Monday update: Garza gets chance to face Twins
Posted on March 30th, 2009 – 8:25 AMBy Joe Christensen
FORT MYERS, FLA. — The Twins will face old friend Matt Garza today, when they square off with the Tampa Bay Rays at Hammond Stadium.
Traded from the Twins in November 2007, Garza was named MVP of last year’s ALCS. Garza is slated to be Tampa Bay’s No. 3 starter this season behind James Shields and Scott Kazmir.
Garza is 0-0 with a 5.90 ERA in three Grapefruit League starts this spring. This might be the first time he’s ever faced the Twins. Checking on that. I know it didn’t happen last year during the regular season.
Justin Morneau and Joe Crede are back in the Twins’ lineup after being scratched Sunday. Manager Ron Gardenhire said he didn’t want either of them pushing it after a two-hour rain delay.
Both lineups are pretty good today. These teams are getting serious. You can tell it’s the final week of spring training.
Update: It is indeed Garza’s first time facing the Twins.
Update: Joe Crede was hit on the hand by a fastball from Matt Garza and left the game in pain in the sixth inning. Crede probably was going to leave the game anyway for a pinch runner, but I’ll have an update postgame.
Update: Crede was diagnosed with a bruised right hand. He he has a giant ice pack wrapped around the hand but doesn’t appeared headed for X-rays. Sounds like everything is intact.
RAYS
1. Akinori Iwamura, 2B
2. Carl Crawford, LF
3. Evan Longoria, 3B
4. Carlos Pena, 1B
5. Pat Burrell, DH
6. Dioner Navarro, C
7. Ben Zobrist, RF
8. Gabe Kapler, CF
9. Jason Bartlett, SS
Starting pitcher: RH Matt Garza
Matt Guerrier and Brian Duensing listed to pitch in relief.
TWINS
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Michael Cuddyer, RF
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Joe Crede, 3B
8. Jose Morales, C
9. Nick Punto, SS
Starting pitcher: LH Glen Perkins
Hammond Stadium. First pitch: 12:05 p.m.
217 Responses to "Monday update: Garza gets chance to face Twins"
[…] Around the Majors – […]
This looks more like the opening day lineup.
Take Span out and it looks good.
I’m excited for this game… should be a good one!
I was listening to 1500AM yesterday on break from work and heard about Gardy saying how he was liking Morales more than Butera. Don’t know if that was to get Butera to step it up a little bit or what, but it is going completely opposite from what we have heard.
I’d like this line-up opening day sub Span for GoGo
I think Span is going to be fine though it will be interesting to see how Gardy juggles the outfield this week.
I’m surprised Gomez is not in the lineup, both him and Span seem like they could use a bunch more ABs.
the twins have a problem with replacing mauer for awhile, as its obvious that butera is the leader with his defensive abilities and calling a game over morales, but morales bat overshadows butera by quite a margin also….what to do.. i am not even sure how i feel about it, i like the offense, especially now that crede is in the lineup-makes it so solid almost 1-8 leaving punto out, but with this young staff etc,it may be better to sacrifice the offense for a short term til mauers back and go with butera and hope that like punto, he will get that occasional big hit and contribute some offensively…like yesterdays double down the rt field line….we could use alot of those…….is it opening nite yet???
Are we taking 11 or 12 pitchers north?
I believe the game is being televised on MLB network today.
I agree… I think Butera is needed with our pitching staff to have good pitch selection. I think that will win more games than Morales’ offense.
Maybe they should carry 3 catchers. I thought i read somewher that Morales was a converted 2b so he could back up Casilla as well.
Ben D
The game is actually on FSN
the game is on fsn today …at least here in fargo….seems strange for a monday afternoon but true…biggest question is whos going to stay tolbert or harris…its hard to think of harris in the minors…but tolbert is playing pretty well also….i wouldnt be surprised to see tolbert upset casilla at some point ….maybe, maybe not…..
How fast can Tolbert learn how to catch?
BC of ND. Brain freeze. Morales has taken NO infield at 2b.
I am Topp Dogg……
BC is right, Morales used to be a 2B.
Twins Line-up 2011
Mauer— C
Morneau- 1B
Tolbert- 2B
Casilla- SS
Crede— 3B
Young— LF
Gomez— CF
Span—- RF
Kubel—-DH
Punto is on the beach counting his money.
mj1
I think the question is not either Tolbert or Harris, but either Tolbert or Buscher. Harris plays more positions than Buscher and, therefore, he would be more versitile.
Harris goes north ONLY bc he is out of options.
Crede will not be a Twin in 2011.
Buscher provides a very good bat against a right handed pitcher.
Tolbert can play 7 positions, switch hitter, speed and the reason why he will get the last spot is he has 3 Hr’s to Buscher’s 1
Are we taking 11 or 12 pitchers north?
Yes.
I think the fact that Tolbert is the second coming of LNP, has more to do with it than the 3 hrs.
topp dogg i’m assuming you won top dog at the westminster kennel club show (where only the best go and that can get messy) was it in the terrier or the toy group?
I once had a Top Dog at the Dome with all the toppings.
Close to opening day lineup. I’d start Gomez over Span, and still believe Redmond will be behind the dish for at least the opener.
no, i think buschers left handed bat is a lock for this roster and backs up crede at 3b. thus the fight between tolbert and harris….the best thing would be 11 pitchers and 1 more bench player, so they both could stay, but i really would like to see dickey be the man out of the bullpen with that fast knucleball…could be a real surprise and if not, ship him gone but i think he will work out great
i think this is mauers last year to catch…i believe the wear and tear on this tall kid is too much and will have to find another position…and that may just be 3rd base….he is athletic enough to play there and actually i believe he has some experience prior at that position when he was younger….
Ben W,
“I once had a Top Dog at the Dome with all the toppings.”
Your Top Dog had never been neutered, like the other Top Dogg.
topp dogg may be in the corner licking himself!
if mauer can’t catch maybe he can play qb for the vikes!
We have plenty of offense without Morales’s bat. We need Butera in there for his skills behind the plate. Morales is still learning how to be a catcher. You can’t have a guy learning the position at the major league level. Send him down. I know hitting is not his strength but Butera has actually been hitting really well this spring.
Based on ST only, you have to go with Cuddy over Young and Tolbert over Casilla.
Tolbert has been a bright delight. His time is now. They don’t dare depress him back to AAA. He HAS to be on this Mauer-less squad because of Buscher’s D and the still questionable offense ability of Crede.
And, if Casilla gets in a slump, don’t want to see Harris’s D at 2B.
Ya have to go with 12 pitchers and no Buscher, or 11 and Buscher. I’ll take the latter because we have a solid starting staff and won’t have to over-rely on the BP.
So my long-term thinking leads me to how Gardy will manage. Will he actively and constantly platoon? I think he should:
Casilla/Tolbert
Crede/Buscher/Tolbert
and
Punto/Harris
And the outfield should be constantly platooned too.
Gardy’s progressive creativity with the lineup = the Twins’ chances at greatness this year.
Gonna be Gardy’s toughest year yet, I believe.
Enjoy the game today!
dogg - help’s coming.
And we’re LIVE ON TV (FSN). Sunny day down there.
I haven’t heard an update… Butera still in the lead over Morales? I have softened my stance on Butera because of the pitchers’ rave reviews of his calling games. I do still think that with Redmond being almost 40 behind the plate that we have to expect 4 games a week from him and two games a week from the backup though, and that makes me think Morales is the better option because his bat in the lineup two games a week isn’t setting the Twins back an entire inning each time he plays like Butera’s will. Having Punto and Butera in the lineup together could give us 6 less outs to work with per game… basically limiting us to a 7 inning vs 9 inning game. For what it’s worth, I hope Punto has a marvelous year, and I’m wrong. Heck, I’d settle for another .280 season from him if he could raise the OB% to about .350, and stop diving into first head first.
Gardy said on the radio with Souhan yesterday that Morales is in the lead for the backup catcher role.
Please allow me to clarify that this was not me Punto bashing this time. His track record is that he’s an every other year player, and that he has struggled when a job is given to him, as apposed to coming in to be the replacement when Terry Ryan or Miller screw up and bring in a corpse to play 3rd base like Batista and Lamb. So please, I am not bashing Punto.
Crede did not kill himself on his first play of the game…so far so good.
Sorry BC, he’s gonna be diving.
And expecting .280 with a .350 OBP from Punto is totally reasonable.
I’m not worried about at all. I invite you to follow me.
I agree with Romer 100%
It’s on MLB network as well-
Thank you Ben.
Perkins looking like a strong veteran the 1st inning.
Crede in the bottom 3 of the lineup. I smell strength.
Ben W,
You heard what I heard on the radio yesterday. I didn’t like what I heard personally…
Sounds like Gardly playing a little head game on catching situation. I see the situation as philosophical - neither side of the debate is wrong. I normally side with pitching and defense but this time believe the upside of Morales is a better fit. I know our pitchers are young, but they are experienced and seemingly a team strength in 2009. I see them as helping along a catcher who could figure into the future plans as a larger role than a backup.
Span overpowered by Garza.
K.
Personally I don’t care if Morales or Butera is the backup catcher - it’s a steep dropoff from Mauer/Redmond to Redmond/Morales or Redmond/Butera, any way you look at it.
If Casilla had immediately started running, that play would have been close.
So, both Span and Casilla looked AAA v. Garza.
Any Gomez boosters out there?
Garza looking like a strong veteran the 1st inning.
romer says: March 30th, 2009 at 10:55 am
“Based on ST only,….”
Well, then based on “ST only” shouldnt Gomez get nod over Span. All signs say “yes”
With what I have seen the ST, Gomez needs to start over Span.
Garza looks like a 2001 Freddy Garcia in 1st.
Rays are rallying. I missed it.
Wha’happened? Perk making mistakes?
Assist!!
romer,
Why does it have to be Cuddyer over Young? Cuddyer and Young and Gomez over Span is more appropriate.
Hoo-hoo.
Don’t run on Cuddy, kids.
Not even close. The guy never even made it to the plate.
Perk is leaving his pitches up
“Why does it have to be Cuddyer over Young?”
Right. Exactly. And I was just using it as a temporary “for-instance”. But…
Span for sure might be the type of guy who needs some failure to spur him to success.
I still say let him start the season (because he’s behaved like a true leadoff hitter last year) and let him fail and then reorganize himself.
I give him a short leash of just a few games. Gomez will be chomping at the bit and will be ready the first week to give his shot at leadoff.
Thanks, Aaron. Nice recovery on his part though.
This is fun. The hot Kubel v. the formidible Garza.
romer,
I agree. As long as everybody gets ample playing time early, things will work themselves out.
You got to go with the hot bats. And those are Gomez, Cuddyer and Young at the outfield (over Span), Tolbert over Buscher on the bench and Butera over Morales for catcher. It might change in 2-3 days, but this is what it looks like right now.
thrylos98, Yes. It would sure be nice to come burning out of the gates and perhaps build a nice lead rather than have two or three weeks of “extended ST” by carrying a 12th pitcher than shouldn’t be there and starting a leadoff hitter that can only get on base via a walk and perhaps your hottest hitters sitting out 1 or 2 games a week.
Garza hung that one and it looks like Morales was a little too excited
“You got to go with the hot bats.”
Didn’t know Young has a hot bat. Wasn’t he hitting like .450 for the first 2 or 3 weeks? And look at his miserable OBP.
I won’t be a chump and make the typical boring remark that Butera might as well have been hitting there instead of Morales.
:)>
Crede looks retiring at the plate as he awaits the pitcher.
Time for more intensity, Joe.
I’m so close to going out to the bar just to be able to watch the game… this is killing me!
Good news (but not much news) from the Mauer interview just now.
Says he feels better now than at any other time during ST.
What’s his timeline? 4/15? 4/10? 4/21?
romer,
Young’s bat is smoking hot compared to Span so far this ST. I think we are stronger with Young, Cuddyer, and Gomez seeing as much playing time as possible. If Span starts coming around then work him in more.
Jeff in So Cal,
So right. And don’t you think it better to carry only 11 pitchers instead of having R.A. Dickey as the 12th guy and me and you making that stupid “which R.A. Dickey?” joke all season long?
If Span doesn’t pick it up in the last week, he’ll have to hit his way into the line-up in the regular season. That means a likely Casilla/Gomez/Kubel top of the order to start the year.
Didn’t know Young has a hot bat. Wasn’t he hitting like .450 for the first 2 or 3 weeks? And look at his miserable OBP
Young this spring: .293/.317/.517, 3 HR, 1 SB (58 AB)
Span this spring: .154/.257/.246, 1 HR, 9 BB, 2 SB (65 AB)
Romer
In the interview the mentioned the 4-6 weeks timeline.
“Didn’t know Young has a hot bat…And look at his miserable OBP.”
OBP
Young .317
Span .257
Span is the hot bat?
The table setters are getting on.
me and you making that stupid “which R.A. Dickey?” joke all season long?
No, please, no!! (But I have been pretty impressed with Dickey’s pitching.
Who’s doing the play by play on FSN
Kubel will not be batting 3rd. Especially not in front of Morneau batting 4th.
Gardy would hate to have all RH hitters after Morneau. Cuddy, Crede, Delmon, Gomez, Redmond/Butera. And LNP doesn’t count.
Broken bat single by Span. That will start him on his way to get that OBP up!
Bert, Dick and the Ray’s play-by-play. Actually it looks like Dick has been demoted to Coomer duty.
Walter,
You mean the jokes about the guy named Dickey who pitches for Seattle or the guy who pitches for the Twins?
aaron it’s not Dick is it the Rays play by play guy?
Jeff,
Yes. Or maybe it was about the two 7′1″ Dutch guys…..
trish,
I’m tryin to work and listen to the game on the radio. Gadden and Gordon got this thing goin called, “open mike Monday”. They’re not doin the play by play while it’s happinin. They’re answering questions and talk talk talk. I,m mentally tuning them out but I missin the updates on the game. I’m thinkin of cuttin out to see the telecast myself.
i’m afraid that the rule about getting all 4 OF’s playing time and going with whoever is performing only applies to these 2:
Gomez
Young
I think Gardy is going to give Span and Cuddyer passes all season - just a hunch (but thank goodness Cuddy is playing better anyways).
BC
It is the Ray’s play-by-play guy.
Paul,
Do it. i would go home and watch the game but I only get channel 4… so that isn’t an option. And I think i’d be happier if I had radio but no such luck there. 
Yeah BC, the guy’s name is Statts or something like that. Sounds like Joe Buck to me.
There’s a great group of minor leaguers on the roster today as extra players:
Rob Delaney - relief prospect
Anthony Slama - relief prospect
Chris Parmelee - power prospect
Joe Benson - five tool prospect
Zach Ward - mid-level prospect
Tommy Watkins - nice guy
Yancarlos Ortiz - can pick it, not strong at the plate
romer
It sounds a little like him, but you know how I know it is not him? It is the fourth inning and I dont feel like opening a vein.
Ha LaVelle, love the “nice guy” comment next to Watkins.
“Rob Delaney - relief prospect
Anthony Slama - relief prospect
Chris Parmelee - power prospect
Joe Benson - five tool prospect
Zach Ward - mid-level prospect
Tommy Watkins - nice guy”
With the Twins, nice guys play first and the other guys get sc**wed.
I hope Parmelee gets an at bat today as I have not seen him since he was a senior in high school. When he played out here he was definitely a man amongst boys. It was easy to see why we picked him so high so hopefully he can stay healthy this year to see what he can do.
Oh gee thanks, sane and thrylos, I so didn’t know Span’s bat wasn’t hot. Ha!
If you’re going with the hot bats, it’ll be Kubel/Gomez/Cuddy with Tolbert DHing.
Now allow me to back off and re-explain that I was only making a “for-instance” comparison of Young and Cuddy.
To be totally clear, Young and Cuddy are the starters as far as I’m concerned (especially in this Mauer-less lineup).
And frankly, as it turns out, we’re in the same situation as we were in last year at this time —- Span v. Gomez. That’s how I reduce it.
Like I said before, any Gomez boosters out there? Is his head screwed on straight enough yet this year to be the leadoff?
Blackburn talking about fishing…..
Where’ Brian Bass this year please?
“Joe Benson - five tool prospect”
Apparently, batting is not a tool.
What tool does Benson have that replaces batting?
Is Gomez’s head screwed on straight? I don’t know.
Another question that needs to be asked - is Span’s 2008 season a fluke? His minor league track record would suggest so.
“Ha LaVelle, love the “nice guy” comment next to Watkins”
We can use more mayors in this country who are also nice guys!
Like I said before, any Gomez boosters out there? Is his head screwed on straight enough yet this year to be the leadoff?
based on his performance this spring (.286/.372/.592) and the dominican winter league (where he has been taking pitches by bunches) yes.
“Another question that needs to be asked - is Span’s 2008 season a fluke? His minor league track record would suggest so.”
Yeah I know you’re right to be skeptical. But Span okay for the pennant contending team, especially for a first timer in the leadoff spot.
I just don’t feel like dumping him so quick.
And he wasn’t COMPLETELY overpowered by Garza the second time around. Looked like he made an adjustment. Got enough wood on it for a competent single (meaning, not a fluke pop-up, etc.)
romer
Span broke his bat on that blooper just over the second baseman. It looks like a line drive in the box score though and it will raise that OBP of his.
But Span DID okay for the pennant contending team….(last year)
Morales not making the play.
that throw wasn’t bad, nicky just didn’t catch it.
I wouldn’t want to think that having a guaranteed roster spot has made Span less hungry.
Remember how Boof first looked when he came up in 2006? He looked mean and focused for a while there and then just lost it.
Morales had a tough pitch to throw a guy out on. His release was quick and throw was good. If Punto would have held onto it Bartlett may have been out.
“Span broke his bat on that blooper…”
Crap like that happens against a Garza ya know.
Span hit it hard enough to not pop it up and to get it out of the infield. He made contact at pretty much the proper place on the bat and got sawed off just a little bit, swinging at a pitch up in the K zone.
Did he break his bat for sure? It didn’t come apart.
The points are — he didn’t look foolish, he put a quick-bat swing on the ball, and he got the job done….all versus a power pitcher.
trish,
Thanks for the advice. It’s good advice. But I should’t take it today. Gotta hold up my end here.
Gameday link please?
Not a strike 3 to Punto. Catcher moved way outside to receive. Ump got lazy and called the strike.
Shame on Jeff Kellogg.
Thought:
The Twins, all of a sudden, have organizational depth at Catcher. We also have a stock pile of young arms who are MLB ready.
Boston has relievers who are young, have nasty stuff, and have set-up possibilities (Delcarmen, Masterson, etc.).
Let’s make a deal?
Now the point is — he got overpowered by Garza and swings for strike 3.
Garza does that to people.
Now Casilla gets a bloop hit (in the same fashion as Span did). Don’t know if he broke his bat though.
trish, go to the bar.
Have a bottle of water and bag of nuts and enjoy yourself.
If there are creeps there, go home. At least you tried!
Thanks Charlie!
B Dubz, now the question becomes which one do you keep, Morales or Butera?!
Don’t ask Mauer, he doesn’t have an opinion.
I’m just gonna save the bar time till next Monday so I can see Opening Day 
CANNOT WAIT!
Wow, a shutout going into the 6th for Perk.
Looks like the reigning AL camps won’t reign after this season.
Make sure they get My29, trish. My bar doesn’t.
The Twins are deep at catcher?
Why are we looking at guys like Morales and Butera then?
Perk looking overpowering in Garza-like fashion.
He gets one more start this ST.
Bad luck. Perk makes an excellent purpose pitch not that far inside that Pena hardly tries to avoid.
HP
Looks like Perkin’s didn’t think that he actually hit Pena or he did not really try to get out of the way. Even in slow motion you cannot really tell if it hit him or not. If Perkin’s continues to pitch like this for us this year it would be a huge boost.
QS, no walks, 4 K’s.
1-0 Twins.
Let’s see Ayala and Dickey. Is Humber available?
Almost wouldn’t be disappointed to see him released. I have no more confidence in him any more than I would Duensing to be burn-some-innings long-relief guy.
Great to see Perkins get through the sixth…
(and the funniest substitution of the spring: Buscher as a pinch runner for Morneau)
Took Buscher forever to reach 2B…
thrylos,
my thoughts exactly when I saw that.
I have the feeling that Morneau will have yet another MVP season in ‘09.
he was almost out at second.
Buscher ain’t nothin’ but a pinch hitter and a Grade B sub for Crede.
To his credit he did have to wait and see if Kapler was going to make a nice diving catch…and he almost did. The ball came out at the last second.
“His release was quick and throw was good”
Morales throw sailed into the runner, because his index and 2nd fingers did not cut straight through the center of the ball.
That makes the throw “not” good.
NOT GOOD
The Crede HBP
Great that’s all they need is for Crede to hurt something else.
Crede looking dumb like Pena getting the HP.
Is he alert at the plate yet?
And Bert, I think it was a little bit of a grimace.
The wind took Punto’s HR away……
:)>
The Rays’ D this week looks “A” ball, doesn’t it at times….
BTW…I think that was Dick’s first phantom call of the year
There’s that ridiculous outside strike call again, Kellogg. (to lefties)
“BTW…I think that was Dick’s first phantom call of the year”
Ha! You WOULD have to bring that up!!
And again, Kellogg…..
:(>
Span looks like crap he needs to be sent to rochester till he gets his head out of his ass. Then we can keep Buscher, Harris and Tolbert.
Yeah, Duane Statts sounds like a Republican Senator, doesn’t he.
len3 said benson is a five tool prospect, how many tools does buscher have?
sane i bet you weren’t a catcher! nothing wrong with that throw!
Parmalee in LF. Missed it. Did he blow the play?
romer
I will believe that once he starts saying, “my friends” every other sentence.
i’m impressed… Perkins on for the 7th inning…
trish, Perk is out. It it Duenseng
ggg,
“sane i bet you weren’t a catcher! nothing wrong with that throw!”
You lose!
I was a catcher and I made many “not good” throws just like Morales did.
If his throws sail East, Morales will not fly North.
makes a lot more sense. gameday didn’t load that one for me.
Ben D,
I would agree with you except Gardy would lose too much credibility after trying to “comfort” him by saying, in public, he has nothing to worry about, he’s on the team.
Who is this Punto guy that we have at short today?
Batting .429 this spring. I can’t wait to see what he can do in the majors. I hear he plays the game right too, and is a decent fielder. Wow, he could be exciting.
“Span looks like crap…”
You’re totally wrong. He looked like crap his first AB, and that’s it.
Paul,
Span will be on the team, he just will wait until one of the other three gets cold to start. If Gardy will not start the other three, he will lose credibility because at a point he said that they will have to earn the starting jobs during the spring and three of them did.
sane,
In defense to Morales the pitch was not the easiest to throw anyone out on anyhow. It was a left handed hitter up and it was well inside. If the throw did sail it did not miss by much and if Punto would have held on Bartlett may have been out.
“…nothing wrong with that throw!”
Are you nuts? It sailed into the runner so Punto had to back off from a head-on collision.
Morales’ throw was a total failure.
I am not blaming Morales for blowing an easy play.
My point is only that the ball sailed into the runner, and that was a problem for the Little Guy.
Crede hit on the hand by a pitch? With only a week until the season starts?
That’s some freakin’ bad luck right there. Guy goes through all that hassle cause of his back and now his HAND may end up being the problem?
That’s just not fair.
Span has struck out 3 out of the 4 times he batted and blooped a single his other bat THATS CRAP! He is batting over .120 points lower than Tolbert or Harris and almost .200 lower than buscher your right he has looked worse than CRAP.
“Crede hit on the hand by a pitch? With only a week until the season starts?”
I KNEW THEY SHOULDA SIGNED WIGGY!!!
Romer must mean he had 2 very good strikeouts
Bad pitch by Dunce-ee.
sane you’re the baseball expert, i’m just a fan & once small time player if you say it was a bad throw it must have been a bad throw. i defer to your expertise.
I KNEW THEY SHOULDA SIGNED WIGGY!!!
Nice. I’m waiting for it…. 
Duensie should be packing for Rochester…
Span has raised his average to .159 going 1 for 4
sane
In looking at the replay it was hardly an easy play for Morales to make. You also know that Bartlett is a good base stealer and runs well. It may have been an easier play if Benjie Molina was the one stealing.
ggg,
Thanks, but there are no experts on baseball.
I just think that the ball sailed, because the location of the pitch made it a difficult throw to make.
Your opinion is just as valid as mine.
We just saw it differently.
Not a good day for our lead off guy. Three strikeouts and a broken bat blooper just over the second baseman’s head. It was great to see Perkins outpitch Garza today. Hope he can keep it up for the regular season.
E-5.
IMPEACH THE @#$%@#$% MAYOR!
Re-elect the mayor.
did anybody figure out how many of the five tools buscher has yet?
sane,
the problem is that the “nice guy” who just committed that E5 will be taking playing time in Rochester from real prospects. I’d rather see Valencia than him up there…
did anybody figure out how many of the five tools buscher has yet?
half (hitting for average)
ggg,
“did anybody figure out how many of the five tools buscher has yet?”
I am up to one and still counting.
Buscher is not a major league player. He can’t hit for power, has suspect range, and no arm. Why are the Twins even thinking of bringing him north?
Give Harris a routine position and enough playing time and he’ll hit .270 to .280 with 12-15 bombs, which is much better than you’ll get from Busch-league.
Twins win!
has suspect range
nope. He wishes he had “suspect” range. He has the range of a bucket of balls at third…
Buscher has no business going north. Did anyone see him at first yesterday? That was painful to watch.
Thry
I’d even argue it’d be 1/3 (he only hits righties for average with a tiny bit of pop).
I love the Guerrier call for the save (only blemish was Barlett reaching on an error by the ‘nice guy’). maybe he’s on his way back a bit? let’s hope.
msm,
that’s why I gave him half (because he hits only righties for average)
pop is another of the five tools and he has less of that than Tolbert.
“Ability to play baseball” is not one of the tools.
But it is the skill that turns 5-tool baseball players into bag-boys at the Supermarket.
Special K.
I think you have a very good point about power. I think the Twins should CUT any player who DOES NOT hit 35 HR’s
Regards,
thrylos,
I realize you don’t like Buscher, that’s just fine.
BUT, your comment on Buscher being slow to 2nd implys you saw the play. IF SO, maybe you could be a bit more INTELLECTUALLY HONEST and note that the ball was in Kapler’s glove and Buscher had to stop halfway.
OF course the play was a twofer for you, criticize Buscher being slow to 2nd, OR if he HAD NOT been watching Kapler and just run to 2nd, and Kapler makes a very good catch and doubles Buscher off 1st you could complain about that as well.
Regards,
pop is another of the five tools and he has less of that than Tolbert.
I’m no Buscher fan, but that’s just silly.
Buscher slugged .478 in AA in 07, .523 in AAA in 07, and .514 in AAA in 08.
The last time Tolbert slugged .500 was at Elizabethton in 2004.
Honestly Dragon, how can you mix thoughtful comments with such inane ones. Are you just trying to keep yourself balanced?
Dragon - I was referring to your 35 Home Runs or get cut comment.
I am not interested in getting into the middle of your other debate.
Dragon,
Harris hit 7 bombs last year in spite of being shuffled between 3 positions AND being in Gardy’s doghouse for who knows how long for no apparent reason.
Buscher meanwhile hit what? 1 maybe 2? I don’t care about his .300 or so average… Lew Ford did that too in his first callup, until the league adjusted and bounced him to Japan.
Listen, 3rd base is a place you stick power hitters, and Buscher is NOT that nor has he ever shown that he could become that. Harris on the other hand has the potential to be a mid-teen HR hitter, which his major league record does nothing but backs up. Is he an everyday starter? Probably not on this Twins team. Is he a much better backup than Buscher? Absolutely.
If Buscher had less power than Tolbert, the decision would have been made long ago.
Almost all the other skill categories are already decided for Tolbert.
Buscher has more power and more power potential than Tolbert, and that is why the decision is still pending.
BUT, your comment on Buscher being slow to 2nd implys you saw the play. IF SO, maybe you could be a bit more INTELLECTUALLY HONEST and note that the ball was in Kapler’s glove and Buscher had to stop halfway
Here is the play:
Fly ball, Kapler dives, Buscher is off the screen (he should have stopped half way). Ball rolls very slowly off Kapler’s glove about 15 feet to the right fielder. By the time the ball reached the RF, Buscher should have been standing at second.
That’s my take.
Marv
The Dragon has appointed himself Chief of Blog-Police, vigorously thrashing anyone posting a comment that could be construed as vaguely questioning some minor detail about the Twins.
If he has to make up those comments along the way, well, that’s just the price one has to be willing to pay for such vigilant law enforcement.
Buscher has more power and more power potential than Tolbert,
MLB career isoP: Buscher: .097, Tolbert .106.
Buscher will be 28 in 19 days. He is in his prime. Maybe he is a late bloomer, but I doubt it.
Special K,
Hr’s are cool. In fact it only took the ChiSox 100+ more HR’s then the Twins to earn a tie after 162 games.
There many different ways to get to the same place.
Regards,
sane,
Good comments. I’m not arguing the fact that Buscher might still make the team if Tolbert does not (which would be a travesty IMO.) I was just saying that the decision coming down to Harris vs. Buscher is idiodic, considering Harris would never take a minor league assignment and has proven in his years of service to be a very capable major league backup and spot starter.
That being said, the idea that Buscher needs to be on this team (as some have said) “as a left handed bat” is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard… the Twins sport more everyday lefthanded hitters than most teams in the league and have enough righties that hit lefties ok and switch hitters to cover any “need” for a lefty. I don’t care which side of the plate you swing from… if you suck, as Buscher does, you shouldn’t be in the major leagues.
USAF Chief,
Thanks for the compliment.
Regards,
“he should have stopped half way”
“Half way” would have gotten him doubled off.
Kapler is charging the ball with momentum toward 1B.
The runner should get off “as far as possible with a guaranteed safe return to 1B if the ball is caught”.
Buscher’s #1 priority is to NOT get doubled off.
Mission accomplished.
Priority#2?
Beat the throw to 2B.
Mission accomplished.
The “half way” term can be fatal if taken literally.
Dragon’s just a great big homer.
Special K,
My point is simply that Buscher has more power and power potential than Tolbert.
If it weren’t true, Buscher would not be playing at this level.
His running, throwing and fielding didn’t get him there.
sane,
Well said!
sane,
Again, not arguing with you at all. I just think that the team’s starters have enough power potential to not warrent keeping a defensive liability such as Buscher on the bench. If Buscher could play more than 2 positions (and I use the term “play” loosely), I think it would be a tougher call to make, but as is, I’d vote for Tolbert’s defensive versatility and speed over Buscher’s potential pop anyday.
Living here in Tampa Bay, It is so Wonderfull every time we beat the RedSox,or the Big Cry Baby new york yankees,being that they have single players on there team that make more than our entire team,which by the way,”the entire world saw the way the refs THREW at least two of the games in last years world series”,We are really looking forward to the season, and I would like to know if those refs got thrown out for those ridiculous calls,or if they are going to be allowed to continue to do that kind of illegal stuff this new season.Cause its just “plain wrong”.Players work to hard to get to a world series,and then to have a ref be allowed to make up calls like that is very wrong. PLAY BALL!!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HHHHAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Picking nits, Mr McDade, but the Yankees did not have any single players on ‘there’ team last year that made more than the entire Rays team.
Also picking nits, but baseball does not have ‘refs.’ Baseball officials are properly referred to as ‘umpires.’
Theres no choice here. Buscher is a left handed batting DH with no power. What is his potential that he will one day be able to play defense
If Buscher has so much more power why has he only hit one home run and Tolbert 3
because Tolbert has played on breezier days? or had more AB’s?
Does someone know offhand how many times Harris has been traded? Do you wonder if his re-locations tell us something?
Tolbert has more than Crede also. What does that prove?
If Buscher has so much more power why has he only hit one home run and Tolbert 3
If Miguel Cabrera has no much more power why has he hit only one home run and Tolbert 3?
Does someone know offhand how many times Harris has been traded?
The Twins are Harris’ 5th major league organization since ‘04: Cubs, Montreal/Washington, Cincy, TB, Twins.
Tampa in 2007 was his first extended time in the big leagues.
I’ll leave it to others to decide what his relocations tell us, if anything.
