... But for what?
I am, I guess you could say, a critical person by nature. I see faults in most everything, so I have done a lot of complaining about the Twins this year despite the fact that I have generally been satisfied with their play. One thing I have not complained about all year is the way games have been officiated. I certainly haven't agreed with all calls that umpires have made all year, and no doubt Gardy has had good reason when he's been kicked out, but I have several years of experience umpiring little league so I know what it's like to be crouched behind the catcher. With all that said, I have to say that I was absolutely DISGUSTED with the performance of home plate umpire Gary Darling tonight. I was talking online with Nick & Nick counterpart Nick Mosvick while I watched the later part of the game tonight, and I commented that the umpiring was bothering me... Darling had expanded his strike zone exponentially over the course of the game. I'm not a guy who complains if an ump has a zone that is too large or too small, as long as it is consistent. Early in tonight's game, Darling was calling an extremely tight zone for both teams, leading to three walks in the first couple innings and high pitch counts for both pitchers. As the game got down to the last few innings, it just seemed like Darling wanted to go home.
Angels' relievers Scott Shields and Francisco Rodriguez were getting numerous strikes called that were way off the plate. In the top of the 9th, the Twins were down by one run. Justin Morneau (who just seems completely lost, something has got to be done here) was called out on a check swing that was very questionable. Granted, this was the third base umpire's call, and in fact I did think that he swung, although Bert and Dick were fully convinced that he held up. Regardless, he was in a 2-strike situation because of bad called strikes. I was complaining about Darling's performance BEFORE he made what was one of the worst calls I can remember seeing: the called third strike on Matt LeCroy. LeCroy represented the go-ahead run and had a 2-2 count, and K-Rod delivered a pitch that was CLEARLY below the knees and 6 inches off the plate, and somehow Darling punched him out. This arose the anger of Gardenhire, both base-coaches, and even the mild-mannered and jolly LeCroy. The terrible call killed any chances the Twins might have had to come back and tie the game, both figuratively and literally. Darling had set up a strike zone so gigantic that Shannon Stewart next came out and struck out flailing at three curveballs in the dirt because he basically felt that anything he didn't swing at with a foot of the plate was going to be called a strike.
Alas, I am unable to appreciate a very impressive first career start for Scott Baker, because I am so damn frustrated by the way this one ended. I can't be mad at the Twins for losing against an Angels team that I feel is really the best in the AL, but they lost their chance at this one thanks to getting completely screwed by some bad umpiring. After getting defeated by the promising young Santana of the Angels today (Ervin), the Twins will get to throw their own Santana out tomorrow in hopes of winning the series. And wouldn't you know it, it is yet ANOTHER untelevised Santana game! AND the White Sox came back and beat the D-Rays late in tonight's game, pushing the AL Central deficit back to 9.5 games! I'm going to go scream into a pillow for a while.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Hunter Update
It's about noon on Tuesday afternoon. ESPN.com's poll currently has Torii Hunter tweaking out Derek Jeter for the 32nd spot on the AL All-Star roster, with Hunter receiving 30.4% of the votes and Jeter receiving 29.9%. Voting finalizes on Wednesday. It could still go either way, but I am absolutely stunned that Hunter is even in this race. Jeter is a wildly popular player and he plays for the friggin' Yankees. In any case, keep voting and hopefully we can get a third Twin in the game, although I doubt he would see a whole lot of play time.
Check back later tonight for a report on tonight's game, which will be rookie Scott Baker's first career start. It will be interesting to see how he fares against a loaded Angels offense.
Check back later tonight for a report on tonight's game, which will be rookie Scott Baker's first career start. It will be interesting to see how he fares against a loaded Angels offense.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Bats back?
A 7-5 victory over the AL West-leading Angels was definitely a move in the right direction. Carlos Silva did not pitch particularly well tonight, but there was plenty of punch to make up for it. The Twins managed those seven runs on 13 hits off of Angels starter John Lackey and the Angel bullpen. All and all, it was a very good win for the Twins over one of the better teams in the league and they have now won five straight.
* Jacque Jones had a good night after a few ugly games against left-handers. He went 2 for 3 with two walks, a home run, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Jones, who has been back and forth as of late and who hadn't hit a home run since June 10th, finally showed some of his more classic talents. The Twins really need guys like Jones, the team veterans, to get hot and to lead this team into serious contention.
* Torii Hunter went 3 for 5 with a RBI and two doubles. Of all the veterans, Hunter has likely been the more consistent as of late. Its important for him to continue his leadership role and to drive in runs consistently. Although it was a good night, Hunter still is clearly dominated by good breaking pitches and that holds him back a lot.
* Shannon Stewart, Justin Morneau, and Juan Castro each had two hits. Castro, who has been hitting light as of late, drove in three including a clutch two-run double early in the game. If all these guys get a confidence boost from this hopefully they can continue a run without having to rely completely on the the success of the pitching staff.
* Joe Nathan pitched a solid ninth inning, striking out two and picking up his AL-leading 24th save. Nathan has picked up a save in each of the last four victories and has lowered his ERA to 3.47. Keeing in mind that he did not have many opportunities lately and that his problems occured in non-save situations, Nathan seems more and more like a legitimate All-Star.
* Silva did not pitch too well, going only 6 and 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits, but he did strike out a season-high six hitters. The win was the seventh for Silva and he also did not walk any batters again. That means that Silva has walked only five batters in 103 and 1/3 innings this year. You can't fault Silva for playing hit game and throwing strikes.
It was in most ways a very solid victory. A few ugly plays, like Shannon Stewart in the 8th that caused a run, did not look so well, but the main thing is the Twins won again and did not fall back any more games to the White Sox. Tommorow should be interesting, as Scott Baker makes his first major-league start in place of Brad Radke, who has to miss a start due to neck pains.
* Jacque Jones had a good night after a few ugly games against left-handers. He went 2 for 3 with two walks, a home run, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Jones, who has been back and forth as of late and who hadn't hit a home run since June 10th, finally showed some of his more classic talents. The Twins really need guys like Jones, the team veterans, to get hot and to lead this team into serious contention.
* Torii Hunter went 3 for 5 with a RBI and two doubles. Of all the veterans, Hunter has likely been the more consistent as of late. Its important for him to continue his leadership role and to drive in runs consistently. Although it was a good night, Hunter still is clearly dominated by good breaking pitches and that holds him back a lot.
* Shannon Stewart, Justin Morneau, and Juan Castro each had two hits. Castro, who has been hitting light as of late, drove in three including a clutch two-run double early in the game. If all these guys get a confidence boost from this hopefully they can continue a run without having to rely completely on the the success of the pitching staff.
* Joe Nathan pitched a solid ninth inning, striking out two and picking up his AL-leading 24th save. Nathan has picked up a save in each of the last four victories and has lowered his ERA to 3.47. Keeing in mind that he did not have many opportunities lately and that his problems occured in non-save situations, Nathan seems more and more like a legitimate All-Star.
* Silva did not pitch too well, going only 6 and 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits, but he did strike out a season-high six hitters. The win was the seventh for Silva and he also did not walk any batters again. That means that Silva has walked only five batters in 103 and 1/3 innings this year. You can't fault Silva for playing hit game and throwing strikes.
It was in most ways a very solid victory. A few ugly plays, like Shannon Stewart in the 8th that caused a run, did not look so well, but the main thing is the Twins won again and did not fall back any more games to the White Sox. Tommorow should be interesting, as Scott Baker makes his first major-league start in place of Brad Radke, who has to miss a start due to neck pains.
NL Selections
As mentioned earlier, I'll be looking at the NL All-Star selections and the logic (or lack of) behind them. This year, more so then in the AL, has been very interesting in the NL. There has been plenty of stellar breakout seasons for guys like Derrek Lee and in a way, Carlos Lee (who has driven in a major league high 72), and has seen incredible pitching from possibly the best right-hander ever, Roger Clemens, and from Dontrelle Willis, Jake Peavy, John Smoltz, and Pedro Martinez. Lets look at the starting lineup to begin:
Catcher: Mike Piazza, New York Mets
This is Piazza's 12th All-Star selection and there is clearly good reason for it. Piazza is probably, along with Johnny Bench, the greatest offensive catcher ever. He remains a .313 career hitter despite a hideous .258 average, with only 9 HRs and 34 RBIs. But, beyond his slowdown in offense, is his complete loss in defensive ability. Piazza has never been a great defensive player, but pretty much ever base-stealer has been successful against Piazza. He's aging and he desperately is in need of a move to the AL, where he can DH and preserve his offensive talents for a high-caliber team. So, essentially, Piazza was choosen because of his history, and of course, the lack of good catchers in the NL. Paul Lo Duca is the only other legitimate choice, as he is hitting well over .300 this year, but he does not have the name of Piazza.
First Base: Derrek Lee, Chicago Cubs
Lee has had an incredible breakout season this year, and a lot like Roberts, many suspected that it would end quickly but it did not. Lee is hitting .383 with 25 HRs and 67 RBI with a .457 OBP and a .733 slugging percentage. He is leading the league in average, OBP, slugging, and OPS, while just behind in HRs and RBI. Lee is clearly the first half MVP of the NL, as his amazing play has helped keep an injury-plagued Cubs team afloat. His gaudy numbers were good enough to give him the starting spot over Albert Pujols, who is having a great season as well.
Second Base: Jeff Kent, Los Angeles Dodgers
This is Kent's 5th All-Star selection as he continues to be one of the best offensive second-basemen in baseball history. Kent is the leader in HRs for 2B and he has had a very good first half considering his age of 37. Kent is hitting .304 with 15 HRs and 59 RBIs, doing the same job as Lee as his offense has helped the Dodgers stay afloat. Its apparent as well that the Astros miss his presence. Kent is by far the best second-baseman in the NL and there is no second guessing this choice.
Shortstop: David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals
This is a surprise choice, as Eckstein has never been a huge force on defense or offense. He's more known as a good contact hitter who puts a lot of energy into his game and who is always a "pest" to his opponents. His stats; 2 HRs, 23 RBIs, .290 average; aren't much to look at, as suddenly the NL does not have so many productive shortstops. I believe this is another questionable choice as Cesar Izturis has to be the best shortstop in the NL. (He is a reserve, though) Izturis plays better defense and is the better hitter, as he has improved his game alot over the years.
Third Base: Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals
Rolen is obviously the best third baseman in the NL, but he has been hurt most of the year and has not had anywhere near the numbers of last year. Rolen seems better as a reserve, just to be fair to the incredible year he had last year. He is hitting only .250 with 5 HRs and 21 RBIs (which is comparable to Cuddyer). The Cubs Aramis Ramirez is doing well and was selected as a reserve.
Outfield: Bobby Abreu, Phillies, Carlos Beltran, Houston, Jim Edmonds, St. Louis
Abreu certainly started the season strong, as he hit a home run in eight straight games. He has cooled down a bit though and is currently hitting .314 with 17 HRs and 52 RBIs. He clearly is deserving of a nomination but maybe as a reserve over a starter. Edmonds has been similar, hitting .283 with 15 HRs with 50 RBIs. Beltran, on the other hand, has been sub-par this year, hitting well below his usual stats. He is currently batting .262 with 9 HRs and 40 RBIs. Beltran is clearly not an All-Star this year. If anything, I'd prefer to see Ken Griffey, who has had a good year coming back from injuries, hitting. 283 with 15 HRs and 53 RBIs (numbers very close to Edmonds) in the game and in the home run contest now that he is healthy. But, its some of the reserves who should get to start.
Miguel Cabrera has been hot since the beginning of the year, hovering around the top of the league hitting .341 with 16 HRs and 59 RBIs. Andruw Jones and Carlos Lee, though not boasting high averages, have been tearing up the league, as Jones leads the bigs in HRs with 26 and Lee leads the big with RBIs.
Pitchers:
The NL has quite the imposing staff, boasting the likes of Clemens, Martinez, and Peavy. Clemens got his 11th All-Star nomination as he is having one of his best years at the tender age of 42 (43 in August). Clemens has gone 7-3 with a 1.41 ERA with 108 Ks in 115 and a phenomenal .181 opponent batting average. Its a pleasure to watch Clemens continue to produce amazing stats and he clearly deserves this nomination. But so do Willis, Martinez, Peavy, and Chris Carpenter. After a mediocre "sophmore" year in the bigs, Willis has rebounded and astonished the league's hitters, with his 13-3 record, 1.89 ERA, and 92 Ks in 123 innings. Pedro looked as if he was going into the twilight of his career last year, as he posted a 3.90 ERA far from his 2.58 career ERA at time. This year, he has also responded with a great start, going 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA with 123 Ks in 115 innings and a impressive .177 opponent batting average. He's been as potent and powerful as Clemens and a key to any succes the Mets have had. Jake Peavy is the only All-Star from the surging Padres, as he has been the staff ace since his breakout year last year in which he lead the NL with a 2.22 ERA. Peavy has gone 7-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 119 Ks. However, most impressive has been Chris Carpenter, the Cardinal's emerging ace, who has been Halliday-esque in his stats, with a 12-4 record, a 2.60 ERA, and 121 Ks. The All-Star starting pitchers are rounded out by Atlanta's John Smoltz, who became a starter again this year and has sparkled with a 9-5 record and a 2.68 ERA, and Livan Hernandez, who leads the league in innings pitched and has been the ace of the Nationals' staff, going 12-2 with a 3.32 ERA for the surprise leaders of the NL East.
The bullpen has some new names as well. Nationals' closer Chad Cordero, who has converted 25 straight saves and leads the majors with 29 saves, has been amazing for his team. Brad Lidge has not had the season he had last year, in which he struck out a record 157 batters in 93 innings, and like Santana, is likely on the staff for the aura of 2004. However, 52 Ks in 33 innings is not bad at all and 18 saves is very good for a Astros team that has struggled all year. The others are the Cardinals' Jason Isringhausen, who has 22 saves in a good first half, and the Rockies Brian Fuentes, who has not been great but is the apparently the best choice for the hideous Rockies club.
The Reserves:
Most of the guys I have mentioned as replacements for starters made the team. Albert Pujols is not a questionable choice, as he has obviously been great all year, but Lee has simply been a little better. Pujols is the best right-handed hitter in the league and should be expected to be a perennial All-Star. Andruw Jones and Carlos Lee perhaps should have started, but they were rightly choosen by the players. Cesar Izturis, Aramis Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, and Paul Lo Duca also may have been the better choices for starters, but were also choosen by their fellow players. To round out the team, the players and managers choose Arizona outfielder Luis Gonzalez, Pittsburg outfielder Jason Bay, San Fransisco outfielder Moises Alou, Cincinnati shortstop Felipe Lopez, and Florida second baseman Luis Castillo. Bay, Lopez, Alou, and Gonzalez were all choosen by La Russa, and likely because their team needed representatives. Thats not to say they aren't neccessarly deserving. Bay has been good again, with a .311 average, 15 HRs, and 41 RBIs, as has Alou, with a .325 average, 12 HRs and 39 RBI, but guys like Carlos Delgado (15 HRs, 57 RBIs and of course, a good choice for DH) and Griffey seem to have more legitimate cases. Of course, there are always plenty of guys left of the roster more deserving. Its apparent that Beltran isn't an All-Star and neither is Eckstein, but players are not neccessarly voted in on their value but their popularity. It should be, nonetheless, a very good game, with Clemens and Martinez, two pitching legends, on the same staff against Halliday, Garland, Santana, and some of the other young guns of the AL.
Final Stars:
Here's are the possible final All-Stars to be voted on online:
* Trevor Hoffman, Padres, 23 SVs, 0-4, 3.68 ERA
* Billy Wagner, Phillies, 20 SVs, 1-1, 2.41 ERA
* Bretty Myers, Phillies, 6-4, 3.18 ERA, 110 Ks
* Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks, 8-5, 3.43 ERA, 88 Ks
* Roy Oswalt, Astros, 11-7 , 2.44 ERA, 88 Ks
Sportsnation voting shows that the majority of voters (34.1%) agree with me that Oswalt is the choice. Oswalt has been wonderful this year and is certainly deserving. I can see a good argument for Wagner, as he has his usual dominant numbers, but the Ks are down, he doesn't have a lot of saves, and the Phillies aren't winning. That hurts Myers in the argument too. He has been great but there is lots of good starting pitching this year and Myers doesn't have the record and he hasn't been as good as Oswalt. Same for Webb, who has done well for the Diamondbacks, but he has not been dominant or significantly better than Oswalt, or for that matter, Myers. My vote goes for Oswalt.
Glaring Omissions:
* Carlos Delgado - As much as Cabrera has been great this year, Delgado has been just as potent as the Marlins' clean-up hitter. The largest reason he is off the team is that Pujols and Lee already occupy first, but Delgado could just as well be used as a DH since the game is in Detroit.
* Pat Burrell - Another possibility at outfield and more deserving than Beltran or Edmonds, Burrell has hit .290 with 17 HRs and 62 RBI after a very fast start to begin the year. Burrell is a streaky hitter and the Phillies have not been great this year, so those are factors to take into consideration for leaving him off the roster.
* Morgan Ensberg - I have to agree with my associate Nick Nelson on this one. Ensberg is a huge omission on the roster and he isn't even in the final vote category. This is the guy who should be there instead of Scott Rolen. Ensberg has numbers similar to Aramis Ramirez, except Ensberg has pretty much been the offense for the Astros. He is hitting .288 with 22 HRs and 60 RBIs and a .591 slugging percentage, fantastic numbers for a infielder. The fact that he isn't in the debate is what is most confusing. Ensberg has rebounded big-time this year and he should join the plurality of new All-Stars on the rosters this year.
* Roy Oswalt - Oswalt has had a great year for Houston, going 11-7 with a 2.44 ERA and 88 Ks in 129 innings. The Clemens-Oswalt combo has the same potential as the Schilling-Johnson combo in Arizona a few years back. Perhaps, instead of adding another Cardinal to the team (there are six), LaRussa could have given the deserving Oswalt a spot. Of course, he is one of the players available for online voting for a last member, so he may still be on the squad.
* Matt Morris - Its a surprise that admist all of LaRussa's Cardinals choosen for the All-Star game that he didn't choose his starter but his closer. Morris' 10-1 record and 3.17 ERA have been, like Carpenter's pitching, probably more important to the Cardinals success than Isringhausen. Having two great starter pitchers have pushed the White Sox to the top of the Central the same way.
More on this tonight with analysis of the game against the Angels. Carlos Silva starts and if he can give his usual seven innings, the Twins should have a chance against the Angels, who have 2004 MVP Guerroro back ripping up AL pitching again.
Catcher: Mike Piazza, New York Mets
This is Piazza's 12th All-Star selection and there is clearly good reason for it. Piazza is probably, along with Johnny Bench, the greatest offensive catcher ever. He remains a .313 career hitter despite a hideous .258 average, with only 9 HRs and 34 RBIs. But, beyond his slowdown in offense, is his complete loss in defensive ability. Piazza has never been a great defensive player, but pretty much ever base-stealer has been successful against Piazza. He's aging and he desperately is in need of a move to the AL, where he can DH and preserve his offensive talents for a high-caliber team. So, essentially, Piazza was choosen because of his history, and of course, the lack of good catchers in the NL. Paul Lo Duca is the only other legitimate choice, as he is hitting well over .300 this year, but he does not have the name of Piazza.
First Base: Derrek Lee, Chicago Cubs
Lee has had an incredible breakout season this year, and a lot like Roberts, many suspected that it would end quickly but it did not. Lee is hitting .383 with 25 HRs and 67 RBI with a .457 OBP and a .733 slugging percentage. He is leading the league in average, OBP, slugging, and OPS, while just behind in HRs and RBI. Lee is clearly the first half MVP of the NL, as his amazing play has helped keep an injury-plagued Cubs team afloat. His gaudy numbers were good enough to give him the starting spot over Albert Pujols, who is having a great season as well.
Second Base: Jeff Kent, Los Angeles Dodgers
This is Kent's 5th All-Star selection as he continues to be one of the best offensive second-basemen in baseball history. Kent is the leader in HRs for 2B and he has had a very good first half considering his age of 37. Kent is hitting .304 with 15 HRs and 59 RBIs, doing the same job as Lee as his offense has helped the Dodgers stay afloat. Its apparent as well that the Astros miss his presence. Kent is by far the best second-baseman in the NL and there is no second guessing this choice.
Shortstop: David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals
This is a surprise choice, as Eckstein has never been a huge force on defense or offense. He's more known as a good contact hitter who puts a lot of energy into his game and who is always a "pest" to his opponents. His stats; 2 HRs, 23 RBIs, .290 average; aren't much to look at, as suddenly the NL does not have so many productive shortstops. I believe this is another questionable choice as Cesar Izturis has to be the best shortstop in the NL. (He is a reserve, though) Izturis plays better defense and is the better hitter, as he has improved his game alot over the years.
Third Base: Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals
Rolen is obviously the best third baseman in the NL, but he has been hurt most of the year and has not had anywhere near the numbers of last year. Rolen seems better as a reserve, just to be fair to the incredible year he had last year. He is hitting only .250 with 5 HRs and 21 RBIs (which is comparable to Cuddyer). The Cubs Aramis Ramirez is doing well and was selected as a reserve.
Outfield: Bobby Abreu, Phillies, Carlos Beltran, Houston, Jim Edmonds, St. Louis
Abreu certainly started the season strong, as he hit a home run in eight straight games. He has cooled down a bit though and is currently hitting .314 with 17 HRs and 52 RBIs. He clearly is deserving of a nomination but maybe as a reserve over a starter. Edmonds has been similar, hitting .283 with 15 HRs with 50 RBIs. Beltran, on the other hand, has been sub-par this year, hitting well below his usual stats. He is currently batting .262 with 9 HRs and 40 RBIs. Beltran is clearly not an All-Star this year. If anything, I'd prefer to see Ken Griffey, who has had a good year coming back from injuries, hitting. 283 with 15 HRs and 53 RBIs (numbers very close to Edmonds) in the game and in the home run contest now that he is healthy. But, its some of the reserves who should get to start.
Miguel Cabrera has been hot since the beginning of the year, hovering around the top of the league hitting .341 with 16 HRs and 59 RBIs. Andruw Jones and Carlos Lee, though not boasting high averages, have been tearing up the league, as Jones leads the bigs in HRs with 26 and Lee leads the big with RBIs.
Pitchers:
The NL has quite the imposing staff, boasting the likes of Clemens, Martinez, and Peavy. Clemens got his 11th All-Star nomination as he is having one of his best years at the tender age of 42 (43 in August). Clemens has gone 7-3 with a 1.41 ERA with 108 Ks in 115 and a phenomenal .181 opponent batting average. Its a pleasure to watch Clemens continue to produce amazing stats and he clearly deserves this nomination. But so do Willis, Martinez, Peavy, and Chris Carpenter. After a mediocre "sophmore" year in the bigs, Willis has rebounded and astonished the league's hitters, with his 13-3 record, 1.89 ERA, and 92 Ks in 123 innings. Pedro looked as if he was going into the twilight of his career last year, as he posted a 3.90 ERA far from his 2.58 career ERA at time. This year, he has also responded with a great start, going 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA with 123 Ks in 115 innings and a impressive .177 opponent batting average. He's been as potent and powerful as Clemens and a key to any succes the Mets have had. Jake Peavy is the only All-Star from the surging Padres, as he has been the staff ace since his breakout year last year in which he lead the NL with a 2.22 ERA. Peavy has gone 7-2 with a 2.89 ERA and 119 Ks. However, most impressive has been Chris Carpenter, the Cardinal's emerging ace, who has been Halliday-esque in his stats, with a 12-4 record, a 2.60 ERA, and 121 Ks. The All-Star starting pitchers are rounded out by Atlanta's John Smoltz, who became a starter again this year and has sparkled with a 9-5 record and a 2.68 ERA, and Livan Hernandez, who leads the league in innings pitched and has been the ace of the Nationals' staff, going 12-2 with a 3.32 ERA for the surprise leaders of the NL East.
The bullpen has some new names as well. Nationals' closer Chad Cordero, who has converted 25 straight saves and leads the majors with 29 saves, has been amazing for his team. Brad Lidge has not had the season he had last year, in which he struck out a record 157 batters in 93 innings, and like Santana, is likely on the staff for the aura of 2004. However, 52 Ks in 33 innings is not bad at all and 18 saves is very good for a Astros team that has struggled all year. The others are the Cardinals' Jason Isringhausen, who has 22 saves in a good first half, and the Rockies Brian Fuentes, who has not been great but is the apparently the best choice for the hideous Rockies club.
The Reserves:
Most of the guys I have mentioned as replacements for starters made the team. Albert Pujols is not a questionable choice, as he has obviously been great all year, but Lee has simply been a little better. Pujols is the best right-handed hitter in the league and should be expected to be a perennial All-Star. Andruw Jones and Carlos Lee perhaps should have started, but they were rightly choosen by the players. Cesar Izturis, Aramis Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, and Paul Lo Duca also may have been the better choices for starters, but were also choosen by their fellow players. To round out the team, the players and managers choose Arizona outfielder Luis Gonzalez, Pittsburg outfielder Jason Bay, San Fransisco outfielder Moises Alou, Cincinnati shortstop Felipe Lopez, and Florida second baseman Luis Castillo. Bay, Lopez, Alou, and Gonzalez were all choosen by La Russa, and likely because their team needed representatives. Thats not to say they aren't neccessarly deserving. Bay has been good again, with a .311 average, 15 HRs, and 41 RBIs, as has Alou, with a .325 average, 12 HRs and 39 RBI, but guys like Carlos Delgado (15 HRs, 57 RBIs and of course, a good choice for DH) and Griffey seem to have more legitimate cases. Of course, there are always plenty of guys left of the roster more deserving. Its apparent that Beltran isn't an All-Star and neither is Eckstein, but players are not neccessarly voted in on their value but their popularity. It should be, nonetheless, a very good game, with Clemens and Martinez, two pitching legends, on the same staff against Halliday, Garland, Santana, and some of the other young guns of the AL.
Final Stars:
Here's are the possible final All-Stars to be voted on online:
* Trevor Hoffman, Padres, 23 SVs, 0-4, 3.68 ERA
* Billy Wagner, Phillies, 20 SVs, 1-1, 2.41 ERA
* Bretty Myers, Phillies, 6-4, 3.18 ERA, 110 Ks
* Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks, 8-5, 3.43 ERA, 88 Ks
* Roy Oswalt, Astros, 11-7 , 2.44 ERA, 88 Ks
Sportsnation voting shows that the majority of voters (34.1%) agree with me that Oswalt is the choice. Oswalt has been wonderful this year and is certainly deserving. I can see a good argument for Wagner, as he has his usual dominant numbers, but the Ks are down, he doesn't have a lot of saves, and the Phillies aren't winning. That hurts Myers in the argument too. He has been great but there is lots of good starting pitching this year and Myers doesn't have the record and he hasn't been as good as Oswalt. Same for Webb, who has done well for the Diamondbacks, but he has not been dominant or significantly better than Oswalt, or for that matter, Myers. My vote goes for Oswalt.
Glaring Omissions:
* Carlos Delgado - As much as Cabrera has been great this year, Delgado has been just as potent as the Marlins' clean-up hitter. The largest reason he is off the team is that Pujols and Lee already occupy first, but Delgado could just as well be used as a DH since the game is in Detroit.
* Pat Burrell - Another possibility at outfield and more deserving than Beltran or Edmonds, Burrell has hit .290 with 17 HRs and 62 RBI after a very fast start to begin the year. Burrell is a streaky hitter and the Phillies have not been great this year, so those are factors to take into consideration for leaving him off the roster.
* Morgan Ensberg - I have to agree with my associate Nick Nelson on this one. Ensberg is a huge omission on the roster and he isn't even in the final vote category. This is the guy who should be there instead of Scott Rolen. Ensberg has numbers similar to Aramis Ramirez, except Ensberg has pretty much been the offense for the Astros. He is hitting .288 with 22 HRs and 60 RBIs and a .591 slugging percentage, fantastic numbers for a infielder. The fact that he isn't in the debate is what is most confusing. Ensberg has rebounded big-time this year and he should join the plurality of new All-Stars on the rosters this year.
* Roy Oswalt - Oswalt has had a great year for Houston, going 11-7 with a 2.44 ERA and 88 Ks in 129 innings. The Clemens-Oswalt combo has the same potential as the Schilling-Johnson combo in Arizona a few years back. Perhaps, instead of adding another Cardinal to the team (there are six), LaRussa could have given the deserving Oswalt a spot. Of course, he is one of the players available for online voting for a last member, so he may still be on the squad.
* Matt Morris - Its a surprise that admist all of LaRussa's Cardinals choosen for the All-Star game that he didn't choose his starter but his closer. Morris' 10-1 record and 3.17 ERA have been, like Carpenter's pitching, probably more important to the Cardinals success than Isringhausen. Having two great starter pitchers have pushed the White Sox to the top of the Central the same way.
More on this tonight with analysis of the game against the Angels. Carlos Silva starts and if he can give his usual seven innings, the Twins should have a chance against the Angels, who have 2004 MVP Guerroro back ripping up AL pitching again.
All-Star Selections
Well, the AL and NL All-Star teams are (almost) completely set in stone now, with selections having been announced yesterday for pitchers and reserves. It appears that the fans have done a pretty good job this year, selecting deserving players for the starting positions for the most part. For the first time in a few years, the Twins have placed more than one player on the team, with pitchers Johan Santana and Joe Nathan both getting invites. We'll take a look at them first.
Torii Hunter did not make the team yet, but he still has a chance (theoretically). He is one of the five players on the 32nd man ballot, voted on by the fans. His competition features Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Scott Podsednik, and Carl Crawford. I don't expect Torii to be able to compete against the wildly popular Jeter, but to my surprise Hunter had a thin lead when I checked last night. The voting goes until Wednesday, so make sure to head to MLB.com and vote as much as possible!
THE TWINS REPRESENTATIVES
*Johan Santana* 7-4, 3.73 ERA, .220 BAA, 10.68 K/9, 1.01 WHIP
In all honesty, Santana probably received a spot on this team based more on his performance for the second half of last season than for the first half of this season. Not to say he hasn't been good, but his ERA and wins are just not up there with the other guys on this team. Then again, he leads the league in strikeouts by far and his BAA and WHIP numbers are very good, so I don't think you could mount an argument that the guy does not deserve a spot.
*Joe Nathan* 1-3, 3.67 ERA, 22 saves, .211 BAA, 10.70 K/9, 1.22 WHIP
Like Santana, Nathan does not sport a particularly impressive ERA (the two Twins' representatives have the highest ERAs of any pitchers on the AL staff), and actually I am somewhat surprised to see him getting a spot. His peripheral numbers are very good, but I think that Jesse Crain would be a more deserving representative than Nathan. Granted, he also would have been more deserving than the Devil Rays' Danyz Baez or the Athletics' Justin Duchscherer, but those guys both found spots due to the stupid rule of each team needing a representative.
And now a quick look at the rest of the AL All-Star roster...
THE STARTERS
C - Jason Varitek (BOS) - .307/.374/.544, 13 HR, 34 RBI
Not question about this one really. Varitek has been indispensable to the Red Sox, providing terrific offense from the catcher position while also performing well on defense and helping hold the team together with his leadership.
1B - Mark Teixeira (TEX) - .284/.355/.544, 22 HR, 64 RBI
I was on the verge of vomiting earlier this season when Tino Martinez was leading the fans' voting at first base. Thank goodness they got a hold of themselves and started putting their votes towards the guy who deserves this spot, Teixeira. On a team full of young and powerful bats, Teixeira is the sandout with 22 HR, 64 RBI, and surprisingly good defense as well.
2B - Brian Roberts (BAL) - .359/.432/.602, 13 HR, 44 RBI
After coming seemingly out of nowhere with a ridiculous first month, many expected the Roberts to cool down. They're still waiting. While the power numbers have leveled off a bit, Roberts remains a fantastic leadoff man, posting an outstanding 1.034 OPS while stealing 18 bases as well. Having an MVP-type season.
SS - Miguel Tejada (BAL) - .321/.367/.594, 19 HR, 60 RBI
Tejada has teamed with Roberts to produce one of the better offensive middle infield duos of all time this season. He has been a major run-producer for the up-start Orioles while posting great peripheral numbers across the board.
3B - Alex Rodriguez (NYY) - .319/.414/.572, 20 HR, 66 RBI
As usual, A-Rod has been amazing. He's near the league leaders in all of the Triple Crown categories, and has had consistent power throughout the season.
OF - Johnny Damon (BOS) - .341/.383/.475, 4 HR, 42 RBI
It was nice to see Damon unseat Ichiro for the starting spot, as he is much more deserving. He has been very good in the leadoff spot for the Red Sox, leading the league in batting average and providing great speed on the basepaths.
OF - Vladimir Guerrero (LAA) - .350/.408/.602, 14 HR, 47 RBI
Though he missed some time with injury, it is hard to argue that Vladie does not deserve to be here. Even with his missed time, his stats are still impressive among the other starters on this team.
OF - Manny Ramirez (BOS) - .275/.358/.550, 20 HR, 70 RBI
Appearing for his ninth time in an All-Star game, Ramirez is having another gaudy season for the Sox. His 70 RBI leads the league, and has heated up as of late hitting a bunch of homers.
DH - David Ortiz (BOS) - .308/.388/.579, 19 HR, 67 RBI
Ortiz is clearly the best DH in baseball, a behemoth from the left side of the plate with the ability to drive any ball out of the park. His offensive numbers are phenomenal.
THE RESERVES
Ivan Rodriguez (DET), C
Paul Konerko (CHW), 1B
Mike Sweeney (KC), 1B
Alfonso Soriano (TEX), 2B
Michael Young (TEX), SS
Melvin Mora (BAL), 3B
Garret Anderson (LAA), OF
Gary Sheffield (NYY), OF
Ichiro Suzuki (SEA), OF
Shea Hillenbrand (TOR), DH
I'll just comment on this group as a whole. Most of the guys are deserving, although I think that Hunter was more deserving of a spot than Garret Anderson. Anderson has a pretty good batting average at .310 and 60 RBI, but Hunter has much more well-rounded stats and is a better defender. I also don't think Ichiro is having that great of a year (.301/.345/.432) but the fans want to see him. Plus, Seattle needed a rep.
PITCHERS
SP Roy Halladay (TOR)
SP Mark Buehrle (CHW)
SP Jon Garland (CHW)
SP Bartolo Colon (LAA)
SP Kenny Rogers (TEX)
SP Johan Santana (MIN)
RP Danyz Baez (TB)
RP Justin Duschserer (OAK)
RP Joe Nathan (MIN)
RP Mariano Rivera (NYY)
RP BJ Ryan (BAL)
RP Bob Wickman (CLE)
Again, I'll just comment on this group as a whole. I was surprised to see Boston manager Terry Francona bring Angels' ace Colon over his own 9-1 pitcher Matt Clement. I'm not going to say Colon is less deserving, but many managers would go with the sentimental pick and take their own guy in that situation. I am impressed with Francona for that choice. I predict that Halladay will be the starter, he has been the best pitcher in the AL this year... no question in my mind.
Coming later today, coverage of the NL team.
Torii Hunter did not make the team yet, but he still has a chance (theoretically). He is one of the five players on the 32nd man ballot, voted on by the fans. His competition features Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Scott Podsednik, and Carl Crawford. I don't expect Torii to be able to compete against the wildly popular Jeter, but to my surprise Hunter had a thin lead when I checked last night. The voting goes until Wednesday, so make sure to head to MLB.com and vote as much as possible!
THE TWINS REPRESENTATIVES
*Johan Santana* 7-4, 3.73 ERA, .220 BAA, 10.68 K/9, 1.01 WHIP
In all honesty, Santana probably received a spot on this team based more on his performance for the second half of last season than for the first half of this season. Not to say he hasn't been good, but his ERA and wins are just not up there with the other guys on this team. Then again, he leads the league in strikeouts by far and his BAA and WHIP numbers are very good, so I don't think you could mount an argument that the guy does not deserve a spot.
*Joe Nathan* 1-3, 3.67 ERA, 22 saves, .211 BAA, 10.70 K/9, 1.22 WHIP
Like Santana, Nathan does not sport a particularly impressive ERA (the two Twins' representatives have the highest ERAs of any pitchers on the AL staff), and actually I am somewhat surprised to see him getting a spot. His peripheral numbers are very good, but I think that Jesse Crain would be a more deserving representative than Nathan. Granted, he also would have been more deserving than the Devil Rays' Danyz Baez or the Athletics' Justin Duchscherer, but those guys both found spots due to the stupid rule of each team needing a representative.
And now a quick look at the rest of the AL All-Star roster...
THE STARTERS
C - Jason Varitek (BOS) - .307/.374/.544, 13 HR, 34 RBI
Not question about this one really. Varitek has been indispensable to the Red Sox, providing terrific offense from the catcher position while also performing well on defense and helping hold the team together with his leadership.
1B - Mark Teixeira (TEX) - .284/.355/.544, 22 HR, 64 RBI
I was on the verge of vomiting earlier this season when Tino Martinez was leading the fans' voting at first base. Thank goodness they got a hold of themselves and started putting their votes towards the guy who deserves this spot, Teixeira. On a team full of young and powerful bats, Teixeira is the sandout with 22 HR, 64 RBI, and surprisingly good defense as well.
2B - Brian Roberts (BAL) - .359/.432/.602, 13 HR, 44 RBI
After coming seemingly out of nowhere with a ridiculous first month, many expected the Roberts to cool down. They're still waiting. While the power numbers have leveled off a bit, Roberts remains a fantastic leadoff man, posting an outstanding 1.034 OPS while stealing 18 bases as well. Having an MVP-type season.
SS - Miguel Tejada (BAL) - .321/.367/.594, 19 HR, 60 RBI
Tejada has teamed with Roberts to produce one of the better offensive middle infield duos of all time this season. He has been a major run-producer for the up-start Orioles while posting great peripheral numbers across the board.
3B - Alex Rodriguez (NYY) - .319/.414/.572, 20 HR, 66 RBI
As usual, A-Rod has been amazing. He's near the league leaders in all of the Triple Crown categories, and has had consistent power throughout the season.
OF - Johnny Damon (BOS) - .341/.383/.475, 4 HR, 42 RBI
It was nice to see Damon unseat Ichiro for the starting spot, as he is much more deserving. He has been very good in the leadoff spot for the Red Sox, leading the league in batting average and providing great speed on the basepaths.
OF - Vladimir Guerrero (LAA) - .350/.408/.602, 14 HR, 47 RBI
Though he missed some time with injury, it is hard to argue that Vladie does not deserve to be here. Even with his missed time, his stats are still impressive among the other starters on this team.
OF - Manny Ramirez (BOS) - .275/.358/.550, 20 HR, 70 RBI
Appearing for his ninth time in an All-Star game, Ramirez is having another gaudy season for the Sox. His 70 RBI leads the league, and has heated up as of late hitting a bunch of homers.
DH - David Ortiz (BOS) - .308/.388/.579, 19 HR, 67 RBI
Ortiz is clearly the best DH in baseball, a behemoth from the left side of the plate with the ability to drive any ball out of the park. His offensive numbers are phenomenal.
THE RESERVES
Ivan Rodriguez (DET), C
Paul Konerko (CHW), 1B
Mike Sweeney (KC), 1B
Alfonso Soriano (TEX), 2B
Michael Young (TEX), SS
Melvin Mora (BAL), 3B
Garret Anderson (LAA), OF
Gary Sheffield (NYY), OF
Ichiro Suzuki (SEA), OF
Shea Hillenbrand (TOR), DH
I'll just comment on this group as a whole. Most of the guys are deserving, although I think that Hunter was more deserving of a spot than Garret Anderson. Anderson has a pretty good batting average at .310 and 60 RBI, but Hunter has much more well-rounded stats and is a better defender. I also don't think Ichiro is having that great of a year (.301/.345/.432) but the fans want to see him. Plus, Seattle needed a rep.
PITCHERS
SP Roy Halladay (TOR)
SP Mark Buehrle (CHW)
SP Jon Garland (CHW)
SP Bartolo Colon (LAA)
SP Kenny Rogers (TEX)
SP Johan Santana (MIN)
RP Danyz Baez (TB)
RP Justin Duschserer (OAK)
RP Joe Nathan (MIN)
RP Mariano Rivera (NYY)
RP BJ Ryan (BAL)
RP Bob Wickman (CLE)
Again, I'll just comment on this group as a whole. I was surprised to see Boston manager Terry Francona bring Angels' ace Colon over his own 9-1 pitcher Matt Clement. I'm not going to say Colon is less deserving, but many managers would go with the sentimental pick and take their own guy in that situation. I am impressed with Francona for that choice. I predict that Halladay will be the starter, he has been the best pitcher in the AL this year... no question in my mind.
Coming later today, coverage of the NL team.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Twins Complete Sweep
Despite another lacking offensive performance, the Twins defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3-2 today to complete a series sweep. The Twins scored their 3 runs on only 4 hits, but it was enough as Joe Mays came through with a solid start, going 7 innings and allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3. Juan Rincon and Joe Nathan teamed up to finish the game with a hitless 8th and 9th to round out an impressive pitching effort for the Twins.
The lack of hitting continues to be a concern. Matthew LeCroy hit a solo home run, Juan Castro hit a sac fly and Mike Redmond had an RBI single, and that was the extent of the Twins' offensive production. Fortunately, it was enough today. Jacque Jones started YET AGAIN against a left-handed pitcher, and went 0/3 with 2 strikeouts. Why Gardenhire continues to start Jones against lefties while regularly benching Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer against them is quite puzzling. Jones had a big game on Friday, when he started against left-hander Casey Fossum, but he had done terrible against Fossum and delivered his big three-run triple against a right-handed reliever. Jacque is hitting at a pathetic .229/.281/.373 line against southpaws while pounding righties at a rate of .289/.381/.461. It seems like it would be common sense to have him on the bench most days when a lefty is starting so he could be used as a late-game weapon off the bench against a right-handed reliever, but Gardy continues to start him despite his terrible production. Another example of Ron's very questionable management this season.
The Twins went 5-1 over the 6-game homestand against the 2 worst teams in the league, so they did what they needed to do. Now they will embark on a 7-game road trip before arriving at the All-Star break. The three games against the division leading Angels will be very important, if they can win that series they will be in good shape. Hopefully they can win at least 3 of their 4 in Kansas City and perhaps cut down their division deficit just a bit.
The All-Star selection occurs tonight, so it should be interesting to see which Twins make the team. There are a handful of guys that have a chance of making the squad; Santana, Crain, Hunter, Nathan, and Mauer. I don't expect that all those guys will be there, but a couple of them definitely should. I predict it will be Santana and Hunter. We will have full coverage of all the players selected tomorrow afternoon, so make sure to check back.
The lack of hitting continues to be a concern. Matthew LeCroy hit a solo home run, Juan Castro hit a sac fly and Mike Redmond had an RBI single, and that was the extent of the Twins' offensive production. Fortunately, it was enough today. Jacque Jones started YET AGAIN against a left-handed pitcher, and went 0/3 with 2 strikeouts. Why Gardenhire continues to start Jones against lefties while regularly benching Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer against them is quite puzzling. Jones had a big game on Friday, when he started against left-hander Casey Fossum, but he had done terrible against Fossum and delivered his big three-run triple against a right-handed reliever. Jacque is hitting at a pathetic .229/.281/.373 line against southpaws while pounding righties at a rate of .289/.381/.461. It seems like it would be common sense to have him on the bench most days when a lefty is starting so he could be used as a late-game weapon off the bench against a right-handed reliever, but Gardy continues to start him despite his terrible production. Another example of Ron's very questionable management this season.
The Twins went 5-1 over the 6-game homestand against the 2 worst teams in the league, so they did what they needed to do. Now they will embark on a 7-game road trip before arriving at the All-Star break. The three games against the division leading Angels will be very important, if they can win that series they will be in good shape. Hopefully they can win at least 3 of their 4 in Kansas City and perhaps cut down their division deficit just a bit.
The All-Star selection occurs tonight, so it should be interesting to see which Twins make the team. There are a handful of guys that have a chance of making the squad; Santana, Crain, Hunter, Nathan, and Mauer. I don't expect that all those guys will be there, but a couple of them definitely should. I predict it will be Santana and Hunter. We will have full coverage of all the players selected tomorrow afternoon, so make sure to check back.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Lohse Rebounds
You can't fault him for having the Devil Rays as an opponent. You can only say that it was a great game and a confidence-booster for a young pitcher, Kyle Lohse. Lohse, who pitched a marvelous game, going eight innings, allowing four hits and a walk, while striking out six batters. No game for the Twins to pick up on the White Sox, who beat Oakland, but there were plenty of positives in the Twins 4-1 victory, as many young Twins had good games that should hopefully help jumpstart this team. Lohse most importantly, as he has not been strong as of late, gave the bullpen a rest and show the same stuff he showed earlier this year, with his strong two-seamer and slider that can easily make him a successful starter. Lohse is now 7-6 with a 4.26, which are strong numbers for a number 4 or 5 starter and for a guy who needs to break out and show the great stuff he has long possessed.
Other than Lohse, some other key Twins had good nights:
* Joe Nathan pitched a very quick 9th, only throwing seven pitches to pick up his 22nd save of the season. Nathan seems to be breaking out of his funk where he lost his control, and thus, his ability to pick up saves.
* Justin Morneau, who blasted some home runs against the Devil Rays early this year, hit a three-run blast in the second, as he is slowly trying to break out of a slump. Justin is hitting .269 with 11 HRs and 42 RBIs, which aren't by themselves bad numbers, but have only seemed so bad based on high expectations going into this year. However, you had to expect that Morneau would have to adjust as opposing pitchers caught on to him, as they did, and changed their strategies. Like Santana, who as of late has had troubles with control as hitters have somewhat caught on to him, Morneau needs the time to adjust, but the expectation and likeliness is that the numbers will be there. Morneau hasn't been a complete dissapointment like, say, Cuddyer, who has long arms and a power swing but has managed a meager 5 HRs and 22 RBI.
* Joe Mauer went 2 for 4 with a RBI, bringing his average to .293 for the year. Mauer, who is a possibility for the All-Star team, has also been seemingly subpar this year due to high expectations. But lets keep in mind that Mauer had a substantial injury and has actually been very healthy and productive this year. A .293 is good for any hitter and especially for a catcher and its pretty certain that will be higher by the end of the year.
* Jacque Jones and Lew Ford both had good nights, going 2 for 3 with a run scored each. Jones' bat seems to have awaken since his bases-clearing triple last night and that's a great sign for the Twins. Lets hope that the key players, from Mauer to Morneau to Jones, start hitting and make a little run before the All-Star break.
Other than Lohse, some other key Twins had good nights:
* Joe Nathan pitched a very quick 9th, only throwing seven pitches to pick up his 22nd save of the season. Nathan seems to be breaking out of his funk where he lost his control, and thus, his ability to pick up saves.
* Justin Morneau, who blasted some home runs against the Devil Rays early this year, hit a three-run blast in the second, as he is slowly trying to break out of a slump. Justin is hitting .269 with 11 HRs and 42 RBIs, which aren't by themselves bad numbers, but have only seemed so bad based on high expectations going into this year. However, you had to expect that Morneau would have to adjust as opposing pitchers caught on to him, as they did, and changed their strategies. Like Santana, who as of late has had troubles with control as hitters have somewhat caught on to him, Morneau needs the time to adjust, but the expectation and likeliness is that the numbers will be there. Morneau hasn't been a complete dissapointment like, say, Cuddyer, who has long arms and a power swing but has managed a meager 5 HRs and 22 RBI.
* Joe Mauer went 2 for 4 with a RBI, bringing his average to .293 for the year. Mauer, who is a possibility for the All-Star team, has also been seemingly subpar this year due to high expectations. But lets keep in mind that Mauer had a substantial injury and has actually been very healthy and productive this year. A .293 is good for any hitter and especially for a catcher and its pretty certain that will be higher by the end of the year.
* Jacque Jones and Lew Ford both had good nights, going 2 for 3 with a run scored each. Jones' bat seems to have awaken since his bases-clearing triple last night and that's a great sign for the Twins. Lets hope that the key players, from Mauer to Morneau to Jones, start hitting and make a little run before the All-Star break.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Twins 7, Devil Rays 4
Tonight the Twins showed some resilience and picked up an important comeback victory, winning a game against Tampa Bay that was perhaps a little harder than it needed to be.
Johan Santana got the start, and his performance was once again concerning. He didn't give up big runs like he has in his last couple starts, but he allowed too many baserunners and had to throw way too many pitches, forcing him to come out after 6 innings despite only having allowed 2 runs. He struck out 9, allowed 8 hits, and walked 2. Santana, who usually possesses excellent command, has walked 10 batters in his past 10 starts. I can't tell if it's because his pitches are missing the strike zone more or if it's because batters just aren't swinging at them often. He always has been a guy who has been able to get hitters to swing at balls out of the strike zone... are guys just laying off more?
Either way, when Santana came out who was in position to get the win with a 3-2 lead. It wouldn't hold up for long, as the All-Star caliber Jesse Crain came in, hit a batter, and then allowed a 2-run homer that gave the Rays a 4-3 lead. It looked like it might be another tough loss for the Twins until the 8th inning when they loaded the bases with 1 out. Torii Hunter would walk in a run, and then Jacque Jones would come through and lace a huge 3-run triple down the right-field line. Joe Nathan came in and pitched an efficient 9th for his 21st save.
*Crain picked up the win, pitching 2 innings and throwing well outside of the Jorge Cantu home run. His record on the year is now 8-0. This high total makes me wonder about something... how many times in baseball history has a reliever won 20 games in a season. Has it ever happened? If anyone wants to look that stat up, please comment.
*It was another great game for Mr. Hunter. He initally put the Twins on the board in the first with a 2-run double, and then his aggressive baserunning produced the third run as he stole third and an overthrow by the catcher allowed him to take home. Hunter, with a .269/.343/.495 line to go along with 51 RBI and 19 stolen bases, will make a strong run at one of the backup outfielder spots on the AL All-Star roster, especially with his great defense.
*Dewon Brazelton has got to be one of the most pathetic pitchers I have ever seen. What a disaster this former 1st round pick has been for the Rays. He's got decent stuff but absolutely NO control, even for a young guy. I joked about his high walk total of 30 in 44 innings when he came into the game (apparently he's a reliever now, I hadn't realized he was taken out of the rotation), and tonight he walked FIVE batters in 1.1 innings! Now, granted, 2 of those were intentional, but still.
*Does Nathan have a good chance at a second consecutive All-Star selection? His ERA is high at 3.78, but his peripheral stats are very good. 21 saves, 11.07 K/9, .220 BAA. We'll look more in-depth at All-Star issues on Monday.
It was a good victory for the Twins tonight, and with the White Sox loss they were able to take a small bite out of their massive deficit. It'd sure be nice if they could repeat that tomorrow.
Johan Santana got the start, and his performance was once again concerning. He didn't give up big runs like he has in his last couple starts, but he allowed too many baserunners and had to throw way too many pitches, forcing him to come out after 6 innings despite only having allowed 2 runs. He struck out 9, allowed 8 hits, and walked 2. Santana, who usually possesses excellent command, has walked 10 batters in his past 10 starts. I can't tell if it's because his pitches are missing the strike zone more or if it's because batters just aren't swinging at them often. He always has been a guy who has been able to get hitters to swing at balls out of the strike zone... are guys just laying off more?
Either way, when Santana came out who was in position to get the win with a 3-2 lead. It wouldn't hold up for long, as the All-Star caliber Jesse Crain came in, hit a batter, and then allowed a 2-run homer that gave the Rays a 4-3 lead. It looked like it might be another tough loss for the Twins until the 8th inning when they loaded the bases with 1 out. Torii Hunter would walk in a run, and then Jacque Jones would come through and lace a huge 3-run triple down the right-field line. Joe Nathan came in and pitched an efficient 9th for his 21st save.
*Crain picked up the win, pitching 2 innings and throwing well outside of the Jorge Cantu home run. His record on the year is now 8-0. This high total makes me wonder about something... how many times in baseball history has a reliever won 20 games in a season. Has it ever happened? If anyone wants to look that stat up, please comment.
*It was another great game for Mr. Hunter. He initally put the Twins on the board in the first with a 2-run double, and then his aggressive baserunning produced the third run as he stole third and an overthrow by the catcher allowed him to take home. Hunter, with a .269/.343/.495 line to go along with 51 RBI and 19 stolen bases, will make a strong run at one of the backup outfielder spots on the AL All-Star roster, especially with his great defense.
*Dewon Brazelton has got to be one of the most pathetic pitchers I have ever seen. What a disaster this former 1st round pick has been for the Rays. He's got decent stuff but absolutely NO control, even for a young guy. I joked about his high walk total of 30 in 44 innings when he came into the game (apparently he's a reliever now, I hadn't realized he was taken out of the rotation), and tonight he walked FIVE batters in 1.1 innings! Now, granted, 2 of those were intentional, but still.
*Does Nathan have a good chance at a second consecutive All-Star selection? His ERA is high at 3.78, but his peripheral stats are very good. 21 saves, 11.07 K/9, .220 BAA. We'll look more in-depth at All-Star issues on Monday.
It was a good victory for the Twins tonight, and with the White Sox loss they were able to take a small bite out of their massive deficit. It'd sure be nice if they could repeat that tomorrow.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Time for Some Big Moves
Upon reading my associate's posts today, I saw that I either completely agreed with him or his thoughts lit a bulb in my head. The Twins need to seriously rethink their game plan completely. Matt Guerrier is turning out to be a good middle-reliever, but is not be used as much as he should with a 2.79 ERA. If Romero is out there, so should Guerrier. And especially if they think at all about using Mulholland in key situations. That is just ridiculous. There is still no reason to have a batting practice pitcher on the team. I don't buy the whole "veteran" logic, since Rincon, Romero, and Nathan have the experience anyways and seem to be doing fine. If his role is the mop-up guy or what not, why isn't he being used this way? He needs to be dropped, and not just because of his terrible pitching, but more because of the prospects we have in the wings. That's part of the reason to make a trade, as it makes sense to get rid of guys like Lohse, Mulholland, Cuddyer, and possibly Radke. Get rid of guys not doing their jobs and bring up the potentially great pitchers in the minors and give them a chance. Who do we have waiting?
* Travis Bowyer - Bowyer leads the International League with 19 saves and has a 3-1 record with a 1.27 ERA in 42 and 2/3 innings. Most impressive, though, is that he's allowed only 20 hits in those innings. That's incredible. He also has 59 Ks and will be a minor league All-Star for the Rochester Red Wings. Bowyer is clearly ready for a shot in the bigs, as he has simply dominated the minor leagues with his great fastball. (Reminds me of Jesse Crain) He definitely deserves a shot and it looks like no matter how he reacts immediately, he certainly has a lot of upside.
* Scott Baker - Baker made a very good impression in Spring Training and even got a small call-up this year, only pitching a scoreless inning. He should the Twins that he can mix his pitches well and he certainly has some good control to go with it. Baker has had a great year at Triple-A, going 2-5 with a 2.83 ERA in 14 starts. He has 72 Ks in 82 and 2/3 innings and 21 walks. Baker also has certainly earned his call up and his chance, as he can start or be used in any situation well. Reminds me of the situation with Santana in 2002.
* Boof Bonser - Another pitcher acquired in the trade for A.J. in 2003, Bonser has also had a good year a Triple-A. He has gone 6-4 with a 3.82 ERA with 93 Ks in 92 innings this year with 29 walks. There is no scouting report on Bonser, so I have no way to be sure what his pitching selection is, but Bonser has certainly been a power pitcher in the minors and would go along well with the current Twins bullpen.
* J.D. Durbin - Durbin, ever since being shaken up last year in his call, has had a decent year at Triple-A. His fastball is down and he isn't hit 100 like he did last fall. However, as with the others, Durbin has such a high upside that it is hard not to give him a chance. The 4.43 ERA isn't great, but the arm is and it certainly would be good for his confidence.
* Dave Gassner - He's pitched well at Triple-A and even had a call up earlier this year, but did not do so well, making two starts and going 1-0 with a 5.87 ERA. At Rochester, he's gone 6-5 with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 19 in 79 and 1/3 innings. His main asset is being a solid lefty with good control and that would certainly be a step above Mulholland. However, he still does not look quite ready for the big leagues. I'd look to see he him next year as a possible starter or long reliever.
* Fransisco Liriano - It is likely too early to call him up, but this lefty will be something else. He throws 97 to 98 with his fastball and he has a great slider to go along with it. He dominated in Double-A and recently was called up to Triple-A, where he had a 3.75 ERA with 15 Ks in 12 innings. He might be raw now, but it would be fun to watch him pitch.
Either way, the Twins need to make a move, and based on their prospects in Triple-A, they have the guys ready to go.
* Travis Bowyer - Bowyer leads the International League with 19 saves and has a 3-1 record with a 1.27 ERA in 42 and 2/3 innings. Most impressive, though, is that he's allowed only 20 hits in those innings. That's incredible. He also has 59 Ks and will be a minor league All-Star for the Rochester Red Wings. Bowyer is clearly ready for a shot in the bigs, as he has simply dominated the minor leagues with his great fastball. (Reminds me of Jesse Crain) He definitely deserves a shot and it looks like no matter how he reacts immediately, he certainly has a lot of upside.
* Scott Baker - Baker made a very good impression in Spring Training and even got a small call-up this year, only pitching a scoreless inning. He should the Twins that he can mix his pitches well and he certainly has some good control to go with it. Baker has had a great year at Triple-A, going 2-5 with a 2.83 ERA in 14 starts. He has 72 Ks in 82 and 2/3 innings and 21 walks. Baker also has certainly earned his call up and his chance, as he can start or be used in any situation well. Reminds me of the situation with Santana in 2002.
* Boof Bonser - Another pitcher acquired in the trade for A.J. in 2003, Bonser has also had a good year a Triple-A. He has gone 6-4 with a 3.82 ERA with 93 Ks in 92 innings this year with 29 walks. There is no scouting report on Bonser, so I have no way to be sure what his pitching selection is, but Bonser has certainly been a power pitcher in the minors and would go along well with the current Twins bullpen.
* J.D. Durbin - Durbin, ever since being shaken up last year in his call, has had a decent year at Triple-A. His fastball is down and he isn't hit 100 like he did last fall. However, as with the others, Durbin has such a high upside that it is hard not to give him a chance. The 4.43 ERA isn't great, but the arm is and it certainly would be good for his confidence.
* Dave Gassner - He's pitched well at Triple-A and even had a call up earlier this year, but did not do so well, making two starts and going 1-0 with a 5.87 ERA. At Rochester, he's gone 6-5 with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 19 in 79 and 1/3 innings. His main asset is being a solid lefty with good control and that would certainly be a step above Mulholland. However, he still does not look quite ready for the big leagues. I'd look to see he him next year as a possible starter or long reliever.
* Fransisco Liriano - It is likely too early to call him up, but this lefty will be something else. He throws 97 to 98 with his fastball and he has a great slider to go along with it. He dominated in Double-A and recently was called up to Triple-A, where he had a 3.75 ERA with 15 Ks in 12 innings. He might be raw now, but it would be fun to watch him pitch.
Either way, the Twins need to make a move, and based on their prospects in Triple-A, they have the guys ready to go.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Offensive Incompetence Returns, Injuries Ravage
After a couple games where they will able to piece together some runs and get much-needed victories, the Twins were unable to complete a sweep today over the lowly Royals, as they fell 3-1. Brad Radke YET AGAIN got hammered in the first inning, allowing 2 runs, and while he would pitch pretty well the rest of the way, the Twins could do almost nothing offensively and - with a dramatic 13th inning victory for the White Sox - lost another game in the standings.
But the bad news doesn't stop there. It was revealed today that Glenn Williams, who hurt his shoulder sliding back into first on a pick-off throw Tuesday night, will miss at least six weeks due to a tear and might eventually need surgery. This is a tough blow for a kid that had really come up and filled a need for this team and was exciting to watch. Juan Castro also missed today's game with "dizziness"... not sure what to make of that. To worsen matters, Michael Cuddyer was hit in the hand by a pitch late in the game forcing him to come out. Outfielder Mike Ryan had to finish the game at third. The Twins' infield is in a very sticky situation, which will be relieved slightly when Brent Abernathy returns from the DL on Friday and when Nick Punto (hopefully) returns to the club early next week.
However, even with those guys back, this is still going to be a makeshift infield and if this team wants to be able to compete they are going to need to make a trade. While the Star Tribune has reported that the Twins are no longer seeking him, I would still endorse Joe Randa of the Reds. Many people have expressed that they wouldn't want the trade because they just don't think Randa is that good... well his numbers this year say differently and even in the worst-case scenario he couldn't be any worse than what we've got now.
One other thing... Matt Guerrier came in and pitched a scoreless 9th inning today. He has a 2.79 ERA on the year. So why is he being brought into games where the Twins are already down, while Terry Mulholland and his near-6 ERA are being brought into close games like yesterday? It's moves like this that make me seriously question Ron Gardenhire's judgment.
But the bad news doesn't stop there. It was revealed today that Glenn Williams, who hurt his shoulder sliding back into first on a pick-off throw Tuesday night, will miss at least six weeks due to a tear and might eventually need surgery. This is a tough blow for a kid that had really come up and filled a need for this team and was exciting to watch. Juan Castro also missed today's game with "dizziness"... not sure what to make of that. To worsen matters, Michael Cuddyer was hit in the hand by a pitch late in the game forcing him to come out. Outfielder Mike Ryan had to finish the game at third. The Twins' infield is in a very sticky situation, which will be relieved slightly when Brent Abernathy returns from the DL on Friday and when Nick Punto (hopefully) returns to the club early next week.
However, even with those guys back, this is still going to be a makeshift infield and if this team wants to be able to compete they are going to need to make a trade. While the Star Tribune has reported that the Twins are no longer seeking him, I would still endorse Joe Randa of the Reds. Many people have expressed that they wouldn't want the trade because they just don't think Randa is that good... well his numbers this year say differently and even in the worst-case scenario he couldn't be any worse than what we've got now.
One other thing... Matt Guerrier came in and pitched a scoreless 9th inning today. He has a 2.79 ERA on the year. So why is he being brought into games where the Twins are already down, while Terry Mulholland and his near-6 ERA are being brought into close games like yesterday? It's moves like this that make me seriously question Ron Gardenhire's judgment.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Hitting Surplus
Well, after a long drought (or, to go with the title, deficit) of hitting in Minnesota, they certainly exploded on Kansas City pitching tonight. And its a good thing, because Minnesota's pitching was nearly as subpar. With 15 hits, 11 runs, and three stolen bases, the Twins can out of the blocks, running all over the young staff. Shannon Stewart had three hits and three RBI; Glenn Williams took his hitting streak to 13 games, all extending from his first major league game, Mike Redmond started again, but went 3 for 3 with two RBI; Justin Morneau took over first in the eight only to final hit his 10th home run of the season; Torii Hunter had a stolen base and went 1 for 3 with two RBIs, bringing his team-leading total to 48; Luis Rivas even got in on the fun, going 2 for 2 as a defensive replacement. In most ways, it was stunningly different from recent Twins outings, but then again this is Kansas City we are playing.
* Carlos Silva started the game, but pitched under expectations, giving up 10 hits and six runs in five innings, not looking sharp at all against the meager Kansas City lineup.
* And, of course, just as the lead as slipping away, who do they bring in? Terry Mulholland! What does he do? Comes in in the sixth, gives up three straight hits and gives Kansas City their first lead of the night. Mulholland's 5.46 ERA isn't completely telling of how bad he has been, as he cannot even hold his ground against Kansas City hitters. Its a good thing the rest of the bullpen isn't in the same league as Mulholland....
* Jesse Crain came in and started a different trend for the Twins bullpen, taking care of all five men he faced and not allowing anymore of the runners Mulholland put on to score. Crain's good pitching, and the rest of the Minnesota bullpen (besides Terry, of course), settled down and allowed Minnesota the chance to come back and win. Crain picked up the win, his seventh of the year, while Juan Rincon, J.C. Romero, and Joe Nathan finished the game off, as Nathan pitched another good ninth for his 20th save.
* Good defense (no errors, three double plays), great offense, and a good effort by the bullpen helped the Twins pull out a good victory, but did not bring them any closer to the White Sox, who beat the Tigers 2-1. The Twins just need to keep on plugging away, with a chance here against KC and Tampa Bay to pick up some games. Brad Radke pitches tommorow in an afternoon game. Hopefully, he's worked out the kinks in his neck and will have a good start with far more Radke-esque control.
* Carlos Silva started the game, but pitched under expectations, giving up 10 hits and six runs in five innings, not looking sharp at all against the meager Kansas City lineup.
* And, of course, just as the lead as slipping away, who do they bring in? Terry Mulholland! What does he do? Comes in in the sixth, gives up three straight hits and gives Kansas City their first lead of the night. Mulholland's 5.46 ERA isn't completely telling of how bad he has been, as he cannot even hold his ground against Kansas City hitters. Its a good thing the rest of the bullpen isn't in the same league as Mulholland....
* Jesse Crain came in and started a different trend for the Twins bullpen, taking care of all five men he faced and not allowing anymore of the runners Mulholland put on to score. Crain's good pitching, and the rest of the Minnesota bullpen (besides Terry, of course), settled down and allowed Minnesota the chance to come back and win. Crain picked up the win, his seventh of the year, while Juan Rincon, J.C. Romero, and Joe Nathan finished the game off, as Nathan pitched another good ninth for his 20th save.
* Good defense (no errors, three double plays), great offense, and a good effort by the bullpen helped the Twins pull out a good victory, but did not bring them any closer to the White Sox, who beat the Tigers 2-1. The Twins just need to keep on plugging away, with a chance here against KC and Tampa Bay to pick up some games. Brad Radke pitches tommorow in an afternoon game. Hopefully, he's worked out the kinks in his neck and will have a good start with far more Radke-esque control.
Monday, June 27, 2005
A Win's a Win
The Twins took advantage of a bad team and picked up a relatively unimpressive victory at home against the bottom-feeding Kansas City Royals tonight 3-1. I shouldn't say it was totally unimpressive, Joe Mays did pitch very well, but the Royals don't exactly have a dynamic offense.
All three of the Twins' runs in the game basically came as the result of miscues by the Royals' young defense. While all three were technically "earned", Torii Hunter, who scored the first run of the game in the second inning, moved into scoring position on a wild pick-off throw by the 15 year-old Zach Grienke (honestly, have you ever seen a younger-looking professional athlete?). Next, Jacque Jones hit a single, which Royals' center-fielder David DeJesus threw to the plate in an attempt to get Hunter. Grienke tried to cut off the throw but it hit off his glove, dribbling away and allowing Jones to reach second. Jones would steal third and then score on a sacrifice fly by Lew Ford. The Twins would not score again until the 8th inning, when they loaded the bases with two outs for Glenn Williams, who would hit a weak infield pop-up that somehow dropped in between pitcher Jimmy Gobble and shortstop Angel Berroa, allowing Justin Morneau to score.
Regardless of how the runs were scored, they scored, and the Twins won against a bad team. And hey, if they can continue to do that for a week, then they can string together a much-needed win streak, but the rest of their homestand consists of 2 more games against KC followed by 3 against Tampa Bay.
*Mays, who pitched 8 strong innings and didn't allow a run until DeJesus hit a solo homer in the 8th, lowered back below 4 to 3.94. He didn't seem to be commanding his pitches very well, as he continually fell behind hitters early and worked a lot of 3-ball counts, but he surprisingly didn't have issue any walks.
*Joe Nathan worked an efficient 9th, retiring the side on 18 pitches while striking out 2, although he did issue a 2-out walk. FSN posted a very telling statistic in today's broadcast, stating that Nathan has an excellent 1.40 ERA in save situations and a miserable 9.00 ERA in non-save situations. To me, this just says the guy needs to be getting more regular work. Typically, when a closer pitches in a non-save situation, it's because he hasn't pitched in a while and the manager is just looking to get him some work. If he's not pitching well in those situations, it might be a sign that he has trouble getting acclimated after not pitching for a few days. It also might have to do with his mindset... maybe he just brings it more when he is under pressure.
*Glenn Williams went 2/3 and is now hitting .421, and he has extended his career-opening hitting streak to 12 games. This is getting pretty interesting. He's not slaughtering the ball, but he's getting on... and that's more than Cuddy could say.
*The Twins' infield showed some great defense tonight, with excellent off-balance throws by Juan Castro and Luis Rodriguez. Castro also went 2/3 at the plate, but he might be the one who finds the bench when Nick Punto returns if Rodriguez and Williams continue to hit. Luis Rivas no longer has any place on this team.
All three of the Twins' runs in the game basically came as the result of miscues by the Royals' young defense. While all three were technically "earned", Torii Hunter, who scored the first run of the game in the second inning, moved into scoring position on a wild pick-off throw by the 15 year-old Zach Grienke (honestly, have you ever seen a younger-looking professional athlete?). Next, Jacque Jones hit a single, which Royals' center-fielder David DeJesus threw to the plate in an attempt to get Hunter. Grienke tried to cut off the throw but it hit off his glove, dribbling away and allowing Jones to reach second. Jones would steal third and then score on a sacrifice fly by Lew Ford. The Twins would not score again until the 8th inning, when they loaded the bases with two outs for Glenn Williams, who would hit a weak infield pop-up that somehow dropped in between pitcher Jimmy Gobble and shortstop Angel Berroa, allowing Justin Morneau to score.
Regardless of how the runs were scored, they scored, and the Twins won against a bad team. And hey, if they can continue to do that for a week, then they can string together a much-needed win streak, but the rest of their homestand consists of 2 more games against KC followed by 3 against Tampa Bay.
*Mays, who pitched 8 strong innings and didn't allow a run until DeJesus hit a solo homer in the 8th, lowered back below 4 to 3.94. He didn't seem to be commanding his pitches very well, as he continually fell behind hitters early and worked a lot of 3-ball counts, but he surprisingly didn't have issue any walks.
*Joe Nathan worked an efficient 9th, retiring the side on 18 pitches while striking out 2, although he did issue a 2-out walk. FSN posted a very telling statistic in today's broadcast, stating that Nathan has an excellent 1.40 ERA in save situations and a miserable 9.00 ERA in non-save situations. To me, this just says the guy needs to be getting more regular work. Typically, when a closer pitches in a non-save situation, it's because he hasn't pitched in a while and the manager is just looking to get him some work. If he's not pitching well in those situations, it might be a sign that he has trouble getting acclimated after not pitching for a few days. It also might have to do with his mindset... maybe he just brings it more when he is under pressure.
*Glenn Williams went 2/3 and is now hitting .421, and he has extended his career-opening hitting streak to 12 games. This is getting pretty interesting. He's not slaughtering the ball, but he's getting on... and that's more than Cuddy could say.
*The Twins' infield showed some great defense tonight, with excellent off-balance throws by Juan Castro and Luis Rodriguez. Castro also went 2/3 at the plate, but he might be the one who finds the bench when Nick Punto returns if Rodriguez and Williams continue to hit. Luis Rivas no longer has any place on this team.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Twins salvaged series behind strong pitching
Finally, a few things came together for the Twins and hopefully its a sign of things to come. The Twins pitched well and the offense came out with enough vigor to pull out a good victory against the Brewers to avoid a sweep this afternoon. A near shut-out for the staff and a offensive explosiveness right out of the box. In the first inning, Luis Rodriguez hit the first home run in the majors and a two-run homer at that, just over the right-field fence. The Twins put the rest of their runs up on the board in the sixth, where they had three runs on three hits, a walk, an a failed fielder's choice that allowed a run to score. It was a very positive effort for the Twins and a few players stood out in today's victory:
* Glenn Williams appears to be the choice for third baseman for the time, as Gardenhire finally has benched Cuddyer after his awful two error game on Wednesday that brought him to a tie for the major league league with 13 errors. (A very bad stat to lead in, indeed) Williams has responded to the regular playing time by hitting .400 and hitting safely in every game he has playing in so far. Today, he went 2 for 5 with with a run scored. Although his defense might not be significantly better than Cuddyer's, his bat certainly appears to be.
* Shannon Stewart had a great offensive day, going 3 for 5 with a run scored and a two-out, run scoring double in the sixth that brought the Twins to a comfortable 5-0 lead. Stewart, who was slumping a bit as of late, is hitting .293 and has been fairly steady all year for a club that is in dire need of stability.
* Luis Rodriguez continues to impress. Besides his first home run to give the Twins a quick 2-0, he went 3 for 5 as well, bringing his average to .321. Rodriguez, along with Williams, has been a bright spot during the past few forgottable weeks of play. Gardenhire's choice to continue to play him is a both a smart and delightful decision to see.
* Kyle Lohse was a bit erratic in his sixth inning of work, but did not give up any runs over six innings, acting as a stopper for the staff and ending a personal streak that has seen him look terrible over his past few starts. Along with Matt Guerrier, who pitched two scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts, Lohse gave the Twins a excellent opportunity to win, which they finally capitolized on.
* Joe Nathan, who has been extremely unstable as of late and who hasn't pitched much lately, came out to pitch the night. It started out terrible, as he gave up four hits and a two-run home run to Geoff Jenkins, but he settled into a better groove to strike out the last two hitters. Hopefully, that's a sign of things to come, because a Nathan who is walking this many hitters and who owns a 4.15 ERA is the not the dominant Nathan we are used to. (Same goes for Johan. Something has to change soon, because the starts he has had lately have been just awful to watch)
It was a good way to end another bad series for the Twins. They start a three-game series with Kansas City at home, but run into a KC team that has been 12-6 with new manager Buddy Bell on board. Their young pitching (Zack Greinke, J.P. Howell) could spell relief or more doom for the Twins as they begin another series they should and need to win.
* Glenn Williams appears to be the choice for third baseman for the time, as Gardenhire finally has benched Cuddyer after his awful two error game on Wednesday that brought him to a tie for the major league league with 13 errors. (A very bad stat to lead in, indeed) Williams has responded to the regular playing time by hitting .400 and hitting safely in every game he has playing in so far. Today, he went 2 for 5 with with a run scored. Although his defense might not be significantly better than Cuddyer's, his bat certainly appears to be.
* Shannon Stewart had a great offensive day, going 3 for 5 with a run scored and a two-out, run scoring double in the sixth that brought the Twins to a comfortable 5-0 lead. Stewart, who was slumping a bit as of late, is hitting .293 and has been fairly steady all year for a club that is in dire need of stability.
* Luis Rodriguez continues to impress. Besides his first home run to give the Twins a quick 2-0, he went 3 for 5 as well, bringing his average to .321. Rodriguez, along with Williams, has been a bright spot during the past few forgottable weeks of play. Gardenhire's choice to continue to play him is a both a smart and delightful decision to see.
* Kyle Lohse was a bit erratic in his sixth inning of work, but did not give up any runs over six innings, acting as a stopper for the staff and ending a personal streak that has seen him look terrible over his past few starts. Along with Matt Guerrier, who pitched two scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts, Lohse gave the Twins a excellent opportunity to win, which they finally capitolized on.
* Joe Nathan, who has been extremely unstable as of late and who hasn't pitched much lately, came out to pitch the night. It started out terrible, as he gave up four hits and a two-run home run to Geoff Jenkins, but he settled into a better groove to strike out the last two hitters. Hopefully, that's a sign of things to come, because a Nathan who is walking this many hitters and who owns a 4.15 ERA is the not the dominant Nathan we are used to. (Same goes for Johan. Something has to change soon, because the starts he has had lately have been just awful to watch)
It was a good way to end another bad series for the Twins. They start a three-game series with Kansas City at home, but run into a KC team that has been 12-6 with new manager Buddy Bell on board. Their young pitching (Zack Greinke, J.P. Howell) could spell relief or more doom for the Twins as they begin another series they should and need to win.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Youth Movement
It was the Milwaukee's future stars that made an impact tonight and led the Brew Crew to a comeback victory over the Twins. Both second baseman Rickie Weeks and first baseman Prince Fielder (in a pinch-hit appearance) hit their both career home runs, and Fielder's was a three-run shot that came with the Brewers down 6-5 to put them on top for good.
Johan Santana's struggles continued, as he failed to pick up a win despite the fact that the Shannon Stewart and Torii Hunter's first-inning homers handed him a 3 run lead before he even took the mound. Santana has simply been allowing way too many men to get on base. After walking an uncharacteristic 4 batters in his last start, he did it again tonight, and also allowed 6 hits. After he was pulled from the game, Jesse Crain came in with two runners on base and faced Fielder, and his first pitch was a terrible fastball right down the middle which ended up over the fence in center field.
I overheard a theory as to why Santana's performance has been so poor as of late. Word is that Johan was signaling his pitches so opposing teams could figure out what he was going to throw. In order to fix this problem, the Twins' staff worked with Santana to adjust his motion so that he wouldn't signal, but now these changes have got him all screwed up and he's lost his control. That would make sense. Clearly, something must be done to get him back on track, because we will never get back in the race in the AL Central if Santana can't step up and be our ace.
Hunter continued his red-hot June with two home runs tonight. Glenn Williams started at third again and got another hit... he has now hit in each of the 10 games he has played since being called up. The offense was not the problem tonight, but their pitching just could not do the job.
Johan Santana's struggles continued, as he failed to pick up a win despite the fact that the Shannon Stewart and Torii Hunter's first-inning homers handed him a 3 run lead before he even took the mound. Santana has simply been allowing way too many men to get on base. After walking an uncharacteristic 4 batters in his last start, he did it again tonight, and also allowed 6 hits. After he was pulled from the game, Jesse Crain came in with two runners on base and faced Fielder, and his first pitch was a terrible fastball right down the middle which ended up over the fence in center field.
I overheard a theory as to why Santana's performance has been so poor as of late. Word is that Johan was signaling his pitches so opposing teams could figure out what he was going to throw. In order to fix this problem, the Twins' staff worked with Santana to adjust his motion so that he wouldn't signal, but now these changes have got him all screwed up and he's lost his control. That would make sense. Clearly, something must be done to get him back on track, because we will never get back in the race in the AL Central if Santana can't step up and be our ace.
Hunter continued his red-hot June with two home runs tonight. Glenn Williams started at third again and got another hit... he has now hit in each of the 10 games he has played since being called up. The offense was not the problem tonight, but their pitching just could not do the job.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Hitting Still Isn't Alive
If the Twins could have gotten a few hits tonight, maybe they could have pulled out a victory. But the loss certainly can't be blamed on pitching this time, as the staff yielded three runs, one unearned. What has been a problem as of late continued, as bad fielding and the absence of offense created the loss for Brad Radke and the Twins. Radke is having a year quite similar to last year's, as he has pitched well (4.08 ERA, 9 walks in 101 and 2/3 innings) but has a 5-7 record. As usual, the Twins just cannot score runs for Radke. Now, the Twins are 10 and 1/2 games behind the blazing White Sox, who pounded the Cubs 12-2 in a day game.
The only offense the Twins were able to produce came from Torii Hunter's 12th home-run in the 8th off of Julio Santana. Otherwise, they scrapped together only six hits as they allowed other runs on poor defense. Two errors, from Glenn Williams and Juan Castro, helped the Brewers to a 2-0 lead along with Radke's uncharacteristic lack of control. Castro's error in the fifth helped start a Brewers rally for a second run.
The same old problems haunt the Twins game in and game out: They cannot hit decent pitching too well and they get pummeled by good pitching. The have lost any ability to hit with runners in scoring position. Tonight, they were a hideous 0 for 8, throwing the opportunities they had to score off of Brewers starter Chris Capuano that they simply threw away. They had the bases loaded in the seventh, but couldn't produce with Mauer at the plate. They had Castro on the third with one out in the fourth, but followed with consecutive groundouts to end their chances. It had been a pathetic example. Just look at how they lost to Darrell May, who was jumped all over by the Mariners in a 14-5 victory, barely getting a run off of him.
The core of the lineup, like Jacque Jones, has not been adequete. After a 13-game hitting streak, Jones has done absolutely nothing. Those blaming the young stars Mauer and Morneau should look elsewhere: They've been doing ok as of late, maintaning their averages and hitting better than most. Its the veterans, from Castro to Stewart to Jones to even Hunter, despite his homer, who have completely cooled off. More than a trade, the Twins need their biggest investments to step up and do what they've been given contracts for: That includes Santana (who has not been completely consistent or as dominant as he could be), Nathan (lots of saves, bad control, high ERA for a closer), Hunter, Mays, and a few others. Now is the time to step up and take control of this club's destiny. Come on guys.
The only offense the Twins were able to produce came from Torii Hunter's 12th home-run in the 8th off of Julio Santana. Otherwise, they scrapped together only six hits as they allowed other runs on poor defense. Two errors, from Glenn Williams and Juan Castro, helped the Brewers to a 2-0 lead along with Radke's uncharacteristic lack of control. Castro's error in the fifth helped start a Brewers rally for a second run.
The same old problems haunt the Twins game in and game out: They cannot hit decent pitching too well and they get pummeled by good pitching. The have lost any ability to hit with runners in scoring position. Tonight, they were a hideous 0 for 8, throwing the opportunities they had to score off of Brewers starter Chris Capuano that they simply threw away. They had the bases loaded in the seventh, but couldn't produce with Mauer at the plate. They had Castro on the third with one out in the fourth, but followed with consecutive groundouts to end their chances. It had been a pathetic example. Just look at how they lost to Darrell May, who was jumped all over by the Mariners in a 14-5 victory, barely getting a run off of him.
The core of the lineup, like Jacque Jones, has not been adequete. After a 13-game hitting streak, Jones has done absolutely nothing. Those blaming the young stars Mauer and Morneau should look elsewhere: They've been doing ok as of late, maintaning their averages and hitting better than most. Its the veterans, from Castro to Stewart to Jones to even Hunter, despite his homer, who have completely cooled off. More than a trade, the Twins need their biggest investments to step up and do what they've been given contracts for: That includes Santana (who has not been completely consistent or as dominant as he could be), Nathan (lots of saves, bad control, high ERA for a closer), Hunter, Mays, and a few others. Now is the time to step up and take control of this club's destiny. Come on guys.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Saving Grace
The Twins' return to the victory column today wasn't exactly dazzling. Half the runs in their 6-2 win over the Tigers came on a wild pitch and an error. Then again, when you're in a slump like this, you take what you can get. Jacque Jones came up with the bases loaded in the first and struck out swinging, but the third strike sailed past catcher Vance Wilson and allowed both Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau to score. Next, Matt LeCroy would plate 2 on a bloop single to right. The 4 runs would be all they would need (although they added 2 more in 6th when Mauer scored on an error and LeCroy hit a solo home run), as Carlos Silva tossed another impressive complete game victory, needing only 91 pitches to dispose of the Tigers on 9 hits and 2 runs. He struck out two and walked no one.
*Mike Ryan has cooled down considerably since a pretty hot start when he was called up from Rochester. He hit leadoff today and went 0/5, shrinking has average to .211.
*Luis Rodriguez, who has also cooled a bit after a hot start after his call-up, went 0/4, though his average still its at .300.
*Mauer, Morneau, LeCroy, Juan Castro and Glenn Williams all had 2 hits apiece. Williams is hitting .450 since being called up. Probably just a fluke, but he sure looks a lot better than Crappy Cuddyer right now.
*Silva has walked 5 batters in 105 innings this year. That is unbelievable. This guy has become the stopper on this team. He lacks the gaudy strikeout (30) and win (6) numbers, so he might need another good start or two in order to lock up a place on the All Star roster.
In other news, I read an interesting tidbit in ESPN.com's rumor mill today:
"Because they have some young, inexpensive pitchers on the rise, the Twins may deal Kyle Lohse, the St. Paul Pioneer Press speculates, for a hitter, possibly Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs."
When they say, "Pioneer Press speculates", I don't know if they mean some beat writer put it out there as an idea or they actually have a scoop that the Twins are thinking about it. I didn't read the Press yesterday. In any case, I don't see how the move would really benefit the Twins. . Burroughs, a 24 year old, has only 11 career home runs so he wouldn't exactly be the established veteran power-hitter the team desperately needs, although he did hit .298 last year and is steady defensively. He would most certainly be an upgrade over Mr. Cuddyer. Plus, he's relatively cheap at $1.6 mil. Then again, he bats left-handed, and the Twins need another left-handed hitter like they need Joe Mauer's knee to explode. Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan yesterday put out the name of Joe Randa as a potential trade option, and he would make a lot more sense in my opinion. Randa, a righty, is a ten year vet with decent power, a good glove, and a very good career K/BB ratio. He's currently hitting .293 with 11 HR and 39 RBI for Cincinatti, and his $2.1 million price tag would not be crippling. Furthermore, the trade would make sense from both sides because the Reds are badly in need of pitching.
*Mike Ryan has cooled down considerably since a pretty hot start when he was called up from Rochester. He hit leadoff today and went 0/5, shrinking has average to .211.
*Luis Rodriguez, who has also cooled a bit after a hot start after his call-up, went 0/4, though his average still its at .300.
*Mauer, Morneau, LeCroy, Juan Castro and Glenn Williams all had 2 hits apiece. Williams is hitting .450 since being called up. Probably just a fluke, but he sure looks a lot better than Crappy Cuddyer right now.
*Silva has walked 5 batters in 105 innings this year. That is unbelievable. This guy has become the stopper on this team. He lacks the gaudy strikeout (30) and win (6) numbers, so he might need another good start or two in order to lock up a place on the All Star roster.
In other news, I read an interesting tidbit in ESPN.com's rumor mill today:
"Because they have some young, inexpensive pitchers on the rise, the Twins may deal Kyle Lohse, the St. Paul Pioneer Press speculates, for a hitter, possibly Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs."
When they say, "Pioneer Press speculates", I don't know if they mean some beat writer put it out there as an idea or they actually have a scoop that the Twins are thinking about it. I didn't read the Press yesterday. In any case, I don't see how the move would really benefit the Twins. . Burroughs, a 24 year old, has only 11 career home runs so he wouldn't exactly be the established veteran power-hitter the team desperately needs, although he did hit .298 last year and is steady defensively. He would most certainly be an upgrade over Mr. Cuddyer. Plus, he's relatively cheap at $1.6 mil. Then again, he bats left-handed, and the Twins need another left-handed hitter like they need Joe Mauer's knee to explode. Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan yesterday put out the name of Joe Randa as a potential trade option, and he would make a lot more sense in my opinion. Randa, a righty, is a ten year vet with decent power, a good glove, and a very good career K/BB ratio. He's currently hitting .293 with 11 HR and 39 RBI for Cincinatti, and his $2.1 million price tag would not be crippling. Furthermore, the trade would make sense from both sides because the Reds are badly in need of pitching.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Twins fall to Tigers again
Wow. They lost again. And worse this time. They now got beat badly by Nate Robertson after Jeremy Bonderman, two guys the Twins have beat up in the past. 8-1 was the final score. Its almost impossible to see this team as contenders when they just get slaughtered by mediocre teams with bad pitching. (Giants, Tigers, and even the Dodgers in a way) The Twins once again managed absolutely no offense, getting five hits and one run in the first off of Lew Ford's RBI single. After that, it was just atrocious. And the fielding and pitching didn't show up either. Michael Cuddyer made two errors, giving him thirteen on the year.
That's unacceptable and makes me incline to agree with Jim Souhan that the Twins desperately need a veteran infielder. And I agree that the man to go should be Kyle Lohse or even Joe Mays. Or, yes, even Micheal Cuddyer, who has proven himself to be below the exectations created by being drafted in the first round. Why? Simple; the Twins have ample pitching in the minors, with guys like Scott Baker and Boof Bonser ready to be promoted, with Fransisco Liriano not far behind. Trade some of our mediocre starters or Cuddyer and get what the Twins really need: offense and veteran presence, especially in the infield. Guys like Joe Randa and Rob Mackowiak are likely to be available, as they are having good seasons on bad teams. Whatever it the solution, something needs to happen.
Other than the offense and defense, the pitching wasn't too great either. Joe Mays continued the trend of not-so-good starting pitching, though the bullpen had a very productive night. Beyond that, what more can I say? Its embarrasing to watch the Twins beat themselves and be content playing with guys that do not show the patience at the plate or the intelligent decision making abilities that are so key to winning, especially for the pitching-based Twins. Its time to make a move. Trade Lohse, Cuddyer, or Mays and get the Twins what they need soon, before any hopes of making the playoffs fade.
That's unacceptable and makes me incline to agree with Jim Souhan that the Twins desperately need a veteran infielder. And I agree that the man to go should be Kyle Lohse or even Joe Mays. Or, yes, even Micheal Cuddyer, who has proven himself to be below the exectations created by being drafted in the first round. Why? Simple; the Twins have ample pitching in the minors, with guys like Scott Baker and Boof Bonser ready to be promoted, with Fransisco Liriano not far behind. Trade some of our mediocre starters or Cuddyer and get what the Twins really need: offense and veteran presence, especially in the infield. Guys like Joe Randa and Rob Mackowiak are likely to be available, as they are having good seasons on bad teams. Whatever it the solution, something needs to happen.
Other than the offense and defense, the pitching wasn't too great either. Joe Mays continued the trend of not-so-good starting pitching, though the bullpen had a very productive night. Beyond that, what more can I say? Its embarrasing to watch the Twins beat themselves and be content playing with guys that do not show the patience at the plate or the intelligent decision making abilities that are so key to winning, especially for the pitching-based Twins. Its time to make a move. Trade Lohse, Cuddyer, or Mays and get the Twins what they need soon, before any hopes of making the playoffs fade.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Fading Fast
I'm starting to get pretty down on the Twins. Their deficit in the AL Central has now grown to 9 games, they've lost 5 of 6, and they just don't seem to really be trying all that hard to get it going, as evidenced by a lackadaisical 7-2 defeat tonight at the hands of Jeremy Bonderman and the Tigers. What the Twins really needed in this home set against Detroit was a sweep to get back on track, and that goal is now already out of sight. At this point, all they can hope to do is pull themselves together and win the series. And they need to do that, because the White Sox and Indians (and Tigers, perhaps) are simply not going to let up.
Paradise Lost
Aloha all. I returned from Hawaii yesterday, but the news has not exactly been favorable in Twins Territory since my absence. The Twins haven't been playing well, while the first-place White Sox and third-place Indians have both been winning and winning. The Sox have now built a daunting 8-game lead, and Cleveland (the team which most people picked before the season as the one to give the Twins a run for their money in this division) have snuck up from behind and are just a couple games out of knocking the Twins down to third. These are distressing trends, to be sure. It's too early to panic, and we're still very much in the thick of the Wild Card race, but 8 games is a lot of ground to make up, even over half a season. I know, I know... we've done it before. But let's face it; this White Sox team is not going away. They are a good team, and their pitching is good enough to win games where they don't get much run support (Rob Neyer recently wrote an article for ESPN.com discussing the Sox' 9-11 record in games where they score 3 or less runs, which is the best in the AL).
I don't know how likely it is that the Twins will be able to capture a fourth straight division title. Right now the need is just to concentrate on playing good baseball and regaining some ground, and that needs to start with a win over the Tigers tonight.
I don't know how likely it is that the Twins will be able to capture a fourth straight division title. Right now the need is just to concentrate on playing good baseball and regaining some ground, and that needs to start with a win over the Tigers tonight.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Needed Recovery
Upon reading the paper this morning, I discovered that there is a big figure amongst the Twins that agrees with me about their recent troubles: Ron Gardenhire. Now, that's not to say that he thinks we should jettison Terry Mulholland, but he does sees the major problems the Twins offense has been facing. On Friday, after the Twins pulled out a extra-innings victory over the Padres, Gardenhire held a team meeting in which he pleaded with his hitters to be more patient at the plate and to try and use all the fields; in other words, to hit to their abilities. Apparently, they heard none of it, as Brian Lawrence and finesse lefty Darrell May mowed down the Twins batters on consecutive nights this weekend.
Basically, such defeats proved Gardenhire's, and in a way, my own points about the Twins offensive problems. They cannot handle good pitches that change the eye-level i.e. change-ups, sinkers, etc. Why is this? Because, most of our hitters are free-swingers (Hunter, even Morneau) who try and pull all the pitches they say. Now, for a guy like Hunter, he can actually be somewhat successful doing this, but that is not a method to be passed along to our other young hitters.
The bigger problem is that the Twins have no easy way out. They cannot make majors trades since they have no real financial flexibility the way the Yankees or Red Sox do. So, they cannot just send down the players have problems, because they have no one to replace them that would do much better. Basically, they are stuck with what they have. So, I think they have one larger option: A new hitting coach. The basic idea, as silly as it sounds, is that sometimes hitters or players respond differently when a new guy says the same thing the other guy did before. It happens all the time in baseball. Look at alot of the success stories. Its all in approach, since its different for all players. With all the problems, I think that is the Twins best option at this point. Sorry Scotty Ulger, but you gotta go.
Basically, such defeats proved Gardenhire's, and in a way, my own points about the Twins offensive problems. They cannot handle good pitches that change the eye-level i.e. change-ups, sinkers, etc. Why is this? Because, most of our hitters are free-swingers (Hunter, even Morneau) who try and pull all the pitches they say. Now, for a guy like Hunter, he can actually be somewhat successful doing this, but that is not a method to be passed along to our other young hitters.
The bigger problem is that the Twins have no easy way out. They cannot make majors trades since they have no real financial flexibility the way the Yankees or Red Sox do. So, they cannot just send down the players have problems, because they have no one to replace them that would do much better. Basically, they are stuck with what they have. So, I think they have one larger option: A new hitting coach. The basic idea, as silly as it sounds, is that sometimes hitters or players respond differently when a new guy says the same thing the other guy did before. It happens all the time in baseball. Look at alot of the success stories. Its all in approach, since its different for all players. With all the problems, I think that is the Twins best option at this point. Sorry Scotty Ulger, but you gotta go.
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