Twins respond after pregame talk from Gardenhire
Posted on September 9th, 2008 – 11:27 PMBy Joe Christensen
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire addressed the team before tonight’s 7-2 victory over Kansas City with a message to relax, have fun and concentrate on the events in their own ballpark.
From his own sleepless nights, Gardenhire knew the team was pressing too hard and obsessing about every White Sox outcome.
Gardenhire wanted his team focused on each pitch, not on the out-of-town scoreboard.
So what happens on the first play of the game? David DeJesus smashed a ball toward the left-center gap. It looked like extra bases, but Carlos Gomez sprinted from center and made a nice running catch.
“That’s being ready for the first play of the game,” Gardenhire said. “Guy hits a bullet into left-center field, and Gomez got on that ball. That’s a super play to start the game.”
Gardenhire had reminded the players how many extra runs they’d left stranded on the bases, not getting runners from second to third with no outs, not getting runners home from third with less than two, etc.
So what happens in the first?
Denard Span hit a leadoff double. Alexi Casilla followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt, moving Span to third, and Joe Mauer made it 1-0 with a grounder to first.
Casilla wasn’t told to bunt but was given the get-him-over sign.
“He elected to bunt, which is a good play for him because he can get a base hit on that, too,” Gardenhire said.
The Twins pulled away from there, and with the White Sox getting swept, they shaved Chicago’s lead from 2 1/2 games to one.
61 Responses to "Twins respond after pregame talk from Gardenhire"
The team didn’t respond.
I responded.
This is Jesse’s world.
You fans are all merely living in.
The last couple of weeks, the twins have been drowning in slow motion. But the White Sox are being pulled further and further under the water with their injuries. If the Twins kick it into high gear, instead of reverse, they will be playing October baseball.
I used as many cliches that I could think of in the preceding commment.
[…] Originally published by Around the Majors […]
LOL Jesse…
“This is Jesse’s world.”
Jesse’s world is close to the seats where he has spent a lot of his time backing up third base and homeplate.
gatty you left out the best one: it ain’t over ’til………whatever.
time to jump back on the band wagon again, get’s tiring jumping on and off.
the guys battled and got after it looked refreshed, the sox are scuffling and another injury. if the sox can hang in with all they’ve lost this week you have to tip your hat to them, not like them just say well done. now if only dye or thome would get hurt……
And take things one game at a time…
Konerko has a mild sprain. I was surprised, it looked a lot worse. I guess he didn’t have an NFL lineman jumping on him like Tom Brady did.
Gardy’s pregame talk must have been inspiring. The first play of the game and my hair was on the edge of its seat. And again on a catch by Delmon. Although some party pooper on here pointed out he misplayed it and had to recover.
But Morneau’s blast was the icing on the camel’s back!
I liked DY’s catch too. Not as impressive as the one by Gomez. But, quite special in that it is so unexpected from DY.
I had to laugh when DY looked in his glove and seemed surprised the ball was there.
“icing on the camel’s back”? Hmmm, that one is new for me.
I guess that would make Crain’s relief work, “gravy on the elephant’s trunk”.
Wow, the Kool Aid continues to flow….
If it was that easy, Joe C., why didn’t this speech come earlier on during the 14-game road trip?
It’s time to stop using Manager speeches as headline material just because 1 + 1 = 2 on a given night.
Whats the 10:30 huge announcement? Are we still going to get the All Star Game in a decade. Whoopdee freaking dooh. I am just waiting for some lamb (lame) news
Yep, it was definately Gardy’s pep talk that did it. This might be that game that put the Twin’s ship back on the road.
Do it again tonight and we can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel.
What’s the huge 10:30 surprise? Are we trading away Morneau for sod for the new ball park
So are the Sox off tomorrow? There’s still an extra game somewhere the Sox need to play (as regardless of what happens today and tomorrow the Twins would have “X.5″ between them and the Sox.
Twins only have one more off day….do the Sox have ANY?
Does anyone know what the extent to Konerko’ injuries are? We just need to have Dye injured and we have a chance.
The White Sox have no game on Sept. 22, the day before they come to Minnesota.
Just to echo what Howard posted on his blog, Gomez is the best defensive CF in the league. Obviously, he’s a little raw at the plate, but his range in center is pretty amazing.
Howard is on the Kool aid
Move Span to center and you have a better CF than Gomez.
…and we’re back in the game! keep it up twins.
I would be interested in seeing DY in CF
Howard is on the Kool aid
Howard is one of the last people I’d consider a Kool-Aider.
Is it because he was able to use a number of statistics to support his arguments that frightens you?
jimmybee,
“Howard is one of the last people I’d consider a Kool-Aider.
Is it because he was able to use a number of statistics to support his arguments that frightens you?”
Or is it because Howard kicked you off his blog in order to upgrade it?
Here you go, jimmy, mild sprain:
You’re welcome Mr. Bee ! ! !
jon it is simply because he is on the kool aid. jon I don’t believe I have seen your name before???
Thank you very much Mudcat. I really appreciate your link.
I don’t believe I have seen the 10:30 exciting news. Has anyone seen or heard anything?
“jon it is simply because he is on the kool aid. jon I don’t believe I have seen your name before???”
What does that mean?
Now you have seen it twice.
jon I have seen your name 2 x I will now remember jon. Now that I think about people who have posted around here for a while I guess I missed your name. Well lets see there is T, Romer, Jama, BC Beneke. Lets just put you in between Romer and jama as a huge poster and I will remember you as a more often poster and try to respond faster. Thanks jon
Finally, 96 mph baseballs coming out of Jesse’s hand do not end up as base hits. What has been the problem with his pitching. Their location hasn’t looked all that bad. Perhaps he could learn a thing or two from talking with Slowey and Blackburn about changing speeds or pitch selection.
Finally, 96 mph baseballs coming out of Jesse’s hand do not end up as base hits. What has been the problem with his pitching.
Have the quality of teams or hitters gone down. This could have something to do with it. He could also just be pitching better.
Here’s a question: Why is this blog called “Around the Majors” when it is clearly just another Twins blog? I think it should be renamed “Another Twins Insider”. Either that or perhaps try mentioning another team once and a while.
Torii Hunter and Ivan Rodriguez get a suspension after a fight between the 2
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-angelsfyi11-2008sep11,0,6563903.story
JIMMY BEE:
Unlike Viking’s and Packer’s coaches, they shook hands after the game.
But I would have to put my money on Pudge.
Mudcat catcher’s are very tough and Ivan looks like a tazmanian devil. Though Torii on the other hand grew up in the ghetto and he played allot of football. I can’t decide. You pick for me
I always thought Pudge looked as big as the guys on steroids. And I always thought he would look good in a Twin uniform. I believe he’s a free agent. Pretty good pick up to DH and switch with Mauer. Pretty expensive too.
Mudcat I always liked Pudge as well but he is geting up to the retirement age for catchers I believe. I think he and Sheffield should consider retirement.
jon it is simply because he is on the kool aid.
You know, if that’s the best counterargument you can make against Howard, I can’t blame him if he did boot you.
T I have a question for you. Do you really play interleague volleyball or was that a T imposter. I can’t blame him if he did boot you. Howard did not agree with a few of my posts and he started erasing them at which point I called him Mr Keaton from Family Ties thus causing a lifetime ban. He is a very anal person. I may go sit behind him in section 220 if he actually goes to the games. He probably sits at home on a milk carton and drinks Busch Light
Isn’t this Joe C’s blog?
Yes and Joe C rocks. So does Lavelle.
And Howard’s just tellin’ it like it is.
Do you really play interleague volleyball or was that a T imposter.
What? The fact I played in a bar league somehow impacts the discussion?
I guess I should ask if you enjoy mustard on your hamburgers instead of ketchup.
These are the things that matter.
Walter Johnson says:
September 10th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
And Howard’s just tellin’ it like it is.
yes. While drinking Busch Light and sitting on an emplty milk box. While banging his fist on the top of an old analog black and white TV that he bought at the time for $220.00 in a discount section of K-Mart
Just had to make sure that was you T. Sometimes people like to blog under different names now and again
I guess I should ask if you enjoy mustard on your hamburgers instead of ketchup.
These are the things that matter.
Yes they do matter. I enjoy mustard, ketchup and mayo not miracle whip.
jimmy bee = Mrs Keaton from family ties
T = Mrs T. “I pitty the fooh”
And you wonder why Howard booted you off his blog?
Compare THAT tripe with Howard’s leads and the content of Howard’s blog.
Excellent decision Howard!!!
Come home now your Busch Light and hot dish are getting cold
I was at the game last night and caught my first ball (Shealy foul ball thrown by Blackburn). Another Twins piece of memoribilia for the collection. Only 1 game down………tough roadtrip coming up, but the Twins will prevail over the injury-bitten Sox. GO TWINS!
“Mrs jon says:
September 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Come home now your Busch Light and hot dish are getting cold”
jimmy,
Maybe Howard didn’t want such clever writing on his blog.
No, I guess not jon. So jon do you think that the Twins will make the playoffs and if so who would they play. I think that eventually the Rays are going to die off and we will be stuck with the Red Sox in the playoffs or the Angels.(ish I hope not)
Lets all hope Gardenhire doesn’t try to interject Cuddyer back into the lineup. It would hurt the team’s momentum and chemistry. The Twins really took off upward in the standings when Cuddyer was no longer in the lineup. Both Gomez and Span are contributing tremendously and Kubel is doing good as the DH. Putting Cuddyer back into the lineup would cost the Twins the division race. The Twins should try to trade Cuddyer for more bullpen help.
Sure would be nice to see Morneau and Mauer go down with injuries. Would make the Sox chances better.
I’m blaming the end of this season on Guerrier and Bass, mostly Guerrier b/c he’s still hurting them.
Joe, now that Houston is three games out of the wildcard - what if they make it? Does their GM go from ridiculed to GM of the year for his mid-season deals?
What a story that would be. Almost as big as the Rays.
