Silva goes off on Mariners; next start vs. Twins
Posted on August 11th, 2008 – 9:42 AMBy Joe Christensen
After facing the Yankees’ trio of Sidney Ponson, Mike Mussina and (likely) Darrell Rasner, the Twins will get Thursday off before facing old friend Carlos Silva on Friday at the Metrodome.
You think Sunday’s loss at Kansas City was frustrating for the Twins? Silva has one win in his past 20 starts. He is 4-13 with a 5.93 ERA. He also is in the first year of a four-year, $48 million contract.
Silva tore into his teammates after Friday’s loss to Tampa Bay. You can hear the comments at this link from Geoff Baker’s blog in the Seattle Times. An excerpt:
Maybe half of the team wants to do the best they can. Take the starting rotation … every time we cross that line, we want to do our best. No matter how many games we are behind. But maybe half of the team doesn’t have that mentality. They are only thinking of finishing strong. And to put up their numbers. That’s great, but that affects us. As a team, that doesn’t work out.
… Maybe Chief has to go and grab somebody from his neck and throw him into the wall and something’s going to change. I’m very close to doing that, so write that down.
Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said he was “very disappointed” by Silva’s comments, mostly because Silva was talking to the media and not to his teammates directly. Riggleman did add:
I admire him more for doing it when he’s 4-13, to tell you the truth. If you’re 13-4 and you’re saying stuff, it’s kind of like, ‘I’m going good so I can say anything I want.’ At least he’s speaking his mind when he’s struggling, so I admire him for that, but again, whether it’s when you’re struggling or when you’re going good, you just don’t do it publicly.
32 Responses to "Silva goes off on Mariners; next start vs. Twins"
Let’s start the morning off by saying I think that it’s time to reevaluate whether Barry Bonds can help this team. Yes he can and I believe that his presence in the lineup will benefit our run production. I know that it can also raise tough issues on who gets less at-bats and who plays where but it is obvious to me that this move should be made and is one that management could make.
Silca isn’t saying anything that I haven’t seen written by columnists and bloggers that follow the Ms. He has about 48 million reasons why he can feel secure enough to make those kinds of comments. If Riggleman would have been able to deal with players who are dogging it internally as the manager (I’m pretty sure that’s part of his job description), it wouldn’t be necessary for a guy to go public.
I’ve never been a big Silva fan, but good for him. I just hope it doesn’t have the effect of lighting a fire under the Mariners before they come to Minn.
“Maybe Chief has to go and grab somebody from his neck and throw him into the wall”
From the Torii Hunter School of Leadership!
Captain Jack, I think I’d choose contraction before I’d choose Barry Bonds.
anyone notice how well livan did yesterday?
We should’ve signed him instead of Cuddy.
This team can win their division perhaps without making a significant lineup change. But, if you add a power presence in the lineup, this young group could suprise everyone and win in the playoffs. I want the Twins to win in the playoffs and not just be a participant. These guys can do it. They just need more help. Bonds should be that help.
If we would have kept Silva and Livan, we would have had two inning eaters and the bullpen would be well-rested.
The outfielders, on the other hand…..
Bonds would be a detriment, not a help. He’d be a clubhouse cancer (of the tumorous variety, one that causes problems until it is surgically removed) and would bring more media attention than is necessary, putting more pressure on this young team. More pressure = more mistakes and even less production.
“If we would have kept Silva and Livan, we would have had two inning eaters and the bullpen would be well-rested.”
I get what you’re saying and have actually had that thought, but the team would be down 7-3 in the 7th or 8th inning when the bullpen would be used.
I dont’ think Bonds would be a detriment or clubhouse cancer. He just hasn’t had at bats all year. That would be my concern.
Seth, I think that was his point with the last sentence, they’d eat innings, but the OFers would be exhausted.
I think that adding Bonds would send a great message to the AL Central, and having him bat behind Morneau would be outright dangerous.
And there goes Cuddy with a broken foot. What is he made out of these days popscicle sticks
Seth, If you have anything left in your arm, I will personally start a campaign to raise money for you to fly to San Fran and pitch to Barry to see if he has anything left in the tank. If he does, give him your plane ticket and we’ll make arrangements to get you back later.
any word on if Perkins is going to make his start tonight
Silva’s gunning to become the team’s player representative.
“birdofprey says:
August 11th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Silva’s gunning to become the team’s player representative.”
Will his 10 year old wife accompany him in the process.
I dont’ think Bonds would be a detriment or clubhouse cancer. He just hasn’t had at bats all year. That would be my concern.
I think he hasn’t had any at-bats all year because several teams have considered bringing him in, only to decide he would be a detriment/distraction/clubhouse cancer. He’s been unemployed for a reason. That would be my concern.
Pre Season football, Olympic basketball and Brett Favre should not get any coverage and we should just have baseball. I feel like the media is just skipping over baseball like the season is over. I can’t wait for the series against the Angels. Too bad it’s not here
“Maybe Chief has to go and grab somebody from his neck and throw him into the wall”
From the Torii Hunter School of Leadership!
Morneau has been much better since Torii gave him an attitude adjustment. Might work for the M’s too. But Silva should hold off with that for a couple more weeks, until the Twins/Seattle season series is over.
“I think he hasn’t had any at-bats all year because several teams have considered bringing him in, only to decide he would be a detriment/distraction/clubhouse cancer. He’s been unemployed for a reason. That would be my concern.”
Other people don’t want him so you don’t want him? Do you think the Twins should stop scouting and just go by Baseball America scouting reports?
Teams succeed by taking chances. The Rays have a staff ace who was supposed to have poisonous mechanics (Kazmir) and a third stater who was too much of a distraction and cancer to keep in MN (Garza). Without those two, the team is not in first place.
Ryan Howard was supposed to strike out too much to make it in the majors. Cole Hamels was supposed to be too fragile to make it through a season. The Phillies took risks and they’re in first place.
Dustin Pedroia was supposed to be too weak to play in the majors. David Ortiz wasn’t able to hit inside pitches. Daisuke Matsuzaka was supposed to be too much of a distraction. Josh Becett was supposed to be a constant injury hazard. The Red Sox won a championship with those four last year and are likely headed back to the postseason.
K-Rod’s slider was supposed to make his arm fall off. Torii’s contract was supposed to be way too heavy. Vlad Guerrero was supposed to be too reclusive to play in a major market (just ask George Steinbrenner). The Angels have the best record in baseball.
On the other hand, the Pirates draft and sign the most conservative sure things they can find every year, and they haven’t made the playoffs in almost 20 years.
The Twins have been able to contend in the central all decade long with a conservative approach. But just once, it would be really fun to go into a stretch run thinking they might have a chance to win in the post-season.
Maybe Bonds would blow up in the Twins’ face. Maybe there’s an 80-20 chance that he wouldn’t even improve much on the current OF rotation. But that 20% chance of making the team a real contender is enough for me. Flags fly forever.
Bonds hasn’t faced live pitching in almost a year. Plus he’s a year older. Plus he’s not juicing.
I don’t think he can be ready and productive in 7 weeks. (And I just don’t like the guy.)
No thanks.
I’m with you Andrew. Sign Bonds.I see alot more upside than downside. We need that additional threat in the lineup. Come on management. Help us on this one. We are doing our part. Sign Barry.
I really get tired of the Bonds bashing..especially the “he’s not juicing anymore”. When did they start drug testing? Has he ever failed? He clearly has been clean since they started testing and was still hitting pretty damn good. Can he now? No idea. But just imagine him in the middle of this lineup.
Re: the Bonds thing:
If someone is bashing Bonds, he/she should also be bashing:
Pettitte
Giambi
Sheffield
etc…
Consistency is the key with this issue. One cannot bash one PED user and give a free pass to others. If Bonds should be out of the game, then those 3 should also be out of the game
another vote for Bonds. DH him behind Mourneau and start watchin the runs pour in. if nothing else it stops the intentional walks to our MVP.
oh and another thing, bat DY #2…
Has anyone heard any thing new on Casilla?
Judging from Silva’s performance this year…I don’t think he’s exactly in a position to tear into teammates. How’s he doing with his massive contract and equally massive ERA?
A player who IS performing has more right to complain than one who isn’t, as he’s not exactly doing his team any favors.
Not to mention I have to agree about popping off to the media before doing so to the team.
Anybody can run their mouth to the press, but the real man is the one who walks up to his teammate and says something.
I am looking forward to seeing Serve’em Up Silva giving up a HR to Adam Everett.
Who will be the first pitcher with 20 losses Silva or Zito?
How old is Silva’s wife, in fact?
If someone is bashing Bonds, he/she should also be bashing:
Pettitte
Giambi
Sheffield
etc…
I don’t want any of them on the Twins either. Or Juan Rincon, for that matter.
