2)
Triples: 1 (2nd trails by 2)
Home Runs: 3 (low)
RBI: 36 (1st by 3)
Walks: 43 (1st by 17)
Average: .324 (1st by 25 points - among qualifiers)
OBP: .409 (1st by 68 points)
Slugging: .442 (2nd trails by 5 points)
OPS: .859 (1st by 64 points)
Denard Span - 1 for 2, 2 BB, R, RBI. I'm officially on board. Switch Span to lead-off and Gomez to 9th. When Cuddyer comes back, make a roster spot (either Lamb or Monroe), start Span at LF and let Young get his ABs at DH and rotating through the corner OF positions.
MY ALL-STAR PREDICTIONS:
I'm not sure if the whole line-up is announced tomorrow, or just the starters. But I'm going to make my prediction without doing too much research. Here are the guys that should represent the Twins in New York next Tuesday:
C Joe Mauer (starter) - I don't need to give you stats. I did that already.
1B Justin Morneau - He won't catch Youkilis, but Morneau should start. Oh, and he should be talked about in the MVP race too.
CLR Joe Nather - Because he's 5th in the AL in saves, he probably won't make it. His ERA, however, is 1.30 and that is pretty solid.
Anyway, I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow. I hope you all enjoyed the holdiay. Still no baby news.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Another series win
The Twins completed their series against the Tigers with a 7-0 victory. Had the bullpen been able to hold the lead Friday night, they would have been able to sweep the Tigers - arguably a team just as hot as the Twins. Although taking two out of three is still acceptable. (That makes 15 of 18 since Friday the 13th of June.) They are 9 games over .500.
The highlight of today's game was the ability of Nick Blackburn to rebound from his 4 HR performance of last Friday night. Which leads me to...
THREE STARS:
Nick Blackburn - 7 IP, 3 H, 4 K, 1 BB. It would have been nice if he could have kept his pitch count (104) lower and been able to finish the game himself, but that's just being picky. Yesterday, Baker threw 70 of 100 pitches for strikes; today, Blackburn goes 69 for 104. And I thought Slowey was the control guy?
Delmon Young - 3 for 4, 2 2B, RBI, R. Admittedly a slow starter, Young has began to turn it around. His average is now up to .284. (He was 37th in the AL before today, where his average went up 6 points.) I know his OBP and SLG isn't great, but I think those will continue to climb as well. By the end of the year, I feel/hope that the "horrible trade" talk will subside.
Carlos Gomez - 3 for 5, R. As Go-Go goes, so goes the Twins. It really seems like that doesn't it? It also helps to have the other "Rabbits" around. (I don't think that's going to stick.)
The Twins have tomorrow off before opening a series against the disappointing Indians. The games might not be "must-win", but with the White Sox playing so well lately, the Twins need wins to keep the gap manageable.
Since the Family Update was so well liked, here's a little comical information from today:
LeAnne had made some toast for herself for breakfast and one piece remained on the plate on our fireplace. After dinner, the plate still hadn't made it's way into the garbage can. Marin brought me the plate and I told her it was "yucky". To which she replied, "No daddy. Dat not yucky, dat yummy in me tummy!" How can you not love that?! Needless to say, we threw it away anyway.
Have a good Wednesday!
The highlight of today's game was the ability of Nick Blackburn to rebound from his 4 HR performance of last Friday night. Which leads me to...
THREE STARS:
Nick Blackburn - 7 IP, 3 H, 4 K, 1 BB. It would have been nice if he could have kept his pitch count (104) lower and been able to finish the game himself, but that's just being picky. Yesterday, Baker threw 70 of 100 pitches for strikes; today, Blackburn goes 69 for 104. And I thought Slowey was the control guy?
Delmon Young - 3 for 4, 2 2B, RBI, R. Admittedly a slow starter, Young has began to turn it around. His average is now up to .284. (He was 37th in the AL before today, where his average went up 6 points.) I know his OBP and SLG isn't great, but I think those will continue to climb as well. By the end of the year, I feel/hope that the "horrible trade" talk will subside.
Carlos Gomez - 3 for 5, R. As Go-Go goes, so goes the Twins. It really seems like that doesn't it? It also helps to have the other "Rabbits" around. (I don't think that's going to stick.)
The Twins have tomorrow off before opening a series against the disappointing Indians. The games might not be "must-win", but with the White Sox playing so well lately, the Twins need wins to keep the gap manageable.
Since the Family Update was so well liked, here's a little comical information from today:
LeAnne had made some toast for herself for breakfast and one piece remained on the plate on our fireplace. After dinner, the plate still hadn't made it's way into the garbage can. Marin brought me the plate and I told her it was "yucky". To which she replied, "No daddy. Dat not yucky, dat yummy in me tummy!" How can you not love that?! Needless to say, we threw it away anyway.
Have a good Wednesday!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Twins tame Tigers
After last night's disappointing loss, the Twins were able to get back on track with a 6-4 offensive outburst.
Three Stars:
Craig Monroe - 2 for 3, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB. Monroe's 8th HR of the year was a big one. It got the offense back on track and helped lead the club to a victory.
Scott Baker - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5 K. I thought Baker had a pretty good outing. He is keeping his ERA under 4 and remains healthy. Is it too early to already be excited about next year's pitching rotation (all a year more experienced, and Liriano replacing Hernandez)?
"The Rabbits" - (Bremer clearly referred to Denard Span, Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla as "The Rabbits".) 6 for 9, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, 0 K. How impressive was this group tonight? There are two legitimate lead-off hitters in this group... and Carlos Gomez bats in between them. I'm not going to back off my prediction that eventually Gomez develops into a #3 hitter and Mauer bumps up to #2. It just won't happen this year.
That's all for the game tonight. Tomorrow afternoon's game doesn't appear to be televised.
Family Update: We are 12 days to the due date for baby #2. LeAnne continues to work her normal hours... and as soon as baby comes, she'll be taking 12 weeks off. Marin is excited for her baby brother to come out and play. She's a little confused about the whole thing though, but she sure is funny. We finished the baby's room, so we're ready too. Even though I'm not sure I remember how the whole "newborn" thing works. I'm ready to give it a shot...
Three Stars:
Craig Monroe - 2 for 3, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB. Monroe's 8th HR of the year was a big one. It got the offense back on track and helped lead the club to a victory.
Scott Baker - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5 K. I thought Baker had a pretty good outing. He is keeping his ERA under 4 and remains healthy. Is it too early to already be excited about next year's pitching rotation (all a year more experienced, and Liriano replacing Hernandez)?
"The Rabbits" - (Bremer clearly referred to Denard Span, Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla as "The Rabbits".) 6 for 9, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, 0 K. How impressive was this group tonight? There are two legitimate lead-off hitters in this group... and Carlos Gomez bats in between them. I'm not going to back off my prediction that eventually Gomez develops into a #3 hitter and Mauer bumps up to #2. It just won't happen this year.
That's all for the game tonight. Tomorrow afternoon's game doesn't appear to be televised.
Family Update: We are 12 days to the due date for baby #2. LeAnne continues to work her normal hours... and as soon as baby comes, she'll be taking 12 weeks off. Marin is excited for her baby brother to come out and play. She's a little confused about the whole thing though, but she sure is funny. We finished the baby's room, so we're ready too. Even though I'm not sure I remember how the whole "newborn" thing works. I'm ready to give it a shot...
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