Tuesday lineups: Mauer sits with stiff neck
Posted on August 12th, 2008 – 3:42 PMBy Joe Christensen
Joe Mauer is not in the Twins’ lineup tonight, and I’m guessing with a noon start on Wednesday, Gardy figured he’d give him a break against Mike Mussina.
Mauer is 0-for-8 for his career against Moose. Mike Redmond is 3-for-11.
Meanwhile, the Yankees look a little stronger against a righthander, with AL batting leader Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi’s 23 home runs back in the lineup.
Updates to come…
Update (5:40 p.m.): Mauer has a stiff neck. He said it’s been bothering him for a few days and was especially stiff today. Tried loosening it up today to no avail. He did not take swings during batting practice but hopes to play Wednesday. He might be available to pinch hit.
Gardenhire said Mauer was not going to play both tonight at Wednesday anyway, but the preference would have been to give him Wednesday off. The Twins will be facing Darrell Rasner on Wednesday, and with Thursday’s off day, that would give Mauer a two-day break heading into another long stretch of games.
Yankees (63-56)
1. Johnny Damon, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jason Giambi, DH
6. Xavier Nady, LF
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Wilson Betemit, 1B
9. Jose Molina, C
Starting pitcher: RH Mike Mussina
Twins (66-52)
1. Denard Span, RF
2. Nick Punto, 2B
3. Mike Redmond, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Brian Buscher, 3B
8. Adam Everett, SS
9. Carlos Gomez, CF
Starting pitcher: RH Nick Blackburn
Metrodome. First pitch: 7:10 p.m.
843 Responses to "Tuesday lineups: Mauer sits with stiff neck"
1. Span 2. Punto 3. Redmond
1. Damon 2. Jeter 3. Abreu
Is it really Mussina that makes us play like little girls? Or something else?
Come on! Redmond is not a #3 hitter. I know the logic - it keeps everyone else in the order in their place. Why not let Kubel bat #3 and Young #5 when Red is in the lineup. Also, let Go Go sit. Move Span to center, Kubel to right and let La-a-a-a-mb DH.
I might have suggested Kubel in the field, Span in center, and Lamb DH against Mussina. I have a hard time seeing Gomez having any success against the pitcher, given Gomez’s absolute flailing at the plate recently.
Glad to see Gardy is keeping the hot hitting Punto in, and batting 2nd, right where he belongs, whilst keeping Harris on the bench, right where he belongs! We wouldn’t Harris coming and making little nicky look bad with all those doubles Harris hits.
Twins have to keep NY within striking distance tonight so we can take it to their bullpen. I just don’t see us doing much against Mussina. Here’s to a hoping for a little Metrodome magic!
Throw Delmon in the second spot and see what happens…Punto and Redmond back-to-back is rough…for us
It doesn’t make any sense how Gardy constructs his lineups anymore… Mauer sits because it’s a LHP usually (when he’s mashing LHP this year) and now he’s sitting because he’s 0-8 off a guy?? Who cares? It’s Joe “freaking” Mauer! How do we expect to win games when we start Punto and Redmond #2,3 in the lineup?!
And what did Harris do? kill Gardy’s dog?
Harris hasn’t started in so long I forgot about him, he should be batting second while Punto takes some notes from the pine
I’m not worried about red dog in the 3 spot he has shown in the past that he can handle it. What i want to know is whats wrong with Harris?
Isn’t Lambchop >.300 vs. Moose?
“And what did Harris do? kill Gardy’s dog?”
No, he made Punto look bad, which is just not something you do
If the Twins lose tonight, it’s all on Gardy. Lamb has actually hit lately, why not figure a way to get him in there? And enough can’t be said about LNP. Harris started the year at 2B, time to put him back until Casilla gets back.
I don’t even want to rip on Punto that will be well covered by others but to bury Harris on the bench makes no sense to me.
you guys are being to tuff on punto he hit a couple grounders last night and didnt’ so. plus he got a bunt down so lay off, he battled and got after it.
Hey, lay off Punto! He’s turning things around. He had a sacrifice bunt last night. How many guys can do that?
Joe C - please find out what Harris’ injury is. Thank you.
If Gardy is always “playing by the numbers”(like choosing to not to put in Mauer against Moose) then why do we see LNP in the line up day in and day out? So frustrating!!
This line-up is embarrasing.
WTFU GARDY!!! You’re in a pennant race for cripes sake. Mauer can rest during the off season. How in the hell do you have a job? Punto and Redmond hitting 2-3? Why isn’t Punto held accountable for his horse$hit play and attitude the last 2 weeks? Any other player would be on ther bench but not litte Gardy Jr.
Gardy, you’re a joke.
So why is he starting so much? Here is a player that was optioned for assignment two weeks ago, now he is suddenly a starter? I know, I know, he won the game for us last night. He got lucky! Harris needs to be in this starting lineup, taking the place of either EVERETT or PUNTO. Punto’s average is falling faster than stalled airplane. The only reason he had a high average is that he had only limited at bats the first half of the season, and got hot for ONE week. Come on Gardy, quit it with the “What have you done for me lately” lineup.
Barry Bonds or Griffey Jr. would be a wonderful addition. Am sure hte Whte Sox will give Jr. to us now that he has not performed well for them.
Punto should really bat fifth so Morneau can see some better pitches. Opposing pitchers will be so eager to get to Punto, they’ll be distracted when pitching to Morneau.
what don’t you guys understand?
harris last 14 days, .314 ave, .390 obp, .962 ops
punto last 14 days, .176 ave, .263 obp, .557 ops.
plus punto gets after it better than harris, it’s simple guys!!
Span CF
Harris 2B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Kubel RF
Buscher 3B/DH
Lamb DH/3B
Young LF
Everret/Punto SS
You know, if you’d like to have a chance… No reason Everett and Punto need to be playing in back to back games vs the Yankees.. we are going to need more than 4 runs tonight I think…
Earth to bloggers,
Check the results of the past two “B” list line-ups which were universally reviled.
Regards,
What has Brendan Harris done to lose his starting spot to Adam Bleeping Everett!!!
A joke…
First,
I don’t think Mauer should get a day off at all this series (he was off on Sunday and the Twins are off on Thursday).
Gardy was probably going to give Mauer the day off either today or tomorrow anyway so I have no problem with giving him the day off against Mussina.
I think Mauer’s cold might have more to do with getting tonight off than his 0-8 against Mussina.
I have a bigger problem with Harris getting buried on the bench lately.
Harris played in 12 straight games going 12-40 (.300) with 7 2B, 1 HR and 7 RBI. He also had 6BB and 7K and 7R.
Now his has been out of the lineup for 4 games.
Alright,
methinks that since Gardy is so boneheaded about the Punto thing, BS should show some leadership and DFA Punto if this is the only way to keep him off the lineup.
Who is going to be sent down when Casilla comes back?
I imagine they will send Everett to Rochester and then bring him back as a September call-up.
Oh no. Punto.
Oh no. Mauer is out.
Oh no….
*leaves*
I can’t believe Harris is sitting out another game!!!! He must be hurt or something because surely he is a better choice than Everett or Punt-O. He can’t have lousy numbers against every pitcher we have faced lately, which usually is the reasoning.
it would appear that if casilla comes back before sept 1 harris will go down he is the one not playing. not sure if he has options.
I was all for Punto being in the lineup when he was producing, but WTF Gardy needs his ASS whiped but he did this all year long last season thats why nobody likes Punto.
Everett won’t accept going to Rochester. He’s gone if they DFA him. They will end up releasing him since they have so much tied up in Lamb chops.
Punto will not finish the year anywhere close to .250 avg
when Casilla comes back they will send Ruiz down, they don’t play him anyway
I think Punto was 0 for June last year and was in the starting lineup May 1st
Wow, no Harris again. I don’t know what to think. Any explanations at all? Certainly not his bat.
Yeah, that 1-7 yankees lineup never fails to scare me…. I don’t care what the record is.
I think the most amusing thing is when people address comments to Gardy as if he is going to read them “Gardy, you stink” or “Gardy, you’re a joke” etc … Good stuff. You all should be thankful for his lineup tonight - now you can take those three hours and do something else besides watch the game.
I think the only position players on the active roster that have options are:
Gomez
Young
Span
Buscher
Ruiz
Um, I don’t get why Harris is benched and Punto is hitting 2nd still either. But, is anyone surprised?
Dragon, just because being wrong works occassionally doesn’t mean you should keep trying it over and over.
I’m sure at some point Joe or LENIII will actually ask where Harris is, won’t they? I mean, enquiring minds want to know.
red owns mussina, so that’s a smart move by gardy. harris for punto offensively makes sense, but not defensively. everett has also been hitting the last few games.
Harris at least has a couple of career hits including a double plus 2 walks in 9 at bats against Mussina. LNP is 0 fer 5 with 2 SO’s and a walk. Maybe a defensive move, but (and it sounds like everybody else here agrees) with all the power in that lineup I’d take my chances with Harris glove (which really isn’t THAT bad) in favor of the bat.
Cmon “BM T”
Even you have to admit that Harris getting NO PT is perplexing. Its a legit beef that should be repeated EVERY time we see a lineup.
The rest, I agree with you. I do feel sorry for Blackburn. If I was him, after getting a look at the lineup card, you’d hear me muttering under my breathe during my warm up pitches.
If Ruiz goes down when Casilla comes back. Then I imagine Ruiz will come up in September. I also think Korecky, Pridie, Mulvey and Tolbert will be September callups.
We really do have a glut of middle infielders when they are all healthy. Too bad none of except for Harris hit for power.
Dragon
I have a broken clock that is correct twice a day.
Regards
Mussina is probably shaking in his shoes.
Gomez
Span
Kubel
MVP
Young
Lamb
Harris
Punto
Red
May the baseball gods bless the Twins tonight.
I’m going to give Gardy a break on Mauer. Sounds like he is sick and needs to “call in sick” to work today.
Heres what I would have sent out there tonight:
1) CF Span
2) SS Everett
3) RF Kubel
4) 1B Morneau
5) LF Young
6) DH Ruiz
7) C Redmond
3B Lamb
9) 2B Punto
** I’m assuming there is something wrong with Harris..nothing major, just a day to day thing **
“Mussina is probably shaking in his shoes.”
No, Kay. I’m shaking up some booze.
stupid emotion icons. There shouldn’t be a in front of Lambs name!
if this lineup wins against moose then we know gardy has sold his soul to the devil.
Any word on when Tolbert will be back?
With Casilla still about 10 days out before he returns, the status of Tolbert may determine who leaves when Casilla gets back.
Lamb: 3B,1B
Buscher: 3B only
Everett: SS only (played 1 inning at 2B)
Harris: SS,3B (failed at 2B)
Punto: 2B,SS,3B.
If Tolbert is close to being ready by the time Casilla is, I think they DFA Everett. Otherwise they will send down Ruiz.
Another factor is when Casilla is actually ready and if the want Ruiz on the PS Roster as a person sent down can’t be recalled for 10 days (exceptios for injury replacement).
“Rochester has won six of seven overall and 11 of 12 at Frontier. They trailed in all four games against Indy, won three of them and knocked off the Indians twice in walk-off fashion.
They’re three games under .500 with three weeks to go, and I believe they can finish at .500 or better and slip past Syracuse (two games ahead) for third place. It’s an amazing feat considering they lost their top pitcher (Francisco Liriano) and top hitter (Randy Ruiz) to the Twins, and pitcher Brian Duensing to the Olympics.” From Mandelaro. The point is that just maybe there are indeed some good prospects at Rochester. Certainly Machado and Pridie
For some odd reason, I’m taking Harris’ benching personally, like I’m being benched in favor of an inferior player… just like junior high basketball all over again. Stupid coaches!
emoticon
Sweet:
Your last paragraph answers your question. Tolbert will be on the post season roster on Sept. 1st, but won’t be an active member of the club yet at that point.
No Mauer against the Yankees?
Hmm, guess we must not have much to play for in mid-August.
Hey whalefeet, Redmond is 3 for 11 vs. Mussina. He doesn’t “own” anything. And stop talking up Punto’s defense! It’s average at best. He can’t even catch a throw from the outfield.
romer, booze will definitely help watch tonight’s game. I have tix to the game. Sigh. Beerman! Oh Wally, little help over here please!
I like Mark W’s at 4:07 too.
tim,
The point is that just maybe there are indeed some good prospects at Rochester.
the issue is that still, Rochester is in 4th place 15 games away, trailing the AAA teams of the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays and just ahead of those of Cleveland and Phillies.
not too optimistic
“have to admit, by the beginning of June I was starting to wonder what the Minnesota Twins saw in Jason Pridie when they acquired him from Tampa Bay as part of the Delmon Young-Matt Garza trade.
Pridie was hitting .219 for the Wings and was one of the bigger disappointments on a team that was underachieving its way to fifth place in the International League North.
But it’s August now, and I’ve become Pridie’s biggest fan. He has speed, covers more real estate than Century 21 in the outfield and is a clutch hitter. Saturday night, he ripped the first pitch he saw for a two-run triple to right-center in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Wings a dramatic 6-5 walkoff win over Indy.
Rochester has won 10 straight at Frontier Field, the first time anyone has done that in the ballpark’s 12-year history.
Pridie has been a major part of that streak. Tonight marked his 16th triples. That’s tops in the International League and just four shy of Ray Pepper’s “Red Wings” record.
And don’t look now, but Pridie is hitting .277 and has a 16-game hitting streak.” from Mandelaro. Pridie is 24 and is hitting .462 in his last 10 games
[bananawave]
[brucelee]
[backtotopic]
[rimshot]
Red Sox get Byrd. They and the Twins could easily be the 2 teams vying for the WC.
Come on Smithy, make me love you. Make the Beltre move.
lefty,
I know that Tolbert is Postseason eligible since he is on the DL.
Typically, teams will adjust their roster on 8/31 by demoting a pitcher or 2 and adding extra bench players since you only need 4 SP in the postseason.
My last paragraph was in regards to Ruiz being on the PS roster. If the Twins plan on having Ruiz on the PS roster, he can’t be sent down after 8/22 because he has to spend 10 days in the minors prior to being recalled. If Casilla isn’t ready to go by the next Road Trip (8/21) then the Twins can’t send down Ruiz if they want him on the bench in the postseason.
$5M and Revere and Buscher for Beltre.
This has to be the weakest lineup of the year.
SweetOne,
the problem is that the only Twins pitches with options are Blackburn, Slowey, Perkins and Liriano… none of them will be send to the minors
romer- the point is about prospects, not whether Rochester wins - although that streak IS impressive.
Machado is now at .379 including .472 during his last 10. Other bloggers have stated(whined) that Macri should be here.Finally other people have posted some info that certainly gives FUTURE hope for the relief core. Always like your posts
Can’t Dark Star swing a deal with the M’s?
romer: haven’t you heard, no one is available, the Twins are scanning the waiver wire (whatever that means).
thrylos98 - at least I could respond to the right person. Also, your point must be that those other teams probably have better prospects
tim, none of those guys are difference makers, though.
Plouffe might be, as might Hughes, but no one else being mentioned is likely to be anything more than a utility player on a good team.
I disagree about Pridie. Think he could make a difference next year
no matter who plays Harris/Everett, there is no reason for Redmond to be batting 3rd. It is beyond ridiculous that this happens when Redmond plays. SO he gets his patented single, MOrneau still has to triple or knock one out to get him home from 1st. I might think that Redmond hitting 3rd is the worst lineup config’s in the AL, but I watched an Angels game in which Scocsia batted Maicer Izturis 3rd. Talk about gutsy.
thrylos,
Since we only need 4 SP it is possible that 1 of those 4 could be demoted on paper and left off of the Postseason roster.
If that actually does happen my leading candidate would be Blackburn is he may have “hit the wall”. He will have 4 more starts (counting tonight) to see if that is the case. He is also on pace to hit 200+ innings in his rookie campaign, which may affect their decision.
sorry, I thought we were talking about infielders only.
Pridie is a tough call. I don’t think he is a difference maker, but he might be a legit starter. That depends on what you do with Young, Gomez, Span, cuddeyer, Kubel, though. Where does Pridie fit?
The Twins fans should chant at the end of the game tonight for this pathetic lineup. Who would pay money to see this B-rated lineup? Boy am I glad I decided to go to the game tomorrow and not tonight — I did not know that it was “Jerry’s Kids” night at the dome - but seeing Everett and Punto in there makes one wonder?
When Scocsia bats Izturis 3rd its gutsy and when Gardy bats Red third its ridiculous?
Isn’t tonight’s lineup the same as last night’s, without Mauer? Its not like Rich Becker and Alex Cole are in the lineup.
mike wants wins,
Please explain HOW a line-up which wins the game is BAD, while a line-up which loses a game is GOOD.
You folks keep attempting to explain this to me but it sure seems idiocy.
Regards,
Does Everett starting tonight have to do with his HR he hit last night? Maybe the idea behind starting him tonight is to maybe get him on a roll to finish out the year. I don’t know why Harris isn’t playing, but I’d sure like to know. Also, I like Joe getting a day off, but I would’ve probably given it to him tomorrow rather than tonight, although being 0-8 against Mussina, it might be a good night to give him off. Let’s get it done tonight and hope the lowly Royals beat the Sox.
“Sigh. Beerman!”
Kay, I snuck a pint into Wrigley once. Did it openly after the 8th. The crowd loved it.
But the best plan is to spike it in the bathroom.
Wow. We must not like first place.
I think the Royals beating the Sox 2night might be wishful thinking
Pridie in CF or and/or 4th outfielder. I know it is ludicrous to suggest Kubel/Cuddyer DH or Gomez to AA(still love the guy’s potential). Let Spring training competition determine that - again. Others available for trade(not Span). At least in September will make LF defense better. Sorry - rambling and slow typer
“Pridie has been a major part of that streak.”
Pridie, Revere, and Buscher and $5M for Beltre.
(OK, I know…..I’m getting sickening.)
Dragon
so a lineup that wins 1-0, 2-1 is a good lineup? i forgot the whole livan thing. there are other options. guess some people can’t wrap their mind around it.
you want an example? Mark Texiera. Angels had the best record in baseball. so they must have the best lineup (according to your logic). not what their GM thought. they went and got a player to improve the lineup. but i guess thats idiocy?????
Regards,
Punto and Everett are winning games with their fielding, and everyone is griping.
Harris doesn’t hit enough to make up for his lack of range in the middle infield.
Gardy has it right. Whiners have it wrong.
say romer, if you’re going to make a lop-sided trade, please make it in the Twins favor. ANd since its just make-believe, let’s really really screw ‘em. I say Tim Tuefel and Rob Wilfong for Beltre. What the hell, throw in Midre Cummings, but charge them $5M.
Noooo we doooon’t
How in th eworld did the twins ever get into first place if Gardenhire is as “dumb” as most of the couch potato baseball experts that post on these blogs thinks he is? Is it possible, perhaps, that someone who’s been in professional baseball all of his adult life including quite a few years as a coach, manager and evaluator of talent, just might know what he’s doing? What a concept! Think about it.
“Gardy has it right. Whiners have it wrong.”
Point taken. But I wasn’t whining about that.
Punto needs bench time. He was born for that kind of thing. We need Machado. Again:
First it was Gomez.
Then it was Casilla.
Then it was Span.
Now it should be Machado.
Mr. and Mrs. Whiner,
Yes you doooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Hasn’t Machado been used primarily as a DH in Rochester? Is it possible he still doesn’t have much of a throwing arm since the injury?
dknute-by eventually albeit slowly following bloggers advice: Span to leadoff, Gomez to ninth, Livan out, Harris off of 2B(apparently now reversing), Monroe out(or playing evry day - this is getting confusing)
I want to something (other than why Gardy Jr. is in the lineup instead of Harris): why do we keep Ruiz up and never play him when he could be playing every day and helping Rochester make a late season push? He was their leading hitter when he was called up and to just dump him on the bench and never play him is ridiculous. I know it was nice he finally got a cup of coffee in the majors, but if you aren’t going to play him, how about sending him down and bringing up Humber for a shot at being a reliever?
Maybe they are either trying to bury Harris on the bench to get him through waivers to try and trade him or they are hoping that if they play LNP enough he might just play himself into another stupid injury….seeing he still has a penchant for sliding head first into bases, maybe he wants to join the hurt hand club with Lexi and Tolbert and Cuddy?
dknute
How in the world did the twins ever get into first place if Gardenhire is as “dumb” as most […]thinks he is?
four words:
Joe Maddon and Rays
Okay, birdofprey. Make it $10M and keep the players.
Or how about Perkins and Revere for Beltre and Silva?
:)>
Yeah, us couch potato bloggers dont have a clue… since I could go back to March and find about a hundred things written that Monroe and Livan were bad signings (they certainly proved that), that Gomez should have never led off to begin with… that Casilla in the minors was the wrong move, etc, etc… but since it takes the Twins and Gardy about 6 months to figure these things out, he knows more than we do since he’s been in baseball all his life (maybe THAT’s the problem!)
Punto is playing second because currently there aren’t any other real options on the major league club.
Everett is playing SS because between Harris and Everett, Everett is probably the lessor of two evils.
Where they hit in the lineup just isn’t that important.
Again I say, put the blame where it belongs…the front office. This team HAS TO play two of Punto, Harris, and Everett every day at SS and 2nd. That’s not a good thing, but what do you want Gardenhire to do about it?
JP,
ALL the doom and gloom about the line-up is farcical. Any more than Glowing praise for another line-up.
An ALL-STAR line-up can be stopped by the worst pitcher, a poor line-up can pound a Cy Young pitcher.
Also, did I mention a score? I thought the B line-ups scored rather well, even though that was against the sage wisdom of these blogs.
What I did mention was a win, something regularly disdained on this blog.
Regard,
well said MarkW
well said.
MarkW,
While you are in the wayback machine, also enlighten us on the darlings Casilla & Span, and can you find more than a handful who did not want Span released because he was useless garbage?
Regards,
and for all of those who dont see a problem with this lineup day after day… would you be okay with it IF it was Game 1 of the playoffs? I doubt it… so what is this game any less important since we haven’t won squat yet? I think that is what frustrates most people on here with Gardy… always trying to play for tomorrow instead of trying to win the game tonight. I dont know about you, but with only 44 games left, I’d like the best players on the field to win as many of those games as possible…
I like the pinch-hit bench tonight. And Mauer can be a decent pinchrunner for either Morneau or Redmond.
Are worries are over, we brought back one of the older day Twins when we were really good. Yes, that is right, Bobby Keilty will be walking though that door. Nice move?
Dragon, not sure what you are talking about with Casilla, I can find plenty of people who would have rather started the year with him up then in the minors… I being one of them (regardless of his “struggles” last year)
As for Span, his minor league track record didn’t bode well and he didn’t earn a spot in CF from spring training… he is the biggest surprise for sure, but just handing the leadoff spot to Gomez was a mistake…
5-3 Yankees.
Theory: Once or twice in July, Gardy lost sleep thinking that Livan isn’t who he wants to keep throwing out there. Maybe once or twice, he expressed privately to Vavra or Liddle over a beer that Monroe just isn’t getting it done. And once he maybe (maybe) even bitched to his wife over lunch about Punto’s weaknesses. Do you really think he is oblivious to these things? He also has his clubhouse to worry about and everyone who claims credit for having these wonderful thoughts before Gardy is delusional.
Unless there’s whole lot of long, great AB’s and we get Mussina out kind of early, yeah………5-3 Yankees.
I was a Pro-Casilla guy and I can eat crow on Span (as long as he keeps showing his minor league stats mean nothing).
As for Harris-he just needs to find something to blackmail Gardy with 
You can’t always keep making excuses for these kinds of moves/signings, especially when they repeatedly dont work.
Gardy may or may not be oblivious, but he certainly didn’t express that to the Front office… so somebody certainly is oblivious.
and I never said there’s no chance of us winning tonight, I’d just rather have the best offense on the field to give us the best opportunity to compete with the other side. Mussina kills us and it would be nice if we can put out our best hitters to face him… I digress, enjoy the game.
All of you Fantasy Hall of Fame managers who developed “man-crushes” (a term learned from you) for Tolbert and Macri in April–APRIL–should just wait until the September call-ups. Meanwhile, give it up–or get a job.
“While you are in the wayback machine, also enlighten us on the darlings Casilla & Span, and can you find more than a handful who did not want Span released because he was useless garbage?”
Span was garbage and Casilla was NEVER to bat left handed in the major leagues. Blog consensus.
Re: Span and Casilla,
remember: If Cuddy, Nicky and Tolby did not get injured, there would be no Span or Casilla in the majors this year, because Gardy was fine with Cuddy, Nicky and Tolby, or did anyone forget?
Smith: The Twins rebuild in the minors, not in the major leagues.
Gardenhire: We expect to compete this year.
Blog consensus: It’s a rebuilding year, and the Twins have no chance until 2010.
Are you trying to make enemies, Craig? Many of your brethren have vivid memories of their lucid and prescient arguments in support of Span and Casilla.
Sheffield anyone?? Big stick, righty… what do we think campers?
I’ll try to answer you dragon, with an example.
If i dive into a pool that is 2 feet deep, and survive, should I try it again? Just because something works once doesn’t mean I should try it again.
dknute - Gardy knows more about baseball than me. But, that does not make him exempt from criticism. Also, if longevity in your job PROVES you are good at your job, then I guess Kevin McHale and Matt Millen should get to keep their jobs.
“Gardy may or may not be oblivious, but he certainly didn’t express that to the Front office…”
How do you know that?
I’ve read several things in the paper that looked like public cries for help from Gardy. At least as much of a cry for help as you’ll ever get from any manger.
He doesn’t sign players, he doesn’t make trades, he doesn’t make waiver claims,he doesn’t bring them up from the minors, and perhaps most importantly, he doesn’t sign the paychecks. He just plays the players he has on hand.
Sheffield
quasi copy and paste:
At this point, I’d rather see this team try to get Bonds than Sheffield (and I do not want them to get Bonds)… Sheffield is an underachieving whiner .219/.321/.371( think Nick Punto .256/.318/.375) with $14mil due next year and about 10 years older than Punto. No thank you.
Come on craig, that was the Twins’ consensus too on those guys. They traded for two CFers in the offseason, and sent Span down.
They tried 2 other guys from the minors when there were injuries to infielders and only when they both got hurt did the Twins bring up Casilla.
But, if you want to re-write history….
Gardy has been right about just about everything. I trust his judgement.
Bill Smith said the team wasn’t rebuilding. I believe him.
He said no trade was available, before the deadline, that could help the Minnesota Twins. I believe him.
Gardy and Smith are straight shooting guys who know their jobs.
McHale and Mullen? How do you draw them into a comparison with Gardenhire??!!
“Gardy may or may not be oblivious, but he certainly didn’t express that to the Front office… so somebody certainly is oblivious.”
How do you know that? Because he didn’t come out in the media and say so?
I don’t think we want the Sheffield distraction/ cancer…especially since his numbers are weak, his body is breaking down, and he cannot play in the field (unless you want to see a man who makes Kubel look like a gold glove OF)…
If we sign Sheffield:
Day 1, Noon–Sheff: “I want to help this organization win.”
Day 1, 3 pm– Sheff:”I feel disrespected by the entire organization. I deserve to be paid more.”
If we sign Sheffield.
LOL
During the off-season, I recall only one person posting here, who wanted to have Span play CF for the Twins in 2008. It was a long, cold, lonely winter for that guy.
Who was the last player the Twins have had that has the questionable nature of Sheffield? I guess Delmon fits the bill, but other than that I’m thinking Steve Howe back in ‘85. Can anyone think of someone who we’ve signed/traded for with character questions? In short, I don’t see it.
Only need Shef for a couple of months and I think pitchers still fear him no matter the numbers.
NO GARY SHEFFIELD
jake, I didn’t compare them at all. I said they were examples of people that had their jobs for a long time the proved that just because you had your job for a long time does not mean you are good at your job.
I did not compare them at all. But, I can see where some people might read it that way.
The Twins are in 1st place and we are all fuming mad. Fit to be tied. Just beside ourselves. We are fed up, and we aren’t going to put up with idiots like Gardy and Smith any longer. Take your first place team and stick it!!!
Who’s fuming? The regular people that are always fuming?
Maybe after the Yankees see our starting lineup, they’ll just mail it in. If we’re still close in the 6th, I like our chances with our bench. Go Blackburn. Go MiniBall.
Gardenhire has managed this team to four division titles with a scratch-and-sniff roster and you compared him to two guys who have won NOTHING. The crap he takes in some of these posts is crazy, and crazier yet are posters who think Gardy or Bill Smith give a rip what is said here.
Only need Shef for a couple of months and I think pitchers still fear him no matter the numbers.
Last I checked, fear doesn’t put runs on the board. Talent and tangible production on the other hand…
Fear matters when he’s planted behind our first baseman, Jason, and they have to pitch to him
“Blog consensus: It’s a rebuilding year, and the Twins have no chance until 2010.”
Correct, except it was 2009, not 2010.
Sheffield has 10 homers and 33 RBI in more than 300 plate appearances this year. Craig Monroe, we couldn’t stand his 8 HR in limited play, but Sheffield looks good? He’s on waivers now. He’ll get picked up, but I don’t want him here.
the McHale and Gardy comparisons are extremely valid: As a GM McHale led his team to 8 consecutive playoff appearances and he won as many championships as Gardy. If anything, Gardy led his team to fewer play off appearances than McHale, with a couple years not making it.
You guys can sit on your couches and speculate on trades, question and second guess managerial decisions, front office decisions all you want, but you can’t know what Gardenhire, the coaching staff, the scouts, the front office, etc. know. They see these guys everyday, but not just their performance in the spotlight of broadcast TV. They see them during workouts, they know how they act in the dugout, how they blend in and support their teammates. They’ve watched as they’ve progressed through the system. They know their strengths, weakness and capabilities. They know what they can become if they are coached/handled the right way. Their knowledge of the ins and outs of running their team is so far above yours that it’s hard to come up with a comparison………perhaps the IQ of Eistein compared to the IQ of an amoeba might be an appropriate parallel.
Thrylos- A) NBA has a salary cap–baseball does not…the playing field is less even
B) 16 NBA teams make the play-offs/ 8 MLB teams make playoffs–more credit should be given to MLB teams for making playoffs…
Sigh. I DID NOT compare him to those two. Did you read it carefully? Did you read my reply?
I stated that they are examples of people that have had their job for a long time, who prove that just because you have your job for a long time does not mean you are good at your job. I did not compare them to Gardy. I used them as an example to point out the flaw in someone’s logic.
I did not compare them. But, if you want to read it that way, you can.
“He said no trade was available, before the deadline, that could help the Minnesota Twins. I believe him.”
You may be the only one.
Big caveat there — “that could help the Minnesota Twins”. There were plenty of trades available. Smith is saying Perkins will help the Twins more than Beltre.
It’s a respectable opinion. I disagree with it.
And BTW, I don’t believe in other people’s opinions — I either agree or disagree with them.
ps- “B) 16 NBA teams make the play-offs/ 8 MLB teams make playoffs–more credit should be given to MLB teams for making playoffs…”
in most cases…
dknute, so, no coach should ever be fired, second guessed, or anything? They are always right? This is a serious question of mine, I’m not trolling. Once someone is hired, they are automatically always right because they have a lot of information? Is it possible that they have a lot of information, but still choose wrong.
Note, for all of you not reading carefully, this is not about any one manager/coach in particular. This is a general question.
dknute,
you are so correct. I am glad that the Einsteins knew the strengths, weakness and capabilities of David Ortiz, Casey Blake, Ramon Ortiz, Rondell White, Tony Batista, Juan Rincon, Phil Nevin etc and coached/handled [them] the right way for the best of the team…
Kudos
Where’s Harris? Started just a couple of days ago, even against a righty, because the Strib said he was so, so hot..
Now nothing……..
Dragon says: “An ALL-STAR line-up can be stopped by the worst pitcher, a poor line-up can pound a Cy Young pitcher.”
Oh, Obi Wan, please list a single instance when it has occurred.
Regards,
Big Papi hits two 3-run shots in the first.
I heard that the Angels are now claiming that they “play the game the right way.” Was not that phrase copyrighted by the Twins? Next thing thing you know they’ll be saying that they “battled their tails off” after every game.
Big Papi hits two 3-run shots in the first.
who cares? He was not good enough for Gardy, so it’s just pure luck.
Heatonator, we didn’t need him… we had LeCroy.
thrylos,
The Twins are currently in first place and from top to bottom they arguably are not the most talented team in their division. What more can I say?
Mike,
You can question and second guess all you want. Just be sure that you understand that he (Gardenhire) has inside knowledge of his (and other team’s players) that you will never be privy to….so offer up your criticisms with a huge grain of salt.
I speak from some experience. I was a coach for a number of years and the ignorance of some parents “fans” who thought they knew more about who should be playing, without ever having seen a practice or even really understanding the game or the concepts we tried to teach was unbelievable.
parents and “fans”
8-1 Yankees. Whities win. Playing chicken with first place continues.
Tom,
I’ll look up some dates & box scores, won’t be difficult, just take a little time.
I’m going to enjoy the game (there is an omen regarding the outcome), particularly reading all the bitching and moaning…maybe they’ll get lucky and have a loss to cheer.
Regards,
Regards,
Just thinking about what P just said, compared to past years, the twins really aren’t “playing the game the right way” this year. We’ve had more fielding and baserunning errors this year than any in recent history. The one constant, which I love, they always play hard, and really do seem like they enjoy the game. They are very easy to support, win or lose.
Yeah, Ortiz was not durable enough, could not play 1st base, was the (wrong color) some might say. He did more in one inning tonight than Adam Everett has done all season:
1st at bat — D. Ortiz homered to deep right, J.D. Drew and D. Pedroia scored
2nd at bat — D. Ortiz homered to deep center, J.D. Drew and D. Pedroia scored.
Big Papi has three home runs now, but failed to hit a grounder to the right side with a guy on second in his fourth at-bat and was removed from the game.
Take your refund and hit the road, then.
Ron Gardenhire is the worst manager in baseball. Year after year he fails to achieve any measure of success with talented players such as Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter, Johan Santana, and Joe Nathan.
dknute,
That “Gardy is a manager and you’re not” crap no longer works here after bloggers posted for a month and a half that Gomez needed to be taken out of the leadoff spot and Livan needed to be replaced by Liriano. IT WAS GARDY, NOT THE BLOGGERS, who made up every excuse in the books not to do either…only, eventually, to do both. Therefore, you can’t argue with the fact that there are many bloggers AT LEAST as smart as Gardenhire on here, and many that have proven to be smarter considering they advocated both moves a lot soon than Gardenhire.
Speaking of Boston, their starting pitcher today is Charlie Zink. That would be the equivalent of the Twins starting Heath Totten at some point this season.
6 of one
Your an idiot.
Can’t Nick Punto play catcher for Joe? That way perhaps we could sit Redmond and insert Lamb into the line-up. Then, we’d have Punto, Everett, Gomez, AND Lamb all in the line-up, ensuring that we field the most feeble line-up possible against perhaps the most potent. (At least next to Texas.)
This series will go the same way that most home and playoff series go against the Yankees: We win he first game, the win a close second game, then they wallop us in game three, taking they series out from under us in convincing fashion.
It’s time Punto sits, Everett sits, Machado is called up to play 2B and Harris plays every night at SS. Then, if Alexi does indeed make it back, we can figure out who plays SS, Harris or Machado.
Go Nick!!
Bill Smith is the worst GM in baseball. Year after year he fails to support his managers efforts by refusing to release wastes of space such as Juan Rincon, Dennys Reyes, Nick Punto, Matt LeCroy, and Lew Ford.
“Take your refund and hit the road, then.”
Why? Because he pointed out the obvious that it was moronic to have cut Ortiz? Please, all yee apologists… get a life!
“…from top to bottom they arguably are not the most talented team in their division. What more can I say?”
How about, they have the best RISP BA in 20 years for all of MLB. This is the Vavra year.
Next year, Hamilton should hire him for the Derby.
LOL. Tyler, you’re too funny. “Your an idiot.” I love that irony.
Ron Gardenhire needs to take the bull by the horns and get Punto off the Twins roster. Until he does that I will have no respect for him as a manager.
dknute & jake,
You’re fighting a losing battle.
The FO and Gardy intentionally attempt to lose every game (and they F that up as well). It’s written in stone.
Regards,
Bill Smith needs to take the bull by the horns and demand Gardy remove Punto from the Twins lineup. Until he does that I will have no respect for him as a GM.
ask kleiner at 6:47 pm,
Ha!
1/2 dozen, I’m not arguing with you here, but Bill Smith has been here “year after year.” He’s been here one year, at least as acting GM.
Lala72
Your an idiot
Lala is the smartest poster here.
I agree about Lala.
I smell sarcasm, 6 of one. But, I”m man enough to handle it.
Get the trolls out of here.
P,
Maybe that stuff doesn’t fly.
Gardy has the Twins in 1st place, IF he and FO listened and followed the majority advice from this blog, he would not have enough players to play the game.
Anyway the argument is useless. These blogs declared quite vehimently that the season was over Tuesday am a week ago. Then Alzheimers struck, and it was declared over again on Sunday afternoon. It’s done and dusted, so chill.
Regards,
dknute, jake, Dragon, T, Daniel1966…
Apologist Convention this weekend. Bremer’s playing keynote. His speech is titled: “Never think for Yourself.”
The thing with Gardy pulling Punto…Gardy sees himself in Punto. Ronny really was an awful major league player. And, I believe, he now lives through Punto.
“They are very easy to support, win or lose.”
Yeah, the PLAYERS (except when lnp slides head-first into 1st).
But not so much Gardy and the FO (but pretty much Gardy):
I believe managers have slumps, and that Gardy is still just a little bit on a learning curve, and that he had personal tragedy this season. So there were some goofs this year, but yes, it’s easy to support him.
But the FO has been AWOL, TriniTwin…….while the rest of the League has found PLENTY of trades and moves to improve their teams.
does anyone who posts here actually watch other teams and pay attention to other front offices? all i hear are complaints but it seems like you’re comparing the twins to perfection, rather than comparing the twins to other teams. i can think of 15 general managers that are more idiotic than the twins assistant to the traveling secretary.
It is so childish to lament and complain about the loss of Ortiz. Hindsight is 20/20. No one knew he was going to be as good as he is. If I remember correctly, he was hurt most the time he was here and was surrounded by less than average hitters. So can we move on to complain about Punto or Everett or something else we have no power to control than bicker about a move that happened a good while ago.
P,
All I can say is that you are totally delusional. Good luck to you. There are medications that can help, or perhaps shock therapy.
Reyes? In 32 1/3 IP, his ERA is 2.51. He’s our lefty.
Well, I’ve learned a lot this year, reading these blogs. I’ve always greeted people on the street. Now I know that some of them never have a good day. Being greeted probably makes them grumpier yet. See ya.
Whalefeet, you are so right. But, many people in here wearing their yearning to be a perfect baseball team upon their sleeve. That’s they way we are here, I guess. It’s totally illogical, but it IS passion, you know?
Gotta love it when people have no other meaningful rebuttal of the facts so they just spew-out the ole’ “Twins are in first place.” And yesterday they were in second-place. Once the pom-pom wavers lose that luxury tonight what will they say?
Anyone in here every have coconut covered dates??? These things are fu**ing delicious!!
I’m kinda glad to hear Mauer is hurting. Why you ask? Because in the last couple of games he looked totally disinterested in the game. Having a sore neck, I would understand why he looked like that. Get healthy Joe!!
Does Dick Bremer annoy anyone else? I mean, I remember the days of Ted Robinson and Kitty. Man, I loved that team. But Dick…
dknute, you’re an idiot! Why don’t you clarify what I’m “delusional” about instead of having to result to the psychologist talk just because you don’t like what someone writes. If you meant about bloggers posting on here for Gardy to get Gomez out of the lead-off spot, all you or anyone else have to do is go back in the archives and look! If you have no valid comeback than shut the hell up and go vote for Obama, you freakin’ putz!
No Beltre comments from me during game time. And you may have noticed I made no Beltre comments during the Seattle series. I tried being like all you silent majority types but just couldn’t figure the sense of it.
Game time! Gahm teem!!
Oops, the season’s over………
Steve,
I apologize for no one.
BUT, after reading these blogs for awhile, I am attempting to refine the art of criticism.
Regards,
Already 1-0…uff
Blackie is nervous already. Boof wants his job.
The Red Man already takes one off the bare hand (4th pitch of the game I think).
Well, isn’t that special?
I’d say that we’ll win 2-1, but I’m not sure the Sunday lineup Gardy trotted out there could score two runs in a month.
[note: I’m saying this as a way of offering myself up as the sacrificial lamb. I expect to be mocked and ridiculed as the Twins score 10 tonight]
Truth be told, though. This night feels like a “toss in the chips” game given who was trotted out there.
this is the guy they wouldnt trade for beltre?! oofdaa
Lala72 - both dates and coconut have alot of fiber in them - be careful how many of those things you eat…
Mauer better get well soon, because there are no realistic Catcher options in the minors above Ft. Myers
MVP having a good laugh with Bobby. Everyone relax, neither of these teams have a chance to get to post season.
I won’t speak for everyone else, but I’ve typed probably a dozen times in the past month that Gardy deserves some of the credit for the Twins’ success this year. I think overall he’s been a + to the team this year, yet, I can still find things I disagree with.
It is an art that has been lost in this country - realizing that none of us are perfect, we can be both successful and unsuccessful. No one is above criticism, no one should be slammed in a mean and demeaning manner either.
Somehow, our society has forgotten the art of discourse and self examination.
this is the guy they wouldnt trade for beltre?!
He also has the lowest era in the starting rotation.
lucky
Dye gives the White Sox a 2-0 lead with a homer in the first.
so now redmond starts another day at catcher cuz he got afterit. and the apalogists will defend it all the way.
Punto better be bunting…if he can.
“this is the guy they wouldnt trade for beltre…”
I don’t think Blackie was on the M’s list.
P,
You keep proving my point.
It would be nice to be able to bunt him over but we have Redmond hitting third.
way to watch strike 2 punterrible
And now I’m going to go and watch the game. Have fun with your second guessing tonight boys. Take it easy on the couches.
useless…
punto SUCKS!
3 looks
Bert shut up, you are an idiot. You said that Trevor Hoffman was a better closer in the pregame than Rivera.
How many more brutal ABs are we going to have to witness from LNP? He sucks!
in punto’s defense, those last 2 strikes were NOT strikes.
what was punto doing with that stikreout it was right down the heart
Did he tag him?
Punto’s bat must be too heavy to swing. Same problem he had in KC on Sunday.
THAT FIGURES…should be 1-1 if Punto would have bunted
No Bert, once again you are wrong. He was out before he got to the bag. Quality managing this inning by Gardy. Way to let your boy, LNP, hit and not lay down the bunt.
oh hi whalefeet why arent you at the apalogist convention
Holy cow! That ump must have dinner reservations at Murray’s. Those were as much strikes as if Mussina had thrown them into the Twins’ dugout.
Gonna be a long night if, as expected, the ump gives Moose that and squeezes Blackie.
I bet that is what happens.
bens right that was a beautiflul pitch for punto to bunt gardys a moron and has already cost us the game!
Willie, that is what i was thinking. Yanks must have flew in thier umps from Yankee stadium
I hope Punto suffers a career ending injury tonight.
That would be a victory in itself.
Punto just wants to watch the pitches from up close for later in the game.
punterrible makes an out and everybody rushes to hsi aide. but then morneu makes one and everybodys silent. i guess we now who the real face of the team is
LOL evan!
I hope Punto suffers a career ending injury tonight. What an idiot thing to say.
I’m already depressed……..going to the couch.
tired ramblings, I don’t remember saying that the game is over. Also, the reason why everybody is silent when Morneau makes an out and not when LNP does is because without Morneau we would be nowhere close to where we are right now. Look at the stats, you tool!
White Sox are playing KC for what seem like the 50th time. LOL
nice pitch blackie. how about you hit the zone? its plenty big tonigt!
The zone is only big for the guy in the gray uni. Just watch for a while.
This is such BS. I’m glad i paid for MLB TV so i could witness the cheating the umps do for the big city teams. Hate to be a “whiner” but Mussina’s getting strikes called in the other batter’s box! And Span was called out on a hip tag on a steal??? This is freaking disgusting to absorb. Glad i’m no longer drinking or i’d have broken my computator by now… and it’s only the 3rd inning. Back to the olympics. GO OBAMA! Lmao
more luck
Nice job by Blackburn to strand the leadoff walk.
tired ramblings, go outside and stick your head in the nearest lake you can find.
They are doing their best to get the Yankees a free trip to the postseason.
Lot’s of agression on the blog tonight…you guys need to turn the game off and head to anger management…cripes!
*aggression
Mike wants a win
– The Twins players deserve all of the credit for how well the team has done. Gardenhire has easily inhibited their success in no less than ten other games they would have won had he, not: 1) played retards when he has stars on the bench; 2) used a stellar relief pitcher for one batter, then brought in Rincon or Bass to lose the game; 3) Fell in love with Punto; 4) Held Liriano down in the Minors until even Pohlad told him make the move; and stepping on a limb 5) Installed Kubel as the DH — biggest goat on the team.
This being said, now everybody knows the real reasons why we enlightened fans have, from time to time, shouted cuss words at our television sets and/or computers.
Lala72 — great posts!
Damon, how did that one feel?
wow. and this is there starting cfer?
I believe that Johnny Damon was just moved to a different row in the choir.
Obviously he is not playing because of defense.
damon might have just givn the twins back a run
Lala72 is the illegitimate offspring of Debbie Downer and Eeyore. 6 of one is his twin ass.
What happened?
i think i saw todays stikre zone on my milk carten this monring.
Quality AB for Buscher.
SAC! Productive Outs!
yah bremer he wasnt moving until the ball was at the bat. sure
new gameplan hit everything to damon
Nice job by AE. Hit it to the right outfielder.
Buscher now has 31 RBI in 136 AB.
SACs for everyone!
I’m not sure “small ball” does this justice….micro ball. Nano ball. Amoeba ball.
You decide.
can anyone tellme what the realative shape of the strike zone is?
that striek was worse than the ball befor ti
Might as well try and send him early in the count, maybe not the first pitch in case of a pitchout.
aaron - the zone is four dimenshunal cuz it changes over tiem
I can see a bunt right now…
Nice call there.
gomez was more out than span but was safe. weird
LOL, Thanks
first steal in a while… base hit, come on span
tired ramblings, you must not be watching the same game as most people. Gomez was clearly safe and Span was out. In your benefit they were both bang bang plays though.
we needed more 2 more outs!
Tonight’s strike zone for Mussina
hmmm Gomez’ belt was on second when that tag was applied…
K K K K
**that was “2 more outs”
Gomez just tied the stolen base record in the Gardenhire era
10 pitch inning for Blackburn.
Punto, tearing the cover off the ball…
LNP you pile of work, the least you can do is work the count since you are horrible.
“birdofprey says:
August 12th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Lala72 is the illegitimate offspring of Debbie Downer and Eeyore. 6 of one is his twin ass.”
This from the guy who was promoting Carl Pohlad as a philanthropist the other day.
I’m glad LNP worked the count there. I need to visit the rest room.
Redmond, that was right down the middle of the plate.
LNP probably thought there were already 2 strikes on him!!
And Moose answers with a 10 pitch inning of his own.
Is it just me or is Morneausie in a bit of a slump? He seems to have abandoned that “go where they pitch me” mentality. Lot’s of pulling off the ball.
Time for a Vavra session.
WN: He is slumping a bit.. he got a few walks on the road trip, but no big hits that we were so used to seeing.. I think pitchers are really pitching away from him too… that was just a reach at a bad pitch because he’s probably wanting to rip the ball again….
Is it just me or is Morneausie in a bit of a slump?
I would say a huge slump…his last 7 days: .174/.333/.217/.551
5 K’s… Blackie keeping us in this one, need more of that!
.. says:
August 12th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
“This from the guy who was promoting Carl Pohlad as a philanthropist the other day.”
Nope. Just baiting insecure, clueless, uncharitable wealth-haters. I’ll bet you’re a big volunteer, aren’t you?
The game in Boston, after 10-0 in the first, is now 12-10.
Seriously….what is punchless punto - 0 for his last 20 at bats? How he keeps his job I have no idea. Its like watching Jaosn Tyner all over again!
I can’t wait until the Twins’ starters get to be veterans to get the pitches Mussina got. That pitch to A-Rod wasn’t even close to being off the plate or off the knee that Mussina’s have been.
There is a definite inequity here. I guess we’ll just have to beat their ass anyway.
And that hit was on the ump. I am beginning to think bad thoughts about where I want that ump to catch a foul.
I really just like how it is clear that Span always has his head in the game. that was a great barehanded play off the baggie that created enough doubt.
good throw LNP
Thanks Punto for the spot on throw
Wow…this game has been too frustrating to watch in silence. And I know Punto’s not the best hitter, but even HE doesn’t deserve to be rung up on two pitches out and at his KNEES.
It’s all making sense. When the Yankees don’t hit, the zone shrinks to force the ball into a place where they can, resulting in their hitting “improving”
This deficit strictly on the umpiring staff this inning. Riddiculous.
Punto, how can you not throw a strike from the shortstop position to home plate? If you can’t do that, after all you are in the game for defensive purposes, then what good are you?
Great job Punto… just cost a run with his impeccable throw
I can’t wait to see Mussina’s strikezone now that the Yankees are back in front.
Think he’ll be able to hit a guy for strike three?
And yeah, although I just got here tonight, I have to add that this benching of Harris and batting Punto 2nd is just truly barbarically stupid. Harris was hitting so well of late and Punto has gone in the toilet. Gardenhire really bothers me with kind of nonsense.
LNP tries to make everything look so much more difficult than it has to be … he has to see that Giambi is only half way home and he doesn’t have to fire it home as fast as he can.
T
Yep. If one went back and watch the transition in the zone that inning it would make one ill. Now watch it expand for the Twins. There have been at least 4 pitches on the outside called strikes on the Twins that Blackie would have been warned for trying to hit the on-deck guy.
This is disgusting.
I don’t care if the zone is as wide as the USSR, but make it the same for both.
Bremer would you please quit trying to sell a HR call. That fly ball by Kubel was routine.
Yankees are suffering injuries because their guys are old.
They’re causing their own problems…
The umpire would have called him safe anyway, as long as he was close enough to the plate
Harris looked pissed on the bench.
Yeah Ben. I sometimes wonder if Bremer is merely looking at a t.v. screen and following the camera and hoping instead of looking at the ball in play!
The umpire would have called him safe anyway, as long as he was close enough to the plate
Pretty much hit the nail on the head Aaron.
I would be royally pissed if I were Harris. This is inexcusable.
did everyone hear that the tigers put sheffield on the waiver wire? Not that the twins would even consider picking him up - I mean their lineup is soooo solid as it is!
sheffield will be available to be claimed until 3 pm Thursday - if he isnt claimed, then he will probably be traded
I cant even blame the batters for swingging at terrible pitches. They have to tonight
If the Twins wanted an OF that was batting .219 with 10 HR, they wouldn’t have DFA’d Monroe.
Look at that Everett fellow.
That is why AE is playing. Could somebody please inform me once again why LNP is playing?
Watch the zone shrink in the next half inning now that it is tied
If anyone thinks that Punto has more value than Everett for this team, please speak up now
The way that at bat was going was a good sign that AE was going to get it done. Again, law of averages with that guy. He will NOT bat .220 or lower this year.
And look…Another Punto error….
Ok, maybe Everett is in a zone, maybe it lasts for three days. But dang it don’t you have to put him in the 2 hole in lieu of LNP? His bat control is so much better. So much better.
Harris at 2nd (I know, I know he sucked at it before but he got less chance than Buscher has) and Everett in the two. I can live with that until Alexi comes back.
Aaron, if that zone gets any smaller you won’t even be able to fit a baseball in it.
Wow the Red Sox have managed to blow a 10-0 lead after the first inning. It is now tied at 14 in the top of the 6th. The Rangers are about to take the lead with runners on 1st and 3rd and only one out.
Everett’s having one of those “Hot Streaks” that occasionally pop up. You know, like what Punto had going there for a week or so a while back.
We’ll be burning Everett in effigy by the end of August. If Casilla’s not back by then.
When Alexi comes back, you just have to suck it up and start Buscher, Harris, and Casilla in the infield. GET the damn lead for the Punto and Everett late defensive substitutions.
Rangers took a 15-14 lead. It would be nice to see the Red Sox lose tonight.
T, I am just saying that Everett is bound to even out his average based on career numbers. He is NOT a .220 hitter. If he keeps hitting like this, it will be time to bench him soon enough! Haha.
How many Twins have become fathers this season? Perk, Guerrier (adopted), Cuddy I think. Didn’t Baker also?
T
I know that, but if we know that shouldn’t Gardy know that and adjust to ride it out?
I do think that Everett has much more bat skill than LNP. Seems like he can hit it where he wants to, elevate it, bunt, etc. much better.
I probably have the tar ready to go for AE…but when it’s time.
Shef has 2 HRs tonight
Ben: How many pitchers thus far over at Fenway?
Put Sheffield on waivers and he hits 2 HRs!
how sad is it that we have to argue about punto, everett, and harris. None of those 3 would start or play for most teams, yet here we are trying to ague who is the better combination…..its that fact alone that amzes me that the twins are in a playoff hunt (for now).
Everett’s August numbers:
16 AB, .438 AVG, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 4 SO
What did the Red Sox give for Byrd?
Somebody needs to tell Molina that if doesn’t swing he’ll get on base anyway.
whattodo: PTBNL + cash
Correction: **OR** Cash
T, Molina needs to make it interesting
T, amazingly so far the Rangers have only used 2 pitchers and Boston has used 4.
See. Don’t swing and you get on base. It’s the Yankee Way (TM)
That last pitch to Molina that was called a ball would have been a strike for Mussina. Nothing like consistency.
I think we figured out how the Yankees will get into the playoffs–dont swing.
So…. if the Twins win tonight is that all on Gardy too? Or does that just go one way?
That play almost got ugly…Perk tried for the tag forcing the tough throw over Damon’s back.
Thankfully Morneau’s got a good reach.
Hmm, to bad Ortiz never hit 2 three run HRs in one inning when he was with the Twins. But of course why would the Twins have wanted that? 
Still, can’t believe the Bo Sox have blown that lead.
Boy, Perk’s 8 innings was more key than we thought last night…
Gomez needs to stop missing the cutoff man.
And YAY. Another unearned run.
Gomez that was stupid to fire it home.
This is another reason I never trust pitchers from the Yankees. How good are they really when the zone’s not on their side?
Now Abreau will stop swinging and be on base in four pitches.
I will say right now that if Harris doesn’t pinch hit for Punto in his next at bat, I may lose it. Or Ruiz (what the HELL is the point of calling him up anyway??????). This lefty/righty thing is ridiculous when Punto SUCKS from the left side of the plate!
Boy, I do so love when umps extend innings.
Is that three runs now they’ve scored on Extended Innings?
4 2/3 innings and we give it too our pen. I think the night may have gotten longer.
Shane, I think Ruiz was called up when they thought Cuddyer was only a few weeks out.
Does Abreu always try to hit our pitchers? and blackburn at that!
… and as I said, we’ll need more than 4 runs tonight.
Can’t use Guerrier/Crain/Reyes here…too damn early. Thanks ump.
So let me get this straight…. Blackburn has gotten A-Rod in his first two appearances tonight, yet Gardy wants to go to Boof. This better work out or else there is no excuse for this garbage.
Gardy to Boof:
“Son, you’re going to have to lay it right down the pipe to get a strike. So put that prodigious behind into it, hump up, and throw it 96. You got nothing else to work with with this d-bag behind the plate.”
I am fearing a curveball wild pitch here!
We can thank the umps for this. Don’t like the chances of a win with the umps dictating things. Sickening.
This better work out or else there is no excuse for this garbage.
So if the results are good. Gardy was smart. If they’re poor he was an idiot?
Boof, buddy. You’re going to have to put it down the heart of the plate if you want to get a called strike. Especially to Rod.
Boof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh thank god. Gardy’s still a genious.
Holy cow, Boof got them out of it.
Gardy to Boof:
Willie: Looks like great minds think alike.
The Twin pitchers need to go change uniforms, or tape a sign that says Yankees on thier jerseys. That may help.
See what happens when you don’t stick to the Yankee Way (TM) A-Rod?
Well thankfully it worked out well.
There are 32 hits in the Sox-Rangers game thru 6 innings!
And the first pitch is the same one to Molina…with the opposite result.
You know, I have to give the Twins (and Blackburn) a LOT of credit for this game considering what they’ve been fighting against.
16-14 Rangers now.
4-0 Bitch Sox over KC.
“Shane, I think Ruiz was called up when they thought Cuddyer was only a few weeks out.”
So … Cuddyer is still out, and Ruiz is still not playing.
T
It’s the only logical conclusion. I’m 53, have seen a lot of baseball over the years and I hate like hell to whine. But this is so obvious that it offends my sense of fair play. I don’t mind when my teams lose as long as there was an honest accounting by all parties. I think this ump has stretched the bounds of fair play and it is disappointing.
there is someone rotting on the Twins bench who is .353 lifetime against Mussina with 1 HR. I hope he PH for LNP
Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooof !
Well I gotta go here while there’s still a break in the weather.
Hopefully I don’t fall into Mussina’s strikezone on the way.
GO TWINS!
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooof
Guess who:)!
Nice knock Punto, but you should have been on third after Abreau slipped.
But nope. theeeeeere is Niiiiiiiicky
He just won a spot in the lineup for the rest of the season
C’mon Redmond, tie it up.
Must be the lighter bat.
still need a REAL hit to get a run guys… come on Morneau…
they’ll probably walk him here.
That is why you don’t bat the backup catcher in the 3 spot. Let’s go Kubel, take this personally.
Kubel better take offense to this.
Kubel has hit the ball hard in his at bats tonight…
Kubel prove all of us wrong for taking 2 strikes.
Damn, that sucks.
frick’n a.
Oh crap.
plenty of time. 4 more innings to go.
I wonder how Johan feels about this:
The Mets bullpen, which has struggled of late, has cost Johan Santana six wins so far this year.
I don’t think the league umps got the memo that the Yanks are out of the race.
I honestly don’t know what a hitter can do when the 4 inch outside pitch is consistently called a strike. I’m not sure what Kubel could have done there.
This is a bit embarrassing for the game, IMO.
Blackburn has left 6 games this year with the lead and had the bullpen blow games too I think
Might need to get Crain or Breslow in… Boof seems to be all over…
So why don’t the Twins seem to not want to stay in 1st place for more than 1 day at a time?
Way to go Boof, turning this inning into a shit sandwich
kind of like that
Boof says I will let the Yankees win.
Not the Twins fault if it happens tonight the way the umps have been tonight.
there’s Crain, just dont wait too long Gardy.
Ben, I think the umps said it first! LOL
No Boof, peg Giambi and walk Nady. Oh well, it all worked out the same
Is Bert drunk?
Blackwell got him with a strikeout in the 3rd inning
I could have won this game for the Yanks tonight
ground ball please…
6 - 4 - 3
ChiSox up 6-0…
White Sox has played KC how many time in the last 2 months? Easy win for them at home.
that’ll work
why is Boof in the game? He sucks
Wow, A Yankee batter didn’t get the message not to swing.
curve ball…
whew!, crain can pitch the 7th, then Guerrier..
Nice job there Boof.
Say what you want but Boof is a fighter
What is Moose up to in pitches?
Nora,
Twins also have some games against KC coming up at the Dome, so we will get our chance to whip up on them.
81 pitches for Mussina
9-0 Chi Sox.
Thanks
Boof should be working at Starbucks
Game going better than I thought, inspite of Gibson behind home plate.
BP is technically lined up correctly (though still don’t have confidence in Guerrier).
Now get a long inning going on Mussina.
wtf is up with this low strike zone these past couple innings?
Will the Yanks bring in Mario sometime in the 8th? Probably.
Dont think Gardy should have ran Boof out there for this inning
And some of you said Span had a jello arm, looks pretty solid to me
Still the boofless one, huh.
BOOF SUCKS
Sure he should have … Damon’s ground ball was just hit in the perfect spot
And Boof hits the wall.
Tigers lose to the Jays 6-4.
And now the most fearsome 3-players-in-a-row in MLB are due up with 2 on and nobody out.
Twins antedote? Breslow.
LOL
I know this sounds like 20-20 hindsight, but I was thinking pitchout on that first pitch to Jeter.
Oh well.
weird….
Another umpire call for the highlight reels.
Guess, Twins lose today and Sox win. Tomorrow it will be the other way around? What a see saw this divison race is.
What a terrible call
These umps suck more than Paris Hilton on a Friday night.
wheres morneaus bat been the last few games, maybe he can get us a dinger tonight
How many runs have the Yankees ‘earned’ and were not at least partly responsible by the umps? Twins probably have the lead and Blackburn still pitching if it was called fairly tonight.
Morneau’s bat has been on his shoulder bc he isn’t getting anything to hit
Morneau is slumping, his legs are hurting. He needs some time off. Why doesn’t he just argue a call and get kicked out?
Not a lot of time to dunk and dink our way back into this one… need someone to blast one with a guy on…
first things first I suppose, get out of this inning.
Morneau has played every game this year.
With the strike zone tonight, I am surprised that the Twins have scored as much as they have
Here is an interesting stat:
Righties hit .270/.315/.426 off Crain and
.220/.343/.237 off Breslow… Yet Gardy makes the change and uses another arm
I’m not … they swing at everything anyways
Matt,
Good point. Why pitch to the Doc if the guy hitting behind him isn’t a threat?
Surprised the umps didn’t call A Fraud safe there.
got a break there.. good play.
they probably get that run anyway on the dbl play blown call, but still.. umps haven’t been good tonight at all.
Need to get a rally going, at least get one run back and get Mussina out of the game.
Not kidding . . . expect Gomez to get a big hit here.
Oh Carlos, so far but so straight to the deepest part of the Dome.
Go Go almost did. Wrong part of the park.
weird . . . I didn’t see the last two innings and my mosaic didn’t load the twins boxscore properly. Punto will . . .
Mussina truly has inherited the mantle from Maddux.
Span’s just been fooled tonight… cripes.
why Punto is still batting?
68 mph, how do u hit that crap? throw the damn ball Mike.
thrylos98
He’s batting because he got a double last time up. That will earn him a spot in the two hole for the rest of the season. lol
wow, we worked that one well… Redmond, Morneau, Kubel in the 8th… can SOMEONE get on base? maybe take a walk? Mussina SHOULD be done, hopefully.
MarkW, Span reported he’s had a man crush on Mussina since childhood.
You never slay your hero.
Moose out for the next inning to force Gardy to pinch hit Mauer? Then Marte (he is a lefty, right?) will come in.
16-16 RSox/ Rangers in the 8th
keep the off-speed going, Crain. Please.
I think the whole team has a crush on him then…
Marte is a lefty, but he hasn’t pitched well for them since he came over.
19-16 Red Sox…
cant give them any more runs…
In reality, Blackburn needed to last more innings than he did. In theory though, keeping us within 3 runs is a decent outing. In truth, we have to win this game because we know we can’t beat this time in their field. If we can’t beat them in our place, what good does it do to win the division?
i am still mad that boof is on the team….
wow, some weak hits here…
I dont think we have 3+ runs in us for this one.
The Drain is on tonight.
In reality, the umps helped the Yankees quite a bit early in this game.
Was Punto on his knees praying for a hit there?
well, Mauer comes in to hit for Redmond? probably wont happen… then Morneau gets on and Kubel hits a blast??
One can dream….
Who the heck is calling these pitches? I don’t recall a team giving up more 0-2 hits than the Twins.
Boof has the potential to be a solid 1 - 2 inning reliever/set-up guy. He just needs the time to convert (see Latroy Hawkins and/or Eddie Guardado - failed starters converted into pretty reliable set-up guys)
wrong is me, here we go
Over under for Gardy PH Ruiz for Kubes?
Redmond can hit to left field?
Just in, no TV, caught up reading through the gameday. I see LNP made all kinds of wonderful contributions tonight. Unfortunately, his double means he’ll probably lead off tomorrow. I see Gomez continues to make deadly accurate throws aplenty. Can the Gomez-in-MLB defenders who constantly extoll his defense continue to do so when Denard Span and his supposed noodle arm continues to make Gomez look like he has no idea where to throw or how to make a proper throw.
(Also, love how dick and bert [gameday highlight] called Everett out for Punto’s error at first. They’re drinking whatever Gardy’s drinking, obviously.)
Gardy totally ignored what Mussina has done to LH hitters throughout his career and especially this year (viz. pitched them like a southpaw). Shocking.
Finally: If you missed it, Lavelle admitted that RICK BARRETT REALLY IS BEING HELD PRISONER IN ROCHESTER. So sordid!
that’s why you leave Redmond in!!
Matt-while I am a little on the nutty side in regards to Boof, so are you-only on the other side. I’ve seen nothing from Boof this year or in the past that would make me keep him on this team. There must be a younger guy in AAA who we could give a roster spot too-he’s terrible—at least here he is..he’s lost all confidence and needs a fresh start—another team or at Wal-Mart
No pinch runner needed. Station to station for Red.
Ya know, teams have been getting to Rivera more as time goes on. The Twins have done it as much as anyone I think.
I’m crossing my finger, Thrylos. The thing is, if he doesn’t come through Gardy will just sit him another week.
Nice to see a breakout by Morneausie right now…
damn it
Not sure if i like Ruiz hitting for kubel
Morneau was just trying to survive there.
I just don’t think the Twins will give up on a guy who throws 94-96 with possibly the best curve on the team (Bert said he has the best curve, but other guys may have a better curve. Either way its pretty good) Latroy and Eddie both had ERA well above 5 as a starter and did very well converting to a reliever.
RANDY RUIZ! time to shine
It’s time for a Ruiz strikeout.
Should have took one for the team there
Red Sox win 19-17. Lucky
Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuiz.
there ya go buddy… need to get a run across here w/ 1 out… no dbl play balls please
well, Gardy got it. Once…
Free Randy Ruiz
enter sandman, son of a.
Romer, hope u are right.
could there be any slower runners on base right now?
And here comes Delmon with a 3 spot.
If Young gets on, I think you need to bring in Harris for Everett… need a chance that someone can go deep (oh, thats right, AE’s got power now! my bad!)
I am surprised I dont see Harris come in to Pinch run for Ruiz
I’ll be damned, we scared ‘em.
And AE has two RBI’s tonight
Harris was going to PH for Buscher with Marte in there
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLY SH*#
F-IN’ DYOUNG!!!!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAHHHHHHHHHHHH
I called it
YYYYYEEEEAAAAAAA
what about delmon now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Delmon Delmon Delmon!!!!!!!!!!!!
YESSSSSSSS DY!!!!
wow, that just stayed inside the pole… amazing.
Good people, I just turned the radio on 10 seconds ago and it’s a couple seconds ahead of the TV broadcast
So I heard the Gordo call and Bremer call back-to-back!!!!
Ruiz and Delmon Young. I feel edified.
Gordon sounded like he wet himself.
take that mariano….lol
Romer, nice call on Rivera blowing it!
Thrylos, cha-ching on the 3 spot, superb!
Let’s go BP! Take the momentum and run with it
let’s keep this tied…
different heros every nite….time for morneau to take this thing home in the 9th…
If I would ask for Gardy to PH Harris for LNP next inning would it be much?
Actually thrylos, I was wrong, cuz Rivera was 100% in save opportunities this year.
But last year there were a few teams that got to him, right?
So, did I call it too?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
redmond, ruiz and delmon….who would have thunk
we might be out of wishes!
Maybe you pinch hit for punto, depending on the situation. Otherwise, leave punto in for the glove.
Twins should be up 6-3 if umps weren’t handing extra strikes and extra outs to the yanks.
This would be a huge, sweet win to overcome what they have been up against tonight.
Nice call thrylos. My son was over so haven’t been posting. He was about to leave and I said, “What, and miss DY’s 3 run HR?”. He changed his mind and stayed the extra half inning. Nice high fives all around.
Bert was talking like Ruiz was clueless on the first 2 pitches swinging late at FB’s. But it looked to me like he was holding back and guarding against swinging too soon on a slider or curve.
Impressive AB for Ruiz.
cripes, seeing eye ground balls for Jeter all day…
need a nice dbl play here..
Do we all agree that this 3-spot gets Delmon immunity for a week or 2?
This is like a playoff game….
come on Denny
only if we win the game
there ya go!
Bring in Joesph!
Dunno if it’s been mentioned minor league stuff here yet (I read through really quickly):
Rochester 11-3 over Syracuse.
FREE JASON PRIDE 3-6 w/a double.
Luke Hughes 1-3 + 2 walks
Strib blog favorite Machado 1-5
and Phillip Humber back to form big time:
31 BF, 7.1 IP, 11 Ks, 1 BB, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 HR
Beloit’s Mike McCardell is beyond ready for the next level, throwing 8 IP, 27 BF, 10 Ks, 0 BB, 3 H, 2 R. Wow. He just continues to be lights out. Big Rene Leveret is by far the Snappers hottest hitter and went 2-4 w/a home run and 5 RBIs. Ben Revere was 1-4.
Ft. Myers lost and Anthony Slama actually gave up a run, although he struck out 3 of the 6 hitters he faced.
Oh my frickin’ God, Nathan enters mid-inning.
Yup, just like a playoff game.
Nathan v A-rod
fun stuff.
PRIDIE, I mean.
thrylos,
Unfortunately, DY barely gets immunity for the rest of this game from some folks. No way he gets 2 weeks.
Jeter is hurt. Wow…
toby,
I am sure that something is going on in the FO. Bass hasn’t touched a ball for a while and I don’t know whether he cleared waivers or not, but expect something soon
Nice pitch Joe!
that was nice. Great job Joe!
See Joey? It’s like you didn’t even pitch the 8th.
Delmon was as excited as we were!!!!!
Win now and what a comeback, Pups. Or shall we call them the Minnesota Mutts, a bunch of alley dogs that scrap and fight for everything, including bad plate calls by the plate ump, giving Moose Mussina an extra 4 to 5 inch outside corner for strikes. Go guys, win now in the last of the ninth, give Nathan the win.
Come on Get a run and win it
my call is span a game winner
About the only guy left to redeem himself tonight on the blogs is Gomez. Could it be????
Jeter fouled a ball off his foot.
So, when do ya use Mauer? Rivera ain’t a fireballer, so the neck thing ain’t as bad as it could be in swinging at a 97 mph FB.
just get a guy on and let’s move him around…
We want walk off!
romer, that’s probably cause he didn’t pitch the 8th. LOL
Span then Punto? Maybe Lamb hits for Punto?
Has Gardy redeemed himself?
nope, more Punto.
It is left to Punto…
Mauer PH? Walk off
But if they were gonna call up Barrett they wouldn’t say “we don’t want a lefty”. Maybe they waived Bass, but from Lavelle’s comment it really sounds like there’s some kinda anti-Barrett sentiment. I never would’ve thought so, but that’s what it sounded like.
PINCH HIT LNP! JEEZ
ok ok. Delmon doesn’t get immunity. Can I trade that thought for Harris over Punto and more playing time for Ruiz?
Safe
LOL LNP. Stupid slide.
Good hustle Nicky!!!!!!!!!!!!
mauer?
OMFG, don’t we hate Punto………….
That dive slide could win this game.
Another hit for LNP…now he is due for a long contract extension
OH but he hustles!! stupid slide
Mauer is out for the night
Punto’s gonna get a 10 year deal now.
why not send Punto here?
Markw… if he did not do that, he’s out end of inning…still a chance, dogbreath…..
Gardy shut down the running game.
So, wsa there a hit and run on? That swing by Red looked weird.
hit and run coming.
there was a hit and run…
Has he not seen the others before him go down with hand injuries sliding into first base?? I think if not the 2-15 slump he is in is enough to get benched it is the poor baserunning and sliding he does
We need a hit off the baggie
cripes, dont have all night guys.
Morneau to lead off…
Our Nathan will outlast their Reviera……
No more straight steals for Gardy. Makes him too nervous.
Nicky didn’t break a nail or hurt his manicure with that slide?
Now we need a hit over the baggie
Good night I-Rod, say “hi” to Jeter for us.
Does anyone get the feeling that Little Nicky P thinks of himself as a career .290, clutch hitter?
Jaylen1182, this is what I meant by the Minnesota Mutts….alley dogs that fight to the finish. Gotta love the MUTTS
Nobody could have hit that slider, gang.
Dr. Don, are you a vet?
gotta score quick brian bass pitching to the yankees might not be a good thing
There’s the Mussina corner.
I think Gibson has a man-crush on All Stars.
BTW, Neil Young is on Letterman tonight.
It’s Miller Lite time, my friends, and I am back….GO MUTTS!!!!
Show of hands — who was it around here that wanted to trade Santana for Cano straight up?
Ruiz walk-off.
OK boys, let’s end it now!
Morneau gets a double. Harris pinch runs.
Ruiz and Young fail.
Buscher wins it.
Okay…so I just got back. Uh, wow.
It was 6-3, then I had to go play another game…then it was 6-6.
Thanks to Gameday, I saw how.
And, uh, wow.
better win it here…
wow, pissing and moaning about Punto even when he gets the job done. Shocking.
Veras will be up for the Yankees
against
Morneau
Ruiz
Young
pick the hero among the 3
Game over.
Plant one Justin
Romer…. yes, in more ways than one, I not only survived NAM, I survived 30 plus years of teaching, am now retired, and the teaching was harder than Nam…GO MUTTS
A Boston fan at a Yanks/Twins game? Go home troll.
Veras is not Mussina sir.
Especially with that bullpen session.
I don’t really know if Punto is getting the job done … he is in there for defense and had an easy throw to get Giambi out at home earlier and butchered it.
Dick. Stop it.
Morneau sure makes a ton of pop fly outs.
did Bremer go nuts on that?
Let’s see what Ruiz can do
I will give Dick the fact that it was high, but it certainly wasn’t anywhere close to deep.
Gets? Job? Done?
RANDY! Don’t listen to LNP!!!!!!!
what the hell was that?
Ruiz with the stupidest slide into first of all time
Quit sliding into first base!
Feet first slide into first. What are the odds he breaks his ankle?
Those 3 bums stunk…..
Dick Bremer is the worst judge of batted balls EVER. He’s like 90% of the fans at the dome. Only he’s getting paid.
Damn it, now our pen is in trouble.
We’re the same age, Dr. Don. Keep on keepin’ on. I lucked out and did Germany.
But I was trying to make a quick joke. I meant veterinarian (with the Mutts thing).
Regards,
Craig you are a bum and you stink.
You can no more tell Punto NOT to slide into first than you can tell Delmon to dive head first for a fly ball. They do what comes natural in the heat of the game.
Well, at least we made their reliever throw a lot of pitches. Not.
Randy Ruiz, all 6′3″ 235 lbs slide FEET first into first?!?
atleast it didn’t heighten the chances of joining the torn thumb club….. knee or leg maybe, but not thumb….
Nathan come back out? I vote yes. Worry about tomorrow when it comes. Never know, tomorrow could be a blowout either way and no need for Nathan. There is a need now.
Guerrier can give us 2 or 3 innings, if needed…Mutts will win in the 11th.
when you are diving for a fly ball there is not a base and atleast 2 cleats near your hands as there are with a head first slide into first….
Have you ever watched the game from the press booth of the Twins? High fly balls go out of sight very quickly due to the crappy view they have and low ceiling in the booth. Bremer does a fantastic job from where they sit behind home plate.
Guerrier will give us nothing but a loss. He sucks!
Hopefully Guerrier can go a couple.
And hopefully the Ump doesn’t decide to shrink that zone again.
Who started on the mound Sunday? Could he do an inning? It’s been over 48 hours since he pitched.
It’s always best just to watch the outfielders when listening to Dick call the fly ball/HRs.
Gordo didn’t oversell it. Same view.
I’m pretty sure my point about sliding was that Punto does what comes natural to him, not what the proper thing to do is. On a close play he will always slide head first, because that is what comes natural to him. It’s instinct, like the people behind home plate ducking on a foul ball even though the net is in front of them.
Macloed, Bremer is about the most worthless play-by-play guy in the entire league. Quit trying to make excuses for him.
gotcha Romer…. wish I were a Vet instead of a vet…. LOL..GO MUTTS
Wow, good thing Mauer asked to sit today. Could he possibly come in later if need be? Lineup wraps around to him in a few innings (hopefully sooner)
That start by Perkins last night becomes bigger and bigger with each inning here.
Thanks little Ben. In baseball “bums” can be endearing term, as in “dem bums”, the Brooklyn Dodgers. Check out “dem bums” on the web, if your mom lets you.
Thought I would teach you something, little Ben. You are welcome.
Actually, Dick and Bert are directly behind home plate while the radio booth is two booths over towards third base. Hence, a better angle from the radio booth. And, the TV booth has a low overhead. More so than the radio booth. I used to work some stats in the booth and believe me, if you stand up too quickly you will hit your head on the beam. It has happened to countless people. Um, not me. No head injury jokes here.
here is the deal…
the Twins have 2 batters left on the bench. The Yankees have none. It’s pretty much Guerrier’s game as far as pitching goes because the only pitcher supposedly left in the pen in Bass (and I bet he is traded/DFA’d or something, ’cause he is nowhere to be found)
so far so good
And Gordo’s probably drunk.
Macloed, Bremer is about the most worthless play-by-play guy in the entire league.
Still miles ahead of Hawk Harrelson, Jon Miller, Joe Morgan, Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Steve Phillips, Chris Berman, Jon Gordon, Chris Collinsworth…
Wait, am I allowed to cross over into other sports?
I’m guessing Macleod either works for the Twins or is a relative of Dick.
That was an embarassing call of a routine flyball….which we’ve seen a thousand times over (both home and away)
SO Thrylos, what’s your theory on Barrett. Call it.
Chris Collinsworth is widely regarded as one of the best commentators in sports…you’re the first I’ve heard levy criticism against him, T.
I am just being the devil’s advocate and I know that if guys didn’t slide head first (like Tolbert) we wouldn’t have to hear about Punto…..
Everett’s arm + Yankee on the basepaths…
He’d have to be about 10 steps ahead of him.
Ben, then do NOT listen to him…Shut up, let him do his job, jerk.
Macleod, the TV booth is not directly behind home plate. Have you been to any games at the dome? The TV booth is definitely not right behind home plate.
I live out of state and have DirecTV MLB so I get every game available. If you are a Twins fan, Dick and Bert are some of the best in the business. Vin Scully is #1, and there are a ton of lousy announcers, starting with most of the announcers from our own division. KC-boring as hell, White Sox-insulting jerks, Detroit-Not bad but a little boring at times.
Craig, why are you still posting on this blog? Don’t you get sick of people that can not stand you for the last 3 years?
toby,
apparently LEN3 has some super secret insider info about the subject, which is not fit to print… I have no idea… frankly
sex struggles against righties.
Beautiful — he took everything off that “curve”.
TV booth is behind home plate in between the first and second deck. Directly above the writers press box.
Macleod, I have MLB TV as well and Dick is one of the biggest homer announcers that you will find. I agree Scully is good, but the Padres announcer is another good one. Dick is not in the same class.
Thrylos: I know, see my 10 pm here or the last post on LEN3’s blog. I’m just asking you to call it. Speculate wildly.
Give him the yacker, Guerrier
I agree with Macleod and T … Dick is pretty solid compared to the other announcers in MLB. I’m guessing most of the people posting against Dick have not listened to any other broadcasts.
I’m guessing Macleod either works for the Twins or is a relative of Dick.
You realize that resorting to that argument is the equivalent to admitting you have no valid support arguments right?
Chris Collinsworth is widely regarded as one of the best commentators in sports…
I needed a name from another sport and I had already counted Joe Buck for baseball and don’t remember half the names of FOX’s crew mostly because they’re not very memorable.
But why should I have to explain myself. You’re probably just his brother or something. (See how I can use that instead of putting together a valid argument)
The MUTTS will win in the 11th, Sports Fans.
Macleod, TV booth is certainly not directly behind home plate. It is over on the first base side.
I haven’t heard most of NL, but the White Sox announcers are the definition of “homers”. Only the Sox announcers are insulting homers, rather than just “fan” homers like Dick and Bert.
matt, obviously you don’t listen to many other MLB teams’ broadcasts.
Better boring than clownishly bad suckups.
TV announcers???? As long as it is not Joe Morgan on ESPN, all the rest are OK.
thrylos,
Are you saying Bass is not in the bullpen tonight?
Okay, this is where Twins win it. I’m callin it.
KC-boring as hell…
Umm, Ryan Levebre is very good.
Macleod, Hawk is the worst, but Dick is not far behind him in terms of homer announcers. Start watching a few more games.
So the only defense is a relative one? Sorry, i believe in a nation where 10s of millions are baseball fans they can probably do better, even if lots of the other ones are bad too. Are we grading on a curve here?
Agreed Macleod. Any annoucer who uses the term “we” needs to be smacked across the face. It’s automatically a loss in credibility.
Even Bert doesn’t use “we” and he used to be a Twin. (I cringe when I hear Coomer say it)
Actually I listen to the Seattle broadcasts about everynight through MLB.tv (so I get the various announcers of those games)as well as the games on WGN, TBS, and ESPN.
“And Gordo’s probably drunk.”
Gordo isn’t a drinker. He is one of kindest gentlemen in baseball. Gordo had a stroke a few years back, but still does a good job. His call of the game is sometimes a little confused, but he’s a gem of a guy. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone.
toby,
frankly, Barrett is a bit of non-entity to me. I’d rather have the Twins bring up Delaney or Slama and even Mariano Gomez ahead of him, but since you asked, I bet he is traded someplace
Umm, Ryan Levebre is very good.
What are you? His brother?!
(Man no wonder you guys use this, there’s no effort required at all!)
Buscher had to swing. It would have been called a strike, since it was inside five inches off the plate.
What a neat replay of Delmon’s smile!!!
Well matt, sorry to inform you but there are way more MLB teams than Seattle, Chicago, and the weekly games on TBS and ESPN.
Dick can be a homer most of the time, but its hard to find any announcers that are not homers and most of those announcers are boring as hell to listen to.
Got a feeling if they let him, this reliever will walk a few guys.
Yes but the way MLB.tv works (or at least the version I have) is it has the home team announcers … thus I have heard just about all of the AL announcers in the league
“Grab some bench”. “Annnnnndddddddd…..you can put it on the board.” “he gone” These are Sox announcers. Insulting. Dick does nothing like that. And I was too insulting to KC announcers. Ryan Levebre is very solid on his analysis and a very nice guy. I just like a little more excitement, although he announces for KC so why would he get excited? And lastly, apparently they moved the TV booth of Dick and Bert since I was in town last. It’s now somewhere above the visitor dugout according to “others”.
Craig, Gordon sucks, he never ever tells you the score of the game and will very rarely give you the play-by-play. He would rather tell you stories instead.
Calling him drunk WASN’T a criticism. But then I’ll beheading to the bar as soon as this is over.
Thrylos: K rate not high enough for you? I really think he could’ve contributed big time vs. Bass.
Hawk is simply the worst. Full stop. Vin Scully is the best. Full stop. And I actually think Dick and Bert are in the upper half of good announcers. For a variety of reasons.
I hope we haven’t gone over our HR allowance for the week…
matt, are you telling me that Bremer is interesting to listen to? I sure hope not.
Macleod, please don’t compare Dick to Hawk because nobody in the league is like him. Having said that, Dick is one of the most ridiculous guys to listen to call a game.
I was wrong…MUTTS win in the 12th
Uh, what’s this pitching situation looking like?
Gordo is average, but I love his warm humanity.
Dick is above average. If he didn’t jack everyone up with his erstwhile HR calls he’d be way above average.
Gladden’s play-by-play is a disaster.
He’s alot more interesting than some of the other crap out there
Agree with Shane, Hawk sux, Scully the best, Dick and Bert okay, no problem with them.
National annoucers annoy me when they don’t bother to get to know the teams they’re watching (Jon Miller’s “Josh” Bartlett during 2006 drove me crazy)
I don’t see many national annoucers play favorites during games, but I do start to get disappointed when they start talking about matters unrelated to the game at hand (90% of Miller/Morgan)
Example: Last night’s Bengals/Packers game. How much time was spent on Favre? He’s not a Packer, move on. The team has, the fans have…why can’t the network?
As far as homerism, most team annoucers are going to be slight homers. You can’t enjoy be expected to enjoy your job if you don’t cheer for the team you follow. They travel with the team, they see the players almost daily…there’s going to be some bias.
But when you look at the degree the Sox team has…it’s ludicrous. “We” is just the tip of the iceberg.
You’ve got the incessent use of catchphrases regardless of situation (down 12-0 and get a solo shot? PUT IT ON THE BOARD!) And I have NEVER seen a group of annoucers EVER mope about a call they disagreed with. Every annoucers I’ve seen would suggest the call was off, or close, or a mistake…but would drop it after the inning (maybe bringing it up again if one of the players involved comes up to bat again, or if there’s a similiar call later)
But no. I actually saw the Sox annoucers moaning about a call for two full innings.
I seriously compare a Sox broadcast to reading these blogs. They’re up they’re down they’re awesome they suck…
I was embarrased FOR them.
Shane. Done, done, and done. Scully knows things about the visiting players, i.e. Twins, that I had never heard. He simply gets on the mike and talks to you like you and him were watching the game together in your own living room.
They may well be, but if so it’s bcause of the horrible dearth of talent, not because they’re talented in an absolute sense.
Gotta stick up for John Gordon. I met him and was very impressed. I did not know he had a stroke. Now I am even more impressed.
I think the strike zone is going to increase for both teams as the night continues.
Wow, over 700 entries on this blog…..
matt, please name another MLB team’s announcers that are worse to listen to than the Rays.
i don’t think Bremer is that bad at all. I don’t know where this animosity is coming from. I have listen to a LOT of announcers due to MLB Mosaic, and you would be surprised at how well Bremer and Blyleven compare to the vast majority of them.
Leave it to Guerrier to blow this game.
Like I said, Guerrier needs a week off.
was only a matter of time
Have a good noght, gents. No reason to stay up now.
please don’t compare Dick to Hawk because nobody in the league is like him.
That’s right. Keep moving the goalposts.
“Of course Dick’s the worst. Well, if you actually start eliminating annoucers who are worse than him.”
Bremer thanks for the Jinx. Guerrier has been giving up way too many HRs lately.
What the heck was Gardy thinking going to Guerrier again?
He’s got Ba…oh wait.
hey,
anyone denying that there is something up with Bass? For anyone who is watching the game on the dome, is he in uniform tonight?
Guerrier you continue to make yourself look worse and worse with each inning you pitch.
“Hawk is simply the worst. Full stop. Vin Scully is the best. Full stop. And I actually think Dick and Bert are in the upper half of good announcers. For a variety of reasons.”
Do these reasons include patting themselves on the back because they can identify the locations of small Minnesota towns…or poor grammar…or lamenting about how many days are left until Bert’s birthday…or how inconsistent the calls are of a Twins flyout versus an opposition player’s homerun (as experienced one minute ago)
I think the strike zone is going to increase for both teams as the night continues.
That strikezone will be big enough to fit a LeCroy through next inning now that the Yanks are back.
Oh no. Bass is war…oh wait.
Well as everyone else has already posted … both White Sox announcers are by far the worst (Hawk and I want to say the other one is Jackson (not sure though)).
Leave it to Matt…Goodnight everyone
Well Guerrier, you sure blew this game.
T you can extend it to the entire bullpen…what was Boooof doing in there with a one-run lead? Crain was poor…this bully is awful, folks.
We just ran out of pitchers.
Oh well, we weren’t supposed to win tonight anyway.
Good night.
dang
ok ok I saw Bass’ mug floundering in the pen
how inconsistent the calls are of a Twins flyout versus an opposition player’s homerun (as experienced one minute ago)
What? Are you Hawk’s brother?
(WHEEE!)
Guerrier’s ERA up to a solid 4.67.
The Twins really don’t like being in first place.
well, Bass is coming in
“It ain’t over ’til it’s over” - Yogi Berra
Seattle’s are pretty bad too … I can’t stand Rex Hudler (Angels announcer) probably the second biggest homer to Hawk and also acts like he is on the team and not in the booth.
Sox don’t either. Twins will probably get it back tomorrow. LOL
well, at least it’s only 9:22 on the west coast. I didn’t have to stay up til almost midnight like most of you. Sorry. Um, unless we tie it in the bottom of…….oh, hell with it. good night.
The White Sox announcers are worse than our bullpen!
There, I said it!
Hawk and DJ…and I stand by them…I actually like the catch phrases, but more importantly, putting that aside (because that’s really the only thing anyone knows about them as it’s the only thing people seem to cite), Hawk and DJ let the game call itself–not stepping over themselves or the action…using a quiet tone and few words.
Our guys could take a cue.
Ignoring that A-Rod nonsense, I don’t care at all for any national announcer (Miller, Morgan, McCarver, Buck). They all suck. Vin Scully should be the play-by-play announcer for ever World Series. That guy knows details in minutiae and doesn’t jabber about ridiculous stats like McCarver invariably does.
and yes, Matty has been overworked and ruined this year. No reliever can pitch at the pace he has in the past 1.75 seasons.
The best part is that both Punto and Redmond will potentially get ABs next inning.
Which means that unusual giddiness following Young’s homer can be pushed aside for typical bitching and moaning.
Sure glad the front office “tried” to find some bullpen help. Too bad they were “frustrated” again.
Maybe next year they shouldn’t “try” so hard.
It’s not Gardy’s fault. He didn’t do anything wrong with the pen tonight. They just don’t have enough relievers.
Are we suppose to be giddy after watching this awful bullpen?
trivia time…
since all of the Twins’ pen was featured tonight, tell me who threw that fastest (mph) ball out there…
Jason, jesus h. The White Sox announcers DO NOT let the game call itself. You are completely deluded. Sorry for that. Hawk’s silence is ALWAYS the result of his being MONDO PISSED about some call or some “duck snort” base hit. He is the biggest whiner homer in the history of announcing!
because that’s really the only thing anyone knows about them as it’s the only thing people seem to cite)
You just ignore everybody’s posts when your on your missions don’t you?
I’ve cited the inconsitent emotion, the constant belief that somehow they in fact are contributing to Sox victories. The fanlike moaning over close calls that don’t go their way (and not even a hint that a call in their favor may have been questionable)
But no, you’ll just skip over that.
We get it. If you had your druthers we’d have Tyner in LF, Dougie at 3B, and Ford out in CF. You’re frustrated that’s not happening so you want to lash out.
Take the blinders off Jason. There’s a whole world of comments out there for you to read.
Boof!
In case I don’t get on the blog tomorrow, let me just say: Gardy mismanaged this game and the last 600 wins he got also. Punto sucks, at everything on Earth. Gomez did something horrible that I can’t remember but he should be sent to either AAA or the Dominican Republic. Everett looks like the Elf from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer AND has a lousy arm. And, just because I’m running out of time, half the team should be sent down to the minors, half the team should be cut straight out, and the third half should be dragged out back and beaten.
Boof/Crain tied
Oh no. Punto.
There, I’ve covered the next 30 minutes of discussion.
Thrylos,
Crain?
“It ain’t over ’til it’s over” - Yogi Berra
Nick already has 2 hits.
Whoop…Macleod beat me to it. And covered the next few days worth while he was at it.
The Twins NEED bullpen help, and bill smith is either to lazy,stupid,cheap,or stupid to see it. incredible. Our supposed set up pitcher has a 4 ERA Boof has a 5 ERA Crain has a 4 ERA Bass has 5 ERA, Reyes is very overrated. And the Twins let the Rays pick up that Oriole pitcher why?? Who can you trust in the bullpen besides Nathan? One more good bullpen arm would make everyone better in the bullpen.
The Twins NEED bullpen help, and bill smith is either to lazy,stupid,cheap,or stupid to see it. incredible. Our supposed set up pitcher has a 4 ERA Boof has a 5 ERA Crain has a 4 ERA Bass has 5 ERA, Reyes is very overrated. And the Twins let the Rays pick up that Oriole pitcher why?? Who can you trust in the bullpen besides Nathan? One more good bullpen arm would make everyone better in the bullpen
Twins cannot get into an extra innings battle with any team if the BP can’t be counted on. Pretty surprised it got this far.
*phew* He almost got on base there. What the heck were we going to talk about tomorrow?
Punto batting and Harris/Lamb/Mauer on the bench
great job manager of the millennium
Lest we forget, the 0-2 curve ball by Crane to Betemint to score the 6th NY run. Punto’s one-hopper to the plate whereby a good throw is an out. Teams lose games and those playing so-so talent lose more often.
“and bill smith is either to lazy,stupid,cheap,or stupid to see it. incredible.”
Hmm…
I think some people here would be upset if they won, less to complain about.
Oh thank god. I hate when they almost win games like that.
And Morneau goes 0-4? Eck. They’re going to stop walking him pretty soon.
I cant believe the Twins let Bradford slip away. cheap,afforable,groundball pitcher with an ERA UNDER 4, under 3 for that matter. Never mind I guess the Twins bullpen is fine, geez keep sitting on your ass Smith,
Taking this loss a bit personally are we, T?
I think some people here would be upset if they won, less to complain about.
That’s pretty much it. Look at last night even. Twins win 4-0 and people are arguing about Nathan coming in instead of Perkins.
Taking this loss a bit personally are we, T?
Who do you think I am? Hawk?
Release all 25.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Harris/Lamb/Mauer have never hit a 3 run homer with the bases empty. Oh wait, I forgot it was Punto at the plate. WHY LORD?!? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! Why do they let Punto play????!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Craig
All right i was angry and typed too fast,but you see my point I hope, The Twins need bullpen help bad.
Release all 25.
That’s just being crazy.
Send down how they can. Release those they can’t, and get Rochester up here.
No … but I’m pretty sure Harris could have made a throw home from the SS position that Punto butchered
T
That is just discussion debating on whether or not Gardy should let the pitcher go on and pitch the ninth. THAT IS DEBATE, what the hell do you want this blog to be. That is not being negative at all. Lets just praise every player, every coach, and every janitor who cleans the metrodome, and not bring up anything that is questionable, or debatable. What type of communistic blog do you want this to be?
Pretty had to defend the front office IMO.
They’ve got a team fighting for a playoff spot, and they do nothing.
Bullpen help has been a need at least since Neshek went down.
They’ve allowed the team to play with 3 middle infielders named Punto, Harris and Everett since late July, with no guarantee Casilla will be back in uniform this season.
There’s one way to partly redeem yourself, Smith. Sign Bonds to DH, put Kubel in right, and let Span get the majority of time in center.
At this point there’s no help coming for the bullpen, and if there was they’ve already demonstrated they won’t put in a claim over a lousy $4M over 2 years.
Let’s get Howie Clark, Garrett Jones, Sergio Santos and Bobby Kielty up here as soon as possible.
Nick Punto is our misfortune.
Yes, that one throw from Punto lost the entire game, and probably the season. Don’t even think about looking at this loss as a team loss, or the bullpen, or the fact that Kubel continues to come up empty after Morneau is intentionally walked. Don’t anybody dare blame this loss on multiple factors. It was all PUNTO!! It’s always Punto. If Punto doesn’t play and the Twins lose, it’s because Punto was on the bench and Gardy had nobody good to pinch hit. Has anybody come up with a name for this yet? The Punto Factor? Not flashy enough. Punto’d? I’ve heard Punterrible. I’m going to make this the whole days topic tomorrow when I get to work. A catchy name or phrase for why Punto is to blame for everything, including Global Warming.
No wonder some of you are so certain Punto comes back next year. You’d have no idea what to talk about if he weren’t here.
I mean, you might actually have to acknowledge that there’s 24 other players on this roster. Do you even know their NAMES?
Punto didn’t give up the three homeruns tonight.
Harris couldn’t pick up Morneau’s 0-3 (0-4?)
Punto can’t hit a 3-run shot with the bases empty in the 12th.
Christ, the guy sucks…but he’s hardly the entire problem.
musta been a great game.
fun season so far …
It just gets so annoying when people whine about how people supposobly whine on this blog, isnt that hypocritical??? Enough already T and others.
Yes, that one throw from Punto lost the entire game, and probably the season.
Speaking of the season, is it over again? It’s been tough keeping track the last couple of days.
BB SO BA OBP
55 90 .210 .291
Its a lot easier to walk Morneau when the guys in front of him leave 1st base open (Punto 0 for 13 before his double). I’m just saying he should not have been out there today. He cost the Twins at least 2 runs.
Punto is fun to trash. But if you want, we can go down the line and list the problems with Twins baseball, beginning with the front-office.
I think the topic of the day should be how Morneau is in a slump because he is getting zero good pitches to hit. He either walks or hits a weak grounder. The batting order needs to be changed. Kubel is giving Morneau zero protection. Put Young behind Morneau, or anybody else. With Morneau and Kubel not hitting we’re in deep trouble.
NO BODY IN THE BLOG HAS SAID THE SEASON IS OVER!!!
Agreed, Tyler….people bring up points to debate…topics to throw out there…a different perspective, perhaps…and T treats it like someone kicked his dog. Is everything okay in your life, T?
By the way, seems Gardy tends to agree on me on the “value” of Kubel as a hitter this year (thus, that bizarre pinch hit of Randy Ruiz).
Bottom line: If Kubel is one of the guys you count on night in, night out, there’s no way some rookie from Rochester is called upon to pinch hit for him.
isnt that hypocritical???
So Tyler, what does that make a whiner whining about whiners whining?
Macleod hit the nail on the head (even though its been said hundreds of times before).
The damned blogs are a broken record. It doesn’t matter what the Strib writers put up in their entries, give it about three posts and somebody will jacknife it right back to something completely unrelated.
And then somebody like me, Macleod, or jama, or sane, etc comes in and says something that doesn’t appease the Vocal Majority and the rest of the blog is spent with such logistical gems as “What are you his brother” or “Are you -insert hated player here-” or “Are you on the payroll”
God forbid somebody drops a bit of reality that on any given day it ain’t just one person’s fault something didn’t work out. As much as they’d like to oversimplify it.
We get it. Punto sucks. You think Pohlad’s a cheap bastard. Congrats. You’ve stated your opinion. Now move the heck on and join the rest of us in talking about baseball.
“It just gets so annoying when people whine about how people supposobly whine on this blog, isnt that hypocritical??? Enough already T and others.”
I am posting this to whine about your whining about those who whine about the whiners.
Got that?
They are not intentionally walking Morneau because the bases are empty due to the guys in front of him not hitting. They are walking him because he comes up with guys on base and Kubel has been a very easy out lately.
NO BODY IN THE BLOG HAS SAID THE SEASON IS OVER!!!
That’s one of the most popular strawmen around here though.
Didn’t you know that if you say something critical you’re a bandwagon fan and think the season is over?
“NO BODY IN THE BLOG HAS SAID THE SEASON IS OVER!!!”
Exactly … I think everyone is just frustrated because the last 4 losses could/should have been wins and the Twins could be around 3 or so games in first place if some other moves would have been made.
a different perspective, perhaps…
Are you serious? I come in here with my differing opinion and get labeled a friggin’ Blog Cop for it.
Yeah, this place is REAL opinion to those that dare differ from the Vocal Majority.
NO BODY IN THE BLOG HAS SAID THE SEASON IS OVER!!!
I know, that’s why I asked. It’s been declared off and the on and then off again a few times in the last few weeks so I can’t keep straight.
Jeez, calm down. Somebody kick your puppy? (Hey, that is fun to use instead of an actual talking point. Good call Jason)
T,
Dang, you beat me to it.
Obviously Morneau isn’t being protected well enough. But I’m pretty sure he hasn’t been walked with someone on first.
That’s one of the most popular strawmen around here though.
No strawmen here.
I recall at least three times when one or more people have used the popular “season’s over” quote.
Once following the Chicago sweep, once following the Boston sweep, and once following the New York sweep.
Those were followed within a few games by a declaration that the season was back on following big series win against Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland.
I’m not counting the times the season was declared over during Spring Training. Because it hadn’t even started yet.
I’m gonna go ahead and say it. We only went to extra innings because Kubel was benched and Ruiz came in and got a single to get on base. Without Ruiz, Delmon hits a two run homer and we lose in 9. Wait, we still lost. Damn it. In that case I’m just going to rip on Kubel. He is a poor mans version of ARod. Generally hits his homers and gets his RBI when not needed, comes up empty when the game is on the line. And his outfield play is weak at best. And he grows a lousy beard. Man, this is fun.
I think the Twins have used Guerier to much…BUT I DONT THINK THE SEASON IS OVER!!! For the love of God T I am just bringing up a disagrement I have with the way Gardy uses the bullpen.
Funny how the Punto defense has been evolving.
Two months ago it was “he’s a great defender, hitting .300, etc.”
Now its yes he sucks but he’s only 1 of 25. OR Punto himself didn’t lose the game, someone did this or someone did that.
No doubt there are plenty of things to complain about. The bullpen continues to be a disaster. A disaster. But I still am not happy that Punto is starting for this team and that Harris did not get into the game as a pinch hitter for Punto.
The ten year old bullies that I often have to deal with in my job also have said that “it’s fun to trash” the innocent victims of their bullying. So, I’m hoping that you guys are only around ten or so. Seems like most of you are, but, if by chance any of you are older and even have kids of your own, I hope you’re smart enough not to be trashing Punto and others in front of your own kids. That’s exactly how bully behavior is often taught. Yes, lots of young bullies learn it from their fathers. So, if you guys have to feed your egos, make yourselves seem bigger than you are, please just do it here on these blogs. Don’t poison your kids or anyone else with your bully like hostility.
Tyler,
I agree that Guerrier has been used way too much, but the blame has to be put on Bill Smith for not getting another reliever once Neshek went down.
I think the point with the Punto arguement/defense if you will, is that the bashers can never see the forest for the Punto. In other words, you scrutinize Punto first, and nobody second. The biggest problem tonight was clearly the bullpen. Punto’s one throw was probably about 5 or 6 down the list. But I’m getting tired, so just carry on….
Six runs should be enough to win. The pitching is thin. The Twins pitching was 7th of 14 teams before this game. That has to improve.
Good Grief, someone said, about 300 or so posts back that he hoped that Punto would suffer a career ending injury tonight. I think that person needs to do some serious self examination. Perhaps he’s not the only one.
Punto is one piece of a very broken puzzle. I’ve said that since day ONE and I’ve said it about multiple players. (Anyone from Punto to Morneau)
For every situation a player may botch, there’s another two or three players who could’ve excuted to make that situation not hapen…and there’s another two or three players who could execute so that situation is counteracted.
You need look no further than Sunday’s game against the Royals. Kubel goes 0-4 and the blame for the offense is all Punto.
Everett’s weak throw sends the game into extras, but it was Punto’s play at the end.
“We get it…Congrats. You’ve stated your opinion. Now move the heck on and join the rest of us in talking about baseball.”
Now that’s rich.
We get it, T. Nobody is allowed to make an observation about how the team could be made better. Now move the heck on.
Matt
Your absoulutly right. I put most off the blame on BS as well.
That’s pretty much it Tyler. The FO planned for one thing. Something unexpected happened and they’re struggling to adjust.
Scope creep bit them in the butt big time.
Smith showed he learned from TR’s mistakes by getting guys like Morneau and Nathan locked up (Cuddyer’s injury will likely make that contract look foolish from here on out)
Now he has to show that he can learn from some of his own mistakes this offseason and patch some holes. Let’s hope Casilla comes back at full health so the Twins only have to worry about holes at 3B and in the bullpen (I think Reyes is a FA in 09…so that’s another hole)
By the way, is Harris injured? I heard he wasn’t in uniform tonight…true?
Macleod
I think Punto is the worst position player on the team. So yeah I’m going to focus on it. If Bass (the worst pitcher) was run out there in important situations day in and day out, then I would fixate on that situation. I end up fixating on Punto because of Gardy’s use of him.
If you don’t like my opinion on that, I encourage you to ignore it.
Did someone just call pinch hitting with Ruiz for Kubel “bizarre”? Kubel vs. a LH pitcher? I called it, actually, just before it happened, here and twinkietown. I must have a “bizarre” mind. For once Gardenhire made the obvious, correct decision.
Now if we can just figure out whose 16 year old niece Ricky Barrett is dating…
good posts dknute. i don’t even bother to read during the games anymore.
whole lotta keyboard courage goes on around here.
I’m trying to figure out Guerrier. Wasn’t his job originally “long relief”
How many innings has he pitched this season comparred to when he was the garbage man?
Is it pitching single innings in sequential games vs. pitching one LONG outing once a week or so that’s doing it? Can he not handle the daily ramp-up/wind-down that comes with being a setup man?
I for one though, do not think that Bill smith is the devil…
I like that he traded Santana to the Mets as opposed to the Yankees for Hughes and Kennedy (how good are they looking now?) or to the Red Sox for Ellsbury and garbage (how good is Ellsbury looking now, and hes 25 and near completly developed!) Bill Smith got a young toolsy CF in Gomez who will be much better than Ellsbury, a good back end of the rotatin starter in Mulvey and a potential ace in Guerra.
i also like the young/garza swap, we had the room to move Garza and he had the cohanes to pull it off. It gave room to blackburn, and i think that when all is said and done anyway Young will be a much better all around player anyway than Garza.
But Smith had better do something with the bullpen… that is my biggest gripe.
The Twins have had only two really good 2B in the history of the team. A young Rodney Carew and Chuck Knoblauch. The rest have been guys like Punto, or worse. It’s silly to continue griping about Punto. Who else has been superior to Punto?…. Luis Rivas? Jerry Kindall?
Someone please explain the trades now being made. I thought that all players, in order to be traded, had to be waived by their present team and claimed off of waivers by any team wanting them. Now I’m ready about the Red Sox trading for a pitcher and Arizona trading for for Dunn. WHAT’S UP?
I don’t wonder if all of this see-sawing doesn’t hurt the waiver wire.
Do we know when team’s put a claim on a guy…or only when that claim goes somewhere?
The Twins today had the Sox and Yankees down the list, and tomorrow will be behind the Sox.
But is there some behind the scenes jockying that we don’t know about?
I’d love to see a “day in the life” of the waiver wire. How many guys get claimed/retracted that end up not going anywhere.
“I for one though, do not think that Bill smith is the devil…”
No, that would be Punto.
T Guerrier if I recall correctly was used like Bass is now. Then was moved up to a Crain situation last year. And now is the 8th inning guy. More because of lack of options than anything. To me he just looks tired. Breaking ball doesn’t look nearly as sharp as it has in the past.
Oooo, just saw footage of Guerrier slamming his helmet during a tirade in the dugout.
Guess he’s getting tired of the plantation work.
No Hawkins, no nobody.
Craig
Are you implying that I think that punto is the devil, or are you saying that you think punto is the devil?
JP … just wanted to say great point with Punto/Bass. Punto being out there everyday is basically like having Bass as the only relief option out there everyday.
Bob: If a team wants to try and trade a player after the deadline (or when a player with a certain level of experience is sent down) he has to pass through waivers first.
While on waivers, team’s are allowed to “claim” a player. Team’s are ranked in reverse order based on the current standings, with worse teams getting first dibs essentially. Priority also goes to teams in the same division I believe.
Once a team puts a claim down, I’m a bit fuzzy on that process. But I do know a team is allowed to pull a player back from waivers ONCE. If a player goes back on waivers and is claimed the waiving team has to work out a deal of some sort.
You’ll ahve to search the rest. Or somebody here can probably fill in the gaps.
hey craig, how bout bernie allen? or frank quillici? or even cesar tovar?
well, maybe you’re right … they’re all kinda like punto (although i’d certainly trade punto to get tovar right about now!).
Tyler,
It had nothing to do with your good post. I was just trying to be funny.
Thanks JP: Do you think he’s just osing his “stuff” then?
Sorry Bob, that should be: “teams in the same LEAGUE get priority” not division.
So if the D-Backs and the Twins both claim Dunn…the D-backs get the rights to work out a deal with Cinnci since they’re in the NL. Regardless of record.
thanks matt. and to me punto is worse than the bullpen situation. we KNEW what we would get with Punto as an everyday starter. the bullpen: EVERYBODY has started pitching a heckuva lot poorer. so while i am anxious that B.S. does something to help Gardy there, Gardy is responsible for punto. and in my mind its inexcusable. thats why i will revisit it and revisit it and revisit it and (you get the idea)
mickey,
The late Cesar Tovar was a great little player, and one of my all time favorites. Cesar had his troubles in the infield, but he was a gamer and would play anywhere. I miss him crowding the plate, and sticking his bony little elbow out, and getting hit by the ball. I love those old time players.
T
I just think its a combination of he’s tired and he’s simply just not good enough to be a lights out 8th inning guy. i respect how much he’s battled for us this year, and worked his butt off adjusting to a new role. As for being tired i don’t think its just IP or pitch count. as one GM or coach said during a broadcast its the effort in each pitch. he’s in situations he’s never been in before, tough tough places he has to pitch out of, a lot of stress and concentration required. that is a lot tougher than easy throwing when you’re up or down by a lot.
i guess thats my opinion or at least what i see.
i just want to thank the team and manager for giving us a pennant race once again. this season has been an unexpected pleasure to experience. think of places like pittsburgh, which has been in the baseball desert for years without even a whiff of a contending team.
“think of places like pittsburgh, which has been in the baseball desert for years without even a whiff of a contending team.”
Excellent point, mullen.
right. my comparison, of course, was more about their ability to play many positions.
but i just looked him up and he played more than 500 major league games between third, second and short.
Thanks T. But I’m still wondering how the Red Sox for could trade for Cleveland’s Byrd and they’re many teams that would claim Byrd before the Red Sox, including the Twins?
Claims go worst to best record, same league, then opposite league. A waiver period is 47 hours long, and can be done any time after July 31st through the WS.
A team that places a player on waivers can either:
1) let the player go to the claiming team that gets priority in the wiaver claim process for nothing. In that case, the claiming team is responsible for 100% of whatever remaining contract is left for that player.
2) tell the claiming team “we’ll let you have player X if you give us Y.” That “Y” can be anything from players to money. Any players coming back are subject to the same rules for waivers…if they’re on the 40 man roster they would need to pass through waivers first.
3) Pull the waived player off waivers and deny the claim. This happens routinely. In such a case, if they attempt to place the player on waivers again, the waivers are irrevocable, meaning a second waiver claim results in the player going to the claiming team for nothing in return, claiming team assumes player’s contract.
A player like Sheffield, for example, will probably not be claimed, because he’s owed something like $14M next year and it’s unlikely a team would want that contract. If they claimed him, Detroit would gladly say “fine, he’s yours, pay the man.” After Sheff (or any player) passes through waivers, Detroit would then be free to trade him in any manner they see fit.
Questions?
mickey,
I see what you are saying. You are right, as a utility player, Cesar was great. He was a super utility, before anyone used the term. I think he played somewhere most every day. He could hit. For that era, his numbers were very good.
Bernie Allen was a light hitter as a Twin. He became a better hitter as an older player, to my recollection. I think he went on to the Yankees and Washington. Frank Quilici was a hard worker, but short on baseball skills.
yes, craig, tovar was great. and i agree about quillici and allen, too. guess i just wanted to name drop.
Very good, USAForceChief. Thanks for the info.
So, if Beltre cleared waivers (presumably because the Twins were in talks with the M’s), the 47-hour period is long gone, so he essentially cannot be traded anymore.
Because the M’s would have to send him to the first team that claimed him — for nothing. And they won’t risk that.
Right?
So I’ve been an idiot in banging the Beltre drum as of late.
“I’d love to see a “day in the life” of the waiver wire. How many guys get claimed/retracted that end up not going anywhere.”
Wow, T. I was just thinking about this in the past week:
Why isn’t the waiver wire public information — just like the NYSE and other busniness-flow information?
Tyler at 11:39 pm,
T doesn’t like anything “negative.” And he certainly doesn’t like debate. He gets that from his hero Barack Obama.
Tyler says at 11:46 pm
“NO BODY IN THE BLOG HAS SAID THE SEASON IS OVER!!!”
T does that EVERY game they lose! The clinical term for it is “Disassociative Compulsion.” He himself tries to console his own emotional insecurities and feeling of a let-down over a loss by accusing others of propunding that which he himself feels. It’s also known as a “Kick the Dog” reaction. Approximately 2.5 out of every ten demonstrate this introverted type-B behavior, but the most prominent demographic is that of pre-pubescent males. I would recommend 25 mg of Celexa. After three to five weeks he would probably feel like spending far less time on a blog each and every day.
Why isn’t the waiver wire public information — just like the NYSE and other busniness-flow information?
In a weird way, it both is an isn’t. For example, we know Sheffield CLEARED waivers, but we were never told he went on waivers in the first place.
One thing I have read is that teams often throw a TON of players out on waivers in an attempt to cover up who they’re trying to deal. This is done knowing full well that some guys will be pulled back if any team does try and claim them.
So it’s possible that they don’t make it public simply because the list could be so jam packed with names that it’d be impossible to get any real meaning from it.
I imagine there’s a LOT of goings on behind the scenes that ballclubs don’t want other clubs to find out about. If only because they don’t want to risk another team trying to interfere in the trade, and want to try and pull the trade “out of nowhere” to give opponents less time to respond.
That could be the reason we don’t get details about EVERY deal the Twins (or any club) is trying to make. The last thing they want is somebody else in the playoff hunt to get word that Player-X or Y is in the middle of trade talks.
Look at the Yankees. They come in and take Pudge. Did anybody know he was actually available? I doubt it. And that’s just what the Yankees wanted. I bet there’s a few other teams that may have thrown their hat in the ring had they known Pudge was an option. And that would’ve lead to him costing more than Farnsworth.
