In the Win Column

Spring training is in full swing and the Twins have finally won a game, defeating the Red Sox 8-2 yesterday in the third consecutive meeting between the two clubs. Interestingly, after struggling to score runs through their first three exhibition games, the Twins managed to bring eight men across the plaet on a day where they trotted out this intimidating starting lineup:

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Nick Punto, 2B
3. Michael Cuddyer, RF
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, LF
6. Mike Redmond, C
7. Brian Buscher, 3B
8. Jon Knott, DH
9. Adam Everett, SS

Knott homered for the Twins, while Everett and Cuddyer chipped in with doubles. Livan Hernandez got the start and tossed two innings, giving up a double to David Ortiz and a home run to Mike Lowell on an 83 mph fastball.

Here are some notes on various topics as we work our way toward Opening Day:

* The battle for the starting center field job is one of this spring's most interesting storylines. Yesterday, Span got the start in center field and went 1-for-5. Pridie replaced Cuddyer in right field midway through the game and went 2-for-2 with a two-run single and a stolen base. Gomez sat the game out and is 1-for-6 this spring.

* Several Twins fans have been taking guilty pleasure in the fact that Johan Santana was roughed up in his spring debut with the Mets on Friday afternoon. I find this somewhat puzzling. Torii Hunter seems to get a free pass from everyone around here, despite the fact that his behavior on his way out of Minnesota was questionable at best. The majority of fans I talk to seem to wish him well in Los Angeles, and I have little doubt that he will receive a standing ovation in the Metrodome when he steps into the batter's box on March 31.

I'm sure there are people who disagree with me, but I thought that Santana acted with class and composure this winter. While it was relatively clear that he wanted out, Santana never demanded a trade outright, nor did he ever really speak ill of the organization. It was doubtlessly frustrating for him to see his name tossed around in so many different rumors during the offseason, but for the most part he kept his mouth shut (something Hunter could never seem to do) and kept to himself.

I respect Santana immensely, as a player and as a person, and I wish him all the best in New York. Despite his shaky first outing, I fully expect that he will find great success with the Mets.

* Reading this article in yesterday's Star Tribune was pretty painful. Here's what Ron Gardenhire had to say about Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young:

Gomez led off the first inning with a single against Red Sox starter Jon Lester and stole second on the next pitch.

In his next two plate appearances, Gomez came up with runners on base and took some tenacious swings that left Gardenhire chuckling. "I really think he swung so hard that the bat broke before the ball got there," Gardenhire said. "... He's a little bit of a free spirit."

Gardenhire met with Gomez on Saturday and encouraged him to keep being aggressive. "He took it to heart," Gardenhire said. "He looks at me and says, 'Boy, I like this guy.'

"He was hacking; nothing wrong with that. I like the way he plays. He's pretty fast, and he can be pretty exciting."

Young swung at more pitches last year (1,484) than any player in baseball. But he took the first six pitches he saw for balls Saturday, drawing a first-inning walk that loaded the bases, and then ripped a run-scoring single in the second inning.

Instead of pleading for more patience, as Young's former team did in Tampa Bay, the Twins have asked him to stay aggressive.

"All the on-base percentage [stats] and all those things -- he's dangerous when he lets that thing fly and gets fastballs," Gardenhire said. "We're going to want him to swing this year more than taking a lot of pitches and watching them go by.

"And I think he'll be more than willing to let them fly."

In my mind, Jacque Jones and -- to a lesser extent -- Hunter never really reached their full potential as Twins, because they were free swingers who never developed any plate discipline. Apparently the Twins didn't learn a lesson, because Gardenhire doesn't seem to have any interest in preaching patience to Gomez or Young, both of whom have displayed poor on-base skills throughout their careers thus far. This is unfortunate. I'm not trying to say that a player can't be great without the ability to take walks -- Kirby Puckett and Tony Oliva come to mind as guys who did just that -- but boy, does it help... particularly for a guy like Gomez who projects to hit at the top of the order.

Hunter's Parting Shots

Torii Hunter. His first name famously has two i's. He's made two All-Star appearances. And if there was any doubt, it's now perfectly clear that he's about as two-faced as they come.

Sid Hartman's column in the Sunday edition of the Star Tribune featured several quotes from Hunter, who last week signed a five year, $90 million contract with the Angels just days after promising he wouldn't be signing a contract during Thanksgiving week. His hypocrisy is evident in Hartman's column, in which he openly criticizes the Twins organization on a number of levels and blatantly contradicts several of the stances he has seemingly held over the past few months.

Many of Hunter's quotes in the article are difficult to understand, and I'm not sure if the fault for that should fall on Hunter for failing to speak eloquently, or on Hartman for failing to properly contextualize some of the quotes. Whatever the case, I found myself reading over some of the quotes two or three times to try and discern what they meant.

Let's dissect some of Hunter's statements.

As for his decision to sign with the Angels he [Hunter] said: "It was like a 24-hour decision. I could not leave Anaheim -- that's a nice place, a nice ballpark, they play the game right, they've got a chance to win every year. Because Arte Moreno is that type of owner, he wants to win."

Yes, I'm sure the Twins have no interest in winning. Not like they've posted a winning record six times in the past seven years (one more time than the Angels have during that span). To me it seems like Hunter is associating "desire to win" with "willingness to spend obscene amounts of money on free agents." Whatever.

"Sometimes you're going to ask for a raise or whatever. And it just so happened that in major league baseball the market is up, it's way up." he said. "So, I was going to get what I was going to get. I just wanted to make sure that I was with a team that wants to win, that's going to try to win day in and day out. Whatever pieces to the puzzle that they need, they were going to go out and get it. I just didn't feel the Twins were that ballclub."

Ouch. Hunter may have a legitimate point here; indeed, Terry Ryan was always very timid about trading for the major piece that seemed necessary to make a run. Hunter's comments about a team being willing to go out and get the "pieces to the puzzle that they need" make me wonder if perhaps the Angels indicated to him during negotiations that they planned to make a strong push for Marlins' third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who they have been rumored to have interest in.

Anyway, here's where I really start to get annoyed:

It will be hard for the Twins to attract free agents, Hunter added, because the new stadium lacks a roof.

"People aren't even thinking about this," he said. "I wouldn't play in Minnesota unless my career was at an end and I had to go to Minnesota to play the game. ... People think that's not true -- that's 100 percent accurate. This is coming from a player, so I'm telling you."

Well, well... it seems that iron man Torii Hunter, who openly criticized teammates for not being able to play unless they were 100 percent healthy, would not play in a roofless stadium in Minnesota because the weather would be a little chilly at times. Are you kidding me? Does anyone else find that incredibly ironic?

Let's not forget about this little quote from from Hunter just over a year ago when the Twins exercised his 2007 option:

"I'd just like to play in the new stadium at least the first season," Hunter said. "To see it, play in it and be a part of the hometown. However long it takes to see that, I would be happy."

Nice one. The final Hunter quote in the Hartman column should illustrate what I meant when I said the article was confusing, and it should also illustrate just how delusional Hunter is about his own talents:

"Some people think that in three years, I'll be older ... but I feel like I can play left or right, and still be the best left fielder and right fielder in the game," he said. "Some people think that, but that's a mistake. You shouldn't think like that because that was terrible."

Yes Torii, I'm sure most people think that in three years, you'll be older. In fact, I can just about guarantee it. If Hunter actually thinks that he'll be the best left fielder or right fielder in the game in three years, he's out of his mind -- even at his best, he doesn't rank among the best hitters at either of those positions, and with his rapidly deteriorating defense I strongly doubt he'd be one of the best in baseball at either of those positions defensively.

I've never had a problem with the Angels before, but Hunter's comments give me reason to root against them next year. I liked Hunter just fine when he was here and always enjoyed watching him play, but the classless manner in which he has acted during his departure has left a sour taste in my mouth.

Hunter Gets His Halo

In a move that was surprising for a number of reasons, Torii Hunter agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Angels late Wednesday night on a five-year deal worth $90 million.

Color me dumbfounded. For one thing, the Angels had not really been mentioned as a serious suitor for Hunter. Their outfield was already crowded with Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Matthews Jr., Garrett Anderson, Reggie Willits and Juan Rivera, and now they seem to have compounded that problem. (Someone's got to be available... Willits is an intriguing potential trade piece, as is Rivera.)

Furthermore, it's somewhat shocking that Hunter signed a deal so quickly. In fact, here's what he told the Star Tribune earlier this week with regards to signing a contract:

"I promise you, it won't be this week," he said. "I don't want to think about that while I'm eating turkey. I want to spend the whole weekend relaxing with my family."

Of course, this just confirms something most of us already knew -- Hunter isn't always totally forthright and honest.

The final reason that the deal is surprising is the sheer amount of money involved. Most projections had Hunter signing a deal somewhere in the range of five years/$75 million; for the Angels to commit nearly $100 million to a 32-year-old center fielder seems questionable a best. But hey, it's their problem now.

The writing has been on the wall for some time that Hunter was on his way out the door, and I'm glad he signed elsewhere so quickly so Bill Smith can put his full emphasis on finding a replacement.

I've always liked watching Torii play and I'm happy to see him haul in such a huge contract. I look forward to watching him on March 31, 2008, when the Angels coincidentally open their schedule at the Metrodome against the Twins.

South Side Hunter

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported yesterday that the White Sox and Torii Hunter could be signing a contract within a week. A lot of people are bothered by the notion of Hunter playing for the White Sox because it makes him "traitor," or because it would be painful to have to watch the Twins face him so many times every season. I don't really feel the same way... I like watching Hunter play and if he signs with the Sox I'll enjoy the opportunity to still see him almost 20 times per year.

What does concern me about the prospect of Hunter signing with Chicago is what it will do to their lineup. The offense of the White Sox was hugely disappointing in 2007, but we can't forget that this offense still features Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome and Paul Konerko. Dye had a down year in '07, but is likely to bounce back. Add Hunter into that mix (along with a solid top-of-the-lineup hitter in Orlando Cabrera, who the Sox acquired from the Angels in exchange for Jon Garland yesterday), and this lineup is looking pretty scary in 2008.

Of course, Chicago's pitching remains a concern, but we'll see what Kenny Williams has planned on that end. He has been very active since taking over as GM for the White Sox.

Monday Notes

A smattering of notes to help pass the time here in the early stages of the offseason...

* I've heard rumors floating around for a while that the Twins have some interest in free agent Tony Clark as a designated hitter candidate, and on Friday La Velle E. Neal III confirmed those rumors on his blog. Clark is 35 and has not had more than 349 at-bats in a season since 2001, so he's hardly an option as a regular, but he's at least mildly intriguing as a part-time DH option.

Like Craig Monroe, Clark has some power but lacks on-base skills. He's gotten on base at an above-average rate exactly once in the past five years, but he did slug .511 last year and in 2005 he hit .304/.366/.636 with 30 home runs and 87 RBI over 130 games.

He's reported to be looking for deal in the area of two years, $4 million. That sounds like something the Twins could afford.

* The Star Tribune's resident geezer, Sid Hartman, wrote in Sunday's edition that the Twins have offered Johan Santana a five-year deal worth $93 million. Considering the source, I'm hesitant to give this bit of news much credence, but in any case it seems like a logical starting point for negotiations from the Twins' perspective. There's little doubt that Santana would reject such an offer, but it's far from an insult.

* I heard rumors from people with "inside sources" last week that Torii Hunter was going to be signing a six-year deal with the Rangers on Friday. Obviously those rumors were false because such a deal never materialized; nevertheless, I continue to believe that Hunter will eventually end up in Texas. Such a deal would make sense, considering the Rangers' history of handing out foolishly lengthy contracts (see: Rodriguez, Alex).

Golden Geese

The American League Gold Glove winners were announced yesterday, and Twins fans will notice one very familiar name along with a welcome new one.

Torii Hunter brought home the award for a seventh consecutive time, while Johan Santana won his first Gold Glove at the pitcher position. Is Hunter really still one of the top three defensive outfielders in AL? I'm skeptical. But I have little doubt that Santana is the league's top defensive pitcher -- his ability to fly off the mound and use his athleticism to make plays is unmatched by any pitcher I watched this year. I'm glad to see him recognized by these oft-misguided voters.

Friday Notes

Not a whole lot to cover today, so I'll touch on a few different subjects before enjoying my pre-birthday weekend (I turn 22 on Monday!).

* I was surprised to see this story gracing the front page on ESPN.com yesterday. The headline: "Hunter says Twins haven't made any offers since end of season." It must have been a slow news day in the sports world, because that's not really news. Most of us don't expect the Twins to go any further than the three year, $45 million offer they made during the season. And they shouldn't.

* The Twins elected this week to activate Joe Nathan's $6 million option for the 2008 season, which is also not really news since it was obviously coming. Nathan is a tremendous bargain at that price, and he will enter the '08 season as arguably the only known commodity in the Twins' bullpen.

* Infielder Matt Macri, who the Twins acquired from the Rockies in August in exchange for Ramon Ortiz, has been putting together some impressive numbers while playing in the Arizona Fall League. Over 13 games, the 25-year-old Macri has hit .302/.333/.558 with five doubles, two homers and four RBI. This after hitting .296/.345/.511 with 26 doubles and 15 home runs over 331 at-bats this year spread across Double-A and Triple-A. He shouldn't be counted on, but Macri could be a dark-horse candidate to chip in at third base for the Twins. I'd prefer to see Bill Smith go out and acquire a legitimate young third baseman in a trade, but short of that, he could probably do worse than, say, a platoon of Macri and Brian Buscher or Corey Koskie (assuming that Koskie is back in playing shape).

* Non-Twins-related note: if anyone is interested in reading my stuff elsewhere, I write a bi-weekly sports column for the U of M's student magazine, The Wake. You can read my latest column here. This issue's edition previews the men's hockey team, which just recently kicked off its season and last night defeated Ohio State handily.

Coo-Coo for CoCo?

Our friend Seth Stohs over at SethSpeaks wrote an article on Tuesday outlining his ideas for the Twins' 2008 Opening Day roster. Many of the suggestions are ones that have been tossed around elsewhere -- sign Mike Lowell, trade for Jason Bay, etc. -- but there was one acquisition that I don't think I have seen suggested anywhere else. Seth writes that the Twins should bring in Red Sox center fielder CoCo Crisp to replace Torii Hunter.

At first, this struck me as an insufficient answer to the team's center field dilemma. Since joining Boston via trade in 2006, Crisp has been a sub par offensive player. Between 2006 and 2007, he totaled just 14 home runs and 96 RBI while batting .266 and slugging .383. These numbers represented a huge drop-off from Crisp's last year in Cleveland, where he hit .300/.345/.465 with 16 home runs and 69 RBI. That season could hardly be viewed as a fluke, as Crisp had put up very similar numbers the year before, batting .297/.344/.446 with 15 homers and 71 RBI.

Crisp's decline upon leaving Cleveland was rather inexplicable. He was a 26-year-old coming off of a career year and moving into a hitter-friendly park. Yet, whatever the reason for the drop-off in numbers, we know what Crisp is capable of from an offensive standpoint, and if he could even get back to a level somewhere between those good years in Cleveland and the disappointing ones in Boston, he could be an adequate player offensively.

As long as he's hitting a bit, Crisp can be a valuable player, because he has good speed and he is a phenomenal defender. At this point in time, Crisp may have the best range of any center fielder in the majors. For a team like the Twins that likes to build on speed and defense, Crisp seems like a natural fit.

The nice thing about Crisp is that he could hypothetically be available for a relatively cheap asking price. He remains under contract with Boston for two more years (with a club option for 2010), but the Red Sox have little use for him given the emergence of Jacoby Ellsbury in center field. Considering Crisp's unimpressive 2007 numbers and his struggles this post-season, his stock might be at an all-time low. And it's worth noting that while his 2007 season was a very disappointing one as it saw him post a .712 OPS while hitting just six home runs in 526 at-bats, Crisp did set career highs for stolen bases (28) and walks (50), so there are some positives can be drawn from his latest campaign.

I don't think that Crisp is an ideal candidate to take over in center field after Hunter leaves, but assuming the Twins make some significant upgrades at other positions, he could certainly be serviceable. If I had my way, I'd still rather see a guy like Matt Kemp come over in a Johan Santana trade, but I'll be the first to admit that such a move is unlikely. Crisp is a solid, young and cheap player who fits the Twins' mold. Definitely a guy worth keeping in mind over these winter months.

Hunter's Dome Farewell

Just after taking center field in the ninth inning of yesterday's series finale against the White Sox, Torii Hunter was pulled from the game in favor of Jason Tyner. The move by Ron Gardenhire was far from a slight to the longtime Twins' center fielder. It was an acknowledgment of Hunter's nine years of solid service in a Twins uniform, allowing him to jog off the field to an emotional standing ovation from thousands of appreciative Metrodome fans. Hunter entered the dugout and was greeted by high-fives from his teammates and coaches, and shortly thereafter a television camera showed him trotting up a set of stairs and into the Twins' clubhouse. Dick Bremer observed that it could well be the last time Hunter ever climbs those particular stairs in the aftermath of a baseball game. The truth of the matter is that it almost certainly was.

Hunter has had a great season. He is a good bet to set career highs in games played, batting average and on-base percentage. He has already surpassed his previous career highs in hits, doubles, runs batted in and runs scored. Despite his generally streaky tendencies, Hunter has been relatively consistent throughout his career with the Twins, generally hitting around his career averages of .271/.325/.470 with impressive power totals and elite defensive at a crucial position. He plays hard, smiles a lot and speaks his mind (sometimes to a fault). For those reasons, Hunter has been a joy to have around for the past decade and it will be sad to see him go. But, I have little doubt in my mind that yesterday I watched him walk off that Metrodome field and into the Twins' clubhouse for the last time.

Many people have tried to argue that the Twins have a good shot at keeping Hunter. One of the most common points I have heard made by these people is that the team has never let one of their superstars walk for financial reasons. But these people need to wake up and realize that the team's current situation is distinct from any dilemma that has been faced in franchise history. There are too many young players with significant pay raises due over the next several years for it to be feasible to hand a monster contract to a guy who will turn 33 next season. And make no mistake about it... Hunter will be looking for a monster contract. He hasn't been too shy about stating that.

I won't be happy to see Hunter go, and trying to replace his production will be an exceedingly difficult task. But I feel like it would be financially irresponsible for the Twins to offer Hunter anything more than the 3 year/$45 million deal that they reportedly offered earlier in the season. I believe that Hunter is an elite player right now, but I'm very skeptical that he will still be an elite player in three to four years, when he'll still be getting paid like one. For a team working on a budget like the one the Twins are on, and dealing with these types of contract situations, it's almost impossible to justify committing the kind of money to Hunter that he will command, regardless of how popular he may be amongst fans. I believe Bill Smith and the rest of the Twins' front office realize this fact, and that's why I have little doubt in my mind that Hunter has played his last game in a Twins uniform in the Metrodome.

A Lack of Patience Pays Off

In my perusal of numerous Twins blogs and message boards this season, the most popular topic for discussion by far has been Torii Hunter and his future with the team. Hunter, who is in the last year of his current contract, will become a free agent following the 2007 season and coincidentally, he is on pace for the best season of his career. In 44 games, Hunter has batted .315/.352/.607 and he's on pace for 38 home runs and 140 RBI. Should the Twins deal Hunter if the Twins are not in contention around the trading deadline? Should they trade him even if they are in contention? His stellar numbers so far this season are certainly making matters a bit more interesting.

Many people have been stunned by the incredibly hot start Hunter has gotten off to this season, but what it is is actually a much longer torrid streak that stretches back to last season. Many will recall that he was a tremendous force in September of '06, when he hit nine homers and amassed in 27 RBI in 29 games. Since the 2006 All-Star break, Hunter has hit .304 with 28 HR and 89 RBI in just 106 games. For comparison, during that same span, the reigning MVP Justin Morneau has hit .319 with 25 HR and 88 RBI in 122 games.

The striking thing about Hunter's prolonged hot streak is that during those 106 games, he has collected a total of just 15 walks. This season, Hunter has drawn just eight free passes in 179 plate appearances, and that's after he walked twice in Sunday's game against the Brewers and was issued an intentional walk by the Rangers on Wednesday afternoon. Just how odd is it for a player to be putting up numbers like Hunter while showing almost no patience at the plate whatsoever? Among the 18 players in the major leagues with 10 or more home runs, Hunter is the only one with fewer than 10 walks. Among the league's top 40 RBI producers, only Hunter and San Francisco's Bengie Molina have drawn fewer than 10 free passes. It is extremely rare for a player to rack up homers and RBI at an elite rate without showing any patience at the plate, but Hunter has been doing it for almost five months now.

For years, Twins fans have bemoaned Hunter's first-pitch hacks and have wished that he could start to show more patience at the plate. But maybe those thoughts were misguided. The Twins' center fielder is as much a hacker at the plate as he ever was, but he seems to have gotten really, really good at it. Hunter is currently on pace to draw fewer than 40 walks this year. The last time he did that (with the exception of his injury-shortened 2005 campaign) was 2002. And 2002 happened to be the year Hunter posted career highs in batting average and slugging percentage. It also happened to be a contract year.

I'm not even really going to attempt to answer the question of whether or not the Twins should trade Hunter this July. That will be an issue worth tackling a bit further down the road. Right now, I think it's interesting to just sit back and marvel at Hunter's rare ability to combine great power and run producing ability with an utter lack of patience at the plate. The season Hunter is having brings back memories of successful hackers such as Andre Dawson and Jim Rice from the '80s, which is not bad company at all considering that both are borderline Hall of Famers.

So the next time Hunter comes to the plate following back-to-back walks and goes chopping at that first pitch, don't get frustrated. Patience isn't always a virtue.

On Location in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, WI -- As I sat in Section 213 of the Brewers' stadium and watched the Twins cruise to a 5-2 victory over their neighborly rivals last night, a few questions crossed my mind.

1) What's gotten into Scott Baker?
In the first inning of last night's game, Baker gave up a solo home run to J.J. Hardy. In the ninth inning, he gave up a solo home run to Bill Hall. Between those two pitches, Baker was absolutely phenomenal. He finished the game with a line of 8.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. It seemed like a statement game from Baker, who, because of his horrible performance in 2006, was almost an afterthought coming into the season despite being just 25 years old. I've taught myself not to get too caught up in a good outing from Baker after his inconsistency last year, but there were several encouraging signs in last night's game. His control was excellent, as evidenced his ability to throw 71 of his 96 pitches for strikes and not issue a single free pass. He was economical and entered the ninth inning with a pitch count under 90. He seemed to get stronger as the game went on. Baker's previous career high for innings in a game was seven; last night he looked like he might go the distance before he allowed the ninth-inning homer and left game to a standing ovation from the numerous Twins' fans in attendance. The key for Baker will be to carry this success over into his next start.

2) When are opposing pitchers going to stop throwing meat-balls to Torii Hunter on the first pitch?
On Friday night, Hunter came up with a bases loaded in a 1-1 game, and Chris Capuano tossed a beach-ball over the middle of the plate on the first pitch which Hunter turned on for a game-breaking grand slam. Last night, when Hunter came up to the plate in the second inning against Brewers starter Dave Bush, he received another first-pitch gift and he drilled it into right-center field for a two-run homer that gave the Twins a lead they would never relinquish. Hunter is batting .414 with an .828 slugging percentage when he puts the ball in play on a 0-0 count. I'm surprised pitchers are willing to throw the ball anywhere near the strike zone in the first pitch of an at-bat against him.

3) How crappy are retractable roofs?
Last night's game provided a perfect example of one reason why I'm glad the Twins' new stadium will not have a retractable roof. There were some looming clouds before the game began, so they opted to close the roof. Granted, it did rain for what I'm guessing was about 20-30 minutes during the game, but for the most part it was a beautiful night to watch a game outdoors. Instead the roof was closed for the entire game. I'm a fan of Miller Park, but there's no doubt that the atmosphere is much better with the roof open. It's been closed for the last two games I've seen at the stadium, despite the fact that it could have easily been open for both.

4) Can the Twins switch to the National League?
Why not follow the path of the Brewers? The Twins have owned NL opponents, as they have now won 12 straight interleague games. They might be more well suited for the National League anyway, since their pitchers could probably provide more offensive production than their designated hitters.

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That's all for today. Tomorrow I'll have a full recap of the series as well as (hopefully) some photos from last night's game.

The Punches Don't Land Again

If I was a little more like my co-blogger, I'd make a big rant here based on the performance last night's 2-0 loss to te Red Sox. However, it isn't worth landing when the symptoms simply haven't changed. The Twins problems last night are no different then they were Thursday, Wednesday, or in other recent follies.

Following that line, the Twins promptly scored no runs yesterday, had four hits, and did nothing to support a very good pitching performance from Carlos Silva. Up against Boston's tough offense, Silva went seven innings, gave up only five hits, walked two, and struck out one. The only run he gave up was a solo home run to David Ortiz, but it's awful hard to hold that against him. After all, through six starts, Silva is 2-2 with a 2.75 ERA.

As for the "offense," not surprisingly, Torii Hunter basically provided the only offense of the night, going 2-for-3 to bring his hitting streak to 19 games and his average to .340, while stealing his seventh base (and getting caught his second time as well). Hunter has a .650 slugging percentage, which puts his current OPS as 1.023. While Hunter continued to slug away in the midst of what could be a huge season, the only other hits came from Joe Mauer and Jason Bartlett.

Justin Morneau struggled again, as he did Thursday night, going 0-3 while drawing a walk to bring his season line to .263/.341/.482. Morneau certainly hasn't been terrible and he hasn't looked as bad as he did at the start of last season, but he also doesn't look as comfortable in the batter's box as he did in the second half of last year. He's going to have to pick it up here in May, as the pressure begins to mount on the middle of the lineup to get it done. Also, as much as I want to have Jason Tyner's at-bats kept to a minimum, he certainly as a better option than the pathetic Josh Rabe. Rabe should not be getting any starts in important games, like ones against Boston.

The good news for Twins fans is that the Twins have their best chance to break out of their offensive funk and get some scoring done today, as Boston's awful fifth starter Julian Tarvarez takes the mound against Johan Santana. This should be a win for the Twins, but considering how good they made Jae Seo look recently, I'm not hedging my bets just yet.

Another Crained End to April

With a day off today, the Twins are officially done with April. As Twins recall with great disgust, last year's April also ended with a series in Detroit that is best symbolized with the numbers 33 and 1. In Jesse Crain's last April outing last year, it was in a 18-1 blowout and Crain also gave up a run. He ended that April with a 7.50 ERA. This time around, he ends April with a 6.30 ERA.

Crain ended last year with a 3.52 after a vastly superior second-half, in which he went 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA. Thats compared to a first half 5.03 ERA, despite having a 2.03 ERA in June. The question, of course, is should we be worried about Crain struggling again when he looked like he got it together again at the end of last year. Much of the answer comes in Crain's April numbers from both this year and last year.

This year, despite the high ERA, Crain has allowed 10 hits in 10 innings compared to 20 in 12 April innings last year. Crain also allowed three home runs last year in April, though he did strike out 11 in those 12 innings. This year he has only struck out five, but he has given two home runs. Two doesn't sound like a lot, but in 10 innings, its quite significant. Granted, the home run he allowed to Juan Uribe in the April 8 game against Chicago was innocous because the Twins won, but yesterday's hurt a lot more.

With a chance to sweep the Tigers and close this April with the opposite result to a series in Detroit, Crain allowed a Brandon Inge walk-off home run in the ninth inning. I can't really compalin about winning a series in Detroit, considering that they are some of baseball's best competition. However, a 14-11 record April is not as good as it may seem.

Last year, the Twins had April series against Toronto, Cleveland, Oakland, New York, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago, Kansas City, and Detroit. That team ended April with a 9-15 record. Though they won series against Oakland and New York, the only other series they won was against Kansas City. This year, the Twins have had series against Baltimore, Chicago, New York, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Seattle, Kansas City, and Detroit. The schedule certainly has been friendlier, but the result hasn't been a far and away great record.

May starts off easy enough for the Twins, with a series in Tampa Bay, but they will play Chicago six times along with series against Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, and the surprising NL West-leading Milwaukee Brewers. The only other easy series will come against the Texas Rangers and the suddenly-speaks-English-against-Slammin' Sammy Sosa.

Somebody like Crain is going to be important in May. This coming month, the Twins will not only be challenged more, but they will certainly have lots of decisions on their hands. Sidney Ponson might be ok in another start against a mediocre team, but the sooner he goes, the better. Offenses like that of Boston, Cleveland, and Toronto will mercilessly tie off against him. Expect the home runs only to mount and the countdown to a Scott Baker or Kevin Slowey sighting to end.

Because Ponson will be in the rotation and likely not pitching many innings, the Twins need some of their bullpen members like Crain to step up. Crain hasn't been very good and I choose to talk about him because of what happened last year in April and because of the big homer he gave up, but Dennys Reyes has been far worse. Right now, Juan Rincon, Joe Nathan, Matt Guerrier, and Pat Neshek all have sub-3.00 ERAs, but they all have also pitched more innings than Crain or Reyes. Both these guys have to step up in big games in the next month to take pressure of the rest of the bullpen.

Of course, there is too much to complain about when the pitching staff has posted a 3.96 ERA in April. Last year at the end of April, the ERA was an unsightly 6.28. Its a big improvement thats due to Ramon Ortiz and Carlos Silva making big contributions next to Johan Santana instead of Scott Baker being the only Twins starter with a sub-4.00 ERA at the end of the month. The schedule as helps, but as we turn the calender to May, things will be getting harder for the Twins.

As for yesterday's game, the Twins offense performed better than expected against starter Mike Maroth, but still did not do quite enough. While Torii Hunter had another extra-base hit with a home run off of Maroth to tie the game in the sixth, the Twins only other run-scoring game on a two-run double off the bat of Jason Kubel. The Twins 3-4-5 hitters Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, and Justin Morneau went 0-for-10 with two walks, providing no offense from the hitters the Twins expect the most out of.

As for Hunter, he ends April with a torrid .326 average and .651 slugging percentage, due to his thirteen doubles and five home runs, but he walked only two times all month, leaving him with a .352 OBP. Last April was a entirely different story, as Hunter ended the month with a pathetic .189/.240/.378 line. Lets hope Hunter keeps it up and some other Twins hitters heat up a little more when better competition comes to town.

Battle of Ineptitude

By the time Mike Redmond drove a single to right-center field in the bottom of the 11th inning yesterday afternoon to break a scoreless tie and push the Twins to their first victory in five games, most Twins fans were probably frustrated enough already that a narrow victory was of little consolation. The Twins had put together another feeble performance against an unspectacular starting pitcher in Zack Greinke (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 1 K) and had been shut down for three innings by the Royals' bullpen before finally stringing together three straight singles against Todd Wellemyer in the 11th to bring home Justin Morneau with the winning run. Fortunately, the 1-0 victory was made possible by an excellent combined performance by the Twins' pitching staff, which kept the Royals off the board long enough for the astoundingly inept offense to produce a run.

Boof Bonser got the job done by allowing no runs and striking out eight over five innings of work. However, Bonser's lack of control in the game was rather perturbing; he issued seven walks and threw just 58 of his 108 pitches for strikes. Bonser has now issued 16 walks over 25 2/3 innings this year, which could be a bad sign. As a minor-leaguer, Bonser frequently struggled with his control, which was one of the main reasons he was never really viewed as an elite prospect. Over 885 2/3 innings in the minors, Bonser walked 398 batters -- a 4.05 BB/9 ratio. Then, when he came up to the majors last year, Bonser showed greatly improved control, walking just 24 batters in 100 1/3 innings of work. That was good for a 2.15 BB/9 ratio that was better than any he had posted at any level of the minor leagues, indicating that perhaps the "Rick Anderson Effect" had benefited him. Largely as a result of his ability to throw strikes, Bonser was a very solid pitcher for the Twins down the stretch. Now, after his outing yesterday, Bonser holds an unsightly 5.60 BB/9 ratio this season. Because of this, it is no surprise that, despite the fact that he's held opposing hitters to a .245 batting average, his ERA is still over 5 and his WHIP is a high 1.60. Simply put, Bonser needs to get back to where he was last year in terms of throwing the ball in the strike zone if he wants to be a consistently effective pitcher.

Fortunately, Bonser was able to work out of the jams that his walks created yesterday, and the bullpen was lights-out. Glen Perkins, Matt Guerrier, Joe Nathan and Juan Rincon combined to pitch six scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.

As horrifying as the Twins' offense was to watch in the late innings of the game, the scariest moment undoubtedly came in the second when Torii Hunter was hit in the face by a Zack Greinke fastball. Hunter's immediate reaction was anger, and indeed he took a few steps out toward the mound, but he quickly staggered and fell to the ground in pain. He was taken to the hospital where he received three stitches for a laceration on the inside of his lip, and he later returned to the Dome. He's being listed as day-to-day. From watching the play, it initially looked like it could have been a lot worse; Hunter is lucky the pitch didn't break his jaw. The Twins are lucky too -- he's really the only guy in the lineup that's been producing over the past week.

The rest of the Twins' lineup looked much the same as they have for the previous four games: awful. The top three hitters in the lineup -- Alexi Casilla, Nick Punto and Joe Mauer -- combined to draw four walks but also went hitless in 11 at-bats. Jason Kubel, who went 2-for-4 and continues to hit the ball hard almost every time up, provided the team's only extra-base hit when he doubled in the ninth but was stranded when Jason Bartlett struck out in the next at-bat.

Even though the Twins ended up winning, it's tough to put a positive spin on this game. They wound up scoring just four runs over 20 innings in this two-game series against the Royals' weak pitching staff, and now they'll be heading to Detroit to face Nate Robertson, Justin Verlander and Mike Maroth in a three-game series. It could be a brutal weekend, especially if Hunter is not in the lineup.

Late Night Special

Last night, a starting pitcher who had allowed just three earned runs over 15 innings on the season went up against a starting pitcher who had allowed seven earned runs in two innings. The results were just as one might have expected.

The Twins jumped all over Jeff Weaver, tagging him for seven earned runs on 10 hits over six innings. Despite the ugly outing, Weaver actually managed cut his ERA for the season in half, lowering it from 31.50 to 15.75. That should tell you just how rough the season has been so far for the lanky righthander. Meanwhile, Ramon Ortiz delivered yet another masterful performance against the Mariners, delivering seven very strong innings, with the only damage coming on solo home runs by Ichiro Suzuki and Jose Lopez. Ortiz looked good, although I think it's fair to say that the stadium radar gun was giving him a little too much credit (his fastball was regularly clocked at 98-99 MPH, according to the FSN broadcast). He didn't strike anyone out, but also didn't issue a walk and managed to induce 15 groundball outs. He was once again surprisingly efficient, needing just 92 pitches to get through his seven innings of work. After three starts, Ortiz is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA. I've got to admit, I never could have seen that coming.

It was a great night for the Jekyll-and-Hyde Twins' offense, which scored 11 runs on 15 hits and three walks. The Twins did most of their damage against Weaver in in the fifth, when they brought five runs across. The inning went pretty much exactly the way one would ideally draw things up for this offense, with the "piranhas" filling up the bases with scrappy singles and a member of the heart of the order delivering a big hit to bring them in. The inning started with a base hit by Jason Bartlett. Luis Castillo and Jason Tyner each followed with a single on a two-strike count, with Bartlett scoring on Tyner's. Joe Mauer then layed down a sacrifice bunt to move Castillo and Tyner into scoring position. After a K-ddyer strikeout, Weaver intentionally walked Justin Morneau, at which point Torii Hunter yanked a hanging breaking ball into the left field seats for a grand slam. That broke the game wide open and the Twins never looked back.

A few additional notes:

* Prior to last night's game, Mauer had driven in just two runs in 45 plate appearances. This had a lot less to do with a lack of production than a lack of opportunity, and Mauer took advantage of the chances he got last night, picking up three RBIs while going 3-for-4 with three doubles.

* Along with his grand slam, Hunter hit his league-leading ninth double of the season. Interestingly, Hunter has drawn just two walks in 50 plate appearances, which continues a trend of disturbingly low patience at the plate (even for him) stretching back to the second half of last season. Despite his outstanding numbers after the All-Star break last year, Hunter drew just seven free passes over 254 plate appearances. Of course, he batted .296 with a .551 slugging percentage during that span, and so far this season he's batted .292 and slugged .604, so you won't find me complaining.

* Speaking of Hunter, he had to leave the game last night after hurting his shoulder while diving for a sinking liner in center. He did stay in the game for a short while after the play, so there is reason to think that the injury is not overly serious. I certainly hope that is the case, because the always-streaky Hunter has a hot bat right now, and he can pretty much carry a lineup when he's in the zone.

* After hitting a pair of doubles last night, Tyner is now slugging .520. What. The. Hell.

* Luis Rodriguez had a couple nice games early on, but after going 1-for-5 last night his average has dropped to .238 and he still hasn't drawn a walk in 21 at-bats. I'm ready for Nick Punto to return. On the flip-side, Bartlett has seen his average rise nearly 200 points since he returned to he lineup after sitting a couple games out last week.

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I hope the Twins had fun scoring so much last night, because they aren't likely to do it again tonight against Felix Hernandez. "King Felix" has been incredibly dominant so far, striking out 18 and allowing just four hits over 17 shutout innings in his first two starts. If he and Twins' starter Carlos Silva (0.77 ERA) both continue to pitch the way they have so far this season, we could have quite the pitchers' duel on our hands. Color me skeptical.

Morneau Comes Up a Hero Again

Before talking about the game and the heroics of Justin Morneau and Carlos Silva, I would like to mention that Torii Hunter has once again made a fool out of himself in public. In an interview on ESPN news following the game, Hunter said that there is "very little chance" of him re-signing and laughed about how the only way to keep him around would be if the Twins paid him what he needs.

Hunter said he wanted to be "politically correct" and not be a "distraction" during the season, but this is not a good way to start things. It is apparent that the Twins likely won't keep Hunter, but that's no reason for him to go off and say such things.

As for the game, a few things obviously stand out. For one, there was an unbelievably awful base-running error by two Devil Rays in the ninth that prevented them from taking the lead, as Ben Zobrist was keep at third on a Carl Crawford smash into the corner. However, Crawford thought he had a triple and run all the way to third. Seeing Crawford coming for the same base, Zobrist started to go home before getting caught in a run-down by Joe Mauer off a Luis Castillo throw. After Mauer tagged Zobrist out, he noticed that Crawford now had inexplicably decided to run back to second as Zobrist went home and Mauer threw Crawford out. It was so crazy that I couldn't stop laughing. But after laughing for minutes, one thing that was clear: the Twins got pretty lucky.

They didn't blow their opportunity and in the bottom of the ninth, when Morneau lead off with the score tied at 2-2. With a Brian Strokes offering right over the outer half of the plate, Morneau went with the pitch and drove a game-winning home run just into the arms of awaiting Twins fans in the Home Run Porch in left field. As huge as Morneau's blast was, it was hard to forget the other hero of the game, Carlos Silva.

Silva lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and no runs while striking out four and walking two. Having given up only the one run in 11 2/3 innings so far, Silva currently boasts a 0.77 ERA. Hard to think that through the first two weeks of the season, Ramon Ortiz and Silva would be boasting the best starter ERAs so far, but they are. And such a pleasant surprise is surely welcome. But, as with Ortiz, it has to be cautioned that Silva certainly isn't going to be better than Santana this year. Still, if he can continue to show a solid change-up and a good sinker, he certainly can have a good year and prove most of the Twins blogosphere (including us) wrong.

The other big hit came from Michael Cuddyer, who hit a two-run blast in the fourth to give the Twins the lead. So far, Cuddyer has looked impressive, hitting .364 with 6 RBI. Likewise, after two hits last night, Jason Kubel is now hitting .333 and may be hitting his stride. Kubel was mentioned as a breakout candidate for this season and it would be a safe bet to say that keeping him in the lineup is a good idea.

As for negatives, I will continue to point out that the "piranhas" are looking pathetic this year, as the two who started, Castillo and Nick Punto, went a combined 0-for-8 last night. So far this year, the piranhas (including Jason Tyner and Jason Bartlett) have gone a combined 17-for-101, or a horrendous .168 average. Horrendous because the name piranha implies that none of these guys have much power to speak of and are basically singles hitters. So, if they aren't hitting near .300, they aren't very useful. I won't rally too much against Castillo, since he will come around, and I think that Bartlett will as well, but Tyner already is a liability and Punto could become one at the plate again.

Lastly, Juan Rincon showed last night that he may not be over his problems that began at the end of last year, as he got knocked around in the eight inning and gave up the two runs Tampa needed to tie the game. Rincon was only saved by Pat Neshek, who came in and got the last two outs on strikeouts. Neshek should be in the set-up role regardless, as at this point he is clearly more dominant than Rincon.

Today, we will look forward to the battle of lefty ace starters between Johan Santana and Scott Kazmir. Should be good fun!

Out of the Gate and Running

Well, Opening Day finally arrived and there were plenty of reasons to feel excited about the season. The Twins got out of the gate the right way, beating the Orioles at the Metrodome 7-4 last night. Johan Santana started the game with a strike and struck out the first batter of the day, Brian Roberts. Justin Morneau's first swing of the bat smacked an opposite-field homer off of lefty Erik Bedard to give the Twins a 1-0 lead in the second. Torii followed, swinging at the first pitch, and hitting it over the right-field wall.

Overall, it wasn't the greatest pitching day, but the offense was impressive. The Twins lineup went 12-for-35 and produced seven runs, doing better than expected against the often-impressive Bedard. Most of the Twins' production came from Morneau and Hunter, as Morneau went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Hunter went 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Otherwise, Luis Castillo had a three-hit night, Joe Mauer was his usual self, picking up a hit and a walk, and Jeff Cirillo had a good debut, going 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI single. Rondell White looked more like an alternate-universe version of himself, failing to get a hit but walking and making a great diving catch in the field. Strange.

As for Santana, he was just as he has been the last few opening starts: mediocre. He struck out six in six innings, but walked two, gave up four runs, and allowed seven hits. Those hoping he would immediately be in Cy Young form may be disappointed, but it is only one start and it's not as if there is reason to be worried.

Otherwise, the one noticeable problem in the game was Morneau's baserunning. Twice he got caught trying to take an extra base, as he was thrown out at the plate and at second base, both by right fielder Nick Markakis. Last year, Morneau had similar problems, which probably prevented him from scoring over 100 times. It isn't the biggest fault obviously, but Morneau might need a few lessons from Joe Mauer on baserunning fundamentals. And, as Gleeman mentions, some of it may not have been Morneau's fault.

There isn't much, however, to complain about when you've got Joe Nathan back on the screen, pumping 96-mph fastballs to get his first save of the year. Here's to another great season!

Position Analysis: Center Field

Projected Starter: Torii Hunter
2006 Stats: .278/.336/.490, 31 HR, 98 RBI

How long will Hunter be around?

Potential Backups: Jason Tyner, Lew Ford, Denard Span


For the last six years, center field has been a position that Minnesota Twins fans haven't had to worry about. That may change soon, but for at least one last season, center field is a pretty strong position in the hands of Torii Hunter.

Hunter is many things to Twins fans: he's media-friendly, he's emotional, he's perhaps overly outspoken, he's a hacker, and he's also loyal to the organization. Hunter isn't a Hall-of-Fame caliber player, but he's pretty solid. This year, fans shouldn't expect "Spiderman" Hunter in center field to making great catches. In fact, Twins fans might be wise to lower their expectations.

Hunter isn't the same guy he was in 2002 or 2004. His defense probably won't be subpar, but he has been passed by Grady Sizemore and Vernon Wells for top American League center fielders, both defensively and offensively. Hunter will continue to be a player with some good speed on the bases, plenty of power, a lack of patience, and a decent average.

This year, I'd predict that Hunter will have another good year. As with 2002, Torii is in a contract year and will have some motivation to put up big numbers again. I'd say a .285/.345/.500 line with 32 HRs and 90 RBI with 15-20 SB is a reasonable expectation. However, Torii may not be putting all of those numbers up for the Twins, as a mid-season trade is very possible. Also, expect Hunter to be his usual inconsistent self, having a few great months and a few long slumps, like his 2006 April.

As I wrote a few weeks back, Hunter appears to have a professional attitude toward the upcoming season despite the fact that he'll likely be leaving by the end of the year, whether it is through a trade or free-agency. If the Twins aren't in a position to make the playoffs in June or July (likely because of certain moves involving "veterans"), Hunter will probably be traded and that may be a good thing. The Twins will need some hitting or even pitching if they can't trust their young guys for a 2008 run.

If Hunter gets hurt or traded, Lew Ford and Jason Tyner will be around to provide depth. Denard Span is still considered by many to be the center-fielder of the future at this point, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him in a Twins uniform at some point during this season.

Needless to say, as Twins fans are well-aware, Hunter is good center fielder and it can't be denied that he at least has an effect on the clubhouse and the team. It should be another consecutively fun and frustrating season involving No. 48.

Torii's Professionalism

For as long as he's been a Twin, Torii Hunter has made a lot of stories and garnered a lot of attention. He has been a media darling and the was face of the Twins until the arrival of stars like Johan Santana, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. He's also been known to some as a bit of a prima donna with a big mouth. However, recent comments seem to tell us a lot about Hunter's true values these days.

As many know and have accepted, Hunter is probably in his last year as a Twin. When asked about his contract, he told this to the Star Tribune:

"I don't let it bother me anymore," Hunter said. "I'm still signed for one year, and I'm going to honor that. I'm going to work hard. I'm not going to be a problem in the clubhouse or none of that."

"Once the season starts it's over," he said. "I'm 100 percent focused. I won't be a distraction. That's why I really don't want to talk contract. It sounds selfish when you're trying to win a division or things like that."

To some, this may seem totally the opposite of what people expect from Hunter or it may seem like something he put out there to keep face. I think it has to be looked at as symbolic of the true Torii. Hunter is a leader, yes, and he also can be a distraction. But, deep down, he's a loyal guy who plays his heart out and has always respected the team.

One of the best examples I can think of, other then these recent quotes, is Hunter's frequent visits to Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show Period." In his visits, he's constantly hounded by Chris Rose and others for why he is still playing for the Twins, but he's always stuck up for the organization. His occassionally disrespectful or irritating outbursts make him the type of emotional team player remniscent of another great Minneapolis athlete: Kevin Garnett.

Ironically, Garnett may be out of town soon too, based on how terribly things went last night. (This isn't a Timberwolves blog, but you don't need to be a fan to understand the embarassment of last night's loss to Charlotte. Adam freakin' Morrison people.) Hunter isn't the once-in-a-lifetime talent Garnett is, but he is one of the great athletes in Twin Cities history.

If this is his last season, let's view Hunter in the right light: he isn't perfect, but he's always played hard, he's been a vocal leader, and he's always kept us entertained.

A couple other notes:

* If Hunter keeps the professionalism, it will certainly help the ability of the Twins to trade him. Knowing how a troublesome or distracting star can be hard to trade (Manny Ramirez anyone?), it's easy to figure that the opposite situation will only help ease the trade market for a player.

* There is an interesting quote from Johan Santana in response to the Barry Zito contract at the end of the aforementioned Strib article:

"We haven't heard anything from [the Twins]," he said. "But one thing I could tell them is, sooner would be better. I'm pretty sure it will be cheaper."

All I can say is that if the Twins want to have any chance of keeping Santana, they better act quick.