Baker passes final test
Posted on March 30th, 2008 – 1:13 PMBy Joe Christensen
Three quick items from today’s Twins workout at the Metrodome:
(*) Scott Baker tossed six innings for Class AAA Rochester today in Fort Myers, Fla., holding Class AA New Britain to one run on five hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Baker will start Friday against Kansas City.
(*) Kevin Slowey said he felt better, one day after pitching with flu symptoms against the Pirates. So the rotation to open the season will be: Livan Hernandez, Boof Bonser, Nick Blackburn, Slowey and Baker.
(*) Gardenhire did not say whether Craig Monroe or Jason Kubel would be his DH for Monday’s season opener. Gardenhire said he wanted to look at the numbers again.
The Angels will start RHP Jered Weaver. The lefthanded hitting Kubel is 1-for-5 off him for his career compared to 0-for-3 for the righthanded hitting Monroe.
80 Responses to "Baker passes final test"
Thanks Joe.
Punto Sucks.
Monroe will get the start, bank on it!
When Liriano comes back to that rotation, assuming everyone else says healthy, it could be pretty formidable. Baker is a solid, ML pitcher. Boof has shown bursts through the last couple of years, and hopefully his commitment to fitness this off season will be the final piece of his puzzle. Slowey has the makeup to be the next Brad Radke type, and Livan should be a guy who can be counted on to take you into the 7th each game, effectiveness aside. I’m not real confident in the Twins ability to compete with the best the AL has to offer this year, but I’m excited to see this young team grow and get better over the next couple of years.
Kubel should start.
That’s pretty obvious.
Is Mauer hurt yet? How about Kubel?
Hey, I know, let’s leave Liriano in AAA all year, so he can “season,” and let’s pick up Woody Williams. That would be classic Twins.
“Effectiveness aside.” (LOL) I love it.
OK, neither Kubel nor Monroe has done anything against Weaver & neither of them has hit much in the spring.
Kubel’s OBP is better.
For goodness sake, Gardy, give Kubel a job already.
Kubel should start against the righties and Monroe the lefties…
punto does suck…
Maybe Gardy should have Punto DH he is 0-5 against Weaver. He has not even sniffed a hit against so i think that he is due.
Please pick up the sarcasm
interesting to hear that Gardy thinks that Baker’s 71 pitches were enough for him to make the trip up North, while Liriano’s 74 against the Pirates were not…
Joe: How was Torii? We want juicy quotes. Hope Livan goes HIGH and TIGHT on T-nuts in his 1st AB. If you all have heard the story of Torii going APE SH!T on Jim Mandelaro in the Twins Clubhouse last spring you’d think twice about what a “nice” guy Hunter is. He was all about himself and the almighty dollar last year. Plain and simple. Case closed. Good riddance.
I think they wanted Liriano to stay in Ft. Meyers because of his late arrival to ST and also to get him to rely on his fastball and changeup a bit more. If he can turn his slider into a once-per-inning strikeout pitch it will significantly increase his chances of staying healthy, since they think it was that pitch that wrecked his arm in the first place. I think he’ll make a start before May and no one will remember that other lefty.
Good to hear that Baker’s not going on the DL. KC will be a good team to match up against in his first start as opposed to the Angels anyway 
Nothing against KC, but that LAA lineup is going to be rough.
The best way to start off the season would be if Punto goes out tonight and plays in oncoming traffic.
That would certainly improve our ballclub.
thrylos98,
IMO hurried recovery from TJ surgery has much more dangerous long term risks than does hurried recovery from the flu.
Max,
High and tight from Livan countered by high and tight from Jared Weaver is not good for the Twins.
i love how everyone talks crap about nick punto. yet, he’s in the big leagues and you’re on your computer screen typing away. i don’t think nick punto is all that great offensively, but he’s one of the best defensive infielders i’ve ever seen. he makes some insane web gems. and have you looked at the san francisco lineup lately? punto would be better than half the team. leave him alone.
Here’s the only numbers Gardy needs for Opening Day: In Weaver’s career lefties are batting .275 off him, righties .228.
For those who want Liriano now, think Wood and Prior
I suspect Gardenhire already knew who was going to be DHing but maybe hadn’t told the players yet and wanted to do that first.
I agree with SoCal… with Weaver’s career splits vs L/R, I think Kubel is the obvious choice.
Also, the Angels don’t have any LH relievers, so load up on those lefties.
Miller and Sid have it right. Forcing him to do too much to soon would not only rob this team of a potential ace, but it could also rob Liriano of what is likely to be an all-star career.
frankie,
Not only are those OCD sufferers “on their computer screen typing away”, but they have no other thoughts or opinions except “Punto —ks!” in their warped little brains.
Kubel is the obvious choice, for at least 2 months, against righties. Com’n Gardy, give Kubel a chance.
but they have no other thoughts or opinions except “Punto —ks!”
I was listenign to KFAN and they had one of the Strib writers on the show (think it was Souhan). He basically said what I’ve been thinking the whole time.
People put all the blame on Punto, which isn’t even close to the truth. Punto is an offensive liability, but will hardly see play time between he and Tolbert…let alone actual at-bats.
I wish I could remember the exact wording, but it was essentially calling out people who do nothing but whine about Punto all day long.
Great news on Baker. Kubel should definatley get the start.
Gomez
Mauer
Cuddyer
Morneau
Young
Kubel
Harris
Lamb
Everett
Go Twins!!!!
PUNTO SUCKS
Kubel or Monroe?
Ick. Try someone else.
you boys are brutal on poor punto.
he will be valuable off the bench before this season is over. that is really his best function, utility player.
I don’t know why I bother to read the comments on this blog anymore. Every other post is about Punto and his inability to hit. Getting sickening.
Plain and simple — Liriano is on the bubble a bit for coming north but his wife’s giving birth, induced, in like a week. In Florida. So no point flying him up and back when he may or may not be ready. Let him get some innings, go to the birth, then he’s in the majors the rest of the year. Not a big deal. Not a bad thing to get a look at Blackburn.
Gardy’s done some wacky things but I think it’s safe to say he’ll start Kubes. I hope.
I dunno. I haven’t seen much of Kubel in the past few games. Monroe’s gotten the starts as best I can recall.
I think Kubel in the long term will be more useful, but if Monroe keeps hitting well why take him out?
I borrowed “ick” from cmathewson. Seemed to work well there.
Gardy is going to use Monroe mostly at DH, with Kubel pinch hitting for Everett. Kubel will start some days at DH.
Most any player on the Twins bench, if he plays well, could win an everyday job. Kubel could do that. Punto or Tolbert could also. It’s not like there are super talented players in front of them. Quite to the contrary, in fact.
Redmond won’t play everyday, of course, because Mauer is in front of him.
Is there a ticket price discount for having to watch Livan Hernandez instead of Johan Santana?
That’s like going to watch Chuck Wepner in the main event, instead of Muhammad Ali.
Wow Craig, you’re quite the optimist. I think you’re being a bit hard on this team considering they are currently tied for first in the division. I don’t know when or how “unproven” turned into “untalented,” but maybe you should wait until the season actually starts before you start writing off the twins.
I just find it funny that the Strib has Chicago “up there” along with Detroit and Cleveland when discussing the powerhouses of the central.
I view Detroit and Cleveland as the titans in the AL Central this season. KC and Chicago went younger and are just as unproven as the Twins at this point.
PUNTO SUCKS!
get out of here and let us real twins fans discuss things…….
Punto does suck!!! but thats besides the point. did anybody see Guzman’s single? the first hit ever in their new stadium. thats pretty cool for Cristian
i saw that i like guzman, how many games did he play last year? he batted 328
Liriano is very important to this rotation because he’s the only lefty. I don’t think we’ll see Perkins in the rotation this year either. For some reason, lefties that throw strikes get the job done. Look at the Twins record vs. lefties in past years.
The Baseball Genius (yours truly) has had all Spring thus far to soak in everything and I’ve come the conclusion that this is going to be a looooong season. 73 wins would be an amazing feat.
I think liriano will pitch about 160 innings and win 15 games.
This season really will depend on Baker and Bonser. Will these guys become big league starters or are they the next Lohse?????
Lets clarify a few things here
1) Punto is an average utility player. Granted he is above average defensively, but he has bit of what I would call Jim Edmonds Syndrome. Making sometimes routine plays look more spectatular. It is not so much that Punto is on the roster as much as it is that Gardy has this obession with overusing players of this caliber.
2) Baker pitched most of last year and outside of missing some spring training time he is ready to pich. Franchise has not fired a live pitch in a game that counts since August of 06. Better to error on the side of caution and get him one more start in the minors.
3)Kubel should start. RH pitcher equals Kubel start, LH equals Monroe. This is how platoons work. Unless a player is tired (doubtful it is opening day) or the other player has great numbers against the pitcher in question you go with the natural splits. Plus Kubel has been a better player the last 2 years overall.
I see a lot of punto bashing!! I totally agree. I guess I just dont understand. I think everett will do good at SS this year defensively….but since twins are rebuilding or taking some chances on younger pitching why not have casilla in their too. If he is going to be SS next year play him once a week for everett but play him more at 2b this year and get rid of PUNTO. Get a prospect(casilla) the ABS that punto will waste. I want to see casilla and gomez on the bases I think twins would be more exciting than they already will be. Seriously I can not believe twins are going to have PUNTO on major league roster. Peer and simple Punto is taking quality ABS from prospects
Beckett, Dice-K, Schilling, Wakefield and Tavarez were OK as a RHP rotation for the Red Sox last year. Lester (LHP) started 11 games and RHP’s started the rest.
everett will have a .220 batting average, where are all the complaints about him?
i’m not standing up for nick punto, he’s not that great, but come on. somebody like joe morgan can sit in a booth and criticize punto, because he’s better than him. but you guys are ridiculous behind your computers.
“Wow Craig, you’re quite the optimist. I think you’re being a bit hard on this team considering they are currently tied for first in the division. I don’t know when or how “unproven” turned into “untalented,” but maybe you should wait until the season actually starts before you start writing off the twins.”
Dave E,
Your point is good one. I am not at all impressed with Detroit, Cleveland, or Chicago. I have not written off the Twins, but only because the competition isn’t that good.
I have stated before, that the Twins have some very talented young pitchers. It’s just hard to know at this point, how good those unproven starters are.
The team doesn’t thrill me, but the only players that really bother me, are Lamb and to a lesser extent Harris. I doubt their ability to play their positions up to acceptable standards.
Tolbert or Casilla would be better choices at 2B. The batting order needs some speed.
I don’t know what Punto is trying to do at the plate. Neither does he, but if he ever figures it out, I would prefer him at 3B over Lamb.
hey craig, i wonder which teams DO impress you for 2008?
Hi mickey,
I saw you post the other day, but forgot to acknowledge you. Glad to see you are still following the Twins.
The team the Twins are playing tonight (Monday) impresses me the most. Seattle is okay, and I like the Red Sox pitching.
Take care, mickey.
everett will have a .220 batting average, where are all the complaints about him?
I sometimes get the feeling the more vocal Punto critics are so focused on him that they forget about the rest of the players on the roster.
But don’t worry, when Punto leaves after 08 (his contract’s up and they’ve got Harris and Tolbert now)…they’ll likely latch on to another player who’s having a bad year.
My guess is it’ll be one of the new guys, since it will help them not only complain about the new player, but also expand that complaint to Gardy for using him and Bill Smith for deciding to aquire him.
And then of course Pohlad somehow. Likely for footing the bill for that player but not “Player who User ____ personally thinks is better than ____”
Because if Everett returns healthy he will return as one of if not the best the best fielding shortstop in baseball. Despite the hype locally about Punto’s fielding, he is not close to Everett’s fielding at short.
That’s why Everett gets a pass if he doesn’t hit. If he hits .220, he’ll get his share of grief I’m sure.
It’s amazing all the time and energy spent on Punto with so many question marks about this team.
Wish I was driving up from Iowa to sit in an open air stadium tonite, only to have the home opener snowed out…
wheres the roof?
PuntoSucks,sucks.So there!
If we are not smart enough to understand the big picture, we have to bitch about something we do understand -
Punto.
GENO,
Lay off PuntoSucks.
His mother named him that for a reason.
I have a pretty dumb question: I have been out of town for almost a week, did Garrett Jones get cut? and if so did anyone pick him up or did he clear waivers?
Socrates-Knowing quite a few professional players,it amazes me that people that can’t chew gum and walk at the same time,can bad mouth professional players!
jama,
Garrett Jones cleared waivers and is a Rochester Red Wing.
GENO,
Life-long failures become bitter and direct their bitterness toward people who have achieved what they will never achieve.
What’s the over / under on Punto being in the lineup tonight??? 50 percent chance???
I’m seriously nervous about Baker…pitching well against New Britain doesn’t do it for me…
Other than that, can’t wait for the game!
And I know we’re going to have a lot of discussion this afternoon about the need for a roof on the stadium, but trust me, don’t give in to the snow-day hype–the best stadiums in baseball are the ones without the retractable roof!
You could all quit defending Punto, or commenting on the people that comment on him, that might stop people from commening on him. Worth a shot.
Looking forward to the first game tonight. Given how slowly Livan pitches, I’m not sure I’ll last to the end, but I hope so.
mike,
OK, worth a shot.
You Punto sucks people NEED TO MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIVES. He’s a defensive infielder. MOVE ON.
I won’t move on….there’s no reason to move on, Coming, and here’s why….
We all know there’s a good chance we’ll hear these words tonight:
Batting eighth, second baseman, Nick Punto.
As long as that remains a possibility, I won’t move on. If he truly was the L-Rod defensive replacement type, then yes, this conversation is unnecessary and old. Gardy has made this conversation what it is.
We’ve been seeing Lamb/Harris/Everett in the lineup (maybe that’s mostly those on this board, rather than the team). When did that become Harris/Lamb/Everett and why? I would think Lamb would bat 7th with the additional RBI possibilities out there from the 4/5/6 hitters getting on base at a good clip.
I am getting tired of Tori playing the sympathy card. He made his choice and it was money.
Now, it seems he is whining because he wants to be appreciated more.
But, he can’t have it both ways.
So far as I am concerned, he traded a lot of cash for the intangibles like maybe having his number retired.
He moved on, it is a fact of life but then we can too. Santana was far more classy in his departure in my opinion.
We all know there’s a good chance we’ll hear these words tonight:
What gives you that inclination? The fact that Harris has the starting job? THe fact that Gardy’s said his role will be limited? Or the fact that you just REALLY like to here yourself complain.
Honestly, Jason…nine times out of ten you post about Punto. It’s like that’s the only piece of Twins info you know.
I bet you’ll be online whining all the way through the game tonight even when Punto isn’t in the lineup.
And god forbid Punto comes in for the ninth to play defense. You’ll moan even louder even when he doesn’t get an AB.
You hate Punto. Good for you. Want a friggin’ cookie? Quit acting like you’re the only person in the universe who thinks Punto’s bat sucks.
Number retired?
You’re kidding, right?
In fact, please, please, do not run with that nonsense…do not disrespect Puckett, Carew, Killebrew, Olivia, and (cough) Hrbek, by saying his number should be retired.
Might as well retire everyone’s number at that point.
There have been two great centerfielders/team leaders in my life time and the second one couldn’t even be the opening act at the first one’s concert.
jason, regarding retractable roofs — ever been to safeco in seattle? a hard place to beat whether the top is up or down.
You know nothing about me T…
I’ve said all along I will gladly shut up when we have tangible evidence that Punto’s done playing….he got 472 at-bats last year, he got 48 at-bats in spring training–about the same as Kubel and Monroe, more than Lamb, and only ten fewer then Harris…
So like I said, as soon as we see PROOF that he will do nothing more than ride the pine, you will hear this complaint.
I am excited to see Gomez, Young, as well as see if Morneau will show us that his spring was meaningless, and all the other story lines as well….but the Punto thing is by far the biggest head-scratcher and if Gardy decides he wants to go with the hard worker, our lineup will suffer.
do not disrespect Puckett, Carew, Killebrew, Olivia, and (cough) Hrbek, by saying his number should be retired.
He’s saying if Hunter played out his career with the Twins he’d have a chance of getting his number retired. A chance. Not a good one, but there would be one (we had these talks with Radke)
He’s saying now that Hunter left those odds are gone, as he’s become just like any other former Twin (AJ, Koskie, Doug, Guzman, Rivas…) He was part of that great rebuilding period that stopped contractoin, but aside from that he was just passing through.
The last time I heard talks about player’s # getting retired was Radke’s. But even if he was a great guy for the Twins, he’s not on the same level as the current batch of retired jerseys.
Radke will likely get his name in the Twins HoF. Hunter? I doubt he’ll even get that.
I think Johan will though.
I have not mickey and I’ve heard that Safeco is phenominal with or without the roof.
I regard Safeco as the exception to the rule–it was just amazingly built…the two I have been to, Miller Park and Chase Field (Arizona), are cool buildings, but they are, in fact, buildings…just a lot cooler ones than the Metrodome.
Kauffman stadium, U.S. Cellular, by contrast, are ballparks…they give outdoor baseball what it deserves.
You know nothing about me T…
If your 07 performance and Spring Training numbers are any indication, I have a feeling my projections for the 2008 season will be more than accurate.
The problem with a retractable roof is the huge increase in cost. Count your blessings — outdoor baseball returns in two years.
well, like I said, if you can pull it off the way Safeco does (where you literally drag the roof over an otherwise awesome outdoor ballpark), then go for it….but if we’re talking about just another building that happens to open up, that doesn’t feel like genuine baseball either.
And of course, it has to be pointed out that I’m 4-for-4 on Twins games at Miller Park getting the roof closed in the last two years….
LOL T, well if LNP’s 2007 and Spring Training numbers are any indication, then prepare to hear plenty of whining if he plays…
[…] and joe blackburn stung a ball on the …http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/032408acs.htmlBaker passes final testBaker passes final test Posted on March 30th, 2008 ?? 1:13 PM By joe Christensen Three quick items […]
